《How to Live As the Vampire Lord》 CH 1 ¡°It had been a long time since I ran into a vampire, so I was looking forward to it. But it seems I was excited for nothing. You¡¯re not even stronger than an intermediate monster.¡± The knight scoffed while holding onto the figure¡¯s hair. He desperately stretched out his hands towards the knight, but it was in vain. Eugene bathed in anger, despair, and regret in the pouring rain. He continued waving his amputated arms in the air to no avail. ¡°You killed quite a few, didn¡¯t you, you dirty beast.¡± ¡°Kyareuk! Kyarreuk!¡± He could not even speak properly any longer, most of his blood having drained already. The only reason he could still hold on was due to the fact that he had sucked dozens of people¡¯s blood in the past six months, during his days of escape. If he had been caught on the first day of his escape, he would have been killed immediately. ¡°You can die proud, knowing that you bestowed the honorable title of Vampire Slayer to Lord Dircht. Do you want to know a secret?¡± The templar, the holy knight, the one who always cried out for noble faith ¨C finally grinned while revealing his desires. ¡°The fact I joined the trackers after a few months, and the fact I¡¯ve been letting you roam around. I did it on purpose. Since you are a relatively new vampire, it was better for me to hunt you down slowly to make the church and myself known. It also served as a warning for the unbelievers.¡± ¡°Keughh!¡± ¡°This is where your role ends. God will not tolerate any more than this. Then burn in purgatory forever, monster.¡± Crunch! The silver-plated long sword sliced through Eugene¡¯s neck. Crimson red blood spilled from the cut and was greedily engulfed by the pouring rain. ¡°The evil, vicious vampire is dead! God has given us victory! We won!¡± ¡°Woaaahh!¡± The voices of the mercenaries accompanying the templar violently resonated in Eugene¡¯s head. Light was slowly fading from his eyes, and his vitality disappeared. Eugene¡¯s past days swept past his mind like a flash. If only he had not spent all that time in the mountains like a poor, helpless beast. If only he had learned and practiced earlier what he learned during the past half-year. If only he realized earlier that sucking blood was not just a simple act of fulfilling one¡¯s hunger. If only he had overcome his fears and somehow challenged stronger beings to win and devour their blood. If only¡­ If only¡­ If only¡­ The last thoughts of life approached him like pouring rain and scattered into vain reminiscence. After realizing that he was not a regular human being, he had lived hidden away in the mountains for 12 years. The Vampire Eugene finally breathed his last. *** ¡°Huegh!¡± Eugene woke up in a dark room without a speck of light. Breathing heavily, he ran his hands over his entire body. ¡°W, was it a dream?¡± It could not have been. Half a year on the run. Just a moment ago, he had been captured and killed in a miserable fashion by Jung Dircht. The templar captured him after persistently tracking him in his final month of escape. The pain and humiliation were still vivid in Eugene¡¯s memories as if it were a slave¡¯s brand. ¡°What is going on¡­¡± Eugene mumbled blankly, then quickly looked around. ¡°Is this¡­ my house?¡± He was currently in the cabin that he had built as a child ¨C the same cabin he repaired repeatedly when it wore and broke down. Eugene hurriedly approached the door. Vampires possessed superior senses compared to humans, and as such, this level of darkness posed no problems for Eugene. He glanced at a calendar he personally produced. ¡°12 years and 192 days.¡± Knowing that there were 365 days in a year, he marked a blank space with an X mark before sunrise every morning. Thus, according to the signs on the calendar, ¡°Almost half a year ago. Before everything happened. Did I really come back to the past?¡± Eugene muttered dazedly in the darkness. ¡°I¡­ am not dead.¡± Thick, hot tears started flowing from Eugene¡¯s eyes. He was overcome with complex and violent emotions as a vampire who was subjected to a violent death. Bloodied tears continued flowing as he convinced himself of the miracle. After a while, Eugene wiped the tears that soaked his rough cheeks. Now was not the time to be relieved. ¡°192 days right now. So five days from now.¡± An event would completely transform his fate five days from now. Of course, at that time, he never imagined it would have such an effect on his life. It had simply been someone else¡¯s business. ¡°Five days. Five days¡­¡± Eugene whispered softly, then bit his lips. ¡°I will never die like that again. If I really am back in the past, then by all means¡­¡± Eugene made up his mind. He learned and realized many things during his half a year of escape. A vampire like himself could never live quietly. Even if he lived in hiding without consuming human blood, he would one day be caught and prosecuted as a miserable fugitive. He learned the hard way in his previous life. So he would not hide anymore. He would grow stronger ¨C strong enough to fight confidently even if his identity was revealed. ¡°I will never regret anything again.¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glowed even redder in the dark. Five days. It was short, but enough. *** Kieeeek. Eugene carefully opened the door after making all the preparations. Heavy clouds colored the sky in the rainy season, so fortunately, he was not exposed to direct sunlight. But even this level of sunlight restricted the activities of vampires. Eugene once again confirmed his outfit. A dark mask that completely covered his face and a black leather robe that covered even his ankles. He was dressed in a thick, black shirt and pants inside the robe as well. Vampires could be active during the day as long as they weren¡¯t exposed to direct sunlight, and it was much easier for them on a cloudy day such as this. Although they could not express their unique strength, their physical abilities were still superior to that of ordinary humans. Eugene carefully left through the door with his coverings. He was in good shape. He felt so comfortable that it felt almost luxurious, considering the past when he was being tracked and chased by the enemies. Eugene locked the door tightly and inspected the cabin, though he knew no one would stumble upon it. Then he started moving towards the mountain. In the distant past, he consumed human blood on a single occasion when he was driven by instinct. Less than two days later, mercenaries were out to find him. Eugene had been small enough to hide in the sewers during the day to avoid their search. On the fifth day of hiding, knights armed with torches and terrifying weapons roamed the village at night. Their weapons emitted a divine power so immense that he felt weak just by looking at them. It wasn¡¯t until he ran into Jung Dircht that he learned their identities. They were templars, natural enemies of vampires. He was stricken with fear and escaped. He crossed mountains and fields every night before eventually arriving in this place, and after that incident, he sustained himself by consuming the blood of the animals he hunted in the forest. For 12 long years. ¡°I will not do such stupid things anymore.¡± The red glow of his eyes could be seen within the mask. Twice, he became prey and ran. Then, he realized¡­ The law of the jungle ¨C the strong would survive and the weak would die. ¡°It starts today.¡± He would no longer be chased around as a monster but would become the predator himself. The first offering needed to be ¡®the one,¡¯ who provided him with unparalleled power in the past even with just a few sips. *** Eugene crossed the mountain and entered the forest after a couple of hours. The forest had served as his hunting ground for a long time, and it felt like his front yard. The forest was dark and damp, and usually devoid of much sunlight. It provided a more comfortable state for Eugene than an open field. Anyone else would get lost and wander for several days in the dark, deep forest. But Eugene recognized the surroundings with his vampire senses and quickly crossed the forest. After another few hours, he finally arrived at the end of the forest. What spread out in front of him was a wetland surrounded by a dense forest. This was his destination ¨C a dirty wetland littered with dangerous swamps. But he did not immediately enter the wetlands. He reached for a piece of leather hanging from his bag and perched it at an angle using a branch. After setting up a simple tent where one or two people could avoid the rain and the wind, Eugene placed his bag in the establishment before entering the forest with a dagger. Within ten to twenty minutes, he returned with a large mouse and a few rabbits. He weaved the animals together with branches and tossed them inside the tent. Disregarding the frightened cries of the animals, he gazed at the wetlands. ¡°Two or three more hours.¡± The day was long in the current season, but the sun would completely set by then. And the night was the dominion of vampires. *** The dying sun dyed the looming dark clouds over the western sky with white, then finally disappeared completely. Pitter-patter! The drizzling rain began to pour in earnest after the sun went down. Eugene¡¯s five senses became more sensitive, and strength poured over his body as he listened to the sound of rain pouring over the makeshift tent. In his current state, he could easily deal with two or three mercenaries. But he knew this wasn¡¯t enough. Eugene took off his mask. His burning red eyes were normal, but the same could not be said for the rest of him. Only a few strands of hair remained on his head, and his haggard eyes, nose, and mouth made like appear like a horrible, rotting corpse. Eugene stretched out his hand without hesitation. The big mouse and rabbits had been unmoving since a while ago. As his hand neared, they struggled helplessly. Eugene slit their throats and drank their blood in turn. Hot blood gushed down his esophagus. The heat provided by fresh blood quickly transformed into vitality and permeated Eugene¡¯s body as heat. His eyes glowed crimson, and his fangs and nails grew longer in an instant. ¡°Krrr¡­¡± Eugene slowly walked towards the wetland. The rain showed no signs of abating. He moved along the waterfront with his body lowered, and his red gaze swept through the surface of the water, which was constantly disturbed by the rain and the wind. Eugene continued along the waterfront, sometimes kicking or throwing stones at the waters. His vision was several times better than usual, and he did not miss even the tiniest movement on the surface of the water. One leg was deliberately placed inside the water, which he was using to sense movement inside the water. Suddenly, he stopped. The surface of the water, which had been swept along the direction of the wind and the heavy rain, suddenly soared upwards like an explosion. Simultaneously, Eugene¡¯s body rose into the air. Kwaaah! A monster appeared from the midst of the soaring water. Its body was covered in dark brown and green. Although its entire figure wasn¡¯t revealed, what could be seen was even larger than a bull. The monster opened its jaw with a glimmer in its eyes. Kuwaaap! Its gigantic jaw snapped in the air. Its giant, sharp teeth were reminiscent of dozens of stinging daggers. The creature missed Eugene by a tiny margin. Crack! After avoiding the creature¡¯s gaping jaw by jumping high into the air, Eugene plunged his dagger into the creature¡¯s eye while coming back down. Kuwaaaahh! The monster roared and struggled, which caused huge waves to break through the surface of the water. However, it was a vampire who was holding a dagger that penetrated its eye. Moreover, the sun had set completely. Although he avoided drinking human blood for a long time, he had been rejuvenated by the blood of the animals a short while ago. His strength far exceeded that of an adult man during the night. ¡°Krrreuk!¡± Eugene held on by wrapping his other arm around the creature¡¯s large head. Kuwaagh! The creature rose high into the air and turned its body. Eugene would have been crushed to pieces if the creature hit the ground at its current angle. However, he quickly realized the monster¡¯s intentions with a vampire¡¯s maximized senses, and Eugene changed his position like an acrobat with his arms wrapped around the creature. Simultaneously, he stabbed the monster¡¯s other eye with the dagger. Phuwak! As the monster¡¯s eyeball burst, its body collided with the water¡¯s surface. The vampire and the monster sank below surface. The short, fierce battle could no longer be found, and only the sound of rain hitting the water could be heard in the wetland. A little later. ¡°Kuwuuuugh!¡± Eugene¡¯s upper body burst through the surface of the water. ¡°Kuegh! Kureeuk!¡± His eyes were still emitting a red glow, and he growled like a wild animal while struggling to climb out of the water. His left arm was already broken, but his right hand was holding onto the monster¡¯s large tail. Eugene slowly dragged the monster out of the water with all his might. He observed the monster¡¯s body like a hungry beast, then dug his dagger into the monster¡¯s eyeball without hesitation. As he dug out the eyeball, blood welled up in the empty socket of the monster, and the vicious vampire hurriedly gulped it down. For a long while, Eugene savored the blood of the monster in the cold rain. His body transformed during his long-awaited meal. Firstly, the various injuries he acquired during the battle were quickly recovered. Luscious hair quickly covered the various patches on his scalp, and his chapped, wrinkled skin regained its vitality, reflecting the pale glow of the moon in the cold rain. That was not the end. He had been smaller than a regular adult. As he relished in blood, his body grew in size, his limbs became much longer, and his body became toned and gained some muscle. ¡°Phuah!¡± Eugene finally raised his face, sweeping back his long, black hair. The red blood staining his nose and mouth quickly washed away in the heavy rain. His transformed face was completely revealed. His red eyes shone like two flawless rubies, emitting a perfect harmony of madness and killing intent under his straight forehead. His straight nose and bright red lips stroke a perfect balance with the slim lines of his face. The two protruding fangs betrayed his identity. ¡°Kuwughhhh!¡± The vampire roared in the pouring rain after regaining his true identity as a member of the ¡°Tribe of the Night.¡± CH 2 ¡°It had been a long time since I ran into a vampire, so I was looking forward to it. But it seems I was excited for nothing. You¡¯re not even stronger than an intermediate monster.¡± The knight scoffed while holding onto the figure¡¯s hair. He desperately stretched out his hands towards the knight, but it was in vain. Eugene bathed in anger, despair, and regret in the pouring rain. He continued waving his amputated arms in the air to no avail. ¡°You killed quite a few, didn¡¯t you, you dirty beast.¡± ¡°Kyareuk! Kyarreuk!¡± He could not even speak properly any longer, most of his blood having drained already. The only reason he could still hold on was due to the fact that he had sucked dozens of people¡¯s blood in the past six months, during his days of escape. If he had been caught on the first day of his escape, he would have been killed immediately. ¡°You can die proud, knowing that you bestowed the honorable title of Vampire Slayer to Lord Dircht. Do you want to know a secret?¡± The templar, the holy knight, the one who always cried out for noble faith ¨C finally grinned while revealing his desires. ¡°The fact I joined the trackers after a few months, and the fact I¡¯ve been letting you roam around. I did it on purpose. Since you are a relatively new vampire, it was better for me to hunt you down slowly to make the church and myself known. It also served as a warning for the unbelievers.¡± ¡°Keughh!¡± ¡°This is where your role ends. God will not tolerate any more than this. Then burn in purgatory forever, monster.¡± Crunch! The silver-plated long sword sliced through Eugene¡¯s neck. Crimson red blood spilled from the cut and was greedily engulfed by the pouring rain. ¡°The evil, vicious vampire is dead! God has given us victory! We won!¡± ¡°Woaaahh!¡± The voices of the mercenaries accompanying the templar violently resonated in Eugene¡¯s head. Light was slowly fading from his eyes, and his vitality disappeared. Eugene¡¯s past days swept past his mind like a flash. If only he had not spent all that time in the mountains like a poor, helpless beast. If only he had learned and practiced earlier what he learned during the past half-year. If only he realized earlier that sucking blood was not just a simple act of fulfilling one¡¯s hunger. If only he had overcome his fears and somehow challenged stronger beings to win and devour their blood. If only¡­ If only¡­ If only¡­ The last thoughts of life approached him like pouring rain and scattered into vain reminiscence. After realizing that he was not a regular human being, he had lived hidden away in the mountains for 12 years. The Vampire Eugene finally breathed his last. *** ¡°Huegh!¡± Eugene woke up in a dark room without a speck of light. Breathing heavily, he ran his hands over his entire body. ¡°W, was it a dream?¡± It could not have been. Half a year on the run. Just a moment ago, he had been captured and killed in a miserable fashion by Jung Dircht. The templar captured him after persistently tracking him in his final month of escape. The pain and humiliation were still vivid in Eugene¡¯s memories as if it were a slave¡¯s brand. ¡°What is going on¡­¡± Eugene mumbled blankly, then quickly looked around. ¡°Is this¡­ my house?¡± He was currently in the cabin that he had built as a child ¨C the same cabin he repaired repeatedly when it wore and broke down. Eugene hurriedly approached the door. Vampires possessed superior senses compared to humans, and as such, this level of darkness posed no problems for Eugene. He glanced at a calendar he personally produced. ¡°12 years and 192 days.¡± Knowing that there were 365 days in a year, he marked a blank space with an X mark before sunrise every morning. Thus, according to the signs on the calendar, ¡°Almost half a year ago. Before everything happened. Did I really come back to the past?¡± Eugene muttered dazedly in the darkness. ¡°I¡­ am not dead.¡± Thick, hot tears started flowing from Eugene¡¯s eyes. He was overcome with complex and violent emotions as a vampire who was subjected to a violent death. Bloodied tears continued flowing as he convinced himself of the miracle. After a while, Eugene wiped the tears that soaked his rough cheeks. Now was not the time to be relieved. ¡°192 days right now. So five days from now.¡± An event would completely transform his fate five days from now. Of course, at that time, he never imagined it would have such an effect on his life. It had simply been someone else¡¯s business. ¡°Five days. Five days¡­¡± Eugene whispered softly, then bit his lips. ¡°I will never die like that again. If I really am back in the past, then by all means¡­¡± Eugene made up his mind. He learned and realized many things during his half a year of escape. A vampire like himself could never live quietly. Even if he lived in hiding without consuming human blood, he would one day be caught and prosecuted as a miserable fugitive. He learned the hard way in his previous life. So he would not hide anymore. He would grow stronger ¨C strong enough to fight confidently even if his identity was revealed. ¡°I will never regret anything again.¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glowed even redder in the dark. Five days. It was short, but enough. *** Kieeeek. Eugene carefully opened the door after making all the preparations. Heavy clouds colored the sky in the rainy season, so fortunately, he was not exposed to direct sunlight. But even this level of sunlight restricted the activities of vampires. Eugene once again confirmed his outfit. A dark mask that completely covered his face and a black leather robe that covered even his ankles. He was dressed in a thick, black shirt and pants inside the robe as well. Vampires could be active during the day as long as they weren¡¯t exposed to direct sunlight, and it was much easier for them on a cloudy day such as this. Although they could not express their unique strength, their physical abilities were still superior to that of ordinary humans. Eugene carefully left through the door with his coverings. He was in good shape. He felt so comfortable that it felt almost luxurious, considering the past when he was being tracked and chased by the enemies. Eugene locked the door tightly and inspected the cabin, though he knew no one would stumble upon it. Then he started moving towards the mountain. In the distant past, he consumed human blood on a single occasion when he was driven by instinct. Less than two days later, mercenaries were out to find him. Eugene had been small enough to hide in the sewers during the day to avoid their search. On the fifth day of hiding, knights armed with torches and terrifying weapons roamed the village at night. Their weapons emitted a divine power so immense that he felt weak just by looking at them. It wasn¡¯t until he ran into Jung Dircht that he learned their identities. They were templars, natural enemies of vampires. He was stricken with fear and escaped. He crossed mountains and fields every night before eventually arriving in this place, and after that incident, he sustained himself by consuming the blood of the animals he hunted in the forest. For 12 long years. ¡°I will not do such stupid things anymore.¡± The red glow of his eyes could be seen within the mask. Twice, he became prey and ran. Then, he realized¡­ The law of the jungle ¨C the strong would survive and the weak would die. ¡°It starts today.¡± He would no longer be chased around as a monster but would become the predator himself. The first offering needed to be ¡®the one,¡¯ who provided him with unparalleled power in the past even with just a few sips. *** Eugene crossed the mountain and entered the forest after a couple of hours. The forest had served as his hunting ground for a long time, and it felt like his front yard. The forest was dark and damp, and usually devoid of much sunlight. It provided a more comfortable state for Eugene than an open field. Anyone else would get lost and wander for several days in the dark, deep forest. But Eugene recognized the surroundings with his vampire senses and quickly crossed the forest. After another few hours, he finally arrived at the end of the forest. What spread out in front of him was a wetland surrounded by a dense forest. This was his destination ¨C a dirty wetland littered with dangerous swamps. But he did not immediately enter the wetlands. He reached for a piece of leather hanging from his bag and perched it at an angle using a branch. After setting up a simple tent where one or two people could avoid the rain and the wind, Eugene placed his bag in the establishment before entering the forest with a dagger. Within ten to twenty minutes, he returned with a large mouse and a few rabbits. He weaved the animals together with branches and tossed them inside the tent. Disregarding the frightened cries of the animals, he gazed at the wetlands. ¡°Two or three more hours.¡± The day was long in the current season, but the sun would completely set by then. And the night was the dominion of vampires. *** The dying sun dyed the looming dark clouds over the western sky with white, then finally disappeared completely. Pitter-patter! The drizzling rain began to pour in earnest after the sun went down. Eugene¡¯s five senses became more sensitive, and strength poured over his body as he listened to the sound of rain pouring over the makeshift tent. In his current state, he could easily deal with two or three mercenaries. But he knew this wasn¡¯t enough. Eugene took off his mask. His burning red eyes were normal, but the same could not be said for the rest of him. Only a few strands of hair remained on his head, and his haggard eyes, nose, and mouth made like appear like a horrible, rotting corpse. Eugene stretched out his hand without hesitation. The big mouse and rabbits had been unmoving since a while ago. As his hand neared, they struggled helplessly. Eugene slit their throats and drank their blood in turn. Hot blood gushed down his esophagus. The heat provided by fresh blood quickly transformed into vitality and permeated Eugene¡¯s body as heat. His eyes glowed crimson, and his fangs and nails grew longer in an instant. ¡°Krrr¡­¡± Eugene slowly walked towards the wetland. The rain showed no signs of abating. He moved along the waterfront with his body lowered, and his red gaze swept through the surface of the water, which was constantly disturbed by the rain and the wind. Eugene continued along the waterfront, sometimes kicking or throwing stones at the waters. His vision was several times better than usual, and he did not miss even the tiniest movement on the surface of the water. One leg was deliberately placed inside the water, which he was using to sense movement inside the water. Suddenly, he stopped. The surface of the water, which had been swept along the direction of the wind and the heavy rain, suddenly soared upwards like an explosion. Simultaneously, Eugene¡¯s body rose into the air. Kwaaah! A monster appeared from the midst of the soaring water. Its body was covered in dark brown and green. Although its entire figure wasn¡¯t revealed, what could be seen was even larger than a bull. The monster opened its jaw with a glimmer in its eyes. Kuwaaap! Its gigantic jaw snapped in the air. Its giant, sharp teeth were reminiscent of dozens of stinging daggers. The creature missed Eugene by a tiny margin. Crack! After avoiding the creature¡¯s gaping jaw by jumping high into the air, Eugene plunged his dagger into the creature¡¯s eye while coming back down. Kuwaaaahh! The monster roared and struggled, which caused huge waves to break through the surface of the water. However, it was a vampire who was holding a dagger that penetrated its eye. Moreover, the sun had set completely. Although he avoided drinking human blood for a long time, he had been rejuvenated by the blood of the animals a short while ago. His strength far exceeded that of an adult man during the night. ¡°Krrreuk!¡± Eugene held on by wrapping his other arm around the creature¡¯s large head. Kuwaagh! The creature rose high into the air and turned its body. Eugene would have been crushed to pieces if the creature hit the ground at its current angle. However, he quickly realized the monster¡¯s intentions with a vampire¡¯s maximized senses, and Eugene changed his position like an acrobat with his arms wrapped around the creature. Simultaneously, he stabbed the monster¡¯s other eye with the dagger. Phuwak! As the monster¡¯s eyeball burst, its body collided with the water¡¯s surface. The vampire and the monster sank below surface. The short, fierce battle could no longer be found, and only the sound of rain hitting the water could be heard in the wetland. A little later. ¡°Kuwuuuugh!¡± Eugene¡¯s upper body burst through the surface of the water. ¡°Kuegh! Kureeuk!¡± His eyes were still emitting a red glow, and he growled like a wild animal while struggling to climb out of the water. His left arm was already broken, but his right hand was holding onto the monster¡¯s large tail. Eugene slowly dragged the monster out of the water with all his might. He observed the monster¡¯s body like a hungry beast, then dug his dagger into the monster¡¯s eyeball without hesitation. As he dug out the eyeball, blood welled up in the empty socket of the monster, and the vicious vampire hurriedly gulped it down. For a long while, Eugene savored the blood of the monster in the cold rain. His body transformed during his long-awaited meal. Firstly, the various injuries he acquired during the battle were quickly recovered. Luscious hair quickly covered the various patches on his scalp, and his chapped, wrinkled skin regained its vitality, reflecting the pale glow of the moon in the cold rain. That was not the end. He had been smaller than a regular adult. As he relished in blood, his body grew in size, his limbs became much longer, and his body became toned and gained some muscle. ¡°Phuah!¡± Eugene finally raised his face, sweeping back his long, black hair. The red blood staining his nose and mouth quickly washed away in the heavy rain. His transformed face was completely revealed. His red eyes shone like two flawless rubies, emitting a perfect harmony of madness and killing intent under his straight forehead. His straight nose and bright red lips stroke a perfect balance with the slim lines of his face. The two protruding fangs betrayed his identity. ¡°Kuwughhhh!¡± The vampire roared in the pouring rain after regaining his true identity as a member of the ¡°Tribe of the Night.¡± CH 3 After savoring the monster¡¯s blood for quite a while, Eugene stopped himself after realizing that his body¡¯s transformation was over. The rain, which seemed to pour endlessly, had stopped as well. Under the dusk of the moonlight, Eugene stared down at the body of the monster. It was terribly crumpled. Although he used this very forest as his hunting ground for ten long years, he did not know about the existence of the monster in the past. It was not difficult to find game as soon as he passed the mountain, and the water of the wetland was dirty, which made it unsuitable to drink. As such he never had any reason to approach the wetlands. But when he was forcibly dragged away by the mercenaries, he discovered the presence of the monster. Of course, the mercenaries had not known about the monster. All those who discovered the monster in the past had been eaten, so no stories had ever spread. ¡®Originally, the wetland was smaller than this as well.¡¯ The surface area of the water had increased due to the monsoon and the heavy rain, which caused a corresponding increase in the monster¡¯s radius of activity as well. That was the reason why the mercenaries had encountered the monster. The unknown monster with six legs had torn apart seven mercenaries and escaped deep into the wetlands after losing an eye. At that time, Eugene spotted a severed toe of the monster and satisfied himself with a mouthful of blood amidst the mercenaries¡¯ confusion. A powerful burst of energy had circulated through Eugene¡¯s body back then. The blood of the monster provided strength incomparable to the power given to him by the blood of ordinary beasts. That was when he first came to his senses as a true vampire. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t realize his full strength because the amount of consumed blood was too little. Moreover, it had been before sunset. However, it had provided him with enough power to rip through the rope that tied his hands and feet. Afterward, he knocked down a few of the mercenaries and escaped. That was the beginning of his half-a-year of running. If he had not taken a sip of the monster¡¯s blood at the time, escape back then would have been impossible. But on the contrary, it also meant that he could gain much more power if he managed to completely consume the blood of the monster. ¡°Just like this.¡± Eugene observed his body. He wasn¡¯t completely certain, but it felt as if he had grown about a palm taller. Toned muscles could be found all over his elongated limbs, and his skin, which had always been dirty, was clear and spotless. Accentuated blood vessels could be seen on his limbs, and he could clearly feel boundless energy wriggling all over his body. It was a powerful force that he never felt before. With his current strength, surely he could even deal with Jung Dircht, the templar responsible for cutting off his head. ¡°No, I cannot become arrogant.¡± Dircht was strong. Furthermore, he used silver-plated weapons containing divine power. Although ordinary weapons were somewhat ineffective against vampires, silver weapons containing divine power were different. Eugene clearly remembered the fiery pain he felt when he was cut by Dircht¡¯s weapon. ¡°I cannot get involved in a fight that I cannot win. Let¡¯s just focus on becoming stronger until I am certain of victory.¡± He could live a repeat of his past life if he got caught up in emotions. Moreover, Jung Dircht was not the only templar in the world. ¡°One at a time. Plan it out.¡± Eugene calmed himself down. ¡°The tattoos are still here.¡± He had more than 10 tattoos engraved on his body ever since he was a child. He had no idea who engraved it and when it had been engraved. Perhaps he had it since birth. ¡°Maybe I will find out about the tattoos one day as well.¡± He removed his gaze from the strange characters and shapes that littered his body, then wiped his dagger clean before looking at the reflection. Vampires could not be seen in reflections. However, that was only limited to the vampire¡¯s original body, which meant that costumes and accessories could still be seen. Moreover, a vampire¡¯s reflection could be seen by themselves. ¡°I look like a human.¡± Eugene had no standards for beauty. He spent most of his life alone, and he never had any reason to distinguish between different individuals based on their appearance. As such, he was satisfied that his face was properly decorated with eyes, nose, and a mouth just like any other human. ¡°Still, I will have to continue wearing a mask during the day.¡± Eugene muttered softly, then moved to throw the monster¡¯s body back into the wetlands. No matter how deserted this place was, someone could approach the wetlands to acquire water, just as the mercenaries had done in the past. He could never leave behind evidence after hunting as a vampire ¨C it was one of the things he learned during his previous life on the run. ¡°Hmm?¡± A glimmer appeared in Eugene¡¯s eyes as he grabbed the slimy tail of the monster. The monster¡¯s body was black and blue. However, there was a strange red light coming from a spot in the monster¡¯s back. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be the original color of the leather.¡± Eugene carefully examined the source of the red light. ¡°Is it inside?¡± It seemed that the light was being emitted by something located inside the monster, rather than the hide having a red hue. Eugene stabbed his dagger into the monster¡¯s corpse. Originally, it would be difficult to pierce the monster¡¯s hide with a simple dagger. However, Eugene was able to rip it apart quite easily after having awakened as a member of the Night¡¯s Tribe. Moreover, the monster had been sucked dry of its life. ¡°This is¡­¡± Eugene slightly raised his eyebrows upon identifying the source of the mysterious red light. He would never have known the identity of the object in his hand if he had only ever stayed in his cabin. However, Eugene learned many things about the world while on the run. He had a good guess as to the identity of the bright-red ore in his hand. ¡°A mana stone? I knew this one was special among the roamers.¡± Roamer. Roamer was a term given to monsters that wandered or resided in forests, mountains, streams, and other areas rather than mazes, dungeons, or ancient ruins. But unlike the monsters that resided in the evil lands, only special roamers possessed mana stones in their bodies. Mana stones were considered more precious than other precious metals or jewelry in the human world. However, mana stones were quite useless to ordinary humans. They were only useful for decorative purposes, and in some ways, they could adversely affect humans. However, after mana stones were purified by a priest or a wizard, they could restore people¡¯s strength, slow the process of aging, and even extend the human lifespan. As such, humans, especially nobles, always searched for mana stones with fire in their eyes. ¡°I thought all mana stones were supposed to be green. And it¡¯s this big?¡± All the mana stones Eugene encountered in his past life had been green and smaller than pinky nails. However, what Eugene was holding now was red and thumb-sized. ¡°It seems rather special, but it¡¯s a pie in the sky for me right now anyway.¡± There was no way for Eugene to purify the mana stone right now. It would be best for him to keep it and sell it to a human nobleman when he got the chance. ¡­was what Eugene thought until the mysterious mana stone started talking to him. - Eat it. - It is for you. ¡°¡­..!¡± Eugene became wide-eyed as an intense emotion penetrated his mind. The mana stone had not actually talked to him. The moment he gazed at the mana stone, a voice had resonated in his head. Eugene slowly lifted the mana stone as if he were possessed by something. The redness of the mana stone resembled the color of blood and his eyes. - It is yours. Consume it. Eugene opened his mouth wide and swallowed the mana stone whole. He felt an even hotter and stronger energy flowing down with the stone, something even more intense than when he feasted on the monster¡¯s blood. It was quickly moving towards his right chest. ¡°Keugh!¡± Eugene instinctively grasped his right chest as a sharp pain struck him. He knelt on one knee. But when he touched his chest, a strange feeling was conveyed. It felt as if he was touching cold, hard metal, rather than his skin. Eugene took off his hand and looked down at his right chest. A black, hard shell the size of his palm lay over his skin. ¡°W-what is this?¡± Huh?!?¡± Suddenly, the shell extended its reach beyond his chest, covering his back, arms, and legs. The black skin was exactly the same as that of the wetland monster he just defeated. It quickly expanded and covered Eugene¡¯s entire body. ¡°What the hell¡­¡± Eugene murmured with a ridiculous expression while stroking the thin, hard shell that perfectly covered his body. Even his hair felt like the skin of the monster, though it appeared normal. If anyone saw him, he would have been mistaken for wearing a one-piece scale, mail armor. ¡°Disappear! Begone!¡± Eugene shouted in desperation. To his surprise, the shell covering his body instantly melted into his skin. ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene examined his body in disbelief. Then he spoke hesitantly, imagining that his body would become firm. ¡°Become hard. Appear.¡± The missing shell reappeared and quickly covered his body once more. After testing it out a few more times, Eugene realized that the newfound ability could be expressed by imagining it with strong concentration. He soon clenched his fist in uncontrollable excitement. ¡°This will be a great weapon.¡± The monster¡¯s shell had been unscathed against the weapons of the mercenaries. It would surely be of great help in defending against attacks, though Eugene wasn¡¯t certain how it would fare against the silver-plated weapons of templars. In addition, there was another important thing. ¡°It¡¯s black, so maybe it could block sunlight.¡± He would have to wait until morning to test the theory. For the first time in his life, Eugene waited for sunrise with an eager heart as he dragged the monster¡¯s body towards the wetland. At that time, he saw a blue luminescence floating near the water in a place overrun by bushes. ¡°Is it a firefly?¡± He disregarded the light and twisted his body to hurl the monster¡¯s body to the far side of the marsh. ¡°That¡¯s perfect! Dirty alligator bastard! The fish will feast tonight! Kukekekeke!¡± A voice shouted in a frivolous voice. Eugene turned his gaze towards the voice like lightning, but there was nothing. All he could see was a blue firefly hovering over the bushes. ¡°You should have known your place, you insect!¡± The voice appeared to be coming from the firefly. Moreover, the talking firefly continued to chatter while hovering above the bushes, completely disregarding Eugene¡¯s approach. ¡°A bastard who used to roll around in dung water got a big head, huh? A fitting end for trash that didn¡¯t know its place! Hey, you! My area¡¯s gotten so dirty because of you. It¡¯s so bad that it¡¯ll take me eons to return it to¡­¡± The firefly continued talking excitedly. Then, its voice died down. The firefly, or rather, a small humanoid creature with two pairs of blue wings, met Eugene¡¯s eyes. Both of its hands were wrapped around its waist. ¡°Hmm? Is he looking at me? No, that¡¯s impossible. How could a vampire bastard see a spirit? Of course not. Wait, didn¡¯t this bastard just swallow the crocodile¡¯s mana stone a little while ago¡­?¡± The self-proclaimed spirit continued talking to itself with furrowed brows, then looked up at Eugene. The spirit changed its attitude in an instant and put its hands together calmly before speaking. ¡°Am I visible to you by chance, oh exalted member of the Tribe of the Night?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Then did you happen to hear what my humble self was saying?¡± ¡°All of it. Even how you called me a vampire bastard.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± The spirit flinched before bowing with a bright smile. ¡°Ah, I see. Your exalted self seems to be quite busy, so I¡¯ll leave you be. My humble self is a little busy, so I will take my leave.¡± The spirit flapped its two pairs of wings and darted away like lightning. However, a vampire¡¯s reflexes could not be underestimated when the moonlight was coating the world. As soon as the spirit opened its small wings, Eugene stretched out his hand. The spirit was instantly caught in his violent grasp. ¡°Kieeek! My humble self is small, so it¡¯s not worth sucking my blood! I lived in dung water so I probably taste like dung! Please let me live! Do you know the saying? That it¡¯s better to be alive than dead even if you have to roll around in dung? Please! Kieeeekk!¡± *** ¡°So you are telling me that you¡¯re the original owner of this wetland? But after that monster settled down 15 years ago, you became a slave.¡± ¡°I prefer the term strategic partner. I wasn¡¯t exactly a slave. No prey would wander here if the water was completely dirtied, so the water near the ground was recognized as my property.¡± The spirit spoke submissively while rubbing its hands together, and Eugene responded in a cold voice. ¡°Having to do what you¡¯re told, that¡¯s called slavery.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. If your exalted self says so, then that is what it is. Anyways, please accept my gratitude. Since that crocodile bastard is dead, the water should be purified. It is all thanks to you, sir.¡± The spirit even kowtowed. Some might have taken it as an act of gratitude, but Eugene knew it was acting out of fear. The spirit continued stealing glances even with its head touching Eugene¡¯s palm in a kowtow. Eugene could see that the spirit wanted him to leave this place as soon as possible. ¡®I guess it doesn¡¯t matter since I won¡¯t be coming back to this forest again.¡¯ ¡°I will let you go, so live your life.¡± ¡°Ah! Your grace is as wide as I would have expected from someone as gorgeous as you. Your exalted self is truly a member of the Night¡¯s Tribe! Bless you!¡± The spirit sprang up to its feet and groveled. Eugene dusted his hand and sent the spirit away as if he were chasing away a bug, then spoke after turning around. ¡°It must have been pretty painful for you to have been stuck with only that monster for over a decade. Anyways, take care.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The spirit quickly flapped away in excitement even before Eugene finished speaking. Then, it paused before quickly returning to Eugene. ¡°Excuse me, sir.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Do you perhaps need a portable spring or anything of the sort?¡± ¡°What?¡± Eugene responded with a creased forehead. The spirit wanted to run away just a short while ago, so what was it playing at? ¡°Although it may not seem like it, I¡¯m still a water spirit. Do you need clean water? I can make it for you right away. Like this.¡± The spirit flew away and returned with a broad leaf before Eugene had a chance to answer. Then it leaned back before¡­ ¡°Kaaaaak! Hawwkkkk! Ptui! Ptooey! Ptui! Ptui! Ptui!¡± Large drops of water poured down from the spirit¡¯s mouth, and soon enough, a mouthful of water gathered in the center of the broad leaf after a moment. ¡°What do you think? I could make enough water to last you an entire day in just a short while. It¡¯s very clean and delicious.¡± The spirit spoke proudly after spitting out a bunch of phlegm and spit. Eugene gazed at the spirit for a moment, then turned around. ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°Ah! S-sir! Please wait! I can purify things as well! I can make any water drinkable in an instant! Ah, are you not satisfied with my speed? I can make water a lot faster if I excrete it rather than spitting¡­¡± ¡°Scram.¡± ¡°Sir! Oh, exalted member of the Night¡¯s Tribe!¡± CH 4 At first, he thought about disposing of the mercenaries in the village. There were thirty villagers, and to kill them all, there would be at least five or six mercenaries, or even more than ten. No matter how many times he thought about it, there was no possibility of killing all the mercenaries without ensuring no harm would be done to the villagers. So there was only one way. He would kill all of them in the middle of nowhere. ¡°W-what is it!?¡± The young mercenary was located right behind Eugene. He shouted in panic and pulled out his short sword. Eugene quickly turned around and dug his arms into the mercenary¡¯s body. Puck! ¡°¡­..!¡± The mercenary took on a shocked expression as the long nails pierced through his heart. At such a close distance, it would have been much better to put up his shield instead of choosing his sword. It seemed he was rather lacking in experience compared to the other two. ¡°Hiek!¡± ¡°You fucking monster!¡± The reaction of the remaining mercenaries was divided. Eugene¡¯s bare body was covered in black scales, and he was like a monster as he instantly slaughtered three mercenaries. ¡°Huaaagh!¡± ¡°Sa-save me!¡± Three of the remaining mercenaries fled without looking back. It was obvious from their poor equipment that they were inexperienced. However, the other two rushed in with expressions of fear and excitement. ¡°Kuaagh!¡± ¡°Die!¡± A wooden club embedded with sharp, metal pieces flew towards Eugene. Clang! Eugene avoided one strike and deflected the other with his arm. He pierced his dagger into the jaw of the surprised mercenary and flung him away. Boom! ¡°Uagh!¡± A mercenary collided with the body and rolled on the ground. A vampire¡¯s brute strength was not to be underestimated. Fwoosh! Eugene¡¯s black nails clawed across the fallen mercenary¡¯s face and throat, and the man was dead in an instant. ¡°Krrrr¡­!¡± Eugene brushed off the blood and flesh on his claws, then turned around. ¡°Fucking hell! I-I can¡¯t see anything! I can¡¯t see! Kuaagh!¡± A red-haired mercenary shouted in frenzy. He had lost his eyesight after having his face clawed at the very beginning. Thuck! Eugene knocked out the red-haired mercenary with a well-placed kick to the throat, then shot off towards the rest of the escaping mercenaries. Each stride allowed him to cross a distance equivalent to five or six steps. In an instant, Eugene narrowed the distance between himself and the mercenaries, then drew his claw horizontally while emitting a glow from his red eyes. ¡°Kuaagh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡¯ The mercenaries fell forward while letting out terrified screams, blood erupting from their backs. ¡°Hiek! Please, please¡­¡± ¡°Sa-save me! Let me live!¡± The young mercenaries begged for their lives while blood soaked their backs and piss drenched their pants. But the vampire had been hunted by humans in his past life. Their pleading words meant nothing to him. Eugene slashed with his hands. The three bodies were completely split from top to bottom, then fell to the ground one by one. *** ¡°So, you were trying to feign the one named Ziegler as a bastard son? You were going to kill all of the villagers and even your young underlings to frame them as perpetrators?¡± Ziegler was the name of the young mercenary whom Eugene took care of the third. It was ridiculous. In the past, the villagers of Broadwin had been slaughtered, which had, in turn, led to his identity being discovered and him being captured, which finally resulted in him being beheaded after a long chase. Everything was triggered by the greed of the mercenary named Timothy and his men. ¡°P-please forgive me! I wanted to create a scene because I thought it was a good opportunity. If I knew that someone like you were in B-broadwin, I would never have done such a thing! Never! Please, spare my life!¡± The red-haired mercenary, Timothy, who was now blind as well, begged for his life. If you tell me everything you know, I will spare your life. It was a boring line Timothy used countless times until now. Of course, he never actually spared anyone¡¯s life. But when the same line was used against him after he lost his eyes and became subjected to torture, he realized why all of them would say anything at all with tears and snot running down their faces. ¡°Did Lord Tywin make the request himself?¡± ¡°N-no. Lord Tywin fell ill last year due to a disease. I received the request from his two sons.¡± ¡°Sons?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Camara Tywin and Bertel Tywin. The d-daughter have all been married off, so the two of them practically manage the land.¡± Bertel Tywin. In the past, he had persistently chased after Eugene. Although they never faced each other in person, Bertel Tywin was a young knight who appeared quite strong. ¡°Please, please! I will live quietly from now on, so please spare my life¡­¡± Timothy pitifully kowtowed towards the wrong direction while begging, and Eugene slowly approached him. He could not believe that he had been discovered and chased because of stupid, greedy humans like Timothy. A long black fingernail pierced Timothy¡¯s head. ¡°¡­..!¡± Timothy died without ever getting a chance to scream. Eugene searched Timothy¡¯s body. ¡®This is it.¡¯ He did not know how to read, but he knew the coat-of-arms of the lord¡¯s family. He had seen the same symbol on the surcoat worn by Bertel Tywin in the past. After finding the letter of instructions, Eugene gathered the bodies of the dead mercenaries in one place. Afterward, he ran towards a mountain in the distance. Only the faint outlines of the mountain could be seen. *** The black wolves of the nearby areas were feared by even experienced mercenaries. They were big, strong, and agile, and they always ran without hesitation when faced with an enemy stronger than themselves. They were sneaky as well. But for an awakened vampire during the night, they were nothing more than just a couple of tricky, wild ¡®muts.¡¯ Eugene spent a couple of hours roaming the mountains with his five senses exerted to the max. As a result, he was able to find a group of five black wolves. Two were fully grown, assumed to be the parents, and three appeared to be cubs. The wolves growled and showed their teeth even though they felt instinctive fear. Eugene used his dagger to catch the two mature wolves, then let the three remaining wolves escape. They were almost fully matured anyways, so they could live independently in the wilderness. He only needed two or three fully grown wolves anyways. With a large wolf on each of his shoulders, Eugene returned to the place where he killed the mercenaries. He then used the mercenaries¡¯ weapons to carve wounds all over the wolves¡¯ bodies, then damaged the corpses of the mercenaries with the claws and fangs of the wolves. After scattering the bodies of the humans and animals, Eugene took a step back and examined the scene of his creation. This would be a perfect crime. *** After returning to the cabin, Eugene headed to the village chief¡¯s house along with Mirian. The chief went wild upon hearing Eugene¡¯s story, that a group of mercenaries and black wolves had massacred each other not too far from the village. The village men, led by the chief, hurriedly followed Eugene with torches and farming tools in their hands. When they arrived at the place, which was located about an hour from the village entrance, their mouths became agape with shock. ¡°Buweegh!¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s real.¡± ¡°This is crazy!¡± ¡°They must have been killed by the wolves on their way to our village!¡± Some regurgitated their supper while others boldly rummaged through the bodies of mercenaries and wolves. All of the men created a huge ruckus over the shocking event. ¡°S-so, you found them on your way back from hunting?¡± ¡°I found them on my way back from inspecting my traps. I would not usually use this path, but I had heard rumors of black wolves appearing near these areas. I did spot three young wolves and chased them away.¡± Eugene intentionally left alone the blood on his body. The chief and the village men believed it to have happened while he was driving away the wolves. ¡°Ah! So that¡¯s what happened.¡± The chief felt very grateful towards Eugene. The man had given his proper greetings as soon as he recovered from his disease, and he even chased away black wolves that the people were afraid of. ¡°By the way, why were these mercenaries heading towards our village?¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, actually, I did search through their bodies just in case I could deliver their belongings back to their homes.¡± Eugene took out a letter while speaking. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the seal of Lord Tywin?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right.¡± The chief saw the shield-shaped symbol decorated with a rose and a long blade. He hurriedly read the contents of the letter. He was the only one who could read in Broadwin. ¡°Huh! How could this be¡­?¡± ¡°What is it about, chief?¡± The chief shouted while looking around at the crowd of men. ¡°These mercenaries! They were coming to get Felid!¡± ¡°Felid? Why?¡± ¡°Felid could be the bastard son of our lord, Sir Tywin!¡± The men went wild once again at the chief¡¯s words. *** ¡°So¡­ you will take Felid to Lord Tywin¡¯s castle?¡± ¡°Yes. I think that would be the best option. There may be black wolves wandering around, and we could run into monsters and beasts on the way to the castle. I know how to fight.¡± The reason Eugene wanted to take Lord Tywin¡¯s bastard son, Felid, to the castle ¨C It was to gain proper identification. If he completed the commission on behalf of the dead mercenaries, the lord would compensate him that much at the least. ¡°Well, that is true.¡± The chief nodded with a grim expression. The chief traveled to a larger village with a traveling merchant two or three times a year. He knew the dangers of the wild better than anyone else. Even though monsters and predators rarely ventured outside of their territory, robbers and mercenaries were problems. Mercenaries could turn their backs at any time without hesitation, and robbers were¡­ well, real robbers. Besides, what about the knights? They would cut down two or three commoners without blinking an eye. They did not care even the slightest bit for the country folk. Knights had treated even his past superiors carelessly with contempt. ¡°Excuse me. Pardon my words, but¡­ Are you from a knight or noble family?¡± The chief asked with utmost caution. He recalled Eugene¡¯s unusual beauty and combined with the fact that he defeated several black wolves on his own, it was hard to believe he was an ordinary person. Eugen was taken aback by the unexpected question. However, he immediately nodded, thinking that this could serve as an opportunity. ¡°That is correct. I am Jan of the Eugene Family.¡± Although the only thing he remembered about himself was the name ¡°Eugene,¡± the name Jan came to mind at that moment as well. He combined the two names to come up with a first name and a family name, just like the aristocrats. ¡°Please forgive me for being so rude until now! Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Wow! You¡¯re as good at lying as you are at killing people, aren¡¯t you? Well, I guess vampires are technically nobles known as the Tribe of the Night.¡± Ignoring Mirian¡¯s words, Eugene shook his head. ¡°No, it is fine. Since I did not tell you, it was only natural.¡± ¡°Thank you. Sir Eugene is so kind and merciful.¡± Eugene felt a little bewildered by the chief¡¯s attitude, who was still acting so subservient even after getting up from the ground. ¡®Why is he acting like this?¡¯ Eugene did not know that the chief had witnessed countless narcissistic, arrogant, evil knights and aristocrats in his youth. ¡°Anyways, I will do as Sir Eugene suggested. Since you are a knight, you will be safe even if you are alone. Moreover, Lord Tywin will surely trust the words of someone who is so dignified.¡± ¡®Dignified? Me?¡¯ Eugene was puzzled. Rather, he had been relieved that his skin was somewhat clear and his nose and mouth were in their proper places. However, the chief saw even great nobles during his youth, and his thoughts were different. ¡®Even the direct descendants of the Grand Duke of Cosa weren¡¯t this handsome. He must be a descendant of a family with a story and history.¡¯ The chief rubbed his hands together while having such thoughts. ¡°Sir Eugene. You must be exhausted after all that you did today. Why don¡¯t you get some rest?¡± ¡°Yes. Then I will leave first thing tomorrow with the lord¡¯s son.¡± ¡°Yes! Have a safe trip. Ah, and I will write a letter for Lord Tywin explaining today¡¯s matters and hand it to you tomorrow. You can pass it on to Lord Tywin.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He was somewhat puzzled that the chief accepted his sudden lie without having any doubts, but it did not matter as long as the man believed it. ¡®I¡¯m glad the chief believed me, but this is not enough. Real aristocrats and knights are less likely to believe me. Then¡­¡¯ ¡°Should I learn how to write?¡± Eugene heard that very few commoners knew how to read and write, just like the village chief. Even a majority of knights were illiterate as well. Since he was pretending to be a knight, his credibility would only increase if he learned to read and write. ¡°Oh, you ignorant vampire. You¡¯ll live at least 200 years unless you get a stake and a silver blade pierced through your heart, so learn to read and write. While you¡¯re at it, learn the ancient texts and the imperial language as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Eugene nodded. He turned his gaze towards Mirian as a sudden thought struck him. ¡°So that means you know how to read and write?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Spirits don¡¯t have to know about insignificant things such as writing and reading. I¡¯m never going to write anything, and none of the other humans can see me anyways. So why should I?¡± Mirian spoke confidently with her hands on her waist. Were all spirits so brazen? ¡®Anyhow, I should learn to read and write when I have the chance.¡¯ He still had many things to achieve and far ways to go. But Eugene was confident all of it would act to his advantage as he overcame adversities in the wide world. CH 5 The next day. Although it did not matter greatly whether he slept or not, Eugene rested for a couple of hours just in case, before waking up early in the morning and packing up. As a vampire, Eugene did not need to eat and sleep like humans. As such, he only packed some clothes, weapons collected from the dead mercenaries, leather from hunted game, and a simple tent. However, once he gathered everything, it was quite a considerable bit of luggage. Perhaps he would look like a peddler from a distance. ¡®Will I ever have a chance to come back?¡¯ Eugene became lost in thought as he looked at the cabin. He once thought he would spend the rest of his life in this small shack. He worked hard for half a year to erect the cabin, now that he was about to leave it behind, it felt a little strange. ¡°This place isn¡¯t half bad, but a vampire should live in a decent castle. Have a few brides and slaves at your beck and call. Moreover, if you ever get your true name back, you can even summon familiars! They¡¯ll do your dirty work for you and beat up anyone who tries to come for you. Vampire Lord Eugene! The Count of Blood Eugene! That¡¯s what they¡¯ll start calling you once you get ahead.¡± Mirian immediately transformed the gloomy atmosphere with her endless chatter. Eugene turned his cold gaze towards her. ¡°You know quite a lot despite having lived only in the wetlands. Where did you learn all that?¡± ¡°I told you already. All spirits live in the Spirit World before they get their own territory. Though it¡¯s just a simple place where we get together and have fun. Anyways, that¡¯s beside the point. Sometimes, seniors return to the Spirit World from the material world, you know? They tell us a lot of things. Good advice that will be of immense benefit in the world.¡± ¡°But you forgot most of it?¡± ¡°I only remember things that I¡¯m interested in.¡± ¡°Not because you¡¯re an idiot?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Mirian took on a grumpy expression before heading into a leather pocket. ¡°You don¡¯t even know anything. Ptui! Ptuiptuiptuiptuiptuiptui! Kyaaaaahk~ Ptooey!¡± It was uncertain whether Mirian was creating water or throwing a tantrum. After closing the cap of the leather pouch, Eugene took one last glance at the cabin before departing. *** ¡°My name is Felid. Please look after me, Sir Eugene.¡± A boy who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen bowed to Eugene. ¡°I¡¯m Jan Eugene. I look forward to it.¡± Felid had his brown hair tied back in a nonchalant manner, and he looked as the stories had it. Although he was still young, he would certainly grow to become a handsome young man. But Eugene only thought of Felid¡¯s appearance as balanced. And such a ¡®balanced¡¯ appearance, by Eugene¡¯s standards, was good. ¡®He looks a bit similar to the knight named Bertel Tywin.¡¯ Felid looked softer overall, but his stubborn lips bore a striking resemblance to the young knight of the Tywin family. It seemed to be a characteristic of the Tywin family. ¡°Here you are.¡± The chief bowed after handing over a letter written to Lord Tywin. ¡°Then farewell, Sir Eugene.¡± Eugene answered with a nod. The chief seemed convinced that Eugene would leave for good. ¡°Take care as well.¡± ¡°Yes. Please take care of this brat, or rather, young master Felid.¡± ¡°I will let you know when I get there, chief.¡± ¡°Oh my! Please speak comfortably. And I hope you can¡­ put in a good word to the lord.¡± ¡°Yes. This is my hometown after all. I will let him know for sure.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Thank you.¡± The chief bowed repeatedly. He was immensely relieved that he chose to accept Felid and his mother into the town eight years ago. ¡°Brother Felid! Goodbye!¡± ¡°Send a mail! Don¡¯t forget your promise! You have to make me your aide once you become a knight!¡± Eugene left Broadwin alongside Felid while leaving behind the shouts of the village boys. It would be different this time around. He was no longer being chased. He took the first step towards the world with his own will. *** After nearly half a day of walking, Eugene finally came across a proper village. The village beyond the ridge was incomparably vast compared to Broadwin. ¡°I think we are almost there.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Felid followed Eugene diligently without ever falling behind or complaining, perhaps because he had become disciplined after farming. To be exact, he followed behind Eugene without speaking a single word unless he was spoken to. ¡°Wow, you are weird, but that guy¡¯s personality is really strange as well.¡± Eugene ignored Mirian¡¯s words and continued to walk silently since Felid was right behind him. ¡°How could he ever be so silent? I thought he lived in that town all these years? It must have been years since he¡¯s ever left, right? Isn¡¯t he excited?¡± ¡°Shut up and go make some water before I throw you away in a random pond somewhere.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you just say something, Sir Eugene?¡± He had tried his best to speak quietly, but it appeared Felid had overheard as well ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I was only speaking to myself. That is the town of Brahms, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I saw the sign earlier. That is indeed Brahms.¡± ¡°What? Can you read?¡± ¡°Yes. My late mother taught me.¡± This was rather surprising. Even the majority of knights were illiterate, so how could a boy know how to read and write when he stumbled into Broadwin and lived there ever since he was young? ¡°Was your mother a noble?¡± ¡°No. I¡­ heard that someone she loved taught her when she was young. So she taught me and¡­¡± Felid spoke with awkwardness. Eugene noticed that the one ¡®she loved¡¯ was referring to Lord Tywin. ¡°I see. That¡¯s great anyway. You would have had to learn to read and write in the future anyway. Ah.¡± Eugene turned his head towards Felid and spoke after suddenly thinking of something. ¡°Can you teach me how to read and write?¡± ¡°What? Me? Teach Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I ran away when I was much younger than you after my family fell. So I never had a chance to learn, though I learned how to fight.¡± Eugene was weaving lies without much effort now. But the innocent Felid believed his words and took on a sad expression. ¡°Ah, I see. But I heard that you can get ahead as a knight even if you don¡¯t know how to read and write.¡± ¡°So are you willing to teach me or not?¡± ¡°I-I will teach you. If you don¡¯t mind me teaching you, of course.¡± ¡°Good. You can teach me after we set up camp later.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Felid nodded vigorously. He felt as if he had grown a little bit closer to the quiet, blunt knight. ¡®This feels strange.¡¯ Felid tilted his head curiously while staring at Eugene¡¯s back. Although it wasn¡¯t hot, it was still a warm day. But the knight was dressed in pitch-black clothes and even wore a mask. The ¡®red-eyed monster¡¯ of the mountainside cabin was famous among the children of Braodwin. The adults always warned the children to never approach the cabin. The monster always caught and brought game to the village once every two months or so. Everything surrounding the ¡®red-eyed monster¡¯, or rather, Knight Jan Eugene, was strange and mysterious. But now, Felid was on his way to Lord Tywin¡¯s castle by the knight¡¯s side. Felid could not believe it ¨C that he could be the son of Lord Tywin and that he was traveling alongside Eugene. ¡®Should I make some small talk? No, they told me not to relax because all knights are bad-tempered.¡¯ Felid shook his head inwardly as he recalled the words the chief spoke to him before Eugene arrived in the morning. It wasn¡¯t only the chief either. His late mother, who passed away last year, and the traveling merchant said similar things. - Knights are almost always like predators. Never go against them and if you can, avoid making any eye contact with them. ¡®But wouldn¡¯t he let it slide and be more lenient because I might be Lord Tywin¡¯s son? And somehow, Sir Eugene seems very different from the knights I¡¯ve heard about.¡¯ Felid held his breath while quietly observing the knight. The tall knight was striding forward without rest even while carrying a large bag overlayed with several layers of thick leather. ¡®There is no way a knight like that would be a normal person. Let¡¯s not say unnecessary things and try to get close to him whenever I get the chance.¡¯ ¡°Hey, he¡¯s looking at you weirdly.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Where did I see that expression before? Ah, that¡¯s right! Those naked people who were busily sucking and biting each other in the pond had a similar expression! I don¡¯t know about others, but I was so grateful that they were killed by that crocodile bastard¡­¡± Tap. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± When Eugene suddenly stopped, Mirian scurried away into the leather pouch. But when nothing happened, Mirian stuck out her head and quietly stole glances at Eugene. Eugene¡¯s eyes shone with a light from inside the mask. But his gaze was headed towards the front rather than Mirian. ¡°What is it? What is it?¡± ¡°Felid, stay back.¡± ¡°Ye-yes, Sir Eugene.¡± Eugene took a step forward while placing his hand on the handle of a sword located inside his robe. It was the short sword that belonged to one of the dead mercenaries. It had been in the best condition out of all the armaments. ¡°What is your business?¡± A group of people suddenly stood up from behind a large boulder. ¡°What else could it possibly be in a place like this?¡± ¡°If you give me everything you have, I¡¯ll let you keep your life.¡± The five robbers grinned and threateningly swung their bloodstained clubs and maces. ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Quick, so that we can¡­¡± Shuack! Indeed, Eugene moved quickly. However, unfortunately for the robbers, he had moved much more quickly than what the robbers demanded. Eugene narrowed the distance at once and drew his short sword. Shhk. The leading robber¡¯s head was decapitated in an instant, and blood gushed from the stump. The body slowly fell backward, still holding a wooden club in the air. ¡°Then.¡± ¡°Uah!¡± Shuack! Two others were beheaded in an instant. One of them had been about to say something but died before he could finish his words. Three people were dead in the blink of an eye. The silence was short. ¡°Huaaah!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± The remaining two robbers panicked and began to run away in a frenzy. But Eugene was armed with Black Scales and dressed in thick, black clothes. Without the sanctions of sunlight, a vampire¡¯s physical abilities exceeded a normal human¡¯s by several times. ¡°Keugh!¡± The sword slashed two times, and the robbers collapsed with holes in their heads and chests. Eugene looked over the dead bodies after shaking the blood off the short sword. Then, he examined the blade. ¡®This was in the best condition out of all of them, but it¡¯s still quite pitiful.¡¯ He knew it was too much to aim for a long sword like the one used by Jung Dircht, but he needed to find a better weapon. Eugene sheathed his sword and spoke. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eugene became puzzled and spoke to Felid, who was trembling with a pale blue face. But Felid did not respond. Or rather, he could not respond. After asking a single question, the knight just slaughtered five people in broad daylight. Felid¡¯s gaze contained both fear and relief. He was scared that knight Eugene was in fact a being greater than a predator but relieved from the fact that the incredible knight was currently his guardian. CH 6 ¡°Is this your first time seeing someone die?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ N-no!¡± Felid came to his senses and hurriedly responded while desperately holding back his urge to vomit. ¡°B-but what should we do with the bodies? Ah! Should we notify the people of Brahms? Or¡­¡± ¡°Just throw it somewhere where it¡¯s not very visible. It¡¯s not like we have a shortage of scum like these in the world anyways. Someone will find them one day and take care of them for us.¡± Having experienced and seen such a world for half a year, Eugene spoke calmly. ¡°Yes. Then I will clean it up quickly.¡± ¡°Oh, wait.¡± Felid forced himself to walk towards the bodies while holding back vomit. The corpses were still spewing fresh blood. Eugene interjected. ¡°They may have some useful objects on their bodies, so search them.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes!¡± Although Eugene was quite distinct from the knights he heard about, Felid obeyed his words. ¡®I thought knights lived by honor and died by honor¡­¡¯ But like Eugene, Felid only knew about knights from stories. He did not know yet that a knight¡¯s honor was only kept in places with watchful eyes. Whether you were a knight or a mercenary, looting was an essential part of a battle. *** Brahms was a fairly large village. The farmland and pastures were incomparably vast than those of Broadwin, and dozens of proper buildings could be spotted all over the place. It was a stark contrast from Broadwin, which only consisted of a dozen households huddled together. ¡®This is my first time here.¡¯ He had stopped by large villages in other areas during his run in the past, but it was his first time inside the Tywin territory. ¡°Wow! Wow! Wow!¡± Unlike Eugene, who observed the surroundings with uninterested eyes, Mirian burst into continued exclamations while on top of Eugene¡¯s shoulder. Even Felid, who acted mature until now, seemed a little excited to visit such a big village after a long time. The group continued walking down the wide road for a while, then Eugene stopped in front of a place where skins of animals and monsters were piled up. Eugene walked up to a middle-aged man with a shaggy red beard and a round hat. ¡°I would like to sell some leather.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene was dressed in a dark mask and emitted a red glow from his eyes, and the merchant flinched upon seeing him. But as soon as he saw the pile of leather on Eugene¡¯s bag, the merchant¡¯s eyes glimmered. ¡°Is that what you are carrying? All of it is leather?¡± ¡°That is right. The chief of Broadwin told me that the red-bearded leather merchant was reliable.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean Mister Gev?¡± The leather merchant¡¯s expression loosened as he mentioned the village chief¡¯s name. The chief was the only one from Broadwin who traveled outside on a regular basis, and he had mentioned the leather merchant to Eugene. That was why Eugene had chosen to stop at this place first. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Eugene laid down the skins of the animals he hunted and the two black wolves he killed before leaving the town of Broadwin. ¡°Ho-oh. These are skinned rather well. Did you do it yourself? Not half bad. But the black wolf skins are quite damaged, so I can¡¯t give you too much for those. The other ones are in good condition. For all of them¡­¡± The leather merchant stole a peek at Eugene, but he could not gauge Eugene¡¯s expression at all due to the mask. In addition, his red eyes were quite hard to read. They were quite burdensome. ¡®Tsk. Given the atmosphere, he must be quite an experienced hunter. Since he¡¯s coming here at the instructions of the chief of Broadwin.¡¯ The merchant finished his calculations in an instant, then spoke coolly. ¡°Twenty-seven kingdom silver coins and fifty bronze coins! You won¡¯t get a better deal anywhere else.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± Eugene nodded, knowing that five bronze coins could buy a meal with a mug of beer. ¡°Haha! You hide your face, but you have a straightforward personality. Here it is.¡± Soon, dozens of coins the size of a thumbnail and silver coins, which were twice as large, entered Eugene¡¯s pouch. Eugene was satisfied with the fact that he no longer had to avoid silver coins thanks to Black Scales. ¡°This is our first trade, but you seem to know the business. Stop by often. I can proudly say that I¡¯m the best when it comes to leather around here.¡± ¡°Hmm, do you have leather robes or anything similar? Something that completely blocks the sunlight, something preferably black.¡± ¡°A robe? Ah, well¡­¡± The merchant saw Eugene¡¯s robe, which was essentially pieces of untanned leathers glued together. He quickly searched through his stockpile of goods before pulling something out. ¡°You¡¯re lucky. I recently came across a very precious object. It¡¯s made of cowhide and lycanthrope leather. It¡¯s waterproof and completely blocks the sunlight. It is quite expensive, but it provides more protection than a decent set of leather armor, so I would say it is worth the money.¡± The robe took the form of a long cape. It even had several ornamental straps and fur decorations. Eugene felt rather sorry to even compare his current robe to it. It was a piece of garment that was a result of exquisite craftsmanship. ¡°I will take it.¡± ¡°Haha! You truly are forthright. Good! I thought I would never sell it in this town anyway, so I was going to send it over to Maren. I like your personality, so I¡¯ll just take eight silver coins.¡± ¡°Here you are.¡± It was enough money to buy dozens of ordinary clothes, but Eugene presented the silver coins without hesitation. ¡°Come again!¡± Leaving behind the leather merchant, Eugene headed towards a sign engraved with a sword and a shield. ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ah, yes!¡± Felid scurried along at Eugene¡¯s words. He had been dazedly staring at Eugene¡¯s back. ¡®That is amazing. Even the chief couldn¡¯t buy and sell this easily.¡® Felid¡¯s respect for Eugene deepened after witnessing the trade just a moment ago. The chief had always struggled with the merchant, while Eugene worked out a deal all too easily. *** After spending around an hour purchasing goods in the market, Eugene left Brahms. He had a new robe, strong boots, and gloves made of cowhide, as well as a helmet that completely covered his face. His appearance was completely different from before. Anyone would assume him to be either an experienced mercenary or a free knight wandering the world. ¡°Not too shabby, hmm? Of course, vampires are all about silk clothes, but I guess this isn¡¯t bad either.¡± Eugene didn¡¯t know what silk was, but it was clearly a very expensive material, seeing that Mirian was always trying to satisfy her greed through Eugene. For Eugene, however, the best clothes were ones that were durable and properly blocked the sunlight. ¡®Since dwarven-made weapons are only available in the cities, I¡¯ll hold onto this for the time being.¡¯ The weapons of the mercenaries only netted him two silver coins. Most of them had been cheap goods. However, he was able to obtain two silver coins since he had so many of them and adding on an extra silver coin, he purchased a decent short sword. The short sword, also known as an arming sword, was originally paired with a shield. It was a symbolic weapon of the mercenaries. ¡®If I want to look like a knight, it would be best to get a long sword, but it costs too much money and I¡¯m not well versed in swordsmanship. Anyways, I should purchase a horse first when I get some more money.¡¯ Any knight would have their own horse. However, even the cheapest of steeds cost over 50 silver coins, while he only earned 29 silver coins from selling all the animal leather and the mercenaries¡¯ weapons. Moreover, they weren¡¯t warhorses for knights, but plain, regular horses. ¡°Sir Eugene, are you not going to hire any mercenaries?¡± Felid did not doubt Eugene¡¯s skills, but he heard stories that knights usually hired mercenaries to assist them in combat or to perform chores. ¡°We aren¡¯t too uncomfortable right now and I don¡¯t have enough money. It would be ridiculous to spend a silver coin to employ two idiots.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Felid bowed his head and shut his mouth. He had been about to say that Lord Tywin would surely compensate that amount if he was officially recognized as the lord¡¯s illegitimate child. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eugene and Felid resumed their journey towards Lord Tywin¡¯s castle. *** ¡°Hmm. Is it usually this easy to learn to write and read?¡± ¡°Well¡­ You¡¯re just extraordinary, Sir Eugene.¡± The bonfire crackled while emitting a warm haze. The ground next to the fire was full of scribbles and erased marks. ¡°I am?¡± ¡°Yes. It took me two days to memorize and write all the letters. Besides, the grammar and whatnot¡­ It took me more than 15 days to figure it out somewhat. It¡¯s amazing that Sir Eugene finished it all in a couple of hours.¡± ¡°Really? Hmm.¡± Eugene felt satisfied. Although he had never been certain, he always had a hunch that he was quite smart. When he first ran away in his past life, he always looked for deserted places in the beginning. But after two or three months, he realized it was better to hide in crowded places. As such, he overcame several crises while staying mixed in with humans using his judgment and improvising. At least, until the templars showed up. He had no information available to him regarding the holy knights. Anyways, Eugene thought he would have lasted less than a month, let alone half a year, if he had a bad brain. But seeing as he learned reading and writing so quickly, he realized he wasn¡¯t just half bad, but pretty smart. ¡°Tell him to try it one more time. Just once more! Ah, I swear I can memorize it as well if I can see it one more time. Come on! Just once more!¡± While Eugene mastered basic grammar as well in just a couple of hours, Mirian whined because she could not even memorize all the letters. ¡°You¡¯re not cheating, are you? I can¡¯t even memorize all the letters, but you¡¯re telling me you can already write them? I don¡¯t believe it. I don¡¯t believe you!¡± ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± After remembering something, Eugene searched for and took out a piece of parchment. It was the letter written by the village chief of Broadwin to Lord Tywin. Eugene read the letter out aloud while Felid looked on with curious eyes. ¡°My lord Sir Tywin. First of all, I apologize for having to convey this news. It is due to my inattentiveness and inability that this has happened. In fact¡­¡± Felid nodded while listening to Eugene¡¯s voice and checking the chief¡¯s letter with his own eyes. ¡°¡­As such, I requested a knight named Jan Eugene to escort Master Felid. I have never heard of the Eugene family before, but given their unusual appearance and skills, they seem to be a descendant of a fallen knight or a noble family. Of course, I wanted to hire mercenaries to do the job, but please understand the situation of our poor village. The loyal servant of our gracious Lord Tywin, Gev.¡± ¡°You¡¯re great. It¡¯s perfect.¡± Felid was overjoyed. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I think it was even better because you have such a nice voice, Sir Eugene. By the way, it is a neat letter. The chief wrote very well.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Eugene had no way of knowing whether it was well written or not, as he had just learned to write not too long ago. He just accepted Felid¡¯s words for what they were. ¡®That¡¯s that.¡¯ Eugene glanced at Mirian, who was floating in front of him with a shocked expression. ¡°¡­..Ah!¡± Mirian stood unmoving in the air absent-mindedly, then suddenly shook her wings. ¡°I knew all vampires were con-artists! You almost had me fooled there for a second. Wow! You made up a story like that in such a short time. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get ahead, Eugene.¡± The spirit made a fuss while pretending to be calm. She even forced a smile on her face. The corners of Eugene¡¯s mouth lifted in a smile. ¡°Haa!? What¡¯s with that rotten smile? What¡¯s with that funny look you¡¯re giving me. Why are you looking like that! Am I funny? Do you find this amusing? Huh!? Kieeeek!¡± Eugene snatched Mirian out of the air like a flying bug, then placed her inside the leather pouch. ¡°Oh, was there a mosquito? How stupid. To think they would choose to hang around Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll always find moronic creatures wherever you go.¡± ¡°Kiek! Kieeee¡­¡± Eugene closed the pocket and cut off the defeated cries of the spirit, then raised his head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I think someone is coming.¡± Eugene sensed nearing presence. His five senses were much more sensitive during the night than during the day. The sound of rolling wheels. A total of six pairs of footsteps. The smell of leather and oil¡­ were they mercenaries? After a while, the group that alerted Eugene¡¯s senses arrived. Two carts, and six men, who seemed to be mercenaries. ¡°There were others. Hello there, friend.¡± A big man raised his hand. He was at the forefront of the group. His tight leather armor had multiple pouches, and he was armed with a short sword and a circular shield. ¡®He¡¯s wearing a chain mail inside as well. He¡¯s not ordinary.¡¯ After leaving the town of Broadwin, Eugene had encountered the first ¡®real mercenary.¡¯ CH 7 ¡°Greetings.¡± Eugene raised his hand in the same manner and greeted the mercenary. ¡°Is the boy with you? May I ask for your destination?¡± Although they looked ordinary, the mercenary asked in order to accurately grasp the identity of the other group. Eugene knew from experience that if he lied or answered hesitantly, he could arouse suspicion. He answered with a nod. ¡°That is correct. We are on our way to Lord Tywin¡¯s castle.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? What a coincidence. We are on our way to Lord Tywin¡¯s castle as well. Do you think we could share the spot with you? We can provide drinks, water, and some lamb as well.¡± ¡°Hey captain, why are you being so respectful to a nobody? Oi, we¡¯re going to set up a tent here. Do you have any complaints?¡± A younger mercenary stepped out while indicating with his head. ¡°Shut your mouth and step back.¡± The young mercenary became startled when the captain growled with a completely different atmosphere. The mercenary captain immediately looked back towards Eugene with a good-natured smile, as if he had never scolded his subordinate. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this. He¡¯s quite new. My name is Partec. What about you?¡± ¡°Eugene. Jan Eugene.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Partec¡¯s eyes filled with surprise at Eugene¡¯s answer. In addition, the other mercenaries also became wide-eyed and stole glances towards Eugene and Partec. Those who had surnames and dressed in unusual outfits were usually knights. But it wasn¡¯t clear yet whether the man was just an impersonator or not, so they would follow the judgment of Captain Partec. ¡°So it was Sir Eugene. I apologize once again for my subordinate¡¯s rudeness. Lavan, apologize to Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°What? But how is that person a real knight in any way? He doesn¡¯t even have a horse or proper armor.¡± ¡°Lavan, you bastard, I will¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine since he just doesn¡¯t know. But you, stop testing my patience. You will die if you doubt me one more time.¡± ¡°What? But¡­. Keugh!¡± Lavan did not get a chance to finish his words. Partec had punched his jaw with his fist. Thud. Partec bowed his head after turning his eyes away from Lavan. The young mercenary had fallen like a rotten log after being knocked out by the blow. ¡°My apologies, Sir Eugene. We recruited him in a hurry because we didn¡¯t have enough people. He really doesn¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°I see. You do not need to apologize anymore. You can take a seat.¡± ¡°Thank you. Bilmoa! Please give your greetings to Sir Eugene.¡± At Partec¡¯s words, a middle-aged man rushed down from the coachman¡¯s seat. He had been anxious ever since Eugene revealed his name. ¡°I am Blimoa of the Palin Association, Sir Eugene. I apologize again for the hired mercenary¡¯s mistake.¡± ¡°Call me Jan Eugene will do. No more apologies are needed. You can set up your camp.¡± ¡°Yes. Then excuse us.¡± The mercenaries began to move busily under the instructions of Partec and Bilmoa, with the exception of Lavan, who was still out cold. One was setting up a tent after moving the carriage, another was starting a fire and gathering ingredients and water in a large pot, while yet another was scouting the area near the campsite with a torch and a weapon. Everyone acted with discipline and precision. It was evident that they were accustomed to working with each other. ¡®Everyone except the one who got knocked out is a proper mercenary.¡¯ And although he had never heard of the Palin Association, a mercenary group escorting a merchant and a carriage with an association¡¯s flag was surely experienced and capable. ¡®But why did the Tywin family hire such scum instead of mercenaries like these?¡¯ Eugene thought back to the mercenaries he killed near the town of Broadwin. Mercenaries like Partec were much stronger and more reliable than mercenaries like them, so why were they recruited instead? ¡®Or they could have sent their men as well. This is a little strange.¡¯ But Eugene did not bother thinking too much about it. His purpose was to safely escort Felid and to have his identity guaranteed by Lord Tywin. ¡®If I want to avoid any suspicion, it would be best for me to prioritize becoming a knight. Let¡¯s focus on keeping Felid safe and meeting the lord.¡¯ After their rather awkward first meeting, Partec and the mercenaries purposefully avoided interacting with Eugene. Eugene reviewed what he had learned by going through the chief¡¯s letter, and Felid tended to the fire while stealing glances at the mercenaries and Eugene. About 10 minutes later, the mercenaries started conversing with each other. With his heightened senses, Eugene was able to eavesdrop. *** ¡°What about that fucker Lavan?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still out cold. Why didn¡¯t you go easy on him a little bit?¡± One of the mercenaries spoke while clicking his tongue, and Partec responded with a frown. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have acted like that in the first place. Can¡¯t you do your job properly? What are you teaching the kid? He¡¯s been with us for over a month already. He should know how to take care of his own shit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he learns, Boss. But Captain, don¡¯t you think that Lavan had a point?¡± ¡°What?¡± Partec¡¯s forehead scrunched up in response to the subordinate¡¯s whispers. ¡°Really though, think about it. That knight, even I think something¡¯s strange about him. The knight is so silent, and the boy doesn¡¯t seem to be his child either. Besides, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a knight carrying only a single short sword. Have you seen anything like that before?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°See? I think he¡¯s just an impersonator. He doesn¡¯t even take off his helmet when he¡¯s resting. It¡¯s suspicious.¡± ¡°You idiot. Look at the robe he¡¯s wearing. It¡¯s made of lycanthrope leather. What kind of a crazy commoner wears something like that? It must cost at least ten silver coins. And don¡¯t you see him reading the letter? He even knows how to read and write.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Y-you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Moreover, he¡¯s going to Lord Tywin¡¯s castle. I heard they might be sending a group to a newly discovered dungeon soon. He¡¯s probably aiming to join them.¡± ¡°Wow, I hear even knights have to risk their lives when exploring a newly discovered dungeon. I guess he must be quite skilled.¡± ¡°By the way, Captain. How is Lord Tywin¡¯s condition really? I heard he¡¯s barely holding on.¡± ¡°Well. They¡¯re literally dumping mana stones on him, but his situation doesn¡¯t seem to be changing much. But since the Tywin family doesn¡¯t have that much money, they can¡¯t continue spending so much on buying mana stones.¡± ¡°I guess. If they discovered the dungeon just one year earlier, perhaps he could have lived a few more years. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Tsk! Do you think it¡¯s that easy? Even if you discover a dungeon, you need troops to explore it, and you need money to maintain the soldiers.¡± ¡°I-is that so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And what if you send in some soldiers and they never return? The estate could collapse in an instant. They know that, which is why they¡¯re being so careful in opening it. And after Lord Tywin collapsed, the second son is the only knight left.¡± ¡°Welp, no matter how good of a knight he was when he was younger, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter now that he¡¯s old and sick. That family¡¯s complicated too, huh. Hmm? The knight is standing up.¡± The subordinate gestured with his gaze while clicking his tongue, and Partec slightly turned his head. The ¡®self-proclaimed¡¯ Sir Eugene stood up from his seat, then slowly took off his helmet. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Everyone became astonished at the sight. Although they had wandered around quite a bit and seen a lot of people, they could not help but be shocked by the handsome face that was revealed under the helmet. *** ¡®They should believe me now, right?¡¯ Eugene became completely relieved after seeing the mercenaries¡¯ reaction when he took off his helmet. Originally, he planned to take off his helmet as soon as he heard them mention it. He had to show them that he wasn¡¯t suspicious at the least. But as he continued listening to their conversation, while other mercenaries seemed to doubt him, Partec seemed certain of his identity. It certainly had been worthwhile buying and adorning an expensive robe, as well as learning how to read and write. He had taken off his helmet to cast away any remaining doubts they might have had. Their conversation regarding the Tywin family piqued his curiosity. ¡®The lord is on his deathbed?¡¯ Of course, the talk regarding the dungeon was interesting as well, and the mercenaries seemed to show more enthusiasm for it as well. But for Eugene, it was more important that Lord Tywin, who was believed to be simply sick, was actually in a much worse condition than he previously thought. ¡®Will he still be alive when we arrive? He can¡¯t already be dead, right?¡¯ Eugene sank into thought. Then, he noticed that Felid was staring up towards him with his mouth agape. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What? Oh, i-it¡¯s nothing.¡± Felid¡¯s cheeks seemed to reflect the redness of the fire as he lowered his head. ¡®Is he actually a weirdo, like Mirian said?¡¯ Satisfied that he had proven his identity by showing his face, Eugene returned to his seat. ¡°Uagah!¡± The fainted mercenary jumped up with a loud gasp. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake. Drink some water and sit down. We finished setting up camp.¡± ¡°Did that bastard get knocked out on purpose because he didn¡¯t want to work?¡± ¡°It¡¯s much better to take the night shift for three days in a row rather than getting your jaw knocked in by Captain Partec.¡± ¡°You should know. As I would expect of someone who¡¯s been beaten up by the captain before.¡± Lavan¡¯s face turned bright red as his colleagues giggled over the matter. Then, his gaze met with Partec¡¯s. ¡°What? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°N-no, not at all.¡± ¡°If there isn¡¯t, then eat. I restrained myself, so your face should be fine after a couple of days.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lavan was about to sit down with a sullen expression, then suddenly turned his head towards Eugene as if remembering something. ¡®We¡¯ll see what I do with that fucking¡­ Huh!?¡¯ Lavan¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground with shock when he saw Eugene¡¯s face, which was faintly lit by the dying fire. ¡°H, he¡¯s fucking handsome¡­¡± ¡°Right? That¡¯s the guy that a young, hot-headed mercenary tried to pick a fight with not too long ago. In case you didn¡¯t catch on, I¡¯m talking about you. You.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Partec poked at Lavan¡¯s temple while speaking, but the latter could not find a response. ¡°Lavan, you bastard, consider yourself lucky. If you had spoken one more word then, you could have lost your head.¡± ¡°Huh? What kind of a joke¡­¡± ¡°You bastard. Do you even know the stance that the knight had been taking when you were speaking? His right hand was inside the robe, and his left foot was pulled back slightly.¡± ¡°I-is that so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you punk. And knights can narrow a distance like that in the blink of an eye. And then, slice. Your head would have dropped on the spot.¡± ¡°¡­Does that mean he¡¯s stronger than you, Captain?¡± ¡°Probably so.¡± Lavan inhaled sharply when the captain answered without hesitation. He asked away, stealing a glance at Eugene¡¯s face. ¡°What if we all came at him together?¡± ¡°Either we all die, or if we¡¯re lucky, I¡¯ll survive along with maybe one more.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Lavan¡¯s eyes became colored with bewilderment. He was well aware of the skills of his seniors and Partec. Partec spoke in a cold voice. ¡°Listen carefully. In our line of work, if you run amok, you could easily end up dead. Of course, we will kill anyone who attacks first, but we want to avoid unnecessary clashes as much as possible.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Do you want to pick a fight with anyone you see? Then feel free to join a bigger mercenary group. You can participate in real battles and wars. Fight with your life on the line and loot as much as you want. If you¡¯re lucky enough to last five years, then who knows? Maybe you can climb your way up to become a mercenary captain and serve some noble.¡± ¡°Keke! Only if it was that easy. Why do you think all of us are here?¡± ¡°Lavan, you really should count yourself lucky. I haven¡¯t heard of most of those who started working at the same time as us. We¡¯re the only group without a single death in three years.¡± ¡°All right, I get it. That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m going to eat.¡± The mercenaries¡¯ conversation ended in laughter. Eugene felt a sensation coming from his waist. Tap Tap! Tap Tap Tap Tap! Mirian was asking him to open the pouch. Thinking that she had been locked up in the pouch for long enough, Eugene removed the cap. Mirian flew into the air with a sullen expression. ¡°How ignorant! It was for me to talk so much without knowing my place, sir. I¡¯m so ignorant! I¡¯m so ignorant that I can¡¯t tell when to hold my tongue and when to talk. I will try my best to not be so ignorant in the future and become intelligent! I will be an intelligent spirit who can be of help to Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Help?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I will be reborn as a spirit to be of great help to you and no longer be so ignorant¡­! Huh? Hey! Where are you going?¡± Eugene suddenly stood up and started walking. Mirian flopped down onto his shoulder. ¡°Excuse me for a second.¡± The mercenaries took on anxious expressions as Eugene approached them. Partec also became nervous, but he took on a keen expression and responded. ¡°Do you need anything from us, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your destination was Lord Tywin¡¯s castle? I was thinking if we could travel there together.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± They were now convinced that he was a knight. Perhaps he could join them. ¡®They have access to quite a bit of information. I¡¯m sure it will be of great help.¡¯ CH 8 ¡°What are you glancing at? Why? Do you want to be friends because he¡¯s so good-looking? You look like you would give your ass to him at night, hmm?¡± Partec scolded Lavan, who kept stealing glances at Eugene¡¯s back since departure. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m only looking. We¡¯re traveling together now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only for today. Don¡¯t get too interested in a knight. A goblin will have his crotch ripped apart if he tries to go after an ogre.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯re calling me a goblin? It¡¯s not like he was born a knight anyways.¡± Lavan grumbled, and Partec responded with a grin. ¡°They are indeed born as knights.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No matter how stupid or weak a knight appears on the outside, he learns to use a blade at the age of three or four.¡± ¡°Captain, aren¡¯t you thinking too little of me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth, you brat. A child born into a knight¡¯s family will start fiddling with a wooden sword as soon as they are able to take their first step. And if they have enough talent, they will receive systematic training once they are seven or eight years old. They will take classes from their father or older relatives.¡± ¡°By classes¡­ you mean swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Swordsmanship, spearmanship, horsemanship, daggermanship, bare-handed fighting. Name it, and if it¡¯s a method of fighting, they¡¯ve probably learned it.¡± ¡°Really? And then they become a knight?¡± ¡°No. After they learn enough, they become aides. That¡¯s when it really begins.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re talking about those little brats that follow around knights, right?¡± ¡°Yes. You think little of them, but those fifteen, sixteen-year-olds are stronger than you. They could eat two or three mercenaries like you for breakfast.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Anyways, they usually spend two or three years as aides. Maybe even five if they meet a master with a crappy personality. They¡¯ll have to perform all sorts of chores while experiencing real battles and whatnot. Once they have a recommendation, they will finally qualify to become a knight.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°But even that¡¯s not the end of it. What¡¯s the point of only having a recommendation? You only get acknowledged as a real knight once you¡¯re sworn in.¡± ¡°Sworn in?¡± ¡°Either they defeat monsters, participate in a war, a jousting tournament, or fight in battles. After they build up experience over a few years, they can get sworn in once they catch the eye of an aristocrat with a title. Now then, here¡¯s a question for you¡­¡± Lavan already looked rather terrified, but Partec continued with a huge grin. ¡°Out of all the children who first played with a wooden sword, how many do you think made it all the way to the end? Which stage did Sir Eugene, who looks to be about twenty-two or twenty-three, reach? Hmm?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll just quietly follow you around, captain. I¡¯ll be obedient.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, punk. Don¡¯t get big-headed for nothing.¡± ¡°Knights are truly amazing. Now I see why that money-grubber was so happy.¡± Lavan passed the reins of the carriage to another mercenary and glanced at Bilmoa, who was dozing off next to the coachman¡¯s seat, with interested eyes. ¡°Of course. It costs more than a pretty penny to hire a proper knight. Moreover, knights who are as broad-minded as Sir Eugene are quite rare. With a knight like him accompanying us for free, it¡¯s only natural that his jaws would drop.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re lucky too?¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± Partec and the mercenaries grinned. When the knight suddenly asked to accompany them last night, they had been wondering if the gorgeous knight had gone crazy, or perhaps was plotting something against them. However, the mercenaries understood after hearing the knight explain his circumstance while showing them the letter that the chief of Broadwin had written for Lord Tywin. In any case, it didn¡¯t matter too much for them since it was just an additional escort on top of Bilmoa and the wagon. Moreover, although the subject of the escort was a bastard, he was still Lord Tywin¡¯s son. A real knight was escorting him to the castle as well. ¡°I have a good feeling about this request. Aren¡¯t you glad you decided to trust in my gut feelings?¡± The mercenaries nodded without hesitation at Partec¡¯s words. They knew Partec was a leader who was lucky, trustworthy and had experience and skills. *** ¡°Hey, a bear-like guy is grinning at you right now. Let¡¯s just knock them all out and take their horse. It¡¯ll be much faster.¡± ¡°If you are caught stealing a horse, it¡¯s the death penalty. And that¡¯s a luggage horse. It can¡¯t travel fast anyways.¡± ¡°Really? Aren¡¯t all horses the same?¡± ¡°They have different purposes. There are horses that run fast, horses that pull wagons or carts, horses for battles. All of them are different.¡± ¡°Wowzers! You sure know a lot, don¡¯t you, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Yes. I certainly am better than you at reading and writing for sure.¡± ¡°Kieeek! Shut up!¡± Mirian shrieked loudly, then sat down on Eugene¡¯s shoulder and began chattering away. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m glad the little brat is writing on the carriage. We can talk comfortably like this. It¡¯s much more comfortable riding a carriage, so I don¡¯t know why he insists on walking. What a weirdo.¡± Eugene had a hunch that the stubbornness ran in the Tywin family, but he didn¡¯t bother verbalizing it. ¡°So what kind of a man is Lord Tywin?¡± ¡°I do not know either. Only that he is the lord of this region, and he¡¯s not long for life. I heard he was a very strong knight in his youth.¡± It would be problematic if Eugene could not meet with Lord Tywin. He had been pondering about the issue since last night but failed to come up with any viable solutions. He was still deliberating. ¡°He¡¯s not long for life? Then what happens with the little brat? Is he going to be orphaned as soon as he arrives there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of my business.¡± Felid would not receive great treatment since he was a bastard son, and if the mercenaries¡¯ words were true, the territory was currently quite poor. Not much would fall to Felid. No, rather, if the family had no money and was riddled with chaos due to the discovery of the dungeon, perhaps he would be dragged off to the dungeon as a soldier and face a dog death. ¡®But I guess you¡¯re still better than me. At least you will get to see your father¡¯s face. Hmm?¡¯ Eugene suddenly realized. ¡®Perhaps not me, but Lord Tywin will certainly meet with Felid.¡¯ There was no parent in the world who would not meet their child after finding out they existed after sixteen years. ¡®So how do I use this?¡¯ Eugene mulled over the thought. He gained more than simple beauty after awakening as a vampire. Eugene was beginning to recover the intelligence of the Night¡¯s Tribe, who were second to none when it came to being smart and crafty. *** After traveling for an entire day, Eugene and the mercenaries finally arrived in the village of Martella, where Lord Tywin¡¯s castle was located. Martella was a town slightly larger than Brahms. However, the lord¡¯s castle located in the middle of the town wasn¡¯t very big. Inside the moat and the high walls, there were only three buildings, including the main structure where the lord¡¯s family resided. Still, Mirian could not keep her mouth shut. It was a great spectacle for a small wetland spirit. ¡°Sir! Sir Eugene! You need to get ahead in life and get yourself a castle like that! The Earl of Blood Eugene! Eugene, the Count of Darkness! Kiekkk!? I would love to see a few gargoyles over there! We can have ghouls roam the walls!¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense and get in here. I will open the cap if I need you.¡± ¡°Oh, by the gods. You are a man with no romance or ambitions.¡± Even while muttering grumpily, Mirian obediently flew into the leather pocket. Eugene¡¯s group was led by Bilmoa, a member of a large city¡¯s merchant association. As such, they had no trouble passing through the drawbridge into the castle. Once they entered the small castle of the Tywin family, which was also known as the Rose Castle, they instantly caught the attention of the castle¡¯s residents. Among the onlookers, a group of nicely dressed men and women approached the carriage. They appeared to be the high-ranking people of the castle. ¡°You! Are you from the Palin Association?¡± A man who appeared to be around 30 asked, and Bilmoa answered while putting his hands together. ¡°Yes. I am Bilmoa of the Palin Association. And may I ask for your name, sir?¡± ¡°I am Camara, the successor of Tywin. I don¡¯t need introductions from the others, so get unloading.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Partec and the mercenaries began to unload the carts. But since it had nothing to do with him, Eugene took out the letter of introduction to give to Camara Tywin. Camara¡¯s gaze turned to Eugene. ¡°What about you? Why aren¡¯t you getting to work?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Yes!¡± Felid started to move with an anxious expression, but Eugene stopped him by grabbing his arms and leading him forward. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am¡ª¡± ¡°Brother Camara!¡± A clear voice resonated and cut off Eugene¡¯s words. A young man wearing a gray surcoat over chainmail strode forward while being accompanied by two soldiers. ¡®Bertel Tywin.¡¯ He was a knight of the Tywin family. In Eugene¡¯s past life, Bertel Tywin had troubled Eugene in many ways along with Jung Dircht. Although it had been Jung Dircht who actually killed Eugene, Bertel Tywin had been responsible for leading the tracking team. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± ¡°What does it look like? Goods arrived from the Palin Association, so I was overseeing the unloading process.¡± ¡°Brother, why are you personally doing such things?¡± ¡°You take care of matters regarding the troops, and I, the successor to the family, handle everything else. Isn¡¯t that obvious? Why? Do you want to be the one to oversee these things as well? Perhaps you even want to play successor?¡± ¡°You know that is not what I meant.¡± ¡°If not, then mind your own business.¡± The brothers glared at each other like mortal enemies. Eugene realized that the stories he overheard from the mercenaries were true. The lord was about to die, and the family¡¯s finances were in a mess. Meanwhile, a dungeon was newly discovered, but the brothers were at each other¡¯s throats when they should be joining forces. ¡°So, what are you?¡± At that time, Bertel¡¯s gaze shifted towards Eugene. His expression was rather unwell, perhaps after being told off by Camara. Eugene took two pieces of paper out from his arms and pushed them towards Camara, rather than Bertel. ¡°One was in the hands of a mercenary named Timothy, and the other was sent by Chief Gev of Broadwin.¡± ¡°What?¡± Camara became visibly surprised and snatched the letters from Eugene¡¯s hands with a flinch. Then he hurriedly read the letters. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Read it.¡± Camara frowned and held out the parchments. Bertel¡¯s face quickly stiffened after reading confirming the contents. ¡°The mercenaries were attacked by black wolves and wiped out? And this¡­ sir, brought back the lord¡¯s illegitimate son?¡± ¡°That is correct. This is Lord Tywin¡¯s illegitimate son.¡± Everyone¡¯s heads followed Eugene¡¯s gaze. ¡°N-nice to meet you! My name is Felid!¡± Felid bowed his head. People in the castle shifted their attention to the lord¡¯s bastard son, whom they had only heard about. They began to murmur with curiosity. ¡°Take this guy with you. Get him washed and put some proper clothes on him.¡± ¡°Yes. Please follow me, young master.¡± A neatly dressed servant of the castle stepped out at Bertels¡¯ words. ¡°Ah, yes!¡± Felid looked back towards Eugene as he followed behind the servant. It wasn¡¯t until Eugene gave a slight gesture with his hand that Felid moved on with a relieved expression. ¡°Sir Eugene.¡± Bertel spoke. ¡°I am grateful for your hard work. There was a set of unfortunate events, the request could only be completed because you decided to take it up. I will pay you the appropriate amount tomorrow. It must have been a rough journey, so please rest for today.¡± It was a polite response, but he was essentially asking Eugene to leave tomorrow. ¡°Thank you. By the way, is it possible for me to meet with Lord Tywin?¡± ¡°It will be difficult. The lord is in bad condition.¡± ¡°Is there no way?¡± ¡°Unfortunately.¡± A clear refusal. And it did not seem that the eldest son, who reminded Eugene of Jung Dircht and his shitty personality, would allow it either. However¡­ ¡°What¡¯s so hard about meeting him for a short while? Although he was born from a different womb, this man still returned our brother to us.¡± Camara, the eldest son, shattered Eugene¡¯s expectations and suddenly sided with him. CH 9 ¡°What do you mean by that, brother? Father is awake for less than an hour each day.¡± ¡°Then he can see this sir during that time, hmm? He is going to be meeting our new brother anyways, so we can say hello together.¡± ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Sparks seemed to fly as the two brothers glared at each other. Then Camara shrugged before speaking to Eugene. ¡°I apologize for this, sir. I made a mistake in not recognizing your identity earlier on, so I was going to arrange a meeting with the lord for you, but it seems like it will be quite difficult. Because of a certain someone.¡± Camara glanced towards Bertel, as if screaming ¡®because of this bastard!¡¯, then continued. ¡°Anyways, take a good rest today. If a certain someone changes their mind, then I will let you know right away. Then.¡± Camara quickly moved away with his servants after speaking. ¡®He never had any intention of letting me see the lord in the first place. He merely used me to provoke his brother.¡¯ Camara simply took the chance to transfer the responsibility for the matter to his brother. Eugene gave up on the idea of meeting the lord through the Tywin brothers. ¡®Do I have to go through Felid then?¡¯ It was then. ¡°Oi! Sir Bertel! Are you busy?¡± A loud voice resonated from the side of the stairs built along the wall. Eugene was rather surprised to discover that the voice belonged to a man as big as Partec. ¡®It¡¯s a knight.¡¯ The man was dressed in leather armor and a long sword hung from his belt. Such weapons were usually favored by knights. In addition, a rondel dagger, which was shaped like a large fang, was attached to the opposite side of his waist. ¡°Not at all. I will be with you right away, Sir Galfredik.¡± After answering the large knight¡¯s call, Bertel turned to Eugene. ¡°The servants will guide you to your room, sir. You can either have your meal at the dining room located in the annex or ask any servant to bring it to you.¡± After speaking, Bertel headed towards the big knight along with two soldiers. He spoke with the knight while glancing towards Eugene¡¯s way, then the two of them headed into the main building together. In the meantime, Partec and the mercenaries finished unloading the carriage and approached Eugene. ¡°Sir Galfredic placed third in last year¡¯s tournament that was held by Count Evergrove.¡± ¡°Is that so? He certainly looked very big and strong.¡± ¡°They say his strength is unparalleled. It¡¯s just that Sir Lugates, who won the championship, is an overwhelmingly strong knight. I hear he is definitely a knight who would be recognized for his abilities anywhere he goes.¡± Eugene was rather glad he became acquainted with someone knowledgeable. He responded. ¡°I see. But why did such a great knight come to this place?¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s true that the Tywin family is planning to open the dungeon soon. If the first expedition is successful, the knight who led the expedition will surely gain enormous fame and reputation.¡± ¡°So Sir Galfredik will become a knight of the Tywin family?¡± Lavan asked carefully while stealing a glance, and Partec shook his head. As the youngest member of the group, Lavan was still inexperienced and rather lacking in information. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I heard Sir Galfredik is an ambitious man. He probably wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with a little estate like Tywin. He¡¯ll leave when he receives his fair share and gains the reputation of successfully conquering a dungeon. Then he could be recruited to a noble family with a title on better terms.¡± ¡°I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°Save it. You have to risk your life to explore a newly discovered dungeon. Since no one has ever been inside, the way is unknown and you don¡¯t know what kinds of monsters might pop out.¡± ¡°I-is that so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He will have to slay at least 40 or 50 monsters in there. One or two intermediate monsters such as trolls or large dungeon spiders as well to boot. If he only kills a few weaker monsters in the dungeon, people will call him a coward. It¡¯s an unacceptable outcome for a knight. Isn¡¯t that right, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Well. Yes, that¡¯s about right.¡± Although it had nothing to do with himself, Eugene wondered what good fame and fortune were in exchange for one¡¯s life. But he agreed with Partec for now. ¡°But no matter how great Sir Galfredik is, do you think having a single knight will be enough? I heard it takes at least 20 people, including the workers, to enter a maze or a dungeon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only true for dungeons that have already been opened and conquered once or twice. Since this dungeon is unexplored, they will need at least two times that number. Besides, it¡¯s not like they can grab every Tom off the street, so they will be hiring men who already have a reputation or have proven themselves. To do that¡­ Bilmoa, how much money would they need?¡± ¡°If they hire about two or three knights on top of 30 mercenaries, it will be about 800 silver coins in advance. The pay for a successful expedition would have to be calculated afterward, depending on the number of mana stones they gain from killing monsters.¡± ¡°Phew¡­¡± Lavan became speechless. The huge sum was way beyond his imagination. ¡°But if they fail, they will have wasted 800 silver coins. That is why the Tywin family has no choice but to be cautious. It¡¯s not like they are very wealthy either. If they fail, they will go bankrupt. Well, although that is only if they manage to gather all of the required troops.¡± Partec stole a glance at Eugene after finishing his words. Naturally, the gaze of other mercenaries also headed towards him. Eugene was well aware that Partec and the mercenaries thought him to be a knight who was interested in the Tywin territory¡¯s dungeon. He remained silent. Eugene was still busily pondering about ways to get an audience with Lord Tywin. Then, a servant of the castle carefully spoke. He had remained silent thus far while standing behind Eugene and the mercenaries. ¡°Excuse me, Sir knight. My apologies for interrupting your conversation, but I can show you to your room. Why don¡¯t you continue the conversation over there?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°R-right this way sir.¡± The servant was expecting to be scolded or even struck by Eugene. He was greatly surprised by the unexpectedly gentle response and quickly moved his steps. *** ¡°That was so suffocating!¡± Mirian spoke with a large breath after finally being released from the leather pocket while flying circles around Eugene¡¯s head. ¡°Huh? This is the room they put you in?¡± It was a small room with only one window and a few old hangers lying on a simple desk. It was said to have been originally used by the butler of the castle. ¡°I asked for a room with the least amount of sun, and this is what they gave me. At least there are no fleas or lice. This is enough.¡± Of course, such pests would not bother a vampire in the least either. ¡°Tsk tsk! You have a long way to go, mister. You have to get ahead and live your life to the fullest, tsk. Speaking of which, why don¡¯t you join the dungeon expedition?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°Why? You can score both money and honor.¡± ¡°My priority is to get a proper identity.¡± A knock interrupted the conversation between the two. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Sir knight, the bath water is ready.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The servant bowed his head as if finding Eugene¡¯s answer generous, then poured in hot water into a large wooden barrel situated at the bathroom, which was attached to a corner of the room. Steam bloomed into the air, and the servant lowered his head after placing a clean cloth on the bathroom table. ¡°Please let me know when you are done. I will clean it up right away. Ah, what will you do for dinner, sir?¡± Eugene thought for a moment before responding. ¡°I would like to eat with the company I traveled with. Is it possible?¡± ¡°Yes. The mercenaries are using a large room, so I will have the food on the table as soon as it is ready.¡± When the servant left, Eugene took off his clothes and sank into the steaming bath. ¡°Kyaah! This is the stuff!¡± Mirian quickly followed suit and splashed around in the water, then drifted across the water while groaning like an old man. Surprisingly, however, any trace of dirt or muck disappeared wherever she floated across. She definitely was a spirit of water. ¡°Ah~ I know I said this before, but no matter how hard I think about it, not going into the dungeon seems like such a waste.¡± ¡°I told you before. Identity comes first.¡± ¡°That doofus said something about fame bestowed to the first knight who successfully conquers a dungeon, right? Then you won¡¯t need to be recognized by the lord here. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°.....¡± Eugene paused amidst washing himself. She certainly had a point. As Partec said a while ago, those who successfully conquered an unexplored dungeon would gain both wealth and fame. The knight named Galfredik, who seemed rather famous in the nearby regions, was here for that exact purpose as well. ¡®But there are too many unknown variables for me to enter the dungeon. I don¡¯t know if those two brothers would accept me, and above all else, I cannot reveal a vampire¡¯s abilities in the presence of other knights and mercenaries. But¡­¡¯ A dungeon was a dark place without sunlight. A vampire like himself would be much more advantageous in such a space compared to a regular human being. What if he subtly used his abilities depending on the situation? He would use just enough to avoid any detection. ¡°That is not a bad idea. You can be useful sometimes, hmm? And I thought you were only good for making water.¡± ¡°Muhahaha! Of course! I, Lord Mirian, am¡­¡± Mirian was about to go off on her rant with enthusiasm and pride, then suddenly began to jump angrily with realization. ¡°Are you looking down on me? Don¡¯t look down on me! Kieeeek!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Eugene answered half-heartedly, then lifted himself up from the wooden barrel. As he wiped himself dry, Eugene noticed his reflection in a copper mirror. He observed the well-balanced, muscular body, then narrowed his eyes at a peculiar sight. ¡°Hmm?¡± His body was always full of mysterious tattoos. He did not know when they were carved in, or who had been responsible for them. But now, one of them, a tattoo that should have been on his right chest, was gone without a trace. ¡®Why did it disappear? What happened?¡¯ Eugene was baffled by the sudden situation. Not realizing his concerns, Mirian continued to speak. ¡°Ah, come to think of it, the dungeon should have a few high-ranking monsters. Like that crocodile bastard. Well, the crocodile bastard was still a little weak because he wasn¡¯t fully grown, but¡­ Kiek!?¡± Mirian had been leisurely floating around the bathwater as she blabbered on. She shouted with shock as Eugene picked her up with his fingers. He spoke quietly. ¡°There are others like the wetland monster in the dungeon?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I was just saying. That crocodile bastard was a high-ranking monster. I know, shocker, right? But you killed it and ate the mana stone, right? The red one.¡± ¡°Do all high-ranking monsters have red mana stones?¡± ¡°Not all of them. Just a few special ones, I think? I¡¯m not sure why. But can you let me go now?¡± Eugene released his fingers while frowning. ¡®I acquired Black Scales after consuming the red mana stone from the wetland monster. That¡¯s when I started feeling pain in my right chest, right? If I can kill another high-ranking monster and eat their mana stone¡­¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what it would be, but he could gain the ability of a powerful monster. Above all, his tattoos could disappear - the tattoos he failed to remove or to erase until now. ¡®Then what happens when all of my tattoos are erased?¡¯ He did not know. But there was only one choice to be made if he wanted to find a clue. ¡°Let¡¯s go into the dungeon.¡± ¡°An excellent choice! Sir Eugene, Count of Blood! Kieek!¡± *** ¡°Ah, here you are, Sir Eugene.¡± Partec greeted Eugene. Even in the lord¡¯s castle, he did not take off his leather armor. Various foods were prepared on the table, which was large enough to seat five or six people. There was bread, some roasted ducks, and stew with big chunks of meat and vegetables. In addition, a large jug of beer and wine was present as well. ¡°The Tywin family isn¡¯t treating us too shabby. It is all thanks to you, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course. The kitchen gave us all this food because Sir Eugene said you would eat with us. If it were just us, they would have told us to dip our bread in the stew.¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have seen even a pig¡¯s tail in the stew either, never mind chunks of meat!¡± ¡°And could we even dream of alcohol? We would have been relieved if they didn¡¯t bring us water the maids used to wash their privates!¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be a reward for you? You little rascal!¡± The mercenaries burst out laughing at someone¡¯s comment. They seemed to be slightly more comfortable in Eugene¡¯s presence after accompanying him for a few days. Naturally, they still knew him to be a knight from a noble family who could even read and write, so they never crossed the line. But unlike other knights, they found that Eugene had a gentle personality. He never mistreated them or looked down on them. Perhaps because of this, the mercenaries felt a sense of comradeship with Eugene. Moreover, they were able to indulge in such a scrumptious dinner thanks to Eugene. They felt even more grateful. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The mercenaries started eating while talking amongst themselves. The mercenaries were young and big, and the food quickly disappeared. Eugene put down a wooden mug of wine and spoke to Partec. ¡°Are you finished with the request now?¡± ¡°We will have to take Bilmoa back to Maren for now.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°If the Palin Association gives us another request, we will take it. Or else we will have to head to the guild. Unless you are participating in a battle or a war, it¡¯s best to receive commissions from the guild. But why do you ask?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, but I was wondering if you would like to conquer a dungeon with me if you had nothing lined up after this.¡± ¡°.....!¡± Partec and the mercenaries froze at Eugene¡¯s words. CH 10 ¡°A-are you being serious?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Partec spoke with disbelief and Eugene nodded in response. ¡°Excuse me for being insolent, but are you referring to the dungeon that was recently discovered in the Tywin territory?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°There is no way that you do not know what it means to explore a new dungeon. Are you¡­ confident?¡± He knew how rude it was of him to ask such a question, but Partec had no choice but to ask. Moreover, Partec was convinced after being acquainted with him for the past few days that the knight would not become angry at such a question. ¡°I will be just fine, but the problem will be with your men. I am the one who suggested it after all.¡± ¡°Yes. But¡­¡± Partec continued after taking a short breath to organize his thoughts. ¡°It is questionable whether the Tywin family is prepared for the endeavor. They do not have enough soldiers. Even if Sir Eugene decides to participate¡­¡± ¡°Then why do you think Sir Galfredik decided to come?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say yourself that he was quite famous in this area? Ambitious too. I do not believe he came all this way without thinking about it beforehand.¡± Partec almost slapped himself on the forehead. As Eugene said, Galfredik would have come to the castle after receiving a price worthy of his reputation. And if Galfredik was going to act as an anchor for the exploration, they could easily gather 20 or even 30 mercenaries. Rather, it was highly likely that a sufficient number of mercenaries had already gathered. ¡°Anyways, are you going to accompany me or not?¡± ¡°¡­..Please give me some time to think about it.¡± ¡°Okay, but I need to know sooner than later. I would like an answer by tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Eugene stood up after hearing Partec¡¯s answer. The mercenaries stood up along with Eugene, then flocked to Partec as soon as the knight left the door. ¡°A-are we really going to do it?¡± ¡°Captain! This is not a good idea. No matter how good the pay is, being the first to explore the dungeon is a no go.¡± ¡°No one knows the way, and no one knows what¡¯s going to pop out. Even if we succeeded in exploring the dungeon, half of us won¡¯t come back alive.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± The mercenaries raised their voices. But Partec remained silent without answering his colleagues and subordinates. After a moment, he raised his head. ¡°I know you guys may have different thoughts regarding the issue, but I think of this as my last chance.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Partec continued while looking around at the shocked faces of the mercenaries. ¡°I will be turning 34 next year. Although I never suffered any major injuries and lived quite a long life for a mercenary, all of you should know that this is nothing to brag about. If I were in a larger mercenary group, I would have become a vice-captain by now. Of course, I could have died early on as well.¡± The mercenaries were well aware of Partec¡¯s skills and his keen judgement. They thought the former possibility would have been more likely but remained silent while nodding their heads. ¡°We, no, rather, I¡¯ve been stuck here too long. But that doesn¡¯t mean I can quit everything and join a big mercenary group as a new recruit at this age. If I retire after working as a mercenary for three or four more years, I could open a small pub in Maren. But I don¡¯t want to live like that.¡± ¡°T-then¡­¡± ¡°So far, I always chose the path that guaranteed our safety, but this time, I want to walk my own path. So I will not force any of you. Make your own choice. You can either bet your lives on Sir Eugene and me, or you can go back to Maren.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± The mercenaries remained silent while sharing glances. They were faced with perhaps the most important decision of their lives. The first to break the long silence was Glade, who had been with Partec the longest. ¡°I will stick with Captain, no, with our brother. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± ¡°Okay. What about the rest of you?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t do it. I¡¯m sorry, Captain.¡± ¡°Me too¡­¡± ¡°Brothers, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Three mercenaries lowered their heads. ¡°You brats, what are you sorry about? It¡¯s only natural to be cautious since it¡¯s a matter of life and death. I¡¯m sorry that I could not be with you until the end. You guys can take Bilmoa back to Maren. Share the balance of this request amongst yourselves. Think of it as your severance pay.¡± ¡°Captain¡­¡± Tears started to appear in the eyes of the three mercenaries. Partec reassured them with his gaze, then turned his eyes towards the last remaining person. ¡°Lavan, you should follow these brats for a while as well. Even if you don¡¯t make a lot of money, you should not have to worry about starving. Work hard for a year or two, then you can find a bigger group to¡­¡± ¡°I will be staying behind as well!¡± ¡°What?¡± Partec was surprised at Lavan¡¯s words. Although he had allowed the young man to join their group because he was quick and had a good hand, Lavan was still quite inexperienced. ¡°It¡¯s only been a month, but I believe in Captain¡¯s guts. You are following your gut feeling this time as well, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but you could really die if you¡¯re unlucky.¡± ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know anymore. I want to be successful too. I joined the group because of you in the first place, Captain Partec, so I¡¯ll stay with you until the end. What more is there to life?¡± ¡°No, well¡­¡± Partec attempted to respond, then laughed instead. Who would he listen to at that age? When Partec was about Lavan¡¯s age, he also stole his family¡¯s money and ran away from home. ¡°Do as you like. A kid like you will live longer if you stay by my side.¡± ¡°Why do you have to put it like that¡­?¡± Lavan attempted to retaliate, but the mercenaries who would head to Maren ruffled his hair. ¡°That¡¯s true, kid. We don¡¯t want to deal with a little brat like you anyways. Who knows what you¡¯re going to do?¡± ¡°I would rather tame a goblin than try to make him listen.¡± ¡°Kekeke.¡± The dark atmosphere soon subsided and the mercenaries were chuckling once again. *** ¡°Sir Camara Tywin is looking for me?¡± Eugene answered in a puzzled voice when a servant came to visit him. ¡°Yes, sir. He wanted to discuss something with you, so he wants to see you.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eugene nodded after a moment. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Then please allow me to guide you there.¡± Eugene followed behind the servant, who was holding an oil lamp. ¡°Camara? That¡¯s the older brother from before, right? Why is he looking for our sir?¡± Mirian whispered into Eugene¡¯s ear from his shoulder, but he was ignorant of the reason as well. After a while, Eugene arrived at a room located on the second floor of the main building. He opened the door. ¡°Ah, sir. Please, come in.¡± Camara approached Eugene with delight. He had been sitting beside a wide-open window with a glass of alcohol in his hand. ¡°I heard you were looking for me.¡± ¡°Haha! I wanted to apologize for not recognizing your identity earlier in the day. Also, I had a few things I wanted to discuss with you.¡± Camara clapped his hands after speaking. The two maids in the room quickly left. ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After pouring blood-red wine into a gray metal cup for Eugene, Camara grinned. ¡°I am sorry about earlier. I did not know you were a knight since you were not wearing a surcoat nor riding on a horse.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Eugene once again convinced himself that he should prioritize purchasing a horse as soon as he had the money while he nodded. ¡°By the way, you appear to be in quite a complicated situation from what I heard from Felid¡­¡± It seemed Camara had already spoken with Felid. It made sense once Eugene thought about it. Since they were meeting each other for the first time, it would be natural for brothers to at least have dinner together. ¡°It is just as Felid told you. My family collapsed when I was a child. In addition, I was ridden with a horrible disease after being poisoned, though I am completely cured now. That was why I somehow ended up all the way in Broadwin. I apologize for not mentioning it to you earlier, Sir Tywin.¡± ¡°Haha! It is only natural. I understand that you may have been surrounded by enemies ever since you were young. And my father is not one to punish someone for something so trifle. Rather, he would surely reward you handsomely for safely bringing back Felid.¡± ¡°Are you saying I will get a chance to meet with Lord Tywin?¡± ¡°I would want nothing else, but Bertel insists on being stubborn. Even I am no match for his bullheadedness sometimes. By the way, are you going to keep that helmet on? Are you not going to drink the wine?¡± Eugene took off his helmet. Camara¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Hooh! So this! Is why you were wearing your helmet until now. I can¡¯t even think to be jealous. Haha! Come, let¡¯s have a drink.¡± Camara raised his glass before taking a large swig of the wine. He promptly got straight to the point. ¡°By the way, sir. Do you want to have your identity verified by meeting our father?¡± Eugene nodded. Camara was more tactful and quick-witted than he expected, perhaps because he was the successor of the territory. ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°I knew it. I am sure that you must have forgotten those who destroyed your family by now, and of course, you won¡¯t have any property or fortune. Ah, are you perhaps thinking of going on a full-fledged journey as a knight after having your identity verified?¡± ¡°I do need to make a living.¡± ¡°Hmm! Amazing, just as I expected!¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± Eugene scrunched his forehead. He did not understand why Camara seemed to be in awe. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you say so as well? Felid told me that you killed five robbers near Brahms, right? With a single short sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°That means your skills are considerable. It¡¯s not easy for someone like that to decide to prove their worth by having their identity verified then faithfully going on a knight¡¯s journey.¡± ¡°I am only trying to do what I learned when I was young.¡± ¡°That is why I am amazed. Anyways, that¡¯s why I want to talk to you about something, sir.¡± Camara¡¯s voice reduced to a whisper. Eugene realized that Camara was about to bring up the real reason for their meeting. ¡°You probably already know that a dungeon was found in our territory. Do you perhaps know about the state of our family?¡± ¡°I do not know the details, but I heard some rumors.¡± ¡°Then that will make this easier. Sir, why don¡¯t you join the expedition?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± This was exactly what Eugene had hoped for, but he pretended to be surprised. Camara continued excitedly. ¡°We do not have any money right now, but as you know, money will no longer be an issue if we successfully explore the dungeon. We will be procuring literally hundreds of mana stones every month. Once we successfully open the dungeon and explore it, the rest will be no work at all. So sir, will you not participate in it and lead the troops?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Oh, of course, I am not asking you to do it without compensation. It won¡¯t be much, but I will be giving you down payment as well. In addition, if you kill 50 lower-ranking monsters and two or three intermediate-ranking monsters, we will give you twenty percent of the mana stones and any goods obtained in the dungeon as a reward.¡± It was fine that he would let Eugene enter the dungeon. However, Eugene did not know whether Camara¡¯s offer was lucrative or not, and he was also curious as to why Camara was suggesting such a thing. However, Camara quickly realized why Eugene remained silent. He continued. ¡°All you have to do is say yes and we will verify your identity as well. With the seal of our family, you will have nothing to worry about. At least, not in any of the nearby territories. This is a chance for you to gain wealth, fame, and even status. What do you say?¡± He was still slightly unsure, but it did seem to be rather generous conditions. However, Eugene was not a fool. He would not accept the kindness of an unknown noble. They had only met a few hours ago. ¡°These are quite generous conditions, but first, let me ask you a question. Why me? There is no need for you to trust me, is there?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Camara¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡®Dammit. I knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy from how he looked.¡¯ It seemed the new knight could think for himself, unlike Galfredik, who probably had muscles for brains. Camara had suggested conditions that any free knight, especially a free knight without proper identity, would have jumped at. Very few would have hesitated in agreeing to his conditions. Moreover, he had even buttered up the knight beforehand. Camara was forced to speak a bit of the truth. ¡°Sir, do you happen to know Sir Galfredik?¡± ¡°I saw him in the castle earlier. He appeared to be quite close to your brother, sir.¡± ¡°Hmph! I am sure they are. Bertel was the one who brought Sir Galfredik here in the first place. Apparently, they became close during the tournament hosted by Lord Evergrove last year. Anyways, that is beside the point. At this rate, Sir Galfredik will be leading the clearing party.¡± ¡°What does that matter? Isn¡¯t it all the same if we succeed in clearing the dungeon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you this because it does matter! Why would I be doing this if Sir Galfredik is going to swear allegiance to me and remain in our estate after the dungeon? From the way I see it, as soon as he is finished¡­..¡± Camara continued talking with agitation. Although the story lasted for quite a while, the main point was rather simple. He did not want to see his younger brother Bertel acting all high and mighty after Galfredik successfully broke through the dungeon. But he could not postpone the opening of the dungeon any longer, nor could he kick Bertel out of the territory. Bertel was his brother, as well as the only knight of the territory. Camara was asking for help so he could take the initiative in opening and clearing the dungeon. He needed to save face as the next lord. He was not very intimate with other nobles in the vicinity, since they were always thinking of ways to devour the territory. It made it difficult for Camara to seek assistance. It went something along those lines. In the end, Eugene was an unexpected lifeline for Camara. It was the only hand available to Camara right now. ¡°I understand. Can I give you an answer by tomorrow?¡± ¡°Of course. Then I look forward to hearing good news.¡± Camara proposed a toast with a grin. Eugene laughed inwardly as the two glasses clinked together. He already achieved the goal of entering the dungeon, and if he was lucky, he could achieve small revenge on Bertel, who had been largely responsible for his death before he returned. ¡°Ah, our Sir Eugene! As the days go by, you are starting to regain the cunningness befitting your status. How cool! You¡¯ll get ahead soon, right? Kekekekeke!¡± Even Mirian¡¯s excited, silly comments did not bother him today either. CH 11 ¡°Then have a safe journey back. I apologize for not being able to finish the job personally.¡± ¡°It is fine. You¡¯ve done plenty for me until now. I am sure Miss Priscilla will understand as well. Anyways, take care. May God bless you.¡± ¡°God bless you.¡± Bilmoa climbed onto the coachman¡¯s seat after saying his farewells to Partec. The three mercenaries had already said their goodbyes the night before, so they left alongside the carriage after wordlessly shaking hands with Partec. Once the carriage completely crossed the drawbridge, Partec, Glade, and Lavan approached Eugene. ¡°Let us go, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene headed towards the main structure of the Rose Castle along with the three. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here.¡± Camara welcomed Eugene in a bright voice. He had been waiting for the knight¡¯s arrival since earlier on. After stealing a glance at the two mercenaries and Partec, he continued in a slightly excited voice. ¡°So you decided to accept my offer?¡± ¡°That is correct. I have decided to hire these three men as well.¡± ¡°Hahaha! You made the right choice. By the way, how much are your wages?¡± Eugene answered instead of Partec. ¡°One hundred silver coins for all four of together. And after we succeed, give us our pay in the materials gained from monsters. I don¡¯t need any mana stones, so give us half of the materials gained from monsters.¡± ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t need mana stones?¡± ¡°They are hard to dispose of. I prefer other materials.¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± Camara accepted the proposal with puzzlement. It had been Partec¡¯s proposal to ask for the raw materials from monsters rather than mana stones if they succeeded. Mana stones had to go through a purification process. But if an individual requested purification from the church, rather than an organization or a merchant association, the process became complicated, and the church took thirty percent of the products as the fee. It would be better to be compensated with materials that they could sell off to a merchant association. Materials gained from monsters were quite useful. If they could acquire half of the total gains from the expedition, they would not be making a loss. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I chose to bring Partec along.¡¯ In addition, Partec already had a plan to deal with the materials. It also had to do with why Bilmoa returned to Maren without making a fuss, although three of the six original members had deserted the mission halfway. Bilmoa was worried about his performance within the association, so Partec had promised him to sell all of the monster¡¯s materials to the Palin Association through Bilmoa. ¡°But are you sure you don¡¯t need any more men? We could hire two or three more.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, but it will be fine. Wouldn¡¯t Sir Galfredik hire over ten men anyways?¡± ¡°We are short on numbers on our side, so he will likely hire around twenty men. Tsk! It will be troublesome if our side contributes less¡­¡± Although Camara complained, he had no choice. Where could he find another knight who was capable of killing five armed robbers alone? Galfredik was an unusual case, and outstanding knights usually headed to serve under rich, high-ranking aristocrats. They would rarely visit a place like this. ¡®Knights or mercenaries. If any of them are too outstanding, they could covet the territory as well.¡¯ It would be better to sit on a pile of debt after failing to explore the dungeon. He could not risk such a horrible outcome. ¡°Ah, and this is a meaningless condition, but.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene shrugged while speaking. It felt as if he was verbalizing a flitting, unimportant thought. ¡°If I kill any high-ranking monsters or anything stronger in the dungeon, I will keep its mana stone.¡± ¡°Hahahaha! A truly meaningless condition. Do as you want. Haha!¡± Camara, as well as the mercenaries, felt rather amused. Humans did not journey into the evil lands only for the sake of gaining mana stones. It was to control the population of the monsters in advance. If left alone, the number of monsters would continue to increase, which would ultimately result in the monster encroaching on human territory. Humans usually killed a few intermediate-ranking monsters before withdrawing. High-ranking monsters usually resided in the heart of the evil lands, and if the humans messed with such creatures without thinking, it could cause the entire group to be annihilated. But now, a no-name knight was claiming he would kill a high-ranking monster after entering a newly discovered dungeon. It truly was a meaningless condition. ¡°Haha! Well, I like your confidence. You need to have at least this much guts to call yourself a knight. Anyways, let¡¯s do our best. Hahaha¡­!¡± Camara did not stop chuckling, seemingly finding the situation quite amusing and ridiculous. *** ¡°Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It will be better to have more knights than not, right? The others were hired by the Palin Association, so they should be decent as well.¡± ¡°What about their terms?¡± ¡°The down payment will be 100 silver coins, including Sir Eugene and the three of them. They want half of the monster materials as the success pay. He said he doesn¡¯t need mana stones.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Bertel stared at Eugene with cold eyes. He had heard about Eugene from Felid as well during the dinner last night. Although it was likely exaggerated, the fact that he defeated five robbers with a single short sword was enough to prove his identity as a knight. ¡®The terms are not bad either. But I don¡¯t have a good feeling about this.¡¯ He would have been rather relieved if Eugene was as arrogant and reckless as other knights, but it was difficult to gauge the unknown knight¡¯s true intentions. The eyes that shone from inside the knight¡¯s helmet felt ominous to Bertel. ¡°What are your thoughts, Sir Galfredik?¡± Camara shifted his attention to Galfredik. ¡°I always welcome a skilled knight. Good to see you, sir. I am Rowan of Galfredik.¡± Galfredik was even bigger than Partec. He stepped forward and extended his hand forward. ¡°Nice to meet you. Jan Eugene.¡± The two knights shook hands with their gloves on. Squeeze! Eugene strengthened his grip after feeling Galfredik¡¯s powerful grasp. ¡°¡­..!¡± Galfredik¡¯s raised his thick eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Your strength is quite formidable. I look forward to your performance.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± Galfredik grinned while speaking to Bertel after letting go of Eugene¡¯s hand. ¡°I do not know about his swordsmanship, but I can guarantee you his strength.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Galfredik himself was reassuring Bertel of the man¡¯s capabilities. As such, Bertel had no justification to refuse Eugene¡¯s cooperation. Furthermore, it was just as Camara said. It was much better to have another knight. ¡®My older brother¡¯s influence will increase slightly, but it¡¯s not a bad outcome. More than anything¡­ there is no guarantee that man will come out alive.¡¯ Bertel decided to accept Eugene. ¡°Welcome to the opening of the dungeon, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Haha! Now that we have everyone here, why don¡¯t we start discussing things in earnest?¡± At Camara¡¯s words, Eugene, Galfredik, and Bertel each took their place at the ends of a square table. ¡°Sirs, we will be outside.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Partec¡¯s group left after bowing, and Bertel started the conversation. ¡°As all of you know, we have three knights ¨C Sir Galfredik, Sir Eugene, and me. But I cannot participate in the expedition. Someone has to protect the castle.¡± It appeared Camara and Galfredik already knew of the fact, as they nodded in acknowledgment. But Eugene heard this for the first time. ¡°There will be twenty-three men in total, including the three that Sir Eugene brought, and the men gathered by Sir Galfredik. The down payment will be paid as discussed previously, as well as the success pay. The minimum conditions for clearing the expedition will be 70 low-ranking and three intermediate-ranking monsters. Feel free to make judgments accordingly for anything past that.¡± The minimum conditions were literally the bare minimum. But no self-respecting knight would be satisfied clearing the minimum conditions. It was customary to defeat at least 1.5 times more than the minimum number of monsters. If they were successful in killing 1.5 times the number of monsters, they could take away about thirty to forty percent of the profits after paying off the knights and the hired mercenaries. But it was only if they succeeded. ¡°There are six porters. I will prepare water and food for seven days. Mercenaries will arrive within two days at the latest. Then we will depart right away after taking the day off.¡± According to what he heard from Partec, a group usually stayed inside a dungeon for three or four days after entering. However, this time around, they were opening a dungeon for the first time. Since they needed to map the dungeon through exploration, it was required to prepare plenty of drinking water and food. ¡°Do any of you have any questions, sirs?¡± ¡°What about a dismantler? And don¡¯t you think we will need more porters? Even the low-ranking monsters leave behind quite a bit of resources as well.¡± ¡°The dismantling will be of no issue. Three of the porters were originally hunters. And¡­¡± Bertel sank into thought for a moment, then continued. ¡°I will hire two more porters.¡± ¡°We can leave behind anyone who is seriously injured. What about others who are injured? Can I do whatever I want with them?¡± ¡°I will leave it to your judgments, sirs.¡± ¡°What do you think, Sir Eugene? Don¡¯t tell me you are one of those philanthropists ¨C like those among the nobles of Carls Baggins?¡± ¡°They are mercenaries, not my men. I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t think anyone would become involved in something like this without being resolved.¡± Eugene spoke in a cold voice. It was rather comical that Bertel would ask a vampire if he was philanthropic towards humans that he barely knew. ¡°Hahaha! I like the sound of that!¡± The short meeting was concluded with the sound of Galfredik¡¯s hearty laugh. ¡°Then, sirs, please rest easy and maintain your peak conditions until we leave.¡± ¡°My body will become stiff if I rest too much. Is there a hunting ground nearby? Hunting is the best way to warm up. I¡­¡± Galfredik started speaking while walking forward, then suddenly turned around. ¡°Sir Eugene, what say you we warm up together?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene remained silent, unsure as to what Galfredik was referring to. The burly knight continued with a big grin. ¡°I¡¯m asking for a duel.¡± *** ¡°Sir Galfredik is dueling the new knight from yesterday!¡± ¡°Really? Are you sure? Are they really fighting a duel?¡± ¡°They¡¯re about to start right now!¡± The people of the Rose Castle gathered in the courtyard of the castle. The castle walls and the stairs, which were the best seats available, were already filled to the brim with spectators. A circle of people was formed in the middle of the courtyard. Since it was a rather small castle, the courtyard felt quite packed and bustling with even 60 to 70 people. ¡°Look at how big he is. That¡¯s Sir Galfredik, right?¡± ¡°Who do you think is going to win?¡± A duel of this caliber was rare in the Rose Castle, where Bertel was the only knight present. As such, the people of the castle watched Eugene and Galfredik with anticipation and wonder. ¡°Obviously Sir Galfredik! He lost in the semifinals of the jousting competition, but he made it to the finals in the swordsmanship competition!¡± ¡°I heard he is incredibly strong.¡± In particular, everyone was expectant of Sir Galfredik. Making it to the finals in the swordsmanship competition proved his prowess since none in their territory had ever won a competition since Lord Tywin. ¡°Huh? Are you going to fight like that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any armor.¡± ¡°He, well then.¡± Galfredik grinned before stretching out his hand. He held the pommel of a wooden sword similar in shape and length to the long sword he used. Although they were both using wooden weapons, he adorned a helmet like Eugene and plate mail on his upper body. ¡°Let¡¯s end it with a single round. It will be troublesome if you break your bones, so let¡¯s take it easy.¡± ¡°I will try as well.¡± ¡°Keuk! I¡¯m getting more and more fond of you. Shall we get started?¡± Galfredik swung his wooden sword in an X shape. Shiiing! A sharp sound resounded throughout the area. It was hard to believe that he was only swinging a wooden weapon. Galfredik brandished the weapon back and forth a few times before starting to move in a circle. Eugene¡¯s eyes narrowed as he observed Galfredik¡¯s actions. At first, it appeared as if the knight was using both hands to wield the weapon, but he quickly realized the knight was moving his weapon back and forth between his two hands. ¡®It is an unusual sword technique. Different from Jung Dircht.¡¯ When he had been on the run in his previous life, he discovered that knights used similar, but slightly different styles of swordsmanship from each other. Galfredik was a knight who made it all the way to the finals in a competition held by a count, although they were in the countryside. He would surely be adept in his own unique, powerful swordsmanship. Shiing! Without warning, Galfredik¡¯s wooden sword shot towards Eugene in a straight line. Eugene reflexively twisted his body and raised the short wooden sword in his hand. Tung! Shiiik! Galfredik¡¯s weapon was deflected slightly, then bounced back into a slice. It was a precise attack aimed directly at Eugene¡¯s forehead. Eugene would have been helpless in the past against a similar attack. But thanks to Black Scale, Eugene could exert physical abilities surpassing wild predators even during the day. He leaned back to avoid the attack. Fwooosh! As if he had been anticipating Eugene¡¯s move, Galfredik changed the trajectory of his weapon and swooped down at a right angle. Bang! A clear sound echoed in the air. ¡°¡­..!¡± The spectators had been watching the battle unfold with mouths agape and eyes full of shock. They flinched at the reverberation. An incredible sight was unfolded in front of their eyes. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Galfredik was stumbling back several steps while holding onto his helmet. Eugene had kicked Galfredik¡¯s chin the same time he leaned back to avoid an attack. ¡°Phew!¡± Galfredik took off his helmet, then shooks his head left and right. ¡°Wow! Amazing! Sir, where did you learn something like that? I consider myself quite capable at bare-handed fighting, but I never even heard of a technique like that.¡± Eugene was a little taken back at the unexpected response. Weren¡¯t all knights supposed to be competitive, proud, and arrogant? ¡°I learned it from a senior in my family when I was young.¡± To tell the truth, the attack was a combination of a vampire¡¯s superb athletic abilities and improvisation, but Eugene uttered an excuse he prepared beforehand. ¡°Is that so? I would like to learn it if I ever get the chance. However, if I had been wearing my real helmet instead of a practice one, the attack would not have had much effect.¡± He had a point. The helmets that knights usually wore contained a close-fitting skull cap to protect the entire head. ¡°But it would have been enough to break your posture. I wasn¡¯t going all-out either. I was afraid I would break your bones.¡± Eugene relaxed the way he addressed Galfredik and spoke with sincerity. ¡°What? Uhahaha! I like you more and more! Hahaha!¡± Galfredik burst into laughter, then threw aside his wooden sword before striding towards Eugene. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it would have ended if we were in a real battle, but you won this time, sir. I apologize for thinking you would be an easy opponent.¡± Eugene shook Galfredik¡¯s hand. The burly knight was dismantling his assumptions about knights. Galfredik raised Eugene¡¯s hand while shouting. ¡°Although it wasn¡¯t a fancy sword match, Sir Eugene won this battle! You little rascals! Show some respect for the victor!¡± Whaaaaaa! Cheers and applause rang out in the courtyard of the Rose Castle. CH 12 Two days passed since the duel between Eugene and Galfredik was held. During the two days, Eugene realized that people were starting to treat him differently than before. When he first arrived, the people of the castle had been afraid of him because of his status as a knight. But after he won a duel against Galfredik, he felt a different emotion in the eyes of the people. It was very similar to the expression that Felid had shown. ¡°The humans here, they seem to respect you.¡± ¡°Respect?¡± Mirian spoke while sprawled on Eugene¡¯s shoulder. He frowned while responding. ¡°Yeah. I heard some stuff while wandering around. They fear you, but they think you¡¯re super cool as well. I guess that big bear you beat up was really strong after all.¡± Eugene concurred inwardly when Mirian mentioned Galfredik. ¡®His swordsmanship was no joke.¡¯ Galfredik wasn¡¯t much weaker compared to the knight templars Eugene had engaged with in his previous life. In addition, just as he controlled his strength, Eugene was sure that Galfredik was also holding back. ¡°Anyway, I understand why you said we need to be careful of knights. If someone like him swings around swords and shields coated with silver, you could be in real trouble.¡± It was obvious. In fact, he had been killed by such knights before. His body had been strengthened after drinking the wetland monster¡¯s blood. He felt that he could not be killed by regular, metallic weapons, though he might feel pain. But silver-plated weapons were an exception. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure, but the pain inflicted on him by silver metals was likely several times the pain that regular humans would feel. Moreover, the wounds did not heal. ¡®The question is, how far can Black Scales defend against such attacks?¡¯ At least, he had a hunch that he would not be as helpless as he had been in his past life. ¡°Oi! Sir Eugene!¡± Galfredik called out in a boisterous voice. ¡°I heard all the mercenaries arrived. Are you heading there as well?¡± ¡°Hmm. The eldest son called.¡± ¡°Hehe! Since you have no previous experience with expeditions, let me tell you something.¡± Galfredik drew closer to Eugene. After the duel, they had started speaking comfortably with each other. Galfredik was even acting quite intimate with Eugene. ¡°It¡¯s important to make a strong first impression in front of mercenaries. They will be respectful outwardly towards knights, but what do you think if the knight seems weak? They will try to meddle and step out of their place. Besides, sir, I heard you weren¡¯t very familiar with tactics, right?¡± Knights were counted as aristocrats, although they ranked the lowest, and they weren¡¯t only educated in combat. Knights were also taught how to command subordinates in combat, various strategies, and tactics, as well as other things. But Eugene was a vampire, and he was ignorant of tactics. He made excuses by saying that he never had the chance to learn of such things because he lived alone in the mountains while training. ¡°Well, you only have to command three of them anyway, but you never know what could happen in an emergency. So make sure you break their spirits properly. Or you can learn by seeing what I do.¡± ¡°Thank you for the advice.¡± ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s nothing, nothing at all!¡± Galfredik slapped Eugene on the back while laughing energetically. Although his gesture contained enough power to cause ordinary people to sway, Eugene remained immovable. Galfredik felt even more favorable towards Eugene. He welcomed that he had a strong fellow knight whom he could rely on during the expedition. Moreover, he was rather fond of the red-eyed knight, who was quiet but powerful. *** ¡°Oh! There you are!¡± ¡°Sirs.¡± Camara and Bertel greeted the two knights. The mercenaries instantly stood up and bowed their heads. ¡°Hello there, Sir Galfredik!¡± ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Sir Galfredik!¡± The mercenaries knew that he had placed quite high in Count Evergrove¡¯s tournament. It meant that he was one of the strongest knights in the region. Therefore, the mercenaries were cautious in how they acted towards Galfredik. ¡®That knight is¡­¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s quite thin. Doesn¡¯t look very strong either.¡¯ On the other hand, they seemed rather doubtful when they looked towards Eugene. Although it was a great feat to win in a duel against Galfredik, they had not seen the battle personally. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get started.¡± When Eugene and Galfredik sat down, Bertel started speaking while looking around. ¡°We will depart tomorrow morning. The dungeon is about half a day¡¯s distance from here, so we should arrive by noon. We already sent soldiers but just in case, we will send a scouting party first before advancing. And¡­¡± Bertel continued explaining in a dry voice. ¡°Naturally, we do not know what kind of monster we will come to face since we haven¡¯t opened the dungeon yet. But based on the location of the dungeon and the size of its entrance, we are expecting goblins, gnolls, and kobolds for the low-ranking monsters. For intermediate-ranking monsters ¨C trolls and large cave spiders. Obviously, we cannot predict the high-ranking monsters.¡± The mercenaries nodded. Even among some of the dungeons and labyrinths that had long been discovered and constantly cleared, it was unknown what kinds of high-ranking monsters dwelled in many of them. ¡°Anyway, take a good rest today. Alcohol and women are prohibited, but I promise you a feast when you return. If you want to gain wealth, fame, and want to enjoy the feast, come back alive.¡± The mercenaries knew the weight of opening a dungeon, so they felt motivated even under moderate tension. A mercenary with a shaven head raised his hand. ¡°Sir! I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Despite Bertel¡¯s sharp gaze, the mercenary asked undauntedly. ¡°How will we divide the units? Although it may not be as complicated as a maze, we are sure to run into some crossroads in the dungeon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Bertel¡¯s eyes turned towards Eugene and Galfredik. Galfredik stepped up. ¡°Division of units will vary depending on the circumstance. However, we will always divide into two. If we split up into more than three groups, it will become difficult to deal with unexpected situations.¡± ¡°Will Sir Galfredik and¡­ Sir Eugene take charge of the groups?¡± ¡°Why? Do you have any complaints?¡± ¡°N-not at all. It¡¯s just that¡­ we all know of Sir Galfredik¡¯s abilities, but Sir Eugene¡­ is relatively unknown. The opening of a dungeon isn¡¯t just a regular mission and¡­¡± ¡°Hooh? So are you looking down on a knight? You don¡¯t trust him? Your brain must have turned to mush from all the alcohol. Shall I take it out and see it for myself?¡± When Galfredik reached for his rondel dagger while slowly standing up, the expression of the bald mercenary turned pale. ¡°N-not at all! I did not know my place, sir!¡± The bald mercenary hurriedly bowed his head. But Galfredik kept his hand on the dagger as he slowly looked through the mercenaries. ¡°Watch yourselves, all of you. If you challenge the authority of Sir Eugene or myself one more time, I¡¯ll make sure to check the contents of your head, expedition or not. Do we understand?¡± ¡°Yes! Sir!¡± Galfredik finally loosened up after hearing the mercenaries¡¯ unified shout, then grinned while lifting his face. ¡°You cheeky bastards, do you see the swelling here? I have Sir Eugene to thank for landing a good blow on my chin.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°You all know that no one was my match in last year¡¯s swordsmanship competition besides Sir Lugates, right? But this man right here, Sir Eugene, almost blew my chin off.¡± Galfredik¡¯s smile deepened as he placed his arm around Eugene¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I believe that none of you are foolish enough to not realize what that means. You don¡¯t have to believe me. There¡¯s no more sure way than to experience it with your body. Well, I guess it¡¯s a little problematic that experiencing it in the dungeon means most of you will end up dead.¡± The mercenaries gulped nervously after finally comprehending the situation. ¡®Why did that bald fucker say something so useless?¡¯ ¡®Did he not know Galfredik¡¯s temperament? What an idiot.¡¯ The bald mercenary received the stinging gazes of other mercenaries, except for his own group. He was finally forced to turn his head. Galfredik grinned and whispered to Eugene. ¡°See? This is how you break their spirits, sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Eugene nodded. Although he wasn¡¯t completely convinced yet, Eugene thought it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to build up his relationship with Galfredik. *** After concluding the meeting, Eugene returned to his room along with Partec, Glade, and Lavan. He was greeted with an unexpected presence in front of the door. ¡°Huh? That bas¡­ mister.¡± ¡°We will go ahead and retire, Sir Eugene.¡± Partec led the two mercenaries away after seeing Felid. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Eugene approached Felid. They had not seen each other in the past few days, since Felid had resided in the main building of the castle. ¡°How are you, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Not too bad. Hmm? Did someone hit you?¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes when he saw Felid¡¯s face, which was slightly swollen red in various places. ¡°Well, brother Bertel wanted to teach me swordsmanship¡­¡± ¡°Teach you swordsmanship¡± Something was off. Felid was a boy who farmed and raised pigs in Broadwin. Why would anyone suddenly try to instruct him in swordsmanship? ¡°He taught you swordsmanship as soon as you arrived in the castle? Did you get to meet Lord Tywin? Did the lord give permission?¡± ¡°I have not had the chance yet. Apparently, his disease is too severe. He is not in a condition to meet anyone. And for learning swordsmanship¡­¡± Felid continued in a trembling voice after hesitating for a moment. ¡°Brother Bertel told me to enter the dungeon as a porter. Since it¡¯s a family affair, that at least one person from the family needed to enter¡­¡± ¡°Wow! Look at that ice-hearted demon! Sir Eugene! Isn¡¯t this straight up telling the brat to go die in the dungeon?¡± It was as Mirian said. Felid¡¯s experience with monsters would be limited to when he saw goblins snooping around town to steal the chickens or the pigs. But he was going to be joining the expedition group to open a newly discovered dungeon? ¡°Let¡¯s go in first and talk.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± After the two people entered the room, Felid quietly continued telling his story. *** ¡°¡­So he said he would let me see the lord when I returned from the expedition.¡± Felid¡¯s story was rather shocking. During the past two days, he slept only three or four hours each day, performing all sorts of chores in the main building. It appeared that Bertel had a hand in the matter, seeing as the servants addressed him as ¡®young master¡¯, but weren¡¯t hesitant in bossing him around. Moreover, he was discriminated against because he was of different status. ¡°I can bear being worked and bullied. But no matter how hard I think about it, I really don¡¯t think I should be part of the expedition. That¡¯s why¡­ Sir Eugene was the only one I could talk to, so that¡¯s why I am here. I apologize.¡± Felid bowed his head while stealing a glance at Eugene. ¡°Eugene, he is a bit of a weirdo, but he¡¯s not the one to lie or do bad things. Let¡¯s go find those bastards who did this to the brat and whip the... Kiek!¡± Eugene grabbed Mirian like lightning and forced her into his leather pocket. Felid had missed the gesture with his head held low. Eugene spoke. ¡°I¡¯m only telling you this now, but the mercenaries who came to pick you up. They were probably sent by your brothers, not Lord Tywin.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Felid abruptly raised his head. ¡°You know that Lord Tywin collapsed about half a year ago and that your brothers have been in charge of the estate since then, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard from the people of the castle.¡± ¡°So the mercenaries were sent by either of them. And eight mercenaries couldn¡¯t even kill two black wolves and were wiped out.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean by¡­¡± ¡°The black wolves. It was me who actually killed them. The mercenaries were wiped out because they couldn¡¯t even deal with two.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Eugene told Felid a concoct of truth and lies, and the young man became wide-eyed with shock. ¡°If they had been Partec¡¯s group instead, they would have killed the black wolves without much trouble. But those who came to pick you up were third-class weaklings that I would feel sorry to call mercenaries. So why would they hire such a group of weaklings? ¡°Ah¡­¡± Felid seemed to have caught on. Eugene continued explaining the hypothesis he had been storming up until now. ¡°One of your brothers, perhaps both. They did not want you to safely arrive at the castle. And now, they are telling you to join the expedition. I feel quite certain of something. How about you?¡± Felid shuddered with shock. Eugene knew Felid to be quick-witted and intelligent from their trip to the Rose Castle. He was certain that the boy understood his words. ¡°Then¡­. Are they sending me to the dungeon to die? Am I going to die there?¡± Eugene did not answer. But he was certain it was highly likely. There were no good-hearted mercenaries who would protect a mere porter in a dungeon, even if they were the bastard son of the lord. Since he had grown closer to Partec¡¯s group, perhaps they would protect Felid if they were facing a crisis. ¡°There is a way for you to live.¡± ¡°What? H-how?¡± Eugene had devised a plan to meet Lord Tywin before he decided to enter the dungeon. ¡°Felid Tywin, you just need to become my aide.¡± CH 13 ¡°Become an aide!? Me?¡± Felid replied with shock, and Eugene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. You are sixteen and have already had the coming-of-age ceremony. You can choose your own path even without the consent of a guardian.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Naturally, children of noble families seldomly decided their futures without consulting their parents or getting their approval. In fact, the nobles usually had set paths they needed to walk, and the children did not try to go against their parents¡¯ wishes. Young nobles feared banishment from their family the most. However, Felid was a boy who lived alone in a remote, mountainous village without his parents, or at least, until recently. He never even knew that he was the son of the region¡¯s lord. He would not be afraid of being kicked out from the Rose Castle. ¡°If you become my aide, I can order you as your master to stand by in the castle. I have that right. Your brothers will not be able to dispute it either. Besides, if anyone dares touch a knight¡¯s aide when the knight is away, they would be openly provoking the knight. They would be picking a fight with me if they touch you.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Felid was an intelligent boy. He quickly regained his composure. ¡°I will do it.¡± Felid nodded vigorously with determined eyes, and Eugene responded. ¡°Good. But I¡¯m going to tell you beforehand. I do not intend to take you around with me.¡± ¡°I already know. Sir Eugene isn¡¯t taking me in as an aide just because you¡¯ve taken a liking to me and you want me to live¡­ right? Is there something you want from me in return?¡± ¡°You are quick to pick up on these things. That¡¯s right. I do not know what it¡¯s going to be, but you will have to do as I tell you to.¡± ¡°I will do anything as long as it doesn¡¯t involve harming innocent people.¡± ¡°And do you have the power to kill someone right now?¡± ¡°W-well¡­¡± Felid had spoken confidently but was forced to blush after hearing Eugene¡¯s retort. ¡°No matter. It won¡¯t be a bad deal for you either.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Felid answered vigorously after taking on a determined expression. But soon, he continued in an awkward voice. ¡°Well, sir¡­ shouldn¡¯t we hold a ritual or something of the sort? Perhaps a swearing?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene stopped in his tracks. The face of a man naturally crossed his mind. *** ¡°Hahaha! What a surprise! You are going to take in the bastard of the Tywin family as your aide? I¡¯m fine with it.¡± Galfredik burst into hearty laughter, then stood as witness to preside over the two people¡¯s vows. After the ceremony was completed, he excitedly spread the news, and soon after, the two Tywin brothers rushed over to Eugene. ¡°Sir! What are you thinking?! How could you take in a member of our family as your aide without permission!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not so bad, is it? He¡¯s already had his coming-of-age ceremony, so it¡¯s up to him to decide his own future.¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Camara seemed a little surprised, but he was rather accepting. On the other hand, Bertel was fuming. ¡®So it was the second son.¡¯ Eugene was convinced from the contrasting attitudes that Bertel was the one responsible for trying to eliminate Felid. ¡°Just as I do not involve myself in the affairs of the Tywin family, it is not appropriate for you, sir, to dictate who I decide to take in as an aide, is it? Or has another knight already taken Felid in as their aide?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Bertel¡¯s frows wriggled with annoyance, but he could not refute Eugene¡¯s remarks. Rather, it would have been appropriate for him to be grateful that a knight decided to take in a bastard son as their aide. ¡°Then sir, will you be taking our youngest into the dungeon?¡± ¡°I did take him in as my aide, but I could not bring an inexperienced brat to the opening of a dungeon. Especially when he has not even learned the basics of swordsmanship. I am planning to have him train until I return.¡± ¡°Well, it would be rather ridiculous and unbefitting to take him to the opening of a dungeon anyways. He¡¯s been farming and rearing pigs his entire life. Anyways, congratulations. And on behalf of the Tywin family, I would like to offer my gratitude as well.¡± Camara was genuinely pleased. ¡®Doesn¡¯t this establish a connection between the family and this knight? If the dungeon opening is successful, our Tywin family will be able to save face, and not just that Galfredik.¡¯ Having a successful expedition led by a visiting knight and mercenaries was completely different from a successful expedition led by a knight who was also the master of the family¡¯s son. Naturally, the latter was much more favorable than the former for Camara, since he would soon become lord of the territory. ¡®Ha! Why didn¡¯t I think of this earlier? Where did this golden goose come from?¡¯ Camara held back a grin and spoke with dignity. ¡°Although we are born from different wombs, my younger brother has taken on a master. As the next lord, I cannot simply stand idle.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Eugene took on a puzzled expression, and Bertel appeared shocked. Camara continued. ¡°Although I gave up on the path of knighthood due to lack of talent, my father had prepared armor and a sword for me. I need to pass down the sword as an heirloom since it was my father¡¯s, but the armor will be fine. Please take it, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°I am grateful. I will accept it.¡± There were no knights without steeds, but there were no knights without armor either. Eugene answered immediately and accepted the offer without hesitation, regardless of Bertel¡¯s reaction. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s chain mail, not plate mail, but it was purchased from Maren¡¯s skilled craftsman for 30 silver coins, so I can guarantee the quality.¡± ¡°It¡¯s reassuring to hear.¡± Although he had Black Scales, he could never reveal them in public. No one could know. But if he was wearing chain mail on the outside, he would have an excuse after surviving an enemy¡¯s attack. In the end, Camara and Eugene ended up serving as each other¡¯s golden goose, even without any prior communication or discussion. Unfortunately, one person was left in the dust and seething in anger. ¡®Jan Eugene. What an unpleasant bastard. I need to get rid of him somehow after the expedition. Or else¡­¡¯ He had no other choice. Bertel had a strong premonition that his grand plan would somehow be severely disrupted otherwise. *** The morning of the dungeon opening finally dawned. Eugene and Galfredik were equipped with their gear, and they left the Rose Castle with mercenaries and porters. Although Camara was with them, everyone knew that the day¡¯s protagonists would be Jan Eugene and Rowan Galfredik. The fruits of the victory, whether the event was a monster subjugation or a territorial dispute, would be earned by the lord and the nobles, but it was the knights who climbed the trees to acquire the fruits with difficulty. That was why the nobles exonerated and respected the knights ¨C outwardly, at least. That was also the reason why knights could be proud and boast. The warriors marched on proudly, tasked with the future of the Tywin family. Five hours later, the group arrived in front of a leafy oak grove. The gloomy forest was rumored to house ghouls and ghosts at night, and even herbalists rarely entered the area. ¡°Wow! What a nice place! There must have been one or two seniors who resided here in the past. I can smell it, oh yes, I can smell it.¡± Mirian became excited and buzzed all over the place, perhaps at the joy of finally seeing a proper forest after a long time. Even so, she did not leave Eugene¡¯s side, flying within a radius of four or five meters of him. ¡°Ah, let me show you the way.¡± The serf responsible for discovering the entrance led the way with nearly forty troops following. Behind. They crossed into the thick forest, which had no visible roads. The group of knights and soldiers created a loud racket and reeked of metal, oil, and leather, which deterred any beasts and monsters. As such, the group traveled for nearly an hour without coming across any difficulties. They finally came across a low hill full of primaeval trees. ¡°Start the search.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The mercenaries heeded Galfredik¡¯s orders and started roaming around the hill in groups. In many cases, monsters tunneled holes to escape from unopened dungeons to gain access to the outside ¨C such monsters were known as roamers. ¡°T-this way.¡± While the mercenaries searched, Eugene, Galfredik, and the Tywin brothers climbed up the hill under the guidance of the serf. ¡°Hooh.¡± Galfredik¡¯s eyes glimmered with light after he spotted a sunken spot on the ground. A rusty door with thick iron bars was decorated with all sorts of bizarre characters and shapes. Dungeons, labyrinths, and ancient ruins were always sealed in this fashion if they were yet unopened. No one knew for sure why they were created in such a way and why, but evil lands were both a threat and a blessing to humans. Humans would either kill the monsters inside to acquire mana stones and materials, or they would be killed instead. It was a very simple formula. ¡°I found three burrows, but given their small size, it looks like they were used by lower-ranking monsters.¡± ¡°It is a relief that no intermediate-rank monsters have come out. Then we will take a short break before opening the dungeon right away.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The mercenaries gathered in groups to rest. Eugene wasn¡¯t very tired, nor did he have things to take care of. He approached Partec¡¯s group. ¡°How¡¯re your conditions?¡± ¡°Very good. It¡¯s just that this one is a little nervous.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m doing just fine!¡± Lavan spoke in response to Partec¡¯s words with a stiff expression. ¡°Relax. We have Sir Eugene and Sir Galfredik. Besides, I don¡¯t know about others, but those men over there will be decently strong.¡± Eugene shifted his gaze at Partec¡¯s words. He spotted eight mercenaries, all armed with short swords and battle axes. They also had round shields on their backs, and all of them appeared to be warriors of considerable strength, just as Partec mentioned. ¡°They are the Black Sheep Mercenaries. They branched off a famous mercenary group in Carls Baggins. Do you remember the bald man who questioned you yesterday, Sir Eugene? His name is Breen, and he is their leader.¡± Coincidentally, Breen turned his head and met Eugene¡¯s gaze. ¡°That bastard, it seems he still hasn¡¯t come to his senses yet.¡± Partec frowned at the challenging gaze contained in Breen¡¯s eyes. ¡°It does not matter anyway. I don¡¯t care as long as he doesn¡¯t try to do something foolish against me in the dungeon.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Although Eugene did not mention what the outcome would be if Breen did try something, Partec did not need to be told what would happen. ¡°Gather around! We¡¯re going to open it!¡± After the short break, the mercenaries gathered around the entrance of the dungeon. ¡°Shall we do it together?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± At Galfredik¡¯s suggestion, Eugene stepped up and took his place by the large knight¡¯s side, placing his hand on the large latch. ¡°Two, three! Heung!¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Galfredik pulled while grunting, while Eugene remained silent as he gave strength. Boooom! The mercenaries became wide-eyed as the two knights lifted up a long, thick three-meter latch without much effort and threw it to the side. Boom! ¡°Now, take care until you come back out. See you in four days.¡± ¡°I wish you luck.¡± At this moment, Camara had full responsibility as the acting lord of Tywin. He nodded somberly towards the two knights. Kieeeek! As if to prove the weathering of the years, the thick iron doors opened with a loud squeak. ¡°Opening is successful. We¡¯re going in.¡± The mercenaries lit their torches one by one, and the expedition, composed of two knights, twenty-six mercenaries, and eight porters, entered the dark dungeon one by one. ¡°May God bless you¡­¡± The trembling voices of Camara and the territorial soldiers bid them farewell. *** ¡°You fucking, retarded bastards! Keep the formation straight!¡± Galfredik shouted in a loud voice. But his orders were buried by the bizarre cries of the kobolds. The creatures were similar to wild, rabid dogs. Kieeeng! Kaang! Keeng! Keeng! Keeng! The mercenaries had fallen into panic due to the kobolds¡¯ sudden ambush. The creatures had come from the darkness, and they wielded solid clubs while letting off distinctive cries. Although they were low-ranking monsters, they drove fear into the hearts of men. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Two mercenaries were struggling to block the attacks of the kobolds. After roughly shoving them aside, Galfredik swung his battle axe. Shishishiiing! The deadly weapon whistled sharply through the air. Keng! Kenggg! Two of the creatures were beheaded and four collapsed after suffering serious injuries. ¡°Maintain the formation and dig in! Push them against the wall!¡± The mercenaries quickly regained their senses after witnessing Galfredik¡¯s performance, then resumed their attacks with renewed vigor. It seemed rather disorderly, with each of the teams taking separate formations, but all the individuals in the groups had spent a considerable amount of time with each other. Their teamwork was good and their attacks were effective. Keeeeng! Kuhung! In an instant, more than 20 monsters collapsed while spraying blood. In the first place, kobolds were smaller monsters adorning only simple leather clothes and wielding rugged wooden clubs. They were no match for properly armed soldiers. However, one would not have to risk their lives to open a dungeon if they were faced with a couple of dozen kobolds. Kekekeng! Keeeeng! ¡°There¡¯s more!¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± Not knowing how many monsters would rush towards them was one of the most dangerous aspects of opening a dungeon. But it was also unavoidable since no one knew how long the dungeon had been sealed for. And the monsters did not wait for the mercenaries to rest. ¡°Get back into the formations!¡± Galfredik roared once again. Papapapat! A figure kicked off the ground and emerged from the shadows, running headfirst into the newly emerging group of kobolds. As soon as he saw the dark grey chainmail revealed in the dark robe, Galfredik shouted. ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± He could see more than 20 kobolds. To jump into the middle of such a large group of monsters in a dark dungeon, which was less than five meters wide, was akin to suicide¡­ Flash! The short sword reflected the dim light of the torches and broke through the darkness. The cries of the monsters resonated without stopping. The mercenaries stood in place with blank expressions, as if time had stopped, and the glimmering light of the short sword continued to draw various trajectories. Perhaps twenty seconds passed. Although the cries of the kobolds had long subsided, the mercenaries still remained affixed. A knight with red eyes walked out from the cover of shadows. ¡°I killed twenty-three. By the way, I saw a shining patch of grass around the corner. Is it expensive?¡± Galfredik and the mercenaries were made speechless. The knight was truly a ¡®dungeon newbie¡¯ who did not know the first thing about dungeons ¨C that glowing grass was a type of plant found in dungeons that lost its light as soon as it was harvested. CH 14 The skills of the porters, who also doubled as dismantlers, were outstanding. Although the kobolds were quite small, it took some time to fully take apart the monsters to separate the materials and the mana stones. However, the group¡¯s dismantlers managed to finish their work on the monster¡¯s corpses in less than ten minutes. In the meantime, the mercenaries took turns eating and resting in groups. ¡°One with a sprained ankle and one with a broken arm. Fortunately, it was his left arm, so he shouldn¡¯t have any issue fighting.¡± ¡°One was bit by a kobold, but we treated him right away, so he will be fine.¡± ¡°The one who was hit on the head died a while ago.¡± A total of 26 mercenaries were divided into four teams. Three of the leaders, aside from Partec, gave their reports one after another. ¡°Tsk! Gather the dead man¡¯s equipment and bury him somewhere along the way.¡± Galfredik spoke with a frown. A man had already fallen, although it had only been less than two hours since they entered the dungeon. ¡°What about your group?¡± ¡°No issues.¡± ¡°Heh! So there was a reason why Sir Eugene picked you guys out, huh?¡± Galfredik responded with a grin. Perhaps they had avoided any injuries because they numbered so few, but he felt rather favorable towards the group. Since Galfredik took a liking to Eugene, his fondness extended to those that Eugene brought. ¡°Anyway, all of you, if you get distracted during the battle one more time and break formation, I will personally break your heads. And the team in the lead will follow and assist Sir Eugene regardless of the circumstances if he charges forward. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The mercenary leaders answered with one voice. Their gazes naturally shifted to a certain figure afterward. As they observed Eugene, who was silently mulling over something, respect and awe appeared in their eyes. In particular, Breen, the former member of the Black Sheep Mercenaries, licked his lips nervously. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I tried to do anything against a knight like that. A knight like him is rare even in Carl Baggins. I almost ran myself into a lion¡¯s den.¡¯ Breen felt rather relieved and fearful as he gazed at Eugene. The evaluation of Eugene skyrocketed in the minds of the other mercenary leaders as well. *** ¡°Ah~ Do you feel the hot gazes of those mercenary brats? They¡¯ve already fallen too deep for you, Sir Eugene~ What cute little things. Hohohoho!¡± Eugene looked down at the thick leather pouch while listening to Mirian¡¯s arrogant laugh. Apparently, the mana stones always stayed with the knights while the porters carried the other materials and by-products. To be more specific, the mana stones were always carried by the leader of the expedition or by the strongest warrior. In other words, Galfredik was supposed to have kept the mana stones, but he had handed over half to Eugene to safeguard. His action was a sort of declaration towards the mercenaries. It was his official stance that Eugene¡¯s position in the expedition was equivalent to his own. ¡®It appears that the mana stone I consumed before was truly a huge one.¡¯ The mana stones gathered from the kobolds were the size of peas. The mana stones of the intermediate-rank monsters would be bigger, but they would still be quite small compared to the red mana stone that Eugene consumed. ¡®I have to kill a high-rank monster.¡¯ He did not care much for low-rank or intermediate-rank monsters. Eugene¡¯s most important purpose in entering the dungeon was to kill a high-rank monster in possession of a red mana stone. ¡°A high-rank monster¡­¡± Mirian buzzed over and sat down on Eugene¡¯s shoulder. Perhaps she had overheard Eugene¡¯s muttering. She started to speak. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s bound to be one. It¡¯s probably going to be stronger than that crocodile bastard, but I think you should be strong enough. You drank the kobolds¡¯ blood earlier too.¡± Just as Mirian said, Eugene had secretly sucked on the blood of the kobolds after killing them earlier on. Ever since he consumed the blood of the wetland monster, his urge for blood had decreased substantially. Still, it had been quite a while, so he decided to try the kobolds¡¯ blood just in case. And the result was... ¡®It¡¯s nothing compared to the blood of the wetland monster, but the blood of monsters is pretty good too.¡¯ He almost regretted not drinking the blood of monsters in his previous life. If the blood of low-rank monsters such as kobolds provided him with this much power, the effect would be more significant with the blood of intermediate-rank monsters. Eugene decided to attempt it when he had the chance. Galfredik¡¯s loud voice shook Eugene awake from his thoughts. ¡°We¡¯re done resting! Move!¡± The useless remains of the monsters went up in flames, and the expedition resumed their exploration. ¡°Sir Eugene, let¡¯s take the lead together.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The group¡¯s formation was slightly different from when they first entered. Eugene had been situated in the middle of the expedition along with Partec¡¯s group, but now he took the lead with Galfredik. ¡°The monsters that we encounter first after coming into the dungeon are usually the weakest. They¡¯re the ones that have been chased away from the heart of the dungeon. So¡­¡± Galfredik generously provided Eugene with information about dungeons. He had also participated in several expeditions alongside the knight he served when he was still an aide. ¡°¡­the monsters will only become stronger as we move deeper into the dungeon. Well, but they shouldn¡¯t pose any problems to you. I should count myself lucky to have run into a knight like you, sir! Hahaha!¡± Galfredik felt incredibly fond of Eugene. He was impressed that Eugene slaughtered the kobolds so easily, but he was even more impressed that Eugene had the courage to jump into a group of monsters without fear. ¡°But you¡¯d better pay attention to maintaining your stamina. We need to remain inside the dungeon for the next three or four days.¡± ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡± Eugene had already recovered his stamina after consuming the blood of the kobolds, but he nodded anyway. As Galfredik said, the dungeon expedition has just begun. *** About a day and a half passed since the group entered the dungeon. Although it was difficult to gauge the exact time in the dungeon without any sunlight, one of the porters kept the flow of time with an hourglass, which allowed for an approximation of time. During their journey, the group fought several more battles. There had been a group of 30 kobolds, who were slightly bigger and stronger than the initial group of kobolds the expedition faced. Then, there was a group of gnolls ¨C creatures that resembled bushy dogs. Even though gnolls were stronger and bigger than kobolds, they were no match for the expedition. However, the gnolls utilized a hit-and-run tactic instead of waging a frontal battle like the kobolds, which caused the number of injured soldiers to increase. In addition, it was unknown when the monsters might launch an ambush from the darkness. Hence, the soldiers were on edge at all times. ¡°The morale of the mercenaries has dropped way too much. Are you all right, sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯m completely fine.¡± ¡°Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter since you have good night vision. I wish I also had an elf among my ancestors.¡± Eugene lied, saying that one of his ancestors was an elf. It made for a convenient explanation for his unique appearance and his ability to see through the darkness. It was not very common, but there were a few elves who lived among humans, so Galfredik and the mercenaries accepted Eugene¡¯s words without much thought. ¡°It¡¯s been a few hours since they last ambushed us. They must have been scared off and gone into hiding deeper into the dungeon. It also means that intermediate-rank monsters will start making their appearance soon.¡± Eugene was attentive to Galfredik¡¯s words. As a knight who experienced dungeon expeditions previously while serving as an aide, Galfredik¡¯s words had value. ¡°We¡¯ve run into kobolds and gnolls in this dungeon, which means there will definitely be goblins present as well. They love holes more than anyone else. But we haven¡¯t even seen a single toe of a goblin until now. Do you know what this means?¡± As a first-timer, Eugene had no idea of knowing what it signified. Galfredik grinned and continued as if he were teaching his student. ¡°It means monsters that are at least intermediate-rank are controlling the goblins ¨C as laborers or food. Perhaps both. Although we can¡¯t know for sure, there¡¯s probably hundreds deeper inside, serving their master.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not the case for every dungeon, is it? Is it because we were delayed in opening the dungeon? Or maybe for places without regular expeditions?¡± ¡°I like how intelligent you are, Sir Eugene. That¡¯s right. We don¡¯t know exactly what, but I am certain that the intermediate-rank monster of this dungeon will bring out goblins as its minions.¡± Eugene agreed. He was starting to smell a different stench from deeper inside the dungeon, just out of sight. It was a different smell than the kobolds or the gnolls. ¡®Maybe about 200 meters? Thirty pairs of the same kind, and three heavier ones.¡¯ Eugene inferred the approximate number of monsters and their size with his heightened senses, then spoke nonchalantly. ¡°So why don¡¯t we let the mercenaries take care of the low-rank monsters, and we can deal with the intermediate-rank ones?¡± ¡°As we should. Ah, do you know how to use a spear?¡± ¡°Throwing, yes.¡± ¡°Take one. Spears are better than short swords for intermediate-rank monsters. Oi.¡± A porter quickly approached the two at Galfredik¡¯s gesture. Since Galfredik had no aide, the Tywin family had provided a dedicated porter. The porter was carrying five javelins, each slightly longer than a long sword. ¡°I did bring an extra spear thrower just in case, so use it. You know how to use it, right?¡± Eugene nodded. He had utilized a spear thrower and wooden javelins when he hunted wild animals in Broadwin. A spear thrower increased the power and the speed of the javelin when compared to throwing it bare-handed. ¡°It was custom made for me, so it is a bit on the heavier side. But you shouldn¡¯t have any problems with your strength, sir.¡± As Galfredik continued to talk, the monsters narrowed the distance further and further. Eugene received the spear thrower. ¡®About 60 meters. And¡­¡¯ Eugene slightly turned his head. It may have been not visible to the mercenaries, but Eugene caught sight of goblins appearing in the distance around a curved corner. ¡°Goblins.¡± ¡°What?¡± Galfredik jerked around. There were no patches of glowing grass around, so all he could see was darkness. But a knight¡¯s senses were sharper than ordinary people. He shouted after noticing something. ¡°Monsters are coming! Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± The mercenaries hurriedly organized their formations. Recognizing that the humans had noticed their presence, the monsters stopped sneaking and started charging forward. Kyaaahk! Kyahk! Kyahk! Uwauugh! Threatening shrieks of the goblins were accompanied by the cries of trolls. ¡°Keugh!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Intermediate-rank monsters weren¡¯t only bigger than their weaker counterparts. Their gazes and roars contained a strange power called ¡®fear¡¯. Humans with weak mental strength would freeze up just by hearing the sound of the monsters¡¯ cries. ¡°Here they come!¡± Kyaaahk! The goblins, a little over a meter tall, rushed in. Mercenaries met their charge with their shields and short swords raised high, while Eugene and Galfredik loaded their javelins in spear throwers. ¡°Throw the torches!¡± Several mercenaries in the rear had prepared torches beforehand. They tossed the objects at Galfredik¡¯s order. The flying torches instantly lit up the areas around the trolls, and as soon as their location was confirmed, Eugene and Galfredik reared back with their javelins. ¡°Huaaaap!¡± Along with a fierce shout, the javelins pierced through the darkness. Thuck! Kuwuuuuuugh! Kuwugh! As soon as the trolls cried out, Eugene ran forward. After easily cutting down a goblin with his short sword, Eugene leaped at the smallest troll of the three. It was crying out after having its heart penetrated with the javelin. The troll attempted to swing its club while crying out In pain, but Eugene easily evaded the attack with his vampire¡¯s reflexes. Even though the troll was the smallest out of the three, it was still well over two meters. Eugene jumped on the creature¡¯s back and slit its throat with his short sword. Kuwwweeugh! Although the troll struggled and thrashed, Eugene was strong enough to even withstand the rampage of the wetland monster. Moreover, he was much stronger now than he was back then, and his strength was not something that an immature troll could fight against. Crraack! Crack! The troll quickly lost strength after having its vertebrae cut in half, and Eugene secretly drank the blood that flowed from the monster¡¯s throat. He felt a strong power flow through him ¨C power that was stronger than what he gained from the kobolds. Kuwuuuughhh! Perhaps they were the dying troll¡¯s parents. The cries of the two mature trolls resonated throughout the area. They appeared to be about a meter taller than the first troll. The smaller of the two jumped at Eugene, seemingly unable to contain its fury. Eugene pushed the limp body of the small troll towards the rushing creature. The rushing troll instinctively caught its child, and Eugene did not miss the gap. The shoulder of the troll had been pierced by Galfredik¡¯s javelin, and its hands were occupied by the baby troll. Eugene climbed over its shoulder, then used his elongated claws to dig into the creature¡¯s heart while hanging off its neck. Kuaagh! The larger troll attempted to jump in as the smaller troll cried out. However, another javelin flew through the air and pierced into the stomach of the large troll. ¡°Sir!¡± As soon as he saw Galfredik, Eugene quickly retracted his claws and used his short sword to slit the troll¡¯s, or rather, chop the troll¡¯s throat. Kuwwwwuuugh! The smaller troll struggled with all its might, but Eugene did not budge an inch. ¡°Take care of the other one!¡± Even before Eugene finished shouting, Galfredik rushed towards the bigger troll. It was about to pull out the javelin stuck in its abdomen. Almost simultaneously, the smaller troll was forced to its knees, and Eugene tore its throat. Crack! The entire head of the troll was pulled out along with a portion of its spine. ¡°¡­..!¡± In the meantime, the mercenaries were about to approach the knights after taking care of the goblins. They were stunned. For a moment, the red-eyed knight holding the troll¡¯s head did not appear to be human. A Devil. No one verbalized their thoughts, but they all thought the same. CH 15 ¡°There are five dead, five injured, and two seriously injured. This is not good. Two porters are dead already too.¡± Although those who weren¡¯t seriously injured could still fight, almost half of the group had suffered injuries. Galfredik¡¯s expression remained stiff. It wasn¡¯t because he was concerned about the dead and injured mercenaries. It was because they had only fulfilled the minimum conditions for the expedition, even though they suffered this much damage. ¡°At least we passed the number of low-rank monsters. It¡¯s not half bad. What do you think, sir? I think it¡¯s about time we started to leave. The results are satisfactory for an expedition.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene looked around at the mercenaries. The mercenaries were in bad shape. He assumed it was because they were exhausted from the series of battles, but that wasn¡¯t all. The environment of the dungeon was no different from the night, which empowered Eugene. But the mercenaries were human, and they received contrasting effects from the dungeon. The pitch-black darkness and the constant ambush of the monsters caused the mercenaries to be on edge. Even though it had only been three days, the mercenaries reported sightings of ghosts. Some even swore they saw evil spirits smiling at them from a distance. In addition, the mercenaries¡¯ morale dropped significantly because they could not sleep well, rest easy, or eat properly. Eugene could finally understand why humans tried to avoid being in a dungeon for over five days. It was because their minds, rather than their bodies, could not endure being exposed to the harsh element and environment of a dungeon. ¡°I think¡­¡± The mercenary leaders shifted their pleading gazes towards Eugene. No one doubted Eugene¡¯s abilities anymore. Rather, he was now the hero and savior of the mercenaries. The image of Eugene slaying and holding the head of a troll from a few hours ago was still fresh in their minds. Although it had only been for a brief moment, Eugene had truly become like a devil. It had been truly a frightening and intense memory. The mercenaries knew that if Eugene and Galfredik had not worked together to defeat the largest troll afterward, several more of them would have been sacrificed instead. ¡°I think it would be better for us to return now. But the passageway is getting wider and I can feel the wind blowing from the other side. We might be near one of those underground plazas you mentioned before, right? Why don¡¯t we explore a little bit more before returning?¡± The expressions of the mercenaries brightened up before turning grim again. ¡°All right. Then why don¡¯t we send a smaller group? The porters can remain behind along with the rest. About five or six should be good.¡± When Galfredik¡¯s gaze swept over the mercenary leaders, they slowly avoided his gaze as if promised beforehand. ¡°You weak little cowards. How many times have Sir Eugene and I saved your stinky little shit holes¡­?¡± Galfredik spoke with a distorted frown, and Eugene spoke up. ¡°Those men over there and I will be enough. Partec.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene. Oi!¡± Partec gestured. Lavan and Glade ran forward. ¡°Are you sure? Do you want me to tag along?¡± ¡°You said at least one knight should always remain with the main forces, right? You can stay behind, sir. I will be back soon if there¡¯s nothing unusual.¡± ¡°Tsk! I guess there¡¯s no helping it. Then I will see you soon.¡± He wanted nothing more than to explore further with Eugene, but Galfredik could not leave the mercenaries behind. They were already too exhausted and demoralized. He wasn¡¯t worried for them nor cared for them. Without the powerful anchor and deterrent known as a knight, mercenaries would most likely run away from the dungeon without hesitation. ¡°Then I will be back soon.¡± Eugene handed over the pouch containing mana stones to Galfredik, in the case of an unforeseen event, then headed deeper into the dungeon with Partec¡¯s group. *** Gwuoo¡­ Partec and the two mercenaries shivered at the cold breeze that accompanied an eerie echo. Dungeons never had comfortable temperatures. They were either hot or cold. Still, a cold environment was better than a hot one, where one would want to take off their leather armor. They carefully followed Eugene¡¯s footsteps while tightly wrapping themselves in their robes. ¡®He truly is a great knight.¡¯ Partec thought to himself while closely following Eugene. Galfredik also showcased his great abilities that were befitting his fame, but Eugene was truly unrivaled. In particular, his performance against the trolls was unbelievable. Just thinking about it made Partec¡¯s hair stand on end. He had utilized a short sword to cut the spine of the baby troll, then used the monster as a hostage to cause the mature trolls to lose their judgment. Partec heard previously that hunters used younglings of beasts as bait to hunt, but he never imagined anyone would replicate such an action inside a dungeon against intermediate-rank monsters. Moreover, Eugene nearly decapitated the adult trolls¡¯ heads with a single blow, then pulled out their head along with their spine. He truly possessed incredible power. ¡®No one would believe it if I told them.¡¯ Once again, Partec felt reassured that following Eugene had been the right choice. It had been a fortuitous encounter. Partec encouraged his two colleagues. ¡°Hang in there a little longer. None of us died thanks to Sir Eugene, right?¡± ¡°Heuheu! That¡¯s why I followed you here without saying anything. Black Sheep Mercenaries or whatnot. All of them are weak.¡± ¡°How about you, Lavan? Are you doing okay?¡± ¡°My palm is a little torn, but I¡¯m fine otherwise. I¡¯m going to buy myself a nice pair of gloves once we get out. I guess I learned that I shouldn¡¯t cheap out when buying myself equipment.¡± Lavan responded with a half-hearted smile, and Partec responded while nodding encouragingly. ¡°I will buy you a pair to celebrate if we manage to get out safely.¡± ¡°Yes. Huh?¡± The mercenaries had been following diligently even while they conversed, but they suddenly stopped. Eugene, who was taking the lead, had suddenly stopped. ¡°Sir Eugene?¡± As Partec called out to Eugene... Psss! Ssssssss¡­! A grotesque noise resonated from beyond the darkness. It was an eerie sound that caused their hair to stand on end. Partec possessed the most experience with dungeons, and he quickly inferred the source of the bizarre sound. ¡°I, is it a giant cave spider?¡± The giant cave spider was as big as a bull, and it was a monster that even trolls did not carelessly mess with. As an intermediate-rank monster, it possessed formidable strength, but what was most dangerous about a giant cave spider was its poison. With one bite, the poison of a giant cave spider would cause one¡¯s body to be completely paralyzed. In addition, giant cave spiders did not travel alone. Giant cave spiders were not distinguished into sexes. They would exhaust themselves to lay hundreds of eggs at a time, then devour most of their eggs to replenish themselves. The lucky eggs would hatch into spiders, then follow around the adult spider as soldiers and emergency provisions until they matured to an extent. Just like now. Ssssssssk! The mercenaries froze after spotting dozens of red eyeballs glimmering in the far darkness. Shhing. Eugene unsheathed his short sword, then spoke while observing the surroundings. ¡°I will hold them off, so return to the main group and ask for backup.¡± ¡°What? By yourself, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Yes. We walked for less than five minutes. We don¡¯t have time. Run.¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± Eugene jerked his head around. ¡°Feel free to stay if you want this place to be your grave. But if you want to save me, run and get Galfredik.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Partec felt suffocated as he faced the red eyes that shone from inside the helmet. The gaze contained power and it felt as if he should not disobey Eugene¡¯s words. Not knowing that it was a type of ¡®fear¡¯ specific to vampires, the highest-rank undead, Partec nodded while trembling. ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡± ¡°Get to it.¡± When Eugene turned away, Partec led his colleagues away after being liberated from fear. ¡°Run!¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± The mercenaries did not feel guilt at leaving behind their colleague, being dominated by fear. They sprinted without hesitation. ¡°Kieeek! Sir Eugene, are you going to show off your true powers now? Is that it?¡± Mirian quickly jumped out of the pocket and flapped her wings. She had been waiting for a chance to speak. Eugene¡¯s senses were much more amplified after drinking the blood of the trolls, so he had been able to detect the presence of the monsters from further away. He had sensed that the monsters were even more powerful than the trolls. After sending Mirian ahead to scout, he then used exploration as an excuse to advance. Thud. Eugene threw his robe to the side, then cracked his neck. ¡°It¡¯s not just a regular giant spider?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah! It¡¯s a lord! Giant spiders are usually seen with their younglings, right? But you only see the small ones right now, right? It¡¯s actually still there, just invisible to the naked eye!¡± According to Mirian, a giant cave spider obtained a single special ability after evolving into a ¡®lord.¡¯ Camouflage. It could change its body color to assimilate with the environment. And Galfredik had mentioned that all evolved intermediate-rank monsters had their ranks adjusted by one. In other words, the giant cave spider lord was a legitimate ¡®high-rank monster, the main reason Eugene came into the dungeon. ¡°Hiding yourself?¡± Five long, black nails erupted from Eugene¡¯s left hand and broke through his glove as he growled. ¡°But you can¡¯t hide your smell and sound. Kuwuuugh!¡± The vampire released all of his abilities to the limit, then rushed towards the swarm of spiders while emitting a red light. ¡°Sir Galfredik! Sir Galfredik!¡± ¡°Hmm? What are those bastards doing here?¡± Galfredik leaped to his feet when he saw the mercenaries rushing towards him with their torches. ¡°T-there is a huge problem! Sir Eugene¡­¡± ¡°Breen! Fiolo! Get all the men and follow me! I¡¯ll personally break your heads if you disobey. Partec! Take the lead!¡± Galfredik guessed the situation before Partec even finished his sentence, and he shouted while pressing down on his helmet. ¡°Yes, Sir Galfredik!¡± Breen, the bald mercenary, and Fiolo followed behind Partec with about ten mercenaries. Slap! Slap! The sound of plate mail and chainmail clashing resonated loudly along with Galfredik¡¯s steps. ¡°What kind of monsters?¡± ¡°G-giant cave spiders! I did not see the adult, but there were about 20 younglings!¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± Galfredik sheathed his longsword while running, then took out two battleaxes from his back. They continued running with all their might, then finally spotted a torch on the floor. Galfredik screamed loudly as soon as he saw the torch that Eugene had been holding. ¡°Fuuck! Everyone, charge!¡± ¡°Uaaagh!¡± Although they were out of breath, the mercenaries faithfully charged forward. But as they neared the torch, the mercenaries¡¯ steps became slower. And when they were only a few meters from the torch, everyone stopped in their tracks and became wide-eyed with shock. There were dozens of cave spiders wriggling on the floor, split and cut. Each was the size of a chicken. Behind it, there were several logs that were around 2 meters long. It did not take the mercenaries long to realize that the logs were, in fact, the legs of the mature giant spider cave. ¡°You got here pretty fast.¡± Eugene raised his hand while slouching on the floor. His long hair and pale face were covered with spider blood and various fluids. ¡°You¡­¡± Galfredik took large steps towards Eugene with an angry expression, then erupted. ¡°What an insane knight! Kuhahahahaha!¡± Galfredik burst into laughter, then helped Eugene up before embracing him. Thud! Thud! Galfredik spoke loudly while patting Eugene¡¯s back. ¡°Motherfucker! I thought you really died! You just fought against a bunch of trolls, so how could you even think about fighting against more intermediate-rank monsters?¡± ¡°I thought you would come if I played for time. But it wasn¡¯t as strong as I imagined. Of course, I did break an arm.¡± ¡°A single arm is a cheap price to pay for fighting against an intermediate-rank monster by yourself. It¡¯s a bargain! But where is it?¡± ¡°It ran away as soon as I cut off its legs. It was fast, and the younglings got in the way. I missed it.¡± Galfredik felt rather regretful, then quickly shook his head. Two or three knights were needed to kill an intermediate-rank monster. It was already unbelievable for Eugene to have fought it off alone, not to mention he already fought against trolls a few hours ago! ¡°What a mad, insane knight. Come on, let¡¯s go back. Can you walk?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Galfredik asked with a grin, and Eugene strode forward by his side. The mercenaries became horrified as they looked alternatingly at the numerous corpses and Eugene. How many people would believe what happened today? No, more importantly, ¡®I-if I ever hear that he is fighting on a battlefield¡­¡¯ ¡®I have to avoid it. Or I have to be on the same side as him. Who cares about compensation or whatnot¡­¡¯ ¡®We¡¯re lucky that we got to experience this today.¡¯ Although mercenaries were sellswords, they did not risk their lives in a battle without a chance, especially if they were facing a knight similar to the devil. CH 16 Eugene, Galfredik, and the members of the expedition were hailed as heroes. The people of the Rose Castle gathered together to welcome the two knights and the mercenaries, and Camara held a banquet with joy. Although about 30 percent of the members were killed or seriously injured, the survivors ate and drank to their heart¡¯s content. This was just the way of life for mercenaries who sold their skills for money. ¡°By the way, Sir Eugene, are you sure you don¡¯t need any mana stones?¡± ¡°None at all. I am satisfied with half of the materials gathered from the monsters, as we discussed previously.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­¡± Camara licked his lips. He wasn¡¯t regretful that he had to give away half of the materials gathered from the low-rank monsters, although the expedition killed more than he had expected. Rather, he genuinely wanted to compensate Eugene. ¡°I heard you contributed greatly. Did you really take care of more than 30 percent of all the low-rank monsters, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. I didn¡¯t bother counting all of them.¡± ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯m telling you that it¡¯s true. Sir Eugene killed nearly half of all the kobolds. Moreover, he killed an adult troll and a cub by himself. Just like this, he pulled out its head along with the spine!¡± ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Galfredik recounted the event while pulling out the head of a roasted pig. The women of the Rose Castle and Camara were stunned by his actions. Women were usually absent from events with knights, but they were participating because this was a special banquet. ¡°But that giant cave spider you mentioned, the one at the end? It¡¯s a bit regretful.¡± ¡°Tsk! There¡¯s no need to feel regretful at all. If we headed in deeper to kill it, all of us might have been fucked over. You don¡¯t really think that the giant cave spider and the trolls are the only intermediate-rank monsters present in a dungeon, do you?¡± ¡°H-how could I? I¡¯m just saying. It injured Sir Eugene, right? We need to get revenge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a job for the next expedition. By the way, Sir Eugene, is your arm really okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not broken. But the bone seems to have fractured. I should be fine after resting for about ten days.¡± Eugene raised his left arm, which was tightly wrapped in cloth with a splint. ¡°Oh, my!¡± ¡°It is a scar of glory, Sir Eugene.¡± The gazes of the women turned hazy. But instead of focusing on his injured arm, their eyes were all fixated on Eugene¡¯s face. Eugene¡¯s face was incredibly handsome and mysterious. It was hard to believe that it was the face of a knight who ripped off the head of a troll. Whenever his red eyes met their gaze, the women felt as if their very souls were being swallowed. Of course, Eugene did not care at all. ¡®I¡¯ll have no choice but to keep it wrapped up for about ten days.¡¯ He placed his left arm on a table. It was rather annoying to pretend his arm was injured, but it was unavoidable if he wanted to fool everyone. He could not possibly reveal that he had, in fact, killed a giant cave spider lord, a high-ranked monster, and consumed its blood and mana stone. He had actually suffered various injuries while fighting the giant cave spider lord, but as soon as he consumed the creature¡¯s blood and mana stone, his injuries were healed and his strength was completely restored. Moreover, the giant cave spider lord Eugene killed had been one of the special monsters even among the high-rank monsters, as Mirian mentioned previously. The mana stone gained from its corpse had been red. ¡®I was lucky.¡¯ According to Mirian, his fortunate encounter was likely due to the fact that it had been the first opening of a dungeon. But regardless of the circumstances, Eugene killed the giant cave spider and obtained its red mana stone. This time around, a tattoo located on the back of his neck disappeared, and he gained an additional ability. It was similar to when he gained Black Scales from consuming the wetland monster¡¯s mana stone. He gained the ability to camouflage. ¡®But¡­ what the hell was that?¡¯ When he consumed the red mana stone gained from the giant cave spider, a scene flashed through his mind. Someone had been holding his hand, and they were surrounded by a few people. The image was brief, so he could not infer who they were nor where he had been, but he clearly remembered that the hand he held was very soft. ¡®Who were they? Were they also vampires¡­?¡¯ ¡°It feels a little awkward seeing your face after all this time. No, rather, why were you hiding that handsome face inside a helmet all this time?¡± Galfredik¡¯s remark interrupted Eugene¡¯s thoughts, and Eugene quickly responded. ¡°Because I don¡¯t like the sun.¡± ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯ve never seen a proper knight who had a pale face, but you¡¯re the exception.¡± It was a cloudy day, but it wasn¡¯t without any sunlight. In the past, his face would have turned mushy and littered with blisters. But although Eugene was sitting near the window, his face was perfectly fine. He was protecting his skin with Black Scales. Utilizing the camouflage ability gained from the cave spider, he had changed the color of Black Scales to the color of his skin. No one would be able to tell the difference by sight. ¡®I can¡¯t change how it feels, but there¡¯s no reason for anyone to touch it.¡¯ People would have found it suspicious if he was wearing a mask or a helmet all the time during the day, but he did not have to worry anymore. In the future, he would be able to show his appearance like any other humans during the day. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s toast to Sir Eugene, Sir Galfredik, and the warriors who made this celebration possible!¡± Ooooh! Everyone raised their glasses at Camara¡¯s shout. ¡°For the victory of the Tywin family!¡± ¡°Victory!¡± Camara, Galfredik, and even Eugene gulped down their wine. All of them had achieved their goals. But there was one exception. Bertel continued stealing glances at Eugene, only pretending to drink his wine. ¡®He played a huge role in the expedition? Even more than Galfredik?¡¯ It was an unbelievable tale. He had been truly dumbfounded. He even asked the mercenary leaders of the expedition individually, but all of their answers were quite similar. Even Breen, who previously held Eugene in disdain, answered while shaking his head. ¡°You will want to win Sir Eugene over to your side, rather than Sir Galfredik. I participated in a dungeon and an ancient ruins expedition during my time in the Black Sheep Mercenaries, but I have never seen a knight as strong as Sir Eugene. Even if you search the entire peninsula of Carls Baggins, you will be hard-pressed to find him a worthy opponent.¡± It was ridiculous. The peninsula of Carls Baggins was an area where numerous cities and territories battled and waged war without rest. There were so many cities calling for independence that even the king had partially given up control, and the knights and mercenaries of the region were known to be of high quality. So how could it be difficult to find a match for Eugene? Although he had withdrawn from the Black Sheep Mercenaries now, Breen had been active for nearly two years. It was hard to disregard his words. ¡®If it had been me instead¡­ I would have done as much as him!¡¯ Bertel gazed at Eugene with an expression of scorn. *** ¡°The second son is glaring at you. I¡¯m telling you that he¡¯s a weirdo too. Guaaagh!¡± Mirian whispered while plopped down on Eugene¡¯s shoulder as she let out a loud burp. She had been devouring mountains of food. ¡®That¡¯s understandable.¡¯ Eugene became quite friendly with Galfredik in the dungeon. But that was only how Eugene viewed the relationship. Galfredik treated Eugene as not only a close friend but rather regarded Eugene as though the latter was his long-lost brother. As such, Galfredik had informed Eugene about his relationship with Bertel, and what he planned to do in the future. ¡°What do you think? My suggestion. Have you thought about it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful, but I will have to respectfully decline.¡± Galfredik nodded while looking at Eugene with a disappointed expression. ¡°It figures. You could find yourself a greater lord if you desired. Besides, even if you did decide to go to the Evergrove County, the knights there would pester you anyway.¡± Galfredik asked Eugene to join him to be sworn in by Count Evergrove, and Eugene refused. ¡°So are you planning to remain here?¡± ¡°For the time being. I am thinking of participating in an expedition once more.¡± ¡°Hmm. If you are going to be participating, it won¡¯t be difficult to hire mercenaries. They¡¯ll spread rumors even without you saying anything.¡± Galfredik gestured towards the mercenaries, who were busily devouring food and drinks. The mercenaries gained a lot from the expedition, and they were surprisingly calm as they celebrated. It was because nobles from the Tywin family were present, but more importantly because Eugene and Galfredik were here as well. ¡°If you are going to remain here, sir, here is an idea¡­¡± Galfredik whispered in a subtle tone. ¡°Those guys. Hire them yourself. About ten of them, those that are capable.¡± ¡°Myself?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Galfredik nodded before lowering his voice even further. ¡°if the Tywin family wants to continue sending people into the dungeon, they will need to hire more mercenaries. But it will be better for them to hire a single group with a capable leader rather than gathering multiple different teams. In that sense, if you put them under your command, there will be no better deal for the Tywin family.¡± ¡°Hmm. Seeing as how the second son is acting, it seems like he will be hiring another knight like yourself, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Keuk! I got myself into this mess because I made a mistake while drunk after the swordsmanship competition, but it won¡¯t work with other knights. So what are they going to do, reach out to other nobles? No way in hell. Otherwise, they would have done it from the very beginning. I don¡¯t know about the second son, but the eldest has no intention of doing anything of the sort. Even more so now that the expedition was successful.¡± ¡°I see. So what do I have to gain from this?¡± Galfrediik rubbed his index finger and thumb together in response. ¡°Since they worked together in the expedition, they will respond immediately to your orders in the future. And it will be much easier to take control of the expedition if you have about ten men under your command. The newcomers will have to adjust to the atmosphere and play by the book. It will be comfortable for you in many ways.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°In addition, the down payment and the success pay will increase with more heads. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be as much as the dungeon opening, but if you do as I say, you will be making quite a profit.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is that so?¡± Eugene appeared rather doubtful. Galfredik continued with a smirk. ¡°Whether it be a monster expedition or a battlefield, the best thing for mercenaries is to have a strong captain. That way, they can live longer. And maybe the smarter ones would have noticed already.¡± ¡°....?¡± ¡°If you do well, sir, you might even become an actual lord with a title.¡± Eugene nodded without understanding the full extent of Galfredik¡¯s words. For Eugene, it only meant he could earn more money, which would allow him to destroy Bertel with ease. ¡®Employing mercenaries¡­.¡¯ Eugene made a decision. He thought it would be useful in many ways to hire subordinates anyways. ¡°Sir Camara Tywin. Can I talk to you for a second?¡± ¡°Hahaha! Of course.¡± Although he did not overhear all of the words exchanged between Eugene and Galfredik, Camara answered with a smile. He did indeed hear something about the next expedition. *** ¡°Brother! Are you serious? You are going to let him meet Father?¡± ¡°And why not? He is a knight who succeeded in the opening of a dungeon. Everyone testified that he had contributed the most, and he¡¯s saying he will participate one more time. Wouldn¡¯t it be strange to not allow him to see Father? I¡¯m only doing things by the customs and traditions, which you seem to adore so much.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± Camara frowned and cut off his younger brother¡¯s words. ¡°But? You are acting a little strange. It¡¯s not like Sir Eugene is seeing him alone. Sir Galfredik and Felid will be with him as well. What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°.....¡± Bertel closed his mouth, and Camara smiled as if he had anticipated the response. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell me. Is it because Sir Galfredik, the knight you invited, did not contribute as much as Sir Eugene? But I heard he defeated a troll and did a great job commanding the mercenaries. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°Keugh¡­!¡± Just seeing various emotions appear on Bertel¡¯s face made Camara ecstatic. His younger brother had always maintained a cold front regardless of the occasion. If he could completely win over Eugene, perhaps he could finally expel Bertel. Bertel had always acted as if he were the head knight of the Tywin family and always questioned his words. ¡°Anyway, get ready for the next expedition. Oh, the mercenaries hired by Sir Eugene are going to remain here for the time being. There are nine in total, so try to find ten more mercenaries and a knight. It would be great if Sir Galfredik could participate one more time. I¡¯m sure it will be possible, since you were boasting to me about the great friendship you had, right?¡± Camara left without waiting for Bertel¡¯s answer. Rather, there was no need to hear his answer. Earlier at the banquet, Galfredik had announced that he would be leaving right after meeting Lord Tywin tomorrow. ¡®Now what are you going to do? Come on, show off your good connections and acquaintances.¡¯ Camara¡¯s shoulders shook as he forcefully suppressed his laughter. Bertel glared at his older brother¡¯s back as if to devour him. CH 17 ¡°He wakes up once in the afternoon but he isn¡¯t in a good condition. It will be difficult to see him for a long time.¡± ¡°We¡¯re only giving our greetings anyways.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go in first and wait.¡± Eugene, Galfredik, and Felid entered Lord Tywin¡¯s bedroom, located in the main building of the Rose Castle, along with Camara. A few maids were situated inside the room, and they bowed their heads as the group entered. The room was dim. ¡®The smell¡­¡¯ Eugene frowned involuntarily. It wasn¡¯t only due to the horrible stench. As a vampire, Eugene instinctively sensed the scent of ¡®death¡¯ that originated from Lord Tywin¡¯s bed. As the rumors had it, it appeared Lord Tywin was not long for this world. ¡°How is Father doing?¡± Camara asked, and the Rose Castle¡¯s doctor responded with a grim expression. It was the same doctor who had bandaged Eugene¡¯s arm. ¡°He will wake up in a moment since we administered the medication. And¡­ as I said before, you must prepare yourselves. Even if he continues to consume mana stones, we are only delaying the inevitable. We should allow him to ascend to God¡¯s arms peacefully.¡± ¡°Tsk. I understand.¡± Camara answered, and the doctor bowed before leaving the room. Eugene shifted his gaze towards Lord Tywin. The old man was lying on the bed, and his pale, blue face was covered with black spots. He already looked like a corpse. It was hard to believe that he had been one of the five strongest knights of the region until only twenty years ago. ¡°Do you know why I gave up on becoming a knight, aside from my lack of talent?¡± Camara spoke in a soft voice, and Eugene shifted his gaze. ¡°I did not want to become like this. And I still share the same sentiment, as I will in the future. I will never become like this.¡± Flames seemed to flicker in Camara¡¯s eyes as he observed Lord Tywin. Eugene was a little surprised at Camara¡¯s expression. It seemed he wasn¡¯t simply an arrogant successor to a small territory. ¡°You may not know, sirs, but my father had displayed signs earlier on, even when I was but a child. He lived a life full of alcohol and violence under the guise of knighthood, so perhaps it¡¯s only the natural outcome. All he ever knew was to wear his armor, ride his horse, and fight.¡± ¡°And that is the life that all knights live.¡± At Galfredik¡¯s response, Camara turned his head towards the burly knight and grinned. ¡°Yes. And I am not criticizing it. Our territory was formed from the money my father earned from various expeditions and wars. But here¡¯s the catch.¡± Camara¡¯s tone turned serious. ¡°Even our small, little territory never functioned properly. Even putting aside the aristocrats who always coveted this place, the man who always ordered our father around employed various tricks as soon as the dungeon was discovered. If you sirs had not succeeded in opening the dungeon, we would have gone bankrupt in a few months. Do you know what this means?¡± Camara¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Although my father was the one who founded our territory, he is also the one who ruined it. Our very own Lord Tywin. Well, I guess he held on for 20 years. It could be considered long.¡± ¡°And is it not the role of the eldest son to overcome the crisis? Since we succeeded in opening the dungeon, you should be able to properly manage the territory, sir. Right?¡± ¡°Heuheu! I would love to. And I will do my best to do just that. But it is easier said than done. Why else would small territories similar to ours change their masters so often?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that everything is useless unless you have strength. The materials and the mana stones from the expedition? After paying you sirs for succeeding in the expedition, I will only have a few pennies left. Then it¡¯s back to debt. But since we succeeded in the dungeon opening, maybe the Palin Association will lend us some without as much hassle, hmm? Keukeu.¡± At Camara¡¯s helpless words, Eugene realized something. A lord was nothing without power, and being a lord of a small, distant territory was not worth much. If the Tywin family had power, they would not have required the strength of an unknown knight and the capital of the Palin Association. ¡®Wait. What if I use this to my advantage?¡¯ As Eugene sank into thought, Lord Tywin¡¯s eyelids started twitching ever-so-slightly. ¡°It seems Father is waking up.¡± ¡°Who¡­ is it¡­?¡± Lord Tywin spoke after managing to come to his senses, and Camara approached him. ¡°Father, it¡¯s me, Camara. I wanted to introduce you to the two knights who succeeded in the dungeon opening.¡± ¡°Is that so? Assist me¡­¡± Lord Tywin raised his hand, and Camara quickly helped him up. After barely managing to prop himself against a pillow, his lifeless gaze met with Felid¡¯s eyes. ¡°That boy is¡­ Ah, that¡¯s right. Vera had a son. Our youngest. Huh¡­¡± ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°You can call me¡­ Father. Since I¡¯m going to die soon, when else will you get to say it? Haha.¡± After patting Felid on the shoulder, Lord Tywin turned his gaze towards Eugene and Galfredik. ¡°You sirs¡­ succeeded in opening the dungeon?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Tywin. It is an honor to meet you. I am Rowan, the third son of Galfredik.¡± ¡°I am the eldest son of Eugene, Jan.¡± Galfredik slightly lowered his head after resting his hand on the pommel of his sword, and Eugene followed suit. ¡°I see¡­ It must have been tough. And¡­ Sir Eugene, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Tywin.¡± ¡°I heard you brought us the youngest, right? You wanted something¡­ what was it?¡± ¡°Sir Eugene wants his identity to be verified, Father. I told you about it a while before.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. That was it¡­ Here.¡± Lord Tywin gestured with his hand and Camara held out an object. It was a document verifying Eugene¡¯s identity ¨C something Camara prepared in advance. Lord Tywin stamped the document with the seal of a ring located on his middle finger, then spoke with difficulty. ¡°For a knight who already succeeded in opening a dungeon¡­ I¡¯m not sure if this will be of any significant help¡­ but this should be more than enough to verify your identity around this area, Jan of the Eugene family.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Although he achieved one of the most important goals he set while bringing Felid to the Rose Castle, Eugene remained indifferent. Lord Tywin nodded slowly, then shifted his gaze to Camara once more. He looked up at his eldest son with mixed expressions while stroking Camara¡¯s hands with his rough, thin hands. ¡°You¡¯ve¡­ gone through a lot.¡± ¡°I only did what I had to do.¡± ¡°No. I know it wasn¡¯t easy¡­ You and I both know it. Cough! Cough!¡± Lord Tywin gave a dry cough, then tightened his grasp on Camara¡¯s hands. ¡°F-father, this is¡­¡± ¡°From now on¡­ you are the master of this estate. Please lead Tywin¡­ not as a knight¡­ but as a proper¡­ lord¡­¡± Thud. His head drooped after leaving the family¡¯s ring in his eldest son¡¯s hand. ¡°Father? Father!¡± ¡°F-father!?¡± Camara and Felid shouted with shock. Lord Tyinw had drawn his last breath. Although he was an incompetent lord, he had drawn his mark on the world as a knight. *** ¡°I apologize for not being able to attend the funeral.¡± ¡°It is fine. Since he met a brave knight like you before he passed, sir, I am sure he was satisfied.¡± Camara responded while shaking his head, and the two people shook hands. Then, Galfredik turned to Eugene. ¡°Take care. I don¡¯t know if or when we will meet again, but I hope we will be on the same side.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene shook hands with Galfredik. The burly knight had broken Eugene¡¯s prejudice against knights. He was a man of honor and promise, and he always gave his all in a battle. ¡°Then you as well¡­¡± Galfredik turned to give his farewell to Bertel, then smirked. Bertel wasn¡¯t even looking towards him, as if he was discontent. ¡°Unbefitting a man. Tsk.¡± Galfredik openly criticized him and even clicked his tongue, but Bertel did not respond, only flinching at the remark. ¡°Then take care, all of you!¡± Galfredik rode off on his steed. Although he was alone, no one would be crazy enough to attack a knight, especially when he was wearing plate mail, a long sword, and even battleaxes. ¡°Now! Let¡¯s go in. We need to prepare for the future.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Tywin!¡± The people of the Rose Castle responded in one voice and bowed. As of today, Camara was the new ¡®Lord Tywin¡¯, and this castle belonged to him as well. ¡°Sir Eugene, I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. It¡¯s in the best interest of the both of us.¡± Camara exchanged a gaze with Eugene, then turned to Felid. ¡°Although it¡¯s only for a short while, take care. Don¡¯t talk too badly of us to your master either.¡± ¡°Ah! That will never happen. By the way, the funeral¡­¡± ¡°You saw him when he passed anyway, right? It¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Lord Tywin.¡± ¡°I told you. Call me brother.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. B¡­brother.¡± Felid answered awkwardly. After patting his younger brother on the shoulder, Camara walked towards the main building. Bertel, who glared at Eugene and Felid with malice, followed behind his brother. ¡°That icy bastard! I really don¡¯t like him! Can¡¯t you just sneak up at night and rip his throat out?¡± As usual, Eugene ignored Mirian¡¯s nonsense and strode forward alongside Felid. ¡°Excuse me, master.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Why did you ask me to come with you? You said before that you had no intention of bringing me along¡­¡± ¡°Well, yes. But there is something you need to do now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Felid answered with puzzlement, and his expressions soon brightened. ¡°Mister Partec!¡± ¡°Hello there, young master.¡± Partec, Glade, and Lavan were waiting for the two at the end of the drawbridge. They bowed as the two approached. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Partec smiled instead of answering, then spoke to Eugene. ¡°All the preparations have been made, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°What about the mercenaries I hired yesterday?¡± ¡°I told them to stand by in the village until Sir Eugene came back. They obeyed without making trouble.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Master? Were you not going to reside in the nearby village?¡± Felid hastily followed the men while asking, and Eugene answered while turning his head. ¡°You¡¯re suddenly talking a lot. Isn¡¯t it customary for an aide to obey and follow silently, no matter what the knight does or says?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Yes, sir.¡± Felid remembered his position and promptly shut his mouth. Lavan sneaked to his side and whispered. ¡°We are going to Brahms now, young master.¡± ¡°Brahms? Why would we¡­¡± ¡°For now, we are going to purchase Sir Eugene¡¯s steed.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°But our final destination is not Brahms.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean by that?¡± Felid frowned with frustration, and Lavan answered while smiling mysteriously. ¡°We are going to purchase a horse in Brahms, then head to Maren.¡± ¡°Maren¡­ is¡­ Heuk!¡± The eyes of the bastard son grew large with shock. He was but a hillbilly born in the countryside of Broadwin, and Maren was the region¡¯s largest commercial city. It would take ten days to travel there. *** ¡®Using up the money happens in the blink of an eye.¡¯ Eugene examined the lightened purse with a disappointed expression before putting it away. More than half of the remunerations he received from the Tywin family had been used up to purchase a carriage in the village of Martella, which was located just outside the Rose Castle. Although it was required to transport the monsters¡¯ materials and he would sell it after arriving at Maren, he still felt disappointed. ¡°It would have been nice if there was a warhorse. Don¡¯t you agree, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°It would be strange for there to be a warhorse in a town with only one knight.¡± ¡°We will be able to find a decent horse once we get to Brahms.¡± Eugene nodded at Partec¡¯s words. But people were fickle, and he felt a little greedy after obtaining some money. ¡°But would there not be a better horse in Maren? Perhaps a real warhorse.¡± ¡°That is true. Maren is incomparably bigger than Brahms. Should we just head straight for Maren instead of passing through Brahms?¡± Eugene nodded after a moment of thought. ¡°That would be better.¡± Although there was more than a month remaining until the next expedition, it would take more than 15 days just to travel to and from the Rose Castle and Maren. There was no reason to delay their trip and waste a day when he could find a better horse in Maren. ¡°Are you not going to ride in the carriage? It feels a bit¡­ weird for us to take turns and¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± After consuming the blood of various monsters in the dungeon, Eugene¡¯s condition was at its peak. The blood of monsters was incomparably better than those of animals. When he lived in Broadwin, he had to feed once at least every 10 days to survive, but he felt as if he would be fine without having to feed for several months. The blood of monsters, especially of those intermediate-rank and above, provided him with considerable amounts of power. ¡®But I should feed every couple of months just in case.¡¯ It was absolutely unacceptable for him to be lazy or to be ill-prepared. He would always maintain his condition to prepare for any circumstances. As Eugene reaffirmed his determination, Felid climbed down from the carriage and spoke. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I apologize for asking again¡­ but what is it that I have to do? No matter how hard I think about it, I can¡¯t figure out what there is to do for someone like me.¡± He could not figure out why he was included in the group. He had no use in selling the materials, and the group was comprised of three mercenaries and a knight. Stories had it that his master had single-handedly pulled out the head of a troll, so they weren¡¯t short of guards. He wasn¡¯t worth much in performing chores, since Eugene and the mercenaries took care of their own chores and Lavan did the rest. In other words, the man named Felid Tywin was useless in the group. ¡°When we arrive in Maren, there is something for you to do.¡± ¡°In Maren?¡± Felid responded with shock, and Eugene nodded. ¡°Yes. On behalf of the Tywin family, you will manage everything that comes out of the dungeon.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Felid¡¯s mouth opened agape with surprise. CH 18 After spending eight days crossing mountains, fields, and various stretches of water, Eugene finally arrived in front of Maren. ¡°It¡¯s big¡­¡± Felid could not hide his astonishment. It was the same with Mirian, although she was of a different race. She could not hide her excitement. ¡°Now I can finally go back to the spirit world without any regrets. Even among my seniors, not many would have seen cities that are this big. Uwaah! It was the best decision of my life to follow Sir Eugeneee! My life¡¯s been worth living!¡± Mirian continued hopping around Eugene¡¯s head and shoulders, shouting with joy and enthusiasm. Although he wasn¡¯t as shocked as the two, Eugene was also thoroughly impressed by the greatness of the city ¨C it was the first metropolitan city he saw. Maren was easily five or six times larger than the largest town he had seen in his previous life, a place he lived in hiding from his pursuers. ¡°Wh-what kind of person is the lord who rules over this city? A count? A marquis?¡± ¡°What? Hahaha!¡± Partec burst into laughter at Felid¡¯s question. ¡°A commercial city like Maren has no lord, young master.¡± ¡°What? Then who rules over the people of the city? Who do they pay taxes to?¡± ¡°Maren has various guilds of different professions. Grain farmers, cotton farmers, blacksmiths, and mercenaries. Most of the professions with many members will have guilds. Of course, the merchant guild holds the strongest power. Anyhow, such guilds send representatives to elect a mayor ¨C someone from a family with deep roots.¡± ¡°A mayor? So that person is the master of the city?¡± ¡°Not the master. Once every three years, the guild leaders gather together to discuss whether the current mayor will serve a second term, or another person will be elected. And among the guilds, the merchant guild is the strongest. The amount of tax they pay is on an entirely different level. The current mayor was also strongly recommended by the merchant guild.¡± ¡°Then Maren must be centered around the merchant guild. Is the mayor from the merchant guild by chance as well?¡± Partec turned towards Eugene to answer. ¡°The current mayor is not a merchant, but he is indeed very wealthy. He is quite influential and has good relationships with nearby lords. Oh, if you would like to see the mayor¡­¡± ¡°Not at all. Let¡¯s take care of business and return.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Partec answered swiftly. During their time together thus far, he obtained a rough understanding of Eugene¡¯s personality. The knight he decided to follow did not have much interest in power, nor did he want personal gains to suck up to a titled noble. From Partec¡¯s experience, such a knight usually followed one of two paths. ¡®You either grab the title yourself or become a templar.¡¯ Partec hoped Eugene would choose the former path. Thinking as such, he spoke confidently while looking back towards Eugene. ¡°I have some connections in the Maren guards, so we should be able to get passage without trouble. Just follow me from here on out, I guarantee it.¡± *** Indeed, Partec¡¯s words had not been a bluff. Shockingly, the group was inspected with great hospitality instead of an inspection, then guided straight to the Palin Association. It was rather surprising that the guards of such a large city would forego a formal inspection, but Eugene did not mind it. ¡°Oh! Partec! Welcome!¡± Bilmoa spoke warmly and embraced Partec. His stomach seemed to have become larger since their previous encounter. ¡°Sir Eugene! It is a pleasure to see you again.¡± ¡°Nice to see you as well.¡± Bilmoa greeted Eugene politely, then turned towards Felid. The young man¡¯s gaze was constantly shifting as he marveled at the city. ¡°The young master of Tywin is here as well.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Bilmoa groveled all too naturally, then glanced towards the group¡¯s carriage with an interested expression. ¡°Are those the goods, Sir Eugene? Would you mind if I took a look?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Bilmoa headed towards the back of the carriage with a face full of expectations, then became stunned at the sight that greeted him. ¡°Huh!¡± He drew a sharp breath, and his mouth became agape with shock as he saw the box full of monsters¡¯ materials. ¡°What are you all doing? Get to work.¡± Bilmoa rubbed his palms together while the association¡¯s workers quickly unloaded the goods. ¡°Sir Eugene, why don¡¯t you come inside for now?¡± ¡°I have some business to take care of at the guild. Please take your time, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Eugene and Felid entered the Palin Association as Partec¡¯s group moved away. The merchants and workers in the nearby areas stole glimpses at their backs as the two entered the building *** ¡°What? The knight who opened the Tywin family¡¯s dungeon is here?¡± ¡°Yes. Moreover, Bilmoa addressed the accompanying boy as ¡®young master.¡¯ I think he may be the bastard son of the Tywin family.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The Palin Association¡¯s headquarters was located in Maren. It was quite a large and prestigious organization, even advancing their business to the Carls Baggins peninsula. Priscilla, who was toying with an expensive pen while resting her other hand on her chin, was the daughter of the executive of the Palin Association¡¯s main establishment. Although she was only in her mid-20s, she was quite competent, which was reflected in her position as the vice executive of the association. ¡°The knight himself came to dispose of the materials? Perhaps he¡¯s an impersonator?¡± ¡°That cannot be true. Not only Bilmoa, but all of the mercenaries who returned after participating in the expedition are certain of his status. And some of the clerks overheard the young boy calling him ¡®master.¡¯¡± ¡°Is that so? Then he must be a real knight. This is a little strange.¡± ¡°I was surprised as well.¡± The man talking to Priscilla was Grail. He was responsible for managing the personnel of the main establishment. He continued after looking around the office to make sure no one else was present. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s extremely greedy for money, or he wants to start a business.¡± ¡°A knight would? Come on, that¡¯s going too far. Then he should have used an agent since there¡¯s no reason for him to come personally. Moreover, why would he do such a thing? If the rumor gets around that a knight is doing business, his reputation will plummet to the ground. Besides, he¡¯s a knight who even succeeded in opening a dungeon.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡± Grail scratched his head with curiosity. If one asked merchants who they hated the most, the majority would say knights. Although the aristocrats were arrogant, they often established relationships with merchant associations if their interests aligned, but it was different with knights. Knights were only interested in battles and gaining fame, and they despised the merchants who sought wealth. ¡°Then why do you think he¡¯s here?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Priscilla thought for a moment, then soon raised her head. ¡°That knight. You said he accepted Lord Tywin¡¯s bastard son as his aide, right? Perhaps he¡¯s here to represent the Tywin family using that child.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°On the surface, the boy will be the agent of the Tywin family, but it would actually be the knight named Jan Eugene. He¡¯s looking for money and business, but also trying to keep his reputation as well.¡± ¡°Hooh!¡± ¡°I think it might be better if I met with him personally. Our association is on friendly terms with the Tywin, and they are probably looking for an association to take care of their mana stones and materials on a regular basis. Where is the knight now?¡± ¡°He is meeting with Bilmoa. Will you head there right away?¡± ¡°No matter how unique he is, that might come off as being rude. Ask him for his opinion and schedule us an appointment within today.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Grail¡¯s face lit up. As always, Priscilla would surely score something big once again. *** ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°Sorry? W-well, if you meet with the vice executive and share a conversation, perhaps you could find a better opportunity¡­¡± ¡°Opportunity? What opportunity?¡± Eugene asked simply out of curiosity. But Eugene emitted a cold atmosphere, and combined with his gorgeous appearance, Grail became quite flustered. ¡°I apologize if I offended you. I never meant to be disrespectful towards Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°If you offended me?¡± Once again, Eugene asked in ignorance and puzzlement. But Grail was now afraid of the red-eyed knight. ¡°I-I really did not mean to offend you, sir¡­ I apologize once again. W-well, then, I shall be on my way now. Please enjoy your time.¡± Grail left less than a minute after he arrived, never even given the chance to sit down. ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene was confused. The man suddenly appeared and spoke of meeting the vice executive. When Eugene asked for the reason, he became flustered and spoke of an ¡®opportunity¡¯ and randomly apologized multiple times before leaving. ¡®A vice executive? Well, Bilmoa is good enough for me. Galfredik also said that it¡¯s not good for a knight to become too deeply involved with a merchant association.¡¯ Eugene disregarded the random encounter and turned back towards Bilmoa, who was seated in front of him. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°I-I am deeply touched, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Touched?¡± ¡°I cannot believe you refused a meeting with the vice executive because you wanted to keep the faith between us. Keugh! I, BIlmoa, will work hard until my feet and hands crumble into dust!¡± ¡°¡­If you so desire.¡± It was truly hard to understand the merchants. Eugene continued. ¡°So you will take care of my aide?¡± ¡°Of course! I will take responsibility and assist the young master to the best of my abilities. It¡¯s only natural since you entrusted me with such a huge opportunity.¡± ¡°I will tell you in advance, just in case, but if I catch you doing anything behind my back or if you do something shady¡­¡± ¡°That, don¡¯t worry! Although I may be a little bit behind in terms of performance, I swear to you that I have never done anything dishonest when dealing with customers. Precision and transparency! I will continue to honor the dealings with the Tywin family and Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°All right. I will trust you.¡± Obviously, Eugene did not fully trust Bilmoa and the Palin Association. But Partec spoke of their reliability. In the first place, it would have been difficult for them to obtain a license in a commercial city like Maren unless they were credible and had a sufficient history. That was why Partec recommended the Palin Association to Eugene, regardless of his ties to Bilmoa. ¡°Well, master, then I¡­¡± ¡°You will be staying here. You and this man will be taking care of all the mana stones and the monster by-products from the Tywin family¡¯s dungeon. So you will need to learn the ropes for the time being.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Felid was finally able to realize the exact meaning behind the words Eugene spoke when they left the Rose Castle. His master was trying to provide him with a new opportunity ¨C a chance for him to proudly do his part. Eugene misunderstood Felid¡¯s surprised expression, then hastily spoke. ¡°You have to do it even if you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s better than living while being bullied by your second brother in the castle. Since you are my aide, no one will dare to touch a single hair on you here. I already spoke with Lord Tywin as well.¡± ¡°Ayah! Of course, of course! Who would dare to mistreat the young master, especially when he¡¯s representing Sir Eugene and the Tywin family? I will take responsibility and¡­¡± ¡°I will do my best! Master!¡± Felid bowed deeply and spoke with tears in his eyes. ¡°I cannot believe you provided me with such an opportunity after saving me. I really¡­ I will live and die for my master!¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene wondered what was wrong with the kid, but he just nodded. Mirian¡¯s voice snaked its way into Eugene¡¯s ears. ¡°Now you¡¯ve completely mastered the art of seduction? I heard from my seniors that vampires are natural con artists and destroyers of families ¨C the true undead seductors. I guess they were right after all.¡± *** ¡°He said he would not see me?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. He was glaring at me and asking me why he should meet with you, and I was almost scared to death. He seemed to have quite the temper.¡± Grail reported back to Priscilla with his own interpretation of events, and Priscilla, unaware of the truth, frowned. ¡°Is it because he considers himself an outstanding knight? Since he¡¯s succeeded in opening a dungeon, perhaps a vice executive like me isn¡¯t sufficient to even catch his eye. What did Mister Bilmoa say?¡± ¡°He was silently sitting on the side without making a squeak. That knight¡¯s surely got a firm hold over him. Perhaps the knight has some dirt on him?¡± ¡°Hmm. Despite his poor performance, Mister Bilmoa isn¡¯t the type of person to get cornered like that. Are you sure you were being polite when you asked? You specifically told him I wanted to see him?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m telling you. Although I made a small mistake at the end, I didn¡¯t say anything offensive when I delivered the message. All knights are truly¡­¡± Grail started to vent his anger towards the knight, but Priscilla cut him off by waving her hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Please find out what the sir knight needs first.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Sigh! He¡¯s a knight, right? Weapons, armor, horse, whatever! Do you think a knight goes around naked? And you told him he came here without a horse, right? Then¡­ Ah!¡± Priscilla came to a realization while speaking, then spoke while snapping her fingers. ¡°Search for a war horse. One with pedigree.¡± ¡°That will not be difficult, but why¡­ Ahhh!¡± Grail exclaimed after belatedly recognizing her intentions. Priscilla gave a mysterious smile while speaking. ¡°No matter how arrogant or hot-tempered they are, there aren¡¯t any knights who dislike horses. He¡¯s going to be a long-term client, so don¡¯t you think we need to show him some courtesy by giving him a gift?¡± ¡°Truly a brilliant solution, Vice Executive!¡± Favorite CH 19 ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No problem at all! Then make yourself at home, sir knight!¡± A young employee of the Palin Association bowed deeply before leaving. Eugene inspected the chainmail and the short sword brought to him by the clerk. Eugene had left it in their hands after they said they would take care of it, and judging from the equipment¡¯s condition, they were quite skilled. His chainmail and the short sword had been damaged from fighting various monsters in the dungeon, but the equipment in front of his eyes had returned looking almost brand new. ¡°It¡¯s certainly a big city. The artisans are quite skilled.¡± It was even better because it was free. Bilmoa seemed hell-bent on earning favors with Eugene. ¡°Of course, of course! The food is wonderful and the taste of alcohol is amazing. I would just live here for the rest of my life!¡± Mirian had been rolling around on the table for hours without even flapping her wings a single time. She popped her head out of a large piece of cheese she had been devouring. Of course, even though she had been indulging, only a tiny piece of cheese was missing. No one would even notice that it had been consumed. ¡°We will be heading out soon, so get ready. If you want to eat more, you can stay here.¡± ¡°Go ahead, go ahead. This little one needs some rest. Kyah! How nice!¡± The spoiled spirit plopped down on her back while patting her bulging stomach. Eugene looked at her with a pathetic expression, then stepped out the door. *** ¡°Hello, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Huh? Hmm.¡± Eugene nodded after a moment¡¯s confusion. He had almost failed to recognize Partec. The latter¡¯s hair and beard were trimmed, and he washed himself thoroughly. Partec had almost become an entirely new person. ¡°Now I look a little human, right? I wouldn¡¯t bother if I were alone, but since I have to serve Sir Eugene¡­¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Eugene felt rather awkward that such a burly man was acting shy. He replied half-heartedly before moving away. ¡°By the way, is young master Felid going to stay in the Palin Association from now on?¡± ¡°Fortunately, BIlmoa rather liked the idea. It¡¯s common for merchants to teach one or two assistants, so the association won¡¯t say much about it either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. There are many merchants who can write and read that are illegitimate children of noble families. If it¡¯s young master Felid, I have no doubts that he will do a great job.¡± The Tywin family needed a merchant association to consistently take care of the mana stones and materials gained from the dungeons without any problems. In that sense, the Palin Association, which was centered around Maren, was one of the best options. However, it was a little risky to leave it all to the association. However, when Eugene recommended Felid as the family¡¯s agent, Camara¡¯s worries were solved. Felid¡¯s status as the younger brother of Lord Tywin and an aide of a knight was sufficient to protect him from any mistreatment at any associations. Moreover, Felid already knew how to write and knew numbers. If he learned from BIlmoa, he would do his worth soon enough. In addition, Bilmoa would do his best to secure ties to the Tywin family, since his performance had been rather lacking recently. Teaching Felid well and maintaining good relationships was the only way he could continue to manage the dungeon business, and he was well aware of it. Lastly, Eugene also benefitted from the event as well. He would not need to pay a high commission to process monsters¡¯ materials separately, but rather, he could proceed alongside the Tywin family. In other words, Eugene, Camara, Felid, and Bilmoa ¨C all of them benefited. ¡®I told him that he could increase his benefits if he set up an agent from the Tywin family to sell his materials, but¡­ my goodness.¡¯ Partec had made the suggestion while looking out for Eugene, but he never imagined the knight would weave it into something so large. He shook his head in wonder. He still got the chills whenever he recalled the knight¡¯s performance in the dungeon. It seemed the knight had both the brains and the brawn. ¡®I guess my instincts are still quite useful.¡¯ ¡°Now! This way, please! I will show you to the best armor craftsman in Maren.¡± Partec made a determination to follow Eugene until the end, and he proudly walked the streets of Maren while guiding the knight. *** Eugene could not buy dwarven weapons and armor. Anything dwarven-made was more expensive than anyone could have ever imagined. However, he was able to purchase equipment with excellent performance at a reasonable price. Partec introduced several artisans to Eugene, and he was able to purchase strong and practical weapons at a good price. ¡°Plate mail will take a while because it¡¯s custom-made, but since there aren¡¯t any extra requests, I will be able to make it in a couple of days. But I¡¯m a little surprised that you did not buy a long sword.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bit more familiar with shortswords.¡± It felt a bit wasteful, but Eugene sold his repaired weapon and bought a new short sword and a rondel dagger. On Galfredik¡¯s advice, he also purchased two small battle axes and three javelins. Including the plate mail, he spent more than 80 silver coins. But it was still worthwhile, considering he would have spent at least 20 extra coins without Partec¡¯s presence. In addition, he still had money left over from selling the materials to the Palin Association, so there was no need to worry about money. ¡°Now, for the finale, shall we go take a look at horses?¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Eugene felt a little excited to finally purchase his own horse. Knights were all about horses, after all. But then, ¡°Brother Partec!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene! Sir Knight Eugene!¡± Eugene and Partec simultaneously turned their heads towards the tumultuous voices. Glade and Lavan were running towards them in a hurry. ¡°What are you two doing here? You said you were going to the guild to pay off your debts.¡± ¡°We already did that. Anyhow, that¡¯s not the problem right now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Glade regained his breath before speaking. ¡°You heard that there have been quite a few roamers spotted around this region lately, right? Apparently, they¡¯ve just been spotted in the eastern outskirts.¡± ¡°What? Something like that, the city guards can take care of it, right?¡± ¡°There are more than a hundred armed goblins, and the orcs are commanding them.¡± ¡°What? Orcs? How many?¡± ¡°If there are a hundred goblins, wouldn¡¯t there be at least two or three orcs?¡± ¡°Well!¡± Partec hurriedly turned to Eugene with an alarmed expression. ¡°This is rather worrisome, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Is it because of the orcs?¡± ¡°Yes. They must have descended from the Brandish Mountains. Every few years, the orcs from there gather roamers and come down. There will be quite a few of them, and they are quick to hit and run.¡± Partec hesitated for a moment, then continued in a determined voice. ¡°Sir Eugene, I think the City of Maren is going to hire knights and mercenaries to deal with the monsters. Why don¡¯t you participate?¡± ¡°Me? Is there any reason to?¡± ¡°It is a great opportunity to increase your reputation. Moreover, the certificate issued by the mayor of Maren will be much more useful than Lord Tywin¡¯s document.¡± ¡°Is that so? Hmm¡­¡± Eugene sank into thought, and Partec carefully added in. ¡°And in such a case, the city will pay for the recruitment. Most importantly, all the plunder will belong to the participants¡­¡± ¡°I will do it.¡± The expression of Partec and the two mercenaries brightened after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. Mercenaries took on requests and commissions, but their real interests were in battles. Killing enemies and looting them was an absolute right of mercenaries and a code for them to follow! Plus, if they were acting together with a knight as powerful as Eugene¡­? ¡°We will follow Sir Eugene as well!¡± Partec felt the rush of adrenaline as the three men accompanied Eugene to the mercenary guild. His blood boiled as if he was 15 years younger when he first started his career as a mercenary. *** ¡°Black Scorpion Mercenaries, Garfiend, and 10 others! Horn Helmet Mercenaries, Glick, and 16 others!¡± Mercenaries were gathered in a disorderly manner. Some of them raised their hands at the shouts of Trevik, the head of the Maren Mercenaries Guild. Although Maren was a large city, the number of mercenaries was limited. In addition, more than half were outside the city fulfilling commissions and requests, so there were currently less than 100 people gathered in the guild. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you calling us?¡± ¡°Scram! You don¡¯t even have five successful commissions yet, we don¡¯t need you! You¡¯ll only serve as a distraction!¡± The man who asked flinched and reared back at the shouts of a rambunctious mercenary, who was dressed in decent gear. ¡°A total of 42 people, Sir Madrica.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯ll be much anyways, but I guess it¡¯s enough to threaten the goblins. Anyways, if you get scared by the roamers and start running, I, Ron of Madrica, will cut you down myself, so keep that in mind, recruiter.¡± ¡°I would not have it any other way, Sir Madrica. I have confidence in you, sir.¡± Trevik bowed deeply while speaking in a polite tone. He had grown long accustomed to the confidence and arrogance of the knights. Regardless of his position as the head of the Maren Mercenary Guild and a recruiter, it was the wise thing for him to keep his head low and please the knight who would chase away the roamers. ¡°Wait a minute! Guild Leader Trevik, we will join as well!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Trevik turned his head with a big frown, prepared to scold the third-rate mercenary who spoke out of place. ¡°Huh!? Partec?¡± ¡°There are four of us in total. Is that all right?¡± ¡°Of course! For mercenaries who successfully opened a dungeon, I would make room even if there wasn¡¯t any!¡± As Trevik¡¯s loud voice spread throughout the crowd, the eyes of the gathered people immediately turned towards Partec¡¯s group. ¡°Oh! If it isn¡¯t Partec? I heard about the dungeon opening!¡± Some mercenaries acted friendly to gain favor. ¡°A dungeon opening? Those guys?¡± Some mercenaries showed great surprise. ¡°What? They¡¯ve returned already? But weren¡¯t there three of you? You already found a new recruit¡­?¡± While others were those that joined the Tywin family¡¯s dungeon expedition and arrived in Maren first. However, those who belonged to the last group were the most shocked. The face of the knight who slowly raised his helmet was one they could never forget. ¡°I-it¡¯s Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene! When did you get here?!¡± Several mercenaries who participated in the dungeon opening flocked around the group. Although he was no different than the devil in their eyes, Eugene was still their hero. ¡°This morning. Will you guys join the fight against the roamers as well?¡± ¡°Oh, no. We¡¯ve already done a big one, so we¡¯re going to take a break for a while. We came out just to watch. But to think Sir Eugene will be taking part¡­¡± The expressions of the mercenaries started changing little by little. The image of Eugene pulling out the head of a troll was still vivid in their minds. If they were fighting by the side of a knight capable of single-handedly defeating an intermediate-rank monster, even if the enemies were orcs and goblins, perhaps¡­ ¡°Sir Eugene? Who is that? Get out of the way.¡± The man who made his way through the crowd of mercenaries was the knight from before. ¡°I am Ron of Madrica. I am a knight, and I served four years as an aide by the side of Sir Capran.¡± He exuded a different atmosphere compared to Galfredik. Although he was tall and well-built, he felt a bit cheesy compared to Galfredik. ¡°Jan Eugene.¡± ¡°You, sir, opened the dungeon in the Tywin territory? I heard Sir Galfredik participated, were you with him as well? What about the monsters? Which monsters did you face?¡± Galfredik was quite talkative, but it appeared this knight was even worse. Eugene frowned, but Galfredik had advised him to maintain an amicable relationship with other knights unless they were openly hostile towards him. ¡°I opened the dungeon alongside Sir Galfredik. There were kobolds and gnolls, three trolls with goblins, and giant cave spiders.¡± Naturally, he took the same informal tone as the knight. ¡°Is that so? It must have been quite troublesome. It wouldn¡¯t hurt for us to go into a dungeon together sometime. By the way, are you planning to fight for Maren as well, sir? I think highly of your decision, but I have no plans to take care of you, so do as you will.¡± Madrica spoke rapidly without giving Eugene the time to respond, then turned around and left the way he came from. Eugene found the situation slightly ridiculous, but most of the knights in his previous life had acted in a similar fashion. Thus, he let it pass. ¡°Black Scorpions and Horn Helmets! Follow me! You guys are the most worthwhile! The rest of you, do as you like!¡± Madrica climbed onto his steed, then started riding away. The mercenaries scurried after him. Fortunately, his horse wasn¡¯t galloping, so the mercenaries managed to keep up with his pace. ¡°Sir Eugene, right? Are you also planning to participate in the Roamer subjugation?¡± Trevik spoke with utmost courtesy, and Eugene nodded in response. ¡°That was my plan. But I don¡¯t have a¡­¡± ¡°S-Sir Eugene! There you are!¡± An unfamiliar voice called out, and Eugene turned around. ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I am Grail from the Palin Association. We were acquainted yesterday. I brought Sir Eugene¡¯s steed with me.¡± ¡°My horse?¡± Eugene asked with surprise, and Grail turned to one side with an awkward smile. Eugene¡¯s gaze naturally followed Grail¡¯s eyes. A healthy, muscular black stallion with grey armor on its head, neck, and hips was nickering. ¡®Hooh!¡¯ After confirming that Eugene reacted positively, Grail spoke after inching closer towards the knight. ¡°This one has the pedigree from the Agile Stables, the supplier of steeds for the empire¡¯s knights. Our vice executive prepared him as a special gift, specifically for you, sir! It would be an honor if you could accept our humble gift.¡± Eugene¡¯s forehead creased in confusion as Grail spoke in a quiet voice. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what was going on, but it appeared he just netted himself an expensive war horse. Favorite CH 20 ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ the Tywin family and Sir Eugene have signed a contract with me. Here is the mana stone and monster materials disposal agreement as well as the letter to prove the identity of Lord Tywin¡¯s agent.¡± Bilmoa held out a document and Priscilla¡¯s hand trembled as she received it. She had been planning to personally sign a contract with the knight named Eugene after meeting him, but apparently, Bilmoa and Eugene had already signed a contract amidst their short meeting.. In addition, the terms of the contract were not half bad, or rather, quite good for the Palin Association. ¡°We have decided to lend them 5,000 silver coins with three dungeon expedition rights as collateral. It is on a two-year repayment basis. During the repayment period, we have all the rights to purify and sell mana stones from the Tywin dungeon. The materials from monsters are also..." ¡°I get it. Ha!¡± Priscilla let out a long sigh, and Bilmoa tilted his head in confusion. This was a very good contract for the Palin Association, so why was the vice executive sighing? ¡°Vice executive, are you not fond of the terms of the contract?¡± ¡°I like them. Phew, it¡¯s nothing. You can get back to your business. Oh, and please call Mister Grail in.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Bilmoa stood up from his seat after answering, then walked towards the door. As his hand reached for the door, he turned his head after he suddenly remembered something. ¡°Ah, right. I saw Grail heading to the mercenary guild earlier.¡± ¡°The mercenary guild? Why?¡± ¡°He said he was going to see Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°What? Why is Sir Eugene in the mercenary guild?¡± ¡°Ah! So, you don¡¯t know about it yet? A group of roamers have been spotted in the woods around the eastern outskirts of the city. The city recruiter is gathering a subjugation squad. It appears Sir Eugene is going to participate.¡± ¡°I see. All right¡­ W-was Mister Grail by himself by chance?¡± ¡°He was with Tevin. Oh, and I¡¯m not sure where he found it, but he was pulling along an incredibly handsome horse with him. It even had armor, and wow, it was just¡­¡± Papapat! Priscilla jumped up from her seat and bolted out the door before Bilmoa finished his words. ¡°What the heck? Did she need to use the toilet? Anyways, no one will be able to say anything about my performance now. Hehe!¡± Bilmoa expressed puzzlement when Priscilla darted out the door, but soon, a bright smile hung around his lips. *** Eugene armed himself after stopping by an inn, then left Maren¡¯s gate alongside the mercenaries. Clop. Clop. The horse gifted to him by the Palin Association was very much to Eugene¡¯s liking. Although he was quite ignorant when it came to horses, he assumed his steed was quite outstanding since the man from the Palin Association had boasted proudly of the horse¡¯s pedigree. Moreover, his horse apparently cost 300 silver coins, excluding its armor. He once heard that no one would dare to form cavalries or knight orders, except for a few select nobles. Today, he finally understood why. Equipping a proper knight was genuinely akin to throwing money into an endless pit.. ¡°Your horse taming abilities are amazing, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s not too shabby.¡± Partec showed his admiration, and Eugene responded dryly. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you did as I told you, right? Huhuhuhuhuhu!¡± Mirian laughed proudly while lying on the head of the horse. The horse was given the name ¡°Silion¡± after one of the spirit monarchs, and although he did not answer, Eugene accepted Mirian¡¯s words. Just a moment ago, he heeded her advice and threatened Silion. Well, he utilized a vampire¡¯s Fear to cause the horse to submit, rather than threatening it, but he managed to successfully establish a perfect master and servant relationship with the horse. Adding in a vampire¡¯s excellent athletic abilities, he quickly learned to ride the horse on a similar level as a regular knight. ¡°Hey, hey Silion. Consider yourself the luckiest of horses. As for our Sir Eugene ¨C he¡¯s an amazing con man, hmm!? He pulls out the heads of trolls with his bare hands, yeah!? Hey, he¡¯s the master of everything and anything! You¡¯ve netted yourself a master who¡¯s bound to lead you to greatness. Sir Eugene, the Earl of Blood! Eugene, the Count of Darkness!¡± Neigh! Silion nodded his head as if he could understand Mirian¡¯s nonsense. It was surprising, but it seemed Silion could understand Mirian¡¯s words on top of being able to see her. According to Mirian, special animals and monsters were able to see spirits. It appeared Silion fell into that same category as well. ¡®Is it because of his extraordinary pedigree?¡¯ As Eugene thought to himself, a group of mercenaries came running towards him while shouting. They had volunteered themselves to scout ahead. ¡°Sir Eugene! There is trouble!¡± ¡°Trouble?¡± ¡°Sir Madrica has been surrounded by roamers! It seems most of the mercenaries are either dead or have fled, and Sir Madrica is struggling alone¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The mercenaries who were familiar with Eugene strode forward confidently, while those who saw him for the first time began running with both doubt and expectations. *** ¡°What a mess. A huge mess.¡± Eugene found himself agreeing with Mirian quite a few times today as he looked towards the entrance of the forest. He could not see about half of the mercenaries who left earlier with Madrica. Most likely, they were dead or had already fled, but the remaining survivors did not look to be in good shape either. Firstly, there were just too many goblins. In addition, they weren¡¯t equipped with crude weapons such as wooden clubs. Instead, they held iron weapons such as sickles and daggers in their hands. Even so, each mercenary would have been capable of handling one or two goblins at a time. But there were so many goblins that each mercenary had to fight against three or four goblins at the same time. The only salvation was that Madrica was playing a big role with his excellent horseback swordsmanship. ¡°Orc!¡± The orc warriors had been firing crossbows from the back line until now. But they suddenly charged towards Madrica, perhaps they noticed the arrival of Eugene and the other mercenaries. The orc warriors were holding battle axes in both hands and had long, braided hair. Their appearances were truly terrifying. ¡°Sir Eugene! Looks like the orcs are trying to subdue Sir Madrica to take him into the woods as they escape!¡± ¡°Take him and run?¡± ¡°They can get a ransom for a knight. Even if they can''t, taking his horse and equipment will be extremely beneficial to them.. Sir Eugene, we are running out of time!¡± In the meantime, the orc warriors ran forward and arrived in front of Madrica¡¯s horse. The frightened horse stopped and reared on its hind legs, and two orc warriors rushed to the horse¡¯s sides. Madrica had already used up all the javelins, so he attempted to retaliate with his longsword, but he struggled against three opponents. ¡°Partec, take these men and save the mercenaries. I will help Sir Madrica.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Around thirty mercenaries charged while shouting valiantly. Originally, there were less than 10 applicants, but the situation changed when it became known that Eugene played a massive role in the dungeon opening of the Tywin territory. Some mercenaries who fought alongside him began to join the subjugation without hesitation, which caused other observers to join in as well. ¡°Sir Eugene will take care of the orcs!¡± ¡°We only need to kill the goblins!¡± ¡°Uwahhhh!¡± Leaving behind the brave shouts of the mercenaries, Silion dashed through the meadow like the wind. ¡®Fast!¡¯ To think that a war horse with pedigree was this amazing! Eugene was greatly shocked and pleased with Silion¡¯s speed as he grabbed a javelin from the side of the saddle. The horse was easily faster than himself, a vampire, even if he sprinted at maximum speed. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go! Kiyaaaahhhhoooo!¡± Mirian shouted excitedly while hanging off Silion¡¯s mane, and Eugene leaned back after placing the javelin on his spear thrower. Perhaps hearing the sound of Silion¡¯s hooves, one of the orc warriors surrounding Madrica turned towards Eugene. ¡°Kuwuuugh!¡± The orc¡¯s roar resonated in the air, filled with the power of its fear. Eugene¡¯s eyes turned a shade redder as he invoked his vampiric powers to resist the fear. ¡®This is!?¡¯ In that moment, Eugene sensed an intangible power emitting from his body and shooting towards the orc warriors. ¡®Fear.¡¯ He worried that he might scare Silion, but the horse continued without pause, as if to prove that he wasn¡¯t an ordinary war horse. ¡°Haap!¡± Eugene released his breath and threw the spear as hard as he could. Fwoooosh! The 1.5-meter javelin shot forward like an arrow. It flew 30 meters in a blink of the eye, then pierced the chest of an orc warrior. ¡°Kuwwwuugh!¡± The orc warrior flew back and collapsed while screaming bitterly. Even the chainmail it wore on the inside was pierced through. As soon as the monster screamed in pain, the other two turned their heads. Madrica was a competent knight as well, and he did not miss the moment of opportunity. ¡°Kueeugh!¡± Madrica¡¯s longsword drew an arc through the air and struck an orc warrior on the shoulder. Subsequently, Eugene narrowed the distance in a single breath on Silion, then swung down with his battle axe. ¡°¡­..!?¡± The orc warrior stiffened in front of Eugene¡¯s Fear, which was much stronger than its own. Thuck! The remaining orc warrior¡¯s head was decapitated in a single blow, and the orc warrior fell forward without a scream. ¡®Good. It will be very effective if I can secretly utilize Fear like this in the future.¡¯ Combined with the powerful charge of Silion, it would surely be a devastating weapon ¡°Kueegh! Kueuk!¡± Thuck! The surviving orc warrior was trying to escape with blood spouting from its shoulder, but Madrica¡¯s longsword was quickly thrust into its back. ¡°I owe you a huge deal!¡± Madrica turned his horse gracefully while shaking the blood off his sword. ¡°Sir Eugene, right? Your honorable deeds and outstanding performance. I, Ron Madrica, have trained under Sir Capran for many years, yet I truly¡­ Huh? S-sir!?¡± ¡°There are still goblins remaining. Stop talking and join the subjugation.¡± ¡°Ah! Of course!¡± Madrica was about to go off on a cheesy speech even in such a situation. But he quickly scurried after Eugene¡¯s chiding. *** As soon as Eugene and Madrica joined, the battle quickly ended. The process was rather dull. Cavalry could display their greatest power in a meadow, and mere goblins could not repel the attacks of knights amidst their charge on top of armed warhorses. The goblins scattered and fled when the two knights swung their spears and swords on top of their horses. The mercenaries easily took care of the disorganized monsters. In the end, only about ten goblins managed to survive and escape into the forest. The mercenaries shouted rather vigorously after having confirmed their victory. What followed was the exercising of the victors¡¯ rights. At Madrica¡¯s command, the mercenaries looted the monsters¡¯ weapons and the objects they looted from various villages. At the same time, Partec and a portion of the group tore open the stomachs of larger goblins. Orcs did not possess mana stones because they were a race rather than monsters, but goblins, even roamers, sometimes possessed mana stones. ¡°Sir Eugene! We found six mana stones!¡± ¡°Good work.¡± The number was incomparably less than what he gained from the expedition and the size was significantly smaller as well, but Eugene placed them inside a leather bag regardless. ¡°Hey, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Hmm? Do you have business with me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s just that.¡± Madirca coughed awkwardly before continuing politely. Blood was painted all over his armor. ¡°I want to apologize for being disrespectful towards you earlier. Although I have not been sworn in yet, I can proudly say that I follow the creed of knights more faithfully than anyone else. I pursue honor and chivalry, and I find that you are a true example of chivalry. Anyone who lives by the sword might find you exemplary ¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Just pass this on to the recruiter after you¡¯re done organizing the battlefield. I am new to Maren, so I am unfamiliar with the process.¡± Eugene threw the leather pouch towards him while speaking, and Madrica nodded as he received it. ¡°Oh! Leave it to me. Anyway, let us have a drink together next time. It¡¯s on me. Actually, if you have time today¡­¡± ¡°Yes, next time. Please excuse me.¡± Eugene had no intention of having a drinking party with such a talkative knight, so he quickly pulled on the reins and made his exit. ¡°Goodbye! You were truly amazing today, Sir Eugene! I will see you next time!¡± Madrica shouted brightly while standing on the bloody battlefield, and Eugene returned to Maren with Partec¡¯s group. *** ¡°No, but why did you purchase the horse so quickly?¡± ¡°Vice executive was the one who ordered me to process it quickly, right? Sir Eugene liked it very much. He asked me to let you know that he was very grateful.¡± ¡°Well, of course he would be grateful! I would be too, if someone gifted me something worth 300 silver coins for free!¡± ¡°So why are you acting this way? You were the one who asked me to get him a horse as a gift. Did something happen?¡± Priscilla responded with a sigh. ¡°That sir knight, he already has a contract with Bilmoa. The conditions weren¡¯t so bad for our association either.¡± ¡°What? S-so, before he even came to our association¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Mister Bilmoa told me that the knight hinted at it even when they were at Lord Tywin¡¯s castle.¡± ¡°What?! Why did Bilmoa not mention something so important until now!?¡± Grail raised his voice, and Priscilla answered with a bitter smile. ¡°It was a dungeon opening. They had a shortage of troops and there was less than fifty percent chance of success. Mister Bilmoa was already underperforming, so he could not speak of something that was only speculative.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, he seemed quite shocked that the knight actually came. He never even thought the Tywin family would sign a long-term contract to get loans.¡± ¡°Huh! My goodness. So there was no need for us to give him a horse?¡± ¡°Yes. There was absolutely no need to give him such an expensive horse.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± They paid a huge price for their speculation. But the terms of the contract with Knight Eugene was so good that these two did not know whether to laugh or to cry. Favorite CH 21 ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Grail spoke while licking his lips vainly. Priscilla responded with a smile, ¡°Still, we aren¡¯t making a loss since the terms of the contract are quite good. Besides, that sir knight apparently played a huge part in the dungeon opening at the Tywin estate.¡± ¡°How good could he be? Even if he is indeed quite capable, he¡¯s probably less than Sir Galfredik.¡± ¡°You know the materials that were brought in today? I heard he took care of more than half of the monsters.¡± ¡°Huh? Come on, don¡¯t joke around like that¡­¡± ¡°Vice executive! Vice executive!¡± The door burst open and a clerk ran in while shouting excitedly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The subjugation squad has returned from the east forest! That sir knight named Eugene, he saved Sir Madrica and killed two orc warriors by himself!¡± ¡°Eh?!¡± *** The area in front of the mercenary guild¡¯s headquarters was bustling. The bodies of fallen mercenaries were placed neatly to one side, and the corpses of goblins and orc warriors were placed on the other. ¡°In honor of those who willingly raised their swords, spears, and shields for the free city of Maren, which is protected by faith¡­¡± The guild leader and recruiter, Trevik, solemnly recited a tribute, and all the gathered residents of Maren took off their hats and bowed their heads with respect. Although mercenaries sold their services for money, they deserved respect for fighting in response to Maren¡¯s recruitment notice. The short joint funeral ended shortly after, and priests from the church transported the bodies of the dead with the help of other mercenaries. There were about 20 casualties. The bodies of those who were killed while fighting monsters could be tainted with evil energy, so a prayer was a necessity as well as a show of respect. ¡°Anyways, where did Sir Eugene disappear off to?¡± Trevik asked while looking around. Eugene, the protagonist of today¡¯s battle, was nowhere to be found. ¡°He should be resting in his home right now.¡± ¡°Ah! Well, he did kill two orc warriors and dozens of goblins by himself. He must be exhausted. Anyways, I heard that Sir Eugene¡¯s skill with the javelin is incredible, is that true?¡± ¡°Phew! There¡¯s no need to even mention it. I saw him lean back slightly after taking his hands off the reins, then he threw his javelin like lightning! It crossed 50 meters in the blink of an eye, pierced through the chest of the orc, then flew another 10 meters!¡± It was actually 30 meters instead of 50. The javelin also did not pierce through the orc, but was instead stuck in its body. Unfortunately, these mercenaries had been too occupied during the battle that they could only speculate based on the corpses of the monsters Eugene had killed. Furthermore, the rumors about Eugene were starting to get out of hand thanks to a particular person¡¯s testimony. ¡°I, Ron Madrica, can say with certainty that it was the first time I saw a knight, so brave, honorable, and chivalrous, since my master, Sir Capran. Sir Eugene is truly one of the greatest knights I¡¯ve ever met.¡± Madrica spoke in a rather cheesy voice. ¡°¡­Sir Eugene¡¯s spear attacks were like lightning bolts! When he wielded two battle axes in his hands, it was as if a legendary dwarven warrior had descended. As a man who lives by the sword and walks the path of a knight, I respect and admire Sir Eugene.¡± Madrica was well known for his arrogance and bad temper. When he spoke endless praise about Eugene, the people surrounding him burst into admiration. In addition, there was another person who told stories that ignited the curiosity of the crowd, though he was not as influential as Madrica. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m telling you! He pulled out the head of a troll with his bare hands! Even though it was a dark, dim dungeon, I swear I saw a halo behind his head. And that¡¯s not all. After he killed the immature troll and its mother, he fought against a giant cave spider. He did all of that in a few hours!¡± ¡°By himself? He fought against intermediate-rank monsters in succession by himself?¡± A mercenary asked while gulping loudly, and Lavan responded with a sigh. ¡°Ha! Of course, I was there as well when we ran into the giant cave spider. Back then, I was about to help Sir Eugene when¡­¡± The stories of his past feats and today¡¯s performance, combined with an appropriate dose of exaggeration, spread throughout the city in no time at all. As such, Eugene became a celebrity on his first day in Maren. *** ¡°Is that so? How many were killed?¡± ¡°Seventeen in total. St Valiant¡¯s church will cremate and store the remains in the charnel house. By the way, about the knight I mentioned before.¡± ¡°Sir Jan Eugene, right? What about him?¡± Maren¡¯s mayor showed curiosity at Tervik¡¯s words. The stories regarding Eugene had already reached the mayor as well. ¡°The mercenaries may have exaggerated a little, but we would have missed the orcs and the roamers from the Brandish Mountains without the knight.¡± ¡°Hooh.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I was thinking. Although there were only three orcs, it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve achieved victory in two years, right? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea to promote it, what do you think?¡± ¡°Hmm. Didn¡¯t the knight say he was going back to the Tywin estate soon? He¡¯s going back anyway, so is it really necessary?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for Sir Eugene. It¡¯s because our city needs it. The royalists have been snooping around since last year, correct? At such a time, a knight from outside responded to our city¡¯s recruitment notice and wiped out the orcs from the Brandish Mountains.¡± ¡°Hooh! So you¡¯re saying we should send a message to some of the nearby royalist lords.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly right. We should not limit ourselves to only the City of Maren, but also keep the security and stability of the surrounding areas. But what did our distinguished king and the royalists do? They¡¯re so greedy for money and mana stones that they¡¯re only focused on plundering it!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Right? Doing that alone will have a significant effect. Why don¡¯t you put his feats into the city report and spread it to the nearby lords and nobles?¡± Even the king could not easily mess with a large commercial city like Maren, but that did not mean that Maren could rise against the monarchy and become independent like the cities of the Carls Baggins Peninsula. As such, the city sent quarterly reports to the royal castle, though it was mostly formality. The reports outlined mundane activities of the city, but for some reason, the reports always included military activities. It was an underlying message and warning against the royal castle and the surrounding nobles, an open display of power and the level of combat ability that the city could mobilize at any time. ¡°It¡¯s a brilliant idea. But will the guild leaders approve of this?¡± The mayor was just a representative of the city. The general intentions of the city stemmed from the guild leaders. If the majority of the leaders disapproved of their decision, their discussion here would be in vain. ¡°I agree. The merchant guild will definitely agree as well.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. The Palin Association is taking care of Sir Eugene right now. They have an established contract regarding the dungeon of the Tywin estate. It seems to be a rather large deal.¡± The current guild master of the merchant¡¯s guild was the previous master of the Palin Association. Although he wasn¡¯t the kind of person to use his status for his own people, since the issue regarding Eugene would be helpful to the merchant guild and the City of Maren, he would surely agree. ¡°Hooh. That¡¯s great. Then let¡¯s get it going. We¡¯ll provide him with more than enough compensation and give him sufficient treatment. Ah, yes, it would be nice if we could give him a gift while representing the city as a whole. What would be good?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Trevik pondered for a while, then spoke while snapping his fingers. ¡°I saw that knight earlier and he was only wearing a chain mail. Why don¡¯t we give him a nice set of plate mail? We can also engrave the small symbol of our city on the armor as well.¡± ¡°That is an excellent idea. The more the knight is active and the more he performs brilliantly on the battlefield, the more popular our city would become. No, forget plate mail. Let¡¯s go bigger. We have our city¡¯s reputation to think about, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The commercial city was overflowing with money, and the mayor of such a city was quite generous in his thinking as well. *** ¡°You want me to move?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene. Our vice executive rented a first-class room from a top-class inn that shares a strong relationship with our association, specifically for you! Naturally, the Palin Association will pay the fees.¡± ¡°Hmm. I would appreciate it. But what about the mercenaries who came with me? They will be accompanying me when I head back to the Tywin estate. It would be rather difficult if we were separated.¡± Grail was taken aback by Eugene¡¯s words, but he answered after quickly regaining his smile, ¡°N-naturally, they will be given rooms at the same inn.¡± ¡°And the Palin Association will pay for it as well?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, ¡± Grail answered rather hesitantly. He looked slightly sullen as well. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go right away.¡± Eugene took off his helmet while answering. For some reason, he seemed to be getting lucky in many ways. When Grail saw Eugene¡¯s revealed face, his sullen expression transformed into a daze. ¡®His appearance is truly¡­¡¯ ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± ¡°Ah, no! Nothing! Then I will be waiting outside. Ah, our employees will move all of your equipment, so you only need to take what you need for now.¡± Grail bowed before hurrying out. ¡°Sir Eugene, I would be careful of that rat-like merchant if I were you. The way he was looking at you¡­ It was the same as those bastards who were sucking and biting each other butt naked in my pond¡­¡± ¡°Shut up and take care of Silion in the stables.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± *** Eugene moved to the new accommodations along with Partec and the rest of the group under the guidance of the Palin Association¡¯s employees. Befitting of its name ¡®The Heavenly Constellations,¡¯ the first-class room from a top-class inn was truly grand. Not a speck of dust could be found on the maple furniture and the bed. The walls and floors were smooth and shiny as well. ¡°We need to live in a place like this in the future. If we get a castle one day, we need to make it exactly the same as this. Glamorous, noble, and elegant! So that anyone will be struck with awe the moment they walk in! We can cover the whole place with gold! Hmm? Please?¡± Mirian chattered with excitement and greed. Rather than the spirit of water, she sounded like the spirit of desire. Ignoring her, Eugene quickly unpacked before heading to the room of Partec¡¯s group. ¡°Sir Eugene, you¡¯re here,¡± Partec greeted Eugene with a bright smile. Even the general room was unbelievably spacious and pleasant compared to the room of the Rose Castle, where they had been squeezed together. ¡°I never thought I would ever stay in a room that costs two silvers per night. It is all thanks to Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°The Palin Association¡¯s paying for it anyways. Anyway, we will be leaving as soon as I get my armor, right? Is there anything else we should do before we leave?¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, since they¡¯ve gifted you a horse and moved us here, don¡¯t you think it would be appropriate to meet with the vice executive of the Palin Association at least once?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. I think the vice executive wants to establish a good relationship with Sir Eugene. Obviously, they must be treating you more generously after considering your relationship with the Tywin family, but I think it would be good to thank her for the gifts. And one more thing.¡± Lavan and Glade left the room as Partec gestured. ¡°I think the results of today¡¯s battle will be reported to the mayor. Guild Leader Trevik hinted earlier today.¡± ¡°The mayor?¡± Eugene responded with a frown. Even if a major was different from lords, he was rather reluctant to meet with those in power. ¡°No matter what anyone says, Sir Eugene was the greatest contributor to today¡¯s battle. Besides, it¡¯s been a while since we killed any of the orcs from the Brandish Mountains. They will praise your performance at the city level. It will make your identity even more perfect than before.¡± ¡°I see. Then should I meet with the mayor?¡± ¡°Probably not. They will send an agent to give you appropriate compensation, and perhaps even award you a medal. A medal has no real uses, so you could just put it away somewhere appropriate.¡± ¡°Hmm, so I shouldn¡¯t face anything bothersome, correct?¡± ¡°The celebrities of Maren could send you invitations starting tomorrow, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene showed signs of discomfort, and Partec quickly continued, ¡°If you want to refuse, use your injuries as an excuse. If you say your broken wrist from the dungeon¡¯s acting up again, they will understand. Ah, and you can say you have a couple of broken ribs as well, since it was a very fierce battle.¡± ¡°That sounds believable.¡± Eugene nodded satisfactorily. Partec was certainly skilled, but Eugene liked him because he was quick-witted. ¡°Excuse me, Sir Eugene. You have a guest,¡± Lavan spoke after carefully opening the door. ¡°A guest?¡± ¡°Yes. From the Bestissark Armor Workshop.¡± ¡°Betissark Armor Workshop is¡­¡± It was one of the places he stopped by earlier when he was shopping for weapons and armor. The Betissark Armor Workshop was the number one armor shop in Maren, and it was run by a pair of dwarf brothers. Of course, as soon as Eugene heard that a regular plate mail cost 80 silver coins, he immediately left. ¡°Hello there, sir. It is an honor to meet the Orc Slayer of Bangle Forest!¡± When Lavan opened the door, a sturdy dwarf spoke while entering the room. ¡°Nice to meet you. You came to see me?¡± ¡°That is correct. I received a request for armor under your name, sir, so I came to see if there was anything you wanted to request specifically for the armor.¡± ¡°Hmm? But I never ordered armor from your workshop.¡± ¡°Huh? That can¡¯t be. You are Sir Jan Eugene, aren¡¯t you? The knight who beat up the roamer goblins and the orcs at noon today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­¡± Eugene tilted his head in confusion. Partec stepped in. ¡°There seems to be a mistake. Sir Eugene ordered a plate mail from the Lane Defense Shop located right next to the Betissark Armor Workshop, not the Betissark Workshop.¡± ¡°No way! The mayor personally placed the order not too long ago. Moreover, it¡¯s not regular plate mail either, but plate armor. That¡¯s why I am here to get the sir¡¯s dimensions and to see if he has any special requests.¡± ¡°T-the mayor? And what did you say!? Plate armor!?¡± Partec was not easily surprised, but his mouth went wide agape upon hearing the dwarf¡¯s words. Eugene did not fully comprehend the situation, so he stayed silent. ¡°Well, how about this? Lane, he¡¯s probably just started tapping the iron plate. I''ll cancel the order. He¡¯s the student of us brothers, so he should listen to us. Unfortunately, you won¡¯t be able to get the deposit back¡­" The dwarf spoke while stroking his beard, then continued with a shrug. ¡°Let¡¯s just say you bought plate armor for the price of a down payment for a plate mail. What do you think, Sir Eugene? The mayor¡¯s already paid the full price, so I can¡¯t cancel the order now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s measure the dimensions.¡± A plate armor for only ten silver coins was a deal that anyone in their right mind would never refuse. CH 22 ¡°Sir Grandlph of Easel is inviting Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Lady Martina, the successor of the Yingsman family, will prepare a banquet for Sir Eugene¡­¡± Partec¡¯s expectations were on point. The next morning, people from Maren¡¯s noble and influential families flocked to the Heavenly Constellations to invite Eugene to various events of their hosting. ¡°Ha! The Yingsman family? A nobleman who only knows how to chase after the royalists would dare to invite a Sir Knight who responded to Maren¡¯s recruitment notice? Do you have no dignity?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t your master associate himself with the rebels of Carls Baggins? Do you really think a dignified knight who lives by the code of chivalry will clink glasses with the traitors of the kingdom?¡± ¡°What did you say!? Is that all you can say?¡± ¡°If you want me to, I can talk like this for a day without stopping!¡± As a result, arguments broke out between families who were on bad terms. However, it did not matter to Eugene. ¡°Thank you for the invitations, but my injuries will prevent me from moving about. I must get some rest for the next few days, so unfortunately, I will have to decline this time around.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I thought that would be the case. My master, Sir Rasnick, prepared the finest mana stone as a gift for you, Sir Eugene. It will be of great help for you to recover, Sir Eugene.¡± Some even offered highest-quality mana stones, which were extremely expensive. However, Eugene turned down all of them. ¡°One of my ancestors is an elf, so I will recover just fine with three or four days of rest. I am truly grateful. Please let Sir Rasnik know that I am thankful for the gesture.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± They nodded after hearing his explanation. His gorgeous appearance and outstanding resilience could be attributed to his ancestry. Moreover, elves would never consume a mana stone that originated from a monster, no matter how purified it was. ¡®Mana stones are useless to me.¡¯ Eugene was a vampire. Purified mana stones imbued with the sacred power of a high priest would restore energy and slightly increase the lifespan of a human, but it was no different than poison to Eugene. However, those present did not know the truth. They were simply shocked that someone would refuse such an item, even if they did possess elven blood. In an instant, they felt admiration and goodwill towards Eugene. ¡®I cannot believe that such a knight still exists¡­¡¯ ¡®Sir Eugene is a knight who knows true honor!¡¯ Such a knight was difficult to please, but once they made up their mind, they would never betray their lord. ¡®I must bring him to our family¡­¡¯ ¡®Only a knight like him can stand next to my master!¡¯ Although Eugene had rejected their invitations, the desire to recruit Eugene in the hearts of these butlers and servants, who came here on behalf of their families, burned even brighter. *** Three days later¡­ The plate armor produced by the Betissark Armor Workshop finally arrived in Eugene¡¯s room. Usually, such a piece of equipment would take more than seven days to manufacture. However, the mayor had paid the enormous sum of 300 silver coins and personally placed the order. As such, the dwarven brothers were able to reduce the production time by a ridiculous amount. ¡°Kyahhh! Look at that glow!¡± The plate armor produced by the Betissark Armor Workshop boasted a splendid appearance. Even Mirian found it hard to nitpick such an excellent plate armor. The plate mail worn by knights such as Galfredic and Madrica were formed from many pieces of iron plates that were connected by leather straps. Each plate protected different areas of the body. However, Eugene¡¯s plate armor was joined together with hinges and links, making it much easier to wear and remove. Above all, its defenses and durability were vastly improved by etching wave-patterned grooves and carving radial lines on the surface. ¡°This piece of armor is made from a special type of steel from our Betissark Workshop. We mixed iron from Elsik with ogre bones. I hope it will be of help to Sir Eugene as you practice your chivalry.¡± Perhaps because it was a luxury product that the manager of the workshop personally delivered it. Eugene looked over the armor with a satisfied expression, then narrowed his eyes when he noticed something strange. ¡°What is this?¡± Eugene asked while pointing at a small engraving. The symbol was located on the part of the armor between the neck and the chest. ¡°Ah, that is the symbol of Maren. The mayor specifically told us to carve it on the armor.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He felt a little displeased, but he could not voice his discontent since he received it for almost free. He could not possibly complain about a tiny symbol of Maren. Moreover, the dwarven brothers also complied with all of Eugene¡¯s special requests without fail. In particular, the front section of the helmet protruded forward. Whether he raised or lowered the visor, it would perfectly shade the vampire¡¯s eyes from direct sunlight. ¡°By the way, it seems Sir Eugene is quite fond of the color black.¡± The manager asked carefully, and Eugene nodded. ¡°That is true. In addition, it would be troublesome if the armor reflected light at night or inside a dungeon.¡± It wasn¡¯t completely true. He asked for it to be black because he did not want the armor to reflect sunlight during the day. ¡°As expected! The masters of our workshop also guessed that would be the reasoning behind Sir Eugene¡¯s request.¡± ¡°They know a knight¡¯s thoughts, as I would expect from excellent craftsmen. Anyways, I am grateful. I will be careful with it.¡± ¡°Thank you. Unless it is completely wrecked, we will repair it free of charge for three years. If you ever run into any problems with the armor, please visit the Betissark Workshop at any time.¡± ¡°I will.¡± The manager and the workshop employees left, and Eugene exchanged his chain mail for the plate armor. It was definitely easier to wear, and there were almost no inconveniences in terms of moving around. It was certainly a piece of armor created by the best dwarven craftsmen in Maren. ¡®Since I have Black Scales, I will not need to wear extra armor inside either.¡¯ Eugene was very satisfied. Not only was he able to dispose of the monster materials at a more generous price than originally planned, but he also received rewards from the battle as well as a high-end plate armor, which was no different from a verification of identity from Maren¡¯s mayor. ¡®I obtained Silion as well.¡¯ Eugene left the room, certain that he had made an excellent choice coming to Maren. Even if he considered his plate armor as a reward for taking care of the roamer goblins and orcs, Silion was a different case. The warhorse even possessed an extraordinary pedigree. Before he left the city, it would only be right to give his greetings to the one who showed him such favor. *** ¡°You still haven¡¯t met that knight named Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Priscilla bowed her head while answering. Her grandfather was the head of Maren¡¯s merchant guild and the former head of the Palin Association. He was well over 60 years old, but Priscilla still found it difficult to deal with his energy, even though he had retired many years ago. ¡°A pedigree horse from the Agiles Stables, a first-class room at the Heavenly Constellations. You showered him with quite a few gifts. It must be because he is worth the investment, right?¡± enquired her grandfather. ¡°Of course. If he yields similar results from the Tywin family¡¯s dungeon one more time, we will fully recover the investment.¡± ¡°And you are satisfied with only recovering the investment?¡± ¡°How could I be? I believe Sir Eugene is a knight worthy of a solid investment from the headquarters.¡± ¡°On what basis?¡± ¡°Firstly, the boy who has been working as Bilmoa¡¯s new assistant is Sir Eugene¡¯s aide. He is also the younger brother of the new Lord Tywin.¡± ¡°Perhaps the knight thinks little of his aide, since he is sending the child to an association.¡± ¡°That is possible. But I don¡¯t think¡­ I don¡¯t think that Sir Eugene sent his aide to our association because he thinks little of him.¡± ¡°Hooh?¡± Her grandfather showed curiosity. Priscilla hurriedly continued, ¡°He seemed like a very ambitious knight. According to Bilmoa, he headed to Lord Tywin¡¯s castle to have his status verified. But even in front of the castle¡¯s knights, he remained extremely confident.¡± ¡®Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. The eldest son, the new lord of Tywin, was indifferent towards Sir Eugene at first. But after only a few days, he started acting very friendly towards Sir Eugene. Moreover¡­" Priscilla recounted the stories she heard from the three mercenaries who were following Bilmoa and Eugene. Of course, she did not forget to flavor the stories appropriately, processing it according to her interests. In fact, 70% of it was true, 20% of it was exaggerated, and 10% of it reflected her expectations. He was arrogant enough to not visit his benefactor, even though several days had already passed since he received such an expensive gift. Priscilla was mistaking his arrogance as ¡®ambitions¡¯, which fueled her expectations. ¡°He rejected all the invitations from the city¡¯s influential figures, right? He apparently attributed it to his injuries, but when I asked the Heavenly Constellations'' employees, he did not appear to have any trouble moving around. He was only making excuses.¡± ¡°Hmm. That is why a lot of people are a little frustrated. They are only staying still because the knight¡¯s achievements are so great, and because he did not accept even a single person¡¯s invitation.¡± Priscilla¡¯s grandfather, the merchant guild¡¯s leader, stroked his beard while recalling the views of Maren¡¯s influential figures regarding the knight named Jan Eugene. ¡°See? He must be a knight aiming for someplace higher. A knight¡¯s value can only be measured by his skills and merit, right? Even though his appearance and rise is akin to that of a shooting star, I think that he is still valuable as an investment.¡± ¡°Hoohoo. It¡¯s good to see you speak so confidently after a long time. In fact, my thoughts are not much different from yours.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandfather.¡± In fact, she exaggerated a little because of her pride, since she felt that she spent too much money on the warhorse. But Priscilla felt confident after receiving her grandfather¡¯s positive response. ¡°Even though it¡¯s only recently that he became popular, fame has always been spontaneous like that. We never know one day, a random person on the street might become popular out of nowhere. ¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°It is a merchant¡¯s virtue to recognize and catch such talents before others. Even though he hasn¡¯t shown much yet, only amateurs would say that his investment value has yet to be verified.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°The investment, go ahead with it. I will speak to your father separately. Even if he stops after making a name for himself in this region, do not feel too pressured. You will definitely recover the investment no matter what.¡± ¡°Yes! Thank you for trusting me.¡± Prisiclla expression brightened at the words of her grandfather. Even though he was now retired, he still held the majority shares of the Palin Association. ¡®Anyways, he¡¯s not going to leave just like this, right? Ah, do I have to visit him personally? He wouldn¡¯t turn me away at the door, would he?¡¯ Priscilla was having such thoughts when an employee carefully opened the door and entered. ¡°Vice Executive, Sir Jan Eugene is here!¡± ¡°How timely.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Priscilla held back her desire to jump up and down, secretly clenching her fist in joy. *** ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Priscilla, vice executive of Maren¡¯s branch of the Palin Association.¡± ¡°Jan Eugene. Thank you for giving me the horse as a gift.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Here, please. Take a seat, Sir Eugene.¡± Eugene expected her to be extravagant as the vice executive of a large business association, but to his surprise, Priscilla appeared more modest than his expectations. Eugene sat down after shaking hands with her. But unlike Eugene¡¯s first impression of her, Priscilla was quite shocked. ¡®This is the terrifying knight who pulled out the head of a troll with his bare hands? The knight who pierced a hole in the chest of an orc warrior with a spear? Really?¡¯ Eugene looked tall and fit, but most knights were both tall and fit anyway, so there was nothing new. However, his face was the problem. His long black hair was rich and thick. His soft, delicate skin was pale, and his red eyes radiated a strange heat even in the middle of the day. . Such a person was too good to simply describe as a handsome man. ¡°Was the horse to your liking? I heard you rode around the horse without any problems in the battle a few days ago.¡± asked Priscilla. ¡°I am very satisfied with the steed. Thank you once again.¡± ¡°I am glad to hear you speak such words.¡± It wasn¡¯t just a formality. Priscilla actually felt happy. Firstly, she managed to score a few extra points with her grandfather due to Eugene¡¯s excellent timing. Moreover¡­ ¡®He said thank you twice in a row, even though this is our first meeting.¡¯ Although she obtained information regarding the knight in advance from Bilmoa, Priscilla was not na?ve enough to believe everything she heard. All the knights she knew were barbaric and violent, treating all merchants as their subordinates regardless of the size and the status of their business associations. But Eugene, whom she finally met, was somehow different. It was extremely rare to find a knight gently expressing their gratitude to a merchant. ¡°I heard you were going back to the Tywin territory. Are you planning to continue to clear the dungeon there?¡± ¡°To do that, I would have to become a knight of Lord Tywin. Unfortunately, I have no intention of becoming Lord Tywin''s knight. But since I took on Felid as my aide, I plan to clear the dungeon one more time out of obligation.¡± ¡°Ah! If it¡¯s Felid, you are referring to the young master who is learning from Mister Bilmoa, right? Rumor has it in the business community that he is very clever. Of course, an outstanding knight like Sir Eugene would not have taken him in if not for that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to hear that.¡± ¡°So I take it that our association will be taking care of Young Master Felid for the time being?¡± ¡°Considering your relationship with the Tywin family, wouldn¡¯t that be in the best interest of the Palin Association as well?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. You¡¯re right.¡± She was trying to establish a relationship with Eugene, Felid¡¯s master, under the pretext of ¡®taking care of Felid,¡¯ but Eugene cleverly changed the subject and involved the Tywin family. ¡®This isn¡¯t easy.¡¯ Eugene¡¯s looks had charmed Priscilla, but she quickly came to her senses. However, she realized now that the knight in front of her was not an easy opponent to deal with by any means. ¡°Sir Eugene. You said that you will use our association to dispose of materials gained from monsters in your next subjugation, is that right?¡± ¡°Correct. Just like this time, I will still be using the Tywin family as my proxy.¡± ¡°Yes. Then¡­ forgive me for asking, but are you willing to participate in other dungeon or labyrinth subjugations?¡± ¡°If I get the chance, that is what I am planning.¡± Eugene nodded in agreement. For now, that was the only way he could obtain red mana stones. ¡°Ah! Then could I make a suggestion?¡± ¡°A suggestion?¡± ¡°¡°Yes. I am not sure if Sir Eugene is aware, but our association operates outside of Maren as well. This is the main branch, but there are other branches all over the kingdom. Our branches also exist in two ports of the Roman Empire."¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°And our branches also conduct business with families that have evil lands in their territories, just like the Tywin family. So, maybe... No, I am certain that we can arrange a subjugation related to the Palin Association for you to participate in, Sir Eugene.¡± CH 23 It was an exceptional suggestion. What Eugene needed now the most was to enter as many dungeons as possible other than the one in the Tywin territory. He would have to clear as many dungeons and labyrinths as possible to kill special monsters and obtain red mana stones, which in turn, would grant him their abilities. In addition, he would be able to rid himself of the tattoos covering his body. ¡®What will happen when all the tattoos disappear? What if the first two incidents were mere coincidences?¡¯ The memory that resurfaced after he consumed the red mana stone of the giant spider cave was a clue to trace his past. Perhaps more memories would resurface if he continued to consume more red mana stones. In the end, Eugene still had to enter many dungeons to confirm his theories. However, he was not foolish enough to jump at Priscilla¡¯s tempting suggestion right away. ¡°I think you are offering me such a deal because there is something you want from me in return.¡± ¡°That is correct. That is why I am making you an offer, ¡± Priscilla calmly continued. It seemed that she was finally making some progress. ¡°Until you are officially sworn in, the Palin Association will sponsor you, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Sponsor me?¡± ¡°Yes. Naturally, we will provide you with as much support as possible whenever you participate in subjugation and throughout your journey. In return, we will take an exclusive responsibility with the families possessing the dungeons. Of course, the terms and contents of the contracts will be discussed with Sir Eugene in advance. I promise you the best treatment.¡± ¡°Hmm. This is not a decision I can make right away.¡± ¡°Of course. We do not want to rush it either.¡± Truthfully, she wanted nothing more than to close the contract right away, but Priscilla feigned a leisurely smile and continued, ¡°For now, focus on the second subjugation of the Tywin family¡¯s dungeon. The next time you return to Maren, you can let us know your decision about this offer. ¡°All right. But let me ask you something.¡± ¡°Ask away.¡± ¡°Why me? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the only knight in Maren. I am certain that there are many outstanding knights out there.¡± Eugene asked in a calm voice. His eyes seemed to penetrate through Priscilla. It was hard to explain, but his clear red eyes and low, deep voice seemed to contain a strange power. Was it charisma? An instinctive fear of knights? Whatever it was, Priscilla was once again convinced that Eugene was not an ordinary person. ¡°The first reason is Sir Eugene¡¯s skills. I¡¯ve already heard and confirmed Sir Eugene¡¯s skills from the mercenaries who participated in the dungeon subjugation. . I apologize for doing this without your permission.¡± ¡°That is fine. And?¡± ¡°Yes. In addition, we also verified the results of the battle that occurred in front of Bangle Forest. From these two events, we were convinced that Sir Eugene has exceptional skills. And lastly¡­" Priscilla gulped before continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to say this¡­ but business associations tend to shy away from sponsoring knights. There are quite a few¡­ unique figures among the knights. Should I call it an uncertainty? We want to establish a stable relationship, but knights tend to be unpredictable.¡± Priscilla felt anxious while gauging Eugene¡¯s response. She spoke such words because she was somewhat confident, but she was still worried that he would be offended that she was speaking badly of knights. ¡°I fully understand. There are definitely many knights who are impatient and unusual.¡± Eugene¡¯s reaction was unexpected. Priscilla quickly continued whilst she tried to calm her beating heart, ¡°Yes. But we came to the conclusion that Sir Eugene was different from those knights. As such, until you are officially sworn in, we would like to sponsor you. During that period¡­¡± Priscilla¡¯s explanation was long, but the main points were simple. ¡®It¡¯s not much different from being sworn in to a noble, right?¡¯ At least, the duties expected of Eugene by the Palin Association and their support during their sponsorship would be similar that of an appointed knight and a noble. He was quite certain, since he heard all the details about being sworn in from Galfredik. In fact, the large knight had jabbered on and on until Eugene started bleeding from his ears. If there were any differences, it would be that the relationship would not be hierarchical. Rather, it would be an equal relationship with both parties bound by a contract. In addition, he could terminate their cooperation at any time depending on the situation. ¡®It¡¯s not bad.¡¯ He would have to give it a closer look, but the conditions appeared fine. If he was appointed by a nobleman with a certain status, his freedom to participate in different subjugations would be limited. On the other hand, he could enter numerous dungeons and labyrinths through the many branches of the Palin Association without any restrictions. ¡°What do you think?¡± Priscilla asked with anticipation, and Eugene nodded. ¡°It seems fine. Let¡¯s go ahead with it. We will fill out the contract next time we meet.¡± ¡°Ah! Thank¡­¡± ¡°However, I will not sign a contract based on a period of time. Let¡¯s go with the number of subjugations. For now, perhaps two or three times. We can talk again afterwards. What do you think?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Priscilla stopped herself from saying that she needed to discuss it with her superiors and nodded as naturally as possible. ¡°I think that is a great idea. Let¡¯s do that.¡± She needed to finish this contract by herself, by whatever means necessary. She could not discuss it with her grandfather or father at this moment. Going by the number of subjugations ¨C the terms had never crossed her mind, but she could make it work somehow. Even if the terms stated that the knight would only have to participate in three subjugations before the contract ended, it still meant that she could tie down the knight to the Palin Association for at least a year. ¡°We can discuss the details next time. Oh, by the way.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Priscilla raised her head with a pleasant sense of accomplishment. However, her emotions disappeared without a trace as soon as she met Eugene¡¯s bright red eyes. ¡°I want to let you know just in case, but if you were planning to employ trickery, you better call this off right now. If anyone ever tries to attack me first or backstab me, I will not leave them be. Regardless of their age, race, or gender.¡± ¡°O-o-o-of course. That will never happen. I-I swear.¡± She forgot. Even though he had a gorgeous face, the man in front of her valued pride and honor above all else, and that he would rather speak with spears and swords to protect his values than with words. *** After receiving a rough, informal draft of the contract from Priscilla, Eugene found Partec. Since the mercenary was illiterate, Eugene read out the contents of the contract one by one. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Well, I think the conditions are quite good. But I have never heard about this kind of contract before. So I was thinking, why don¡¯t you ask for advice from people who are well-versed in these kinds of things?¡± ¡°Are there people like that?¡± ¡°Yes. I know some trustworthy people.¡± Afterwards, Partec introduced Eugene to three figures. One was formerly a clerk of a large mercenary group, one was a retired merchant, and the last was a legal advisor to a mercenary group. The last person was Trevik, and he also served as the mercenary guild¡¯s leader. ¡°¡­As such, there are no legal problems with the contract proposed to Sir Eugene by the Palin Association. If there¡¯s a good reason, Sir Eugene can terminate the contract at any time, and the conditions look quite good in many ways.¡± Eugene nodded after hearing Trevik¡¯s explanation. ¡®He has the same thoughts as the other two.¡¯ ¡°Then if it¡¯s beneficial for me, wouldn¡¯t the Palin Association be losing money?¡± ¡°Not at all. Regardless of how many subjugations you put forth as the term, the Palin Association will receive the rights to dispose of all the materials gained from the subjugation. If we assume a similar amount to the last subjugation, the Palin Association will benefit quite a lot.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°More than anything else, the Palin Association will benefit from the act of signing a contract with a knight like Sir Eugene, someone who has guaranteed skills. The Palin Association can brag to other associations based in other cities.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Knights with excellent skills aim to become sworn in. As such, they rarely associate themselves with business associations. That is why associations mainly sign contracts with mercenaries. To be able to sign a contract with Sir Eugene is the Palin Association''s fortune, and they can then show off their capabilities to their competitors..¡± ¡°That seems a little complicated.¡± ¡°Haha! It¡¯s nothing to mull over. I think the contract is mutually beneficial.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Before they are sworn in, the average knight often struggles financially. To maintain their honor and abilities at the same time, they sign contracts with business associations. It''s relatively common since keeping appearances as a knight uses quite a bit of money, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Eugene nodded in agreement. Although he received armor and a warhorse for free, knights were truly money devouring monsters. There was a good reason why knights wanted to be sworn in to serve nobles with status. Although knights valued honor and glory, Eugene was convinced that stable income was also an important driving force behind their desire to be sworn in. ¡°Anyways, thank you for the advice. I¡¯ve learned a lot.¡± Eugene spoke, and Trevik shook his head with a smile. ¡°Not at all. It is the least that I could do for the hero of Maren. Then will you be returning to the Tywin territory?¡± ¡°I should.¡± Eugene stood up while nodding. As if remembering something, Trevik spoke up once more, ¡°Ah, right. Perhaps because of the roamers and the orcs from the Brandish Mountains, I heard that several lords of nearby territories have been gathering mercenaries. You may come across some problems on your way, so please be careful, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you for letting me know.¡± ¡°Of course. Then please take care.¡± Eugene and Partec left the guild¡¯s office door, and Trevik muttered to himself as soon as the door closed. ¡°He¡¯s truly a fine knight. If I were ten years younger, I might have picked up my sword and followed him like Partec.¡± It wasn¡¯t just because of Eugene¡¯s skills. It had been a truly long time since he met a knight that was in his right mind, someone that he could properly communicate with. *** Eugene started heading back to the Tywin territory along with the three mercenaries. The appearance of the group today vastly differed from when they first entered Maren. Back then, they only had a single horse and a carriage. Today, however, Eugene was adorned in plate armor while riding on Silion. He truly looked like the definition of a dignified, courageous knight. The mercenaries had also invested in new equipment. They were generous with the money they earned from the dungeon subjugation. Partec wore a leather coat laden with an iron plate on the inside, chausses, which were pants armor for the legs made from mail, and a shield and mace on his back. All of his equipment were new purchases. Most of his old equipment, including his old hauberk (chainmail top) had been sold off. Glade and Lavan also purchased chainmail to strengthen their defenses and switched out their main weapons to new ones. ¡°Wow! To think that even these three would look dapper with new equipment. Jan Eugene and his dregs, no, his loyal subordinates! The legend of the count of blood begins!¡± Mirian, the spirit of desire, continued circling the party while shouting excitedly. Eugene and the mercenaries continued on their journey. *** Five days later¡­ Eugene and his party arrived at Mount Marcus without running into any problems. When passing through Mount Marcus, which marked the end of the Brandish Mountains, one had to use the road that connected the foot of the mountain to its ridge. However, even though it was located at the end of the Brandish Mountains, notorious orcs often appeared. Moreover, rumor had it that a group of goblins and orc warriors had recently made an appearance near Maren City. As such, the village at the foot of the mountain was crowded with people trying to find others to cross the mountain together. ¡°A k-knight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a real knight. The ones with him must be mercenaries.¡± When Eugene¡¯s group appeared, everyone¡¯s gaze converged on them and people began whispering. ¡°Wow¡­ look at that armor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s plate armor. That¡¯s got to be incredibly expensive.¡± ¡°And what about the horse? Look! It¡¯s even equipped with armor.¡± Naturally, Eugene received the most attention. Unless they were a knight serving a great noble, it was very rare for knights to own plate armor like Eugene. Moreover, his armor, horse, and robe were all black, which played a part in attracting everyone¡¯s attention. However, people only stole glances. No one dared to approach him nor the mercenaries around him. Eugene¡¯s group exuded a powerful and intimidating aura. ¡°Excuse me, Sir Knight. Can you give me a moment?¡± A middle-aged man wearing a long-brimmed hat politely bowed after approaching Silion. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Knight. I am a general goods merchant named Delduan. Please excuse me, but I was wondering if you would like to cross Mount Marcus along with my party? I will compensate you appropriately.¡± When Merchant Delduan¡¯s words fell, everyone¡¯s gaze focused on him and Eugene. CH 24 ¡°Are you requesting an escort?¡± Eugene questioned. Delduan cupped his hands together and gave a deep bow. ¡°Yes. There are a total of five people, including my group and the three carriages. If you accompany us over this mountain, I will provide you with 20 silver coins. Please, sir.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene wasn¡¯t lacking in money anymore. But since he would cross Mount Marcus anyway, it wasn¡¯t bad to earn some pocket money on the way. ¡°I will allow it if it¡¯s just crossing the mountain together.¡± ¡°Yes! Sir Knight. You are truly gracious. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡± Delduan quickly retrieved 20 silver coins with great joy. ¡°Partec.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± While the two men settled the account, people who had been watching from the side suddenly started flocking. ¡°Sir, Sir Knight! Can we join in as well?¡± ¡°Sir Knight, we would like to accompany you as well.¡± ¡°Sir Knight!¡± Almost all of them were merchants carrying loads on their backs. Eugene felt a little puzzled by their earnest pleas. ¡°All of you. Why did you not recruit mercenaries?¡± Whether they carried their goods on their backs or on wagons and carriages, almost all merchants hired mercenaries. Even settled merchants such as those that belonged to the Palin Association hired mercenaries when they traveled. It was only natural. However, none of the merchants gathered in the village had recruited any mercenaries. Something like this would not happen unless all of them were out of their minds. ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s because the Bommel Barony and the Fairchild Viscounty have been hiring all the active mercenaries from around this area.¡± ¡°People like us usually hire mercenaries after arriving in these villages, but all the mercenaries must have been swept up by the lords already. As you can see, there¡¯s not even a single one left.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene expressed his curiosity. Partec quickly stuck to his side and answered, ¡°Baron Bommel is the lord of this area. I heard that the relationship between the Bommel Barony and the Fairchild Viscounty has been worsening due to their shared territorial border. I think they must be preparing for a territorial battle.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Unless it was a noble family that everyone knew by name, it was quite difficult to find a lord with a large, proper, standing army. The reason was, naturally, capital. It was much cheaper to hire mercenaries when needed rather than to organize and maintain an army of more than a hundred soldiers. In the end, it would have been the same with the lords named Bommel and Fairchild. With their status, they would be in better positions than the Tywin family, but they could not fight a territorial war with only dozens of troops. As such, both sides would have to resort to recruiting as many mercenaries as possible. As a result, the merchants were stuck in this village. ¡°Hmm. What should I do?¡± His plan was to cross the mountain anyway. He allowed Delduan¡¯s group to accompany him, so he could earn some cheap change. But after witnessing the merchants¡¯ clamor, Eugene noticed that things were about to go out of control. He couldn¡¯t help but worry. Partec inched closer and whispered, ¡°Why don¡¯t you allow them to come with us? One silver coin per head, and two silver coins for every horse. It will be difficult to take all of them with us, so I think we could take about five on a first-come, first-served basis. We can escort a group of that size easily enough, including that merchant¡¯s group.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯ll do then.¡± Eugene gave his permission. Partec shouted to the surrounding merchants. They appeared quite nervous. ¡°Everyone, listen carefully! This esteemed figure is Sir Jan Eugene! He successfully subjugated a dungeon in the Tywin family¡¯s territory, and he defeated a group of goblins and orcs in Maren City!¡± ¡°Ohhh! That sir is truly¡­!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene!? He¡¯s said to have gutted two orcs with a single strike of his spear!¡± ¡°I heard he ripped apart a troll alive!¡± Although the stories were exaggerated compared to the truth, Partec felt pleased with their reactions. He raised his voice once again. ¡°That is correct! The Troll Slayer of the Tywin territory! The Orc Slayer of Maren City! Our! Sir Eugene feels sympathy for your situation and will take you with us on a first-come, first-served basis¡­¡± ¡°Me!¡± ¡°We were the first ones to ask!¡± ¡°Two! I will pay two silver coins!¡± ¡°Sir! Sir Eugene!¡± Chaos ensued even before Partec finished speaking. *** In the end, Eugene¡¯s group decided to escort 13 merchants in addition to Delduan¡¯s group. Originally, at least seven or eight mercenaries were required to safely escort such a large group, but with the presence of a knight, the number of mercenaries did not matter. Bandits, robbers, and even monsters shied away from groups with a heavily armed knight. They could not risk dozens of lives just to kill a single knight. ¡°How much did you earn?¡± ¡°44 silver coins.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Lavan stuck out his tongue in surprise. He never would have imagined earning so much money by simply crossing a mountain until today. ¡°If we follow Sir Eugene, we won¡¯t have to worry about money for the rest of our lives.¡± ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Sir Eugene is a very special person, even amongst the knights. But you shouldn¡¯t rely too much on Sir Eugene. You¡­ Are you even keeping up with your regular training?¡± ¡°Ah, of course! You saw me dueling against Glade last night, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°This little bastard, he¡¯s finally worthy as a man now. After surviving the dungeon, he must have come to his senses.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°Is that so? Keep working hard.¡± Partec patted Lavan¡¯s shoulders reassuringly as the latter flashed an awkward smile. ¡°Partec¡± Eugene suddenly called out. ¡°Yes! Sir Eugene!¡± The rest of the group hurried forward. ¡°Those people.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Partec moved his gaze to where Eugene was pointing towards. He flinched. There was a group of about 10 people sitting on a wide, flat area located in the middle of the mountain. Their gazes were fixed in the direction of Eugene¡¯s group. ¡°Probably mercenaries, right?¡± ¡°Yes. From their numbers, they seem to be employed by the lord here.¡± Meanwhile, the merchants whispered worriedly with pale expressions after discovering the presence of mercenaries. ¡°W-what if something bad happens?¡± ¡°They were hired to fight in the territorial battle. They wouldn¡¯t do something like that.¡± ¡°Right. And Sir Eugene is protecting us.¡± Merchants were well aware that mercenaries unrelated to them could turn into robbers at any time. Their gazes naturally turned towards Eugene. ¡°All of you can wait here for a moment.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene.¡± Clop, clop. Partec and the rest of the party followed behind Eugene, who rode forward on Silion. The group of mercenaries rushed up. ¡°Who are you?¡± Eugene questioned. ¡°We belong to the Red Scorpion Mercenary Corps. We were hired by Lord Bommel, the lord of this area, to protect this road. Please excuse me, but which family do you stem from, Sir?¡± After coming face-to-face with a knight adorned in a plate coat, a sharp-looking mercenary wearing two swords politely asked. Partec stepped up in Eugene¡¯s stead, ¡°This esteemed person is Sir Jan of the Eugene family.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± The mercenary bowed deeply with a startled expression, ¡°So it¡¯s Sir Eugene. I heard about your great contributions in the City of Maren. I am Mashburn of the Red Scorpion Mercenaries.¡± ¡°Mashburn, I see. Good job protecting the road. Anyways, you wouldn¡¯t mind if we passed, would you?¡± ¡°Of course not. However, what is the relationship between those people over there and yourself, Sir Eugene?¡± The mercenary pointed to the group of merchants. Partec stepped up once again. ¡°They are merchants that Sir Eugene and our group are escorting. They were stranded in the village at the mountain foot because they could not find any mercenaries to escort them across the mountain. Sir Eugene decided to help them out.¡± ¡°Hmm. Forgive me for saying this, but even though we can let Sir Eugene and your group pass, we cannot let those merchants pass as well.¡± ¡°What?¡± Partec¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits. The mercenary continued talking, stealing glances at Eugene, ¡°After passing Mount Marcus, you will find a road that leads to the Fairchild territory. Some of those merchants could be heading to Lord Fairchild¡¯s castle to sell war supplies, and Lord Bommel doesn¡¯t think too kindly of it.¡± ¡°Ha! How ridiculous. Are you really treating those people as military depot merchants? Do you not see that they are carrying their luggage on their backs?¡± ¡°I never said that they were military depot merchants.¡± ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s say, although not likely in the slightest, that those merchants did head to the Fairchild territory and conducted business. Is it not customary to leave merchants untouched even if there is a territorial dispute?¡± Merchants were motivated by money. Even if they sold supplies to one lord yesterday, they could trade with his rival lord tomorrow. Although nobles despised the merchants¡¯ attitude, they did not escalate the issue in consideration of practicality and face. ¡°I never said I would touch them. There will be no issues if they do not cross Mount Marcus.¡± Mashburn¡¯s attitude remained uncompromising. ¡°Huh!¡± Partec was speechless. Mashburn was acting far beyond his place. A mere mercenary could not act as such in front of a knight. Moreover, it was clear that he knew of Eugene¡¯s reputation. ¡®Is he acting like this because of the Bommel family?¡¯ It became certain from the attitudes of the other mercenaries standing behind Mashburn. They were hired by the lord of the land. Who would raise an objection when they were simply carrying out the lord¡¯s orders? The mercenaries were surely having such thoughts. Eugene stepped out, ¡°I have been commissioned by them and I am determined to complete it. If you want to stop me, go ahead and try it. I cannot take responsibility for whatever comes next.¡± ¡°A-are you meaning to go against Lord Bommel?¡± Mashburn could not hide his tension as he retorted. ¡°I only said I would cross this mountain with the merchants. How is that equivalent to going against Lord Bommel?¡± ¡°But we were ordered by Lord Bommel to¡­¡± ¡°If I kill all of you here and explain the situation to Lord Bommel, I think he will understand me, wouldn¡¯t you agree? Those merchants over there will stand witness for me.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± The eyes of the mercenaries became filled with disbelief. They were members of the Red Scorpion Mercenaries, and they had experienced all sorts of hardships and battles. How could this man try to threaten them in such a casual manner? Eugene flicked back his robe to show the mercenaries that this was not an empty threat. A short sword was hanging next to the saddle at the side of the plate armor. The mercenaries stepped back with a nervous expression upon seeing it. ¡®T-that is!?¡¯ Mashburn became startled after observing Eugene¡¯s armor. Right beneath the pitch of the helmet, there was an engraving of Maren¡¯s symbol. ¡®He has a close relationship with the City of Maren? I thought he was simply recruited to fight against the monsters.¡¯ Mashburn became conflicted. Even though Lord Bommel was a noble with a title, he could not become enemies with a large city like Maren. As such, if the knight did kill them all and explained the situation to Lord Bommel, the situation would most likely be resolved with a little compensation from Eugene considering the knight¡¯s relationship with Maren. Realizing the difficulty of the situation, Mashburn hurriedly spoke, ¡°Well...¡± ¡°Whether it be a knight or a mutt, it¡¯s all the same in front of numbers. Fucking hell¡­" someone commented. Mashburn jerked his head around. ¡®That crazy bastard!¡¯ He was a newbie from the countryside. He had been recruited because he possessed some skill, but since he was from the countryside, he was completely oblivious as to what a knight was truly like. Even in the past, he often uttered similar nonsense. ¡°S-Sir Eugene! That bastard is¡­¡± Kiek! Eugene raised his hand to silence Mashburn, then slowly turned his head. The rookie flinched after meeting the red gaze coming from inside the helmet. However, he shouted loudly after looking around at his colleagues. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t you agree? Let¡¯s just kill him! We have more heads and with our skills, a single measly knight¡­¡± Thuck! A dagger pierced the forehead of the newbie who shouted with excitement. ¡°Russo!¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± The rookie fell stiff to the ground like a log, his eyes still wide open. The rest of the Red Scorpion Mercenaries were startled and pulled out their weapons at once. CH 25 ¡°No wait! Just wait...¡± Mashburn shouted urgently to stop his colleagues, then froze on the spot. Without ever crossing his vision, Eugene¡¯s shortsword was now resting on his left shoulder. ¡°Just now, he wanted to kill me, so I killed him. What choices will the rest of you make?¡± ¡°Keuk!¡± It appeared as if Eugene would cut off Mashburn¡¯s head at a moment¡¯s notice. The Red Scorpion mercenaries were at a loss as they looked alternatingly at the silver blade and Eugene. No, rather, they were shocked by the dagger sticking out of the rookie¡¯s forehead. Some of the mercenaries were skilled at throwing daggers, but no one was as fast or as accurate as Eugene. No one even saw how and when the knight threw the dagger. ¡°P-please forgive us! We will let all the merchants pass. Y-you can pass, esteemed sir.¡± ¡°How could I simply trust your words?¡± ¡°S-sorry?¡± Mashburn asked while trembling. He could feel a coldness around his neck. ¡°Give me all your weapons. Shouldn¡¯t you pay a price for trying to attack a knight?¡± ¡®I never meant to do that!¡¯ But contrary to his inner thoughts, Mashburn quickly gestured towards his comrades, ¡°H-hey! Everyone, put down your weapons! Sir Eugene is saying that he will show mercy! H-hurry it up!¡± When the mercenaries hesitated, Partec and the rest of the group stepped up with their shortswords and shields. ¡®Dammit¡­¡¯ They formed into a perfect formation facing three directions, and the Red Scorpion Mercenaries gulped with anxiety. In the mercenary community, it was common sense to gauge the opponent¡¯s skills with the equipment they carried. Some knights were sometimes ordinary in their skills, but plastered themselves with top-notch equipment after being born into rich families. However, all mercenaries were born commoners or serfs. As such, they needed to obtain their own equipment. In other words, a mercenary possessing good equipment either resolved a huge number of commissions or was successful at looting in various battlefields. In that respect, the Red Scorpion Mercenaries saw Partec and his comrades as veterans with excellent battle records and skills. Thud. Starting with one, the Red Scorpion Mercenaries were forced to drop their weapons one by one. ¡°Hey!¡± At Eugene¡¯s call, Delduan and the other merchants hurriedly ran forward. ¡°Collect all the weapons. Partec, if any of them tries anything, you can kill them.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene.¡± Partec glared at the mercenaries, and they dropped their heads. Soon, ¡°W-we finished collecting their weapons, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Good. You guys pass by first. I will follow behind.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The merchants flocked while avoiding eye contact with the mercenaries. When the merchants were far in the distance, Eugene removed his shortsword from Mashburn¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Mashburn started to sigh with relief. Thuck! Then, he crumpled after being struck on the head with the shortsword¡¯s pommel. Eugene looked over the mercenaries after raising his visor. ¡°Remember clearly. My name is Jan Eugene. If you ever run into me again after today, you will die. You will die even if you meet me in a dungeon or a labyrinth, and you will die if you see me in the battlefield. And I plan to see Lord Bommel right away to personally complain, so keep that in mind. Now, take this bastard away.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± The mercenaries trembled while hastily supporting Mashburn. If what Eugene said was true, then they could no longer return to Lord Bommel¡¯s castle. They had brought him humiliation and were even robbed of their weapons. It was obvious how a nobleman would dispose of such mercenaries. In the end, the Red Scorpion Mercenaries headed back down the mountain with drooping shoulders. At the least, they were relieved that they survived after picking a fight with a knight. ¡°Go.¡± Eugene pretended to pet Silion while quietly speaking to Mirian. The spirit had been stretched out on the horse¡¯s mane. ¡°Ah-ha! I got it!¡± Mirian quickly grasped Eugene¡¯s intentions, then flew in the direction of the mercenaries. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Partec and the two mercenaries proudly followed behind Silioin. After a short moment, Partec carefully spoke, ¡°Sir Eugene, will you really go to Lord Bommel¡¯s castle? With all due respect, I am wondering if we could even receive an apology, and if Lord Bommel decides to¡­¡± ¡°I have no intention of going.¡± ¡°What?¡± Partec blinked with bewilderment, and Eugene shrugged in response. ¡°It was a lie. Why would I bother heading there? But if I threaten them like that, they won¡¯t be able to run back and report to Lord Bommel, right? And he¡¯s about to get it on with another lord, so there is no need to bother him without reason.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­!¡± Partec exclaimed after realizing Eugene¡¯s intentions. Lord Bommel would be mystified and distressed by the disappearance of more than 10 hired mercenaries, but it would result in positive outcomes for everybody except the Red Scorpion Mercenaries themselves. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s hurry it up. We should cross the mountain before sunset, so that the merchants can rest.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Partec and the two mercenaries answered vigorously, gazing at the mercenaries who were waiting for them in the far distance. The group joined with the merchants and started walking once more. After a few minutes, an exhausted Mirian returned with strained flaps of her wings. ¡°Phew, I am so tired! As expected, I run out of energy way too quickly when I¡¯m away from my contractor.¡± Mirian landed on Silion¡¯s mane, then spoke while diligently rubbing her arms and legs. ¡°I think those bastards are going to leave the neighborhood. They did curse our esteemed sir quite a lot, but weren¡¯t even dreaming of taking revenge. They have no intention of going back to the lord. They said they would go back to Carls Baggins or somewhere after robbing some passersby. Anyway, I¡¯m tired, so I¡¯m going to rest!¡± After reporting back, Mirian headed inside the leather pocket filled with water. ¡®That¡¯s a relief.¡¯ He expected his threat to be effective, but he was still worried that the Red Scorpion Mercenaries would return to Baron Bommel. But after hearing Mirian¡¯s report, he felt relieved. Although it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal even if the mercenaries did report back to Baron Bommel. *** Eugene¡¯s group crossed Mount Marcus in half a day. Although they encountered a group of kobolds, the monsters fled right away as soon as Eugene slayed five of them at once after charging at them with SIlion. ¡°Thank you so much! Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°We were able to cross the mountain thanks to you, sir. You will be blessed. May God¡¯s grace be with you forever.¡± The merchants continued expressing their gratitude and bowed after witnessing Eugene¡¯s overwhelming skills. ¡°I only did what I had to do. Let¡¯s part ways now. Oh, and you should dispose of the collected weapons on your own. Just give me whatever you see fit.¡± After discussing amongst themselves for a while, the merchants collected and politely offered 50 silver coins, a sum larger than their escort fee. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°I think they paid us more than the market price. Sir, they certainly know how to show their sincerity.¡± Eugene nodded satisfactorily at Partec¡¯s words. ¡°Good. Then take care.¡± ¡°Yes! Please take care, sir knight.¡± Like that, Eugene parted ways with the group of merchants and headed to the Tywin territory. Although their meeting was short, he earned a considerable amount of money through it. The merchants also left for their respective destinations. Until then, Eugene had no idea that today¡¯s events would grow into something bigger than he expected. Eugene didn¡¯t know, but there were truly a few merchants among those he escorted that were heading to the Fairchild Viscounty. *** ¡°It is all thanks to you, sir. You really worked hard. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Camara spoke with a boisterous laugh, and Eugene responded with humility. It was Eugene¡¯s first time seeing the lord after a month, and Camara appeared a little different from before. Originally, he was a little sly, but now, he was relaxed in his demeanor. Moreover, his attitude was also more upfront and confident compared to when he was still a successor. Perhaps he was becoming more comfortable in his role as a lord. ¡®Even so, he is still a small lord without a title.¡¯ Camara wasn¡¯t the only one who changed in a month¡¯s time. Eugene learned how small and shabby the Tywin territory was after experiencing many things and meeting many people in a city as large as Maren. When he had been on the run in his previous life, he had been ignorant. Now that he could afford to relax a bit more, his worldview was widened and he felt like he was definitely learning many things. ¡°Then Felid will stay with the Palin Association for the time being. About a year? Is that enough? What do you think? Since you are his master?¡± Eugene wasn¡¯t sure why Camara was asking him such questions, but he answered regardless, ¡°It depends on how he performs.¡± ¡°Hmm. He is still young, so he might need some more time. I hope he can prove himself soon.¡± ¡°Lord Tywin. Are you planning on bringing Felid back to the Rose Castle?¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s quite intelligent, right? He already knows how to read and write. I think it would be good for him to take a position in the territory if the Palin Association teaches him well. He could work as the castle¡¯s treasury officer, or maybe he can oversee Brahms as an official.¡± Camara spoke while stroking his chin, and Eugene felt a little puzzled. The castle¡¯s treasury officer would be in charge of the castle¡¯s finances, and an official overseeing an area would be managing it on behalf of the lord. Both were positions usually delegated to relatives trusted by the lord. Felid was still too young, and he lacked the experience for both roles. However, a year should be enough for him to mature. Thus, it wouldn''t be strange if he took up either of the positions after his return.. But in Eugene¡¯s opinion, there was no reason for Camara to trust and bestow such a position to Felid. ¡°Hoohoo. You must be wondering why I care about Felid so much. Should I tell you?¡± Camara inferred Eugene¡¯s thoughts at his whim, then whispered after inching closer. ¡°I am planning to get rid of Bertel after this dungeon subjugation. Since he¡¯s worked hard so far, I will give him a fair bit of wealth and tell him to leave. Since the eldest son has been successful in the lordship, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for the second son to remain as a knight of the territory, right? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re a wealthy family either.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter for an illegitimate son. Felid doesn¡¯t have the capabilities nor the right to replace me. Besides, unlike Bertel, he earns me money rather than spending it, right? Haha!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t really curious, but I hope for the best.¡± ¡°If you really mean it, please perform as well as the previous one in this subjugation. Bertel brought in another knight, and it¡¯s been bothering me.¡± ¡°A knight?¡± ¡°Sir Maverick. I¡¯ve heard of his name before, but I don¡¯t really know him. His equipment is not too shabby, but the problem is the mercenaries he brought along. Do you remember the men Bertel sent to bring Felid? For some reason, they give off a similar vibe.¡± Eugene recalled Timothy and his group. Eugene had personally taken care of them. At first, he assumed Camara and Bertel had hired them together, but it turned out that Bertel had been fully responsible. In other words, Bertel hired the group of third-rate mercenaries to bring back his younger brother and the illegitimate son of the late Lord Tywin, despite knowing that they were incapable. ¡°Did this knight named Maverick hire the mercenaries?¡± ¡°Yes. He said he was planning to build a mercenary group after raising his reputation this time around. Well, it¡¯s not uncommon for knights without connections to become a mercenary captain. But it bothers me that he chose our territory at the start of their journey.¡± ¡°In addition, you are bothered even more because he¡¯s a knight that your brother brought in.¡± ¡°As expected, you know me too well, sir.¡± Camara grinned, then continued. ¡°Anyway, if once again, you, sir, can play a bigger role than the knight Bertel brought, then there is no reason for him to participate in the subjugation in the future. The problem with a dungeon subjugation is with the first or the second attempts. After you succeed a couple of times, free knights and mercenaries come flocking, right? I am capable of picking out the capable ones, at the least.¡± Camara¡¯s words certainly made sense, so Eugene nodded. ¡°We even signed a formal contract with the Palin Association. If they want to reclaim their loan, they won¡¯t stand by and just watch our territory fall into danger, right? Maybe the association can even recruit and send us mercenaries from Maren. Haha!¡± Camara explained. Although he had no talent as a knight, Camara was quite intelligent. If everything went as he planned, Bertel would lose his place in the Tywin territory. On the other hand, Tywin territory wouldn¡¯t suffer much from the absence of Bertel. Of course, Eugene held the key to Camara¡¯s plans, and Camara knew better than anyone else. ¡°So I¡¯ll leave the subjugation to your capable hands, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°I always do my best.¡± ¡°Hahaha! As I would expect from you, sir. You gave me a very satisfying answer.¡± Camara had no doubts that Eugene would produce even better results than before. It would surely be the case, since he was now in possession of excellent armament. In addition, he was commanding twice the number of mercenaries as before. ¡°By the way, Sir Eugene. Don¡¯t you think you should meet Sir Maverick? Even though I named you as the subjugation¡¯s captain, he is still your fellow knight and both of you will enter the same dungeon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the subjugation¡¯s captain? That¡¯s¡­ ah.¡± Eugene came to a realization, and Camara grinned in response. ¡°Now that I am the lord, I can do as I please. Sir Jan Eugene, you are the captain of the dungeon subjugation this time around.¡± CH 26 ¡°Unless Sir Galfredik returns, there is no knight more suitable to be the subjugation¡¯s captain over you, Sir Eugene. No, rather, even if he were to return, he would not compete for the spot. He would pass it on to you, sir. Anyways, I will try to schedule something, so that we can all meet each other. Now that we¡¯re on the topic, what do you think about having dinner together tonight?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just meet in a little while. I will return after I''ve found a place to stay in the lower village.¡± He had no desire to have dinner with the Tywin brothers and a knight he had never seen before. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I wanted to hear about how you managed to obtain your armor and warhorse. If that''s the case, then I hope Sir Eugene comes back in a couple of hours.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Thinking he had been right to pass on the dinner, Eugene left the manor house. *** After finding an accommodation in the village of Martella located downhill from the Rose Castle, Eugene handed down instructions to Partec and Breen before returning to the castle. He entered the castle while receiving the clumsy salute of a few guards, then headed to the castle¡¯s cabinet under the guidance of a servant. ¡°Welcome.¡± As usual, Camara welcomed him with joy, but Bertel only gave a curt nod. A large knight with a fierce appearance strode forward. ¡°Are you Sir Eugene? I am Rowen Maverick.¡± Although they were indoors, Maverick was adorned in chainmail, which was engraved with the symbol of a crow, from head to toe. He reached out his hand. ¡°Jan Eugene.¡± It was natural to respond in kind, so Eugene spoke informally and took Maverick¡¯s hand. However, Maverick¡¯s expression distorted upon hearing Eugene¡¯s words. He seemed surprised by Eugene¡¯s response. Then, he tightened his grip. ¡®Come on.¡¯ Eugene mercilessly tightened his grip as well. He recalled Galfredik¡¯s advice ¨C that it didn¡¯t matter whether the opponent was a knight or a mercenary. If they provoked or challenged him first, he must crush them with force. ¡°Keugh¡­!¡± Maverick¡¯s face turned red, and he was eventually forced to shake off Eugene¡¯s hand. ¡°Hahaha! You shouldn¡¯t act like this. Remember, both of you are comrades who will go into the dungeon together. Now, now, everyone, take a seat.¡± Camara spoke with a satisfied expression. He was clearly pleased that Eugene had taken a silent victory. Of course, he did not forget to send a meaningful smile towards Bertel, who had a horrible scowl. ¡°Right.¡± After glancing at Eugene, Maverick sat down while massaging his hand. ¡°First of all, there are 12 mercenaries under Sir Eugene, and nine brought by Sir Maverick. Including both of you sirs, there are 23 warriors in total. The number of porters will be the same as before, but the minimum conditions for a successful subjugation have been raised slightly.¡± Camara continued while looking around at the two knights. ¡°One hundred low-rank monsters and three intermediate-ranks. The number of troops is slightly smaller than before, but we managed to procure quite a bit of information about the structure of the dungeon and the monsters within, so there shouldn¡¯t be too many problems. Am I right, Sirs?¡± Eugene nodded silently, but Maverick gave a verbal response. ¡°What about the share of the soldiers who will die in the dungeon?¡± ¡°Simple. If they have a family, then it will be sent to their families. If they do not, the others will split it. Isn¡¯t that customary?¡± ¡°So, will it be the same even if a knight dies?¡± ¡°What?¡± Camara¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°Are you speaking of Sir Eugene¡¯s death, Sir Maverick?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, Lord Tywin. I am also a man who always wrestles with death! I thought it would be absurd for a true knight to enter a dungeon without such resolve and determination. Would you not agree, Sir Eugene?¡± Maverick¡¯s arrogant eyes turned towards Eugene. After silently gazing at the knight for a moment, Eugene slowly opened his lips. ¡°It is hard for me to believe that such words are coming from the mouth of a knight who has never experienced an opening of a dungeon, but it is a relief for me that you, sir, are always ready for death.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Maverick¡¯s eyebrows wriggled with aggravation. Eugene stood up while removing his gaze from Maverick. ¡°I do not think that we have anything else to discuss. Since we have already greeted each other, I will be off. I will see you all in three days then.¡± Eugene headed for the door while listening to Mirian¡¯s furious shouts. ¡°Let¡¯s kill him! Let¡¯s slit the throat of that muddy catfish-looking bastard tonight! Kill! Kieeeek!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene, take care.¡± Camara¡¯s lips constantly twitched with elation, and the vehement eyes of Bertel and Maverick stayed glued to Eugene¡¯s back. *** ¡°That haughty bastard dares to look down on me!?¡± Maverick shouted while slamming his fist on a table. Bertel responded with a malicious gleam in his eyes. ¡°As you saw, sir, we cannot leave that man be. Someday, my brother will be controlling him to his wishes¡­ No, he might even try to take a piece of the territory for himself. That is why you have to take care of him.¡± ¡°Hmph! A little pale bastard like him? I don¡¯t know where he came from, but someone like him is not my match.¡± ¡°You better not underestimate him too much. Even if it had been a mock duel, he still managed to beat Sir Galfredik. I¡¯m sure you know what kind of a knight Galfredik is.¡± ¡°Haha! If I participated in last year¡¯s tournament, I would have made it to the finals instead of him. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t participate because of my father¡¯s death. Anyways, whether it is Galfredik or Lugates, I am not afraid.¡± Maverick shouted confidently. However, Bertel had directly witnessed the showdown between Galfredik and Lugates. Maverick¡¯s words felt absurd. ¡®Can I trust this person? But I have no choice...¡¯ It was extremely difficult to find a knight who was skillful and could be controlled at the same time. In that respect, Maverick was greedy, but he was not dumb enough to be played around on top of one¡¯s palm. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s inside a dungeon. The chances are pretty good.¡¯ No matter how skillful a knight was, he would definitely find it hard to react to an ambush from his allies. In addition, they would be inside a dark dungeon. At the least, Maverick and his subordinate mercenaries could easily inflict a major injury on Eugene. ¡®It would be best if a monster finished the job, but even if he came back alive¡­ Then I will finish him off.¡¯ While Bertel was having such thoughts, Maverick spoke with a grin. ¡°Hehehe! Anyways, if I take care of that pale bastard, then I can take his armor and horse as my own, right?¡± ¡°Only if you succeed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you not to worry. So this is a done deal then. I¡¯m looking forward to this subjugation.¡± Maverick stuck out his tongue and slowly caressed his lips. His face was filled with greed. He looked so repulsive that Bertel was forced to turn his gaze somewhere else. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ A glimmer appeared in Bertel¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Without answering, Bertel stood up from his seat and walked to the closed doors. Then he bent down. ¡°Why is there water in this place¡­?¡± Bertel mumbled while sweeping the floor with his palm. The bottom of the door was wet as if water had leaked from the outside. ¡°It¡¯s so wet. Did a water fairy come to visit? Hmm? Hahahahaha!¡± ¡®What a stupid joke.¡¯ Bertel glared at Maverick, then stood up. This knight was truly simple-minded that he could find amusement in such nonsense. *** ¡°¡­is what he said! Kieeeeek! How dare a muddy catfish and ice-face aim for our esteemed Sir Eugene!?¡± Mirian shrieked while running amok like a moth in front of a flame. Eugene¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡®I knew they were a little suspicious.¡¯ Eugene felt skeptical after hearing Maverick speak such words after their first meeting. As such, he left behind Mirian as he crossed the drawbridge. The Rose Castle was quite small. It was only about 100 meters from the manor house to the drawbridge. Mirian had been able to eavesdrop on Bertel and Maverick and delivered the conversation to Eugene without any difficulties. ¡°No, that muddy catfish really said that! He¡¯s looking forward to the subjugation! Ha! I barely held myself back from spitting on his face!¡± ¡°Yes. Great job. You helped me this time.¡± ¡°Right? Hehehe!¡± Mirian broke into a huge grin, then sat down on Eugene¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So what are you going to do?¡± ¡°What else? Since he wants to die, I will fulfill his wish.¡± ¡°Kieeeeek! As expected of the Count of Blood! How blazing hot!¡± Eugene soothed Mirian¡¯s frenzy, then glanced back at the Rose Castle in the distance. ¡®You are looking forward to the subjugation? I¡¯m looking forward to it as well.¡¯ In the last lights of the setting sun, the vampire¡¯s eyes shone with a mysterious gleam. *** The day of the Tywin territory¡¯s second dungeon subjugation arrived. After spending three days in the village located a short distance from the castle, Eugene entered the Rose Castle along with the mercenaries. Thud! Thud! Members of the Black Sheep Mercenaries followed behind Partec and Breen. They walked in an orderly fashion just like a regular army. Although their loyalty and obedience towards Eugene could not match Partec, who had been by Eugene¡¯s side the longest, Breen¡¯s mercenaries were quite deferential towards Eugene as well. Breen and his men were greatly shocked to see Eugene return from Maren with a completely new appearance. He was on Silion¡¯s back and adorned a plate armor with the city¡¯s symbol. But after hearing the details from Partec, they decided to fully submit themselves to Eugene until they parted ways. The mayor of Maren had personally gifted a set of plate armor and the Palin Association, a large merchant group, had supported him with the highest quality warhorse. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if Eugene was recruited by a great noble even at this moment. Although they wouldn¡¯t continue following Eugene like Partec¡¯s group, there was nothing to lose by acting their best behavior in front of a knight like Eugene. Eugene and the 12 mercenaries lined up in the middle of the Rose Castle. Maverick and his mercenaries took their place beside the group. They had been staying in the castle until now. Maverick glared at Eugene, who pretended not to see him, and his lips twitched in annoyance. However, Maverick held back his anger. He recalled Bertel¡¯s advice to somehow lower his opponent¡¯s guard before they entered the dungeon. ¡°¡­As such! May God bless the two knights and the brave warriors who follow them!¡± Woaaaahhh! Camara gave a speech and prayed for the subjugation force¡¯s extraordinary performance and their safe return. The people of the Rose Castle erupted into a cheer afterward. It was still a wonderful sight to see knights and mercenaries entering a dungeon to fight monsters while risking their lives. ¡°Then, Sir Eugene, is there anything you want to say as the captain of the subjugation squad?¡± Camara asked with anticipation, and Eugene turned towards the mercenaries. ¡°As soon as we enter the dungeon, all of you will unconditionally follow my orders. If you don¡¯t like that, you can leave now.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± The mercenaries flinched ¨C in particular, those who followed Maverick. Most of them had already received the down payment, so it would be impossible and ridiculous for them to bail out now. ¡°Those who do not comply with my orders shall be cut down regardless of the reason. If you have any objections or want a fair trial, leave now.¡± ¡°As Sir Eugene said. Do not forget that I, Camara of Tywin, delegated all authority over the subjugation to Sir Eugene.¡± Camara reinforced Eugene¡¯s position with his authority as lord. The mercenaries could only steal glances at each other. No one dared to step forward. ¡°Then let us depart.¡± ¡°I wish you luck once again.¡± Unlike the opening of the dungeon, Camara did not follow the group to the entrance of the dungeon. A little while later¡­ The castle gates opened, and the group set out on the second subjugation led by Eugene. Guides were stationed at the forefront of the group. Bertel stood silently in place, and Maverick climbed onto his saddle. They exchanged a brief gaze, which Eugene didn¡¯t miss. ¡®Do you think that I¡¯ll be easier to deal with in the dungeon?¡¯ Eugene smiled coldly after lowering his visor. Everyone now saw him as a regular, human knight. However, Eugene was a vampire. A dungeon without light was his domain. CH 27 After leaving Silion behind in a farming village near the forest, Eugene led the subjugation squad through the deep forest and arrived at the low hill, where the dungeon was located. Eugene first ordered the troops to conduct a search around the entrance of the dungeon, just as Galfredik had done during their first subjugation. No new monster holes were discovered, perhaps due to the fact that they exterminated quite a few low-rank monsters during the first subjugation. ¡°If there are no problems, we will enter right away.¡± Eugene walked towards the entrance, and Partec followed right behind. A large latch was blocking the passageway into the dungeon. Eugene had replaced it after the first subjugation. ¡°I will help you, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± After shaking his head, Eugene placed his hand under the latch without any hesitation. Maverick and his mercenaries scoffed after seeing the three-meter-long latch. Its surface was wrapped in steel, and it was thick. Even if he wanted to show off, he was clearly overestimating himself. How could he possibly lift a latch that weighed as much as an intermediate-rank monster by¡­ Boom. Himself!? ¡°¡­..!¡± The latch fell with a heavy thud. Maverick and the mercenaries stared with blank looks. ¡°What are you standing around for? We will be entering right away.¡± The mercenaries were shaken awake by Eugene¡¯s voice. They quickly shook themselves out of their daze and started entering the dungeon in orderly rows. ¡®Hmph! It doesn¡¯t matter. You will still die if I stick a sword in you. It¡¯s all the same.¡¯ Maverick also headed into the dungeon whilst desperately trying to disregard Eugene¡¯s display of incredible strength. *** Aroooof! Kieeeng! The last kobold collapsed while letting out pitiful cries. Its head was almost decapitated. ¡°Confirm and report the damages,¡± Eugene turned around while shaking the blood off his battle axe. ¡°No issues.¡± ¡°One with minor injuries. None are dead or have serious injuries.¡± After listening to the reports of both Partec and Breen, Eugene turned his head once more. After receiving Eugene¡¯s gaze, Maverick spoke with a stutter. ¡°Uh, none are dead. None are seriously injured. Minor injuries¡­ah, three, there are three of them.¡± ¡°A completely crushed arm. Are you calling that a minor injury? Or perhaps he¡¯s left-handed?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Maverick shut his mouth after glancing at the injured mercenary. His wrist was in tatters after being bitten by a kobold. ¡°So there¡¯s one who is seriously injured and two with minor injuries. To think it would be like this after only the second battle. Sir, it¡¯s been half a day since we¡¯ve entered. Do you know that we still haven¡¯t met even 30% of the minimum conditions?¡± ¡°I know. I know. It doesn¡¯t matter, does it? I can still fight, and there are five more without any injuries. I¡¯ll cut ¡®em all down, whether it¡¯s kobolds or goblins¡­¡± ¡°What if an intermediate-rank monster shows up? Do you think you can handle it by yourself, Sir?¡± ¡°Fucking hell! I can take care of it!¡± Maverick shouted while throwing his helmet on the ground. ¡°Make sure you take responsibility for your words. Partec, Breen, get it started.¡± ¡°Yes! Sir Eugene!¡± With Partec and Breen in the center, the mercenaries began gathering the monster corpses along with the porters into piles with familiar movements. About twenty bodies of kobolds were dismantled at a rapid pace, and a small mound of mana stones and by-products was soon formed. In the meantime, the mercenaries following Maverick sat down awkwardly and rested. Nine of them entered. But one was already dead, and two of them had sustained heavy injuries. The other six weren¡¯t unscathed either. They jumped in surprise from time to time, looking around with faces filled with anxiety. It was clear from their reaction that they were filled with fear, rather than moderate tension. Eugene wouldn¡¯t have known why they were acting as such in the past during the first subjugation, but now he could make an educated guess. ¡®They¡¯ve only ever dealt with roamers. I guess they assumed monsters inside a dungeon would be the same.¡¯ Unlike the outside world, evil energy flowed inside of evil lands like these dungeons. As such, the monsters inside dungeons matured much faster than roamers. In addition, they were stronger and much more ferocious. Since Maverick¡¯s mercenaries only ever experienced dealing with roamers, it was only natural for them to suffer a setback after entering a dungeon for the first time. From their current reactions, it appeared that Maverick¡¯s mercenaries had never dealt with monsters inside of an evil land. At the same time, they seemed unaware of a dungeon¡¯s unique environment. ¡®It would have been much better if Galfredik was here.¡¯ Decent mercenaries in nearby areas could only be found in cities such as Maren. Galfredik¡¯s predictions had been spot on. He was correct when he said that only inadequate nobodies would flock to the Tywin territory. Moreover, Galfredik had led the mercenaries with strong leadership skills even though perhaps half of them were powerless nobodies. Eugene realized once again that Galfredik was an outstanding knight. He focused his senses on the deeper parts of the dungeon. ¡®A group of goblins about 300 meters ahead. They are screaming while almost running. Based on the strong smell of blood¡­ There is an intermediate-rank monster ahead.¡¯ Eugene examined the map created during the first subjugation, then looked over the terrain and the passage that existed between the humans and the goblins. Then, he spoke to the resting mercenaries. ¡°Until they are done with the dismantling process, we scout ahead. You, you, and you. Follow me.¡± Eugene pointed towards three of Maverick¡¯s mercenaries. Compared to the rest of the group, they were in relatively good condition. ¡°Ah! I can also¡­¡± Breen started volunteering himself as well, but Partec blocked him and shook his head. ¡®Sir Eugene has a reason for everything he does. Just stay down.¡¯ Breen grasped Partec¡¯s thoughts from his expression, and slowly lowered his hand. The three selected mercenaries slowly stood up. It was obvious from their expressions that they were reluctant to go, but they dared not raise any objections, especially when they recalled Eugene¡¯s outstanding performance from the previous battle. Maverick snuck up in the meantime. ¡°I will go with you as well. Who knows, perhaps an intermediate-rank or a high-rank monster will make an appearance.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± How could he not know that at least one knight must remain with the main army? This was just¡­ too much. Maverick was truly pathetic. ¡°As you please.¡± However, Eugene nodded. *** ¡®Dog-shit bastard. You dare insult me?¡¯ Eugene took the lead with a torch and a shortsword in hand and a spear slung across his back. Maverick glared at him with contempt. Ever since their first meeting, Maverick felt distaste for the arrogant bastard. He did not like the fact that Camara Tywin, the lord, had favored Eugene and secretly rated the bastard higher than himself. ¡®Even so, he¡¯s only good at catching monsters.¡¯ With such thoughts, Maverick observed his surroundings. Up ahead in the distance was a dark area without much light. Patches of glowing grass were sparse. ¡®Good. I¡¯m very lucky. Hehe.¡¯ Maverick licked his lips. He had been troubled because he couldn¡¯t find any chance during the battles, but to think that the bastard would scout separately from the main army of his own volition. Moreover, the three mercenaries that Eugene called out were the strongest in the group he led. ¡®Once again, God is on my side.¡¯ God showed favor to powerful knights and blessed them with blessings and luck. Maverick thoroughly believed that this was evidence of his superior fortune. ¡®What are you going to do if I pierced you from the back through the gap in your armor? Those born in better families are always haughty and arrogant, but they always shriek like a dirty pig when they die.¡¯ It had been the case with the previous owner of the chainmail he currently adorned. He remembered the pathetic expression of that knight as he begged for mercy, desperately trying to bargain for his own life ¨C that his cousin would pay a handsome ransom. He felt even more thrilled imagining the pale-faced bastard begging for his life. A man with a pretty face like a girl was about to beg for his life like a dog. ¡®Where should I stab you?¡¯ Maverick scanned Eugene¡¯s back to search for a point of attack. Soon, the group arrived in an area without any glowing grass, and the mercenary walking next to Eugene glanced back. As soon as Maverick gave a small nod, the mercenary threw his torch far away. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Even before Eugene could finish his words, Maverick charged like a bison and stabbed his rondel dagger under Eugene¡¯s armpit. Although plate armor boasted invincible defense, the gaps in each joint were connected by chains rather than metal plates. A rondel dagger possessed a pointed tip like an awl. It was a weapon designed to drill into the tight holes of chain mail. Crack! Maverick felt the weapon penetrate through the chain mail as he tackled Eugene. A loud metallic noise resounded as two sturdy knights in metal armor rolled on the ground. Perhaps because of the shock, Eugene floundered around. A torch dropped and rolled away from a nearby mercenary¡¯s hand after making contact with Eugene¡¯s foot. ¡°Fire! Bring the torch! Kill this bastard!¡± Maverick repeatedly stabbed the rondel dagger into Eugene¡¯s armpit while shouting crazily. Another mercenary continued hitting Eugene¡¯s leg with his mace. Boom! Boom! However, there was a good reason why plate armor was known to possess the strongest defense. Even though the mercenary struck Eugene¡¯s leg several times with his mace, it failed to make even a single scratch, let alone a dent. ¡°D-dammit!¡± ¡°Aim for the joints, you fucking idiot! Motherfucker!¡± Maverick was also feeling a sense of urgency. The rondel dagger had penetrated the gap between the chain mail. He was sure. He should have immediately felt the sensation of his dagger digging into flesh, but it still felt as if he was stabbing into something hard. ¡®Was he wearing inner armor as well?¡¯ Thinking as such, Maverick hurriedly attempted to peer into Eugene¡¯s armpit. However, the torches lying on the floor were suddenly extinguished one after another. None of the mercenaries could even guess that a water spirit was responsible for this. ¡°¡­.¡± The surroundings were plunged into darkness. Since Maverick deliberately chose an area without any glowing grass, perfect darkness engulfed everyone. ¡°Lights! Turn on the light! Huh? U-uwah?¡± Maverick started yelling in the darkness, then was taken aback. Although he could not see an inch in the darkness, it felt as if his body was being lifted into the air. ¡®Could it be?¡¯ Maverick hastily gave strength to his limbs, but he could not finish his thoughts. Boom! ¡°Kuagh!¡± He crashed into a wall before falling to the floor. His vision started swimming from the shock. His entire body throbbed in pain. It appeared that he had also broken quite a few bones. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Then, a desperate scream tore through the darkness. ¡°W-what is it?¡± Maverick forced himself up and unsheathed his longsword. Perhaps a monster had appeared. However, he couldn¡¯t give strength to his left hand. It seemed to have fractured when he was thrown against the wall. ¡°Aaaaaghhh!¡± Another scream resonated through the dark. And that wasn¡¯t the end. ¡°Help! S-save me! Save¡­ Keugh!¡± The remaining mercenary¡¯s pleading words suddenly disappeared beyond the darkness. Fwooosh. A gust of wind from inside the dungeon swept across Maverick¡¯s body. He felt his hairs standing on end, and an eerie silence permeated the oblivion. Maverick looked around while letting out ragged breaths. All he could see was overwhelming darkness. He couldn¡¯t even find where the north and south were. ¡°Keugh!¡± Fear of darkness was inherent to humans, and it was gradually eroding Maverick¡¯s mind as well. ¡°Come out! Come out, you bastard! Fuck you!¡± Shiiing! Shishing! Maverick continued swinging his longsword with his uninjured hand like a madman. The sword sliced through the air, then erupted into sparks after hitting the wall. Even as he reeled back from the impact, he never stopped making his blade dance. ¡°Come out! Come out, you¡­¡± Suddenly, a pair of red eyes appeared in the dark. Maverick instinctively stabbed his sword in its direction. Clang! His longsword was reflected by a tremendous force. ¡°Keugh!¡± A vicious grip latched onto Maverick¡¯s neck and lifted him up, even though he was a giant weighing well over 100 kilograms with the addition of his armor. The owner of the grip easily lifted him off the floor as he struggled in the air. ¡°Kuagh! Kek!¡± He struggled to breathe, and saliva began dripping down Maverick¡¯s mouth. He tried kicking and thrashing with all his might, but the opponent did not budge. The only thing that he could see amidst his blurry vision was a pair of burning red eyes. Those eyes seemed to have become a pair of spheres that melted the darkness around him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you will kill me¡­?¡± ¡°Keugh! Kereu!¡± ¡°A weakling like you?¡± ¡°Kuah¡­.¡± Tududuk! As Maverick slowly lost his mind from the overwhelming fear, his chainmail was ripped off from his head to shoulder. The red eyes drew closer and closer. Soon, a deep gloomy voice resonated in Maverick¡¯s ears. ¡°I had originally planned to kill you right away, but I¡¯ll need you to hold on to that dirty life a little longer.¡± Crack! Something sharp dug into Maverick¡¯s thick neck. CH 28 ¡°Did you hear that?¡± ¡°What? I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± ¡°No. Just now, I definitely¡­¡± Kieeeeek¡­! The wind carried faint screams from the other side of the dark dungeon, where glowing grass only grew in small patches. ¡°Dammit!¡± The mercenaries quickly rose while grabbing their weapons. Partec quickly stepped up. ¡°Calm down! Everyone, be quiet!¡± Ahhhhh¡­! The faint screams resonated once more. Partec shouted after sharing a gaze with Breen, ¡°Everyone, prepare yourselves for battle and stand by!¡± ¡°What the fuck? What do you mean, stand by? Sir Maverick went that way!¡± One of Maverick¡¯s mercenaries shouted furiously. Partec pointed his shortsword towards the mercenary and replied, ¡°Sir Eugene ordered us to wait here. I will cut down anyone who does not follow orders.¡± ¡°Fuck you! Who do you think you¡­¡± The mercenary retorted and started approaching Partec. Then, he hesitated before stopping. Glade, Lavan, and all of Breen¡¯s mercenaries had aimed their weapons toward him. ¡°If you want to get cut down, then keep talking.¡± ¡°We follow the orders of Sir Eugene. Lower your weapon, you bastard.¡± The fierce spirit emitted by 12 people caused the complexions of Maverick¡¯s followers to change at once. They only had a few people left that were suitable for combat. Thus, they did not dare to stand up against these 12 warriors. ¡°You ill-tempered babes! You all are so weak that you can¡¯t even cut off a goblin¡¯s dick! Keep your mouth shut and stay in formation.¡± Breen''s vulgar words were befitting of his dirty impression. Maverick¡¯s mercenaries were forced to gather themselves into formation. After a short while, a torch could be seen swaying inside the dungeon. ¡°I-it¡¯s coming!¡± Everyone¡¯s anxious eyes gathered on the glowing torch. ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± Partec ran out alongside a few mercenaries as soon as the plate armor became visible. It was a grotesque sight. Eugene carried a torch and a shortsword, and his armor was painted with blood in various places. ¡°We were ambushed by monsters. We will move out right away.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The mercenaries and porters hurriedly followed behind Eugene. After walking for a few minutes, a terrible sight unfolded in front of the group. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Bweeegh!¡± Some of the weaker porters knelt down on the spot and puked. Bodies of dozens of monsters were scattered all over the place, and mercenaries with torn limbs and shredded bodies lay in between. The smell of monsters, blood, and human excrement from death created an unbearable stench. ¡°Goblins¡­ There¡¯s a hop as well!¡± ¡°They were annihilated? No! Over there!¡± Not all of them were dead. The only survivor was crouched in a corner with his legs curled together. ¡°S-sir Maverick!¡± The mercenaries rushed forward after seeing the full-body chainmail. Eugene¡¯s black robe was covering Maverick. As the soldiers came forward, Maverick slowly raised his face. ¡°¡­..!¡± After seeing his blurred, unfocused eyes, the mercenaries became shocked. Less than thirty minutes had passed since the scouts had left for a survey, but Maverick had already transformed into a completely different person. Maverick looked around the mercenaries with a blank expression. He opened his mouth wide. Then he started screaming with a horrified look. ¡°Huaaaaagh! Kieeekk!¡± ¡°Sir Maverick! What¡¯s wrong!? Get it together!¡± ¡°Kiek! Kieeek! Uhu, uhuhu.¡± After covering his head with the black robes, Maverick began trembling while moaning like a beast. ¡°What is¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s been like that ever since his neck was bitten by a war boar. Thanks to that, I had to deal with the monster alone.¡± ¡°War boar!?¡± The mercenaries were stunned. Among the monsters classified into intermediate-rank, war boars were known to be the one of the fiercest along with dungeon trolls. ¡°Where is the war boar?¡± One of the mercenary asked. ¡°I took care of it. If you go further in, you will find its carcass.¡± Eugene pointed in a direction. Breen rushed towards it along with three mercenaries. Eugene continued to speak while looking down at Maverick. ¡°I think he must have lost his mind after experiencing such an event for the first time. I tried everything I could think of, even slapping him on the cheek, but I couldn¡¯t get him to come to his senses.¡± ¡°Heu! Hu! Heu¡­¡± The mercenaries revealed dejected expressions when they saw Maverick trembling like a tree. Some of them had experienced such cases before. Those who failed to overcome the lingering effects and fears of a battle would mentally collapse and would act just as Maverick was. He had become nothing but a cripple. Maverick¡¯s life as a knight ended. No, rather, as of today, he could no longer function as a regular human being. ¡°Hey! Come help us!¡± Breen shouted to the mercenaries. He was struggling to drag a humongous corpse of a war boar along with three mercenaries. The monster was easily the size of two or three regular wild boars combined. ¡°It¡¯s real! It¡¯s a war boar!¡± ¡°Look at its fangs.¡± The mercenaries were stunned by the war boar. Its fangs were as large as a human¡¯s forearm. The monster¡¯s body was riddled with various injuries, and Eugene¡¯s spear was deeply embedded in its large forehead. It was obvious at first glance that Eugene had killed the monster by himself. ¡°Since things turned out this way, we will dismantle the corpses of the monsters here and return. Those who followed Sir Maverick here, retrieve the bodies of your colleagues.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Sir Eugene.¡± Starting with their leader, most of their colleagues were either dead or crippled. The heads of the survivors hung helplessly as their faces revealed dejected looks. *** ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t Sir Maverick acting a little strange?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± At Lavan¡¯s words, Partec glanced back towards Maverick, who was curled up into a ball at the back of the cart. He was still trembling while groaning with Eugene¡¯s black robe wrapped around him. It was impossible to look at him as a knight anymore. ¡°He won¡¯t eat or drink anything. I tried feeding him the emergency mana stone, but you saw it, right? He only screams like a crazy person.¡± One or two mana stones were provided to an evil land¡¯s subjugation party. It wasn¡¯t to be used sparingly, but rather to give to knights when they were seriously injured. Of course, a mana stone wasn¡¯t an elixir to bring back the dead, but it could extend a person¡¯s life for some time. ¡°It¡¯s amazing that he hasn¡¯t died after being bit by a war boar. But why is he not taking the mana stone?¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± Partec responded in an uninterested voice. ¡°Maybe Sir Maverick has truly gone crazy?¡± Lavan whispered after sticking a little closer to Partec. ¡°Well¡­¡± Partec narrowed his forehead. He also could not understand. Maverick¡¯s skin turned blue like a corpse, and he continued to behave erratically. He would suddenly rush at the mercenaries with a beastly growl, then fall flat on the ground with fear whenever Eugene stepped out. However, Eugene did not hit or attack him. If he had, it could have explained his fear toward Eugene. All that Eugene did was block Maverick¡¯s way and stare at him. Even so, Maverick was rendered helpless and would always fall on his stomach, trembling. He acted just like prey in front of a predator. The symptoms worsened when they exited the dungeon. He could not even raise his head. He curled up into a ball and continued making pained moans. If Eugene had not been there, perhaps the mercenaries would have chosen to leave him behind. Both his body and mind had been ruined to the point of no return. Soon, the mercenaries began having similar thoughts in regard to Maverick¡¯s changes. ¡®Maybe he got cursed?¡¯ ¡®He definitely got cursed by a monster!¡¯ In their line of work, violence and murderer were commonplace. Perhaps as such, mercenaries were susceptible to various superstitions. For the mercenaries, there was no other reasonable explanation for Maverick¡¯s bizarre transformation other than he was cursed by a monster. ¡°Anyways, that knight is done for.¡± ¡°I know. Phew! I am glad that Sir Eugene was there.¡± Maverick was crippled, while Eugene proudly rode his horse under the bright light of the sun. The difference between the two knights was magnified even further. Naturally, none of the mercenaries were aware that such a brilliant knight was the one responsible for crippling Maverick. *** ¡°What? What do you¡­ Ha!¡± Camara could not find any words to respond after hearing Eugene¡¯s stories, who returned a few days earlier than scheduled. ¡°We could not push ahead with the subjugation anymore. Sir Maverick has become like this, and more than half of the mercenaries he brought with him are either dead or have been seriously injured. Of course, even though we did not meet the minimum conditions, I think I have done enough on my part.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Camara clicked his tongue after seeing Maverick, who was curled up and trembling between Partec and Breen. It didn¡¯t matter to him whether Maverick died nor not, but it was difficult to refute Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Well, you did manage to catch quite a few low-rank monsters. For the intermediate-rank monsters, you killed a war boar, so the results aren¡¯t too shabby. Anyways, thank you for your hard work, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene nodded, then turned his gaze. Bertel wore a dazed expression this entire time with his mouth slightly opened. He flinched after receiving Eugene¡¯s gaze. ¡°Come to think of it, Sir Maverick told me a very interesting story.¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean by that?¡± Camara asked with a puzzled expression. However, Eugene¡¯s gaze was no longer on Camara, but rather on Bertel, whose forehead glistened with drops of sweat. ¡°He told me that someone instigated him to kill me inside the dungeon.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Camara¡¯s shock was even greater than when he heard about what transpired in the dungeon. He approached Eugene. ¡°What do you mean by that? Who ordered him to kill you, sir? And why? No, who?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s a question that you can ask your brother,¡± Eugene spoke in a cold voice. Camara abruptly jerked his head around. ¡°Y-you?¡± ¡°Brother, are you crazy!? What are you trying to say?!¡± Bertel roared, then glared at Eugene with malicious eyes. ¡°Sir! I do not know why you are spouting such nonsense. You are speaking words that can seriously smear my honor and reputation. To say such things without evidence¡­¡± ¡°We can ask Maverick, can¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Maverick. Even now, the latter still kept gasping like a beast. ¡°W-what are you talking about? What testimony could a crazy man give?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we just ask first? What do you think, Lord Tywin?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Camara¡¯s expression became complicated. It was true that he wanted to get rid of his brother, but it was a different matter entirely for his younger brother to become involved in an attempted murder against a knight. Even in a territorial dispute, captured knights were never killed recklessly. Even if they were an enemy, it was a long-standing tradition to respect the honor and bravery of the knight. As such, they would usually release the knight for ransom. But if someone attempted to kill a knight, not on a battlefield, but in a dungeon? Moreover, if the target was a knight who participated in their own family¡¯s dungeon subjugation? Such an event would not only be called a disgrace, but it would also taint the honor of the entire family. As Camara agonized over the decision, Eugene whispered in a cold voice, ¡°If Lord Tywin refuses, I will head to Maren and ask for a formal trial.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­!¡± Camara was shocked to his senses. He hurriedly met Eugene¡¯s gaze. ¡®I-is he threatening me?¡¯ If the matter became widely known and a trial took place in Maren under the supervision of the mayor and the priest, it would quickly escalate into something bigger. Since Eugene personally received armor from the mayor, he could have gone straight to Maren and asked for a trial without telling him. Despite this, Eugene insisted on telling him first. ¡®Then, is this¡­ is he giving me a chance?¡¯ It was either the entire Tywin family or Bertel. Camara did not hesitate in his choice. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s hear what he has to say.¡± ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Shut up! As you said, Sir Maverick is out of his mind and can¡¯t even speak properly! What is there to worry about, especially if it¡¯s not true?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Bertel¡¯s expression became pale, and he started trembling. After turning away from his brother, Camara walked to Maverick. ¡°Sir Rowen of Maverick.¡± ¡°Heu.¡± Maverick struggled to raise his head. Camara asked in a low, but powerful voice. ¡°Did you attempt to kill Sir Jan of the Eugene family in the dungeon?¡± Maverick¡¯s quivering eyes suddenly headed to a certain place. His cracked lips opened slowly. ¡°Ye¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Brother¡­¡± ¡°Fuck! Shut your mouth!¡± Camara muted Bertel¡¯s words with harsh swears, then asked Maverick once again. ¡°Did you decide on that on your own? Or was there a mastermind?¡± ¡°Heu! I-I was instigated.¡± Camara closed his eyes. But he soon exhaled a heavy breath and asked the last question. ¡°Who¡­ instigated you to kill Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Maverick¡¯s face slowly turned to one side. Then, he raised his trembling finger and pointed. ¡°T-that man¡­ Bertel Tywin was the one who asked me to¡­¡± ¡°Nooo!¡± Along with a loud scream, Bertel pulled out his dagger and ran towards Maverick. Kang! Thud! Eugene drew his shortsword like thunder and knocked Bertel down on the spot. ¡°Keugh! Kuagh!¡± With his elbow pressed against Bertel¡¯s back, Eugene whispered, ¡°You¡¯re done for.¡± CH 29 ¡°Everything¡­ I only did as I was told by that man! I just did what he told me to! Kihee! Kihehehe!¡± Maverick¡¯s frightened appearance disappeared, and he started screaming and laughing in a strange manner. He broke free from Partec and Breen, who had been holding him in place, then started talking like a madman. ¡°T-to think that I tried to kill that man! Yes¡­ Because of the request I received from Bertel Tywin, I tried to¡­ Hiek! What did I even try to do?! Uhu, uhuhuhu!¡± After confessing his sins, Maverick suddenly began to cry with his hands wrapped around his head. Camara and the mercenaries were stunned. It was then¡­ ¡°Kihehehe! S-someone like me needs to die. Yes. People like me don¡¯t deserve to live! We don¡¯t!¡± Maverick suddenly shouted, then jerked around. ¡°Grab him!¡± Camara shouted. Partec flung himself towards Maverick, but it was already too late. ¡°Ehehehehehe¡­!¡± Maverick rushed towards and threw himself out the window. No one had expected such a dramatic turn of events. Thud! ¡°What the¡­¡± Partec and Breen stuck their heads out the window, then stiffened at the sight. After falling down, Maverick had been pierced by a sharp wooden picket installed inside the moat. An unpleasant silence descended after the sudden, vain death of Maverick. Eugene¡¯s voice broke the silence. ¡°His testimony was unmistakable, and we have many witnesses. Lord Tywin, what will you do?¡± Camara flinched and turned around. The face of Bertel, his younger brother, was crumpled into a hideous expression. ¡°B-brother. Surely you won¡¯t believe in the words of a madman, right? He only said what he wanted to before killing himself¡­¡± ¡°Sir Eugene, you can take care of it however you want.¡± Camara gave his permission. Bertel¡¯s eyes filled with emotion, and Eugene raised him up by the neck. ¡°I will give you a choice.¡± ¡°H-how dare¡­¡± ¡°Unsheathe your sword. Beat me in a place where all of the castle¡¯s residents are present. If you win, I will let it slide.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Everyone in the room was shocked by Eugene¡¯s declaration, including Bertel. To demand such a thing from a person who attempted to kill him could only mean one thing. *** ¡°Wow! You really are dogged. To make your first slave commit suicide.¡± ¡°That was his original purpose anyway.¡± After answering Mirian¡¯s words, Eugene equipped his armor. It was maintained and polished. Originally, it was a job for the knight¡¯s aide, but Eugene had Mirian. She was fast and agile, and she liked expensive objects. As such, she volunteered herself to take care of the plate armor, and she performed better than expected. ¡°Anyway, it will be very useful to have a few of such slaves. Some of my seniors said that high-ranking members of the Night¡¯s Tribe had dozens of slaves as their guards.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something to think about later. It would be dangerous to have that many slaves right now. Moreover, anyone could tell that Maverick wasn¡¯t in his right mind. If I kept him alive, it would have definitely created more trouble for me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. All humans are full of suspicion.¡± Eugene had turned Maverick into his slave in the dungeon. Vampires drained blood for two purposes ¨C they either restored their energy and filled their stomachs, or they turned the subject into a vampire by enslaving them. The former only required sucking the subject¡¯s blood, while the latter required a slight injection of the vampire¡¯s own blood into the subject. Enslaving was quite draining for the vampire, so Eugene had attempted it only once in his previous life. The slave obeyed all his orders without question but was not very strong nor mentally sound. Like how Maverick behaved before death, the identity of the slaves would be quickly discovered because of their altered mental state and their fear of sunlight. As such, Eugene only used Maverick to have him confess his sins, then ordered him to commit suicide. ¡°But I¡¯m glad the muddy catfish played its role before dying. How dare he try to hurt our esteemed Sir Eugene?¡± Mirian complained in spite. In the first place, Mirian had no affection for humans. She only acted and thought in the best interest of her contractor, Eugene. ¡°You have to make that ice-faced bastard pay as well! If you let someone like him slide, he¡¯ll do something stupid again,¡± she continued. ¡°Did I say I would let him slide? Why do you think I gave the lord a choice?¡± Eugene could have gone to Maren and asked for a formal trial, but the procedure was cumbersome and could only be held with a priest in attendance. Above all, he could not punish Bertel with his own hands if he headed to Maren. However, by forcing Camara to make a choice, Eugene could now punish Bertel ¡®legally.¡¯ ¡°As expected, the slyness of the Tribe of the Night! Kieeeek! This is why I like our esteemed Sir Eugene!¡± After putting on his armor, Eugene placed his battle axe on his belt and left. ¡®The grim relationships from my past life have finally come to this point.¡¯ It was Jung Dircht who cut off his head, but Bertel was also one of the biggest contributors. Including this lifetime, Bertel had already attempted to kill him twice. Thus, Eugene had no intention of letting him off. *** ¡°The second young master tried to kill Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Apparently he instigated Sir Maverick. The knight confessed the truth in Lord Tywin¡¯s presence before committing suicide.¡± ¡°Huh! That¡¯s truly¡­¡± At sunset, the people of the Rose Castle were all called out by the lord¡¯s order. They were in a state of extreme confusion. The subjugation was only half-successful, and one of the participating knights had committed suicide. On top of that, the younger brother of the lord had instigated a knight to kill Sir Eugene, the hero from the dungeon opening. The story sounded especially convincing since there were several witnesses present at the scene. Moreover, the lord himself had made an announcement. But they were especially surprised by something else. ¡°A duel of honor¡­¡± ¡°So what happens if the second young master wins?¡± ¡°He gets to keep his honor. But¡­¡± The people of the Rose Castle had known Bertel for a long time. They knew him for three or four years at the shortest, and some knew him ever since he was born. Nevertheless, they were not convinced that Bertel could achieve victory over Eugene. Even if it was a practice battle, the opponent had once bested Galfredik. In addition, he pulled out the head of a troll with his bare hands and killed two orc warriors with a single spear in the City of Maren. Even though it had been only a few months since he made his appearance, the outstanding skills of the knight Jan Eugene were already deeply imprinted on the people of the Rose Castle. ¡°H-he will win! No matter what anyone says, Young Master Bertel is the strongest knight in our territory, right?¡± ¡°Right! He will definitely win and regain his honor. I¡¯m sure he will prove his innocence, that he¡¯s only being framed!¡± Many people were gathered in the courtyard. They chatted in loud voices filled with anxiety. Under the red sunset, the mercenaries created a circle in the middle of the courtyard. The lord of the castle, Camara, appeared on the balcony while facing the dry wind. The gust brought along with it the changing of seasons. ¡°We shall begin the duel of honor!¡± Camara announced without giving any explanation. The mercenaries opened the way. Eugene was armed with plate armor and a battle axe, while Bertel wore full-body chainmail, a surcoat embedded with the symbol of the Tywin family as well as a shield and a shortsword. It was very difficult to deal with a knight armed with plate armor with only a single longsword unless he was a master of swordsmanship. In that sense, Bertel¡¯s judgment of choosing a shield and a shortsword was commendable. ¡°I will not say much! Since both sides cannot come to an agreement, the winner¡¯s words will be announced as truth! The truth to the winner!¡± ¡°The truth to the winner!¡± The crowd echoed Camara¡¯s words. ¡°Then, start!¡± Camara announced. The surroundings became engulfed in silence at Camara¡¯s words. Clank! After lowering his visor, Eugene grasped his battle axe with both hands. Bertel was wearing a cylindrical helmet. After covering his upper body with the shield, Bertel began circling around Eugene. It was a basic tactic to probe the opponent before a full-fledged confrontation. ¡®I will kill you! I just need to win. Everything will go as planned.¡¯ ¡°Hoo, hoo.¡± With such thoughts, Bertel collected his anxious breaths. It was when he had exhaled two times that¡­ Shuack! Eugene narrowed the distance in an instant. Bertel¡¯s eyes widened. It was hard to believe that someone could move so fast in heavy armor. ¡°Heup!¡± Bertel instinctively adjusted his position and stabbed forward. It was a fast and sophisticated attack befitting of a knight who was systematically educated in swordsmanship for a long time. However, it was a foolish move as well. It was a move that should have never been used against an opponent with plate armor. It had been too long since Bertel experienced battle. The price he had to pay for his stupid mistake was harsh. Kaaang! Bertel¡¯s blade slipped down the groove of the armor. At the same time, Eugene¡¯s battle axe drew a sharp diagonal gash in the air. Chararak! A full-body chain mail provided excellent defense as well. It was difficult to pierce or cut through without sufficient force. However, Eugene¡¯s strength was more than sufficient, and he was currently using a battle axe. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± Bertel rolled on the floor. Blood flowed from the joints of his legs and one arm. ¡°Keugh! Ah¡­!¡± Bertel struggled to get back up. The large blade of the red axe filled his sight, and his mouth opened slightly. ¡®I will be the lord of¡­¡¯ Clang! The battle axe split Bertel¡¯s helmet in half, then hacked into his skull, and cleaved his thoughts as well. After a while, Bertel crumbled forward in a kneeling position. ¡°¡­..!¡± The people of the Rose Castle were shocked. The match was decided in the blink of an eye. Although everyone assumed that it would be difficult for Bertel to win against Eugene, no one had expected that the difference would be so overwhelming. The match did not even last a minute. Blood spilled from Bertel¡¯s split head. Eugene looked down at the corpse for a moment, then turned around. Eugene raised his visor, and his gaze met with Camara¡¯s. ¡°Announce it.¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes were dyed redder than the sunset. Camara quivered involuntarily, then raised his trembling hands and shouted, ¡°The victory goes to Sir Jan of the Eugene family! The truth and honor lies with Sir Eugene!¡± Uwoooooaaahhh!!! The mercenaries erupted into a cheer with Partec and Breen at their center. The duel ended abruptly, leaving behind only the horrible corpse of the Tywin family¡¯s second son. *** ¡°Are you¡­ leaving now?¡± Camara had a complicated expression. Eugene was the territory¡¯s savior, but also his brother¡¯s murderer. ¡°I should. You wouldn¡¯t want me here longer anyways.¡± ¡°¡­I won¡¯t deny it.¡± Camara had been wanting to have Bertel disappear, but Bertel was still his brother, which shared the same blood as him. Although Bertel conspired, utilized underhanded methods, then paid the price of death for his actions, Camara still did not feel at ease with Eugene¡¯s presence here. However, he could not blame Eugene either. Rather, he needed to be grateful that Eugene concluded the matter with the death of Bertel. ¡°I won¡¯t have any reason to return to this castle in the future, so there is no need to worry. You also earned some capable slaves, right? Breen¡¯s men will take care of them, so you don¡¯t need to worry about that either.¡± Camara sighed deeply at Eugene¡¯s words. Since Maverick confessed his sins, the mercenaries who followed him could not avoid their just deserts either. It was common for followers to end up horribly after meeting a bad leader. Thus, Eugene handed over all the remaining mercenaries to the Tywin family as slaves after having received a reasonable price as payment. Breen and his men accepted Partec¡¯s advice and decided to stay at the Rose Castle for the time being as Camara¡¯s hired men. ¡°Goodbye. I cannot pray for the grace of God in sir¡¯s future.¡± ¡°I do not wish for it.¡± Eugene really did not wish for it. He was a vampire, an enemy, and a heretic in the eyes of the church. He did not want the grace of God in his future, let alone any attention from the church. ¡°It will be fine for you to stay another day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t want to stay here any longer anyway.¡± Eugene¡¯s luggage was already packed up on Silion. After Eugene climbed the saddle, the castle gate opened with torches lining its sides. As Eugene was about to turn Silion, two horses were spotted coming towards the castle from the other side of the drawbridge. ¡°What¡¯s going on!?¡± ¡°Are they enemies!?¡± Soldiers were taken by surprise and flocked the castle wall. Then, the person on the leading horse shouted while waving something. ¡°Do not attack! I am an envoy! I have been sent by Lord Fairchild!¡± The person shouted while waving a white cloth. Crossbows aimed toward the figures were lowered. ¡°Whoa! Whoa, whoa!¡± The middle-aged man quickly dismounted his horse. He quickly recognized Camara as the lord and gave his greetings. ¡°Would you be Lord Tywin? It is a great pleasure to meet you. I am Lord Fairchild¡¯s butler, Mills.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is that so?¡± Camara questioned. ¡°I sincerely apologize for visiting you this late at night. This is a small gift from my master to Lord Tywin. He asks for your broad understanding of not being able to attend the funeral in person.¡± The Fairchild family was a noble family with a rank. Camara¡¯s anxiety faded somewhat with the butler showing respect. In addition, the baton of pure gold contained in the gift box was enough to let him know that Viscount Fairchild had paid quite a bit of attention in greeting the new lord of Tywin. ¡°I am grateful for the gift. Let Lord Fairchild know that I fully understand his circumstances. By the way, what is the purpose of your trip?¡± The Fairchild family was a real noble family with the title of viscount. They had little to do with the Tywin family. Lord Fairchild had not even attended his father¡¯s funeral. There was no reason for him to send his butler in such a hurry to pay respects to Bertel¡¯s funeral. ¡°Then, please forgive me for getting straight to the point. I took the liberty of coming all this way because my master, Lord Fairchild, wants to send a message to Sir Jan of the Eugene family.¡± ¡°To Sir Eugene?¡± Camara¡¯s eyes turned towards Eugene. Mills naturally shifted his gaze as well, then bowed politely towards Eugene. ¡°Nice to meet you, Sir Eugene. It would only be right for me to officially greet you, but please understand the urgency of the issue. My master wanted me to deliver this to Sir Eugene.¡± Mills handed Eugene a letter written on high-quality paper. Eugene felt slightly confused by the unexpected situation, but he removed the seal of the Fairchild family and skimmed its content. The letter was lengthy and redundant, as expected from a nobleman, but the gist was simple. ¡°Lord Fairchild wants me to come to his castle and assist him in a territorial dispute?¡± asked Eugene. CH 30 ¡°That is correct. Lord Fairchild will grant Sir Eugene the authority to command fifty troops. Moreover, he will pay five hundred silver coins regardless of victory or defeat.¡± It was a greater sum than both of the subjugations combined. And that wasn¡¯t all¡­ ¡°In addition, the mercenaries under Sir Eugene¡¯s command will be paid their daily wages separately, and you would be entrusted all rights to the loot gained from the battle in case of victory.¡± ¡®It truly is an offer befitting a noble with a title.¡¯ ¡°Sir Eugene! This is a golden opportunity for success! Let¡¯s do it!¡± Mirian shouted excitedly without hiding her desires. However, Eugene ignored her and responded to Mills. ¡°How could Lord Fairchild trust me when I¡¯ve never even met him? No, in the first place, how did Lord Fairchild know that I was here?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Any other knight would have accepted the offer without hesitation, but it appeared he was truly a bit unique just as the stories had it. Mills continued with a side glance. ¡°This man informed us about the stories of Sir Eugene.¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze shifted, and the other figure slowly raised his hood. ¡°I-it¡¯s nice to see you again, Sir Eugene.¡± The man bowed repeatedly while sweating. It was Delduan, the merchant who recently crossed Mount Marcus alongside Eugene. *** ¡°Wow, I¡¯m truly speechless. So that man really was a military depot merchant, right?¡± ¡°Fucking hell. So he lied to us even though he was actually heading to the Fairchild territory.¡± ¡°I am speechless as well. His party was so small that none of us ever suspected it.¡± Partec smacked his lips after hearing the words of Lavan and Glade. Perhaps having heard their conversation, Delduan flinched. His head hung low like a sinner. However, he soon crept up to the side of the three mercenaries and gave an apologetic smile. ¡°I am sorry about that. But didn¡¯t I give appropriate compensation?¡± ¡°Ha! Look here! This isn¡¯t about the money¡­¡± Glade started to retort, but Partec interjected, ¡°It¡¯s fine. What¡¯s happened is in the past, and he¡¯s right.¡± Then Partec turned towards Delduan, ¡°But why did you come all this way?¡±¡¯ ¡°Because I know what Sir Eugene looks like. They might have just passed by him on the road otherwise, so Lord Fairchild had me tag along. I personally didn¡¯t have any desire to come all this way.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. Surely you won¡¯t be able to live a serene life because you¡¯re such a blabbermouth.¡± Partec clicked his tongue, and Delduan laughed awkwardly. Just as he said, he wouldn¡¯t have had to go through the trouble if he had held his tongue in front of Lord Fairchild. ¡°But how did he end up asking for help from Sir Eugene? Lord Fairchild must have a few territorial knights under his command, right?¡± Partec continued questioning. ¡°Well¡­ he has two knights that could step up as commanders. One is just fine, but the other one is¡­ a little problematic.¡± Delduan lowered his voice for fear that Mills, who was riding ahead with Eugene in the front, would overhear him. ¡°His name is Sir Robos, and he is Lord Fairchild¡¯s cousin. He is a bit¡­ lacking, and that he served as an aide for nearly 10 years. And Sir Robos also caused a bit of an accident.¡± ¡°An accident? What accident?¡± ¡°Sir Eugene defeated the mercenaries at Mount Marcus, right? When he heard the story, he became¡­ inspired and led some troops on his own and stormed into Lord Bommel¡¯s territory. The problem is that this was before Lord Fairchild declared war on Lord Bommel.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± It was commonplace for a knight to be eager to earn some merit. However, it was a different story if the knight stormed into another territory before an official declaration of war. Of course, it would be fine if they achieved an overwhelming victory by capturing the enemy¡¯s head or their commander, but if they only managed to only destroy one or two villages in an awkward, clumsy course of action, then¡­ ¡°However, that¡¯s not the main issue. The bigger problem is that he lost all of soldiers and mercenaries in the first battle and was captured.¡± Delduan continued. Rather than a ¡®bit lacking,¡¯ it seemed the knight was entirely incompetent, but Partec did not voice his thoughts. ¡°And that is what caused Lord Fairchild to become more agitated. I belatedly regretted bringing up stories regarding Sir Eugene, but what could I do? It¡¯s not like I could hide the truth or lie when the lord asked.¡± Delduan finished explaining himself. ¡°Tsk, tsk.¡± ¡°Anyways, from how I see things, Lord Fairchild isn¡¯t hoping to win the territorial dispute. As long as a situation can be created where he can save face, he will sign an appropriate agreement. So if you can persuade Sir Eugene¡­¡± ¡°All decisions are made by Sir Eugene. We just follow his orders, so stop with the nonsense.¡± Partec answered sharply. Delduan licked his lips vainly with a wince. It wasn¡¯t only the knight who was formidable, but the mercenaries with him as well. ¡®This will be difficult.¡¯ With such thoughts, Delduan turned his eyes to Eugene and Mills. The butler was diligently explaining something to the knight. ¡°¡­As such, if you agree, then Lord Fairchild will treat you very well.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± The offered conditions were fine, but Eugene intended to refuse. His purpose was to kill as many high-ranked monsters as possible in the evil lands to gain the red mana stones. He currently had no need for money. But he was curious about one thing. ¡°Why me?¡± Eugene asked. The Fairchild Viscounty was a noble family with a bestowed title from the kingdom. They were on a completely different level compared to the Tywin family, who had barely gained independence after serving under the Evergrove County for a long time. They would possess two or three knights and a decent standing army. Even if the lord did hear about himself from Delduan, it was still strange to invite a knight when they shared no relationship. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± Mills hesitated. ¡°If you try to give an absurd answer, I will immediately refuse your offer, so you better tell me the real reason.¡± Eugene interjected before anything else. ¡°Alright.¡± Mills quickly gave up on racking his brains and explained the incident related to knight Robos. ¡°A knight was captured? Would it not be better to pay his ransom and get him back first?¡± ¡°That would be tantamount to acknowledging defeat even before a real battle. It¡¯s an undesirable outcome for Lord Fairchild. Lord Bommel would also not consider releasing Sir Robos for a ransom right away either.¡± ¡°So they want to consider it after they¡¯ve had a go.¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Then Lord Fairchild just needs to hire more knights, right? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the only knight in this area.¡± ¡°That is also correct, but there is no one my master is satisfied with. In addition, due to the situation, all the candidate knights are asking to be sworn in, but the lord has no intentions of accepting territorial knights for the time being.¡± Most free knights dreamed of being sworn in to titled nobility. However, noblemen with such capabilities were very stringent when it came to choosing their knights. It would cost a lot of money, but more importantly, for a noble to appoint a knight required them to put forth their ¡®name.¡¯ Moreover, If they appointed random nobodies as territorial knights, the honor of the noble family in question could be damaged. ¡°Hmm. I apologize, but I have no intentions of becoming a knight for the Fairchild territory.¡± Eugene spoke as if hinting at his refusal. Mills responded as if he had been expecting Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Lord Fairchild has no intention of swearing you in as well, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°P-please do not misunderstand. Lord Fairchild said he would write a letter of recommendation for Sir Eugene to his father-in-law.¡± ¡°A letter of recommendation¡­¡± ¡°Yes! He will write a letter of recommendation to Count Winslon. If you bring the letter to the count and prove your courage in his presence, he might appoint you as his knight on the spot. You know well about Count Winslon, right?¡± Mills spoke proudly with his head held high as if he were the butler of Count Winslon instead. Unfortunately, however, Eugene had no idea who Count Winslon was. As such, he briefly contemplated how he should respond. But Mills took Eugene¡¯s reaction in a different sense. ¡®No way! How far is this knight looking?¡¯ He was truly shocked. How could he mull over the chance to become sworn in to Count Winslon, one of the four great nobles of the kingdom? ¡®How grand are his ambitions? I truly cannot believe it.¡¯ Mills could swear to God that he never experienced such a response before. He was shocked and confused. However, he could not simply sit still and watch. He quickly continued. ¡°Sir Eugene. Count Winslon is known to favor brave knights. There is no need to mention the treatment you would receive, and he does not expect much from the appointed knights. All he desires is for the knights to display their martial prowess and honor under the banner of Winslon.¡± Even after hearing the explanation, Eugene remained impassive. Mills became even more urgent. ¡°Moreover! Count Winslon declared that if a knight successfully subjugates a dungeon or a labyrinth in the lord¡¯s possession, the rights to the materials obtained from the¡­¡± ¡°Count Winslon has evil lands in his possession?¡± Eugene had been listening with an apathetic expression thus far, but suddenly showed interest. Mills nodded in a hurry. ¡°Yes! There are a total of four evil lands in his possession, including two in the county, and two located in the vassal families of the county.¡± It was hard to understand how vast a territory was to possess four evil lands. However, Eugene wasn¡¯t interested in how large the county¡¯s territory was. ¡®A nobleman who does not meddle in the knight¡¯s affairs. Moreover, four evil lands?¡¯ ¡°Does Count Winslon deal with the Palin Association?¡± ¡°Uh, I do not know for sure¡­¡± Eugene seemed slightly disappointed at his response. Mills quickly continued. ¡°But the Palin Association usually operates their branches on the coast, right? Since the Winslon County is located in the inland of the kingdom, I think they would have little to do with the Palin Association.¡± ¡°Really? So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Eugene wasn¡¯t completely sure yet, but there were about five or six evil lands that the Palin Association could arrange subjugations for. So what if he could acquire four more? ¡®But it is a territorial war.¡¯ Eugene was confident in fighting alone or in small groups in the dungeon, but he was ignorant to the matters of a territorial war. He contemplated. ¡°What are you worrying about? You can get into more dungeons! If he¡¯s a count, isn¡¯t he a really high-ranking noble? Ah, is it because you have to fight with humans?¡± Surely enough, Mirian, the spirit of desire, was hooked on something. ¡°My seniors told me that when humans fight a war, there¡¯s no need to kill everybody. All you have to do is to take their leader down. And it¡¯s a vampire¡¯s specialty to sneak in and take down one person, right?¡± She continued. Eugene came to his senses at Mirian¡¯s words. She was right. The enemies this time weren¡¯t monsters, but humans. Words and threats were effective against them. There was no need for him to fight and kill all of the enemies. ¡°I will decide after meeting with Lord Fairchild,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Thank you, Sir Eugene! You made an excellent choice!¡± Mills had been anxiously waiting for a response. His lips curled up into a huge grin after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. ¡°Kihehehehehe! Great!¡± The same was true for the spirit of desire. *** ¡°From there onwards is the Fairchild territory. Phew.¡± Mills gave a sigh of relief in front of a small river. Delduan spoke carefully. ¡°Senior, what do you think about taking a break before crossing the river?¡± ¡°No. Lord Bommel¡¯s troops may be on patrol. Let us take a rest after crossing the river.¡± Although there were no villages or even houses in the vicinity, technically, they were still in the territory of the Tywin family. However, the Tywin family turned a blind eye to occurrences in their territory unless it involved villages or hamlets under their possession. They had no interests, and they had no ability to handle such issues. Therefore, mercenaries hired by other nobles could cross their territory without prior notification. There was nothing to be done. Even if they were caught causing an accident, they would be released after having paid an appropriate compensation and the Tywin family would turn a blind eye unless it involved robbery or murder. Such actions were customary to the noble world. As such, even if Baron Bommel¡¯s hired mercenaries were wandering the area, the Tywin family would have no knowledge of it. Even if they did, they would come to an arrangement with some silver coins. ¡°Do you think they would send troops all the way here? Didn¡¯t you say they were gathering their troops in Langbon?¡± ¡°Langbon is less than a day¡¯s distance from here. If we are unlucky¡­¡± ¡°From the looks of things, it seems we are indeed unlucky.¡± Mills became startled at Eugene¡¯s words and looked up. ¡°I think they are mercenaries. Were they hired by Lord Fairchild?¡± Eugene pointed with his chin, and Mills turned his gaze at the speed of light. ¡°Oh no! Those men do not belong to us.¡± Mills¡¯ expression quickly turned grim, and he grasped the handle of his shortsword. Perhaps because he was the butler of a titled nobility, but he possessed a rather good understanding of swordsmanship. There was a group of about ten people quickly approaching them along the riverside. All of them were armed, and their gaze was fixated on Eugene¡¯s group. In addition, two of them were loading bolts onto their crossbows. Mills looked toward the mercenaries with tense eyes. ¡°We should try to talk to them first, but if they were hired by Lord Bommel¡­¡± Neiiigh! Suddenly, Silion charged forward. ¡°S-sir!?¡± ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± Everyone became shocked at the sudden turn of events, including Mills. ¡°W-what the!?¡± The approaching mercenaries were even more startled. The sudden charge of a fully-armed warhorse was enough to create huge pressure on anyone. Moreover, it went without saying if the person riding the horse was a heavily armed knight with plate armor. In the face of such a situation, there were bound to be people who made mistakes. ¡°Hiek!¡± One of the mercenaries holding a crossbow was unable to overcome his fear. He pulled the trigger of his weapon. ¡®What? Is he insane?¡¯ Eugene¡¯s forehead creased in annoyance. Though the mercenaries would not believe it, Eugene had been planning to merely talk and perhaps threaten the mercenaries if required. CH 31 Ting! Perhaps because he was an outstanding warhorse, Silion tilted his head to the side, and the arrow deflected off the horse¡¯s armor. ¡°Are they crazy?!¡± Thinking that Mirian had finally spoken some sensible words, Eugen reached behind the saddle and pulled out his spear thrower and a javelin. He wasn¡¯t planning to let them off easily since they unsheathed their weapons and even fired an arrow at him. Eugene bent back like a bowstring, then shot forth a javelin. Thud! The mercenary responsible for firing the crossbow bolt was instantly thrown back as the javelin pierced into his abdomen. ¡°Kuaggh!¡± Another mercenary was skewered along with his dead colleague, screaming while falling back. The other mercenaries were given no chance to react. Silion narrowed the distance in an instant, then jumped toward the mercenaries. Booom! Three mercenaries were thrown back and collapsed on the floor after colliding with Silion. The formation of the mercenaries collapsed in an instant. Eugene pulled out his shortsword and crushed the mercenaries. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The mercenaries were incapable of dealing with a fully-armed knight on horseback. It was even truer since their opponent was a vampire that possessed physical abilities several times to that of a regular human. There was nothing they could do except to scream and flee. ¡°L-let¡¯s run!¡± Eight of the thirteen mercenaries were slain in an instant, and the rest began to run away. Eugene slaughtered two more by throwing his javelins, then rode Silion toward the group composed of three fleeing mercenaries. Tung! Thud! ¡°Keugh!¡± Eugene deliberately aimed for the back of the mercenaries¡¯ heads with the back of his sword. The mercenaries screamed as they fell forward. Soon, the rest of Eugene¡¯s group arrived alongside Partec. They quickly subdued the fallen mercenaries. ¡°You bastards dare attack a knight?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s because the knight¡­¡± ¡°The knight what? Did Sir Eugene draw his blade? Did he throw his spear? What bullshit are you spewing after daring to fire an arrow?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± The mercenary¡¯s expression turned pale after having finally recognized the mistake they committed. *** ¡°That was amazing! A match for a hundred! Only such words can describe someone like Sir Eugene. That spear throw was truly like a thunderbolt from the heavens! My humble eyes have been fully opened today, Sir Eugene!¡± Mills became incredibly excited after seeing Eugene¡¯s outstanding performance. His skills certainly lived up to his reputation. If such a knight stood on the side of the Fairchild family, he was certain that they could win the territorial war. ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t we capture them alive and take them back to our castle?¡± ¡°No. I do not think that will be necessary. Doesn¡¯t Lord Fairchild want to gain an advantage in the territorial war through me?¡± ¡°Ah, that is true, but¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s all that matters.¡± Eugene approached the mercenaries. They were trembling and kneeling on the ground. ¡°Why did you attack me?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± As if they had promised beforehand, the mercenaries simply stole gazes at one another. Shuak! Eugene¡¯s shortsword cut through the air with an eerie sound, cutting off the head of the mercenary located at the far left. ¡°Heuk!¡± The faces of the remaining two mercenaries turned blue when they saw their colleague¡¯s lifeless body fall to the ground amidst a fountain of blood. ¡°Why did you attack me?¡± The attitudes of the remaining two mercenaries completely transformed. They both immediately replied to Eugene¡¯s question. ¡°I-I think it was because he thought you were attacking us, sir!¡± ¡°That man did something stupid! We had no intention of attacking you, esteemed sir!¡± ¡°Affiliation.¡± ¡°We are from the Milson Mercenaries!¡± ¡°Milson? Is that the name of your captain? Where is he now?¡± ¡°Over there¡­¡± Eugene confirmed the body of the man who died after a spear pierced through his body. He was the first one to run when all hell broke loose earlier. ¡°Then what about the rest? What about the other mercenaries apart from your group?¡± ¡°They are standing by in a village called Langbon.¡± ¡°How many, and who is the leader?¡± ¡°T-there are about thirty of us, and we are led by Langbon¡¯s keeper. Our main forces are still in Lord Bommel¡¯s castle¡­¡± ¡°Keeper?¡± Mills quickly explained. ¡°Langbon¡¯s keeper is Lord Bommel¡¯s nephew. His name is Sir Pascal, the keeper of Langbon and a knight. His feudal estate is located in Langbon. In addition¡­¡± ¡°It is a fairly large village, so there will be at least twenty more mercenaries. Sir Eugene, let us head to our castle, group up with the mercenaries, then set out.¡± ¡°No, I will go alone.¡± ¡°What?¡± Everyone was surprised at Eugene¡¯s declaration, including Mills and Partec. No matter how strong Eugene was, how could he think of barging into a place with nearly fifty troops and a knight? ¡°I¡¯m only planning to talk to them. I think they should be willing to listen if I have these guys as an excuse.¡± ¡°That is true, but¡­¡± Although he was currently with Mills, Eugene had no realistic association with Viscount Fairchild. On the other hand, the mercenaries in front of him were officially recruited by Baron Bommel. Eugene had sufficient ground to complain after being suddenly attacked by the mercenaries affiliated with the latter. ¡°There is nothing to worry about. It won¡¯t change anything even if you accompany me.¡± Certainly, three extra pairs of hands would not change the situation. Knowing so, Partec responded with a sigh. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Excuse me! Sir Eugene, does that mean you will sign a contract with my master?¡± Mills asked with a face full of expectations, and Eugene nodded. ¡°Since things turned out this way, that seems to be the most reasonable choice. Take these guys and tell Lord Fairchild to leave it to me.¡± ¡°Ohhh! Surely Lord Fairchild will recognize Sir Eugene¡¯s passionate chivalry and honorable decisions¡­¡± ¡°Stop that. Just head out right away.¡± ¡°Y-yes! Then what should we do with these men?¡± The two mercenaries had been stealing gazes at Eugene. As Eugene¡¯s gaze turned toward them once more, they quickly raised their voices. ¡°P-please let us live!¡± ¡°If you let us go, we will forever be loyal to you, sir!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°Uagh!¡± ¡°Sir knight! P-please¡­¡± The mercenaries started quivering and begging after hearing his cold answer. Eugene continued in a quiet voice. ¡°I do not need your loyalty. First, play rock paper scissors.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t, both of you will die.¡± The faces of the mercenaries turned a shade paler at Eugene¡¯s words. *** Clop. Clop. The mercenaries stole anxious backward glances while slowly walking in front of Silion. ¡®Dammit! I won, so why¡­¡¯ After hearing that a prize would be awarded to the winner of the game, the two mercenaries had a match of their lifetime. It seemed obvious to them that the winner would be spared while the loser would be killed. But that wasn¡¯t the case at all. After he won, he was ordered to guide the path of the terrifying knight, while his loser colleague was taken to Lord Fairchild¡¯s castle. ¡®He¡¯s not afraid of the night. What kind of a knight is he?¡¯ Even if he was a terrifying presence adorned with plate armor, knights had always avoided traveling at night. Even if they were thrown into the exact same predicament, every knight would act differently depending on whether it was day or night. However, the knight named Jan Eugene continued to travel casually after handing him a torch. ¡®Should I throw away the torch and run away? It¡¯s so dark, so maybe¡­¡¯ The mercenary fell into temptation, but he soon shook his head. When he recalled the events of the day, he still felt a chill down his back. The success rate was far too slim to bet his life on it. The chances of a successful escape were as slim as tonight¡¯s faint moonlight. ¡°Why won¡¯t you stop glancing at me. Why? Do you think that I won¡¯t keep my promise? You are not doubting my honor, are you?¡± ¡°N-not at all!¡± ¡°Then stop distracting me and do as you are told.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Although he still had some doubts, a knight¡¯s promise with his honor on the line was something to be taken seriously. He could trust the knight. ¡°After crossing over that hill, we should see Langbon.¡± Soon, Eugene saw a village of similar size to Brahms after climbing up the low hill. ¡®As expected, they have a wooden barricade.¡¯ The two-meter-long logs were lined with torches. It appeared that they were set up to prevent monsters from attacking. It was a village that belonged to a territory governed by a nobleman with a title, and it was definitely different from the villages of Tywin territory in various ways. ¡°Let us go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± To think the knight would storm into a village with dozens of experienced mercenaries and a knight on such a dark night, especially when they could potentially become his enemies. ¡®He is either a great hero or a rare fool. Whichever it is, doing as I am told is the way for me to live.¡¯ The scale was inclined to the latter, so the mercenary continued along the dark path while licking his lips. It was then¡­ Thud! The mercenary stopped at a sudden sound. ¡°¡­..!¡± The mercenary belated discovered an arrow lodged in the ground right in front of him. His eyes widened as a shout came from the village. ¡°If you continue to approach, we will blow your head off! Who is it!?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s me! Baren!¡± ¡°Who is Baren?¡± ¡°I am Baren of the Milson Mercenaries!¡± After a moment of silence, the wooden gates opened. A horse and about ten armed soldiers rushed out and made their way towards Eugene and Baren. ¡°Who are you, sir?¡± The man on the horse could not hide his anxiety when he saw Eugene adorned with plate armor. ¡°Jan from the Eugene family. And you?¡± ¡°I am the keeper of Langbon, Appiel Bommel Pascal.¡± As if boasting about his lineage, Pascal raised his head while proudly revealing his full name. ¡°¡­..!¡± Eugene hesitated after hearing the knight¡¯s answer. Mistaking Eugene¡¯s reaction as being due to his status, Pascal raised his chin further in an arrogant manner. However, contrary to Pascal¡¯s assumptions, Eugene was surprised for a completely different reason. ¡®What is this luck?¡¯ He thought quickly and made an even quicker decision. Eugene kicked Baren on the back and responded. ¡°This man¡¯s colleagues attacked me first. So I had no choice but to respond in kind.¡± ¡°What? Then the Milson Mercenaries¡­¡± Pascal spoke hesitantly, and Eugene replied with a nod. ¡°I killed all of them except two. Since they were the ones who attacked first, it should not be an issue.¡± ¡°Sir! The Milson Mercenaries were a force hired by Lord Bommel, my uncle and the master of this land. Who do you think you are to¡­" Pascal erupted in anger, but Eugene interjected. ¡°Ah, is that so? I thought you would make an excuse and try to mull over it. But since Lord Fairchild hired me, we should be enemies anyways.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Pascal was put off by the unexpected answer. Eugene unsheathed his shortsword like lightning. ¡°I came to confirm that, so this is rather good. You said you were Sir Pascal, right? Our stances are quite obvious, so let¡¯s just fulfill our duties.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Pascal and the mercenaries urgently pulled out their weapons, and Silion kicked off the ground. Simultaneously, the torches held by the mercenaries were extinguished one by one. ¡°Huh!?¡± ¡°Light! Light the torches!¡± The mercenaries shouted after falling into confusion. Silion jumped into their midst in the blink of an eye. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± The mercenaries screamed and shouted with every swing of Eugene¡¯s shortsword. Some tried to attack, but they could not aim properly in the dark. Even if they were lucky enough to land a hit, the horse¡¯s armor and the plate armor easily deflected their attacks. ¡°Monster!¡± ¡°Fire! Kill him!¡± Several mercenaries belatedly offered supporting fire from behind the wooden barricade, but their attacks only penetrated the backs or calves of their allies. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot! Don¡¯t shoot!¡± Pascal screamed in panic and agitation, but his words were buried by the screams of the mercenaries. ¡°D-dammit!¡± Pascal¡¯s face turned a shade of blue. The sight of the knight rampaging under the dim moonlight was truly fear-inspiring. Less than a minute had passed since he unsheathed his weapon, but most of the mercenaries were already either dead or seriously injured. One path of salvation instinctively came to Pascal¡¯s mind. ¡¯I-I¡¯ll return to the village for now¡­¡¯ He quickly tugged on the reins and turned the horse around. Shuuuuak! A piercing sound tore through the night sky. Thuck! Neiiiiigh! Eugene¡¯s javelin flew through the air and into the buttocks of the horse Pascal was riding on. ¡°Huh!?¡± Pascal¡¯s body seemed to fluctuate on the saddle. He crashed onto the ground with his feet caught in the horse pedal. ¡°Keugh! Kuah¡­¡± The shock from the fall lingered, but Pascal attempted to stand up. However, his limbs vainly grabbed onto thin air. ¡°I do not know what you were thinking in coming out personally, but thank you for saving me the trouble.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­!¡± Pascal felt himself rising into the air. His eyes widened as Eugene pulled him up by the back of his neck. Boom! Pascal¡¯s body slumped with one punch. ¡°I am taking Lord Bommel¡¯s nephew! If you want him back, come to Lord Fairchild¡¯s castle!¡± Eugene shouted loudly towards the village, then retrieved the javelin stuck in the horse¡¯s buttocks before running back to SIlion. ¡°Sir Pascal¡­!¡± Mercenaries rushed out of the barricade and shouted, but the voices only grew distant. *** ¡°Is he really an idiot? Why did he come out in person?¡± Mirian spoke while holding onto Silion¡¯s mane. She looked pathetically at Pascal, who was slumped across the saddle. ¡°How would I know? Anyways, we got lucky.¡± ¡°Kekeke! Those who are successful are blessed by heaven and earth! This means our esteemed sir is guaranteed to be successful! Now, we just need to go to that lord named Fairchild, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean? Are we not taking him back to the castle?¡± ¡°I was going to, but I thought of a better idea.¡± After exchanging prisoners, the two lords would officially engage in a territorial war. This would lead to prolonged battles and would likely lead to unexpected situations as well. ¡®I would rather have a quick ending.¡¯ A cold smile floated around the vampire¡¯s lips as he pierced through the darkness. CH 32 ¡°Mmm, hmm¡­¡± Pascal slowly opened his eyes and felt a tingling pain from his jaw. It was still dark. For some reason, his back felt stiff. He quickly looked over himself after feeling a constant, up-and-down motion. The only things he could see were the horse¡¯s well-toned legs, the horse¡¯s armor, and the fluctuating ground. ¡°Keugh.¡± Realizing that he had been knocked out, Pascal attempted to move his body. However, he couldn¡¯t move because something was wrapped tight around his body. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Pascal struggled to raise his head at the voice. He saw Eugene. ¡°Sir! What do you think you are doing?¡± ¡°What else? I am currently riding on a horse.¡± Pascal recognized his current situation from Eugene¡¯s answer. He continued while gritting his teeth. ¡°Sir! Do you think you will get away with this? I am Lord Bommel¡¯s nephew! I am warning you¡­¡± ¡°Warn me all you want. I was hired by Lord Fairchild. And Lord Fairchild and Lord Bommel are on the brink of initiating a territorial war. No, perhaps it has begun already.¡± ¡°Keugh! You dare commit such a cowardly act before declaring war?¡± ¡°I heard Sir Robos is in captivity. It seems that a ransom is also being demanded in exchange for his release. Since either side hasn¡¯t declared war just yet, wouldn¡¯t it be customary to just either punish or release him?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°But asking for a ransom¡­ It seems as though the war has already begun. Am I right?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Pascal could not find words to retort to Eugene¡¯s sharp criticism. He clenched his teeth. But soon, he spoke ferociously. ¡°So, are you going to take me to Lord Fairchild and ask for a ransom? No. I guess you would trade me with Sir Robos.¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Then you need to treat me as a noble. This is a serious insult to my honor, sir!¡± ¡°Well, I guess this certainly is capable of causing a misunderstanding. Whoa!¡± After stopping Silion, Eugene loosened the robes wrapped around Pascal¡¯s body. ¡°I only tied you up because I thought you might fall off without it. I hope you did not misunderstand.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± His wrists and legs had been bound way too tight for that to be true, but Pascal remained silent while glaring at Eugene. However, Eugene gave it no thought. He warned Pascal, who was rubbing his hands and feet. ¡°You should know well, but don¡¯t even think about running away. I will not kill you considering your status, but as soon as you try, you might find yourself with a couple of broken bones.¡± ¡®He disarmed me. Dammit!¡¯ Pascal¡¯s expression darkened after he discovered that his armor, chainmail, and longsword were hanging on the belt located on the side of the saddle. Eugene¡¯s threats deterred his will to run, but more importantly, he knew that it was suicide to wander around in such an attire. He would most likely be targeted by monsters or beasts, and even if he was lucky, he would be caught by robbers or bandits. He would simply become a prisoner to be traded for ransom. ¡°Fine. I swear on my honor that I will not run away. However, you must treat me properly as a nobleman and take me to the castle of Lord Fairchild.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this bastard way too shameless? Are all nobles like this? Well, I guess the ice-face acted similarly.¡± Just as Mirian said, his actions were simply too shameless for a prisoner, but Eugene knew that noblemen regularly behaved like this. As such, he concurred. ¡°I will treat you accordingly based on how you act, but I will not take you to the castle of Lord Fairchild.¡± ¡°What?! Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Are you planning to¡­¡± Pascal became pale and shuffled back. Eugene raised his visor and shook his head. ¡°I will not kill you, so relax. If I wanted to kill you, I would have taken care of you last night. Why would I bother dragging you all the way here if I wanted to kill you, sir?¡± ¡°Ehem.¡± Pascal did not like the fact that Eugene was treating his life too lightly, but Eugene had a point. Pascal became slightly relieved. ¡°Then, what is it that you want from me?¡± ¡°I need you to guide me to Lord Bommel¡¯s castle. I was trying to navigate, but I think I must have taken the wrong way.¡± In fact, he had intentionally circled around the same path, but Eugene lied. Pascal had been unconscious the entire time, so he couldn¡¯t have known the truth. ¡°What? D-did you just say that you wanted to go to my esteemed uncle¡¯s castle?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You have nothing to lose from it, right? I am taking you to your lord.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Pascal¡¯s forehead creased. He had no idea what the knight was up to, but heading to Lord Bommel¡¯s castle would only benefit him. ¡®If I get lucky, troops patrolling the villages near the castle could rescue me. But what is he thinking? Why does he want to go there?¡¯ The opponent was a knight with black armor and black hair, similar to the dark knight Brittling, whose name once spread like wildfire across the kingdom decades ago. At a glance, it seemed that the knight stemmed from a renowned noble family, judging from his beautiful face and high-end equipment. However, when he recalled the previous night¡¯s battle, he felt his goosebumps rise. ¡®There are three knights and more than a hundred troops in my uncle¡¯s castle. No matter how confident you are in your skills, you won¡¯t be able to do anything. Hmph! I guess you are just someone who is thirsty for fame.¡¯ Lord Bommel would surely praise this knight. After all, the knight defeated the mercenaries alone and captured him, the keeper of Langbon. Although Eugene was hired by Viscount Fairchild, it was natural for a nobleman to praise a knight possessing courage and skills. In addition, the bravery he possessed to visit the enemy¡¯s castle alone was praiseworthy. ¡°Fine. I will show you the way.¡± ¡°Excellent choice. We will set off after taking a short break. Ah, are you thirsty by chance? Do you want some water?¡± ¡°Hmm. I would appreciate it.¡± Pascal nodded. He felt rather touched that Eugene was showing him a favorable attitude. After receiving a leather pouch from Eugene, he took a large swig. The water was incredibly refreshing. ¡°Kyah! The water tastes incredible. Is it from a stream? Is it spring water?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­ I just came across it on the way,¡± Eugene waved it off with a vague explanation. He couldn¡¯t tell the truth. He couldn¡¯t tell him that the water was from a water spirit¡¯s ¡®spit and wizz.¡¯ ¡°Did you hear that? Did you hear? I told you! I told you that it tastes better when it comes out the other way! Didn¡¯t I? Ehem! Ehemhem!¡± Eugene felt complicated emotions upon seeing Pascal¡¯s reaction. Meanwhile, Pascal was in awe after drinking the water, and Mirian was reveling in the glory while floating above his head. ¡®I guess since both of them are satisfied.¡¯ That was all that mattered. *** ¡°What did you say?!¡± Baron Bommel jumped up from his seat while striking the armrest of his chair. The mercenary leader hurriedly bowed while responding. ¡°I apologize! It was in the middle of the night, and the knight¡¯s steed was simply too fast. We could not catch up to him.¡± ¡°Is that supposed to be an excuse?! My nephew was kidnapped, and you simply watched from the sidelines!¡± ¡°M-my apologies!¡± The mercenaries had no choice but to apologize while bowing their heads. Baron Bommel was not a picky employer. He was never late in paying them their wages. They had no excuses after losing their employer¡¯s keeper, and his nephew, right in front of their eyes. ¡°I trusted in your skills and sent you to Langbon, yet this¡­" Baron Bommel collapsed into his seat, then sighed. ¡°Haaah¡­ He said to come to Lord Fairchild¡¯s castle?¡± ¡°Yes. I think he might want to exchange Sir Pascal with Sir Robos¡­¡± ¡°Shut your mouth! Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know that?¡± The mercenary leader quickly sealed his lips, and Bommel Baron glared at him for a while. Then, he turned towards the knights standing on the side. They had been observing the mercenaries with disdainful eyes. ¡°What are your thoughts, sirs? Appiel is my deceased brother¡¯s only son. Trading him with Sir Robos would be the best decision, right?¡± ¡°Naturally. However, the Fairchild family might be preparing something. I think it may be better for us to head there in advance and crush their spirits before we exchange prisoners.¡± ¡°I agree with Sir Polmon¡¯s words. If they want a siege, that¡¯s what they will get. If Lord Fairchild values honor and desires a frontal battle, that is what they will get. Whatever it may be, we are prepared.¡± ¡°Oh! I am very reassured to hear that. So what do you suggest? Should we leave Sir Robos for now and mobilize all of the mercenaries?¡± Although nobles received education in various fields that set them apart from commoners, not all of them were knights nor well-versed in tactics. That was why there was a distinct class called ¡®knights.¡¯ ¡°Lord Bommel. I think we better leave about half of our troops behind.¡± A knight calmly expressed his opinion. He had been silent until now. ¡°Hmm. Why is that, Sir Raviola?¡± The other two knights were armed with rather refined plate mail, but he was dressed in an old plate coat. It was passed down to him from generation to generation. Baron Bommel frowned after hearing the young knight¡¯s suggestion. ¡°If Lord Bommel personally leads the troops, it makes sense for all troops to be mobilized. However, if that is not the case, a portion should remain behind to protect the lord and the castle.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± It was clear from Baron Bommel¡¯s expression that he was asking for clarification. Raviola continued, ¡°We have to take it that an unofficial declaration of war has been made already. We do not know what the Fairchild family has planned, right? Half, or at the least, we need to leave behind thirty percent of our troops here.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Baron Bommel did not seem convinced. It could not be helped. Although he was a dignified employer to the knights and mercenaries, in truth, he had exhausted most of the territory¡¯s reserves already. It was inevitable since he had been paying three knights and more than 100 mercenaries for almost a month by now. ¡®If I cannot finish this war as soon as possible, I will continue to waste money. I need to finish this at once.¡¯ Baron Bommel swiftly came to a decision and solemnly declared. ¡°No, we will mobilize all the mercenaries. My soldiers will be enough to defend the castle. And each of my sons will fulfill their duties as well.¡± The Bommel family was a noble family with a title bestowed to them by the kingdom. Their territory was fairly large as well. As such, Pascal and a retired, but fairly skilled mercenary, were made guard captains, and they commanded about fifty troops armed with leather armor and various weapons. ¡°Even if Lord Fairchild has something planned, would you sirs not run into their troops on their way here? There is only one way back and forth.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± It was clear from his response that Raviola had something to say, but Polmon interjected and made a mocking, invidious response. ¡°The problem with Sir Raviola is that you are too cautious. Prudence is a virtue for a knight, but only in appropriate doses. Too much, and you could be misunderstood as a coward.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Raviola jerked his head, and the remaining knight laughed. ¡°I feel the same way. Don¡¯t tell me that you wanted to leave one of us here so that you could take all the credit? I value your eagerness, but do you not think that you are playing cheap?¡± ¡°Look here, sirs! What do you take me for? To speak such insulting remarks and¡ª¡± ¡°Now, now! Stop it, all of you.¡± Baron Bommel interrupted with a clap. The knights then quickly bowed their heads. ¡°Sir Raviola. I fully understand your opinion, but I also agree that you are being too cautious. You may set off with the other sirs,¡± Baron Bommel continued. ¡°If you say so¡­ then I will obey.¡± The final decision and the resulting responsibility belonged to the employer. The freelancer had no choice but to give up. *** ¡°Sir Eugene. Why are you not heading into the castle?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°You said you would take me to my uncle¡¯s castle, did you not!? Why are we not heading straight in? Why are you hiding here?!¡± Pascal roared at Eugene. The two of them had been waiting on a small mountain for hours, overlooking Baron Bommel¡¯s castle and village. ¡°If you say one more word, I may stop treating you as a noble. I will keep my word and take you to that castle, so shut up.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Eugene¡¯s warning forced Pascal to shut up. In fact, the red-eyed knight took good care of him so far on their way here. He made sure not to taint or disrespect his honor. ¡°Ah! The castle gate is opening!¡± Mirian shouted excitedly, and Eugene lowered himself while looking towards the castle. He saw a considerable number of troops crossing the drawbridge, led by three people on horseback. ¡®It was said that Baron Bommel hired about 100 mercenaries.¡¯ The distance was too far for Eugene to count one by one, but it seemed that the number of people coming out of the castle was around that number. ¡°Huh?¡± Pascal showed puzzlement after discovering the leaving troops. As if something had crossed his mind, he became wide-eyed. ¡°D-don¡¯t tell me¡­!¡± Shhk. Eugene whispered after placing his dagger on Pascal¡¯s neck, ¡°If you shout, you can forget about any kind of treatment. I advise you to keep quiet.¡± Of course, even if he screamed here, no one would hear it. CH 33 ¡°Ha¡­!¡± The guard captain stole a glance at Franz Bommel, who kept on sighing whenever he had a chance. Franz was adorned with an elegant chain mail, a long sword, and a navy surcoat embroidered with a colorful symbol of the family. He was the eldest son of Baron Bommel. He did not fit the image of a knight with his rather chubby body. Franz continuously sighed and muttered while staring at the distant sky. ¡°Are there really no opportunities for I, Franz Bommel, to spread my fame and prowess across the land? Why won¡¯t father let me lead soldiers into the battlefield?¡± ¡®Because you are so weak that you can¡¯t even hold your own against a mercenary, let alone a knight.¡¯ Even though he thought as such, the guard captain was not foolish enough to verbalize his thoughts. He responded with a forced smile. ¡°Perhaps it is because this isn¡¯t a real war, but a battle to end with a compromise on both sides, would you not agree? Lord Bommel must have judged that this stage was insufficient to reveal the wisdom and bravery of his successor, Sir Franz Bommel.¡± ¡°I guess there aren¡¯t any other explanations. Ha! How regretful. I was planning to propose to Alaina after defeating Lord Fairchild¡¯s knights in a dignified manner.¡± This was also the reason for the dispute between the Bommel family and the Fairchild family. It was because of the engagement between Alaina Fairchild and Franz Bommel. It was very common for the children of local nobles to become engaged and get married. Similarly, the Fairchild and the Bommel family planned to strengthen their relationship and trust by marrying the second daughter of the Fairchild family with Bommel¡¯s eldest son. However, a disagreement arose due to the dowry demanded by the Bommel family, which eventually flamed into a blown-out dispute. In the end, the two families decided to respect the wishes of the victorious family. ¡®What nonsense are you spewing? I told you, you can¡¯t even handle a single mercenary, let alone a knight.¡¯ The guard captain spoke disdainfully in his heart, then spoke in a voice full of regret. ¡°The victory brought to us by the knights bearing the flag of Bommel is also a victory for the lord and sir, is it not? You must prepare yourself to march proudly to the castle of Lord Fairchild to greet Lady Alaina.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But still, it¡¯s a shame that¡­ Hmm?¡± Franz spoke in a regretful voice, then suddenly became wide-eyed. ¡°Over there¡­ is that not a knight?¡± ¡°What? Hut!¡± The guard captain turned his head, then became startled. A knight on a horse was slowly approaching the castle. He was heavily armed in black, plate armor, and a figure was walking in front of him. ¡°All units, prepare for battle!¡± Although there were only about fifty people remaining, the soldiers hurried up the castle wall at the sound of their captain¡¯s shouts. All crossbows were nocked with bolts and aimed towards the knight. After a while, the knight came to a stop in front of the castle¡¯s moat. ¡°Who are you, sir!? This is the castle of Lord Lizeplin Jonasen Bommel, the lord of Hailion!¡± ¡°I am Jan of the Eugene family. I brought Lord Bommel¡¯s nephew, Sir Appiel Bommel Pascal.¡± ¡°Sir Pascal!?¡± The guard captain was taken back by Eugene¡¯s words. He scrutinized the person standing in front of the knight identified as Eugene. ¡°It¡¯s me! It¡¯s Pascal, keeper of Langbon!¡± ¡°Brother Appiel!¡± Franz called out, unable to hide his shock. ¡°Sir Franz? I¡­¡± ¡°If you do not shut your mouth, I won¡¯t hesitate to make a move!¡± Eugene unsheathed his shortsword like lightning and held it against Pascal¡¯s neck. ¡°Y-you dare!? You!¡± Franz was enraged by Eugene¡¯s action. Since they were little, he had maintained a brother-like relationship with his cousin. ¡°You, me, stop blabbering and call Lord Bommel. As a knight hired by Lord Fairchild, I demand the exchange of Sir Robos, who is detained inside the castle, for Sir Pascal.¡± ¡°Agh!¡± Franz clenched his teeth. He finally realized the crux of the matter. However, he quickly regained his calm and shouted proudly as the successor of the Bommel Barony. ¡°The lord is not willing to speak with a man as impolite as you, sir! My name is Franz Bommel! I am the successor of the Bommel Barony! I will negotiate with you!¡± ¡®He¡¯s the successor?¡¯ Although the opponent was dressed in chainmail, his body showed no signs of having undergone training as a knight. Eugene immediately jumped on the fortuitous encounter. ¡°Good. If you bring out Sir Robos, I will release him.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Franz frowned, and the guard captain hurriedly whispered, ¡°Sir, you cannot respond in a hurry. First and foremost, we must let the lord know.¡± ¡°That is true, but¡­¡± The disposition of a captured knight was entirely up to the lord. Even if he was the successor, he had no authority to recklessly make such decisions. However, Franz became jealous of the young knight. He appeared to be armed with plate armor that was much better than his, and even his horse seemed cooler. In addition, Franz had been planning to visit Lord Fairchild¡¯s castle by himself to demand the hand of the lord¡¯s daughter in a cool and confident manner. The young knight¡¯s current appearance overlapped with the imagery in his mind. Yes. This was what he wanted to look like. Eugene¡¯s voice cut through Franz¡¯s stimulating fantasy, ¡°Are you perhaps lying about being the successor? I cannot believe that a successor is unable to make such decisions by himself. I have never even heard of such a thing.¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± Franz¡¯s eyes filled with flames. He jerked his red face to the guard captain and the soldiers. ¡°Report back to father right now! And you! Bring Sir Robos!¡± ¡°S-sir Franz, we must receive orders from the lord to¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! I will make the decisions! Bring him out!¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The guard captain had no choice but to bow his head. No matter what, status was law, and the furious one was Franz, the successor of the lord. ¡°Hey, could you move your sword away?¡± Eugene felt Pascal trembling through the shortsword placed on his shoulder. Eugene answered in a cold voice. ¡°You promised on your honor, sir. It was you who broke that promise first.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I told you that I would send sir to Lord Bommel¡¯s castle. And I am still trying to keep my promise even now. So why must you talk nonsense and make things difficult for both of us?¡± ¡°¡­I apologize,¡± Pascal spoke in a feeble voice. He had no excuses. Eugene removed his shortsword from Pascal¡¯s shoulder and responded, ¡°Do not test me again. This is your last chance, sir. I do not care what you say once you are in the castle, but don¡¯t forget, you are still my prisoner, sir.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Pascal nodded hurriedly. He had a vague guess as to what kind of knight Eugene was. After a while, Franz Bommel led a man over to the wall. ¡°Hey, sir! I brought Sir Robos!¡± The newcomer looked surprisingly tidy and clean. Eugene shouted after spotting the figure, ¡°And how can I believe he is really Sir Robos?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! I am Yekka of Robos! Sir Eugene, right? Did Lord Fairchild send you?¡± The man shouted with joy. Eugene didn¡¯t actually care whether the man was really Robos or not. Eugene only spoke as if to deliberately taunt Franz, ¡°Right. Now, then, let us quickly exchange prisoners. The sun¡¯s going to set at this rate.¡± Franz flinched but did not respond. ¡°If you are a successor, you should have that kind of authority, at the least, am I right? What a disappointment. Ah! Are you unable to exchange prisoners with me because you are scared of me? The mercenaries in Langbon were so weak. I thought things would be different here, but I guess I was mistaken. Mercenaries, knights, even the territory¡¯s successor, it¡¯s all the same.¡± ¡°S-sir. I think you¡­¡± ¡°Just shut up. Did you think that I pierced your horse¡¯s butt with a spear by a fluke? If you want to put my skills to the test, I will not decline.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Pascal started to erupt in anger, then quickly closed his mouth. After experiencing it once, he already knew how skilled Eugene was. However, it was different for Franz Bommel. This newly arrived knight had stolen the heroic scene he had always dreamt of, repeatedly provoked him, and was even openly underestimating him at this moment. His anger erupted. ¡°Agh! Gates! Raise the gate and lower the drawbridge! I will personally exchange prisoners!¡± ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡± Even the guard captain was nowhere to be found. As mere foot soldiers, they dared not disobey the orders of the successor. ¡®That idiot!¡¯ Pascal was about to go crazy. It would be a questionable choice for the successor to come out even if he had several knights accompanying him, let alone by himself! No, before that, how could Franz fall for such an obvious provocation? However, Franz was inexperienced. He had complete faith in his status as the lord¡¯s successor. Kiriririk! Boom! Even so, Franz was not a complete idiot. He proudly rode on a horse and marched across the drawbridge along with ten soldiers and Robos. ¡°Here! Did you see!? I, Franz Bommel, came out to exchange prisoners! Now, take back those insulting remarks from a while ago, and¡­¡± Eugene barely paid attention to Franz¡¯s squealing and muttered quietly, ¡°Here and there. Why are they all so stupid? It¡¯s rather fortunate for me, but Lord Bommel must have a lot of worries.¡± ¡°Sir Fran¡ª¡± After hearing Eugene¡¯s words, Pascal started shouting after preparing himself for death. But simultaneously, Silion shot forward like a storm. ¡°Uagh!?¡± Franz was startled, and soldiers rushed in front of him. However, the soldiers were armed in leather armor and spears. It was impossible for them to stop the charge of a knight armed in plate armor riding a horse adorned with armor. Pupupupuk! ¡°Uaggh!¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The soldiers were inexperienced compared to the mercenaries. They were unable to put up a fight as they screamed while being swept aside. Five or six soldiers fell into the moat in an instant. Franz¡¯s expression turned pale as he realized the severity of the situation. ¡°Stop him! Stop him!¡± Franz shouted urgently while attempting to pull out his longsword. However, when Eugene revealed a tiny portion of Vampire Fear, the horse was stunned silly. Neigggh! ¡°Huh? Uaah!¡± Franz was familiar with horseback riding as a nobleman, but it was impossible for him to properly wield a long sword on top of a rampaging horse. On top of that, he wasn¡¯t even a proper knight in the first place. As he struggled on the saddle, the longsword dropped from his hand. Shuak! ¡°Uagh!?¡± In the meantime, Eugene took care of all the soldiers and stopped his shortsword in front of Franz¡¯s helmet. With a blade only a minuscule distance away from his face, Franz felt as if he was being drained of blood from his entire body. No, rather, he felt more afraid of the red eyes that glowed from inside the opponent¡¯s helmet. Franz had never felt such a degree of fear in his entire life. Without realizing it, he urinated in his underpants. ¡°Sir Robos, take hold of the successor¡¯s horse.¡± ¡°Ah! I got it!¡± Robos was momentarily overwhelmed by Eugene¡¯s outstanding performance. He hurriedly grabbed onto the reins of the horse Franz was riding. Soon, Silion departed from the drawbridge alongside Franz¡¯s horse. Eugene raised his visor and looked back at Pascal. ¡°Sir, what are you doing? Go on in.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Like Robos, Pascal had been staring at Eugene with an open mouth and a dazed expression. He flinched when he heard Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°I promised you, didn¡¯t I? I said that I would take you to Lord Bommel¡¯s castle. Go ahead.¡± Pascal¡¯s shoulders trembled. The knight certainly kept his promise. However, he never imagined that the knight would exchange himself, who was only a knight stemmed from a collateral line, with the authentic successor of the barony. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, feel free to stay with the successor.¡± ¡°Ha. How could I leave by myself and leave the successor of the territory alone? I will stay behind as well.¡± Pascal possessed common sense and honor. If he were to return to the castle by himself, he would be labeled a coward and become the sole recipient of his uncle¡¯s anger. ¡®I would rather be criticized for being incompetent. Dammit.¡¯ Since he was by the side of a successor who was even more foolish than himself, even if he was reprimanded later, he would share it with Franz. *** Baron Bommel was enraged after hearing the news. His nephew had been captured, but more importantly, his son had voluntarily crawled out of the castle and was taken captive. However, he was eventually left with no choice but to open the gate to pay tribute to the knight who captured both his successor and nephew. With all of his knights and mercenaries dispatched, more than ten soldiers of the castle were lost in a single clash. In addition, the testimonies of the observing soldiers made it clear that even if all the remaining troops had been mobilized, they would have been helpless against Eugene. More importantly, if they made a move earlier, the lives of his eldest son and nephew could have been endangered. As such, in exchange for the safe return of the two figures, Baron Bommel was forced to admit defeat. He would have to write a letter sealed with his ring¡¯s stamp, admitting his defeat and asking for Lord Fairchild¡¯s consideration. Nevertheless, Eugene did not easily trust Baron Bommel. Therefore, he kept Pascal with him, saying that he would politely protect him until the two lords met in person and discussed the matter. Moreover, a large box full of silver coins and the Bommel family¡¯s flag accompanied him. There were even two powerful slaves carrying their spoils of victory. ¡°Kieeeeehhh! Silver! Slaves! Success! All we have to do now is to climb up the hierarchy!¡± The spirit of desire ran wild in ecstasy. The performance this time was certainly a great success. CH 34 ¡®How am I so lucky?¡¯ Eugene felt rather puzzled about the fortuitous turn of events. His original plan was to provoke the people in the castle amidst the hostage exchange between Robos and Pascal. Then afterward, he would do his best to receive their permission to ¡®try whatever you may, if you can get inside!¡¯. Then he would infiltrate the castle at night, kill the weak-looking soldiers, and take Baron Bommel or his family hostage. Since all of the bothersome knights and mercenaries were away, it would have been too easy. However, he never even imagined that the successor would storm out of the castle after being provoked. ¡°Sir Eugene, what are you thinking so hard about?¡± Robos spoke cautiously after seeing Eugene lost in thought. The energetic young knight had rescued him, then caused Baron Bommel to surrender. Robos then treated him like his master. He was immensely ashamed that he acted recklessly. He had been unable to suppress the feeling of jealousy and vigor after hearing about Eugene¡¯s performance from Delduan. However, he realized now that he could not even compare himself to Eugene. ¡°Nothing. How are you? I heard you were injured,¡± Eugene asked. ¡°This is nothing. I wasn¡¯t particularly uncomfortable because Lord Bommel treated me with honor. Anyways, it is kind of weird for me to say this now, but¡­¡± Robos paused, then continued after stealing a glance at Pascal, who was silently walking by the slaves. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we took Sir Franz Bommel with us instead? The lord would definitely be happier.¡± In short, he was stating that Franz¡¯s value was much higher than Pascal¡¯s, that it was a waste to only take Pascal. Although it was a little bothersome, Eugene gave an explanation. After all, Robos was a knight of the Fairchild Viscounty and he was polite towards him. ¡°It was because I could not be bothered.¡± ¡°Could not be bothered?¡± ¡°From what I heard, the two lords do not have much animosity toward each other. It seemed like they wanted to finish this at a reasonable level. Besides, If I did what you said, Lord Fairchild would reprimand me.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Robos became wide-eyed with shock, and Pascal stepped up. ¡°It is just as Sir Eugene said. In the first place, it would not have been a problem if you, sir, did not come storming into our territory. Lord Bommel was already planning to conclude the matter with a tournament or with a short, decisive battle.¡± ¡°Keheum.¡± Robos¡¯ face flushed red when his dark, shameful history was brought up. ¡°But what if Sir Eugene brings back Lord Bommel¡¯s successor as a prisoner for Lord Fairchild? Now that would be a real provocation. How do you think Lord Fairchild would have reacted if his successor was captured instead of you, sir?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Robos kept his silence. Needless to say, the lord would have been enraged. He might have even launched an all-out attack with all of his troops. ¡°Sir Eugene concluded the matter because he realized this fact. Although we were once enemies who crossed our swords, I acknowledge both the bravery and the resourcefulness of Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°I do not think we¡¯ve ever crossed swords.¡± ¡°I-I am only speaking metaphorically.¡± Likewise, Pascal¡¯s face also turned red as he recalled his shameful history. ¡°But their troops must be surrounding our castle. How are you planning to get through there?¡± ¡°That is why I got this,¡± Eugene spoke while gesturing, and Robos turned his head. On top of a backpack lay three large javelins, and the folded flag of the Bommel family rested on top. *** ¡°Why is Lord Fairchild not giving us an answer?¡± ¡°Is it not obvious that he is trying to play for time? Let¡¯s just storm in!¡± Knight Polmon raised his voice. Raviola, who was quietly listening, stepped out. ¡°I agree with Sir Polmon¡¯s words this time. This is quite suspicious, no matter how I look at it. I think it would be best for us to break their spirits and then proceed to exchange prisoners.¡± ¡°Right? Anyways, it would be strange for us to launch a siege right away. We will provoke them for a few days, and when they are exhausted, early in the morning, we could¡ª¡± ¡°Sirs!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Polmon responded with a fierce expression after a mercenary leader rushed into the tent. ¡°A messenger! A messenger from Lord Bommel has arrived!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? There aren¡¯t any other knights besides us.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s Sir Pascal of Langbon¡­¡± ¡°What?!¡± The knights became startled and rushed out of the tent. ¡°A messenger from Lord Bommel?¡± ¡°That is what they are saying. The one holding the flag is Sir Pascal, right?¡± ¡°What? I thought he was taken as a prisoner, wasn¡¯t he?¡± The mercenaries whispered after making way, and the knights stared at the group leisurely passing through the middle. The figure holding the Bommel family¡¯s flag on a spear was certainly Pascal, the keeper of Langbon. A knight adorned with black plate armor and Robos, who had been a captured prisoner, followed on their horses. There were even two slaves carrying a large box in the rear. ¡°Sir Pascal!¡± Polmon ran to Pascal with wide eyes. ¡°What is going on? I thought you were captured? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°¡­It is the lord¡¯s order.¡± Pascal wanted nothing more than to reveal the truth right away. However, he had already broken his promise twice, and he knew his life would be in jeopardy if he tried anything. As such, he spoke the words that Eugene relayed to him in advance. ¡°What does he want to¡ª¡± ¡°Hey! Did I not say it was the lord¡¯s orders? Are you planning to disobey your employer¡¯s orders? Get out of my way!¡± ¡°Sir Pascal, you need to tell us the whole story. We are here to save you, sir. We need to know what is going on¡­¡± ¡°The flag of the Bommel family, and here is a document stamped with Lord Bommel¡¯s seal. What more do you need?¡± Everyone turned their heads to the owner of the voice. Eugene raised his visor and spoke while glancing at the knights with cold eyes. ¡°I am Jan of the Eugene family. The territorial dispute is over, so move out of the way.¡± ¡°W-what!? What nonsense are you spewing?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not nonsense, but the words of your employer. You are not thinking of going against Lord Bommel¡¯s orders, are you?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± The knights became flustered. They were hired by a noble as knights. They could not go against their employer¡¯s words, especially if he was a titled noble. What would happen if hired knights or mercenaries went against the will of their employer? Aside from the fact that the lord would be enraged from having his honor and dignity tainted, no other nobles would hire them in the future, not after they went against the orders of their employer. ¡°And look over there.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± The gaze of the knights naturally shifted to where Eugene was pointing towards. ¡°Hut!¡± Someone let out a gasp. The tightly sealed gates had opened with knights and soldiers crossing the drawbridge in an orderly manner. ¡°What do you think will happen if Sir Robos and I started rampaging? The troops over there will start attacking right away. Things will quickly get interesting in many ways.¡± Receiving the knights¡¯ gazes, Eugene rested his hand on the pommel of the shortsword hanging from the saddle. Robos imitated his actions and looked as if he was waiting for Eugene¡¯s signal to attack. ¡°¡­..!¡± The three knights were taken by surprise. It was just as he said. If two knights neglected their lives and started to run amok, the formation of the troops would collapse from the inside. If the troops of the Fairchild family charged into the fray amidst the commotion, they would undoubtedly suffer. It would be suicidal for them to ignore Eugene¡¯s words. Even if they managed to survive, their life as a knight would be finished after disobeying their employer¡¯s orders. ¡°Then I will get going.¡± Clop! Clop! The two horses walked past the knights. Pascal gulped loudly and hurriedly took the lead. ¡°¡­..¡± In the tense silence, nearly a hundred troops observed Eugene¡¯s group as they passed through the formation in a leisurely manner as if they were simply taking a stroll in their backyard. *** ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± The first ones to greet Eugene were Partec and his group. ¡°I am relieved! What is going on here? I was on the wall and saw Sir Eugene. I immediately reported back, and we came out like this, but¡­¡± ¡°Is that so? Thank you.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± As Partec shook his head with a flustered expression, the knights of the Fairchild Viscounty flocked around Eugene¡¯s group. ¡°Oh! Sir Robos, I am glad you are safe! And might you be Sir Eugene? I am¡­¡± ¡°Sirs, I apologize, but I think I better greet Lord Fairchild and report to him first.¡± ¡°Ah, that is right.¡± Eugene had not only recovered Robos but also captured Baron Bommel¡¯s nephew. The knights respected his words. The knights of the Fairchild family led the troops back into the castle and personally guided him to their lord. *** ¡°¡­So, I received this document from Lord Bommel and brought his nephew, Sir Appiel Bommel Pascal.¡± ¡°How courageous! Huh! I was still doubtful when I sent my butler after listening to the words of that merchant, but you, sir, are a real tiger crouching in the bushes!¡± The same had been true of Baron Bommel, but the way Fairchild praised Eugene was sophisticated, befitting a true noble. At that time, a knight entered the hall after observing Baron Bommel¡¯s troops for a while. He had remained on the wall even after Eugene entered the castle. ¡°Lord Fairchild! Lord Bommel¡¯s troops have returned!¡± ¡°Ah! Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord! I have confirmed that they have completely disappeared from sight. I have sent a few soldiers to keep watch, so we will have access to more information in a few hours.¡± ¡°Good, very good. Hahahaha!¡± Viscount Fairchild was a man in his early to mid-40s. He let out a boisterous laugh that matched his generous appearance. Soon, he stopped laughing and raised his baton with a dignified expression. ¡°Bring the things we prepared for Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± After a while, two servants of the castle brought a large box. ¡°It is the silver I promised. I put in a little extra as a bonus.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Lord Fairchild.¡± ¡°Of course, this isn¡¯t the end. Mills.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Mills was dressed in a neat, black suit with a monocle to boot. He politely held out an item towards Eugene. ¡°It is a letter of recommendation I wrote for Count Winslon, my father-in-law. I will send him the same information right away, so he should find out about you soon, sir.¡± ¡°I am grateful.¡± Eugene admired Viscount Fairchild¡¯s preparations. It seemed that he started making preparations as soon as Partec and Mills returned to the castle. If Eugene came back with spectacular results, he could use it to show off his generosity, and if he failed, he could simply burn the letter. ¡®As expected, real nobles are different.¡¯ ¡°Haha! I am apologetic that I can only do this much to a brave, honorable knight like yourself. Anyways, my butler said you had no intention of being sworn in, is that true?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡± Eugene started contemplating excuses, but Viscount Fairchild continued with a laugh. ¡°Hahaha! I am only jesting with you. I did not mean to make you flustered, but to see a brave knight like yourself become embarrassed, it feels nice to see the human side of you, sir.¡± The human side of a vampire? Eugene bowed his head, thinking that Fairchild had a bad eye for people considering he was a real nobleman. ¡°I am even more grateful that you consider me as such.¡± ¡°Anyways, since we have achieved such a large victory, a banquet is in order, but please understand that we have to be cautious because of the current situation. I would never try to discredit you for the victory.¡± ¡°Of course. Lord Bommel is an honorable nobleman, but it is always good to be cautious when dealing with these affairs. I understand.¡± Eugene answered as if he had been waiting for Lord Bommel¡¯s words. He wanted to return to Maren as soon as possible since he had already achieved his objective here. ¡°Huh! I cannot believe that the brave knight responsible for leading us to victory is so thoughtful as well. Sir Jan of the Eugene family, I truly admire you.¡± Viscount Fairchild nodded with a benevolent expression, seemingly displaying true admiration and favor for Eugene. However, his mind spun quickly. ¡®I am tempted, but I cannot take him in. It is obvious that Bommel would not like it if I took him as a territorial knight.¡¯ Even though they ended up fighting, he was bound to become in-laws with Baron Bommel in the end. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to show consideration for Baron Bommel, to appease their feelings while further raising his own honor. ¡®But I need to do something¡­ I need to give him something good to gain dignity¡­ Ah, yes!¡¯ After a moment of thought, Viscount Fairchild spoke with a glimmer in his eyes, ¡°Mills! Bring the sword!¡± ¡°What? My lord, by that, do you mean¡­¡± ¡°Is there another sword I could be referring to?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes!¡± Mills paused for a moment, then quickly disappeared. ¡°You can look forward to it.¡± Viscount Fairchild grinned at Eugene. After a short while, Mills returned while carefully holding a shortsword clothed in a black scabbard. ¡°Sir Jan of the Eugene family.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± Viscount Fairchild received the sword from Mills, then held it out to Eugene in a dignified manner. ¡°This sword is named ¡®Wolfslaughter.¡¯ It was a gift from my father-in-law given to me along with the dowry. It belonged to one of the most famous knights of the Winslon County, Sir Bellgreen Entaylor. He truly brought glory and honor to the Winslon County with this blade¡± ¡®That old man was so regretful when he gave this to me. Whatever the case, I can boast after giving this to the knight. And if the knight actually becomes sworn in to the old man, I¡¯m basically returning the sword to him, so he should be grateful.¡¯ Although Viscount Fairchild was cold and calculating in his thoughts, he took on an expression of dignity and affection as he spoke. ¡°From now on, you, sir, are the owner of Wolfslaughter.¡± CH 35 Eugene left the Fairchild territory with a grand farewell from Viscount Fairchild and the people of the castle. He also carried with him a box full of silver coins, a letter of recommendation to a count, and even a treasured sword. ¡®Wolfslaughter¡­¡¯ Eugene stared at the shortsword hanging from the saddle. When he first received the weapon from Viscount Fairchild, he had considered it as a simple and expensive sword. However, he could not help but be surprised as soon as he unsheathed the weapon. It exuded a cold, sharp aura. He was even more surprised after hearing Viscount Fairchild¡¯s explanation of the weapon¡¯s origins, which was slightly prideful and ostentatious. Wolfslaughter was a weapon forged from a meteorite in a dwarven city located on Mount Cranfos. It was an excellent blade capable of easily slashing through chainmail. ¡®The letter of recommendation is nice, but I like this one too. He even gave me a slave as well.¡¯ Eugene glanced back at his slaves. He now had three slaves in his possession: Viscount Fairchild had given him one and he had obtained two from Baron Bommel. Although Eugene was still a free knight, he was equipped in plate armor, rode a famed warhorse, and possessed three slaves. He was undoubtedly a bigshot at first glance. Moreover, the slave from Viscount Fairchild had more brawn than brains. ¡°You are from Brantia?¡± ¡°Yes, Master. Sir Boche of Crawlmarine is my father.¡± The 19-year-old slave was rough-spoken in the common language. Surprisingly, he stemmed from a family of knights in the island country of Brantia. The slave, Luke was the offspring of a knight¡¯s concubine, and he had been taken prisoner after losing a battle while serving as a mercenary. A small family of a knight could not afford to pay the ransom of a concubine¡¯s child, and eventually, he ended up in Viscount Fairchild¡¯s castle as a slave. ¡°Did you receive knightly education?¡± ¡°Yes. I was taught by Sir Bosch.¡± ¡°Then you know how to use a blade?¡± ¡°I am not great at it by any means, but I am able to protect myself. If it ever comes to it, I will protect Master with my life.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that will ever happen. If Sir Eugene is in danger, it means you and I will already be dead.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Partec smirked, and Luke shut his mouth. Certainly, his master was a young knight who was superior in skill to any other knights he had seen. Moreover, his master was able to defeat hired mercenaries of Lord Bommel and capture a territorial knight as well as the territory¡¯s successor by himself. His feats reflected his amazing abilities. ¡°Do you two have any specialities?¡± Eugene asked, and the slaves given to him by Baron Bommel answered one after another. ¡°I farmed and dug herbs for a long time in my hometown, Master.¡± ¡°I worked as a hunter in the Garanbow Territory.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It was useful to possess slaves with specialties. In particular, for knights planning to travel from place to place like Eugene, it was even more important to have slaves with superior specialties. ¡®One received education to become a knight, and the other two are a herbalist and a hunter. They might be helpful inside the dungeon as well.¡¯ With such thoughts, Eugene spoke while looking at the slaves, ¡°Good. Luke, Liddle, Pen. I will give you half a silver coin as a week¡¯s wage. That will be two silver coins in a month.¡± ¡°You are truly generous!¡± ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± ¡°I will serve you to my fullest.¡± Liddle and Pen were commoners. They bowed their heads with thrilled expressions, and even Luke looked deeply moved. Slaves were often most concerned about becoming possessions of knights. Slaves that belonged to nobles were relatively safe because most nobles lived in castles or mansions. However, since knights usually led a rough life and traveled through dangerous areas, slaves that belonged to knights had to risk their lives as well. In addition, it was common for knights with violent tendencies to treat their slaves harshly. It was incredibly rare to find a knight like Eugene, who was willing to even pay the slaves a wage. ¡°Luke, how long have you served as an aide?¡± ¡°A little over three years, master.¡± ¡°So you should be good at grooming horses and polishing armor?¡± ¡°Yes. If you leave it to me, I will always maintain it as good as new.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°What?! No, Sir Eugene! What do you mean!?¡± Mirian started rampaging. It was unknown whether she felt that her job had been taken away, or if she felt robbed of spending her sweet time stroking the expensive plate armor. ¡°Me too! I want to do it too! Kieeek!¡± Eugene snatched her out of the air, pretended to swat away an insect, then placed her in his leather pocket before speaking. ¡°In the future, all of you will often have to enter evil lands. You might already know this, but there will be no one to protect the slaves and the porters.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Luke appeared indifferent, but the expressions of Liddle and Pen became grim. However, they felt a little relieved at Eugene¡¯s following words. ¡°Luke, you will be in charge of protecting these two in the evil lands. Always stick by their side until I give you an order.¡± ¡°As you wish, Master.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Luke gave a quick response, and Eugene observed him for a moment before turning to Partec. ¡°Does it matter if I arm the slaves?¡± ¡°Not at all. Slaves are rarely given armor, but many knights provide them with shortswords or daggers.¡± ¡°I see.¡± A single weapon would merely serve as the minimum. It would only be useful for self-defense. Moreover, although Eugene received the slaves for free, he felt that it would be a bit disappointing to lose them in vain. ¡®Galfredik said that I would have to spend as much as I make. He was completely right.¡¯ Eugene pondered and smacked his lips. He knew the burly knight would surely burst into laughter if he heard Eugene¡¯s thoughts. *** Upon arriving in Maren, Eugene immediately headed to a shop that handled weapons and armors before finding accommodation. Eugene provided Liddle and Pen with strong leather armor and daggers for self-defense. For Luke, he bought a set of hauberk[1], a shield, a shortsword, and a rondel dagger. ¡°T, to think you would grace us mere slaves with such undeserved armament! I will serve you with all that I have until the moment I die, Master!¡± Luke''s blue eyes filled with tears. He wasn¡¯t as big as Partec, but he still possessed a fairly large physique. He couldn¡¯t believe that he was receiving chainmail as a slave. He had never received such a gift even when he served as a knight¡¯s aide. ¡®He is as generous as he is courageous.¡¯ Luke wiped away his tears. The other two slaves were greatly moved as well. They knew all too well how knights treated slaves they were gifted for free. If a knight received slaves as a gift, the slaves were usually treated very harshly. They had been expecting such treatment from their master as well. But never in their dreams did they imagine that their master would be so considerate to the extent that he would even pay them weekly wages. ¡°We will serve you until the day we die, Master Eugene.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Eugene inwardly nodded. The slaves appeared deeply touched by his gesture. Their reactions were greater than he had expected. - If you ever get any slaves, give them a wage, even if it is minuscule, and buy them cheap armor. If you do so, they will even lick your toes of their own volition. Eugene was certainly lucky to have had the opportunity to become acquainted with a knight like Galfredik. ¡®Come to think of it, has he been sworn in by Count Evergrove?¡¯ Although no news was usually good news, Eugene felt slightly bothered that nothing had reached his ears since the dungeon opening. However, knights like Galfredik would succeed regardless of where they were, so Eugene stopped worrying about him. *** ¡°Welcome back! I am glad you returned safely, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°It seems you have been doing quite well as well, Vice Executive.¡± Priscilla bowed politely towards Eugene, then continued in a slightly excited tone. ¡°I heard, sir! You were hired by Lord Fairchild for a bit and managed to end the territorial dispute by yourself?¡± ¡°Already? Word really travels fast.¡± Although they were in an equal, contractual relationship, Eugene spoke comfortably. The difference in their status was clear. ¡°All the mercenaries hired by Lord Bommel could not stop talking about you, Sir Eugene. I cannot believe you managed to defeat dozens of mercenaries and captured a territorial knight as well as Lord Bommel¡¯s successor!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ well, that¡¯s right.¡± It was mostly true, but Eugene felt like the truth had been slightly distorted. However, he gave up on trying to correct the story. ¡°Anyways, as soon as news of Sir Eugene¡¯s performance was spread¡­¡± Priscilla spoke with twinkling eyes, then suddenly stopped. ¡°As soon as the news spread? Did something happen?¡± ¡°Ah! I just wanted to mention that our association made a few slight tweaks with Sir Eugene¡¯s contract.¡± She almost blurted out the fact that the nobles and celebrities of Maren were going crazy for him, but she managed to change the subject. It would become challenging if the knight became drunk on his reputation and started to have other thoughts. ¡°Oh really? What changed?¡± ¡°We decided to raise the success pay by five percent, and we have finished all cooperation clauses. We made it so that Sir Eugene will be able to participate in subjugations at any time, whenever you so desire.¡± ¡°Good. Is there anything else that has changed?¡± ¡°No. The contract will end after three subjugations, with two extra, mutually agreed subjugations. If there is a disagreement, the contract will end after three subjugations. If you want to renew your contract¡ª¡± ¡°We can talk about that when the time comes. Shall we sign the contract then?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene.¡± Priscilla felt regretful as she presented three pre-written documents. One was for the Palin Association, one was for Eugene, and the other was to be notarized in the merchant association. Eugene had yet to possess his own seal, so he printed his name in clear letters before signing. ¡°Um¡­ Are you not going to check?¡± Priscilla asked carefully after noticing that Eugene signed the document without reading it properly. After he was done signing the final document, Eugene raised his head. ¡°Why? Did you change your mind and decide to add something in?¡± ¡°Ah! N, not at all!¡± Priscilla felt a chill run down her spine as she faced Eugene¡¯s cold smile. She quickly waved her hands in denial. ¡°That¡¯s all that matters. Now, is this everything?¡± ¡°Yes! Then I will take you to the Heavenly Constellations to rest, as written in the contract. There are no differences with your entourage, correct?¡± ¡°Well, I have three slaves now.¡± ¡°Sl¡­ Slaves. I see. I will set up a separate accommodation for them.¡± It wasn¡¯t just one, but three new slaves. The addition of extra slaves only served to prove the ability of the knight she signed a contract with. As such, Priscilla could play it cool. ¡°Ah, before I forget,¡± Eugene turned his head and spoke as he started leaving through the door, which was being held open by Priscilla. ¡°When is the first subjugation?¡± ¡°Oh! Look at me. I forgot to tell you the most important thing. It will be in ten days. Mount Morrison Labyrinth in the Evergrove Territory.¡± ¡°The Evergrove Territory¡­¡± It was the land where Galfredik went to be sworn in. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Eugene smiled, recalling the face of the only knight he rather liked. ¡°Ah, and one more thing. This subjugation is¡­¡± Various pieces of relevant information began to flow from Priscilla¡¯s lips. *** Five days passed. In the meantime, Eugene attended various banquets hosted by Maren¡¯s nobles and celebrities. And on the sixth day, Eugene left the city with his slaves and mercenaries. It was a little earlier than planned, but he had no desire to further involve himself with meaningless competitions between the pompous nobles. Moreover, he had already met with the most important figures. ¡°You worked hard these few days, Sir Eugene,¡± Partec spoke with a grin. He had attended the banquet alongside Eugene as his attendant. ¡°I would not call it hard work. There is no point in creating hostile relationships by rejecting their invitations.¡± ¡°You are right.¡± ¡°Anyways, I hope all of you are energized after resting these last few days.¡± ¡°Yes. All of us are well-rested after resting these past few days. All of us.¡± Eugene nodded satisfactorily while looking around at the mercenaries and slaves. Including himself, there were seven people in the group. It was now a battle-ready party that no one could simply ignore. ¡°By the way, Sir Eugene, do you know how many members will be on the subjugation team?¡± ¡°About thirty people, including us. A knight of the Evergrove Territory will be leading the subjugation.¡± ¡°I see. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult, since the territorial knight should be familiar with the labyrinth. Moreover, Mount Morrison Labyrinth was discovered and opened more than ten years ago. Quite a bit of it has already been explored.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they said. But according to the Vice Executive, it seems like they are planning to head in deeper this time around.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s because they would lose face if they were to fight in the same area every single time. Sometimes, they have to explore unidentified areas as a formality.¡± Partec was the most experienced out of the group. At his reassuring words, the expressions of the group brightened. However¡­ ¡°They might include a wizard in the subjugation this time. I was told that Count Evergrove hired a wizard not too long ago.¡± ¡°What?!¡± 1. chainmail covering up to a person¡¯s thighs ? CH 36 ¡°A wizard¡­¡± Partec¡¯s expression became grim. Glade and Lavan, who were quietly following along, could no longer hold their curiosity and carefully spoke up. ¡°Have you ever seen a wizard before?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it good that a wizard is joining?¡± ¡°It is. The owner of the evil land should feel very reassured that a wizard is joining. However, most wizards are¡­¡± Partec started explaining to the two mercenaries about wizards, and the slaves also listened with interest. On the other hand, Mirian chatted nonstop into Eugene¡¯s ear. ¡°Tsk, tsk! Our little bear doesn¡¯t really know much about wizards either. Sir, they are nothing special. They die all the same if you stick a sword in their gut. There are quite a few wizards who acted all cheeky toward knights and got their heads lobbed off.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°My seniors told me to be more careful of wizards whose names and schools are unknown. Apparently, those known to the world to some extent are easier to deal with because they can be materialistic and worldly.¡± However, Eugene wasn¡¯t all too interested in wizards. Instead, he was worried about other things. ¡®High-rank monsters have never been spotted in Evergrove Territory¡¯s labyrinth before, right?¡¯ At least, that was the case according to the information provided by the Palin Association. However, it was the first time in almost five years that the county hired a wizard for a subjugation. ¡®That would mean that their goal is to explore unidentified areas of the labyrinth. Or perhaps¡­¡¯ - There is a possibility that something might have happened in the labyrinth. Eugene recalled Priscila¡¯s words. It appeared that he would have quite a bit to talk about with Galfredik when they met again. *** After leaving Maren, Eugene¡¯s party traveled for two days before arriving in the Evergrove territory. The castle was quite small for a county, and the gates were wide open. Guards immediately allowed Eugene¡¯s group to pass as if they had been instructed to do so. ¡°Sir Jan of the Eugene family has arrived. Please enter, sir.¡± Under the guidance of an old butler, Eugene entered through the large door while carrying his helmet under his arm. Four people were inside the spacious and neat office. Eugene walked up to a young nobleman sitting behind a large desk in the middle of the office. Without sparing the others a glance, he lightly bowed his head with his palm resting on the handle of his sword. ¡°Nice to meet you, Young Master Jevin. I am Jan of the Eugene family.¡± ¡°You are younger and more handsome than the rumors have it. I heard one of your ancestors was an elf?¡± Jevin was the eldest son of Count Evergrove and successor to the county. He was a handsome man in his early 30s with gray hair. Count Evergrove was still healthy, but Jevin had been put in charge of managing a portion of the county since two years ago, which included the evil land subjugation. ¡°Yes. That is what my late father told me.¡± ¡°Even with the thinning of blood, the beauty of the elves is still prominent. Have a seat.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eugene slumped into a fluffy chair, then finally looked around at the other three figures. ¡°Give your greetings. As you all know, this is Sir Jan Eugene. This is Sir Entler, and next to him is Sir Lugates.¡± Eugene greeted the two knights with his eyes. He was unfamiliar with Entler but had heard many stories about Lugates. He had won last year¡¯s tournament held by Count Evergrove. Galfredik had evaluated Lugates to be on par with him in terms of swordsmanship. ¡®But Galfredik said the results might have been different if he had not been injured in the semifinals. Moreover, he said the process of the jousting competition was a bit doubtful as well.¡¯ Lugates had a rugged face, which was a mismatch with his long, lush, blonde hair. It was foolish to evaluate a knight by his appearance, but Eugene had a hunch that the knight named Entler was the stronger one between the two. ¡°And this person is¡­¡± Jevin continued to explain. He gestured towards a figure sitting calmly between the other figures. ¡°This is Master Romari, one of the wizards practicing the inheritance of the Sandstone School. She is talented in finding people using sand magic, a type of earth magic.¡± The wizard slightly raised their head. Even though she was in the presence of a count¡¯s successor, her face was mostly covered with a hood. ¡®A woman?¡¯ Eugene was slightly surprised. The eyes that stared at him under her long eyelashes were reminiscent of a dead fish. It was the first time Eugene saw an actual wizard, but he had never expected it to be a woman. The wizard also looked a little surprised to see Eugene. A glimmer appeared for a brief moment in her blank eyes before disappearing. ¡°First of all, Sir Eugene, I would like to express my gratitude for coming earlier than initially scheduled. I hope you understand that we must immediately delve into the matter and discuss the subjugation. The situation is rather critical.¡± ¡°That is fine, Young Master Jevin.¡± ¡°Hmm. Your consideration does not betray your high reputation, sir.¡± Jevin spoke with a smile before continuing. He knew how important it was for high-ranking nobles to have manners in public. ¡°I originally planned to discuss the matter with these three, but since Sir Eugene arrived, we can all proceed together. Oh, before that¡­¡± Jevin turned his eyes towards Eugene. He spoke in a slightly dampened voice. ¡°Sir Eugene shares a deep friendship with Sir Galfredik, is that correct?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Well, you could say that.¡± Eugene didn¡¯t know whether it could be called a ¡®deep friendship,¡¯ but he knew Galfredik might have called it as such. Thus, he nodded. ¡°As expected. Then I must deliver some sad news. Sir Galfredik failed to return from the last subjugation of the labyrinth which took place two months ago.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Eugene was shocked by the sudden news. ¡°Of course, his death has not been confirmed yet. Sir Galfredik and the entire subjugation party went missing. What happened was¡­¡± Befitting his status as a well-educated successor, Jevin calmly explained the incident in an orderly manner. ¡°¡­And that is why I hired Master Romari and Sir Eugene. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes. Can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Eugene turned his eyes away from Jevin towards someone who looked quite bored. ¡°Sir Lugates. Will you be participating in this subjugation?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Lugates flinched, and Eugene continued while staring into the knight¡¯s eyes. ¡°Sir, you were the last person to see Sir Galfredik alive. I think that you could help us greatly in finding him if you were to participate in the subjugation.¡± Lugates stared at Eugene for a moment, then glanced at Jevin before replying. ¡°I would like to, but according to the laws of our territory, territorial knights are supposed to participate in subjugations only twice a year. You, sir, might not know, since you are a free knight.¡± Lugates put emphasis on certain words. It was clear that there were distinct ¡®classes¡¯ even between knights. Such distinctions were made clear by the fact that territorial knights weren¡¯t often dispatched on subjugations of evil lands. It was enough to hire and send free knights and mercenaries. There was no reason to send an important power of the territory into an evil land. However, it would not do to have powerful resources lying around to rot. As such, territorial knights usually participated in subjugations about two or three times a year. ¡°Conserving the territory¡¯s power. Is that it?¡± ¡°It seems that you know it very well, sir.¡± Lugates responded with a smile, and Eugene turned to Jevin. ¡°Young Master Jevin, Sir Galfredik is an outstanding knight. If he manages to return safely, he would be a great help to the Evergrove Territory¡¯s overall power, am I right?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Lugates¡¯ expression distorted, and Jevin stroked his chin. ¡°You are not wrong. However, the problem is that Sir Galfredik participated in the subjugation before he was officially sworn in.¡± Although Galfredik successfully led the subjugation in the Tywin Territory, Count Evergrove did not have him sworn in immediately. Instead, the count offered to have him sworn in if he gave an outstanding performance in the subjugation of Mount Morrison¡¯s labyrinth. To put it nicely, it was a reasonable offer. It was a thoroughly calculated move by Count Evergrove. ¡°It was because Sir Galfredik coveted so much merit that this happened in the first place¡­¡± Lugates muttered, and Eugene glanced at him. Eugene found him rather distasteful, but he held back since they were in the presence of the count¡¯s successor. Eugene spoke to Jevin. ¡°Then will I be entering the labyrinth along with Sir Entler and Master Romari?¡± ¡°That is correct. There will also be 14 mercenaries and four porters.¡± Including Eugene¡¯s group, the total number of participants would come to 27. These numbers were average at best, but with the addition of a wizard, they would be an even stronger force. ¡°The main objective of the subjugation will be to search for Sir Galfredik and the missing party. I will compensate you 300 silver coins upon success. I will also let the Palin Association know. Can you leave tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I like that you are straightforward. Then let me explain the plan for the subjugation.¡± Jevin continued to explain for several minutes. The subjugation would be headed by Entler, one of Evergrove¡¯s territorial knights, and Romari was hired to track the missing group. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good. I will have accommodations ready for you and your people, Sir Eugene.¡± The butler had been waiting outside the room. At Jevin¡¯s instructions, he personally led Eugene to his residence. ¡°Sir Eugene. Do you have a moment?¡± Eugene started following the butler. However, he was interrupted by the wizard, even though she had remained completely silent during their time in the office. After asking the butler for understanding, Eugene approached Romari, who was standing a little distance away. ¡°What is it?¡± Romari asked in a quiet voice. Her eyes were still dazed and without focus. ¡°Excuse me, but I would like to speak to you alone later. Would that be okay?¡± ¡°Kieeek!? Is this wench trying to seduce our esteemed Sir Eugene? I cannot allow it! Get lost!¡± Eugene ignored Mirian¡¯s tantrum and responded. ¡°I have no reason to, nor have the desire to.¡± ¡°I promise that it will not be a waste of your time, Sir Eugene. Rather, you might find it helpful. Could you spare me a moment after dinner? I will come to visit you quietly.¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, do as you like.¡± Eugene contemplated briefly before nodding. Unlike priests, wizards were not known to be very hostile toward vampires, and Romari was a wizard who would be helpful in finding Galfredik. *** ¡°I cannot believe he¡¯s missing¡­¡± Eugene clicked his tongue after entering his provided residence. Things were taking a strange turn from the first subjugation he was participating in after signing the contract with the Palin Association. Mirian babbled while sitting on his shoulder. ¡°Sir, sir. That big bear is a little weird too, but the wizard girl who looked like a raccoon. Don¡¯t you find her a little weird?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They said she was from the Sandstone School, but I could not feel that much earth energy from her. Rather, I thought she was emitting an energy similar to the dark tribe. Did you not feel it?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It was his first time meeting a wizard, but Eugene agreed with Mirian¡¯s words. Perhaps it was instinctive, or the sixth sense of a vampire. The moment he met Romari¡¯s eyes, he was surprised to see she was a woman, but also because she felt rather familiar. Perhaps it was the power of her magic, but Eugene trusted his sixth sense. His instincts had never been wrong before. ¡°Well, she said she had something to say, so we will find out sooner or later.¡± ¡°Hmph! You can¡¯t fall for her though, okay? The seniors told me that wizard wenches were crazy about men!¡± ¡°I have no interest.¡± ¡°Kekeke! I knew I could trust you, Sir Eugene!¡± The crazy spirit quickly abandoned her spazzy attitude and laughed boisterously. Eugene simply ignored her and contemplated. ¡®What is it that she wants to talk to me about? She didn¡¯t look particularly dangerous.¡¯ Although it was improbable, if he judged the wizard to be a threat, then today would be the day he would feast on a wizard¡¯s blood for the first time. CH 37 Eugene returned to his room after eating supper with the mercenaries. The slaves were placed in the same room as the mercenaries, so Eugene and Mirian were left alone in the spacious room. Eugene placed Wolfslaughter on the table, in case he needed the weapon, and waited for Romari to come. After about ten minutes after his slave, Luke, left the room after lighting up the lamps. A knock resounded. ¡°Sir Eugene, it¡¯s Romari. Can I come in?¡± ¡°Come on in.¡± With Eugene¡¯s permission, Romari opened the door and quietly entered. She was adorned in a loose, brown robe. She flinched after seeing Wolfslaughter lying on the table but soon bowed after removing her hood. ¡°I would greet you officially. I am not actually from the Sandstone School. I am Sirinoa Romari of the Blood Shadow School. It is an honor to meet a member of the Night¡¯s Tribe.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± *** Romari, a wizard of the Blood Shadow School, was extremely excited. As could be inferred from the name, the Blood Shadow School revered vampires. And today, Romari came across a vampire for the first time. Most vampires resided in northern regions or areas with little influence from the church, so it was rare to see them in nearby areas. ¡®I got lucky.¡¯ Moreover, it was clear that the opponent was an old, experienced vampire. Otherwise, how could they be walking around proudly in broad daylight? ¡®Vampires are said to be amicable to our school, so he definitely will...¡¯ Romari couldn¡¯t finish her thoughts in time. The beautiful, elegant vampire closed the distance in an instant and grabbed her throat like lightning. ¡°Keugh!?¡± ¡°I do not know how you figured out my identity, but it must mean you have a death wish, correct?¡± ¡°Keugh! N, no¡­ W, wait, please¡­¡± ¡°Sir, sir! I heard from my seniors that the Blood Shadow School has relations with monsters! Have her make an oath! Then we can listen to what she has to say!¡± After hearing Mirian¡¯s advice, Eugene placed Wolfslaughter against Romari¡¯s throat and drew his vampire fear to the maximum. ¡°Swear on your name, your school, and magic. That you will not lie nor use magic in this place.¡± ¡°I, I swear by my name, the Blood Shadow School, and on magic. I will never lie, nor will I use magic in this place.¡± Romari frantically shouted, frightened by the sudden turn of events. According to Mirian, for a wizard to break an oath was equivalent to foregoing the path of magic. As such, Eugene finally let go of Romari¡¯s throat. But he did not withdraw his Vampire Fear. Wolfslaughter rested in his hand, ready to swing at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Then tell me. How did you know that I was a member of the Night¡¯s Tribe?¡± Romari fumbled, her face still filled with fear. ¡°T, the founder of the Blood Shadow School was a member of the tribe. That is why we are able to sense vampires.¡± ¡°The founder?¡± Eugene finally withdrew his vampire fear after hearing an unexpected answer. Romari suddenly kowtowed on the ground like a frog while breathing raggedly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to recognize a noble Origin and acted presumptuously. Please forgive me, Sir Eugene!¡± Eugene had not evoked his Vampire Fear as a show of power. However, Romari felt that the powerful fear that pressured her was very similar to the fear of an Origin, which her teacher spoke about in the past. Like most wizards, Romari was patient and had strong mental fortitude. However, the fear instilled in her just now caused her heart to beat rapidly. She even found it difficult to resist. It was due to the characteristics of a school founded by an Origin, in other words, an original vampire. ¡®To think that I even attempted to cast magic in a panic¡­¡¯ Romari managed to barely lift her head. However, the vampire, who was surely an Origin, had a puzzled frown on his face. ¡°Origin?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Romari¡¯s dead eyes gradually widened with shock. She seemed to have met a member of the Night¡¯s Tribe who was unaware that he was an Origin. *** ¡°So, what you are saying is that Origins are the noblest of vampires?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Of those in the Night¡¯s Tribe, we call the direct descendants of the noblest of the families¨COrigins. I cannot be sure with my abilities, but based on the fear you emitted a moment ago, Sir Eugene, I think you could be an Origin.¡± Eugene felt very surprised but also uncertain. He possessed no memories of the distant past. ¡®I could be an Origin? Does that mean I am the highest-ranking vampire?¡¯ However, he could not unconditionally trust the words of a wizard he met for the first time. ¡°Tell me more about the noblest families.¡± ¡°Not much is known, so there is not much for me to say. However, I know that the founder of our school was an esteemed figure with the family name of ¡®Ventroa.¡¯¡± ¡°Ventroa?¡± ¡°Yes. However, it is said that the founder spoke almost nothing about vampires. Because of an oath. So even Master Bellopa, my teacher in magic, knows almost nothing as well.¡± ¡°Tell me as much as you can.¡± Eugene pressured Romari. This was a clue to finding his origin. ¡°I really don¡¯t know anything. You will only be able to find information about Origins at the Library of Avilonia. But it¡¯s too far away, and I can¡¯t even think of going there with so many wars here and there.¡± ¡°The Library of Avilonia? How far is it?¡± ¡°About half a year¡¯s distance from here¡­¡± ¡°I know! I know about that place! I heard from my seniors. But not anyone can get in. They¡¯ll only grant access to very prestigious nobles or famous wizards.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He had no reason to waste half a year, and it would do no good for Eugene to head there with his current status. ¡°Fine. Then why did you come to me?¡± ¡°Because of the labyrinth subjugation. If I am with a member of the Night¡¯s Tribe, I could achieve my goals more easily. I wanted to receive some help.¡± ¡°Help?¡± Eugene responded while crossing his arms, and Romari hurriedly continued. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. Actually¡­¡± According to Romari¡¯s explanation, only one high-ranking monster had been spotted in the Mount Morrison Labyrinth thus far¨Ca cyclops. Coincidentally, she needed the nails and blood of a cyclops for her magic research. ¡°I happened to hear that they were in a hurry to find a wizard. I thought it was a good opportunity, so I came and told them I was from the Sandstone School. I do know a bit of earth-based magic.¡± ¡°You must have some talents. Was the Count not suspicious?¡± ¡°He seemed unsuspecting, perhaps because of the urgent situation. Moreover, I had the confidence to get away if I was found out.¡± ¡®Until I met an Origin like you.¡¯ Romari thought to herself. Eugene asked once again, ¡°I see. But why do you need materials from a cyclops?¡± ¡°They are necessary to create a chimera.¡± ¡°Chimera?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an artificial, hybrid monster created by wizards! Kyah~ Sir, she must be pretty talented. I heard from my seniors that wizards won¡¯t even attempt to create one unless they have the skills.¡± Mirian propped herself out of the leather pocket and blabbered. Meanwhile, Romari continued to explain, ¡°It is a type of an artificial monster. For wizards belonging to the Blood Shadow School, our ultimate mission is to produce our own chimera. It has been three years since I became independent from my master. Since then¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really care about all that. Anyways, so what you are telling me is that you need the materials from a cyclops, and you came to me because you thought my cooperation would be helpful to you. Is that right?¡± ¡°Yes. Vampires are amicable to our school. Master Bellopa had also met two vampires thus far, and he told me he received some help from both of them.¡± Vampires didn¡¯t suddenly pop out of thin air without a master. Vampires passed down their knowledge from generation to generation, just as humans did. All vampires knew about the Blood Shadow School unless they were completely isolated from others and were ignorant. That was what her teacher said. ¡®Except for you¡­¡¯ ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± Eugene felt rather enlightened. He knew that wizards weren¡¯t unconditionally hostile toward vampires, but he never imagined that a school would possess a cooperative relationship with vampires. Moreover, the founder of the school had been a vampire as well. ¡°What about the cyclops¡¯ mana stone? Do you need that as well?¡± ¡°No. I do not need the mana stone.¡± Romari quickly shook her head. The atmosphere loosened slightly. ¡°Good. We can cooperate.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes! Thank you.¡± She felt taken aback by his sudden consent, but Romari cusped her hands and expressed her gratitude. Although this was quite a strange situation, she had confidence in defeating a cyclops with Eugene¡¯s assistance. After all, he seemed to be an Origin. ¡°However, on one condition.¡± ¡°And what might that be¡­?¡± ¡°You have to cooperate in finding Galfredik.¡± ¡°Well¡­ that knight might already be dead. And with all due respect, why are you trying to find a mere human knight¡­? As an Origin, you possess the coldest and noblest of blood¡­¡± Fwoosh! ¡°Yes! Of course! I will find him! Even if he is already dead, I will find his corpse and bring it to you!¡± Romari once again fell to the floor as Eugene evoked his Vampire Fear to its fullest. ¡®Why does a vampire care about a human? Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have come to him¡­¡¯ She felt a little regretful, but it was already too late. Moreover, due to the nature of the Blood Shadow School, anyone else would have made the same choice as herself. *** The next morning, the subjugation group departed from the castle with Eugene and Entler in the lead. Five or six hours later, the group arrived at a village located near the entrance of Mount Morrison. But uninvited guests were waiting for the subjugation group in the village, alongside the welcoming residents and chief of the village. ¡°We cannot allow anyone without permission to enter the labyrinth.¡± ¡°I felt an evil energy in the Mount Morrison Labyrinth. Count Evergrove also hired a wizard because of the severity of the situation, did he not?¡± ¡°Master Romari was invited to assist in exploring new areas of the labyrinth. It has nothing to do with evil energy.¡± ¡°Why are you objecting to our assistance? We are not asking for anything in return. Are you not a man of faith, sir?¡± ¡°I believe in god, but also in magic. Above all, I trust my blade.¡± ¡°How disrespectful, sir!¡± Those arguing fiercely with Entler were templars belonging to a monastery located near the Evergrove Territory. Templars also belonged to the church, but they were distinct from the holy knights. Holy knights mostly stemmed from noble families, and they directly served the bishop or the leaders of the church. They became knights with the support of the church. On the other hand, templars were warriors who devoted themselves to church relying on only their faith. Moreover, they stemmed from various origins and were part of frugal monasteries. As such, their equipment was no different from ordinary mercenaries. ¡®This is troublesome.¡¯ Although they weren¡¯t as bad as holy knights, Eugene felt uneasy around templars as well. He carefully observed the three templars. ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t believe in god, so I do not know what you consider as disrespectful. I even go to church to pray sometimes when I have nothing else to do. Anyways, I cannot accept you sirs.¡± ¡°Sir, look here. We are under direct orders from our principal. I am sure that Count Evergrove would have received the same message.¡± The templars remained stubborn. All of them were adorned in old full-body chainmail and a surcoat with the circular symbol of the church. ¡°Hmm.¡± Entler smacked his lips together after seeing the templar hold out a letter. The principal of the monastery they belonged to was from a noble family, so even Count Evergrove had to treat them with respect. ¡®Will they listen to my words at all in the labyrinth? In all likelihood, they will try to act independently.¡¯ Templars were famous for acting first, then insisting that they only followed god''s will instead of their own, regardless of the outcome. As such, knights hated becoming involved with templars. Knights were well aware of how troublesome disobedient allies were. As if reading Entler''s mind, one of the templars, who appeared to be the leader, spoke, ¡°I promise not to cause you any trouble, Sir Entler. Within the labyrinth, we will obey all orders.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Entler¡¯s expression finally loosened slightly. However, it was unknown how they would actually act once they were in the labyrinth. He wanted to avoid having them under his command no matter what. ¡®Ah! That¡¯s it.¡¯ ¡°Then you sirs can accompany Sir Eugene¡¯s group. They do not have enough warriors to fight. Sir Eugene, you are fine with the arrangement, right?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene¡¯s frown deepened inside of his helmet. He started to mutter a response, but the templars flocked to him. ¡°Nice to meet you, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Are you perhaps the same knight who defeated roamers and the evil orcs in Maren? The merchant who visited our monastery praised you as a knight who is as trustworthy as he is brave.¡± ¡°It is an honor to fight in the evil land with such a faithful knight.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene was at a loss for words. ¡°Kyahahahahaha! They¡¯re calling a vampire faithful! F, faithful! Kyahahahah!¡± Mirian burst into laughter. Romari, the only other person who knew of Eugene¡¯s identity, took on a strange expression as well. The templars looked at him with twinkling eyes, and Entler looked over with a satisfied expression. It appeared that Eugene couldn¡¯t refuse them. CH 38 The labyrinth was similar yet different from a dungeon. Dungeons were a mixture of natural-generated environments and artificial elements, while labyrinths were entirely artificial. Unlike dungeons, labyrinths possessed a few more dangerous elements besides monsters ¨C traps, baits, and barriers. ¡°Follow my footsteps exactly. If you step in the wrong place, you will fall into a trap.¡± ¡°From here, never lean against the wall. If you want to get skewered by the spears from these walls, then be my guest.¡± ¡°Do not make eye contact with that stone statue for more than five seconds. Those with weak mental fortitudes are asking to be enchanted.¡± Fortunately, Entler knew every corner of the labyrinth as if it was his backyard. His family had served the Evergrove County for several generations after all. He knew exactly where the traps were located, and what kinds of monsters would show up. As such, the subjugation team never experienced any difficult hardship along the way. *** ¡°Dismantle the corpses and secure the materials and mana stones. I will be scouting ahead.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Entler!¡± The porters busily got to work, and the mercenaries treated their minor injuries while the templars prayed next to them. The templars performed the same ritual after every battle. Mercenaries were very susceptible to superstitions, so they started gesturing in the air and even began repeating the prayers after the templars, though they could only mumble half-intelligible words. Naturally, Eugene felt aversive to their rituals. As such, he often retreated to a place where he could not hear them. ¡°Wow! How surprising. Water flows inside this labyrinth.¡± Mirian chatted while looking at mercenaries refilling their leather pouches with water flowing from a lion statue¡¯s mouth. Eugene was also fascinated. Unlike dungeons, it seemed labyrinths met the minimum requirements for humans to survive. ¡®It might be not too bad to live in a labyrinth if there were no monsters. Worse comes to worst, I could hide in a labyrinth like this and¡­¡¯ ¡°This is definitely a suitable place for evil things to hide. Would you not agree, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Perhaps.¡± Eugene raised his head at the prickling voice of one of the templars. He approached Eugene after he was done praying. ¡°To think it would radiate so much evil energy! An evil land like this must be purified in the name of God as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Are you all right, Sir Eugene? If you ever feel affected by the evil energy, please let us know at any time. We will pray for you. We can fight off the evil energy with the power of our prayer.¡± ¡°No, I think I am fine.¡± Eugene urgently shook his head. ¡°Dear Brother, did you not see? Sir Eugene slashed apart several evil monsters with every swing of his blade. Something so extraordinary could not be possible without the power of faith.¡± Actually, it was very possible thanks to Eugene¡¯s incredible strength and the sharp blade of Wolfslaughter. However, Eugene kept silent. ¡°By the way, thank you so much for your help earlier. If it weren¡¯t for you, I might have suffered a serious injury.¡± ¡°Well, I was only fighting against the¡­¡± The templars raised their voices without any regard for Eugene¡¯s response. ¡°Excellent skills, deep faith, and passionate comradeship! What other knight could be so befitting the spirit of the templars if not Sir Eugene? Brothers, would you not agree?¡± ¡°Speak no more. Sir Eugene is a brother of true faith.¡± ¡°Kukekekekeke¡­.kek! Keugh! Kuagh!¡± Mirian burst into laughter at the templars¡¯ enthusiastic response, then eventually burst into a fit of cough. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with these guys?¡¯ Eugene sighed inwardly. He wasn¡¯t even acting very friendly toward the templars. But for some reason, they seemed to be hugely amicable towards him. However, it was only natural for the templars to admire Eugene. Although the dangers of the labyrinth were reduced over the years, it was thanks to Eugene that no deaths had been reported until now. Eugene only fought without much thought, but a templar and several mercenaries had been saved by his ¡®valiant efforts.¡¯ Moreover, Eugene did not brag even once despite his performance. This was unlike any other knights. Templars took humility as an important virtue, so their high evaluation of Eugene was inevitable. That wasn¡¯t all¡­ The templars were told that Eugene participated in the subjugation this time to save his friend rather than to hunt monsters. Templars were rather poor judges of character due to their secluded practice. Thus, such reasons were enough for them to view Eugene as the incarnation of honor and loyalty. The templars were certain that such an honorable knight could relate to their noble purpose. ¡°Sir Eugene. I tell you this because of your honor, courage, and faithfulness toward your friend and God.¡± The templar named Robin looked around and suddenly lowered his voice. ¡°You should know the minotaur is one of the high-ranking monsters of a labyrinth, right? But here, in the Mount Morrison Labyrinth, a minotaur has never been spotted. For over ten years.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because everyone who saw never lived to tell the tale. In other words, the monster might know quite a bit about humans.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Eugene responded half-heartedly However, Robin continued talking excitedly. ¡°It is an extremely dangerous monster. We cannot leave it alone. Moreover, I heard a friend of yours was unable to return from the last subjugation. So we decided that the minotaur¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s interest was piqued when Robin mentioned Galfredik. ¡°Sir Eugene! Master Romari!¡± However, the templar¡¯s words were cut off by Entler¡¯s shouts. He has just returned from a reconnaissance with several mercenaries. ¡°Sir, please excuse me. Let us talk about this more later.¡± ¡°No, not at all. I was being unnecessarily talkative. Haha.¡± Robin responded with an awkward laugh while sharing a glance with his colleagues. Eugene instinctively sensed that he would never hear the entire story. He hid his regrets and moved his steps. *** ¡°There was nothing unusual in the square located up ahead. We will set up a garrison there.¡± The real purpose of the subjugation was to confirm whether the previous subjugation party was dead or alive. As such, Entler planned to secure a position in the labyrinth before searching ahead, unlike other times. ¡°Are the areas beyond the square unexplored?¡± ¡°No. Further inside from the square, the passage splits into three. I have confirmed that one leads to a dead end. However, the other two¡­¡± A group had been annihilated except one person after exploring one of the two passages. That was where they had encountered a cyclops. And no one ever came back alive from the last passage. In other words, one of the two passageways led to the center of Mount Morrison Labyrinth. However, since the incident, further exploration was stopped, according to the custom of stopping an expedition after encountering a high-ranking monster. As such, deeper areas still remained largely unexplored. ¡°According to Sir Lugates, Sir Galfredik did not heed his warning and headed into an unexplored area. But no one knows which of the two he entered.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene nodded silently. However, he couldn¡¯t blindly believe Entler¡¯s words, nor Lugates¡¯ testimony. Although he was a bit hot-headed, Galfredik was more perceptive in an evil land compared to anyone else. Eugene was convinced that Galfredik would not have recklessly entered an unexplored area. If he had, there would have been a good reason. ¡°We have the mercenaries¡¯ morale to think about as well. For now, we will confirm the passageway where the cyclops is supposed to be located.¡± ¡°What are you planning to do if we encounter the cyclops?¡± ¡°As planned, Master Romari will step forward. We will decide whether to fight or to run after seeing how effective magic is against it.¡± ¡°You, sir, are the subjugation leader, so I will do as you say.¡± ¡°Good. Anyways, Sir Eugene, please take care of those mischievous bunch over there.¡± Eugene turned his gaze towards the templars after hearing Entler¡¯s request. The warriors were seated together and speaking in whispers. When they met Eugene¡¯s eyes, they smiled brightly. For some reason, their smiles appeared a little sorrowful. ¡°I will make sure to keep our friends under control.¡± ¡°Good. Templars from St. Lagren¡¯s monastery are famous for being stubborn, but for some reason, they seem to listen to your words. It seems you are highly faithful. Are you perhaps thinking of becoming a holy knight?¡± ¡°¡­Not at all.¡± ¡°Pffff!¡± ¡°Hmm? Master Romari, what¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°N, no. I choked on something. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°That is a relief. Anyways, your performance is crucial for this subjugation, so make sure you always take care of yourself. Then, I will return after giving out orders to the mercenaries.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Entler headed over to the resting mercenaries, and Eugene turned towards Romari. ¡°If you ever hint at my identity, intentional or not. You know, right?¡± Eugene tapped Wolfslaughter, and Romari quickly nodded. ¡°I will be careful. By the way, when you were talking to the templars earlier. What did they say?¡± ¡°Those people. I think they are here to kill the minotaur of this labyrinth.¡± ¡°The templars? It¡¯s obvious that there would be a minotaur in a labyrinth, but why¡­? In addition, I think it might be impossible with the three of them.¡± ¡°I am not sure either. I will keep an eye on them, so you keep looking for traces of Galfredik.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been working on it. I have not discovered anything out of the ordinary yet.¡± ¡°Work harder.¡± ¡°I-I might find something when we get to the square. Apparently, the last subjugation party stayed there for quite a while.¡± ¡°Good. I will trust you.¡± Romari felt relieved. Compared to their first meeting, Eugene even felt a little merciful towards her. ¡®Even so, I shouldn¡¯t tick him off. If this ends well, we will never have to see each other again. I should keep him happy until then.¡¯ The members of Blood Shadow School didn¡¯t care much about knights, nobles, and even the king, but they held respect and fear toward the Origin Vampires. After a moment of self-reflection, Romari once again solidified her determination. *** The group arrived at a spacious square at the end of the long passage. A large, rectangular structure with stairs on all sides stood erect in the middle of the square. The square seemed to be the perfect location for a garrison. ¡°Place the materials from monsters in there. You go ahead and create barriers and obstacles with our secured resources.¡¯ ¡°Yes, Sir Entler.¡± The porters, slaves, and mercenaries started to busy themselves with work. In the meantime, Eugene climbed down the structure with Entler and Romari. He asked while pointing at a large hole located on one side of the square. ¡°Is that the place? Is that where the unexplored area is?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We will organize a search team and a reconnaissance to the area in just a¡­ Huh?¡± Entler suddenly narrowed his eyes. The templars had been hanging around the square, pretending to be investigating something. However, they seemed to be slowly heading towards the hole without arousing suspicion. Suddenly, they started bolting towards the hole as if they felt Entler¡¯s gaze. ¡°Those crazy bastards!¡± Entler shouted. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Eugene proclaimed and shot forward. ¡°I will go as well!¡± Romari followed quickly after feeling Eugene¡¯s gaze. Eugene shouted towards Partec, who was feeling bewildered. ¡°Follow Sir Entler¡¯s orders until I return!¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Eugene started dashing across the square, and Romari whispered after catching up with him using magic. ¡°Sir Eugene, did you let the templars leave on purpose?¡± ¡°Yes. So that we could head into the unexplored area.¡± ¡°As expected! Just what I would expect from a member of the shrewd, I-I mean, intelligent Tribe of the Night.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense and make sure you find traces of Galfredik.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I am going to look for him too!¡± A vampire, a wizard, and a spirit ran through the labyrinth. *** ¡°Heuk! Heuk! Are they still following us?¡± ¡°I think they gave up. Let¡¯s catch our breaths, brothers!¡± The templars stopped sprinting. ¡°Phew! I don¡¯t know if I could ever face Sir Eugene again. But he is different from the knights of the Evergrove Territory. He possesses a deep faith, so I am sure he will understand.¡± ¡°Yes! A true knight must destroy evil in any situation. I am certain Sir Eugene will agree with us.¡± ¡°Yes. We are following God¡¯s will.¡± While steadying their breathing, the templars self-rationalized through prayer and drawing the holy symbol. They gazed at each other. The passage had split into three in front of them. ¡°This is where it begins. Let us get started, brothers.¡± The templars nodded with stiff expressions, then took something out of their pockets before swallowing it. ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°My God¡­¡± The templars shuddered as energy filled their bodies. However, their appearance had turned quite strange. Now, it was hard to see them as the noble, devoted warriors of God and the church. Their eyes turned red and became littered with small capillaries, while thick, blue blood vessels popped out of their foreheads and necks. ¡°Let us enter. In the name of our glorious God¡­.¡± ¡°In the name of God!¡± The templars performed their holy gesture before taking out their shields and shortswords from their backs. Clink! Clink! The templars stepped forward while radiating strange heat from their bodies. They were headed into the central passage, where no one had ever returned alive from. CH 39 ¡°That¡¯s¡­?¡± Eugene frowned as he peered through the darkness and observed the templars from a distance. ¡°Did you see something?¡± ¡°The templars all swallowed something that looked like a mana stone. But as soon as they consumed it, they transformed and now they look strange.¡± When Eugene explained the appearance of the templars, Romari responded with a sigh. ¡°It seems they consumed anti-mana stones.¡± ¡°Anti-mana stones? Ah¡­¡± Eugene was familiar with it. Anti-mana stones were manufactured secretly by some churches and wizards. It was a type of drug created by modifying refined mana stones in a special way. It was supposed to rapidly restore the user¡¯s energy and reveal their untapped potential. However, due to its serious side effects, most churches outlawed the use of anti-mana stones. If found, both manufacturers and users would be severely punished. ¡°I thought something was strange when three templars talked about defeating a minotaur. It seems that they were long prepared to do this before entering this labyrinth.¡± ¡°Yes. Although they won¡¯t be undefeatable, they will gain significant power for a couple of hours. Perhaps they will really be able to kill the minotaur.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a hunch. Anyways, did you find any traces?¡± ¡°Ah, one moment.¡± Romari searched inside her robe, then took out a red pocket. She placed her hand inside the pocket and started muttering an incantation in an unknown language. ¡°¡­.. ¡­.. ¡­ ¡­¡­ ¡­..¡± She pulled out her hand and scattered red sand into the air. Shhhhhhh! The red sand started moving towards a place as if it was alive, and Romari followed behind the trail alongside Eugene. Soon, the sand disappeared into the passage where the templars entered. ¡°The red sand isn¡¯t scattering, but rather gathering into a single place. That means Sir Galfredik and his team headed into that passage as well. Otherwise, the sand would have scattered into two branches.¡± ¡°I think raccoon eyes is right. I can only feel the energy of a huge body of water on this side.¡± ¡°How interesting.¡± Eugene spoke to both the spirit and the wizard. Romari spoke with a thrilled expression, ¡°Thank you. To tell you a little bit about Blood Shadow School, there are various types of magic that we¡­¡± ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Romari followed behind Eugene with a dejected expression. *** The trail of red sand stretched out for a while. At times, little streams of sand separated and dispersed through other intricately divided passages, but the largest stream always headed towards where the strongest energy of metal was concentrated. Eugene was able to track the templars by following the trail of sand. After traveling for about 20 minutes, the group finally escaped from the complex maze into a space as wide as the square from before. The oval space was brightly lit with fireballs placed along the wall. The balls of fire were no ordinary torches even at first glance, and the space appeared to be an arena of sorts for monsters. ¡°In the name of God!¡± ¡°You vile creatures!¡± ¡°Kuaaaaagh!¡± The templars were engaged in a bloody battle with monsters surrounding them on all sides. A muscular monster with the head of a bull sat in a large throne of stone located above the arena, looking down at the battle as if it were the master of the space. However, Eugene¡¯s gaze was not on the minotaur. ¡°S-sir Eugene¡­!¡± ¡°Sir! Over there¡­!¡± Several bloody humans were tied up in chains beside the stone throne. One of them was Galfredik. ¡°¡­..?¡± *** The minotaur reigned as a master of the labyrinth for many years. It suddenly felt a strange sensation. It was a different feeling than the young cyclops, who had been cheekily provoking him from the other area of the labyrinth for many years. The minotaur quickly turned its gaze. A small but intense pair of red lights could be seen in the darkness on the other side of the arena. It felt concerned about the small human standing next to the red eyes as well, but for some reason, the minotaur felt highly offended by the red-eyed intruder. No being, even the other high-ranking monster that ruled the labyrinth alongside it, ever dared to look at itself with such eyes. Kuwuuuuuugh! The minotaur roared with rage. Kyaahk! Kekekeng! The monsters responded to its roar and rushed toward the templars with renewed vigor. ¡°Keugh!¡± ¡°You cursed creatures!¡± The templars had been bravely holding their front by relying on the forbidden power of the anti-mana stones. However, they were quickly forced onto the defensive as the monsters rushed at them with even more ferocity than before. Even after killing many monsters, they were still faced with many times the number. Moreover, their target, the minotaur, simply watched their battle as if it was watching a show. Anger and despair started to outweigh their faith, and as their will weakened, the effects of the anti-mana stones gradually subsided. ¡°Kuaaaghhh!¡± One of the templars screamed and dropped his sword. ¡°Sir Robin!¡± ¡°You bastards!¡± The two templars cried out as their brother¡¯s limbs were torn apart by dozens of rushing monsters. However, the continued onslaught of monsters eventually led to their own deaths as well. Kyaaahk! Kekekeng! The monster started to emit victorious cries. Tututututututu! As if God was belatedly responding to the prayers of the templars, the floor of the arena split open with a loud rumble. Kyaahk?! Kiek! More than 20 monsters struggled after falling into the cracks. A vampire rushed forward with only his weapons after taking off his armor. *** ¡°Heuk, heuk.¡± Romari struggled to breathe after unleashing the strongest earth-based magic she knew. She was currently hiding in a dark place near the entrance of the arena, just as Eugene ordered her to. Wizards were most vulnerable when they were casting a spell and right after they unleashed a spell. As such, most wizards never traveled alone. However, Romari had been by herself until now. It was because she was capable of controlling the minds of three or four opponents with magic, whether they were humans or monsters. However, she was drained after casting an earth-based spell which she was unfamiliar with. The only thing she could rely on was the Origin Vampire, who, oddly enough, was pretending to be a knight. ¡®Please, please. Even if I die, let me die after completing my chimera!¡¯ Romari hid in the shadows and observed the arena with ragged breaths. ¡°¡­.!¡± She suddenly stopped breathing entirely with surprise. Eugene¡¯s swordsmanship and javelin-throwing were not as sophisticated as other knights. Only wildness and beast-like instincts could be found in his movements. However, all of his attacks were deadly. His black nails were elongated to be almost a meter long, and each slash completely demolished several monsters. ¡°Kyaaahhh!¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes blazed like a torch as he soaked himself in the soaring rain of blood. Blood and death descended like a storm. The cries and screams of monsters harmonized with red blood and momentarily turned the arena into living hell. After a while, only two figures stood erect in the oval arena. Kuwwwwuuugh! Kyaaaaah! Minotaur, the lord of the labyrinth, and an original vampire knight rushed toward each other. *** Shing! The minotaur swung a mace that was almost two meters long. Boom! Eugene narrowly avoided the attack, then stepped on the head of the mace and jumped into the air. For a moment, Eugene¡¯s figure disappeared. Kuwugh!? The minotaur expressed a mixture of fury and confusion. It activated its Fear. The minotaur firmly believed that the intruder would respond to its Fear. However, the minotaur had long reigned as a master of the labyrinth. It was born and spent its entire life in the labyrinth, and as such, had no idea what kind of being the intruder was. In addition, it was ignorant of the fact that Origins or powerful vampires were unaffected by Fears of even high-ranking monsters. ¡®I can do this!¡¯ Eugene¡¯s entire figure was covered in black scales, but he was also transparent. He pushed his abilities to their limits and dug his sword into the monster¡¯s shoulder after overcoming its Fear. Crack! The sword contained the tenacity of an unknown dwarf blacksmith. Adding in the incredible strength of a vampire, the blade tore into the minotaur¡¯s tough leather and hard muscles like cheese. Kuwuuuuuugh! The minotaur cried out in pain after having its flesh and bones torn apart. Even high-ranking monsters felt fear and pain. In addition, it was the first time the minotaur was experiencing such sensations. Kuwugh! Kuwuuugh! The monster rampaged with pain and confusion. It swung its mace towards where its developed sense of smell and instinct indicated, but it only met thin air. Its attacks only resulted in splitting the ground into dozens of pieces. Kuwugh!? The instincts of a high-ranking monster alerted it of a small, but sharp danger near its back. Without hesitation, the minotaur turned and swung its mace with all its might. Thump! It felt the mace graze over something. However, before it could roar triumphantly, the minotaur felt something thin and sharp digging into its neck. Crack! Eugene delved his fangs into the minotaur¡¯s thick neck, then wrapped his arms tightly around the monster¡¯s throat. The minotaur panicked and dived onto the ground. Crackk! Crack! The weight of the monster brutally crushed Eugene¡¯s body. It was heavier than any other monster Eugene had faced until now. One of his thighs was instantly crushed and a broken rib dug through his intestines, but he did not stop sucking blood. The blood of a high-ranking monster continued to rejuvenate the vampire¡¯s body, which was becoming a bloody rag in every second that passed. Regardless of how big a monster was, it possessed a limited amount of blood. Eventually, the minotaur gradually lost its strength after having more than half of its blood drained in less than a minute. Kuwugh¡­ The giant bullhead monster thrashed around weakly, then stopped moving entirely. After a while, Eugene staggered while standing up. He was less than half the size of the collapsed monster. His entire figure was covered in blood, the body fluids of the monster, and black scales. It was an awful sight. ¡°Krrrr!¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes were dyed bright red. He spread his arms wide open. It was an instinctive action rather than a learned behavior. Shaaa¡­ The blood of the numerous monsters pooled around the arena started to boil like lava, then evaporated into a crimson fog. The bloody fog began swirling around in a circular motion around Eugene¡¯s body, then soon permeated his figure. Crack! His broken bones started mending and his muscles quickly regained their original appearance. His eyes started to regain their original light, and his solid, balanced body was reformed within the red haze. ¡°Kuwuggghh!¡± The awakened vampire roared triumphantly. There were only two witnesses. ¡°Horray for Sir Eugene! Count of Blood? Count of Darkness? No! Now we aim to become the Demon King! Kiyahooo!¡± ¡°Master Bellopa. This incapable disciple of yours has witnessed a true blood shadow today.¡± One was a low-rank spirit of water, while the other was a wizard that inherited the teachings of an Origin Vampire. *** Only the withered corpses of the monsters were left once the blood disappeared. In the meantime, Romari collected the mana stones of the monsters with glistening eyes. Eugene equipped his armor once again, then lowered Galfredik and the mercenaries from their hanging position. He observed them. ¡°Is the big bear dead? Hiing!¡± Mirian pouted, and Eugene shook his head. ¡°The others are all dead, but Galfredik is still breathing.¡± Whether it was due to his persistent vitality or lingering attachment to life, Galfredik had miraculously survived. However, judging by his condition, he would soon die without emergency treatment. ¡°Romari, come here.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene!¡± Romari rushed over. ¡°Can you save him? What if we feed him something like a mana stone?¡± ¡°One moment.¡± Romari possessed some knowledge in medicine as a member of a school that dealt with monsters. She looked over Galfredik¡¯s body before speaking. ¡°I apologize, but there is no hope for this knight. We will not be able to save him even if we had the highest quality mana stone.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene didn¡¯t possess any na?ve emotions such as friendship towards Galfredik. However, Galfredik had left a deep impression on Eugene. He was the one who challenged how Eugene viewed knights. Perhaps that was why he felt somewhat disappointed and uncomfortable to let Galfredik die. ¡°Excuse me¡­ Could I say something?¡± Romari carefully spoke while looking down at Galfredik. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Although not much is known about the Origins, I¡¯ve heard that Origins can take those who died recently as their thralls.¡± Favorite CH 40 ¡°Thralls?¡± ¡°Yes. You know how to create slaves, correct?¡± ¡°I know, but humans are not able to handle my blood. Moreover, it is useless to create slaves because they won¡¯t be in their right minds.¡± This had been the case with Maverick ¡ª monster that only coveted blood. Without its master, the vampire¡¯s slave was merely a beast that followed its instincts. ¡°Yes, yes. But I heard from my teacher that thralls are different. He told me that if a person with a particularly strong mentality accepts the blood of an Origin, their ego will remain whole, and they will keep their abilities from when they were humans. As such, not everyone can be made into thralls¡­¡± Romari continued while carefully studying Eugene¡¯s expression. ¡°However, it might be possible with this knight.¡± ¡°Sir, sir! Let¡¯s try it. If we leave him like this, the big bear will die anyway, right?¡± Even Mirian chimed in. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene looked down at Galfredik for a moment. ¡®Galfredik is no ordinary human, and it definitely feels like a waste for him to die. It¡¯s worth trying.¡¯ After making his decision, Eugene raised Galfredik¡¯s figure. After taking a breath, he sunk his fangs into the back of the knight¡¯s neck. Blood and fluid began to leak from the tip of Eugene¡¯s fangs and began permeating Galfredik¡¯s blood vessels. Fwooosh! ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Eugene was greatly surprised at the following sensation. It felt as if his entire body was engulfed in flames. ¡®Keugh!¡¯ Moreover, his own blood was being drained too rapidly. It was incomparably fast compared to the time with Maverick, and it was spiraling out of his control. That wasn¡¯t all¡­ Eugene¡¯s energy, or rather, something more fundamental was being transferred to Galfredik through the tip of his fangs. ¡®What the?¡¯ Eugene became greatly startled and attempted to back away. - The ceremony of transference will begin. A strange voice rang inside Eugene¡¯s head. It was the same voice he heard when he first held a red mana stone in his hand. - The vassal is the possession of the monarch. - The soul of the vassal belongs to the monarch under the ceremony of blood. - All of the vassal¡¯s powers will belong to the monarch. - As such, the transference concludes. All the memories of Galfredik¡¯s battles were suddenly injected into Eugene¡¯s head. The swordsmanship of Galfredik¡¯s family and the swordsmanship of his past opponents were imprinted onto Eugene¡¯s brain, or rather, his soul. ¡°Keuuugh!¡± With Eugene and Galfredik at its center, a red swarm of energy exploded outward in all directions. ¡°Keugh¡­¡± Eugene finally managed to separate himself from Galfredik, but he felt greatly weakened. ¡°S-sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± Eugene reassured the wizard and the spirit with a wave of his hand, then staggered over to the corpse of the minotaur. Eugene was able to barely raise his head after drinking the remaining blood of the monster, which had been slowly hardening after its death. ¡°¡­..!¡± Romari was stunned speechless by Eugene¡¯s eyes. Her gaze shone more intensely than before. ¡®I never heard about anything like this.¡¯ According to her teacher, it wasn¡¯t easy for a powerful vampire to create a thrall, but it wasn¡¯t all too difficult either. Their energy would be drained for a while, but they could quickly recover by feeding on blood. The newly created thrall would awaken as a vampire with new powers belonging to the Tribe of the Night, but the original vampire would not experience any significant changes. They would be just the same as before. However, this unique Origin, who feigned as a knight, somehow felt stronger than before. ¡®This is strange¡­¡¯ Even though she felt fear, a hint of curiosity also settled in her mind. Romari carefully spoke. ¡°Sir Eugene, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. But¡­¡± Contrary to Romari¡¯s explanation, Eugene had heard the voice uttering terms such as ¡®authority¡¯ and ¡®the monarch,¡¯ rather than ¡®thrall.¡¯ Moreover, he had absorbed all the combat skills that belonged to Galfredik as well. Eugene pondered briefly. However, he quickly came to the conclusion that he had no reason to reveal everything to Romari. He turned his gaze to Galfredik, who was still lying on the ground like a corpse. ¡®When will he wake up?¡± ¡°I-if you want to wait a little bit more¡­¡± Romari responded with haste. But then¡­ ¡°Uaggghh! You mother fucker!¡± Galfredik jumped up with a loud shout. ¡°Hiek!¡± ¡°Kieegh!¡± The surprised wizard fell on her butt, and the spirit quickly hid behind Eugene¡¯s back. ¡°Huagh! Huegh! Hua!¡± Galfredik gasped while looking around with wild eyes as if he had just woken up from a nightmare. He met Eugene¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you recognize me, Galfredik?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I-is this a dream?¡± ¡°It¡¯s reality.¡± ¡°How could that be¡­ I could swear I was in a bloody hell. Someone was muttering something about blood transfer or something.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Eugene was surprised to hear his response. In the meantime, Galfredik¡¯s eyes landed on Romari. ¡°Huh? Who is that woman?¡± ¡°A wizard.¡± ¡°As expected, this is a dream. Or is it something like a last gift from the devil? Well, her body could be better, but her face is not too bad. I guess I¡¯ll have a go one last time¡­ Keugh!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene. I think you might need to strike a bit harder for him to come to his senses.¡± Romari provided advice laden with some emotion. Eugene slapped Galfredik¡¯s face mercilessly, and said ¡°This is not a dream. It¡¯s reality. Galfredik, you are alive. And from now on, you will have to change the way you address me and talk to me.¡± Eugene had also overlayed his Vampire Fear onto his words. Galfredik¡¯s eyes twinkled, and he responded with a flinch, ¡°What are you talking about, Master? Hmm?¡± ¡°You still talk informally. Is it not working properly?¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about? What¡¯s going on, Master? Hmm?¡± Galfredik addressed Eugene as his master both times without intending to. His eyes widened as he looked up at Eugene. Eugene licked his lips regretfully while confirming a shade of red in Galfredik¡¯s eyes, which were originally light brown. ¡°Maybe it did work properly, or maybe it didn¡¯t. Well, anyways, congratulations on being born again as a vampire, Galfredik.¡± ¡°Kieeeek! Our monsieur finally got a thrall, hmm? Now we ride smoothly along the road to becoming the great demon king! Kieeeeekkkk!¡± Mirian¡¯s high-pitched shrieks resounded in Eugene¡¯s ears. *** ¡°So Master was a vampire from the very beginning, and you took me in as your thrall when I was almost dead?¡± In reality, it was as a vassal rather than a thrall, but Eugene nodded affirmingly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Well, if you want to die an honorable death as a human, I can grant your wish right now. But it¡¯s not like you were overly religious, were you?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I guess so. Ha! This is crazy.¡± Galfredik scratched his head while looking at Eugene with a stupefied expression. He assumed he was dead, but when he woke up, he came face-to-face with a completely transformed reality as a vampire. He still couldn¡¯t completely wrap his head around it. ¡°It¡¯s true. If it were not for Sir Eugene, you would have died without a doubt. As food for the monsters. It would have been better if we left you to rot.¡± Romari spoke rather bitterly. Her first impression of the man had been rather sour. Galfredik responded with a frown. ¡°What a petty wizard. I said your face was pretty, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°What? What did I do?¡± Romari jerked her expressionless face around. Perhaps she still felt offended by Galfredik¡¯s comment about her body. ¡°It¡¯s always the wizard. Anyways, so I cannot see sunlight from now on? And I have to suck on human blood?¡± ¡°If you cover yourself well, you can continue to travel in the sun. I was like that as well. And regarding the need to consume blood, you can suck on the blood of monsters. I only need to feed once every two or three months, but I¡¯m not entirely sure about you. This is the first time I¡¯ve created a thrall.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Even when he was a human, Galfredik was quite fond of Eugene. And even if it was because of Eugene¡¯s contract with the Palin Association, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he came into the labyrinth to save Galfredik. Moreover, he had even given Galfredik a new life. Above all, Eugene¡¯s words and actions imparted a deep and strong trust in Galfredik. ¡®Is it because I¡¯m his thrall now? Well, perhaps this is fate as well.¡¯ Galfredik smiled, not knowing that his trust stemmed from the strong bond between the master and his vassal. ¡°But Master. Can I ask you for two favors?¡± ¡°Favors?¡± ¡°Master¡¯s armor is pretty nice. Could you prepare something similar for me as well? Get me some nice hats as well.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Human nobles bestowed armor and horses when they acquired knights. As such, Eugene nodded in agreement. It was only natural for him to invest in his first subordinate as well. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Let me kill one person when we get out of here.¡± ¡°Kill? Who? Ah, perhaps¡­¡± Eugene had his guesses. Galfredik smiled and revealed his elongated fangs while responding. ¡°Lugates. That bastard was the one responsible.¡± *** ¡°Huh! To think that¡­¡± Entler could not close his mouth as he looked alternatingly at Galfredik and Eugene. Galfredik¡¯s face was deathly pale, and he looked almost dead as he lay unmoving. Of course, Galfredik was only pretending to have lost consciousness, but no one could tell. ¡°The cyclops killed all the templars of St. Lagren¡¯s monastery?¡± ¡°To be exact, it was done by the monsters under the cyclops¡¯ command. The templars could not react properly because the battle unfolded in a vast, open space. The cyclops was sly.¡± Eugene told a lie planned in advance to hide the death of the minotaur. ¡°That¡¯s right. That was why I was trying to avoid a confrontation at all costs. What happened to the monster?¡± ¡°It became frightened by Master Romari¡¯s magic and fled deeper inside. I wanted to chase after it, but there were simply too many low-rank monsters under its command. Because of that, Master Romari was unable to unfold her magic properly either.¡± ¡°I apologize. As Sir Eugene mentioned, there were too many monsters. In addition, Sir Galfredik seemed to be in a critical condition. I thought it was more urgent to save his life.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± With even Romari joining in, Entler nodded calmly. The primary objective of the subjugation had been to find out whether Galfredik and his group had survived, and where they were located, rather than killing monsters and obtaining their by-products. In that respect, Eugene and Romari had made the correct judgment. Chasing after a large, crafty monster into the unknown areas of a labyrinth would have been no different from suicide. Moreover, they safely brought back Sir Galfredik. ¡°I see. By the way, Sir Galfredik¡¯s condition is really horrible.¡± Entler spoke while looking down at Galfredik. The burly knight¡¯s acting skills were as splendid as his swordsmanship. Eugene nodded, ¡°We fed him a mana stone personally crafted by Master Romari, so he should be fine. He will wake up within 3 or 4 days, so there should be nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. It¡¯s a shame what happened to the templars. Ah, that¡¯s right. What happened to their bodies?¡± ¡°They were damaged beyond recognition. The situation was so critical that I couldn¡¯t do anything else except to bring back their blades.¡± Eugene held out the blades of the templars while reciting a pre-planned answer. ¡°Phew¡­ There was nothing else you could have done. It is thanks to you, Sir, that they will keep their honor even in death.¡± Templars broke ties with the world. Their weapons were bestowed to them by the church, and their weapons were no different from their identities as well as their honor. The bodies of many knights were never found in evil lands. As such, the monastery would certainly appreciate that Eugene had retrieved their swords safely. ¡°Anyways, thank you for your hard work, Sir Eugene. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± ¡°No. Things might have gone differently if the templars were not there. That¡¯s why I was thinking¡­ What if we made those three the heroes of the subjugation this time? What do you think? They are the only ones who died as well.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s not a bad idea. It is true that they died fighting the cyclops¡­¡± Entler fell into thought. In reality, the three templars died while acting alone in violation of his orders, but their honor would be tarnished if the truth was revealed. In addition, it could make things difficult for St. Lagren¡¯s monastery as well. ¡®Since we saved Galfredik as well. It might be better to do as this man says.¡¯ Entler came to a decision. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s do that. But will you be fine with it, sir? You were the one who was actually responsible for killing the monsters and saving Sir Galfredik.¡± ¡°I am satisfied with my friend being safe. The fallen templars should take the merit and honor for the accomplishment. That would be the best way to show respect.¡± ¡°Huh!¡± Entler became wide-eyed. The free knight valued not only true friendship but held boundless consideration and mercy for the dead! ¡°I, Entler, will remember your honorable words forever, sir.¡± Entler nodded. His evaluation of the free knight increased significantly. *** The subjugation safely returned to Count Evergrove¡¯s castle. Although they failed to rescue the mercenaries, Jevin and Count Evergrove were satisfied with the safe return of Galfredik. They greatly praised the subjugation. As discussed with Eugene, Entler attributed more than half of the merit to the deceased templars. Although it didn¡¯t really matter to Count Evergrove whether the templars died or not, he sent a letter to comfort and thank St. Lagren¡¯s monastery. The temple''s principal had been anxiously waiting, knowing that the templars had stolen the secretly manufactured anti-mana stones and participated in the subjugation. After receiving the letter, they felt relief and sadness. The principal also expressed great gratitude to Eugene for collecting the swords of the templars even in a dire situation. Of course, the principal had many questions he wanted to ask, but he held his tongue, fearing that Eugene knew about the existence of the anti-mana stones. Thus, the issues related to the labyrinth seemed to have concluded. That was until the day came when Galfredik suddenly jumped up from his bed and woke up after spending the past three days like a dead man. Favorite CH 41 ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°What reason would I have to lie, Sir Jevin?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Jevin¡¯s frown deepened at the words of Galfredik. If it weren¡¯t for the large cross-shaped scar on the bulky knight¡¯s cheek, one would certainly find it difficult to identify him as the same knight as before. Galfredik¡¯s demeanor had undergone a significant change for some reason. ¡°Sir Lugates¡­ Showed you the wrong way?¡± ¡°Yes. The area where further explorations were stopped because of the cyclops. He told me that it was a confirmed, explored area. He told me to check it out just in case.¡± ¡°And you went into the passage and encountered the cyclops which resulted in the annihilation of your entire group? And you managed to escape and survive by remaining in hiding the entire time?¡± ¡°Yes. Truthfully, I¡­¡± In truth, he had been captured by the minotaur to be stored away as food, but Galfredik lied without hesitation, following the advice of Eugene and Romari. ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s right. Hmm! I see. That makes sense.¡± Galfredik had entered the Mount Morisson Labyrinth for the first time. In addition, Jevin was not a knight, so he did not know the specific details of how subjugations were carried out. As such, he took Galfredik¡¯s vivid, realistic testimony at face value. ¡°In the end, if it were not for the templars of St. Lagren¡¯s monastery, I would have been killed by the cyclops. The monster was chasing after me with persistence. It is only thanks to G¡­od¡¯s mercy and their bravery.¡± Galfredik¡¯s voice trembled ever-so-slightly when he referred to God, but Jevin took it as an involuntary expression of the knight¡¯s deep faith. ¡°I agree. Your words match with Sir Eugene¡¯s testimony as well. This issue could have grown into something much larger if it were not for the sacrifice of the templars.¡± In fact, Jevin had little to do with the monastery. However, befitting his status as a high-ranking noble, he commemorated the templars and honored their memory, even drawing the holy gesture with his hands. ¡°However, Sir Galfredik¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master Jevin.¡± Eugene was sitting at Galfredik¡¯s side. Jevin continued while looking alternatingly at the two knights. ¡°I apologize for saying this, and I am not doubting your honor by any means, but there is no evidence to back up your claim. On the other hand, Sir Lugates is our family¡¯s knight. I am left with no choice but to trust in his honor. However¡­¡± If Galfredik¡¯s claim was true, the matter would not simply conclude with Lugates, but even the honor of Evergrove County would be greatly damaged. As the family¡¯s successor, Jevin had to prevent such an event. However, even though he was the successor of the count, he could not simply ignore the words of two high renowned knights. ¡®I can have Galfredik sworn in, and we can silence the other one by handing him a good sum of money.¡¯ ¡°Anyways, that¡¯s why I was thinking. I will talk to my father immediately to have you sworn in, sir, and¡­¡± ¡°I apologize, but I no longer desire to be sworn in. Instead, Young Master Jevin, please allow me to hold a duel of honor against Sir Lugates.¡± Jevin¡¯s eyes filled with shock at Galfredik¡¯s request. ¡°What do you mean by that? A duel of honor?¡± ¡°Regardless of his intent, Sir Lugates attempted to kill me. Matters between knights must be settled with the blade.¡± Jevin was well aware of Galfredik¡¯s fiery personality. Jevin¡¯s eyes became slightly distorted, but he spoke in an appeasing manner. ¡°But do you not think that is going too far? Everyone is overjoyed that you returned alive, sir. If we cause another commotion, neither our family nor you will benefit, sir.¡± Jevin was soft-spoken, but the words themselves were tainted with threat. Galfredik¡¯s expression started to wrinkle, but Eugene stepped out. ¡°It¡¯s just as Young Master Jevin says. There is no need to cause another commotion and create trouble for both sides.¡± ¡°Sir Eugene¡¯s consideration is truly magnanimous.¡± ¡°However, Sir Galfredik is my friend and I respect his will.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Jevin¡¯s frown disappeared before reappearing at Eugene¡¯s following words. Eugene continued in a subtle voice. ¡°As such, I have a suggestion. What if we proceed with this as a secret duel?¡± ¡°A secret duel?¡± ¡°Yes. Only five people, including the two knights, one observer from both sides, and Young Master Jevin will participate. And regardless of the duel¡¯s outcome, only the five people will know about the issue related to the duel. It can be kept a secret afterward.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Jevin looked unimpressed on the surface, but he let out a burst of admiration internally. The Evergrove County had little to lose if they followed Eugene¡¯s suggestion. Although it was regretful to put one of their territorial knights on the line, the honor of the entire family could not be compared to a single knight. ¡®I like it, but will Galfredik accept the suggestion?¡¯ Jevin felt a little apprehensive. Eugene then spoke to Galfredik, ¡°Sir Galfredik. It was Sir Lugates who was toying with your life. I think it would be better not to do anything that could damage the honor of Lord Evergrove and Young Master Jevin.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Just do as I say. I think Young Master Jevin and Lord Countgrove would prefer that as well. Would you not say so?¡± ¡°I, for one, would like to follow Sir Eugene¡¯s suggestion.¡± Jevin immediately concurred. Galfredik, who was in deep contemplation, eventually nodded, ¡°All right. If you allow me a duel, I will bury the event regardless of the outcome. I swear it on my honor.¡± ¡°You made the right choice. When would you like it to be held?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it today.¡± ¡°So soon? Your body must be still recovering. Will you be okay?¡± Jevin felt thrilled at Galfredik¡¯s suggestion, but he still asked in a worried voice. ¡°I am enough as I am to handle a coward like him. And the location¡­¡± Galferdik pretended to think for a moment, and Eugene stepped out once again. ¡°What about the castle¡¯s back garden? It would be the perfect place since it will be easy to control the flow of people after sunset. Young Master Jevin, what do you think?¡± Jevin was grateful that they were willing to keep the issue hushed, and they even went as far as to choose a place devoid of the people¡¯s eyes. Jevin wanted to dance in joy deep in his heart, but he hid his emotions and spoke solemnly. ¡°Then the duel of honor will take place tonight at 7 P.M. at the castle¡¯s back garden. I will let my father know right away.¡± *** ¡°As I might expect from a vampire. Weren¡¯t you being too sneaky, Master?¡± ¡°Your acting was quite good as well. Anyways, I am glad Young Master Jevin accepted it right away.¡± Eugene and Galfredik shared a laugh. ¡°Tsk. I would have preferred to punish that bastard Lugates publicly. It is a little disappointing.¡± ¡°You have nothing to gain from that anyways. You wouldn¡¯t want to be hated by a nobleman whom you wanted to be sworn in by, would you?¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡± The two knights had planned the conversation held with Jevin in advance, to induce him into accepting a private duel between Lugates and Galfredik. Vampires were stronger at night, so the two had naturally led the conversation to hold the duel later in the evening. ¡°Anyways, are you confident?¡± ¡°Of course. I told you before, right? The results of the competition might have been completely different if I had not been injured in the semifinals. And that bastard I fought in the semifinals, he didn¡¯t give a shit about winning or losing. He was only aiming at my legs for some reason.¡± Galfredik gritted his teeth while recalling the competition held the year before. ¡°He must have been bought out by Lugates. Did you not get a feel for it when you saw him, Master? Between him and me, who do you think is stronger?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Even in Eugene¡¯s opinion, he didn¡¯t necessarily think that Lugates was stronger than Galfredik. But sufficient preparations had to be made regardless. ¡°Romari, how is Galfredik¡¯s current condition?¡± ¡°His strength has almost fully recovered as compared to the time that he was still a human. Drinking the cyclops¡¯ blood must have been very effective,¡± Romari answered in a feeble voice while carefully studying his reaction. ¡°But Sir Eugene, do you still need me now that we are finished with the subjugation? You got everything you wanted as well, right?¡± ¡®And thanks to me, you even got a thrall!¡¯ She could not risk insulting an Origin Vampire. Thus, she tried her best not to offend Eugene. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s true.¡± Eugene stared into Romari¡¯s lifeless eyes for a moment. Certainly, his agreement with the wizard had come to an end. She was helpful in finding Galfredik, and she had aided him in turning Galfredik into Eugene¡¯s vassal. In return, she obtained the nails and the blood of the cyclops. Eugene had, in fact, successfully killed the cyclops of the Mount Morrison Labyrinth, but had lied to Entler. ¡®I think she might be helpful in the future, but I have no reason to keep her. I might encounter problems in the future if I forced a wizard to be with me.¡¯ ¡°Good. Tomorrow, you can be on your way.¡± ¡°Thank you! You will be blessed, sir! Then I will go pack my things. Please have a wonderful rest.¡± Romari bowed her head before standing up. Her groveling attitude seemed rather familiar to Eugene. ¡°By the way, Master. What are we going to do after taking Lugates¡¯ head?¡± Galfredik asked. He had to since he would have to follow Eugene for the rest of his life. ¡°I still have a contract with the Palin Association, so I will be attending other evil land subjugations for the time being. I have a reason to kill as many high-ranking monsters as possible.¡± There was no reason to lie to his vassal, so Eugene told the truth to some extent. Romari had been excitedly opening the door. But after hearing his words, she suddenly stopped. She slowly turned towards Eugene. ¡°Once every month or two months. At least twice, and up to 4 times. That¡¯s how many subjugations I will have to participate in. Ah, and do you know Count Winslon? I am planning to participate in the subjugation of an evil land in his territory. I have a letter of recommendation, so¡­ Hmm? Why are you still here?¡± Romari had quietly returned to her seat. ¡°I was thinking¡­ I think the magic of our Blood Shadow School would be of great help to a noble Origin like yourself, Sir Eugene.¡± Eugene simply stared at her, wondering what had brought on the change in her attitude. Feeling a sense of pressure at his gaze, Romari hurriedly confessed. ¡°T-to tell you the truth, I need lots of materials from high-ranking monsters for my research and chimera production. B-but that doesn¡¯t mean I have no desire to help Sir Eugene! I-I swear by my name, my school, and by magic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that, but, haven¡¯t you been making too many oaths recently?¡± ¡°Eugene! Bigshots of the Night¡¯s Tribe always have one or two wizards by their sides. This raccoon girl is quite competent, so she will be helpful!¡± Mirian chatted excitedly. He gained Galfredik as a vassal, and even the wizard was voluntarily giving her word to assist him. Although he did not acquire a red mana stone, the results of the subjugation were quite great. *** The sun was almost gone, and a small number of people gathered in the back garden of the Evergrove County¡¯s castle. A servant left after lighting the torches and the lamps. Jevin looked around and spoke solemnly. ¡°Then we will begin the duel of honor. The outcome of the duel will not be made public. The results should not be spoken, even in front of one¡¯s god. Do you all agree?¡± ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°I swear on my honor.¡± Starting with Galfredik and Lugates, Eugene and Entler answered one after another. The two were participating as witnesses. ¡°Good.¡± Jevin nodded with satisfaction, then stole a glance at Eugene. ¡®Jan Eugene. To think he would be considerate of our family¡¯s honor, regardless of the outcome. He is quite a decent knight.¡¯ According to Entler¡¯s, Eugene was as skilled as the rumors said. In addition, he had devised a solution to the issue with the deceased templars as well. ¡®If I had known earlier, I would have had him sworn in to our family. What a shame.¡¯ Jevin looked at Eugene with regretful eyes, then turned towards Lugates. A frown appeared on his face. ¡®If you lose, you¡¯ll be gone immediately. If you win, I¡¯ll work you like a horse.¡¯ He was a little doubtful of Galfredik¡¯s words at first, but now he believed them. When he relayed Galfredik¡¯s words to Lugates, Lugates initially made excuses. However, once the knight was told that the duel would be held in secret, he accepted it while pretending to be honorable. ¡®It was a mistake to take in someone like him. Anyways, Sir Eugene said he would be staying in Maren for a while after this, right? When all of this is over, I will have to slowly win him over.¡¯ Territorial knights were rarely sworn in, and as such, outstanding talents were greatly coveted. Jevin had a burning will to acquire Eugene. In the meantime, Galfredik and Lugates came face-to-face after warming up. Both of them used the longsword as their primary weapons, but Galfredik was equipped in an ordinary plate mail, while Lugates was adorned in a solid, plate armor bestowed to him by Count Evergrove. ¡°You dare to ruin my reputation with your slimy tongue? Sir Galfredik, I never took you to be such a man, but you are indeed trash.¡± ¡°Shut your filthy mouth and come at me. I will smash your head.¡± Galfredik was unfazed by Lugates¡¯ provocation. ¡°Hehe! Have you already forgotten about last year¡¯s competition? And do you possibly think your sword can penetrate my plate armor?¡± ¡°You talk too much. If you won¡¯t make a move, then let me!¡± Galfredik rushed forward while emitting a red glow from inside his helmet. Favorite CH 42 Lugates was surprised that Galfredik was quicker than expected, but he immediately responded with an attack as a strong, experienced knight. ¡®You will never break through my plate armor.¡¯ On the other hand, Glfredik¡¯s plate mail presented gaps on the shoulder and arms, where the armor was only composed of chains. Lugates was certain that he could inflict a fatal injury on Galfredik with his power and skills. Clang! Clang! Clang! Sparks erupted into the air as the blades of the two knights collided mid-air. ¡®Amazing.¡¯ Eugene was thoroughly impressed. He knew how strong Galfredik was through their last bout, but Galfredik was showing an entirely different level of competence now that he was engaged in a life and death battle. ¡®He wasn¡¯t lying when he said the results might have been different in an actual battle.¡¯ Rather, if it had been a real battle, Eugene would have lost. ¡®But not anymore.¡¯ Now, Eugene had the ability of camouflage and invisibility. In addition, he even acquired Galfredik¡¯s skills after taking him in as his vassal. He was confident in holding his own against any knight, including Galfredik. As if to prove his elevated skills, Eugene naturally predicted the following moves of the two knights as they battled. ¡®If it¡¯s now, perhaps even if I faced Jung Dircht¡­¡¯ Eugene¡¯s fighting spirit burned when he thought back to the moment the holy knight cut off his head while laughing. Clang! Kakang! In the meantime, the two knights traded several blows before eventually meeting each other in a struggle for power, their blades pushed against one another. ¡°Kuhehe! You wish to defeat me with just that? Today will be your funeral. No, never mind. Since you have no descendants, no one will remember you. Kuhehe!¡± Lugates was pushing with all his might, but Galfredik had responded in a peaceful, calm voice. ¡°Hmm. Is this all you have?¡± ¡°What?¡± Lugates shouted with a hint of urgency. ¡°Goodbye, me of the past. The legend of my new self is about to begin!¡± ¡°What the fuck are you¡­ Huagh!?¡± Kwakwakwakwa! Lugates screamed as he was pushed back by the unexpected power of the vampire. ¡°Y-you bastard¡­!¡± The essence of excellent swordsmanship wasn¡¯t just power. Rather, refined swordsmanship stemmed from a combination of practice, technique, and experience. A proper harmony between the three would allow one to make appropriate decisions to defeat their enemies. However, that was only true up until a certain point. The sheer strength of an Origin¡¯s vassal was beyond human comprehension. Moreover, Galfredik¡¯s swordsmanship was at least on par with Lugates¡¯. Booom! Galfredik¡¯s weapon began to repeatedly strike against Lugates¡¯ armor. ¡°Keugh!¡± On the other hand, Lugates never managed to land a single blow on Galfredik. ¡®Just trust the armor! I just need to dig in! Let¡¯s dig in!¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Suddenly, Galfredik¡¯s large figure disappeared, and Lugates became wide-eyed. Crack! His thoughts abruptly came to an end along with a horrific sound. Galfredik¡¯s rondel dagger was sticking out of Lugates¡¯ forehead through the gap in his helmet. The sharp weapon had pierced through the narrow space of the helmet that existed to provide a line of sight for the knight. Silence permeated the garden at the display of such distinguished swordsmanship. *** Jevin was struck with shock as he saw Lugates¡¯ large figure fall like a rotten log. He had been certain of Lugates¡¯ victory until the start of the duel, and even after witnessing the battle, he had measured the chances of victory as fifty percent. As such, he never imagined that Lugates would lose so helplessly, and even die as a result. ¡®This¡­!¡¯ Jevin boiled with anger as he glared at Galfredik. Galfredik started taking off his helmet, and as Eugene approached the victorious knight, his gaze met with Jevin¡¯s. ¡°¡­..!¡± Jevin flinched after meeting the red, glowing eyes. As a prestigious noble, Jevin received high-quality education in various fields. He was keen and perceptive. As such, he instinctively sensed that he had played right into Eugene¡¯s plan. ¡®How dare you!¡¯ Jevin¡¯s eyes flared with rage for a moment, then soon subsided. His instincts warned him not to express his anger towards Eugene at this moment. However, the disappointment and betrayal he felt from his appointed knight caused his heart to throb. ¡°I declare Sir Galfredik¡¯s victory. Then, sirs, I trust that your honorable promises will be kept.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Good. Please understand that I am unable to congratulate you with pure intentions. Sir Entler, clean up the area. Then please excuse me.¡± Jevin spoke in a cold voice before leaving, and Entler slowly crept up to the two. ¡°That was great swordsmanship, Sir Galfredik. You have broadened my horizons today.¡± ¡°You flatter me. By the way, are you not planning on getting revenge? You both were territorial knights of the Evergrove Territory.¡± ¡°Me? You jest. Sir Lugates and I only served the same lord but did not share a friendship. Moreover¡­¡± He glanced at Lugates¡¯ cold body before grinning, ¡°I trust the words of you, sir, and Sir Eugene¡¯s more than the words of that coward.¡± ¡°I quite like you, sir.¡± ¡°Haha! I wish you sirs could have become our territory¡¯s knights. But considering Young Master Jevin¡¯s reaction just now, I guess that¡¯s no longer a possibility. It might be best for you two to leave the castle quickly.¡± ¡°Hmm? Why?¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes, and Entler spoke in a quiet voice, ¡°Sir Jevin is an honorable noble, but he is also quite proud and dignified.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°The knights of the castle are eager to prove themselves and I reckon that they would do anything to gain the successor¡¯s favor. What do you think they would do if the territory¡¯s successor, whom they admired, became sad and dishonored all of a sudden?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± In other words, the knights would most likely challenge Eugene and Galfredik even if they happened to hear the details of the duel. ¡°Well, it¡¯s all the same to us anyway, since we can beat them all up, ¡± Galfredik responded with a shrug and turned to Eugene before continuing. ¡°Although it won¡¯t be problematic for us, it might become troublesome for the mercenaries and the slaves. I think it might be best to follow Sir Entler¡¯s advice.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene nodded. Vampires were stronger at night, and right now, it didn¡¯t matter how many knights of the Evergrove County came to fight them at this moment. However, it was different for Partec and the slaves. ¡°I will open the rear gate of the castle. You should pack up immediately and leave.¡± ¡°We owe you a great deal. Thank you, Sir Entler.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It was an honor to meet brave, honorable knights like you both.¡± Eugene and Galfredik shared a powerful handshake with Entler. *** ¡°How dare you kill my family¡¯s knight in front of my eyes? How dare you?¡± Jevin felt greatly humiliated for the first time after being born as the successor of the county. He strode forward with anger. Then, he suddenly stopped before speaking. ¡°What are the knights of the castle doing?¡± ¡°I think they are gathered in Sir Marvel¡¯s room. They may be indulging themselves in chess or card games¡­¡± ¡°I will be heading there right away.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master Jevin.¡± A servant quickly led the way with a lamp. Soon¡­ ¡°Sirs.¡± ¡°Ah, Young Master Jevin.¡± ¡°Welcome.¡± When Jevin made a sudden appearance in the middle of the night, the castle¡¯s knights stopped their card game and stood up. ¡°Were you all playing a game? Who is on a winstreak today?¡± ¡°The owner of the room seems to have learned weird tricks somewhere. The other sirs and I were quite unlucky today.¡± The others laughed awkwardly at the words of a knight. ¡°I see. Why are you all standing around for? Come, have a seat. I am here to join you, so let¡¯s play comfortably.¡± ¡°Ah! Of course.¡± The young successor often spent time with the knights, but he never joined gambling to save face. Nevertheless, he was joining them, and this meant only one thing¡­ ¡°Haha! Sir Marvel is truly lucky!¡± ¡°Ah, Sir McCullay. Congratulations.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to lose everything I have at this rate!¡± Jevin was bestowing pocket money to the knights on the pretense of losing. In thirty minutes, the successor gifted almost a hundred silver coins. The knights could not help but grin with joy. ¡°I think your luck must have rubbed off on us, Young Master Jevin.¡± ¡°But tomorrow, it¡¯ll surely return. Hahaha!¡± Jevin nodded with a satisfied expression at the delighted knights, then suddenly spoke with a gloomy look. ¡°Luck, is it? I wish Sir Lugates had such luck as well.¡± ¡°What? Did something happen to Sir Lugates?¡± ¡°Well, the truth is¡­¡± Jevin recounted the outcome of the duel, leaving out the cause of the battle. ¡°Knights always fight for this and that, sometimes trivial reasons. In addition, Sir Galfredik must have been quite sensitive, so I think it was only natural he wanted to protest the process of last year¡¯s tournament. However¡­¡± ¡°I cannot believe that he committed murder! This is unforgivable. He crossed the line.¡± ¡°Sir Marvel is correct. And listening to Young Master Jevin¡¯s words, it seems Sir Lugates was taking the battle with a light heart.¡± ¡°This is tantamount to looking down on Young Master Jevin and the Evergrove County!¡± ¡°No, sirs. It¡¯s not that¡­¡± Jevin pretended to be troubled and attempted to dissuade the knights, but it was useless. ¡°Young Master Jevin. We will take care of this. Sirs, let us head to protest against Galfredik and Jan Eugene!¡± ¡°I never liked Galfredik from the beginning. If they resist, it will only provide us with reason to display our skills.¡± ¡°There is no need to give respect to those who know no honor! Let¡¯s go!¡± The knights bolted out the door after wearing their chainmail and grabbing their weapons. ¡°It¡¯s a bit regretful, but it¡¯s for the best.¡± Jevin could always find another knight, but could not easily recover the lost honor and pride of his family. he believed that this was the most reasonable decision he could make as the county¡¯s successor. *** Clop, clop! A carriage pulled by a horse was accompanied by two horses and their riders as they passed through the dark road. ¡®Did I make a mistake? What the hell are we doing in the middle of the night?¡¯ Romari sat on the edge of the carriage and continued sighing in secret. But it was already too late to regret her decision. In addition, Eugene had already killed several high-ranking monsters. She was lucky that she could accompany a knight, no, a vampire like him. ¡®Let¡¯s follow him around for maybe half a year. We will say goodbye after I collect enough materials. Ah, but where should I conduct my experiments? I won¡¯t be able to return home for a while.¡¯ Romari was deep in thought with worries. Galfredik approached her in the meantime and spoke, ¡°Get ready, wizard.¡± ¡°What? Get ready for what?¡± ¡°Huh? I thought wizards were wise men and prophets. You should already know, right?¡± ¡°What bullshi¡­ What are you saying? If I could do that, I would have made a fortune by divining the future. Why would I be doing all this?¡± ¡°Ah, really? I guess you aren¡¯t very skilled. Anyways, there is going to be a battle soon, so get ready.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Romari nodded her head in resignation. She knew something like this would happen sooner or later as soon as they exited through the castle¡¯s rear gate. After all, it looked as if they were running away from something. In the meantime, two of the slaves hurried into the carriage, and Partec¡¯s group gathered around Galfredik along with Luke. ¡°Sir Galfredik. Are they troops of the Evergrove Territory?¡± ¡°Probably, right? Who else would be chasing after us on horseback except for their knights? For now, the two of you should prepare your crossbows. Partec, slave number one, stand by my side. I heard you¡¯re pretty good at fighting.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir. My name is Luke.¡± ¡°Yes, Slave Number 1 Luke who is pretty good at fighting.¡± Galfredik answered with a grin, and Luke sighed before taking his place by the knight¡¯s side with his shield and shortsword unsheathed. Meanwhile, Glade and Lavan loaded bolts onto crossbows they obtained from mercenaries previously defeated by Eugene. They positioned themselves behind the carriage and lowered their bodies. ¡°Romari.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Can you use that magic from the labyrinth again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my field of expertise, so the success rate is slightly lower. It was possible then because my concentration was at its peak.¡± ¡°Then what is your expertise?¡± ¡°I am most confident in mind control, but I cannot have any witnesses when I use it. Although it¡¯s circumstantial, most lords are hostile towards things similar to black magic.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Eugene fell into deep thought. It would make things easier to use magic. However, then he would have to kill all of the uninvited guests, who were most likely knights of the Evergrove Territory. Although he would never have anything to do with Evergrove again, it was inadvisable to become openly hostile against a great noble family, since many nobles shared strong ties with each other. Moreover, it was obvious that the Palin Association would dislike such a decision too. While Eugene contemplated, Galfredik stepped up, ¡°Should I take care of it?¡± ¡°Do you have something in mind?¡± ¡°I really should give you a proper lecture on knights sometimes. Including me, knights live and die by honor. Even on the verge of death, they always have to be self-righteous. If you give them a gentle nudge, they are easily manipulated.¡± Galfredik was a true knight with plenty of experience and skills. His words were trustworthy, so Eugene nodded. ¡°Then do as you like. However, I will step forward if we have to show our skills.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Galfredik looked surprised for a moment, then grinned, ¡°Do as you like, Master.¡± Favorite CH 43 The glow of torches from a group of riders on horseback drew closer and closer. Once the distance was close enough, Galfredik roared into the night. ¡°Stop right there! I will fire if you come any closer!¡± The horses came to a stop as the words rang loudly through the cold air of the night. ¡°Why are you chasing after us at night? Who are you? Reveal yourselves!¡± ¡°I am Marvel, knight of Evergrove! Are you Sir Galfredik?!¡± ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s Sir Marvel. That¡¯s right, it¡¯s me, Galfredik. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I heard that you killed Sir Lugates under the pretext of a duel! Is that really something an honorable knight should do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! And it was a secret duel as well, wasn¡¯t it!? Did you intentionally make it as such as to kill Sir Lugates?¡± Another voice chimed in, and Galfredik shouted. ¡°And this voice should belong to Sir McCullay. Hey! It¡¯s true that I killed Lugates in a duel, but none of my actions were dishonorable.¡± ¡°I cannot trust your words! Why else would you leave the castle at night as if running away!¡± ¡°Because I knew you lot would come running. I would be at a loss to fight inside a lion¡¯s den.¡± ¡°Hmph! Lies! It¡¯s obvious that you were afraid. And why was Young Master Jevin so grief-stricken? Young Master Jevin is an honorable man! If there was a justifiable reason, he would have accepted the results of the duel, even if it did cause Sir Lugates¡¯ death!¡± ¡°Obviously it¡¯s because he thought Lugates would win. But unfortunately for him, it was the other way around. And I think he might become grief-stricken again very soon.¡± ¡°What are you¡­ Sir! Are you trying to provoke us!?¡± ¡°I am only telling the truth. If it¡¯s a one-on-one battle, none of you are capable of defeating me, sirs.¡± ¡°What nonsense!¡± ¡°If you think you¡¯re so strong, I, Reedren McCullay, will face you in battle!¡± With McCullay in the lead, the three knights rushed forward. ¡°Should I fire?¡± ¡°Leave ¡®em be.¡± Galfredik shook his head at Glade and Lavan, then shouted towards the three knights as they stormed forward. ¡°Let¡¯s fight one by one! Don¡¯t tell me you are going to rush in all at once like cowards? I have to tell you, our wizard might have to step forward if you plan to come all at once!¡± The knights flinched and came to a stop. They were now close enough to identify the members of Eugene¡¯s group. Their gaze quickly turned to Romari, who was staring blankly while standing in front of the carriage. The knights had quickly rushed out of the castle after hearing that Eugene and Galfredik had escaped, but they had not expected the female wizard to be accompanying them. ¡°Master Romari! Are you planning to attack us?¡± ¡°I have nothing against you sirs, but I was hired by Sir Eugene. So I have to fulfill my responsibilities. I apologize.¡± ¡°Crud¡­¡± The knights shared a gaze while gritting their teeth, then they spoke up. ¡°Fine! Let it be one-on-one matches. We aren¡¯t shameless and honorless like you, sir.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m so glad all of you are honorable knights. Then let us write up a document and place our seals.¡± ¡°Good!¡± ¡°Romari.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Romari quickly drafted up two documents containing the same content at Eugene¡¯s order. Among the knights of Evergrove, Marvel looked over its contents before placing his seal at the bottom. ¡°But if we win, who will become our prisoner? Sir Eugene, or you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Galfredik started to respond, but Eugene interrupted. ¡°I think it will be better for you to discuss who will become our prisoner when you lose.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Marvel became wide-eyed at Eugene¡¯s remark, then soon burst into an outrage. ¡°If such a shameful thing happens, then all of us will become your prisoners! I swear it on the name of Fairtrek Marvel!¡± After hearing Marvel¡¯s response, Eugene winked at Galfredik before drawing his shortsword. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that all of you sirs are such honorable knights.¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Eugene repeated Galfredik¡¯s words, and Marvel stormed forward on his horse while wielding his longsword. *** Shhhhk! Marvel¡¯s longsword left behind a trail of lights. ¡®I can see it!¡¯ Before, Eugene was able to avoid or deflect the attacks by relying on his instincts, but now, he could read the trajectory of the sword. ¡®Block it.¡¯ Clang! ¡®And when it slides off, he will stab¡­¡¯ Krrrrr! Shing! ¡®...And I deflect!¡¯ Kakang! ¡°Heugh!?¡± Marvel¡¯s eyes filled with a sense of urgency. The opponent¡¯s swordsmanship was great, but the tremendous power contained behind the blows was even greater. Suddenly, Eugene¡¯s shortsword curved like a snake and shot towards Marvel¡¯s helmet. Clang! ¡°Keugh!¡± Marvel fell off his saddle with a grunt after being struck on the head with a strong blow by Wolfslaughter. ¡®Good. This should be enough to verify my swordsmanship.¡¯ Eugene jumped off his own saddle, then charged towards Marvel, who was attempting to stand up with a stagger. Boom! The bodies of two men flew several meters before crashing to the floor. Booom! Boom Eugene pressed Marvel against the ground. His knees pressed against the knight¡¯s elbows, and he drew back before pommeling the knight¡¯s head with his gauntleted fists. The heavy blows caused the helmet to dent, and the damage caused to the head resting inside the helmet was quite obvious. ¡°Keugh! Kuahk! Ahk!¡± Marvel broke out into screams, then suddenly became silent. ¡®Very useful for hand-to-hand combat.¡¯ Eugene felt satisfied with the skills he absorbed from Galfredik. He stood up, then dragged Marvel¡¯s unconscious body before throwing it into the cart. The knights were even more surprised to see Eugene easily tossing Marvel¡¯s giant body, which would easily weigh more than 100 kilograms with the armor. ¡°Are those soldiers from the Evergrove Territory?¡± Eugene asked as a group of soldiers carrying torches approached the scene. The knights immediately came to their senses at Eugene¡¯s words and stammered an answer. ¡°T-that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I think you might be the dishonorable ones then. You mobilized more than thirty troops and three knights to catch us. Were you so afraid of me and Sir Galfredik?¡± ¡°Nonsense! This was just a precautionary measure taken in case you refused to comply with our demands¡­¡± ¡°Well, having more witnesses will be better anyway, so it¡¯s fine. Who¡¯s next?¡± The two remaining knights shared a glance without words, then the bigger of the two stepped up after a moment. ¡°I, Reedren of McCullay, will be your opponent. Sir Galfredik! If you have even an ounce of honor left in you¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I will continue to be your opponent.¡± ¡°What?¡± McCullay was surprised to hear Eugene¡¯s words. Soon after, however, he dismounted his horse and raised his shortsword and shield. He was also equipped with plate mail and a helmet with a cross-shaped opening. ¡°Sir Marvel was caught off guard. I will be different.¡± ¡°I get it, so come on.¡± Eugene sheathed Wolfslaughter, then took out a mace from behind SIlion¡¯s saddle. He knew it was more effective to utilize a spear or a mace to deal with an opponent hiding behind a shield through Galfredik¡¯s skills. ¡®Plate mail.¡¯ Compared to his own plate armor, it was rather feeble, but it was still a tough piece of metal to get through. Moreover, the opponent was carrying a shield. Depending on the situation, it could not only be used to block but could also double as a powerful blunt weapon as well. It meant that Eugene would be facing a tougher opponent who was well-equipped for hand-to-hand battles. ¡®Of course, that only applies for regular knights.¡¯ McCullay stood with his shield held high as he slowly moved at an angle towards Eugene. Eugene simply charged forward after finishing his thoughts. Shuack! McCullay¡¯s sword slashed down along with a frightening sound. He was certainly a knight as formidable as Marvel. ¡®Let it slide.¡¯ Clang! Eugene deflected the shortsword with his gauntlet, then swung his mace towards the opponent¡¯s thigh. In an instant, the shield blocked Eugene¡¯s path of attack and even attempted to push Eugene back. ¡®As expected, he¡¯s pretty good.¡¯ The best plan of action to kill a knight with plate armor was to break their balance and knock them to the ground, similar to how Maverick launched his surprise attack in the past at the Tywin Territory¡¯s dungeon. However, McCullay was ignorant of Eugene¡¯s incredible power, just as Maverick had been. Boom! Eugene struck the shield with his mace. The metal coating of the shield was crushed, and the wooden bits became splintered as well. ¡°Ugh!?¡± McCullay was pushed back helplessly as the scattered pieces of wood shot into him. His left arm throbbed in pain after experiencing such a heavy blow, but more importantly, he had been taken off guard by the opponent¡¯s sudden charge. And as always, being caught off guard meant that it was already too late. Eugene accurately grasped the small window of opportunity and tripped McCullay with his leg. A loud metallic sound resonated as the armor met with the ground. ¡°Ugh!¡± McCullay struggled to retaliate with his own wrestling skills and ground techniques after being knocked to the ground. Since the two of them were similar in size and weight, he could surely¡­ ¡°Keugh!?¡± However, his hopes were crushed when his opponent didn¡¯t budge an inch. It was as if he was being crushed by a heavy, immobile boulder. Boom! Eugene¡¯s fist hammered down on McCullay¡¯s face. The helmet was crumpled by the heavy blow, which caused his entire body to flop, and his nose¡¯s bone and front teeth were crushed to bits. Sirs¡­ Sirs¡­..! McCullay barely heard the distant shouts of the soldiers before he fell into darkness. Shk. Shk. Eugene once again grabbed McCullay by the leg and dragged him over before throwing him into the carriage, just as he had done with Marvel. Galfredik and the rest of Eugene¡¯s party were stunned speechless. Eugene was strong before, but his performance in these two fights had been a true display of overwhelming skills. Eugene dusted his hands before turning to the last knight. ¡°Come.¡± *** ¡°So, you accepted a knight and a wizard from the Sandstone School into your entourage, and, uh¡­ took three knights of the Evergrove territory as your prisoners?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It doesn¡¯t violate the contract, so there should be no problems, right?¡± ¡°Ah, o-of course. Would you like me to¡­ will the new members also be staying in the Heavenly Constellations as well?¡± Priscilla mumbled a response. Eugene brought up an idea he had before their meeting. ¡°I think it might be better if you could find us a suitable house with a separate annex. It does not have to be very big.¡± ¡°Ah! Then what about a villa that¡¯s owned by our association? It has seven bedrooms and a wonderful garden. I think it might be perfect for you to stay in for a while.¡± Priscilla quickly came up with a suggestion. She had been slightly worried about the cost of accommodation as the number of people staying at the top-of-the-line inn had increased. ¡°That sounds good. Will I be able to head there today?¡± ¡°Of course! I will let the staff know, so you can head there straight away. I will also provide you with a couple of people to cook and perform chores as well.¡± Priscilla¡¯s expression brightened at the thought of saving dozens of silver coins every day. ¡°And one more thing. I want to present Sir Galfredik with new armor. Could you pass the word to the Betissark Armor Workshop? It will be plate armor.¡± ¡°P-plate armor from the¡­ Betissark Workshop?¡± Priscilla stuttered for some reason. Eugene spoke with a frown. ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡± If she put in the order, she would pay for it. Eugene wondered if something bad had happened to the workshop. ¡®Even though we said we would pay for arming any of your hired men, plate armor is just too much!¡¯ Priscilla tried her best to force a smile while hiding her thoughts, ¡°No! Not at all! There are no problems. Then I will have the staff deliver the message.¡± ¡°Good. I already gave our share of mana stones and materials gained from the Evergrove County to Felid, so you can confirm it with him.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Priscilla was a little disappointed because it was less than expected, but she tried convincing herself that it was not too bad for the first subjugation after the contract signing. But then Eugene lowered his voice and stretched out his hand. ¡°And this. I defeated two high-ranking monsters in the Mount Morrison Labyrinth, but due to circumstances, I kept it a secret from the Evergrove County.¡± Priscilla¡¯s eyes and mouth took on the same shape of the large mana stones ¨C an ¡®O¡¯ ¨C when she saw the two objects that Eugene had pulled out from his pocket. Favorite CH 44 ¡°I was only able to grab a little bit of the cyclops¡¯ blood and the minotaur¡¯s horns.¡± ¡°I u-understand!¡± Priscilla nodded hastily. Eugene continued. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me why I kept it a secret from the Evergrove County. They probably will not want to know the truth, and even if they did, they will likely only be thankful towards me.¡± ¡°Of course. Then we will take care of these in secret.¡± Even though she had been working with mana stones for a long time, it was the first time Priscilla saw mana stones from high-ranking monsters. She accepted the stones with trembling hands. ¡®Amazing! It¡¯s as twice as big as the stones from intermediate-rank monsters. How much should I sell each for? I knew it was a great idea to sign a contract with Sir Eugene. Something like this could be a recurring event, right?¡¯ Although she would have to dispose of these secretly, she could still sell mana stones like these at any price she wanted. ¡®Mere plate armor? I¡¯ll even buy you two pairs!¡¯ Priscilla quickly saw how wrong she had been to feel regretful about signing with Eugene. Her attitude quickly changed as she responded with a bright smile. ¡°Then the Palin Association will definitely take responsibility! And present Sir Galfredik with plate armor!¡± ¡°Hmm? Ah, sure.¡± Eugene quickly nodded without hesitation. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but Priscilla was offering him Galfredik¡¯s armor for free. ¡°By the way, what are you planning to do with the captured knights?¡± The Evergrove County was one of the Palin Association¡¯s customers. Although it was highly unlikely, if Eugene became hostile towards the county, things could become difficult for the Palin Association who stood in between the two. ¡°I already told their soldiers that they would be released for a ransom. I don¡¯t think the relationship between the county and me will sour. It seemed like the knights acted on their own. Well, if the lord is narrow-minded, I supposed he could hold it against me and switch his business partner.¡± ¡°Ah! That should not be a problem. The Evergrove County¡¯s lord is our long-time business partner, and he is a very generous man. He should not care too much about a scuffle between knights. Well¡­ as long as the knights are fine.¡± ¡°I am treating them honorably, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand, Sir Eugene.¡± Priscilla nodded in response, but she had a hard time believing Eugene¡¯s words at face value when she knew exactly how he had dealt with his enemies until now. But contrary to her expectations, Eugene actually told her the truth. *** ¡°Can we really stay here?¡± Perhaps due to consuming many mana stones, Marvel¡¯s bruises were quickly starting to fade away. He looked around with a wondering gaze at a first-class suite in the Heavenly Constellation. The same was true of McCullay, who was missing five teeth and had a sunken nose, and the knight named Philton. The last knight had surrendered relatively quickly, which was why he was in a relatively better condition compared to the others. Although they were knights sworn into the county, they had suffered hardships until then. It was the first time in their lives seeing such a large, fancy accommodation. ¡°Think of it as Lord Evergrove¡¯s castle. Although we crossed our swords because of a small misunderstanding, that doesn¡¯t make us mortal enemies, does it?¡± ¡°You sir, are really¡­¡± The knights of Evergrove were truly touched by Eugene¡¯s words and actions. After beating them senseless like dogs a few nights ago, Eugene treated them properly as prisoners. Rather than prisoners, they felt more like envoys. Even though it was customary to respect prisoners and hostages with high status, this level of luxury was rarely enjoyed. ¡°Please forgive us for doubting Sir Galfredik¡¯s honor and your own, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°I think Young Master Jevin must have misunderstood. When I get back, I will explain the situation to him.¡± The knights of Evergrove shared a gaze before nodding. They were a little hasty, but they weren¡¯t foolish. Judging from how lavishly Eugene and Galfredik had treated them so far, they were far from how rude Jevin made them out to be. Aside from the luxurious accommodation they were provided with, Eugene set a low ransom for them considering the circumstances and even fed each of them a mana stone to aid in their recovery. Such honorable, faithful knights had killed Lugates in a cowardly way? Moreover, in front of the territory¡¯s successor? The knights of Evergrove could not believe it. Moreover, Eugene and Galfredik never told them the reason behind the secret duel. They remained honorable and kept their promises to keep the details a secret. The knights of Evergrove could not help but feel a deep sense of admiration and respect. ¡°I would appreciate it if you could put in a good word for us, sirs. Then rest well. I already called for a doctor, and they should be here soon.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°I will never forget your chivalry and mercy.¡± The knights bowed their heads while showing maximum courtesy towards their fellow knight. *** ¡°What do you think, Master? Aren¡¯t you glad you followed my advice?¡± ¡°I think so. But will they not run away if we leave them be?¡± Eugene asked after admitting to Galfredik¡¯s great insight. The burly knight responded while giggling. ¡°Even I was stunned by this place. Those guys? There¡¯s no need to even mention it. In addition, for knights serving a lord to break a promise made on their honor would be akin to denying their very existence. They will be able to return after enjoying a few days of paradise here, so why would they do such a thing?¡± ¡°I see. And since we treated them well, they¡¯ll say good things about us?¡± ¡°Exactly. Jevin will be boiling on the inside, but what can he do? A respected lord cannot simply ignore the advice of his knights.¡± ¡°Hmm. There are quite a few restrictions placed on being a true noble after all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s to maintain their authority and dignity. They have no choice but to abide by it unless they are a tyrant. And tyrants don¡¯t last long. Carls Baggins is in such a state right now because of a single tyrant as well.¡± ¡°I see. Ah, come to think of it, we need to head to the Carls Baggins Peninsula for our next subjugation.¡± Although Eugene obtained two high-rank mana stones, it was true that the results of the Mount Morrison Labyrinth subjugation were rather insufficient. As such, Priscilla booked Eugene another subjugation right away. ¡°Oh, really? Where is it?¡± ¡°Philia Ruins.¡± ¡°Hmm. A ruin. We should make sufficient preparations this time around.¡± Galfredik narrowed his eyes. Eugene asked, ¡°Is it different from dungeons and labyrinths? Well, I guess the environment will be a little different since it¡¯s without a ceiling.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem. There are flying monsters in ruins.¡± ¡°Flying monsters?¡± ¡°Harpies, gargoyles, wyverns. In particular, the entire ruin will be a hunting ground for a wyvern, so you could encounter them anywhere. They are literally the king of the skies.¡± ¡°Are wyverns really that dangerous?¡± ¡°It¡¯s essentially a monster as large as a minotaur with wings. It¡¯s easily more than 10 meters long from wing to wing.¡± Moreover, it was nimble and crafty. If it spotted humans with bows or crossbows, it would never approach within the firing range of those weapons and would only provoke them at a safe range. ¡°As far as I know, no one has ever killed a wyvern in an evil land, though there are records of people catching a few roamer hatchlings.¡± ¡±Then I guess we might be the first.¡± Galfredik became startled at Eugene¡¯s words, then responded with a large grin, ¡°That would be cool. Our reputation would soar at once.¡± Whatever it was, being the first would go down in history. It went without saying that the first wyvern slayer in the history of subjugations would be deeply imprinted in the history books. ¡°We have about 10 days before departure, so let¡¯s take a good rest and plan things out. If you need anything, buy it. There¡¯s no need to be stringent.¡± ¡°Good, good. I chose the right master to serve. Will we be heading to the market right away?¡± ¡°Yes. Ah, before that, let¡¯s go get your armor first.¡± ¡°Kuwuooh! Plate armor?!¡± Galfredik was honest with his emotions as usual. Eugene nodded. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s get the best one available for you.¡± Eugene decided to be generous to his first vassal. It wasn¡¯t like he was paying for it anyways. *** After measuring his dimensions at the Betissark Workshop for the plate armor, Galfredik bought five fancy hats. He was all smiles. ¡°Kyah, I¡¯m so fortunate to be your thrall, Master. There¡¯s no downside to it except for the fact that I have to be careful of the sunlight.¡± Fortunately, being averse to the sun was only a minor inconvenience for Galfredik, since he was always wearing his armor and gloves even when he was still a human. ¡°You only have to make sure to cover your face well. And be careful not to stand in front of a mirror when you are amongst many people.¡± ¡°Of course. Well, it¡¯s not like I use the mirror regularly anyways, so it should not matter.¡± Just as he said, Galfredik had no interest in improving his appearance at all. He couldn¡¯t even be bothered to shave, and his long, shaggy hair was simply tied up. Mirian called Galfredik a ¡®big bear¡¯ not only because he was big, but because he possessed a fierce, heinous appearance. Anyone would have the same thought after seeing him for the first time. However, he underwent a transformation after becoming Eugene¡¯s vassal. His skin was now clear, and his plump cheeks were slim, which created a very strong impression on anyone. ¡°Excuse me, Sir Eugene,¡± Romari spoke quietly while looking around the surroundings. She had tagged along to purchase some materials for her experiments. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Awakened Origins will be reflected on mirrors. Did you not know?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. The progenitor of our school was also reflected on bronze mirrors, silver mirrors, glass mirrors, and so on.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene was greatly surprised. He wasn¡¯t too worried because he synced his Black Scales to match his skin color, but he intentionally avoided mirrors just in case. But according to Romari, his actions thus far had all been in vain. ¡°Wait here for a moment.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Eugene quickly entered an alley after ordering his slaves. Galfredik and Romari followed. After looking around the surroundings, Eugene removed the Black Scales on his face and drew Wolfslaughter before looking at a reflection of his face. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Wow! It¡¯s really true. I can see your face just as it is. Here, let me try.¡± ¡°Ah, for thralls¡­¡± Romari fell silent. Even Galfredik¡¯s face was clearly reflected on the cold blade. ¡°Then all you have to do is watch out for sunlight. It¡¯s fine for me as long as I don¡¯t look at it directly since I have a special ability, but you should be careful, Galfredik.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°What? Is there something else, wizard?¡± Eugene looked back. Romari replied with an awkward gaze. ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly what kind of special ability you have, but an awakened Origin should be able to walk around in broad daylight without any problems. I thought you already knew because you were already walking around¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes were filled with an even greater shock than the first time. Romari felt an unknown sense of pleasure and gratification as she continued. ¡°You should be fine even looking directly at the sun. Only regular vampires can¡¯t show their bare skin under the sunlight and look at the sun. An Origin should be fine even walking around naked after awakening.¡± ¡°¡­Wizard, you aren¡¯t spouting nonsense to assassinate me in the daylight, are you?¡± ¡°H-how could I dare? As I said before, the progenitor of our school¡­¡± Romari quickly shook her hands while explaining, but Eugene didn¡¯t bother listening to her words until the end before taking off his gauntlets and removing Black Scales. Then he stretched out his hand out of the shade into the sun. It was fine. He didn¡¯t feel anything rise from his skin like it did in the past, and he felt no pain at all. ¡°See? I would never lie to Sir Eugene. I swear it on the names of myself, my teacher, and my school¡­¡± ¡°Can I do it too?¡± Romari spoke proudly with her shoulders stretched wide. Galfredik simply ignored her while stretching his own arm out of the shade. ¡°No, that won¡¯t¡­!¡± A thrall was a normal vampire. Romari shouted with a sense of urgency and attempted to dissuade him. But¡­ ¡°It worked?¡± ¡°It worked.¡± ¡°Ah. I shouldn¡¯t have bought those hats.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°I should go return them. I¡¯ll just keep one to commemorate.¡± Romari was thrown into great confusion and distress as she watched the two vampires converse joyfully under the bright sunlight. ¡®It¡¯s like all of my knowledge is being denied!¡¯ ¡°Sir Eugene can walk around confidently in the middle of the day now? You¡¯re not just a great demon king, oh no¡­ The great demon emperor is more like it! Kieeeek! Kiekekekekekekek!¡± If she could see the excited spirit circling around Eugene and could hear her frivolous laughter, Romari¡¯s despair would have grown even greater. DantheMan''s Thoughts An FYI moving forward: The author has changed the names of 2 characters. 1) Crema Galfredik -> Rowan Galfredik 2) Mark -> Luke All instances of the names will be updated in the earlier chapters to reflect these changes. Favorite CH 45 After sending away both Galfredik and Romari to the villa, Eugene visited the mercenary guild with the slaves. He had already made an appointment early in the morning with the guild¡¯s head through the Palin Association, so Eugene was guided to the office immediately upon arrival. ¡°I should have been the one to visit you. Thank you for coming, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Not at all. Ah, this armor has proved very useful. It helped a lot during the recent subjugation. So I have to thank you.¡± Eugene tapped his armor while speaking to the guild¡¯s leader, Trevik. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. If the symbol of our city can shine a little brighter thanks to Sir Eugene¡¯s great achievements, we should be grateful instead. I am certain the mayor will be glad as well.¡± ¡°Perhaps. But I think the mayor might be a little troubled instead this time around.¡± ¡°What?¡± Trevik responded in a puzzled voice. He still hadn¡¯t heard the stories regarding Mount Morrison Labyrinth subjugation. ¡°Well, here¡¯s the thing¡­¡± Eugene gave a quick recount of the subjugation. Of course, he made sure to leave out the details of what happened between Galfredik and Lugates. ¡°¡­So I ended up capturing three of their knights. Still, I treated them honorably and provided them accommodation in the Heavenly Constellations. They appeared quite satisfied.¡± ¡°I-I see. Well then.¡± Trevik had experienced his fair share of adventure and hardships. However, Eugene managed to exceed all expectations with his every action. Trevik could not help but inwardly shake his head. ¡®But to think that Sir Galfredik would join him. And there was even a wizard to boot¡­¡¯ Galfredik was known to be as ambitious as his outstanding skills. It was a great surprise to hear that the ambitious knight had been hired by Eugene, alongside a wizard. ¡°Then, Sir Eugene, do you perhaps want to return Evergrove¡¯s knights through me or the mayor?¡± Trevik asked. Although he spoke carefully, he had accurately grasped the crux of the situation. Eugene nodded in response. ¡°That¡¯s right. I already notified their soldiers of the ransom. But come to think of it, I thought it could create a misunderstanding with Lord Evergrove.¡± ¡°A misunderstanding¡­?¡± ¡°My armor. The county¡¯s successor, Young Master Jevin, asked me about it, and I told him it was a gift from the City of Maren.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Trevik stroked his rugged chin. A duel between knights was a common occurrence, but the problem was elevated to a different level when not one, but three territorial knights were beaten and captured by a single knight. Moreover, the capturing knight had been wearing armor with the symbol of Maren, and the captured knights belonged to one of the ¡®real¡¯ lords of the surrounding areas. There weren¡¯t even five others in the vicinity capable of rivaling the Evergrove County. Trevik sank into thought, and Eugene threw a pitch he prepared in advance. ¡°I¡¯ve set the ransom as 300 for each of them, so if you could return them in my stead and make the trade, I will donate 200. I am hoping you could let the mayor know that I would like it to be used for the city.¡± ¡°Ohh.¡± Trevik was delighted, and it wasn¡¯t simply because of the donations. ¡®This means he wants to maintain a relationship with our city, right?¡¯ Eugene was no longer just a slightly renowned knight but considered one of the strongest knights in the area. Moreover, he was accompanied by Galfredik, a famous powerhouse, as well as a wizard. It could only be beneficial for Maren City to maintain a harmonious relationship with Eugene. There was nothing to lose. ¡°All right. Then I will convey your will to the mayor. Please leave it to me.¡± ¡°Right. If anything comes up, you can contact the Palin Association.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The two shared a handshake, and Eugene stood up from his seat before leaving. Thud. Trevik stuffed his pipe with tobacco and lit the fire after the door closed. ¡°Phew! He¡¯s no longer just a strong knight. Now, he knows how to use influence and authority.¡± Other knights were blinded by their desire to show off their skills and to make achievements. They were blinded by their pride and honor. But Eugene was different from them. Trevik had seen the stark contrast between those knights and Eugene in his meeting with him today. He was well aware that knights like Eugene appeared once in a while, and such knights most definitely went on to become something else. ¡°We already live in such a chaotic era, but a new lord might be born sooner or later.¡± Trevik had a strong hunch that the rising star would not be an unimportant landowner without a title, but a real lord ¨C one who would seize land and a title with their own hands. *** Four days later, a carriage carrying a small chest arrived at a small villa located just outside of Maren. The vehicle was escorted by mercenaries. After transferring the item directly to Eugene, the coachman and mercenaries returned, and Eugene opened the box. Surprisingly, there were gold coins inside the chest. ¡°Guaah! I can¡¯t see because of the blinding light! My eyes! My eyes!¡± The spirit of desire collapsed, feeling dizzy after taking in the glorious sight. She had been doing nothing but stuffing her face with food and sleeping in the past few days. The mercenaries and slaves reacted in the same way. It was their first time to see so many gold coins. Their eyes were fixated on the loot and their mouths were agape with shock. ¡°Imperial gold coins. Master Jevin must have been really ticked off. Haha!¡± Galfredik laughed while looking at the coins, ¡°Really? Is there a problem with imperial coins?¡± ¡°Not really, except that imperial gold coins are subjected to exchange fees. Even if it¡¯s the same price, you will have to pay about 5% extra in tax. If you don¡¯t want to pay, then you have to use it in the empire.¡± ¡°Quite petty for the successor of a county.¡± ¡°Kuhaha! Count yourself lucky that he didn¡¯t send an assassin. A knight was killed and three were beaten and captured. How disgraceful would it be to send a ransom, let alone get revenge?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I was the one who killed him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. We¡¯re basically family now, right? Anyways, Slave One, Two, Three. Move this.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Galfredik.¡± Galfredik was gradually filling in his role as a vassal. He naturally relieved Eugene in giving insignificant commands, and the slaves moved busily at his words. *** ¡°We have no excuses, Young Master Jevin.¡± ¡°Phew¡­ That¡¯s fine. You sirs only acted out of loyalty because of my unnecessary words. By the way, was that person really that strong?¡± ¡°I have never been so helpless in front of anyone except for my master. His sword techniques were great too, but his strength was unmatched.¡± ¡°When I heard stories of him pulling out a troll¡¯s head, I never believed it. But it seemed true after I faced him directly. It was truly a daunting experience to fight him on the battlefield.¡± The knights unanimously admitted defeat with their testimonies. Jevin¡¯s expression darkened. All of them were renowned knights with proven skills. Philton¡¯s ancestors were renowned territorial knights of the county. He might be the weakest of the three, but he could still contribute brilliantly whenever the knights were faced with roamers and bandits. ¡®How strong could he be? Not even one, but all three were¡­¡¯ ¡°Anyways, I understand. I will take care of the issues concerning Sir Eugene and Sir Galfredik.¡± ¡°Young Master Jevin, with all due respect,¡± Marvel carefully spoke. ¡°I think there might have been a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°A misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Yes. After the incident, we found Sir Eugene and Sir Galfredik to be knights who are as faithful as they are brave. They knew honor.¡± ¡°It is just as Sir Marvel says. The two knights never abused us even once. They let us move around freely in Maren as well.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°Yes. I apologize for saying such things after being defeated, but they truly knew honor and chivalry. Perhaps¡­¡±¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s enough. I understand. Go and get some rest.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The three knights bowed before leaving the room. Boom! Jevin stared at the door for a long time, then smashed his fist against the desk while clenching his teeth. ¡°All of them are truly getting on my nerves! Are knights of Evergrove devoid of pride and dignity?!¡± Jevin burst into anger, and the servants shrank back before quietly leaving the room. ¡°A misunderstanding!? Ha! How ridiculous.¡± It wasn¡¯t enough that they were beaten and captured by a single knight, but they were even defending and praising their opponent. Although Jevin pretended to agree with their words to save face, his heart was filled with fury and frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t just let him be. I need to retaliate somehow.¡± The incident with Lugates might be kept secret, but rumors about the three knights¡¯ defeat would quickly spread. Naturally, no one would dare openly mock the county, but just thinking about how much they would mock him behind their backs caused Jevin¡¯s anger to boil. ¡°But it¡¯s not like I can scuffle with Maren City either.¡± The leader of the mercenary guild had personally returned the knights under the command of the mayor. Their actions directly reflected how Maren City favored Eugene. Jevin could possibly raise an issue with Eugene utilizing a few influential figures of Maren who were favorable to the county, but it would take too much time, and the outcome was uncertain. ¡°What to do¡­ Ah, wait! Come to think of it, Jan Eugene is heading to the Carls Baggins Peninsula to participate in a subjugation, right?¡± Jevin muttered to himself before jumping up. He scrutinized an expensive map of the kingdom. Soon, a satisfied smile slowly crept onto his face. ¡°This is good¡­¡± *** ¡°The next subjugation will take place in the Philia Ruins. It¡¯s possible to travel there by land, but the Palin Association is offering us seats on a merchant ship,¡± Eugene spoke while looking around at Galfredik, Luke, and the mercenaries. ¡°The Philia Ruins¡­¡± Partec tilted his head, and Galfredik stepped up. ¡°It is located in the Carls Baggins Peninsula. The owner of the land is¡­ Who is it again?¡± ¡°Baron Beogalan. He¡¯s quite famous there.¡± Eugene recounted the information he obtained from Priscilla, but all of their activities had been restricted to the local region. None of them were knowledgeable about the nobles of the Carls Baggins Peninsula. ¡°Has anyone here been to a ruin before?¡± Partec¡¯s group fell silent at Eugene¡¯s words. Galfredik was the most experienced of the bunch, but even he had no experience with a ruin subjugation. ¡°I thought as such. I¡­¡± ¡°I have.¡± An unexpected person raised his hand. ¡°Slave Number One. You have?¡± Galfredik expressed his shock with wide-open eyes, and Luke nodded. ¡°Yes. The lord of my father¡¯s lord owned an evil land. It was the ruins of an ancient, magic city, called Black Reverence¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to explain. I¡¯m not really curious about an evil land of Brantia.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Luke bowed his head at Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°So, what kinds of monsters did you defeat in the ruin, Slave Number One?¡± ¡°I aided in defeating skeletons, ghouls, harpies, as well as a gargoyle, an intermediate-rank monster.¡± Galfredik was astonished by Luke¡¯s answer. ¡°Hooh! There was even undead? The ruin in your hometown must have been pretty famous.¡± ¡°Yes. It was known as the three evil lands of the Brantia Kingdom. It was a famous, reputable place that esteemed and brave knights needed to subdue at least once to be verified. Of course, even they are nothing compared to Master.¡± Luke appeared to be more loyal towards Eugene compared to even Galfredik, who was Eugene¡¯s vassal. It made sense, however, since Luke directly witnessed Eugene beating up the Evergrove knights like dogs. The other two slaves simply considered Eugene to be a scary knight, but Luke had been educated to become a knight in the past. He understood his master¡¯s strength better than the others, and his feelings of respect had long grown into awe. He admired Eugene not simply as his master, but as a warrior. ¡°Slave Number One also excels at flattery, hmm? Since he has experience in ruins, he should be quite helpful.¡± ¡°I will do my best not to become a burden to you, Master,¡± Luke ignored Galfredik¡¯s teasing and bowed towards Eugene. ¡°I look forward to it. We will depart in three days. Partec, get everything we need in the meantime.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene. I will be right back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tag along.¡± Galfredik started leaving with the mercenaries, and Romari attempted to sneakily leave while reading the air. ¡°Ah! The raccoon is trying to escape into her hole!¡± Mirian immediately snitched, and Eugene called out as Romari started to silently leave the room. ¡°You will be participating in the subjugation too, racoo¡­ Wizard.¡± Romari stopped in her tracks and stiffly turned her head. ¡°Me too? But Sir Eugene, I have experiments to conduct. I think it would be better for me to finish creating my chimera as soon as possible¡­¡± ¡°And who knows when that will be? Who prepared your laboratory? Who obtained all sorts of materials for you? How much money do you think was spent on you alone?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m looking forward to the subjugation since it¡¯s my first time riding on a boat, Sir Eugene.¡± Romari suppressed all her complaints. She had no choice but to laugh sorrowfully. DantheMan''s Thoughts The interaction between Eugene and Trevik was a little confusing for me, but I think I understand after thinking about it. Since it would trash the Evergrove County¡¯s honor to have three of their knights defeated & captured by a knight with no backing, having the City of Maren step in would save them face. At least, that¡¯s how I understood it. Hope it helps! Favorite CH 46 ¡°You will have to use some proper magic once we are there. Since I¡¯m the one who hired you, you don¡¯t have to mind the nobles or the lords. Just do your thing.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Romari nodded vigorously in response. ¡®Okay. Since things have turned out like this anyways, I¡¯ll do my best. Who knows, maybe we¡¯ll get lucky and kill a wyvern. I could obtain some materials from it.¡± In reality, she wasn¡¯t expecting as much. It would be of great help to the production of her chimera if she could simply capture a gargoyle and study it. ¡®Half a year. Just half a year.¡¯ ¡°Since we have to travel by boat, should I make some medicine to help with motion sickness? Or perhaps some refined mana stones?¡± ¡°Refined mana stones? Oh, right. You¡¯re a wizard.¡± ¡®What else would I be besides a wizard? Hmmm?!¡¯ ¡°Yes, yes. I am a proud scholar of the Blood Shadow School.¡± Romari forced a smile while suppressing her inner thoughts. ¡°Galfredik and I will not need it, but I¡¯m not sure about the others. Make a few just in case. Three days should be enough, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mana stones refined by wizards could not be sold, since transactions regarding refined mana stones were only performed under the supervision of the church. However, the church could only control the transactions. There were no issues with a wizard creating mana stones for personal use. If the church overstepped its boundaries and tried to sanction it, they would have a huge conflict with wizards on their hands. ¡°But honestly, I can¡¯t guarantee the effects. I don¡¯t make them very often, so¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have high expectations either, so just do your best.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Romari had only been interested in the production of chimeras for most of her life. However, a flame of motivation was brought to life inside her heart as she answered, although she herself was unaware. *** A few days later, Eugene boarded a merchant ship of the Palin Association alongside the others. The ship departed from Maren City, which was located at the mouth of a river, and traveled along the coast. Two days later, they arrived at an area known as the Carls Baggins Peninsula. ¡®This is the Carls Baggins Peninsula.¡¯ Eugene observed the scenery along the coast while standing on the ship¡¯s deck. The sunlight, humidity, and the shape of trees lining the beach were definitely different compared to Maren. Even though the two territories belonged to the same kingdom, it felt as if they were different countries. ¡°Fuuwahh! I¡¯m bored.¡± Galfredik approached Eugene while yawning and stretching, and Eugene turned his head. ¡°They said that we¡¯re almost there. So, the situation in this area is quite complicated?¡± ¡°Yes. There is a piece of land under the direct control of the royal family, but apart from there, the king has almost no influence. Regardless, whoever manages to unite the peninsula will rise to become a new great lord and through negotiations with the royal family. I¡¯m sure everyone¡¯s going crazy because of that.¡± The Carls Baggins Peninsula was three or four times larger than the territory where Eugene had been active so far. It was a land of unceasing conflict where dozens of lords continued to battle each other for dominance. And everything had started because of a single tyrant. ¡°The marquis was a tyrant?¡± ¡°Right. The Marquis of Archivold. His reign of terror was so bad that all of the lords rose up to revolt. Ah, right. Baron Beogalan, the owner of the evil land we are currently heading to. He might have a relationship with the marquis as well.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t informed of the matter. And is that really important?¡± ¡°Kuhaha! Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter at all. Master and I just have to do what we have to do.¡± Galfredik chuckled. He had been full of vitality and joy since the day he was made into Eugene¡¯s vassal. As if suddenly remembering something, he continued in a bright voice. ¡°Come to think of it, the church doesn¡¯t have much of an influence in the Carls Baggins Peninsula.¡± ¡°Hooh, is that true?¡± Although they could not be considered his mortal enemy, Eugene had found the church to be the most troublesome force since his past life. ¡°I think it¡¯s because Marquis Archivold was quite obsessed with religion. He was rather close to a fanatic. However, the bishop of Carls Baggin fled to the royal capital as soon as the march was destroyed without taking any responsibility, which led to the forces of the church weakening. They say the people¡¯s resentment towards the church here can pierce the sky.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± ¡°Kuku! I guess so, right?¡± Galfredik nodded with a satisfied smile. He had never been very religious, and after becoming a vampire, he felt rather uncomfortable every time he heard a prayer or a sacred song. One of the sailors carefully approached the two knights, ¡°Excuse me, sirs, we will soon be arriving at Moffern Port.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Galfredik and Eugene headed below deck. The others were already busy preparing for landing, perhaps after having heard of the anticipated arrival. All except one person. ¡°Kieeeeek! Sir, sir! The raccoon is dying!¡± Mirian shouted with panic while flying towards Eugene. He turned his head to one side of the cabin. ¡°Oh, my, phew. Oh my¡­¡± Romari barely pulled herself up while groaning. In just a few days, her complexion had paled considerably. Eugene found her to be quite pitiful. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make some medicine for motion sickness to save you this trouble? I thought you knew how to create them¡­¡± ¡°¡®Blergggggghhh! I-I spent all of my time refining mana stones. Oh, dear, I think I¡¯m dying. Teacher, is that you¡­?¡± Romari had been speaking like a dying bird over the past two days. Eugene clicked his tongue and shook his head at her pathetic appearance. He had never heard of a wizard with seasickness. Eugene¡¯s expectations of Romari seemed to fall with time. ¡°Wizard. I¡¯m not expecting very much from you in the subjugation. Just make sure you don¡¯t become a burden.¡± ¡°Ohhh, Sir Eugene. I swear on my school¡¯s honor that I-I will definitely¡­ Blerghhh!¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s one nasty raccoon!¡± ¡°Luke, help the wizard.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Romari struggled to stand with the help of Luke after emptying the contents of her stomach. Everyone had sympathetic gazes when they looked at her. It was as if they were looking at a sick person rather than a wizard. ¡®Blerghhh! What did I do to deserve this! Why am I being treated like this!¡¯ However, only incomprehensible sounds of gushing yellowish liquid and her cries could be deciphered from her protest of anguish. *** Moffern was a fairly large port city, although not as big as Maren. The group immediately headed to the Palin Association¡¯s branch upon arriving at the city. ¡°Welcome to Moffern, Sir Eugene. Sir Galfredik.¡± The branch manager was very polite towards the group. Perhaps he had heard some stories from the head office. ¡°I already heard from Vice Executive Priscilla. Are you thinking of heading straight to the Beogalan Barony? Or do you plan to take a day off?¡± ¡°We will depart after resting for a couple of hours. A member of our entourage is currently suffering from severe seasickness.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Then, please, come this way.¡± The branch manager stole a glance at Romari before quickly leading the group. The wizard was being helped by Luke, or even almost being carried. After a while, Eugene left Romari to rest and had the mercenaries and the slaves leave as well. He shared a separate conversation with the branch manager and Galfredik. ¡°What kind of place is the Beogalan Barony?¡± Having expected such a question, the branch manager answered politely, ¡°It is one of the few territories where an evil land is being properly operated within the Carls Baggins Peninsula. However, I feel as if Lord Beogalan is straining himself a little bit, perhaps because of the losses he suffered during the recent subjugation.¡± ¡°Losses?¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes, and Galfredik answered in the branch manager¡¯s stead. ¡°It seems that the results of the subjugation were bad. If you defeated fewer monsters than the number of hired troops, you would be making a loss.¡± ¡°It is just as Sir Gaflredik said. Not even a single intermediate-rank monster has been defeated in months, even though there have been two subjugations with two or three knights and over thirty hired mercenaries.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is it because of the wyvern?¡± Eugene made a guess based on the information he obtained from Galfredik. The branch manager appeared surprised as he nodded. ¡°That is correct. Just what I might expect from a renowned knight of Maren. You are quite well-versed with ruins as well. Amazing, just as I heard.¡± Most knights would react with joy after receiving such compliments. However, Eugene didn¡¯t even bat an eye after hearing the branch manager¡¯s words. Feeling a little embarrassed, the branch manager continued with a cough. ¡°Ehem! Anyways, just as you said, the wyvern has been attacking the subjugation party since a while ago. Five or six deaths would result from every attack, so the subjugation teams had no choice but to retreat after two or three days.¡± ¡°Could it not be prevented by having many archers? It¡¯s not like the crossbow doesn¡¯t exist here.¡± Although it took some time to reload, the crossbow was much easier to handle than the longbow. Even children could learn to shoot if the weapons were loaded. Eugene had trouble understanding the situation. It seemed as if the wyvern could be kept at bay if there were even ten soldiers equipped with crossbows. ¡°It has control over harpies. Moreover, it¡¯s incredibly clever. It will only attack the group when they are already exhausted from dealing with the harpies. It¡¯s a relief that the ruin possesses many buildings. If that weren¡¯t the case, the last subjugation party would have been wiped out.¡± ¡°Huh! That¡¯s no joke. That¡¯s what you should expect from a high-rank monster, huh?¡± Galfredik commented with a frown, then asked the branch manager. ¡°So there will be more participants in the subjugation this time around, right? It seems to be that at least fifty people are needed to achieve anything in the ruin.¡± ¡°I am not entirely sure. It just happened to be our association¡¯s turn, so I requested the barony to send us some reliable troops. In addition, I hired ten extra mercenaries as well.¡± The branch manager spoke while studying Eugene¡¯s expression. Some prideful knights would hate having hired troops without their permission. ¡®This will save me money.¡¯ However, Eugene was extremely satisfied. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯m sure they will be knowledgeable about the local geography, right?¡± ¡°Naturally. In addition, all of them have been active in our city for a long time. They are trustworthy. I¡¯m sure they will be to your liking as well, sir.¡± The branch manager kowtowed toward the two knights. It almost seemed a little excessive, but it was only a matter of course. The two merchant associations responsible for the last two failed subjugations were fierce competitors of the Palin Association. If Eugene and Galfredik were successful, the Moffern branch of the Palin Association could use it as a stepping stone to escalate their status. ¡®And Lady Priscilla told me to be cautious as well, even though she rarely makes such a request.¡¯ Although Priscilla was young, she possessed outstanding abilities. For her to make a personal request was a testament to the skills of these two knights. ¡®Their accompanying mercenaries looked to be quite competent as well. Well, the seasick wizard is a bit of a downer, but that shouldn¡¯t matter.¡¯ The branch manager was only disappointed with a single member of Eugene¡¯s group. But as a merchant, he never lost his smile as he politely bowed to Eugene. ¡°Then I will leave it to you, Sir Eugene.¡± *** ¡°My name is Veron, Sir.¡± Veron looked to be under thirty. He was a stocky mercenary with a good physique. The same was true of his subordinates. They looked to be a little unruly but showed good discipline in front of Eugene and Galfredik. It was evident at first glance that Veron and his men were quite outstanding. Eugene had grown to be a good judge of character over these days. ¡°Do you know the way to the Beogalan Barony?¡± ¡°Yes. Two of my men were born there. There is nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s depart right away.¡± The guiding mercenary took his seat in the coachman¡¯s seat. ¡°Oh god. Oh, my. I¡¯m going to die.¡± ¡°Hey! Silence the raccoon¡¯s cries!¡± The wizard¡¯s moans created a harmony with the spirit¡¯s irritated shouts as the group departed for the Beogalan Barony. After a couple of hours¡­ The entourage entered a deserted trail, and Veron, who had been quiet until then, approached Eugene. ¡°Sir Eugene. I¡¯m not sure if you have heard already, but the Carls Baggins Peninsula is very different from the central region.¡± ¡°They say it¡¯s more dangerous. But is it truly something to be worried about?¡± Eugene shrugged. Veron suppressed a ridiculing laugh. Although he was told explicitly by the Palin Association¡¯s branch manager to not act recklessly in front of Eugene, the knight was only a sheltered noble brat in Veron¡¯s eyes. The knight Galfredik appeared to be quite strong, but he addressed Eugene as ¡®master.¡¯ Presumably, Eugene was just another typical young master who wanted to gain fame in his first performance while being accompanied by a real knight. ¡°With all due respect, it definitely is. The knights of the Carls Baggins Peninsula possess rough temperaments. Even mercenaries will not show respect to the knights unless they are renowned. Dozens of mercenaries will flock together, so if they block the road or pick a fight, it would be best to pay the toll and¡­¡± ¡°Like those men over there?¡± ¡°What?¡± Veron quickly turned his gaze towards the direction Eugene was pointing towards. However, he did not see anything out of the ordinary. He could only see bushes swaying in the wet wind. ¡°Sir. It might be best if you don¡¯t jest like that in the Carls Baggins Peninsula¡­¡± ¡°Remain on the carriage and protect it, Partec. Glade, Lavan, you take the rear with Luke.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Sir, what are you trying to¡­?¡± Eugene simply ignored Veron¡¯s words before riding forward with Galfredik like a storm. ¡°Ha! Look at this¡­¡± Veron and his men were dumbfounded by their sudden, erratic behavior. As the two knights stormed forward, they launched javelins loaded onto their spear throwers. ¡°Chaargggeeee!¡± A group of men rushed out of the bushes as a scream resounded in the air. CH 47 Eugene¡¯s heightened sense of smell was even better than wild animals, even during the day. He had already noticed the presence of uninvited guests due to the stench of metal and grease they gave off. There was only one reason why a group of troops armed with weapons would hide in the bushes located next to the road ¨C an ambush. And the best way to respond to such a tactic was to strike first. ¡°Kill them! Aim for the knights first!¡± A man shouted desperately. He appeared to be their leader, and he was armed in chain mail. However, it was impossible to stop the rampage of two fully armed knights when they were already in the midst of the troops. With every swing of the knights¡¯ spears, two or three men would collapse while spewing blood. Several of the bandits fired their crossbows, but it was difficult to aim properly in such chaos. Although one or two bolts managed to find their mark, it could not penetrate the solid defense of the knights¡¯ plate armor. Clang! ¡°Hooh?¡± Galfredik narrowed his eyes. He felt a slight resistance as his spear was deflected. Most of the troops were wearing leather armor, but there were a few equipped with chain mail or plate coats. It was evident that they were proper troops. Shuuack! ¡°Keugh!¡± Galfredik threw his longspear like a javelin and pierced a soldier¡¯s abdomen before re-equipping himself with two iron rods from his saddle. ¡°Huaah!¡± ¡°Die!¡± Several men rushed in while shouting, not willing to miss the opportunity. Cluck! However, Galfredik was even quicker. After abandoning his spear, he was now holding two iron rods connected to metal balls with short chains. The weapons were flails. Shiiing! Boom! The large metal ball whipped through the air, and one of the bandits was instantly thrown back without being given the chance to even scream. Kaaang! The other flail took a twisted path and wrapped around the shortsword of a bandit standing on the other side. ¡°Huh!?¡± The sword was ripped out of the man¡¯s hand by an enormous force, and his head was greeted with the metal ball immediately after. Thuck! The bandit collapsed with a cracked skull. ¡°Kuhahahahaha!¡± Galfredik burst into frenzied laughter. It appeared his blood was boiling after a long period of abstinence from battle. He displayed a brutal appearance as he wielded two flails coated with blood, flesh, and brain fluid. On the other hand, Eugene¡¯s killing moves looked neat and clean. SIlion was much more agile compared to ordinary warhorses, and Eugene had fully utilized the steed¡¯s abilities to completely violate the bandits¡¯ formation while leaving behind corpses. From the outside, it looked as if he were performing acrobatics. Crack! Thuck! It didn¡¯t matter whether the bandits were wearing leather armor or chain mail. Wolfslaughter cut and pierced through all armor as if they were nothing more than a piece of paper. The slaughter was a result of Eugene¡¯s brilliant swordsmanship and his incredible strength. On the other hand, the bandits were unable to inflict any meaningful damage to the knights. Their attacks could not possibly get past the knights¡¯ plate armor. Moreover, Eugene¡¯s vampire fear drove panic and fear into the hearts of the bandits. They were completely overwhelmed and could do nothing except turn their tails. In the end, about 20 bandits died or suffered critical injuries before even a minute had passed. ¡°A m-monster!¡± ¡°Run!¡± The bandits finally realized who they dared to aggravate ¨C a rarely-seen, genuine knight. They assumed the two knights to be arrogant young masters without skill after seeing how fancy and clean their plate armor was, but it had been a terrible and fatal mistake. Uaaaah¡­..! The bandits ran in all directions while screaming. However, escaping the pursuit of a knight on a warhorse was as impossible as surviving an encounter with a hungry ogre. Of the 10 bandits who chose to flee, none of them made it out alive. Nearly 30 troops had been slaughtered by two men. Very few survivors remained with only minor injuries. The boss of the group eventually dropped his weapon with a pale expression. Thud! ¡°I-I surrender, so let me live! I am Kalu of Leovin. If you speak to my family, they will pay a ransom¡­¡± Boom! Leovin never finished his words. The man fainted with a single kick from Galfredik, his mouth foamed and his eyes showed whites. Tap. Tap. ¡°Great work, Master!¡± Luke hurried to Eugene¡¯s side with a face full of excitement and awe. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene entrusted Wolfslaughter to Luke, then slowly approached Veron. The mercenary and his subordinates were staring with disbelief in their eyes. ¡°Veron.¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Veron responded with great shock before quickly taking a salute. His attitude had completely transformed from before. ¡°Did you hear the bastard¡¯s name? Do you know him?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Kalu Leovin, he should be the leader of a bandit group. He has a bounty on his head as well. It seems those men were the Kaluna Bandits.¡± ¡°I thought it would be something like that. Then we only need to take his head. Galfredik.¡± Eugene mumbled quietly before turning towards Galfredik. The burly knight decapitated the head of the fainted bandit without hesitation. Even if the bandit leader¡¯s words had been true, they could not expect a ransom if he even had a bounty on his head. No noble would possibly pay a large ransom for a child who tarnished their name. ¡°Sir Eugene, what should we do with the rest of them?¡± ¡°Is there a need to leave them alive? Kill them all¡ª¡± ¡°Please! Let me become your slave! Please show mercy! Please let us live!¡± The bandits begged with teary, snotty faces. They had only suffered non-life threatening injuries. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene sank into thought. He felt a little reluctant to have such men as slaves. ¡°Sir Eugene, they are young and healthy, so selling them will net us a good sum.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± Partec made a careful suggestion, and Eugene immediately agreed. He always welcomed a little extra pocket money. ¡°T-thank you! You are truly merciful!¡± ¡°May God¡¯s blessing always be with¡­¡± ¡°Shut your mouth and take off your clothes.¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± The four surviving bandits, or rather, slaves, hurriedly disarmed themselves. Soon, all the weapons and belongings of the dead bandits were collected and loaded into the carriage. ¡°So, Veron. As you were saying before, this is the general atmosphere of this town?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°For now, yes.¡± Veron replied. ¡°So something like this could be a recurring event until we arrive at the Beogalan Barony,¡± said Eugene. ¡°Yes, that is likely.¡± ¡°There are knights and mercenaries too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s probable. However, this ambush was a little rare. Usually, we give them an appropriate sum as a toll.¡± Veron explained. ¡°Like what you were saying earlier?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Veron replied. ¡°But you said almost none of them are real nobles, right? Will there be a problem if we don¡¯t pay?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°N-no, there isn¡¯t. No problem at all.¡± Veron stammered. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. I understand.¡± Veron gulped with fear. This was truly the most frightening ¡®I understand¡¯ he heard in his life. *** Boom! A body collapsed after suffering a blow to the head by a mace. ¡°Partec, go check out the surroundings.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene!¡± Parte quickly disappeared with Lavan. Similar to the previous battle, they made little contribution during the actual battle. Glade took the slaves and naturally began sweeping the equipment and belongings of the dead. ¡°Is this the fourth one?¡± ¡°Yeah. I think all of them must be out of their minds. Dammit! My armor¡¯s gotten dirty again.¡± Galfredik took off his helmet and wiped off the blood. His plate armor had been without a single speck of dust when they first arrived in Moffern, but now it was in terrible shape. ¡°Hey! Do any of you bastards know how to polish armor?¡± ¡°I can, sir!¡± One of the new slaves instantly raised his hand and ran forward. ¡°Let¡¯s see how good you are.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me, sir!¡± The slave started wiping down Galfredik¡¯s plate armor while sitting on the edge of the carriage. Until yesterday, he had been a relatively renowned figure in the area. ¡°Anyhow, the bastards of the Carls Baggins Peninsula don¡¯t even have a trace of honor.¡± ¡°Hmm. They are definitely different from Maren¡¯s knights. Moreover, all of them seem to be rather stupid.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know their place. You have to crack their head open before they come to their senses. Hey, you would be dead right now if you kept pretending to be a knight. Count yourself lucky.¡± ¡°Yes! From now on, I will never act out of place ever again. I will always be faithful to Master Eugene and Sir Galfredik.¡± Rudrian, who was once known as the ¡®Silver Flash of Dimos,¡¯ vigorously nodded his head. His face was filled with various bruises. He was a mercenary who had been pretending to be a knight and a lord in a village known as Dimos. He once had about fifty subordinates under his control. However, his shield was smashed apart and he was thrown off his horse after a single clash with Eugene. Afterwards, he was subjected to a series of merciless beatings. After screaming some nonsense of honor, he finally confessed the truth and volunteered to be a slave. It was surprisingly simple to distinguish between real and fake knights. A real knight would have grown up with thorough education. He would never deny his status even in the face of death. However, just like Rudrian had done, fakes would immediately reveal their true colors. They were without pride and dignity. ¡®Anyways, this is¡­¡¯ Eugene looked around. The number of cleaners seemed to have increased exponentially. ¡°Veron.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°How many slaves do we have now?¡± ¡°34 in total, with the new addition.¡± The entourage had numbered around twenty when they set off from the city. However, in only two days, the number had grown to be almost fifty. ¡°Is there even enough food to eat today?¡± ¡°We have a little bit more, but it is becoming a slight concern.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene clicked his tongue. At first, he only wanted to make some extra income by selling the slaves. However, the battles continued, and the survivors were taken in as slaves every time. It was slowly getting out of hand. ¡®Should I just kill them all?¡¯ Eugene¡¯s red eyes skirted over them, and the slaves started trembling. ¡°I-It¡¯s okay for us to starve, sir!¡± ¡°There is no need for us to eat! I will even forego sleep!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene! Please, show mercy!¡± The leader of notorious bandits, and even the mercenary leader who feigned his identity as a lord ¨C all of them kowtowed while desperately begging. ¡°Master, why don¡¯t we head to the village that the bastard ruled over? It¡¯s supposed to be quite big, so we won¡¯t have to worry about food in the near future.¡± Galfredik whispered, and Eugene turned around. Galfredik was pointing to the headless corpse, the same man whom Galfredik killed with his mace. Come to think of it, he had boasted about the village called Paranan as if it were his own property. ¡°Veron. How far is the Village of Parana?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very close. Just a few more kilometers from here.¡± The group needed to arrive at the Beogalan Barony within three or four days, but they would arrive by tomorrow if they continued at their current pace. They had quite a bit of time to spare. ¡°Then we will head to the village after cleaning up.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene!¡± They had been strangers until two days ago, but Veron and his men bowed politely as if they were addressing their faithful master. It was no wonder, however, since Eugene and Galfredik had displayed a ruthless, overwhelming force over the past four battles. But that didn¡¯t mean they were merciless. Unless the enemies launched an ambushed or attacked first, they would exchange words. If the enemies made excessive demands, they calmly refused. However, once they entered a battle, the two knights would instantly transform into cold-blooded demons that lacked sympathy. But they could not be blamed, since the opponents decided to attack despite the kind consideration of the two knights. It was justified for knights to retaliate against those who attacked them. Moreover, the two knights had no connections to the Carls Baggins Peninsula at all. Moreover, none of the attackers they met so far were real nobles. Thus, there was no need for them to be so considerate. ¡®What monsters. Both of them.¡¯ Veron stole a glance at the two. Eugene and Galfredik were leisurely riding forward with their horses side-by-side. An idea suddenly came to his mind. The number of slaves increased after the battles, but the two knights had killed several times the number of survivors. And all of the attackers had belonged to notorious or infamous groups. ¡®Have they swept every infamous group in the areas along the road so far?¡¯ Naturally, there would be a few more forces remaining, but as far as Veron knew, the two knights had already crushed the strongest forces in the local area. ¡®Does this mean that Sir Eugene wants to be a lord in the Carls Baggins Peninsula?¡¯ Veron came to a sudden realization. He was faced with an opportunity to become a subordinate of an outstanding knight ¨C one who possessed a high chance of becoming a lord at that! Favorite CH 48 ¡°Master, I think they¡¯re just about done.¡± Eugene glanced over after hearing Galfredik¡¯s words. The slaves were loading the carriages with the spoils of the battle. All of the carriages were packed to the brim, and their numbers had increased to five in just two days. ¡°Glade, are you finished?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I think we just need to sort out the dead bodies.¡± ¡°Good. Romari.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Romari quickly answered. She had been standing still while stealing glances at Eugene. Although she had not been helpful during the many battles that took place until now, her assistance was quite helpful in other ways. ¡°¡­.. ¡­.. ¡­ ¡­..!¡± As she quietly muttered a spell in an ancient language, a faint light started revolving around the end of Romari¡¯s stick. The eyes of slaves became filled with awe and subtle fear. They were mere mercenaries or criminals until not long ago. As such, their fear toward Eugene grew even more once they realized that the knight was accompanied by a wizard. ''Where in the world did such a knight come from?'' ¡®Magic! This is definitely magic. So that¡¯s why he was so strong¡­¡¯ In fact, their abnormal strength was due to their identity as vampires, but the slaves seemed to have attributed the inhuman strength of Eugene and Galfredik to magic. Fwooosh! When the final syllable of Romari¡¯s chanting fell, the gathered corpses were abruptly engulfed in dark red flames. Surprisingly, the bloodstains disappeared from the lifeless bodies as well, and they took on peaceful expressions before slowly scattering into the air as ashes. There was a possibility of the corpses being transformed into undead if they were simply buried or cremated. However, if a wizard or a high-ranking priest performed rituals to purify the deceased, their souls could avoid desecration and they could be put to a peaceful rest. Some of the slaves had witnessed the sight a few times already, and they had stiff expressions. However, the most recent addition to the group, the survivors from the ¡°Bernard Brothers,¡± looked to be in complete shock after seeing the phenomenon. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Romari exhaled with satisfaction after completely purifying the corpses. She had utilized a purification magic unique to the Blood Shadow School. Fwoosh! A timely gust of wind caused her robe to flutter majestically, and Romari appeared just like a mysterious, wonderous wizard from the fairy tales of the olden days. Everyone¡¯s eyes were filled with fear and admiration as they looked at her. At least, all except two vampire knights and a spirit. ¡°Kieeeeeekk! How dare a little raccoon try to look cool?!¡± ¡°At least she¡¯s useful in taking care of the bodies.¡± ¡°Kukaka! Don¡¯t worry, it will be different once we enter the ruins. Of course, she still won¡¯t be worth the money.¡± ¡°¡­I will work harder and prove my value.¡± The wizard became depressed once again, even though she managed to proudly display her abilities after a long time. And in line with Romari¡¯s growing depression, the fear that the new slaves felt toward the two knights grew exponentially. They wondered what kind of beings were capable of walking all over a wizard. *** The villagers of Paranan Village panicked after seeing more than 50 soldiers coming their way. At first, they assumed the Bernard Brothers were returning, since the group was active nearby and around the village. However, they realized that something was strange as soon as they saw two knights at the forefront of the troops, both knights were even armed in breathtaking, black plate armor. ¡°Who is the chief of this village?¡± Eugene asked after taking off his helmet, and the villagers were forced into stunned silence. They were completely mesmerized by Eugene¡¯s splendid beauty. They wondered if he was even human at all. ¡°Sir Eugene is asking! Who is the chief here?!¡± Partec stepped forward while shouting with an ugly frown. Finally, a bald man in his mid-40s stepped out while bowing his head, ¡°T-that would be me, sir! Please have mercy.¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t here to hurt you, so relax. Anyways, this village was previously occupied by those men over there, right?¡± ¡°What? Ah!?¡± The chief and the villagers became wide-eyed after turning their heads. They saw a group of bandits standing awkwardly without their armor, stealing careful glances at the knights. It was the same group of men that reigned terror on the village only a few hours ago. Moreover, their captain, the hairy giant, couldn¡¯t be seen anywhere. ¡®They were annihilated by this knight!¡¯ The chief immediately recognized the situation and hurriedly replied, ¡°That is correct, sir! Those wicked men bullied and robbed us!¡± ¡°That bald bastard¡­¡± The chief cried tearfully, and the enslaved bandits took on ferocious expressions. In an instant, Eugene¡¯s hand turned into a blur. Thuck! The bandit responsible for muttering under his breath collapsed backwards with a rondel dagger sticking out of his forehead. People were shocked. They didn¡¯t even see when the knight pulled out his weapon. ¡°There you go, Master.¡± Luke retrieved the weapon and wiped it clean before presenting it to Eugene. The vampire placed the weapon back into its holster before speaking to the chief. ¡°There is nothing for you to worry about. If they try anything, that¡¯s how they will end up.¡± ¡°T-thank you, Sir Knight!¡± ¡°You will be blessed, Sir!¡± ¡°Sir, you are truly our savior!¡± The villagers and the chief immediately fell to their stomachs, realizing where the balance of power had shifted to. ¡°¡­..?¡± Eugene was slightly taken aback by their sudden response. However, this was how the residents of Paranan Village survived over the years. Although Eugene wasn¡¯t aware, there were quite a few more villages in the Carls Baggin Peninsula that shared a similar method of survival. *** Paranan Village was quite large. There were about three hundred residents, and the village was rather well-off. Moreover, the Bernard Brothers had only recently occupied the village. As such, Eugene was able to procure food for the slaves without much difficulty. Moreover, unlike the Bernard Brothers, he provided the village with proper compensation for the food. ¡°Thank you so much! Sir Eugene is truly an honorable knight!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± The chief teared up while expressing his gratitude, and Eugene waved his hand in response. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to react excessively to the chief¡¯s every word and action. However, the residents misunderstood it as humility. ¡®To think that there¡¯s still a true knight left on the peninsula!¡¯ ¡®He is a better knight than the late Sir Marcelo!¡¯ The gaze of the residents was filled with even more respect and awe. Sir Eugene could not be compared to the Bernard Brothers¡¯ gang, who established a reign of terror as the owners of the village until today, and he was much more benevolent and knightlier than the previous administrator of the village. ¡®Do something!¡¯ ¡®Trust me.¡¯ The chief quickly exchanged a glance with the residents before politely pouring wine into Eugene¡¯s glass. He then asked politely. ¡°By the way, Sir Eugene. With all due respect, what are you planning to do with those who ran away?¡± The chief was referring to the remnants of the Bernard Brothers, the ones who fled as soon as they saw Eugene and his group approaching the village. However, Eugene¡¯s primary purpose in stopping by the village was to procure food to feed the slaves. ¡°Why should I worry about that?¡± ¡°What? A-aren¡¯t you here to protect us?¡± ¡°What?¡± Eugene frowned after hearing an unexpected question. ¡°¡­..?¡± The chief and the residents appeared puzzled as well. ¡°Kuhahaha! It seems the villagers want to make Sir Eugene the master of the village. Am I correct?¡± Galfredik suggested. ¡°Yes, yes! That is exactly where I am getting at. I thought it was a given.¡± The chief nodded eagerly. Even so, Eugene still didn¡¯t understand what they were talking about. Why would he become the village¡¯s master when this was his first-time visit? What kind of nonsense was this? ¡°I heard that the situation in Carls Baggins was a mess, but it seems that it¡¯s really true. Oi, chief. Before those retards¡­ before those Bernard bastards took over the village, who was the lord or the administrator of this village?¡± Galfredik stepped up, and the chief and the residents responded in unison. ¡°His name was Sir Marcelo ¨C a distant relative of His Excellency Archivol.¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t the lord, but rather the administrator of the village. The lord of our village was Sir Bemos, the youngest son of His Excellency Archivol. Sir Marcelo ruled on his behalf.¡± ¡°Hmm. And is Sir Bemos dead?¡± ¡°That is correct. But Sir Marcelo continued to carry out his duty as an honorable, faithful knight. But then the bandits¡­¡± Even a knight had to concede defeat if they were greatly outnumbered unless they were abnormally strong like Eugene or Galfredik. It would have been extremely difficult for a single knight to win against a group of professional mercenaries with nothing but a group of village vigilantes on his side. ¡°Hmm. The matter with the village¡¯s ownership is a bit complicated then.¡± ¡°Ownership?¡± Eugene asked. Galfredik responded while smacking his lips. ¡°Realistically, anyone can claim the village as their own, but if a proper nobleman barges in later and disputes it, it can become a bit complicated. Well, unless someone takes over the entire area.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene frowned. He was no expert when it came to such matters. Galfredik continued with a grin, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you know that saying? If you rob a single store, you¡¯re labeled a thief, but if you rob the entire village, you¡¯re labeled as the lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°Hehe. It means exactly what it says. If you take ownership of a single village like this and pretend to be the master, you will have to deal with complicated matters later on, but if you do the same with two or three villages, no one will easily step out and argue against you.¡± ¡°Because it means that you are strong enough to capture multiple villages?¡± ¡°Exactly. Even if they are the king or a noble feigning to be the ruler of the peninsula, it¡¯s obvious that they will try to negotiate. Whether they grant you autonomy or an appropriate title, it¡¯s a chance for you to become a real lord.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Eugene was startled by the unexpected words. Becoming a lord was something Eugene had never pondered about. However, Eugene immediately understood the crux of the matter from the attitude of the villagers and Galfredik¡¯s hinting words. ¡°Chief. How many villages are there nearby? Except for the Beogalan Barony.¡± ¡°There is a village called Mintan half a day¡¯s distance away. There are two more hamlets as well¡­¡± ¡°Excuse me, Sir Eugene. May I offer my words?¡± Veron interjected carefully. ¡°Speak.¡± After fighting together with the group for the past two days, Eugene came to the conclusion that they were as good as Partec¡¯s small party. Moreover, they were absolutely obedient to his words after the first battle, and they generously provided information about the situation on the Carls Baggins Peninsula. Veron and his subordinate mercenaries were quite useful for Eugene. ¡°So far, Sir Eugene has participated in four battles. And all of the forces crushed by Sir Eugene were well-recognized in the vicinity, except the Carlow Bandits we faced at the very beginning. As such¡­¡± The gist of Veron¡¯s words was simple. ¡°Hooh! So all the areas located near the road we previously traveled on are currently without a master?¡± ¡°Exactly. It could be called a cave without a troll, or a mountain without its tiger.¡± Veron spoke rather excitedly, and Galfredik looked back towards Eugene. ¡°This is a great opportunity. That¡¯s three villages and five or six hamlets. It¡¯s twice as larger as the Tywin territory!¡± ¡°Sir! Let¡¯s do it! Let¡¯s do it! A lord! You can become a real lord!¡± The spirit of desire was previously sprawled out after filling her stomach with wine and cheese. However, she immediately jumped up and shouted excitedly as soon as she heard the words that piqued her materialistic desires. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene pondered for a moment. His purpose in coming to Carls Baggins was to subjugate a ruin, but things were starting to take a strange turn. ¡°Well¡­¡± Eugene started to speak, but Partec bolted in through the door, ¡°Sir Eugene! I think you need to come out right away! Some of the slaves¡­¡± Eugene and Galfredik rushed out like beasts even before Partec could finish his words. The chief and the residents were stunned by the sudden turn of events, but they soon came to their senses and followed in a hurry. ¡°Master!¡± *** ¡°Sir Eugene! I took care of these ungrateful scums with my subordinates!¡± Luke was covered in blood, and Rudrian, the one previously known as the Silver Flash of Dimos, was on one knee. Galfredik scanned the scattered bodies and counted about ten corpses in total. Then, he reported to Eugene. ¡°Most of them are from the Bernard Brothers. These bastards were trying to run away. Slave Number 2 and Number 3 are dead.¡± ¡°Some of them had cut through their rope with pieces of metal hidden in their mouths. Four or five of them rushed me at once. Liddle and Pen were getting food, and they¡­¡± Luke fell to his knees while trailing off. He felt guilty about disappointing his master. However, Eugene passed by Luke without speaking and looked at the cold bodies of the first two slaves he collected. Both of them were dead. Liddle had a hole in his throat, and Pen had a hole in his eye. Although they weren¡¯t very helpful in subjugations, they had been very diligent so far. Eugene was furious. ¡°Is that all of them? What about the rest?¡± Rudrian quickly answered. ¡°T-two of them got away. I attempted to catch them, but they managed to get their hands on the horses.¡± ¡°Then, there aren¡¯t many places for them to run to,¡± Galfredik spoke while stroking his chin. He was also boiling with anger. ¡°It¡¯s likely that they headed towards a designated hideout or a nearby village. They will then try to join with the remnants that escaped back then.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where they run to.¡± Eugene spoke coldly while raising his head. The western sky was slowly being painted orange. Soon, the sun would hide its splendor and give way to the dominion of vampires. Beep! Eugene whistled, and Silion came to him like the wind. ¡°Galfredik. Guard the village. I will be back before sunrise.¡± Tonight would be a very long, violent night. CH 49 ¡°Those bastards!¡± ¡°Idiot. It¡¯s your fault for picking a fight without even knowing that he was a real knight.¡± ¡°What did you say, you little bastard?¡± The atmosphere was quite tense between the earlier escapees and the new arrivals. They ran their horses until the creatures literally collapsed. They had only worked together for about half a year at the longest, and all three of their leaders, the Bernard brothers, were dead. ¡°Everyone, be quiet! We need to remain calm at times like these.¡± Gabe, the strongest of the remaining ten or so men, shouted. All the others promptly shut up. It was an unspoken fact among criminals that the word of the strongest was the law. ¡°Gabe, let¡¯s hide here for a few days and go back to Paranan.¡± ¡°Are you insane? What are you going to do if that black-armored knight is still there?¡± ¡°No. I heard it when I was captured. Their group is heading to the ruin in the Beogalan Barony.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Those knights are not from around here anyway. I heard they are from Maren. Fuck, we¡¯re so unlucky.¡± Two of the men explained. Although it was for a short period of time, Eugene had captured them as slaves. Gabe stroked his pointy goatee before speaking. ¡°Come to think of it, I heard rumors that they failed to subdue the Philia Ruins twice in a row, that they were going to attempt it a third time. The knight must have been passing by on his way to the ruin.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m telling you. So let¡¯s lay low here for a couple of days, or in Mintan.¡± ¡°Mintan? The Viper Snake Mercenaries already took over that place. Are you suggesting we join them?¡± ¡°Kuku! More than half of the Viper Snake Mercenaries had been smashed into meat pastes by that knight. Seven of the guys who got caught earlier than us were former members of the Viper Snake Mercenaries.¡± ¡°Their captain, Morgan, and the other strongest members of their mercenary group had been killed by that knight named Eugene.¡± ¡°Huh! Motherfucker. He really is a crazy knight.¡± The Viper Snake Mercenaries were quite notorious in the area, and they were the rulers of Mintan. Moreover, they were hostile with the Bernard Brothers. Both groups were after the other¡¯s village, but neither had been eager to make the first move since both groups were similar in size. However, the knights from Maren had destroyed both the Bernard Brothers and the Viper Snake Mercenaries. ¡°So only small fries are left in Mintan, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m telling you. It should be worth a try, right? Let¡¯s take over it and lay low for a few days. Once that red-eyed knight leaves for the Beogalan Barony, we can take Paranan as well. What do you say?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gabe¡¯s contemplation did not last long. This was an opportunity for him to become the lord of two villages. Once successful, he would then be the ruler of hundreds of people. *** ¡°¡­Is what they said!¡± Mirian reported back after utilizing her specialty for about fifteen minutes. ¡°Good work.¡± Eugene nodded in the dark. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to follow the trail of the two escapees. Those who had been beaten like dogs during the day were still injured, and it was all too easy for Eugene to follow the trail of human blood during the night, especially when there was no one else around. ¡°What are you going to do? Will you storm in and kill all of them?¡± ¡°No. I have a better idea.¡± Eugene spoke coldly while staring at the hideout of the remnant bandits. ¡°Kekeke! I love it when you make that face, Sir! So sneaky! So vicious! The devil king himself! Ah! Those bastards are coming out.¡± Even though she was invisible anyways, Mirian folded her wings and crouched while landing on Eugene¡¯s shoulder. In the distance, 11 men split themselves among the horses and began to ride. Mintan was half a day¡¯s distance away from their current location, but they would arrive within a couple of hours on horseback. ¡°Silion. Let¡¯s follow as quietly as possible.¡± Silion nodded as if it understood Eugene¡¯s words, then slowly moved. *** Upon arriving at the entrance to Mintan Village, the bandits covered their bodies with mud. It was to conceal themselves while eliminating unwanted, clinking noise from their armor. ¡°Let¡¯s set a fire first. As soon as they come running with their weapons, shoot them down,¡± Gabe instructed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Several of his crossbow-wielding colleagues grinned in response. The bandits had been hiding in the bushes while observing the village¡¯s wooden fence. After hearing Gabe¡¯s orders, they began to quietly cross over the wooden fence. They would not have dared to do something like this in the past, but there was nothing to fear since the strongest men of the Viper Snake Mercenaries were already dead. A few minutes later, flames suddenly soared from an old church in the middle of the village. Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! ¡°Fire! There¡¯s a fire!¡± The urgent shouts of the village vigilante and the dull ringing of the bell disrupted the silence that reigned over the village. A few men rushed out from the buildings all over the village. Most of them had rushed out after hurriedly putting their clothes on, but some of them held swords and axes in their hands. All of the armed men had snake tattoos on their necks and forearms. They were members of the Viper Snake Mercenaries. ¡°Fuck! What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°You stupid bastards! Don¡¯t just watch and stare! Bring some water and put it out!¡± ¡°Idiots!¡± The mercenaries swore at the villagers. The villagers quickly scattered with fear and shock. The mercenaries made them a perfect target in the darkness by gathering themselves around the burning church. Tututung! ¡°Keugh!¡± ¡°Agh!¡± Three mercenaries screamed and collapsed at once as the bolt left the crossbows. ¡°An ambush!¡± Although they were armed with weapons, the mercenaries weren¡¯t adorned in their proper equipment. They quickly dropped down after witnessing their colleagues fall. Gabe and his men took the chance and stormed out of the burning church. ¡°Kill them all!¡± ¡°Y-you mother¡­ Arghh!¡± The Viper Snake Mercenaries and the remnants of the Bernard Brothers slaughtered each other in front of the burning church. Although they were similar in numbers and skills, the Bernard Brothers were fully armed and had the element of surprise. The Viper Snake Mercenaries were quickly snuffed out. ¡°L-let me live! I will cooperate! I¡¯ll be your subordinate!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it, you idiots! Kuhahaha!¡± Gabe rushed at the few remaining mercenaries with a malicious, crazed smile. It was then¡­ Uahhh¡­ Kuagh Screams resounded one after another from a small distance away. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Gabe turned his bloody and muddy head toward the sound after slitting the throat of one of his enemies. Boom! ¡°Huh!?¡± Gabe¡¯s eyes widened with shock. Tutututututu! A knight was rushing forward like a storm through the broken gate of the village. Both he and his horse were covered in pitch-black armor like the night. ¡°The red-eyed knight!¡± ¡°Run! Run away!¡± ¡°Fuck! Get into formation! It¡¯s only one man!¡± Two of Gabe¡¯s men started to flee immediately with surprise. They were the ones previously captured by Eugene. However, Gabe gritted his teeth and attempted to stand his ground. Eugene reared himself back atop his saddle, then bounced back while throwing a javelin. Shuuuack! Thuck! The projectile flew almost fifty meters in an instant and tore straight through Gabe¡¯s chainmail and heart. In the end, Gabe was killed instantly, and his body was thrust back into the burning embers of the church. ¡°Uaaah!¡± The remaining men started to flee like sheep, disregarding their own battles. Most of them were quite experienced, and they knew very well how terrifying a fully-armed knight was. ¡°Aahhhhhhh!¡± They instinctively ran toward the dark. It was because they knew even the strongest of knights would struggle to locate them on such a cloudy night, especially if they purposefully ran into the dark. However, what they didn¡¯t know was the fact that the black knight was a completely different existence from regular humans. Eugene¡¯s crimson eyes pierced through the darkness and accurately grasped the locations of the escaping men. Tututututu! ¡°Ahhk!¡± ¡°Kuagh!¡± The terrifying sound of hooves resounded all over the village and screams of terror followed one by one. Monster-like roars could be heard occasionally, and the residents of the village were struck with even greater fear. It was as if hell had descended on the small village of Mintan, striking terror and fear into the hearts of its 100-or-so residents. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± ¡°M-mommy.¡± ¡°Shh!¡± The residents trembled helplessly in their homes. There wasn¡¯t anything for them to do except to pray and hold their loved ones close. Arghhh! The village was engulfed in silence following a piercing scream. After a while, the village men started to raise their bodies one by one. They had been hiding in the village well and a nearby stream. As if on cue, all of them started to carefully walk toward the church. The residents of the church had already left over a year ago. The only thing remaining of the building was gray ash and smoke. In front of it, a knight in black plate armor was holding his helmet in one arm while stroking his warhorse. The knight¡¯s intense, crimson eyes and seductive, mysterious white face were even more accentuated under the cold moonlight. The residents stared at him blankly, and the knight started speaking. ¡°I am Knight Jan Eugene. The trash that once occupied this place is no more.¡± However, the residents remained mesmerized by Eugene¡¯s appearance. They continued to stare blankly. It was impossible for them to imagine that a knight with such a noble and elegant appearance was responsible for the terrifying massacre just now. ¡°¡­..!?¡± Eugene silently pondered his next words for a moment. Suddenly, his eyes glimmered with a light. At the same time, Eugene twisted his body and his hand stretched forward like lightning. Fwoosh! Eugene snatched a crossbolt from the air and threw it back without hesitation. ¡°Heuk!¡± Then, Eugene disappeared into a different part of the village. The villagers were struck with disbelief as the knight ran off at incredible speeds, despite wearing heavy armor. Papapapapat! ¡°Sir! Something feels strange!¡± Mirian shouted anxiously. Eugene remained silent, but he also felt the same way. He could feel a presence as intense as the intermediate-rank or high-rank monsters he faced in the dungeon and the labyrinth. He was currently headed towards the source of the energy. ¡®That is¡­?¡¯ Something blurry appeared in Eugene¡¯s view through the complete darkness. It was a black shadow with a human form. The black shadow suddenly halted after jumping over the village¡¯s wooden fence with ease. Then it slowly turned around. Eugene unsheathed Wolfslaughter and observed the opponent. The figure¡¯s head was lowered, and its face was covered by its scattered hair. The figure suddenly raised its head. ¡°¡­..!¡± Eugene was surprised to see the opponent¡¯s glimmering eyes through their brown hair. It was a shade of red, just like his own. ¡°You have no manners, and you seem to be quite stupid. This is my hunting ground, you baseless roamer bastard.¡± The face of the man was completely revealed as he swept back his long hair. His face was pale as if it was made of limestone. His lips were a similar shade of red to his eyes, and the protruding fangs clearly proved his race. ¡° A vampire¡­?¡± ¡°Why are you acting so surprised? Aren¡¯t you a vampire yourself? Well, it must be because you¡¯re nothing but a baseless roamer. That¡¯s why you walk around looking like a fool, hmm?¡± The vampire grinned before stretching out his arm. His dark, crimson cape fluttered behind him. ¡°Kneel. Kneel before my glory, for the cold, blue blood of the Noferos flows in my veins. I, Delmondo¡­ Huh!?¡± The vampire who self-identified as Delmondo shouted with shock. Shuuack! Wolfslaughter reflected the cold, sharp light of the moon as it flew towards him. ¡°Kiyaaahk!¡± Delmondo let loose a roar of anger and shock while jumping back a good distance. His agility went far beyond ordinary humans, but unfortunately, his opponent was a vampire as well. Moreover, it was a vampire with the swordsmanship and experience of an outstanding knight called Galfredik. Shhhhk! ¡°Kyaaaahk!¡± A trail of piercing blue light was left behind Wolfslaughter. Delmondo was forced to his knees after receiving a few strikes. Pssssh¡­! A red vapor started to sizzle from his fresh wounds, and Delmondo struggled to open his quivering blue lips. ¡°How could a-a roamer wield a weapon with silver¡­ Hmm!?¡± Delmondo was struck with fear as he suddenly paused. ¡°C-could it be¡­? A-an Origin¡­?¡± Eugene¡¯s tightly sealed lips finally opened. ¡°So who are you calling baseless again?¡± CH 50 ¡°I apologize! I committed an unforgivable crime! I have nothing to say even if you drive a silver stake through my heart! Please forgive this pathetic vampire for not recognizing an Origin!¡± Delmondo kowtowed and repeatedly slapped himself. However, Eugene¡¯s gaze remained cold. ¡°Kieeeeeek! How dare you presumptuously place yourself on the same level as Sir Eugene! Don¡¯t even think for a moment that all the members of the Night¡¯s Tribe are the same! What a rude, impudent asshole! It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s a vampire, people like him need to be taught a lesson! They need to be decimated!¡± Mirian started rampaging once again. Her anxious expression was nowhere to be seen. ¡°You bastard! Sir Eugene is destined to become the ultimate, greatest, most powerful demon king in the¡­ Kiek!?¡± Eugene forced Mirian into his leather pocket for the first time in a while, then finally spoke. ¡°I guess that¡¯s how you treat a fellow vampire? No, rather, is that how the Noferos operates?¡± Eugene sneakily brought up what was presumed to be Delmondo¡¯s family. The vampire responded with a pale expression. ¡°N-not at all! Never! I was foolish enough to make such a mistake. Please, you can do as you wish with me! Please be satisfied with punishing this insolent fool.¡± Delmondo even went as far as to bang his head against the ground. ¡®It¡¯s just as Romari said. Vampires seem to value their families quite a bit.¡¯ It was said that the progenitor of the Blood Shadow School was very respectful towards their own family. Moreover, it was said that the vampires that Romari¡¯s master once met also placed significance on their families, just like human nobles. Eugene was using the vampire¡¯s family in his threats after remembering such facts, and it appeared to be very effective. ¡®It¡¯s my first time seeing another vampire¡­ I wonder what I can find out from him? But it might be strange for me to ask things that could be considered common sense.¡¯ Eugene himself included, vampires were inherently devious and sly. Eugene wasn¡¯t sure what Delmondo might try if he realized that Eugene was quite ignorant about the vampire world. Thus, Eugene decided to threaten Delmondo further. ¡°Well. What reason do I have to believe your words after you committed such an act?¡± ¡°I swear it on the cold, blue veins of Noferos and on my father¡¯s name. Please show mercy. I beg you.¡± Delmondo pleaded while lying flat on the ground. ¡®Father?¡¯ Was he saying that he had parents who gave birth to him and raised him? ¡°Who is your father?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sir Viorance. I am his seventh child. He showed me grace twenty years ago and I was transformed into a member of the tribe.¡± Eugene nodded inwardly. Just as he expected, the vampire wasn¡¯t referring to a biological relationship between parents and a child. ¡°Where is your father now?¡± ¡°What? I-I could not tell you. It has been more than 10 years since I became independent.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes. There wasn¡¯t much to take away from so little information when he was ignorant about the vampire world. Delmondo mistakenly assumed that his answer dissatisfied Eugene, so he hurriedly continued. ¡°The last time I contacted him, he was in Albion, a port city in Brantia. It could be entirely possible that he is still there.¡± Eugene didn¡¯t know exactly where the City of Albion was, but Luke was originally from Brantia. He could figure it out later. ¡°I see. Then is your father an Origin of Noferos or a direct descendant?¡± ¡°H-how could that be? He is only one of the thralls serving the direct descendant of a Noferos noble. He is only a low-ranking aristocrat. As such, I cannot turn vampires into humans, unlike my father.¡± ¡®A thrall is lower than a vassal, right?¡¯ It was most likely true, considering the reaction that Romari showed when Eugene turned Galfredik into a vampire. In other words, both Delmondo and his father, Viorance, were much lower in status than even Galfredik, let alone himself as an Origin. ¡°Uaaaah! Please forgive me. Please show mercy and let the matter resolve with my death!¡± Delmondo started to wail. Eugene suddenly remembered the face of an incriminated serf as he stood in front of the territory¡¯s lord. The vampire was truly afraid of him. ¡®And that means¡­¡¯ Eugene came to a rough understanding of his own position within the vampire world. Thus, he spoke in an even colder, more solemn voice. ¡°Fine. I will show you mercy.¡± ¡°Ah, ahh!¡± ¡°However, I have a condition.¡± Delmondo started lowering his head with relief, then flinched. Soon, he raised his head with a determined expression. ¡°I will do anything you ask for. I swear on the cold, blue blood of Noferos, I will obey your every word as long as it does not impair the Noferos family.¡± *** ¡°So that guy is going to go around and spread rumors about you?¡± ¡°Yes. I told him to spread rumors in the other villages, the ones I basically liberated, and to observe.¡± Mirian folded her arms after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. ¡°Hmm. Can he be trusted? My seniors told me that members of the Night¡¯s Tribe are renowned for being devious and sly.¡± ¡°First, I am also a vampire.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Eugene suppressed his desire to give her a good knock on the head. ¡°He should be trustworthy. He swore on the name of his family and his father after all.¡± From what Eugene experienced so far, it appeared that the vampires were only sly and crafty when dealing with other races, including humans. Instead, vampires seemed to follow a strict hierarchy among themselves, which was probably why Delmondo had proudly uttered nonsense during their first meeting, telling Eugene to kneel. Above all else, it seemed that ordinary vampires such as Delmondo possessed immeasurable fear toward Origins. As such, it would be impossible for him to go against an oath he made in the name of his family and his father, especially when he was against an Origin. ¡°Anyways, I hope he does his job properly.¡± ¡°He will do a good job if he wants to keep on living.¡± Eugene ordered the vampire to wait in Moffern after finishing his given tasks. Eugene could wait until then to think about what to do with Delmondo. Eugene once again dashed through the dark night road. The residents of Mintan were almost done cleaning the fire and the remnants of the slaughter when Eugene returned. Judging from the fact that Silion was respectfully given ample space to rest, Eugene quickly recognized the fear and respect they felt towards him. Eugene summoned the village chief and said, ¡°As I said, my name is Jan Eugene. I have also liberated Paranan Village, so there is nothing for you to worry about now.¡± ¡°I-Is that really true?¡± ¡°Do you think I will tell lies after what I did tonight?¡± ¡°N-not at all! Please forgive me, Sir!¡± The chief hurriedly bowed his head while trembling. Eugene continued in a solemn voice, ¡°The residents of Paranan Village wanted me to take care of their village. What are your thoughts?¡± ¡°T-there¡¯s no reason for us to oppose it if it will keep us safe.¡± The chief spoke in a resigned voice. He was familiar with having to entrust the fate of his village to the strong. ¡°You do not have to worry about safety. And I won¡¯t be looting the village either, so don¡¯t worry about that. There will be no forced requisition in the near future as well. I swear it on my honor.¡± ¡°We are lacking, so please lead us, Sir Eugene!¡± The chief quickly vowed. The village¡¯s quality of life would dramatically improve as long as there was no more looting. *** Eugene returned to Paranan Village before sunrise. The first thing he did was to call Galfredik to explain to the latter his plans. Galfredik was greatly surprised after hearing Eugene¡¯s plan, but he was extremely supportive of it. Afterward, Galfredik called everyone around sunrise. Eugene looked over the people gathered in front of the village hall. Excluding those who died last night, there were about 40 people in total. All of their faces were filled with tension and fear. ¡°Rudrian.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Rudrian was the strongest of the slaves, and he had contributed to quenching the little incident during the previous night. He immediately stood at attention when he was called upon. ¡°If you swear loyalty to me, I will not sell you as a slave. Will you follow me, or will you live a life as a slave? Choose.¡± ¡±I will follow Sir Eugene. I swear it.¡± As soon as Rudrian bowed his head, his subordinates also took to one knee. ¡°We will follow you, Sir Eugene.¡± They had made up their minds when they were called to gather by Galfredik. There was a huge disparity of power between themselves and the knights. Moreover, knights like Eugene were extremely rare, and they could succeed in life by following such a knight. Power was equivalent to the law in Carls Baggins. As such, they answered without hesitation. It was the same for the other slaves. ¡°We will follow you as well! Please take us in! We will swear our loyalty to you, Sir Eugene!¡± All of the slaves kneeled. Eugene spoke while imbuing a little bit of fear into his words. ¡°If you betray me, I will kill you. If you disobey me, I will kill you. However, if you follow me, I promise you power and wealth.¡± Uwaaaaaah! The slaves roared loudly. They were truly simple and ignorant. Eugene turned to Veron. ¡°Veron, what will you do?¡± ¡°If you will accept us, we will live for you, Sir Eugene. Both me and these guys, we will follow you, even to the ends of hell.¡± Veron nodded immediately. He had already seen through Eugene¡¯s capabilities during the past few days. ¡°Good.¡± Eugene nodded with satisfaction. Suddenly, Partec stepped up with a serious expression. ¡°Sir Eugene. Why aren¡¯t you asking us the same question?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene answered with a puzzled expression. ¡°I thought we already shared such a relationship. Was I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Partec jumped slightly before falling to one knee. ¡°Thank you. We won¡¯t let you down.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°I will do my best!¡± Glade and Lavan hurriedly followed suit. ¡°Hahaha! Today is a day worth celebrating.¡± Galfredik burst out laughing, and Eugene looked around before speaking. ¡°As all of you should know, you will follow Galfredik¡¯s orders when I am not around.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Then, Galfredik.¡± Galfredik stepped forward. Having received official education since he was a child, Galfredik controlled and divided the troops with ease. Those with good skills were designated as soldiers, while others were tasked with carrying luggage. No one was dissatisfied. Even if there were only 20 troops, many things were needed, and everyone would have their own roles. Moreover, Eugene and Galfredik were simply too scary for them to have any complaints. ¡°I¡¯ve made rough arrangements. But master, if you want to become recognized as a lord, you need to be certified by a noble with a title. What are you planning to do?¡± Eugene smirked and took something out of his pockets. ¡°What do you think? A count should suffice, right?¡± ¡°Ho-ho. That should be more than enough.¡± The object fluttering in Eugene¡¯s hand was the letter of recommendation he received from Viscount Fairchild to be given to Count Winslon. ¡°Even so, we should get that wyvern first.¡± Eugene was determined. If he could spread his name as the first ¡®Wyvern Slayer¡¯ as well, Count Winslon would definitely be very satisfied and swear him in as well as recognize him as a lord. *** ¡°The number of roamers coming out of the ruins has been increasing. It has been a long time since it was subjugated properly.¡± ¡°Send Sir Oleg there. He¡¯s not doing anything else, is he?¡± Baron Beogalan answered with annoyance after hearing the butler¡¯s report. ¡°But we do not have enough troops. We cannot afford to send soldiers of the castle, so we must hire mercenaries. But the money to do that¡­¡± ¡°Ehem. Can we ask for cooperation from the knights of the Martianne Monastery? They wouldn¡¯t possibly turn a blind eye, would they? Not after how much we¡¯ve donated?¡± ¡°I have already given you a report ten days ago that the knights of the Martianne Monastery have disbanded, my lord.¡± ¡°Did you? Well, then we should hire mercenaries. Would thirty be enough?¡± ¡°With all due respect, my lord, but our finances are currently a little unstable. Would it not be better to ask the Palin Association to provide us with extra troops with their dispatched group? If we ask them to handle the roamer situation as well after the subjugation¡­¡± ¡°Impossible. They will have to handle the subjugation by themselves. Have Sir Oleg recruit mercenaries to handle the roamers. This should be enough to cover the finances.¡± Baron Beogalan spoke arrogantly before tossing a thick, leather pouch. The butler sighed as he received the object, but he became wide-eyed as soon as he saw its contents. ¡°M-my lord? These are gold coins! Where did you get all this money?¡± ¡°It comes from a friend, who is both honorable and loyal. Anyways, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems with the hiring of mercenaries and taking care of the roamers by now, right?¡± ¡°Yes. This is enough.¡± ¡°Then take care of it.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡± The butler bowed politely before leaving the office. ¡°Give me another drink. Put some effort into your fanning.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The servants and maids answered faithfully. One started pouring him another glass while others stationed behind him fanned even harder. Baron Beogalan had a satisfied expression as he opened a letter he received several days ago. ¡®Ho-ho! There¡¯s no reason for me to refuse such an offer. If they happen to succeed in the subjugation, I will earn a good sum. And even if they fail one more time, there¡¯s always another chance.¡¯ The letter in his hand came from a distant land, from the successor of the Evergrove County. They were likely related, but their blood relationship must be very thin. A relative of a relative of a relative was essentially no different from a stranger. However, the polite, sophisticated letter was enough to pique the baron¡¯s interest. Of course, the 100 imperial gold coins contributed greatly as well. In addition, the request was rather simple. A knight named Jan Eugene would be commissioned by the Palin Association to subjugate the ruins, and all he had to do was ensure that Jan Eugene¡¯s group wouldn¡¯t be able to hire outside troops for the subjugation. Favorite CH 51 ¡®Hoho. I don¡¯t know who you are, but you appear to have gotten on the wrong side of Evergrove. Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter to me.¡¯ No one would care if a knight from the outside died in the evil lands. Moreover, Baron Beogalan would receive 100 gold coins in return. He didn¡¯t even need to think about it. According to the letter, it appeared that the knight had some reputation in Maren, but the Carls Baggins Peninsula and the Philia Ruins weren¡¯t as easygoing as Maren. ¡°I hope he doesn¡¯t piss his pants after seeing the wyvern. Hahaha.¡± Baron Beogalan chuckled amusingly while taking a large sip of wine. The door opened with a knock, and the guard captain stepped into the room before giving a report. ¡°My lord. The knight commissioned by the Palin Association has arrived with his group.¡± ¡°Is that so? Give him a decent treatment and tell him to rest.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, my lord. But¡­ there are more troops than we expected.¡± ¡°Hmm? How many people are there?¡± Baron Beogalan asked half-heartedly. ¡°There are more than forty.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± However, shock and disbelief filled his face after hearing the guard captain¡¯s answer. *** ¡°I am Jan Eugene. It is an honor to meet you, Lord Beogalan.¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Sir Eugene.¡± Baron Beogalan stared at Eugene with a sour expression. The knight was way younger than he had imagined. According to the letter from Jevin Evergrove, the young knight had recently gained quite a reputation in the Maren area. But from the looks of it, he was basically just a young child. Moreover, it was as if he was purposefully wearing black plate armor to make himself look intimidating. And what was with the soft, fair appearance? The young knight would have looked no different from a noble young master without his armor. It was evident that he was ignorant of what real hardship was. ¡®Perhaps the levels of knights are subpar in that area.¡¯ It was entirely possible to discern Maren¡¯s standards for knights from the young man. If such a knight was able to gain fame, the rest of them were bound to be trash. On the contrary, the burly knight standing behind the young man appeared much stronger. ¡®I won¡¯t have to worry too much about the knight. However¡­¡¯ Baron Beogalan raised his eyes and observed the troops lined up behind Eugene. ¡®I thought his group only has about ten people, including the slaves. What happened?¡¯ Confusion was evident on the baron¡¯s face. Eugene calmly spoke. ¡°By the way, I heard that you will not be hiring any additional troops. Is that true?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Does that mean I have to subjugate the ruin with my troops alone?¡± ¡°Well, yes.¡± ¡°Then I will have to ask you to increase the compensation.¡± ¡°What?¡± Beogalan answered with a bewildered expression. Eugene shrugged. ¡°Isn¡¯t it only fair? I heard from the branch manager of Moffern that the two recent subjugations ended in failure in succession. Each time, there were two or three knights in addition to more than thirty mercenaries. Is that correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Then would we not need even more troops this time around? Naturally, I thought that would be the case when I accepted the subjugation commission.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°To be honest, I thought you would have hired at least fifty troops. But since I will be entering alone with my troops, I think we deserve more compensation. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too much to ask for.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Baron Beogalan licked his lips awkwardly. The young knight definitely had a point, and the baron had a good reason to ensure Eugene¡¯s entry into the ruin. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold up his end of the bargain after receiving 200 gold coins. ¡®There¡¯s no helping it. He does have quite a few mercenaries, but they won¡¯t succeed anyway.¡¯ In the end, Baron Beogalan nodded with a boisterous laugh. ¡°Hahaha! You are straightforward and good-natured just as your reputation suggests. I will accept your proposal. Half of the materials and mana stones from the ruin will be yours. Butler.¡± The butler quickly wrote up a document, and Baron Beogalan stamped it with his seal. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°Thank you. You are truly generous and reasonable, just as I have heard.¡± Eugene bowed politely. Although he didn¡¯t mean any of his words, it didn¡¯t cost him anything to give compliments. Baron Beogalan quickly puffed up proudly. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s the least I could do for a brave knight. Anyways, will you be good to set out tomorrow?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Very good. I will provide you with a guide early in the morning. I will have them empty the annex, so go and relax until then.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Eugene bowed politely before heading to the annex with his troops. A smile appeared on the baron¡¯s face as he watched the group leave the room. ¡®Hoho! Whether it¡¯s forty or fifty, it won¡¯t make a difference at all. You won¡¯t get anywhere unless you have a knight capable of single-handedly facing a high-rank monster.¡¯ But why would such an outstanding knight go around taking commissions from merchant associations when it came to subjugating evil lands? ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. With this, I¡¯ll be getting another 100 gold coins.¡¯ Baron Beogalan couldn¡¯t help but grin with joy. *** ¡°Master, the baron¡¯s expression just now looked strange. He looked way too relaxed for a lord who has suffered two consecutive subjugation failures. It also bothers me that he didn¡¯t prepare any additional troops.¡± Galfredik spoke with a frown after entering the annex. Eugene nodded in agreement. ¡°I felt the same way. That¡¯s why I asked him for an increase in compensation.¡± ¡°Half of the materials and mana stones will be an incredible sum. Even so, something¡¯s off. It feels like he¡¯s up to something else.¡± ¡°Does that really matter? Since we will be by ourselves, we can act however we want.¡± ¡°Like when we first met and entered the dungeon in the Tywin territory?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Eugene had explained the events of the Tywin dungeon¡¯s subjugation to Galfredik after taking in the burly knight as his vassal. Galfredik was surprised but quickly understood why Eugene had taken such actions. ¡°Anyways, we will get that wyvern for sure.¡± ¡°We can also take down a lot of monsters on our own.¡± ¡°Of course. Hehehe.¡± ¡°Wizard. Make sure you prove yourself this time around.¡± Eugene suddenly turned his face to Romari while grinning along with Galfredik. Romari flinched. ¡°T-that goes without saying. Controlling monsters has always been my specialty, so you won¡¯t be disappointed with it.¡± ¡°I will give you the benefit of the doubt. The amount and types of materials you get will depend on your performance, so do your best.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Romari answered with a sullen expression. Although Eugene worded it nicely, he essentially threatened her to prove her worth. *** Early next morning, Eugene left Baron Beogalan¡¯s castle with his troops. Baron Beogalan simply watched from the spire as Eugene¡¯s group left. He turned and spoke to the guard captain as if something had crossed his mind. ¡°Bring Sir Oleg.¡± A few minutes later, a small knight with a thick neck and bulging muscles stood in front of the baron. ¡°Did you call for me, my lord?¡± The knight said in a husky voice, and Baron Beogalan took on a satisfied expression. Among the three knights of the barony, Oleg was the strongest and the sturdiest. The only flaw with the muscular knight was that he was a little, or rather, quite stupid. As such, he was an incompetent commander of troops. His mental inclination led him to be excluded from evil land subjugations. After all, no one wanted a leader that would always rush into a battle against monsters regardless of the circumstances. But still, no one could rival his raw power. The knight Oleg had complete faith in his lord and his loyalty stood as tall as his faith. Perhaps being stupid wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. ¡°Yes, Sir Oleg. You will be going out to hire mercenaries?¡± ¡°Yes! I will be heading to Femile in the afternoon. Mercenaries who are very good at hunting roamers. There are many of them there,¡± The knight¡¯s manner of speaking clearly revealed his intelligence. Baron Beogalan nodded. ¡°Good. Will it take about two days for you to return?¡± ¡°If I go now, I will be able to return by tomorrow evening.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. Sir Oleg, don¡¯t come back to the castle straight away once you¡¯re done. Take the mercenaries and head to the entrance of the ruin.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Oleg answered vigorously without even asking for the reason. ¡°Did you see the knight clad in black? He dared to insult me. So, sir, you will wait at the entrance of the ruin and¡­¡± Boom! ¡°I will never forgive him! I will punish him on behalf of the lord. Please leave it to me!¡± Oleg¡¯s eyes were dyed red with blood as he stomped his feet. It was proof that he was extremely angry. ¡°Yes, yes. I will leave it to you, sir. And make sure to hire skilled mercenaries. Ah, are you taking any soldiers to Femile?¡± ¡°I will be going there with three of my subordinates.¡± ¡°I see. Good, good. Anyways, make sure you take revenge against the black knight for insulting me. Leave the others to the mercenaries. Understood?¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡± Oleg shouted loudly while thumping his chest. Baron Beogalan gave a satisfied smile. ¡®Just in case you¡¯re still alive. ¡® A subjugation team would give up and return if more than half of their members were killed or were rendered incapable of further battles. Oleg would be more than enough to handle the weary survivors of the subjugation with the thirty battle-hardened mercenaries of Carls Baggins. ¡®Moreover, Oleg once killed a baby troll by himself.¡¯ Even if the opponent was a renowned knight of Maren, Baron Beogalan believed that Eugene would be no match for Oleg. *** ¡°Amazing.¡± Eugene exclaimed as he looked down from the mountaintop. The group had spent the last two hours climbing. The Philia Ruins was located in a basin surrounded by high mountain peaks, and it was much wider and larger than Eugene had initially expected. The ruined city was brimming with moss and vines as if to prove its history. The buildings and spires of the ancient city were built in a strange, wonderful architectural style. It was easy to guess how rich and prosperous the city had been in the past. ¡°You will arrive at the gate if you head down this road, Sir.¡± The guides pointed to a narrow slope. ¡°Understood. You may return.¡± ¡°Yes, ir! We wish you the best of luck!¡± The guides and the butler bowed before hurriedly scurrying away. ¡°Master, shall we enter right away?¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Eugene shook his head before calmly observing the ruin and the surrounding mountain peaks. ¡°Do harpies and wyverns cross mountains?¡± ¡°They might do so, but only very rarely. There are many monsters in the evil lands to prey on, and beasts do not approach the vicinity of evil lands. So most of them should almost always reside in the evil lands unless they were pushed out by competition.¡± ¡°But they would leave if there was a need to?¡± ¡°Sure. They are capable of flying and living in open spaces, so it¡¯s entirely possible. Why are you asking?¡± ¡°I was thinking about it, and¡­¡± Eugene started explaining in a low voice. Galfredik¡¯s eyes widened with astonishment a moment later. ¡°That¡¯s not bad. No, rather, I think that will definitely work! Why did no one try that before?¡± ¡°So you are saying that it¡¯s possible, right? Then let¡¯s try it.¡± ¡°Hahaha! I like it!¡± Galfredik roared with laughter before gathering the troops, who were looking at the two knights with puzzled expressions. Then, he gave orders according to Eugene¡¯s plan. ¡°¡­..!?¡± The soldiers turned their eyes toward Eugene. It was clear that they were confused and hesitant, but they didn¡¯t dare to question their master. CH 52 ¡°Hey, so what exactly are we doing now?¡± ¡°We¡¯re making wooden spears and pickets.¡± A former mercenary responded to his colleague¡¯s question while cutting off the excess of a long vine used to join together several wooden spears. ¡°Well, obviously. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. Why are we sitting here doing something like this instead of heading into the ruin?¡± ¡°If you are curious, feel free to go ask Sir Eugene or Sir Galfredik.¡± ¡°No, I would rather not.¡± The mercenary still trembled when he made eye contact with the knights. He could not bring himself to do something so daring. ¡°They said that they were going to kill the harpies and the wyvern. Let¡¯s just do as we¡¯re told.¡± ¡°Harpies, maybe. But do you really think we can kill a wyvern? I heard everyone flees into the buildings as soon as the wyvern appears.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. It seems y¡¯all are still in the dark, hmm?¡± Lavan sneakily joined the conversation. Although all of them were now colleagues, Lavan had been by Eugene¡¯s side for a long time. The men showed interest in his words. ¡°Lavan, was it? Has Sir Eugene killed a wyvern before?¡± ¡°Not a wyvern, but he has killed two trolls by himself. Moreover, he pulled out one of their heads with his bare hands, along with its spine! Just like this!¡± Lavan ripped the bark off of a branch, and the soldiers trembled with fear. ¡°I-is that really true? Two trolls? By himself?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you all? It was in the Tywin territory. I saw it with my own eyes when we entered the dungeon. And was that all? No, there was even a time when he killed two orcs with a single javelin.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°It was even more amazing in person. So if Sir Eugene asks you to do something, you¡¯d better just do it without complaining or asking any questions.¡± ¡°Says you. This guy almost got himself killed by picking a fight with Sir Eugene on the day they first met.¡± Glade chimed in as well, and Lavan responded with a blush. ¡°Hey, why are you bringing up things of the past?¡± ¡°It was just so funny listening to your words. Anyways, everything he said is true, so all of you should just do as you are told. Be honest, this is much better than going into the ruin without any preparations, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The troops nodded while meeting each other¡¯s eyes. There were knights who were crazy about glory and fame. Such knights would treat mercenaries as mere meat shields and almost always engaged in frontal battles without preparations. The troops much preferred Eugene, who seemed to have a plan of some sort. Moreover, Eugene possessed enormous power, so they had nothing to complain about. ¡°Are you still not finished? The sun is about to go down, you bastards.¡± Galfredik spoke in a husky voice, and the troops busily returned to their work. ¡°We are almost finished! Let¡¯s hurry up, everyone.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The troops continued working diligently. After about twenty minutes, several wooden blocks made from 3-meter-long wooden spears were finally completed. ¡°It¡¯s well made.¡± Galfredik carefully observed the creation before nodding with satisfaction. Then he turned his head towards Eugene. ¡°Good. Then we will set off.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The troops began descending the slope while carrying the wooden blocks at Eugene¡¯s orders. After a while, the group arrived at the rubbles of a gate, the unofficial entrance to the Philia Ruins. ¡°I think over there would be good.¡± Galfredik spoke while pointing to the side. ¡°Install them over there.¡± Eugene gave orders to the troops. The wooden blocks were quickly placed in front of a naturally formed cliff. It would easily house forty to fifty people inside, and it looked solid in terms of defense as well. ¡°Sir Galfredik, may I ask why we are setting up wooden fences in this place?¡± Partec asked in a low voice, and Galfredik grinned in response. The two of them had gotten fairly close over time. ¡°You will know if you wait and see. And I think this will work no matter what.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Partec was still puzzled, but he had nothing left to say since Galfredik was so confident. ¡°We¡¯re done!¡± ¡°Good. We will leave behind some men to defend our horses. The rest of you, let¡¯s get going.¡± All of the troops except two of Veron¡¯s subordinates followed behind Eugene and Galfredik. As soon as the group passed through the half-collapsed gate of the city, Eugene immediately heightened his senses. However, the ruin was quite open and wide, unlike dungeons and labyrinths. It was rather difficult to detect any presence of monsters. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ After walking for about five minutes, Eugene caught a whiff of a monster¡¯s unique scent. Kiee, kiek. A low cry followed. ¡®It¡¯s about there.¡¯ Eugene continued forward while glaring at a collapsed building, which was covered in vines and roots. Kiekie! Kie¡­! The monster¡¯s cry gradually grew louder. Soon, Galfredik also noticed the sound and turned to Eugene. Eugene nodded lightly before giving orders. ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± The eyes of the troops were filled with confusion, but as soon as Galfredik shot them a fierce look, everyone hurriedly arranged themselves into formation. ¡°Luke.¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Luke was now Eugene¡¯s aide rather than a slave. He approached Eugene with a longbow and a quiver full of arrows. Eugene took a stance, and those around him formed a defensive formation with their shields. Eugene nocked an arrow in one fluid motion. Although he was originally incapable of using the bow, his posture and grip were perfect after absorbing all of Galfredik¡¯s skills. ¡°Here they come, sir!¡± Mirian cried out anxiously, and the strange cries grew even louder. Kiyaaahk! Kieeek! ¡°Harpies!¡± As soon as someone shouted¡­ Fwooosh! Pararak! More than one hundred winged monsters shot into the air from a building covered with lush dark green. ¡°Fire!¡± Tung! Tung! Tung! The troops fired simultaneously, and about ten harpies immediately crashed into the ground. The soldiers quickly abandoned their long-ranged weapons and pulled out their shields and swords. The long-ranged weapons would take too long to reload, which would be inappropriate for the upcoming battle. However, arrows continued to fly toward the monsters at a regular pace. Eugene and Galfredik were using their longbows. Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Galfredik¡¯s archery was relatively inferior compared to his swordsmanship, spearmanship, and horse riding. However, he was able to shoot faster and more accurately compared to before thanks to the improved vision and concentration he gained as a vampire. The same was true with Eugene. The two knights continued to release arrows at a rapid pace as if competing with each other, and each of the projectiles found their mark in either the chest or the head of the harpies. Kieeek! Kyahk! Harpies were monsters. As such, their hides were tough, and they had many more protective feathers compared to ordinary birds. But they still could not resist the arrows of vampire knights shot within a distance of 100 meters. Kyaaahk! Kyahk! Kyat!¡± Their cries were similar to that of a crow¡¯s. The sounds closely followed one another, and many harpies fell dead before they could even approach the soldiers. But they were numerous and agile. When the harpies started to close in on the group, Eugene threw away his longbow without hesitation and unsheathed Wolfslaughter. ¡°Protect the wizard! Romari!¡± ¡°Yes! Please leave it to me!¡± Eugene charged at the group of harpies, and Galfredik kept pace right behind him. Kiyaahk! Kiyahk! The harpies cried mockingly when they saw the charge of the two knights. They knew exactly how slow and sluggish human knights were in their metallic armor. Although it was difficult to slash through the front of the metal armor, if three or four of them rushed the knights at once, they could find gaps in the plates and¡­ Kyahk!? However, the harpies were completely taken aback when they saw the movements of the two knights. The two knights weren¡¯t slow or sluggish at all. Rather, they were almost as fast and agile as themselves. Eugene flung himself forward just as the harpies came down to land. Shuack! Wolfslaughter slashed down vertically. Galfredik jumped at almost the same time and swung his longsword while shouting ferociously. The piercing cries of the monsters reverberated as the world around them became dyed in blood and feathers. In an instant, five or six harpies fell from the sky. Some of them had their wings severed, while others were killed instantly as their thin waists were split. Some of the other harpies swooped down with their big, sharp talons. They could easily grab hold of a calf or a dog with their large claws. Crack! Although it was impossible for them to break through the plate armor¡¯s defense, one of the harpies was lucky enough to grab onto Eugene¡¯s shoulder with its talons. Kyaahk! The harpy cried triumphantly before flapping vigorously. It would surely lift the human knight into the air before dropping him to his death. However, Eugene reacted immediately by thrusting his hand forward. He grabbed the harpy¡¯s thick, solid leg and pummeled the creature into the ground. Bang! A strange sound similar to the bursting of a drum resounded, and the harpy¡¯s body exploded as it crashed into the hard stone floor. ¡°¡­..!?¡± Although they were not as intelligent as humans, monsters also possessed thoughts and emotions. The harpies were shocked into stillness when they saw their comrade¡¯s body explode into bits and pieces. The human knight even stood there while holding the yellow leg of their friend. It was the first time that they saw such a powerful and wild human. Thud. Eugene threw away the harpy¡¯s leg before rushing toward the remaining monsters. The harpies started to scatter in fear. The human wasn¡¯t a knight hunting monsters. Rather, he was a beast hunting birds, and they were ordinary chickens trying to escape an inevitable slaughter. The harpies eagerly flapped their wings and cried with panic, but it was useless. A few succeeded in leaping into the air, but they were quickly struck down with their large legs lacerated like rotten logs. Kieeek! There were still more than 30 of them left, but the harpies had completely lost their will to fight. Their souls were imprinted with a fear similar to when they were faced with the wyvern, the king of the ruin. Another attack was launched in the midst of their fear and panic. ¡°¡­ ¡­.. ¡­ ¡­..!¡± Romari finished chanting a spell in an ancient language while being protected by the troops. She stretched out her stick, and a red light wrapped around some of the harpies who were trying to escape. Kieeee¡­! Five or six harpies responded immediately. They began attacking their own kind. The other harpies realized that something was wrong and they jumped back while flapping their wings. They were capable of jumping dozens of meters with a single leap. As such, they mistakenly thought that they could easily escape the attacks of the two human knights. However, their assumption would have been true if they were faced with two ¡®human¡¯ knights. In addition, the two ¡®human¡¯ knights weren¡¯t their only enemies. ¡°Fire!¡± Partec shouted, and the troops fired their reloaded crossbows. Then, they charged with a brave shout. Grounded, injured, and flightless harpies were no match for experienced mercenaries. In the end, almost all of the 100 harpies were slaughtered even before ten minutes elapsed since the start of the fight. On the other hand, none of the troops were dead, and most had not suffered even the slightest of injuries. It had been a literal slaughter. *** ¡°What? Are you saying we should retreat?¡± Partec and Veron questioned with dumbfounded expressions. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Eugene responded nonchalantly. ¡°This isn¡¯t a dungeon or a labyrinth. Is there a reason why we cannot retreat? It¡¯s not like we will find the wyvern by simply walking around.¡± ¡°Y-yes, of course. I understand.¡± Although they had many questions in their heads, they had no choice but to obey. Galfredik was the most experienced one among them in regard to subjugations, and even he was staying quiet. Moreover, the commands of a knight were absolute. In addition, since they were officially Eugene¡¯s subordinates now, they couldn¡¯t possibly disobey the commands of the knight they swore allegiance to, could they? The troops and porters roughly disassembled the bodies of the harpies and packed the byproducts before returning. No one could guess what Eugene was thinking, but they weren¡¯t overly worried. No one had been injured or killed in their slaughter of nearly 100 harpies, and it was due to the overwhelming performance of the knights. When they passed the rubbles of the gate, Eugene issued an order. ¡°Cut off their heads and bring them to me.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡± Their confusion grew even more, but the troops obeyed Eugene¡¯s orders. Soon, the heads of the harpies were gathered into a pile. Harpies were humanoid monsters with human heads. It was quite a gruesome sight to see around a hundred decapitated heads gathered into a pile. ¡°Thread the heads with wooden spears and place them next to the barricade.¡± Eugene had previously ordered them to create wooden spears as well as wooden blocks. They finally understood why they were tasked to make these wooden spears. ¡°This is a bit creepy. Do you think he is fond of these types of things?¡± ¡°I heard that some of the knights have a ¡®hobby¡¯ of preserving and keeping the heads of their enemies on their walls¡­¡± ¡°What? Are you saying that they masturbate to it?¡± ¡°Wow. I knew he wasn¡¯t an ordinary knight in many ways, but¡­¡± The troops whispered while stealing glances at Eugene. They naturally assumed that Eugene couldn¡¯t hear their conversation, but it was impossible for a vampire to miss it. ¡°Those bastards¡­¡± Galfredik growled. Eugene dissuaded him. ¡°Leave them. They will find out in a few days anyway.¡± As if to prove Eugene¡¯s prediction, the troops finally discovered the purpose of the heads the very next day. CH 53 ¡°How many have we killed so far?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not completely sure, but it must be well over 200.¡± ¡°Fuck. Then how much is all of that worth?¡± ¡°This is amazing! Simply amazing!¡± The troops could not hide their excitement as they whispered among themselves. Most of them had been former mercenaries or active mercenaries before meeting Eugene. It was an unbelievable feat to have killed more than 200 monsters in only two days, even if they were only low-rank monsters. Moreover, only three people had suffered light injuries out of the forty. It was truly an amazing feat. ¡®Whether we live or die, we will devote ourselves to Sir Eugene.¡¯ ¡®Sir Eugene is a true knight. He cares for his subordinates.¡¯ The troops shared determined gazes filled with trust and devotion. They didn¡¯t need words to describe how they felt towards the handsome knight. Any mercenary would be favorable towards a knight who was brave, powerful, and resourceful. In addition, the knight didn¡¯t treat his subordinates as simple consumables. Instead, he was the first one to rush into a battle and the last one to retreat. The soldiers wouldn¡¯t see him as a simple employer or a mercenary captain. Instead, he was starting to take his place in their hearts as a heroic ¡®lord.¡¯ There was more¡­ ¡°Once I dispose of the mana stones and the materials, you will all receive your earnings in silver. So keep fighting hard. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± He was even generous and benevolent. The troops eagerly packed the byproducts from a group of dead kobolds before moving on. The wooden encampment they built yesterday was truly disturbing and frightening. It was surrounded by the heads of various monsters held up by wooden spears. There were heads of all sorts of monsters, including harpies, goblins, kobolds, and even the stone heads of gargoyles, which were intermediate-rank monsters. ¡°Now, now, let¡¯s hurry up.¡± The mercenaries busily got to work. By now, they knew that the heads of the monsters were to be severed and hung on the wooden spears. About thirty minutes later, all the freshly decapitated heads of the monsters were hanging on the wooden spears located outside the camp. There were literally hundreds of heads placed around the camp like decorations. It was bizarre and ominous. ¡°Let¡¯s take a two-hour break. Make sure to identify the injured ones and tell the troops to organize themselves on our way back.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Galfredik!¡± Partec, Veron, and Rudrian answered before returning to their respective positions. They had been appointed as squad leaders of the troops. After they left, Galfredik turned towards Eugene and spoke. ¡°If we continue at this rate, I think we may have to withdraw by tomorrow. We already have so many byproducts that it may become quite difficult to transport it all if we continue.¡± ¡°I understand. By the way, that monster must be more cautious than we thought. Do you think we need to go there personally?¡± ¡°Maybe the monster is scared? If it doesn¡¯t come out again this time, we can head in a bit deeper. Even though it may be a little dangerous¡­ Hmm?¡± Galfredik suddenly stopped and frowned. Eugene aligned his gaze with Galfredik¡¯s. He could see a group of troops on the hillside. The group of troops descended and arrived at the ruin. Eugene was puzzled by the sight. ¡°Reinforcements?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be. Baron Beogalan didn¡¯t seem like he was such a generous lord.¡± There appeared to be approximately thirty soldiers in the group. They were still a long way off, but they would arrive at Eugene¡¯s current location in about ten minutes. ¡°Everyone, prepare yourselves for battle!¡± The soldiers stopped working at Galfredik¡¯s shout and started to put on their armor once again. ¡°What¡­ is that?¡± Partec narrowed his eyes after spotting the uninvited guests descending the hillside. ¡°How would I know? However, I do know one thing, it¡¯s that they don¡¯t look very friendly.¡± The three squad leaders took on tense expressions after hearing Galfredik¡¯s answer. All of the unlocked evil lands usually had guards or managers watching over the trail paths. The same should be true for the Philia Ruins. Regular subjugation teams would be barred from entering without permission, and even if they were here to deliver a message, it was customary for them to wait at the entrance that led to the trail path. It was extremely rare for armed forces to approach without prior warning. Moreover, the uninvited guests were close in number to the subjugation group. ¡°Have everyone come into the camp.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The squad leaders quickly relayed the order as experienced veterans, and all of the troops quickly entered the camp before taking defensive formations. Thud! The soldiers placed their crossbows and spears between the gaps of the wooden blocks, and they glared at the uninvited guests as they grew closer and closer. *** ¡°Sir Oleg. I think they must have spotted us. What shall we do?¡± ¡°As I said in the beginning, all units will charge.¡± ¡°What? Are you saying that we will rush them right away?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The face of the employed mercenaries hardened after hearing Oleg¡¯s words. They were expecting to have a plan before engaging with the enemy, but they were given an order to charge recklessly. They wondered if the knight was out of his mind. Moreover, they were informed that the enemy would number less after failing the ruin¡¯s subjugation, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case either. Rather, the enemy seemed like a well-organized group of soldiers. ¡°I will cut down those who disobey my orders.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± The mercenaries had no choice but to accept their fate. They were rather scared of Oleg, who was a well-known knight in the region. In addition, the orders of their employer were absolute. ¡®Well, we have Sir Oleg on our side.¡¯ ¡®Even if he¡¯s a bit stupid, his skills are the real deal, right?¡¯ ¡°Chargee!¡± ¡°Uaaaahhhh!¡± Oleg unsheathed his longsword before charging forward on his horse, and the mercenaries followed suit. Having a fully armed knight leading the charge on his warhorse was enough to empower the mercenaries. It was then¡­ Kiyaaaaahhhhk! A sharp, piercing cry threatened to tear the air apart. The eyes of the charging mercenaries immediately shifted towards the direction of the cry. ¡°¡­..!¡± A dark, brown object was soaring towards them at an incredible speed from the other side of the Philia Ruins. Although it was the first time they saw it, everyone immediately recognized the identity of the flying object. ¡°W-wyvern!¡± ¡°Hiek!¡± Even though the monster was far away, it was easily ten times the size of a golden eagle. Its appearance was enough to send chills down the backs of the mercenaries. Kyaahk! Kyararak! ¡°I see harpies as well!¡± Harpies answered the cry of their monarch and suddenly came out of hiding from within the Philia Ruins, soaring into the air along with their kin. It was evident at first glance that their number exceeded 100. The mercenaries turned to one person with shocked expressions. ¡°S-sir Oleg!? What should we do now?¡± ¡°We will kill all the monsters.¡± ¡°B-but we were hired to deal with defeated soldiers of the subjugation¡­¡± ¡°I will give you more money. If you try to run away, I will crack your head open and kill you.¡± The mercenaries broke out into cold sweat after seeing Oleg¡¯s crazed eyes. They wanted to run away, but they instantly realized that Oleg wasn¡¯t joking. His words weren¡¯t just a warning. Oleg was the simplest, most ignorant knight in the neighborhood. He would surely come after them and crack their heads open if they ran away. ¡®What should we do?¡¯ ¡®What else can we do? Let¡¯s pretend to follow him and run away when we get the chance.¡¯ The mercenaries had been together for a long time, and as such, they could convey their intentions with just their gazes. Once again, they resumed their charge down the hill. After a while, Oleg and the mercenaries arrived at the site near the gate of the ruin. Kyaaaahhhk! The wyvern hovered in the air while screeching eerily, and the mercenaries hurriedly got into formation and raised their shields and crossbows. Tung! Oleg suddenly knocked an arrow before firing his longbow. However, the wyvern was high in the air, and it was incredibly fast. It avoided the arrow as if mocking the stupid knight. ¡°T-the harpies are coming out of the ruin!¡± The hired mercenaries screamed in an urgent voice. It was commonly known that monsters usually stayed in their evil land. However, they were currently rushing out of the half-crumbled walls. ¡°Fuck!¡± The mercenaries met the harpies in battle while swearing. They were experienced soldiers, and as such, they were able to hold their position against the harpies after forming defensive formations. Oleg also abandoned his bow and started wielding his longsword against the charging harpies. A bloody battle full of flesh, screams, and shouts ensued. Eugene and his troops watched the battle unfold from their encampment, which was located a little distance away. ¡°Huh. Things are taking a strange turn.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Galfredik expressed his astonishment, and Eugene nodded in response. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was just lucky, but things really were taking a strange turn. ¡°Sir Eugene, what should we do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± It would be the right decision to join the humans to fend off the monsters, but the knight wearing the surcoat with the Beogalan family¡¯s crest and his soldiers seemed to be faring quite well against the monsters. In addition, the wyvern was continuing to circle the sky above without coming down. It bothered Eugene. ¡®It appears that the wyvern is waiting for us to exit the encampment.¡¯ After considering Mark¡¯s explanation about the wyvern¡¯s habits and his own experience, Eugene decided to remain within the compound. ¡°Do you think that you can hit the harpies from here?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. We should be able to distract them for sure.¡± ¡°Then help them out.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Those with crossbows hurriedly aimed their weapons at harpies before firing. There were many harpies, and they were surrounding the defensive formation of the mercenaries. As such, every shot fired was right on its mark. ¡°Should I join them too?¡± Galfredik asked while raising his longbow. However, Eugene shook his head before pointing at the sky. ¡°No, we need to take care of that bastard.¡± ¡°Right. Hehe!¡± Galfredik chuckled before dismounting his horse. He took a unique stance in which he stretched out his left leg and pointed it inwards. Ping! An arrow soared into the sky with a sharp sound. The wyvern quickly circled, perhaps taken aback that the attack was much stronger and faster than Oleg¡¯s. Kuwaaaahhhh! ¡°Ah, so close!¡± Galfredik clicked his tongue as the wyvern roared angrily. However, those surrounding him could only watch him nervously. Their backs were soaked with sweat. If the wyvern became enraged and started attacking them¡­ ¡°Galfredik, can you shoot your arrow in a way that will drive that wyvern in a certain direction?¡± ¡°Hmm. I think it may be possible.¡± ¡°Then try it. Over there, above the gate of the ruin.¡± ¡°Right. Phew.¡± Galfredik took a large breath before taking an arrow from the ground and nocking it before pointing it at the wyvern. ¡®What are you doing!? There¡¯s no way a wyvern is going to fall from a single arrow!¡¯ ¡®What good is it going to do to anger it? This is driving me crazy!¡¯ The soldiers desperately wanted to stop him, but they had no choice but to watch Galfredik and Eugene with anxious gazes. Ping! Ping! Ping! Three arrows soared into the air one after another, at intervals of about two or three seconds. The wyvern flapped its wings leisurely and avoided the arrows. Galfredik¡¯s arrows narrowly brushed its tail. Ping! Another arrow immediately shot into the air. The wyvern possessed excellent sight. As such, it recognized that the arrow was aiming at a place where it was flying towards. In order to avoid the projectile, the wyvern made the choice to make a quick turn, which led it to the sky above the ruined gate. Shuuack! A loud noise accompanied a heavy shockwave, and the eyes of the soldiers shifted immediately. Eugene had thrown a javelin from his spear thrower. Unlike the arrows, it was drawing a straight line through the air as it headed towards the wyvern. ¡®It¡¯s going to miss¡­¡¯ It did not miss. The javelin continued its path and penetrated a wing of the wyvern, just as it circled around to avoid the arrow. ¡°¡­..!?¡± The jaws of all the onlookers were forced agape with shock. Kuwaaaaahk! The wyvern let out a terrible scream before flapping its wings once more. In the meantime, Eugene reloaded his spear thrower and launched another javelin with all his might, without delay. Kwarararak! The projectile split the air as it flew forward like thunder. It hit the wyvern dead center on its body. Kuwuuuuuuuuh! Even though the wyvern was known as the emperor of the sky, there was no way it would be fine after receiving a javelin to its body. Moreover, the person responsible for throwing the javelin wasn¡¯t an ordinary knight, but a vampire who was several times stronger than humans. Kuwuugh! Kuweh! The wyvern thrashed and struggled in the air while screaming violently, then it eventually crashed to the ground. It couldn¡¯t maintain its flight with a spear in its chest. ¡°Wow!¡± Eugene glanced sideways after hearing Galfredik¡¯s shout. ¡°What are you all doing? Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°¡­Ah! Yes, Sir Eugene!¡± The soldiers belatedly came to their senses and answered haphazardly. Even though they saw it with their own eyes, they could not believe it. The wyvern was felled with only two javelins. ¡®This is crazy! Crazy!¡¯ ¡®Sir Eugene is a knight blessed by god!¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t believe I dared to pick a fight with him¡­ I must have been out of my mind.¡¯ ¡®Sir Eugene is the god of war!¡¯ ¡®H-he can¡¯t be human. How could a human¡­¡¯ Admiration, reproach, faith, and even superstition. Although their emotions were based on slightly different things, the troops shared the same admiration and awe toward Eugene. Favorite CH 54 The battle ended promptly after that. Although it was a terrifying monster in the sky, the wyvern was no more than an oversized, winged lizard once it was on the ground. Of course, it would have been difficult for ordinary knights and mercenaries to hunt the wyvern due to its large size and fierce nature, but it wasn¡¯t a problem for Eugene. He countered the wyvern¡¯s roar with his Vampire Fear and threw several more javelins from afar along with Galfredik to pierce the monster¡¯s head and throat. Eventually, the wyvern collapsed dead on the ground with its long tongue sticking out. Boom! ¡°I-is it dead?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± The troops gazed at the wyvern with anxious eyes while murmuring among themselves. However, even high-ranking monsters could not hide their presence in front of a vampire. As such, Eugene was certain that the monster was dead, and he moved without hesitation. After he reached the wyvern, he raised his shortsword before striking down, cutting off the head of the wyvern. The monster¡¯s thick neck was similar in size to the torso of an adult, male human. Spurt! Blood erupted violently from the stump and soaked Eugene¡¯s entire figure. As he satiated his thirst with the blood, the excited cheers of the troops resounded. Uwaaahhh! Eugene muttered quietly while the troops celebrated. ¡°Check it.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Mirian flew forward and began looking all over the wyvern¡¯s body. She was checking for the presence or the absence of a red mana stone. ¡°That was amazing!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, Sir Eugene!¡± The three squad leaders rushed forward with Partec in the lead. They weren¡¯t trying to bootlick, however, they were genuinely surprised and excited. Who would have thought of hunting the wyvern by manipulating its route with arrows before forcing it down with a javelin? No one had ever thought of such a method. ¡°Sir, nothing. Hing,¡± Mirian reported after checking the corpse. ¡®Tsk.¡¯ Eugene was forced to inwardly click his tongue and swallow his disappointment. He had not encountered red mana stones since the swamp near the village and the dungeon of the Tywin territory. It appeared he had been rather lucky in the beginning. Red mana stones were truly quite rare. ¡°Master, what are you going to do with those bastards?¡± Galfredik walked up before speaking. Eugene turned his head. The wyvern was essentially the master of the Philia Ruins. As soon as it fell, the harpies had immediately disappeared back into the ruin. About ten people had been killed or seriously injured among the newcomers, and the remaining mercenaries were staring blankly in Eugene¡¯s direction. However, Eugene¡¯s eyes headed towards Oleg rather than the remaining mercenaries. The burly knight¡¯s shoulders heaved visibly, and he was without his helmet. Oleg was evidently exhausted after the battle. As he looked around, his gaze met with Eugene¡¯s. Oleg wiped the blood off his face before putting on his helmet. Suddenly, he started charging with a scream. ¡°Kuaaaah!¡± ¡°¡­..!?¡± The surrounding mercenaries became startled and retreated. He rushed in a straight line like a frenzied boar. Oleg was quite fast, which defied his large size. Anyone could see that he was aiming for Eugene. ¡°Did that bastard lose his mind?¡± Galfredik spoke dumbfoundedly while taking out his longsword, but Eugene stopped him before taking a step forward. ¡°Leave him! I will take care of it.¡± Fwoosh! Oleg arrived in front of Eugene and slashed down with his longsword. Eugene avoided the attack by leaning down and throwing himself at Oleg. Clang! ¡°Arghhh!¡± Oleg was knocked backward with his waist in Eugene¡¯s grasp. His helmet fell off due to the shock, and Eugene grabbed the helmet off the ground while sitting on top of Oleg. Then he began to mercilessly strike Oleg¡¯s face with the helmet. Thud! Oleg¡¯s nose caved in with a single blow, and he fainted. ¡°Has he gone mad?¡± Eugene muttered while standing up, and Mirian screeched with agitation. ¡°Crazy bastard! He¡¯s clearly insane! Sir! There¡¯s no need to leave him alive!¡± However, Eugene couldn¡¯t simply kill a knight belonging to the Beogalan Barony. Moreover, It was rather suspicious that the knight had suddenly appeared and started attacking him. ¡°Galfredik. Those bastards¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fuck them up. Partec, Veron, follow me.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± The mercenaries had been looking for a chance to run, but Galfredik rushed them on horseback along with his soldiers. The mercenaries numbered only half of Eugene¡¯s troops, and they were greatly exhausted after fighting a fierce battle with the harpies. They were quickly overpowered without being able to put up any resistance. In the first place, they had already given up as soon as Oleg was completely smashed by Eugene. It would be suicidal to confront a knight who had just single-handedly killed a wyvern and overpowered Oleg, who was known as the strongest knight in the region. *** ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Oleg opened his eyes with a grunt. He started struggling as soon as he realized that his body was tightly bound, and that was when he heard Eugene¡¯s voice. ¡°Did you have a nice nap? It¡¯s no use. I¡¯ve tied you up with the tendons of the wyvern, so it won¡¯t budge.¡± ¡°Urghhh!¡± Oleg struggled for a short while before scowling. Eugene spoke softly. ¡°Why are you throwing a tantrum? You should be grateful that I allowed you to live. Don¡¯t you think so, Sir Oleg?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Thank you. The lord. He will pay the ransom.¡± Oleg responded obediently. Eugene was slightly surprised by the knight¡¯s reaction. ¡®It¡¯s true.¡¯ According to the words of two soldiers from the Beogalan Barony and the mercenary captain, Oleg was a very simple, ignorant, and na?ve knight. He was a knight who knew nothing except fighting and loyalty to his lord. As such, Eugene suspected that his sudden attack was related to Baron Beogalan. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for a simple, stupid knight to travel all the way here to attack Eugene without his lord¡¯s orders. ¡°By the way, Sir. Why did you attack me earlier?¡± Oleg remained silent. Eugene confirmed his theories based on Oleg¡¯s reaction. He continued with a shrug. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, you don¡¯t have to answer me. But¡­ Baron Beogalan will be in a lot of trouble because of this.¡± ¡°¡­..!?¡± Oleg¡¯s eyes filled with shock. Eugene continued with a regretful expression. ¡°Think about it. I came to subjugate the ruin at the request of Lord Beogalan, but one of his knights attacked me. What do you think will happen if this became known publicly? What do you think will happen to Lord Beogalan¡¯s honor and reputation?¡± ¡°It will be tarnished beyond recovery. All the nobles of the peninsula will hold him in contempt. Definitely.¡± Galfredik sneakily chimed in. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Oleg¡¯s face started to turn red. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter to me, since I¡¯ve already completed the subjugation. Whatever happens to the honor of you, Sir, and Lord Beogalan are of no concern to¡­¡± ¡°You insulted the lord first! You trampled on his honor! I was ordered to punish you!¡± ¡°I did?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Oleg¡¯s voice rang loudly, and everyone¡¯s gaze shifted toward the three men. Eugene deliberately raised his voice as if he wanted everyone to hear his words. ¡°So, in other words, Sir, I insulted Lord Beogalan and he sent you here to punish me?¡± ¡°Right!¡± ¡°Are you certain? Baron Beogalan sent you, Sir, here to punish me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m telling you!¡± Eugene shrugged before turning around. His own troops, as well as the mercenaries hired by Oleg, were staring his way with shocked expressions. ¡°Galfredik, this should be enough witnesses, right?¡± ¡°More than enough. Now then, let¡¯s go back, you bastards!¡± *** ¡°¡­..¡± Baron Beogalan had a stiff, deathly pale expression as he remained silent. He could only repeatedly open and close his mouth as all kinds of emotions swirled inside his head, including shock, regret, and fear. ¡°Why are you so surprised? Is it because I came back alive?¡± ¡°W-w-what are you¡­¡± ¡°I know everything.¡± ¡°K-know everything? What are you talking about?¡± Baron Beogalan stuttered a response while sweating profusely, and Eugene continued after turning his eyes to Oleg. The muscular knight was stealing glances at the two with his entire figure bound. ¡°You ordered Sir Oleg to attack me, right? Don¡¯t try to play dumb. Sir Oleg testified in the presence of those men over there.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? I never gave such an order! What would those lowly men know?!¡± Beogalan roared with a red face. The guilty were always the ones that expressed their anger. It was truly a typical behavior. ¡°Ah, is that so? Then Sir Oleg did everything on his own accord? He left the castle, recruited mercenaries, and then came to the ruin to attack me less than a day after I departed, without the orders of his lord?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Baron Beogalan started to stutter out another excuse, but Eugene interjected immediately. ¡°Then would it be fine with you if I publicized the matter through the Palin Association after I return?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°And I will ensure this matter becomes known to the nobles I am acquainted with.¡± ¡°N-nobles you are acquainted with?¡± ¡°Lord Fairchild, the Viscount of Fairchild. He wanted to have me sworn in. Ah, and there¡¯s someone else as well.¡± Eugene took out the letter of recommendation from his pocket and waved it while continuing. ¡°I will soon be meeting with Lord Fairchild¡¯s father-in-law, Lord Winslon. I will make sure to inform him of this matter as well.¡± Baron Beogalan¡¯s face turned deathly pale from a shade of red. Lords like him were most conscious and afraid of the reputation he had among nobles with ¡®titles.¡¯ He could endure a bad reputation with the Palin Association, but it was different with Count Winslon, who was one of the most prestigious nobles in the kingdom. What would happen if Count Winslon were to create an issue for him from the incident? ¡®Then it¡¯s all over!¡¯ Baron Beogalan felt dizzy, and Eugene¡¯s cold voice once again pierced his ears. ¡°Will you still claim that Sir Oleg acted on his own accord because I insulted you and tarnished your honor, Lord Beogalan?¡± There was nothing Baron Beogalan could say. However, he couldn¡¯t resolve the issue by force either. Aside from completely dominating Oleg, who was the strongest knight in the territory, Eugene was the first knight who succeeded in hunting a wyvern. Moreover, how could he possibly deal with the other mean-looking knight and the nearly forty elite troops beside him? ¡°I will ask you once more. Why did you do something like this? If you tell me the truth, I am willing to take that into consideration.¡± ¡°To tell you the truth¡­¡± Baron Beogalan was left with no other choice. He began to explain the contents of the letter he received while constantly wiping away his sweat. ¡°¡­and I apologize. I was blinded by gold coins and almost committed a crime against a brave, honorable knight like yourself. However! Please know that I never would have done such a thing if I had not received their proposal, Sir Eugene.¡± The best way to cover one¡¯s mistakes was to pass the blame on to others. In that sense, Baron Beogalan¡¯s attempt was partially successful. ¡®Jevin Evergrove? Well, I will have to deal with him later.¡¯ Eugene frowned after hearing Baron Beogalan¡¯s story. He raised his head. ¡°Even so, the fact that you attempted to kill me in a dishonorable way remains unchanged, Lord Beogalan.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°So I would like to offer you a proposal. If you agree, I will forget about the matter.¡± ¡°A-and what would that be?¡± Baron Beogalan quickly changed his expression and asked, having forgotten his dignity as a lord. ¡°By chance, I came to occupy a couple of villages outside the Beogalan Barony. I only exercised chivalry as a knight, but the residents of the villages wanted me to take me as their master, perhaps due to the situation in the nearby areas. I could not help but accept their request.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°So, please draft a document recognizing me as the lord of the villages. While you are at it, I would appreciate it even more if you could have the nearby nobles sign the certificate as well.¡± ¡°Of course! I will do that!¡± Baron Beogalan agreed without hesitation. It wasn¡¯t his territory anyway, and he also couldn¡¯t occupy the villages. If today¡¯s incident could be forgotten by recognizing Eugene as the lord of those villages, there was nothing for him to lose. ¡°I will write you a certificate right away. I will have the nearby nobles recognize and sign it as well. I am certain all of my close associates will be more than happy to join in. But you must keep your promise.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Eugene was quite satisfied. He had planned ahead after hearing the truth from Oleg, and he had succeeded. The disappointment he felt from failing to obtain a red mana stone was reduced to an extent. He failed to abide by his philosophy of not forgiving those who attempted to hurt him, but it wasn¡¯t as if he could simply punish a lord with a title. Instead, his path to becoming a lord was solidified through the incident, so it could be considered a win. ¡®Wait.¡¯ A thought came to Eugene¡¯s head, and he continued. ¡°And one more thing.¡± ¡°Hmm? Is there something else?¡± ¡°We suffered quite a lot of damage when Sir Oleg and the mercenaries suddenly attacked us. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s only fair to provide us with ransom and compensation for the damage?¡± No one had even suffered a minor injury from the attack, let alone any damage, but Eugene shamelessly declared it otherwise. Naturally, he didn¡¯t forget to glare at Oleg¡¯s hired mercenaries while speaking his demand. ¡°Well¡­ how much?¡± ¡°Instead of half, please give me eighty percent of the materials and mana stones obtained from the subjugation.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± CH 55 Eugene left Baron Beogalan¡¯s castle after receiving everything he was due, including a certificate to prove his lordship. Baron Beogalan promised to send another document with the seals of the nearby nobles within fifteen days to a branch of the Palin Association. According to Baron Beogalan, it wasn¡¯t that difficult since his family shared close relationships with many nobles as a family with a long history in the region. ¡°Huh!? What is this? Ah! Monster byproducts!? Wonderful one, turnip two, thunderous three, fabulous four¡­ There¡¯s so much that I can¡¯t possibly count them all! I¡¯m rich now! Rich! Kieeeeekk!¡± The spirit of desire shouted with excitement and joy, attempting to comprehend the number of materials gained using a strange system of counting. Eugene felt satisfied as well. Although he would have to share the loot with the Palin Association, he would still earn a great sum of money. It was equivalent to what he could earn from participating in five or six regular subjugations. It was all thanks to the mana stone and the materials gained from the wyvern, a high-ranking monster. ¡°The materials gained from the wyvern are so precious?¡± ¡°Of course. Although a few roamers have been killed in the past, there¡¯s no record of a wyvern being killed in an evil land. By the way, since you promised to give me a part of the inner skin of the wings and the tail¡­" Romari answered Eugene¡¯s question. She had been grinning nonstop while stealing glances at the wyvern¡¯s by-products, which had been separately loaded into the carriage. ¡°Well, even though you did not contribute very much, a promise is a promise. You can have it.¡± ¡°Thank you! Although I might not have been of much help this time, I promise I will do my best in the future!¡± Romari was greatly moved. The materials gained from a high-ranking monster were precious enough for any wizards to drool over. A wyvern¡¯s materials were even more rare and special, and Romari had been wanting to obtain them at any cost for her goal of producing chimeras. ¡°Killing the wyvern was only natural. But I didn¡¯t expect you to become a lord through the subjugation. This is quite ridiculous. Master, was this your intent all along?¡± ¡°Of course not. Things just turned out this way. Well, it¡¯s not bad though.¡± Eugene shrugged in response. Galfredik burst into laughter. ¡°Puha! Not bad? I wouldn¡¯t have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. Any knight would be shocked to death if they heard the story, both free and territorial knights alike.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Kukaka!¡± Galfredik could not hold his laughter after seeing Eugene¡¯s calm attitude. His master had saved him and provided him with a new life. And now, his master was about to become a lord. He knew it was within the realm of possibility when they first met, but he never imagined that it would come true in just a few months. ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m sure more fun and interesting things are waiting for us down the road, right? I¡¯m really looking forward to this.¡± ¡°I thought you wanted to succeed and advance in your life?¡± ¡°This is what success is. I¡¯m still young, so why would I want to trap myself as a territorial knight and fatten myself with riches? A real knight should chase honor in battles.¡± ¡°I see. Now that you mention it, how old are you?¡± ¡°Huh? Did I never mention it before? I¡¯m twenty-four.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s obviously a lie.¡± Romari expressed her shock and disbelief from the side. Galfredik frowned in response. ¡°Miss Romari? What¡¯s with that reaction?¡± ¡°Ah, I apologize. I thought you were at least thirty-four.¡± ¡°What? What about me that looks over thirty?¡± ¡°Everything. Everything from your head to your toes.¡± ¡°You clearly don¡¯t have an eye for men. Well, it makes sense that you don¡¯t have any experience with men with that figure. Even my grandma didn¡¯t look bad.¡± ¡°Keup!¡± Luke hurriedly covered his mouth and suppressed a laugh while turning away. Simultaneously, Romari¡¯s face turned beet red. ¡°Are you comparing your grandmother and¡­¡± ¡°My grandmother was strict, but she used to play with me. She died just before I became a knight¡¯s aide. I miss her.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Galfredik turned his eyes to the sky. He had a face full of sorrow, and Romari¡¯s eyes quivered. She couldn¡¯t possibly get mad at him when he was referring to a deceased family member¡­ ¡°Well, I guess ten years is a long life for a dog. Ah, I remember how she used to bite me when she was young. But it stopped as she got older, probably because she lacked the energy.¡± ¡°¡­Dog? Are you talking about the animal?¡± ¡°Yeah. A female dog we used to raise in the past. Her name was Tallulah.¡±[1] ¡°What bullshit are you¡­¡± ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± Their conversation came to a halt when the scouts returned. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°A group of men has occupied Roban Village.¡± Roban was a small village that Eugene had passed through on his way to the Beogalan Barony. Just like Paranan and Mintan, it had been liberated thanks to Eugene. ¡°It seems a bunch of nobodies has crawled in since the owner was nowhere in sight. Master, everywhere except Mintan and Parana are probably in a mess. What do you think? Should we stop by and clean up the villages on our way back? We need to stop by to procure food anyways.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Eugene took Galfredik¡¯s advice and gave orders to the three squad leaders. For the next five days, merciless massacres took place in all the villages located between the Beogalan Barony and Moffern. *** ¡°What? Recognize a territory with the Mino River as its boundary? Is this guy out of his mind?¡± Lord Feedren frowned while looking over a letter delivered from Baron Beogalan. As was the case with most nobles, the Feedren family had blood ties with the Beogalan Barony from a long time ago. Although the current situation in Carls Baggins was rather chaotic, or rather, because the situation in the peninsula was chaotic, the nobles were more cooperative with each other. However, it was difficult to simply agree to a request to recognize land, more specifically, the area located right next to the Feedren territory, as someone else¡¯s territory. ¡°Jan Eugene? Why is he asking me this all of a sudden? Is that his illegitimate son or something? Hmph¡­¡± Lord Feedren clicked his tongue before continuing to read the letter. He had the intention of politely refusing the request. But then¡­ ¡°Killed more than two hundred monsters in the Philia Ruins? And the wyvern¡­ Wyvern!?¡± Lord Feedren kicked off his seat with shock. ¡°He has forty well-armed, well-organized troops and another knight under his command as well? And their number might increase in the future? What¡­?¡± The hands holding the letter started to tremble. There was no reason for Baron Beogalan to exaggerate the matter or to lie since it would become known in the future anyway. According to the contents of the letter, a knight capable of hunting a troll and a wyvern wanted to establish his territory with enough elite soldiers to burn down a small territory. ¡°That means, picking a fight while using legitimacy as an excuse¡­ would be a horrible idea. If they happen to invade, then it will be all over.¡± Lord Feedren instinctively stopped himself. Since he himself was a knight, he knew very well that thirty soldiers in leather armor could never rival elite soldiers. Perhaps he could stand a chance if he hired mercenaries, but he couldn¡¯t afford to keep mercenaries without knowing when the enemy would launch an attack. It would simply exhaust his finances within a month. ¡°This is quite an exceptional event.¡± Lord Feedren felt his heart pounding as he finished the letter. The moment he laid his eyes on the last line, his face filled with an even bigger shock. ¡°What? He¡¯s most likely going to be sworn in by His Excellency Winslon!?¡± His mind went blank for a moment. Winslon was a noble among nobles, and his enormous territory was no different from a small kingdom. Lord Feedren quickly came to his senses and shouted while holding up a piece of parchment that was delivered to him with the letter. ¡°Ink! Bring me ink! Bring the seal as well! Quickly!¡± It wasn¡¯t wise to invite a strong neighbor, but things were different this time around. The least he could do was to avoid offending the knight, even if he couldn¡¯t welcome him. Moreover, Baron Beogalan was the only lord in possession of an evil land in the vicinity, and he possessed the highest status. If the newcomer was a knight recognized by Baron Beogalan, then it was even more important to avoid offending him. ¡°A knight of Count Winslon¡­ This is not the time to stay still.¡± Although Baron Beogalan had mentioned it as simply a possibility, Lord Feedren accepted it as a fact. He was in a rush. Such surprising news was better shared with as many people as possible, so he wrote similar letters before sending them to nobles close to him. The matters regarding the Philia Ruins subjugation continued to proceed in a manner that Eugene had never expected. *** ¡°S-sir. This is¡­¡± The branch manager of Moffern was stunned speechless after witnessing five carriages filled to the brim with monster by-products. However, that wasn¡¯t the only thing he was surprised by. ¡°Excuse me, sir, who are all those people?¡± ¡°They are my new subordinates. I came across them by chance. What, is there a problem?¡± ¡°No! Of course not. Ah, then Veron is also¡­¡± ¡°They want to follow me.¡± ¡°I see. Congratulations, sir.¡± He was shocked out of his mind, but the branch manager quickly grasped the situation like a merchant would and bowed his head. It was a pity to lose a competent mercenary group like Veron¡¯s, but the branch manager was smart enough to realize that Eugene would bring him dozens of times more profit. ¡°By the way, I would like to return to Maren as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I will find you a ship so that you can leave within three days.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Since you have more troops, it would be better to rent an entire inn for the accommodation, what do you think?¡± ¡°Hmm. And what about the cost?¡± Eugene was obviously intending on paying for the accommodation. However, he frowned slightly as he spoke, since it would be rather unfortunate to be forced to spend such a large sum. But the branch manager misunderstood Eugene¡¯s words and actions as he quickly shook his head. ¡°Ah, please don¡¯t worry about that. Our association will take care of it.¡± ¡°Hmm? I would be very grateful.¡± Eugene readily accepted the offer, thinking that the branch manager of Moffern was as generous and honest as Priscilla. The two weren¡¯t as merchant-like and calculating as Eugene had thought. ¡®This isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve done something like this, is it? Just what I would expect from someone soon to become a big-shot noble. Your threats are quite natural.¡¯ The branch manager hid his true thoughts with a bright smile. ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s an honor for me to know an outstanding, honorable knight like Sir Eugene.¡± Although the branch manager continued to bootlick him, Eugene was still grateful to him for paying for the accommodation. Thus, Eugene spoke softly. ¡°I am still very grateful for your generosity. There is actually another matter that I would like your help with.¡± The branch manager wondered how the knight was planning to leech off him further. He asked cautiously. ¡°What¡­ what kind of help would that be?¡± ¡°I came to manage the villages and the hamlets on the way to the Beogalan Barony from here. This is what happened¡­¡± Eugene gave a detailed account of who attacked him and how he handled them on his way to and fro the barony. The branch manager¡¯s expression gradually changed, and as soon as he saw the certificate with Baron Beogalan¡¯s seal, his jaw dropped open. ¡°D-does that mean Sir Eugene has just become the master of four villages and six hamlets?¡± ¡°Things just turned out that way. A parchment with the seals of the nearby lords will be arriving here shortly as well.¡± ¡°Oh, my! Forgive me for failing to recognize such a distinguished, exalted figure!¡± The branch manager¡¯s attitude had been polite originally. However, his attitude intensified even further after hearing Eugene¡¯s story. He continued to fawn over Eugene while running his mouth. ¡°Please forgive me for failing to recognize an upcoming lord. Please accept my sincerest apologies, Sir Eugene. If there¡¯s anything I can do to assist you, I will do it gladly.¡± ¡°Even though I became the master of these villages and hamlets, I don¡¯t have enough people to manage the land. I was thinking of asking the Moffern branch to have talented people manage the land.¡± ¡°Of course, of course. I will definitely find the right people for the position and send them over. I am truly grateful to you for giving us this chance.¡± The branch manager¡¯s lips curled up into a huge grin. He was already grateful that the knight had crushed the association¡¯s competition by being successful in the Philia Ruins subjugation. But in addition, the knight had also conquered the road to the Beogalan Barony and had stabilized it before eventually becoming the master of a few villages and hamlets! ¡®The roads will be safer for travel, and it will be quite profitable to hire mercenaries and collect tolls. He¡¯s truly blessed by the heavens!¡¯ ¡°Then could I ask to borrow Sir Eugene¡¯s crest for our branch? I think that would be the best way to let others know that we are acting as Sir Eugene¡¯s agent when we are traveling or receiving tolls.¡± ¡°Crest?¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± ¡°I¡­ will give it to you before I leave.¡± Eugene was slightly taken aback, but he responded naturally. It appeared that he would have to first think about what he wanted his crest to look like. ¡°Yes. Then I will guide you to your accommodation. We will take you to the best place in Moffern.¡± The branch manager fawned while inwardly praising himself for thoroughly following Priscilla¡¯s request to cooperate with Eugene as much as possible. 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxEAP9Nmdos here¡¯s the reference if you don¡¯t get it. It might be a culture-specific thing. In Korea, the word ¡®Tallulah¡¯ is used when someone unwittingly insults someone¡¯s parents. For example, A & B are having a conversation. A: Look at this new sweater I got. B: Man that¡¯s such an ugly-ass sweater, it can¡¯t even be recycled. A: My mom bought it for me. B: It can¡¯t be recycled because it¡¯s so precious, obviously. ? CH 56 ¡°A crest?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I think I need to give proof to the branch manager of Moffern and Veron. But I¡¯m not very good when it comes to those things, so I think it would be better for you to create one for me since you are the most knowledgeable among us as a wizard.¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Most wizards were quite intelligent. However, Romari had been constantly scolded and rebuked ever since meeting Eugene. She could not help but be astonished after being entrusted with such an important task. ¡°Do you have any ideas? Or perhaps my expectations of you are too high¡­¡± Eugene started to renege on his words. ¡°I do! Something just came into mind!¡± Romari quickly answered before desperately thinking of ideas. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Usually, people think of bats when they hear about the Tribe of the Night. However, Origins are different. Origins are definitely closer to¡­ dragons! What about dragons?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene showed interest in Romari¡¯s hastily-devised plan, and she continued excitedly. ¡°The moment I saw you, Sir Eugene, I knew instinctively! I thought of a black and red dragon. I think it might be good to mix the two colors.¡± ¡°Not bad. Then try making it.¡± ¡°What? M-me?¡± ¡°I will do it! I can do it! I am a master at drawing dragons!¡± Mirian popped out her head and shouted, but Eugene ignored her and responded to Romari. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want to? How unfortunate. In that case, the wyvern tail and the wings¡­¡± ¡°My heart races when I imagine the beautiful crest. It will be an honor for me to have the opportunity to produce such a wonderous, noble crest. If you will graciously leave it to me, I will produce something that will be to your utmost satisfaction.¡± ¡°Good. You will need to create a flag and a ring with a seal. It should be finished by tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Although that would not be enough time and creating a crest had nothing to do with the works of a wizard, Romari was determined to do her best. *** The accommodation introduced by the branch manager was excellent. However, it became impossible to rent the entire inn as originally promised. It was because there were too many people, and an unexpected event even took place. ¡°Oh! Sir Eugene! It is an honor for me to serve the first Wyvern Slayer like this.¡± Gardye, one of the city¡¯s famed figures and the leader of the merchant guild, greeted Eugene with a bright smile. ¡°Kieeeeek!? S-silk clothes! This human resembles a halibut, but he must be swimming in gold! Haaaak! Haak!¡± The spirit of desire gasped uncontrollably after a long time. As Mirian said, Gardye¡¯s face was quite large and flat, but his clothes and accessories were luxurious, to say the least. ¡°Thank you for providing us accommodation.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to mention it. Now, now, everyone must be tired from the long expedition. Please relax and enjoy.¡± At Gardye¡¯s words, the servants and maids flocked to guide the troops. Some of the troops¡¯ jaws went wide agape as soon as they laid their eyes on the maids. It wasn¡¯t surprising, since all of the maids boasted a voluptuous figure. It was as if they had been picked for that very reason. However, the troops remained silent and still. They weren¡¯t willing to do anything rash while they were in Eugene¡¯s presence. ¡°They are treating us quite nicely. They worked hard as well, so it might be good to let them loose for today.¡± Galfredik whispered by Eugene¡¯s side. ¡°I was thinking of telling them that as well.¡± Eugene nodded in agreement. Knights desired merit and honor, but mercenaries coveted money and women. A good, respected employer and a captain were required to appropriately satisfy their subordinates¡¯ needs. In the first place, most of Eugene¡¯s subordinates were simple, ignorant men. They lived according to their instincts, so it was better to have them relieve their desires once in a while to prevent them from having any other thoughts. ¡°Have fun and enjoy yourselves today. However, those who drink too much and cannot wake up in the morning will not receive even a single coin, so control yourselves.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The troops answered in one voice. Their loyalty and obedience towards Eugene had grown massively due to the recent events. ¡®Ho! Even those rough hooligans are helpless in front of him.¡¯ Gardye was pleasantly surprised by how the troops reacted. Such strict, militaristic discipline could only be seen in the prestigious armies of the great nobles. He knew that most of these men were essentially robbers until not too long ago. For them to show such discipline in a short period of time was only a testament to the great abilities of their captain. ¡°Now, now, please, have a sit.¡± Eugene took his seat at the head of the table. Romari had already left for the annex of the accommodation to work on the crest, and Galfredik was with the troops excitedly groping one of the maid¡¯s butt. ¡®Did he tell me to let them loose because he also wanted to have fun? That sneaky runt.¡¯ Eugene was rather flabbergasted as he observed Galfredik. Gardye interrupted his thoughts with a generous smile. ¡°Please have a drink, Sir Eugene. You! Come here and serve Sir Eugene.¡± Gardye gestured, and a young, sensuous, brown-skinned girl stepped forward while holding a bottle of wine. She continued to smile flirtatiously while pouring Eugene¡¯s drink. It was evident at first glance that she was trying her best to seduce him. ¡°This is my youngest daughter. Please feel free to indulge yourself if you so please, Sir Eugene,¡± Gardye spoke in a subtle voice. In the past, Eugene might have considered him a madman for saying such a thing, but he now knew that it was only natural to gift one¡¯s daughter or son to a promising noble for a night. Moreover, the Carls Baggins Peninsula was also famous for its passion and straightforwardness. Eugene shook his head. ¡°Thank you for the offer, but it¡¯s fine. I suffered a minor injury during the subjugation, so it would be best for me to relax for the time being.¡± ¡°Ah! I see. But since you possess the blood of the elves, the injury should heal quite quickly, no?¡± ¡°It should be fine in a day or two.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Hahaha.¡± Gardye chuckled before waving away his disappointed daughter. He continued in a subtle voice. ¡°By the way, would you perchance be interested to have a guess as to why I have invited yourself, sir, and your men to my house?¡± ¡°I have an idea from what I¡¯ve heard. The city might feel burdened by the presence of my men and myself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It can¡¯t be helped that everyone will be cautious towards a Wyvern Slayer.¡± It would be impossible for the entire city to know about Eugene¡¯s deed when it had just recently happened, but the merchant guild leader definitely knew better than anyone else. ¡°Moreover, the number of troops under your command has increased recently. I already know about Veron, but could that knight possibly be Sir Rudrian, the one known as the Silver Flash?¡± Almost no one knew that Rudrian was a fake knight. It was only natural, since he had a clean appearance, and he could also read and write. ¡°That¡¯s correct. He swore his loyalty to me.¡± ¡°As expected, you are amazing, sir.¡± Gardye expressed his admiration before lowering his voice once again. ¡°Anyways, the reason I invited you to my house, sir, is because I wanted to ensure that you would avoid any unnecessary hassle you might experience if you stayed at the inn.¡± ¡°And in addition, the people of the city won¡¯t have to worry about her presence?¡± ¡°Yes. Once again, I would like to express my gratitude for your consideration.¡± Gardye bowed politely. He was glad that Eugene was reasonable, unlike some of the other knights. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be gained if my relationship with Moffern turns sour. But it seems you already know quite a bit about me. Did you look into my background?¡± ¡°I beg your understanding. It is uncommon for more than forty troops to enter the city.¡± ¡°Then you should already know that I am managing Paranan, Ronan, Mintan, as well as the nearby areas, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hmm? You didn¡¯t know? Lord Beogalan wrote a certificate, and he is currently in the process of gathering seals of approval from the other nobles as well. I thought that was why the branch manager introduced me to you, the guild leader. Was I mistaken?¡± Eugene was genuinely confused. He had naturally assumed that the guild leader was already aware of the fact. ¡°¡­..!¡± Gardye became wide-eyed and numerous thoughts flashed by his mind like lightning. The villages mentioned by the knights would be quite formidable with all of their populations combined. In addition, Eugene mentioned ¡®nearby areas.¡¯ It meant that there were other villages and hamlets under his control as well. ¡®This knight is going to become a lord!¡¯ ¡°Oh my! I was about to make a huge mistake.¡± Gardye had been speaking with Eugene in a comfortable manner. He quickly unbuckled his crossed legs and apologized, ¡°Please forgive me for being discourteous, Sir Eugene. I failed to recognize someone who is set to become a lord.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. You didn¡¯t know about it after all,¡± Eugene responded indifferently. He was used to it. However, Gardye was skilled and experienced enough to take his place as the leader of Moffern¡¯s merchant guild. He was able to infer and recognize the true thoughts and intentions of others from their facial expressions, eyes, and tone of voice. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t always completely accurate. ¡®That cold, chic expression! Is he telling me to get my act together, now that I know what kind of person he is?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure how the knight managed to do so, but Eugene succeeded in a ruin subjugation that ended up in failure several times prior. In addition, he was able to get his hands on several villages in such a short period of time as well. Finally, Baron Beogalan had personally recognized him as a master of a few villages. There were no further validations required. ¡°If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know anytime. I am but a humble merchant, but I give you my word that I will aid you to the best of my abilities.¡± ¡°Hmm? Ah, I would appreciate that.¡± Eugene wasn¡¯t sure why the merchant was suddenly acting like this, but he nodded for now. He previously imagined merchants to be cold-blooded, iron-skinned creatures that would do anything for money and profits, but strangely, all the merchants he encountered so far appeared to be quite generous and kind. ¡°Haha! I just cannot stand still after establishing such a good relationship with Sir Eugene. I am sure that you will need people capable of reading, writing, and working numbers to manage the villages. I will see what the Moffern merchant guild can do to help you with that. Hahahaha!¡± ¡°I am glad to hear that.¡± Apparently, both the branch of the Palin Association and the Moffern merchant guild were willing to help. Eugene felt a little uneasy to be so fortunate, but for now, he decided to quietly revel in his lucky encounters. *** The night after the banquet. Eugene took off his armor after a long time and took a warm bath. He was currently staying in the best room of the merchant guild leader¡¯s mansion. Mirian was snoring away after completely indulging herself with food and drinks at the banquet. Knock, knock. ¡°Sir Eugene, I apologize for bothering you at such late hours, but there is someone who wants to see you.¡± A servant carefully reported from outside after the knock. ¡°Someone is here to see me? I said I wouldn¡¯t be meeting with anyone.¡± ¡°Yes. We were going to send him back, but he said you would meet with him if we relayed his words to you, sir.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He spoke of the cold, red blood of Noferos.¡± It was Delmondo. Eugene immediately responded to the servant. ¡°He is my distant relative. I will be meeting with him, so bring him here right away.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Soon, Delmondo entered the room. He looked much cleaner than before. ¡°It has been a long time, my distant cousin.¡± ¡°What? Ah! Yes, it has been a while, Sir Eugene.¡± Delmondo quickly understood Eugene¡¯s intention and bowed his head while responding. He was quick-witted as a member of the Tribe of the Night. ¡°He will be staying here for a while.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Then I will be on my way.¡± The servant bowed before leaving the room. Delmondo immediately fell to his knee and bowed his head. ¡°I, Delmondo, a lowly, foolish child of Noferos greet the honored, venerable Origin of the¡­¡± ¡°No need for that. Stand up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although he stood up, Delmondo appeared quite scared and anxious. His posture was quite awkward, and his shoulders continued to tremble. ¡°You. I told you to go around the villages and the hamlets to look over them, but I don¡¯t think you did your job properly. Other than one or two places, they were occupied by crooks.¡± ¡°I-I can explain.¡± Delmondo continued diligently. In conclusion, it took a long time for Delmondo to recover from the serious injuries he suffered from Eugene, which was why he failed to complete the mission properly. ¡°¡­So I decided that it would be better for me to come here first and wait for your noble, honorable self to report the situation instead. However, that is also my fault. I have no excuses!¡± ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± It was understandable since the situation was unavoidable. Regardless, Delmondo kept his promise even though he would certainly be reprimanded for failing to properly complete his orders. This meant that he wasn¡¯t completely useless. ¡°What is your specialty?¡± Delmondo asked cautiously. ¡°Well, are you referring to my specialty as a member of the tribe?¡± ¡°No, I am referring to things that you are better at compared to others. For example, being able to read, write, or being able to fight well.¡± ¡°Ah! Although I was never officially trained as a knight, I learned quite a few techniques from my father. I am capable of handling two or three mercenaries without having to exert the powers of the tribe.¡± ¡°I see. And?¡± Eugene nodded. It seemed that Delmondo was quite strong. ¡°I am literate. I know all the numbers, and I am able to speak four languages as well since I wandered from place to place after becoming my father¡¯s child.¡± ¡°What? Is that true?¡± Eugene spoke with surprise. Delmondo hurriedly bowed his head, instinctively recognizing that this was an opportunity. ¡°Yes! How would I dare to lie? Before becoming a member of the clan, I served in a middle-level administrative role in the Roman Empire. To be exact, I was in charge of finance and managing personnel in a city called Leno. Although it was a long time ago, I would say that I was well-recognized for my work.¡± ¡°Hooh¡­¡± Eugene was quite surprised, just as Delmondo sensed. Eugene did not expect much since Delmondo did not possess many abilities as a vampire, but it appeared that he was highly talented when compared to humans. ¡®Hmm? Could this be¡­?¡¯ An idea came to mind, and Eugene spoke sternly while releasing a bit of his vampire fear. ¡°Delmondo of Noferos.¡± ¡°Yes, oh great Origin.¡± An ordinary human would have felt a slight jolt, but Delmondo felt a great, crushing pressure pressing down on him. It was as if a boulder was resting on his head. ¡°You will work for me.¡± ¡°¡­..!?¡± ¡°If you do it properly, I will forever pardon the sins you have committed. I swear it on my honor, no, on the cold, blue blood of the Night¡¯s Tribe.¡± ¡°I will serve you to the best of my abilities in the name of Noferos!¡± Eugene grinned while looking down at Delmondo. It seemed that he just netted himself a very competent administrator of lands, who was also acting as his fake cousin. Favorite CH 57 The next day¡­ Eugene met with the merchant guild leader, Gardye, and introduced Delmondo as his younger cousin who would manage the lands on his behalf in the future. Delmondo possessed a fair appearance as a vampire, and above all else, he was an excellent speaker as a former official of the Roman Empire. Moreover, Delmondo was forced to be very humble in Eugene¡¯s presence, which Gardye found quite favorable. ¡°I cannot believe that he is so humble and charming even though he is so well-educated. Just what I would expect from Sir Eugene¡¯s relative, Sir Delmondo.¡± ¡°How can you say such a thing! That¡¯s not true at all!¡± ¡°What?¡± Gardye tilted his head with confusion. He wasn¡¯t sure as to why Delmondo would deny his relationship with Eugene with a shout. ¡®Ah!¡¯ Delmondo quickly realized his mistake and hurriedly continued. ¡°Because! Sir Eugene is like a full moon that illuminates the dark night. In comparison, I can only be compared to a weak being, something lesser than even a firefly. No, rather comparing myself to Sir Eugene would be an offense. It would be blasphemy!¡± Delmondo¡¯s words were both true and an obvious fact. There was an incomparable difference in status between an Origin and a regular vampire, or perhaps it was even greater. ¡°Haha! Sir Delmondo, aren¡¯t you humbling yourself too much?¡± ¡°It is only the truth. And even though we are very distant cousins, my relationship with Sir Eugene is no different from a master and his servant. His commands are a mission, a calling that I must fulfill no matter what.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Gardye nodded continuously with a touched expression. He found Delmondo to be a rare talent. Not to mention his humble attitude, there was no doubt that he was a noble considering his vast knowledge about different topics. In addition, considering the conversation they shared so far, it was highly likely that Delmondo possessed excellent practical skills as well. However, such a talented figure was thoroughly subservient to Eugene, even though they were relatives. Delmondo was impressive, but Gardye was even more amazed by Eugene. ¡®Sir Galfredik serves him as well. It seems Sir Eugene is a knight with excellent ability to find and command great talents.¡± Most knights knew only how to fight and were terrible at management and governance. As such, although they excelled at commanding soldiers on the battlefield, they were rather clumsy when it came to managing personnel to rule over the land. However, Eugene was different from the other knights. Gardye had never met a knight like Eugene, who possessed both overwhelming skills as a warrior as well as an eye for people. ¡®It would have been ideal if he had settled in our city first. This is quite unfortunate.¡¯ Gardye inwardly smacked his lips while looking at the crest of Maren City on Eugene¡¯s chest. A knight like Eugene would easily rise to prominence in the current chaos swirling over the Carls Baggins Peninsula¡­ ¡®No, it might not be too late!¡¯ Gardye put his brain to work after shaking himself out of his trance. ¡®Sir Eugene will soon be elevated in status as a lord. However, he wants to continue his contract with the Palin Association. That must mean that he is after both wealth and honor, right? In that case¡­¡¯ Gardye quickly organized his thoughts before speaking in a subtle voice. ¡°With all due respect, Sir Eugene, may I raise a suggestion? I can guarantee that it won¡¯t affect you negatively. Rather, it could be a promising opportunity.¡± ¡°A promising opportunity?¡± ¡°Yes. Sir, do you have any plans on expanding your territory on the peninsula?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene couldn¡¯t answer immediately, since acquiring his own territory had been due to a stroke of luck in the first place. However, Gardye interpreted Eugene¡¯s silence as an invitation to continue. He gulped before continuing to explain. ¡°It would only be a single mountain. It is located about 10 kilometers away from the border of the territory that you acquired.¡± ¡°A mountain? Is there a particular reason that I would need a mountain?¡± ¡°The mountain contains a silver mine.¡± ¡°Kieeeeeek!?¡± Mirian attempted to pop out of the leather pocket with an agitated scream. It appeared that the mention of possible gains stimulated her greatly. Eugene tightened the opening of the pocket in a natural way before responding. ¡°If it¡¯s a mountain with a silver mine, I am certain that it must have an owner. Are you suggesting I start a territorial war?¡± Eugene spoke with a cold gaze. Gardye hurriedly waved his hands. ¡°Of course not! How can I say such a thing?¡± ¡°The mountain had a legitimate master until a few years ago. It was Lord Bemos, the previous master of Paranan Village. However, he passed away, and the administrator of the village, Sir Marcelo, was completely occupied with trying to take care of the village.¡± ¡°Hmm. So you are suggesting that it is essentially ownerless, right? But it¡¯s unlikely that the other nobles and lords would leave a silver mine untouched.¡± ¡°Haha! Lord Bemos is the son of Marquis Archivol, right? Even though he lost his power, none of the nobles would openly steal a silver mine that was bequeathed by a great noble to his youngest son.¡± ¡°That would certainly be considered dishonorable. But from the way I see things, it appears as if that¡¯s only one of the reasons. I say that they left the mine untouched because it will be troublesome to manage, and because they will still have to give it up once someone brought peace to the peninsula. Am I wrong?¡± Although most nobles were arrogant and prideful, most nobles were also experienced and quite intelligent from Eugene¡¯s experience. In the first place, it was very difficult for someone to surpass their siblings and become a lord unless they were smart. For example, even in the small territory of Tywin, Camara eventually became the lord because he was quick-witted and smarter than his brother. It was clear that the same rule applied to the lords of the Carls Baggins Peninsula. Even if the tyrannical rule of the marquis caused his own downfall, he reigned as the ruler of the peninsula for many years. It would be quite difficult for anyone to simply take the mine as their own. Anyone could deduce that the mine was more troublesome than it was worth unless they were a fool. ¡°As expected! Sir Eugene is truly outstanding.¡± Gardye burst into admiration after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer, then continued in a quieter voice. ¡°However, there¡¯s no juicier morsel of meat to those dishonorable hooligans, right? That¡¯s why those fools¡­¡± Apparently, the master of the mountain had changed seven times in two years. Moreover, the now-deceased, previous ¡®masters¡¯ of the mountain had been bandits or mercenary captains, as well as the current master. They had coveted the hot potato known as the silver mine without considering the fact that it would surely end up in someone else¡¯s hands in the future. They were simply ignorant and stupid. ¡°I would not suggest this otherwise, but Sir Eugene already obtained the consent of the surrounding lords in regard to ruling over your territory, correct? Moreover, you¡¯ve even found yourself a great administrator to rule on your behalf.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the thought came to me! If it¡¯s Sir Eugene, even if the silver mine is incorporated into your territory and you claimed ownership of it, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. And if you claimed the silver mine, we could support you for its development and maintenance¡­¡± ¡°Provide me with a decent military depot merchant. I will set off tomorrow.¡± ¡°Just as I expected! Sir Eugene is truly outstanding!¡± Gardye¡¯s thick lips looked like they were about to stretch to his ears. ¡°Kieeeek! Silver! We¡¯re rich! We¡¯re going to be filthy rich! Kieeeeeee!¡± The spirit of desire seemed to be overjoyed as well. *** ¡°What do you think?¡± Romari asked with sparkling eyes. ¡°Kiek!? This is quite good for a talking raccoon. I am now certain that she chose the wrong profession. It would have been better if she became an artist instead of a wizard.¡± Mirian could no longer complain about not getting to design the crest after seeing Romari¡¯s design. It was truly spectacular. A black dragon with fiery red eyes was spreading its wings above a spear and a sword crossed into the shape of an ¡®x.¡¯ The scene looked quite imposing and impressive. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good with your hands. If I knew nothing, then I would have thought that this was the work of an artisan. Good work.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Romari smiled shyly, holding herself back from blurting out that more credit was due to her outstanding inspiration as a wizard rather than her dexterity. She felt quite proud and happy to receive proper praise and recognition for the first time. ¡®Huh!? What am I even thinking about?¡¯ Romari found herself unconsciously thinking that it wouldn¡¯t be bad to enter Eugene¡¯s service. She quickly shook herself to her senses. ¡®I can¡¯t possibly keep doing things like this. It¡¯s already been more than a month since I had an opportunity to focus on my research. I¡¯ve only suffered until now.¡¯ As she expected, vampires were seductive and elusive. She was shocked to think that she was almost coaxed into having such thoughts. Thus, she spoke cautiously. ¡°Then, will it be okay to say that I played a part in the subjugation? About what was promised¡­¡± ¡°Take what you need.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Oh, and it seems you will need to return to Maren by yourself for now. Something came up, so I will need to stay for a little longer before I can return to Maren.¡± ¡°What? Ah, yes!¡± She was puzzled for a moment, but Romari quickly nodded. It appeared that she would have more time to research and experiment with her chimera. ¡°Well, then. Should I go ahead and pack my bags?¡± ¡°Fine. I will leave you some men, so make sure to take care of the materials on the ship.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, do you know alchemy as well?¡± Romari suddenly paused amidst her excitement for her upcoming departure. ¡°Uh, alchemy is a fundamental area of study for all wizards. In addition, it¡¯s fundamental to deal with various minerals to create chimeras.¡± ¡°Huh, is that so? Then you should know how to smelt as well, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Romari seemed hesitant to answer. She felt somewhat uneasy. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I might come to possess a silver mine soon. It would be better to have a wizard, right? Including the smelting¡­¡± ¡°I will build a laboratory as soon as I return to Maren. Wizards have superior techniques for refining silver from raw ores compared to the dwarves, especially since our school focuses on producing chimeras. I can proudly assure you that our technique with silver refinement is the best. Leave it to me!¡± Romari revealed her desires while exhaling raggedly. Eugene was rather surprised, but it was a natural reaction for her. In the first place, wizards were forced to work in the world because they could not afford their precious, expensive ingredients. Moreover, silver, along with sulfur and mercury, was considered one of the most commonly used minerals by wizards. The Blood Shadow School focused on creating chimeras and controlling monsters. Thus, silver was an indispensable material for their practice. It was impossible for Romari to control herself when she heard that her employer might own a silver mine soon. ¡°Huff, huff. Please¡­ Please allow me to smelt silver! I will give everything for you, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t need your everything. Anyways, I understand.¡± ¡°Yes! Haa¡­¡± ¡°Hoho! Even the little raccoon finally came to realize the true value of silver! Look at her eyes! She won¡¯t be able to sustain herself without silver anymore!¡± It didn¡¯t seem quite right, but it was also difficult to refute Mirian¡¯s words. *** That evening¡­ Eugene sent Delmondo and Romari to their respective destinations before calling Galfredik and the three squad leaders. They were quite surprised to hear that Eugene would be taking Mount Nadir instead of returning to Maren. However, their eyes were soon filled with greed. They actively contributed their opinions. ¡°There is a world of difference between lords in possession of mines or evil lands and those without. I unconditionally agree with the master¡¯s words. What about you three?¡± Galfredik turned his fierce gaze. They weren¡¯t in a position to protest in the first place, and the three squad leaders had been enticed as soon as they heard about the silver mine. They answered simultaneously. ¡°Please give us your orders.¡± ¡°You will become a lord in name and reality if you can take control of Mount Nadir¡¯s silver mine, Sir Eugene! Truthfully, I was also after the silver mine when I took control of¡­ Heup!¡± Rudrian mistakenly blurted out the truth in the heat of the moment. He quickly realized his mistake and shut his mouth. However, Eugene and Galfredik would never miss it. ¡°I think you were about to tell us something interesting. You occupied Ronan Village because of the silver mine?¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s right. To tell you the truth, it¡¯s not just me, but also all those who were defeated by Sir Eugene. All of them had Mount Nadir¡¯s silver mine in mind.¡± ¡°I did think it was strange.¡± Even if the situation in the Carls Baggins Peninsula was bad, it had been strange to encounter armed groups once or twice every day. However, it made sense if it had been due to the silver mine. ¡°Lord Bemos was the only immediate descendant of Marquis Archivold who passed away. The other children of Archivold are still bickering away in other areas of the peninsula, and even the lords and the city mayors are joining in the fray.¡± ¡°But since this area is located far away, and since everyone is wary of the City of Moffern and staying still, small fries like you were left alone to compete?¡± Rudrian would have burst into outrage if any other knight had spoken such disdainful words to him, but Galfredik was an exception. He simply answered while scratching his head. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°You thought you could become a lord if you occupied a couple of villages and take Mount Nadir¡¯s silver mine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t exactly wrong, I guess. Of course, you would have been dead in a few months if you did occupy the mountain, though.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that¡­?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk.¡± Galfredik clicked his tongue. Eugene was the one who answered in a cold voice. Eugene was now more or less knowledgeable about how the world worked. ¡°It belonged to one of their siblings. Do you really think that the other descendants of the Archivold family would leave the silver mine untouched? Especially when a baseless, nameless mercenary is pretending to be its owner?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have mattered who took control of the mine in the end. If it was someone like you, they would still suffer a tragic end.¡± Eugene was ignorant in the past, but now he knew. It would be useless to claim ownership of a territory as a lord if they didn¡¯t have the justification and the qualification to do so. Power, fame, influence, origin. Only those who fulfilled all requirements were capable of becoming mercenaries from bandits, knights from mercenaries, and finally lords from knights. This was how the world worked. CH 58 Eugene rested for another day in Gardye¡¯s mansion before sending Romari back to Maren with a few of his men. Then, he left Moffern with the rest of his troops. All of the men were well-fed and well-rested after three days, and they were compensated with a good sum of silver coins after the monster by-products were disposed of through the Moffern branch of the Palin Association. The morale of the troops was through the ceiling. Moreover, there was another addition. One of the requirements for a satisfactory evaluation of a proper army or a mercenary group was the presence of a military depot. With the addition of a military depot, the status of Eugene¡¯s group was elevated once again. Although the depot only consisted of three carriages and around ten personnel, Eugene¡¯s troops were greatly satisfied, since they now had access to alcohol, proper food, and even women. Naturally, they didn¡¯t dare to drink until they were completely intoxicated because they were afraid of Eugene, but a drink of stale ale at the depot carriage after a hard day¡¯s work was enough to relieve their fatigue. In addition, the women of the depot worked during the day and sold their bodies for money at night. They played a huge role in stabilizing the minds and bodies of the rough, rugged men. Even though Eugene wasn¡¯t interested in sexual intercourse with women, he was somewhat convinced by Galfredik¡¯s explanation. ¡°It¡¯s not like we are forcing them to be here. Those women are professionals. Moreover, if we leave those bastards alone, they may force themselves onto the villagers or serfs. That can be quite problematic later on.¡± ¡°Hmm, and it¡¯s not like we can behead them every single time. I guess it is best to do as you say.¡± ¡°He! I told you so.¡± There were many advantages to being with a merchant. Of course, there were disadvantages too, but Eugene had taken a liking to the merchant introduced to him by Gardye. ¡°We will supply all items at a price 10% cheaper than the cities or large villages.¡± ¡°Not bad. You must want something in return, right?¡± The merchants were incredibly polite after hearing about Eugene from the merchant association¡¯s leader. ¡°We would be utmost grateful if we could continue to trade with Sir Eugene even if the size of your troops grows larger than it is now. I have many colleagues in Moffern, so we will be able to handle ten times the current number of troops without any problems.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Thank you very much for your generosity. I will work hard to repay your trust.¡± The military depot merchant couldn¡¯t hide his joy and he even paid Eugene a considerable amount of silver coins. It was only proper to show one¡¯s sincerity to the head of the army. ¡®I¡¯m making money while taking care of the supplies as well. This is rather good.¡¯ Eugene was quite satisfied at catching two birds with one stone as he continued leading the troops down the road. *** Carls Baggins was an abundant region from the past. As such, the roads in the peninsula were considerably developed. However, many roads were paralyzed during the chaos after Marquis Archivold¡¯s detainment in his castle. It couldn¡¯t be helped, however, since monsters and bandits ran rampant without proper management of the roads. The volume of traffic naturally declined as a result. This was also the reason why Eugene encountered so many bandits and armed robbers during his journey to Beogalan Barony. But on their second journey down the same road, Eugene and his troops encountered quite a few travelers and merchants instead of armed robbers and bandits. ¡°God bless you, Sir Eugene! May God¡¯s blessing flow abundantly towards you!¡± ¡°¡­Thank you. I will be eradicating the monsters in this area in the near future as well, so keep that in mind.¡± Eugene felt rather uncomfortable being blessed since blessings were no different from curses to vampires. However, he simply ignored the uneasy feeling and responded to the merchant. ¡°There will be no tolls for the time being, but you will have to pay them in the near future.¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯s only natural since Sir Eugene brought peace to this area. I will make sure to inform all the other merchants I know.¡± ¡°Good. Take care.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene!¡± The merchants bowed their heads while shouting passionately. They were truly grateful to have avoided any casualties from the ambush of roamers thanks to Eugene and his troops. They were small-time merchants and could only offer a small sum of money to show their gratitude, but still, it was their hard-earned cash. ¡°This is quite nice, too.¡± ¡°Ehehe! A knight should always prioritize their pursuit of honor, but you can¡¯t just ignore gold and silver either. Since we have so many soldiers now, it will be good to make some money when we can. Anyways, it seems that Delmondo has tried quite hard, even though I was suspicious when I first heard about him from master.¡± Delmondo¡¯s efforts greatly contributed to the reason why many people were starting to use the road once more. He left Moffern two days earlier than Eugene and his troops to desperately spread rumors about Eugene¡¯s heroic deeds. Following the rumors, courageous and adventurous merchants hired mercenaries and put the roads to the test. Delmondo would likely continue to do the same in villages that were currently being incorporated into Eugene¡¯s territory. That was why he was given the flags and the sealed documents. ¡°He¡¯s well-spoken and has good looks. I¡¯m sure he will do good since he used to be an official for the Roman Empire. If he has any other thoughts, I can simply cut his head off, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Oh! You can leave that to me.¡± The two vampire knights continued forward while casually exchanging a conversation that would certainly send shivers down Delmondo¡¯s back if he was here. *** Eugene stopped by the villages under his control on his way to Mount Nadir. The villagers had already been informed of the changes by Delmondo, but they still made their way to welcome their new master with awe. Eugene flew his flags at the top of the watchtowers in villages, and at the wooden fence of the entrances in the villages that had no watchtowers. The flags were a gift from Gardye, and they were on a completely different level from sloppily painted flags on ordinary fabric. Large fabrics were woven with precious embroidery threads, and the top and bottom of the cloths were lined with metal rods. The flags overflowed with dignity at first glance. ¡°I cannot believe that we have been graced with a chance to revel in your honor, sir! It is truly a great honor!¡± The residents once again fell to the ground in awe. They were moved by Eugene¡¯s consideration and generosity. Crests were the embodiment of a noble¡¯s honor, and there was a mountain of difference between villages with a crested flag and those without. Random hooligans and thugs would be scared witless just by laying their eyes on the overwhelming crest, and they wouldn¡¯t dare to enter the village. Even though the villagers had to pay 30% of their earnings as tax, it was much preferable than having bandits and mercenaries invading and looting their village. ¡°The administrator who was here before will soon bring people from Moffern. There will be retired mercenaries posted here as well, so there will be no need to worry about the village¡¯s security.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you. Your generosity is truly unrivaled, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°In the future, merchants will be passing through the village quite often. If problems arise, report them to the administrator. He will take appropriate actions.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± In all honesty, the villagers had been worried that all of their belongings would be taken away as tax when they heard that the scary knight would soon become their new lord. However, Eugene¡¯s actions were rational, wise, and even generous. They were impressed and moved. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if Eugene¡¯s actions were planned. Eugene never received the same, high-quality education as the nobles when it came to matters with managing land and finance. As such, he simply acted based on what he saw and heard regarding management and finances at the Palin Association. Even though most nobles had business with merchants, they were scornful and full of disdain toward merchants. However, Eugene didn¡¯t care about such things at all. He favored efficiency. What reason did he have to worry about such superficial things? Eugene instructed Delmondo to manage the villages in the most efficient way possible. And as a former imperial official of a powerful, centralized state, Delmondo did not disappoint Eugene. ¡°The more I come to know you, the more I¡¯m fascinated by you, Master.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Eugene asked. Galfredik shrugged. ¡°Think about it. When I first met you, you didn¡¯t even know how to manage mercenaries. But now, you have everyone playing in the palm of your hand. Even most nobles wouldn¡¯t be able to do something like this. Great nobles are known to be crafty, but even they can¡¯t compare to the city merchants. But look at how the merchants are acting towards you, master. There¡¯s nothing more to be said.¡± ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t really know.¡± Eugene tilted his head. He thought he was rather lucky, not that he possessed great skills. ¡°I think Master must have been an amazing vampire in the past. You might be shocked when you get your memories back.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Something suddenly came to mind as Eugene listened to Galfredik¡¯s words ¨C the people in his fleeting memories when his second tattoo was erased. ¡®Who could they be?¡¯ He had no negative feelings against those mysterious figures. He wasn¡¯t scared of them either. Thus, it was highly likely that they weren¡¯t enemies. They could be members of his clan, or perhaps they were Origins, just like him. And although it was mostly due to luck, Eugene could really take care of many issues unlike in the past. It felt as if such things were related to the figures as well. ¡®Well, I will find out one day.¡¯ Eugene didn¡¯t think too much of it. He was more confident than before. In addition, he knew that he needed to take one step at a time to properly wade his way through the world. ¡°I think that Sir Eugene is an almighty demon king since birth. He will definitely be called a king within a year! Wowie!¡± Unfortunately, the mass of desire never seemed to have any grasp on reality. Ever. *** With more than forty troops on the move, Eugene arrived near Mount Nadir without encountering any monsters. While the troops and the military depot set up their camp, Eugene called for Galfredik and the squad leaders. ¡°A reconnaissance is needed.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me, sir. I am confident that I know the geography of this area the best.¡± Rudrian stepped up with enthusiasm. Eugene nodded. ¡°That sounds good. Take a few men and depart. If you happen to encounter the ones known as Balmong and the Hounds, don¡¯t engage and retreat right away.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t worry.¡± Balmong and the Hounds was the name of the bandit group currently occupying Mount Nadir. The group was composed of about fifty men, and the boss, Balmong, was said to be from the family of one of the innumerable, lowly knights. It was said that he was originally a mercenary captain, but he murdered his employer, a noble, and stole horses and armor before running away. He then gathered other mercenaries and robbers to form his current group. ¡°The one known as Balmong is quite strong?¡± Galfredik asked. Veron responded immediately. As an experienced mercenary of Carls Baggins, Veron was quite knowledgeable about such things. ¡°Yes, sir. I heard that the one who previously claimed the mountain, Parfan, lost his head in less than ten exchanges against him.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not because Parfan was weak?¡± ¡°W-well, I-I don¡¯t¡­¡± Veron stuttered awkwardly. If it were anyone else, Veron would have continued excitedly about how notorious Parfan was and how his two swords had once pierced the hearts of three knights. However, he knew that Eugene and Galfredik used a different system of classification for the strong and weak compared to regular folks like himself. As such, it was much better to shut up in this situation. ¡°I¡¯m only kidding. We shouldn¡¯t look down on him too much since he was able to occupy a mountain with a silver mine.¡± ¡°I think we can afford to do so.¡± Eugene calmly retorted. ¡°Huh?¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze headed towards him. ¡°That mountain was left alone by the nearby lords due to various circumstances. What would have happened if even one of them gathered a few mercenaries and stormed it? Honestly, if Rudrian had a few more men, he might have been the owner of that mountain right now.¡± ¡°I guess you aren¡¯t wrong, but Rudrian? Isn¡¯t that bastard too weak?¡± ¡°He said he was confident. Anyways, in the end, a bunch of nobodies fought each other and the lucky one remained until the end. Whether it¡¯s Balmong or Parfan, they both sound weaker than even Rudrian.¡± ¡°Kuhahahahaha!¡± Galfredik laughed uproariously. Judging by how their lips were wriggling, it appeared that even Partec and Veron were having a hard time holding back their laughter. ¡°Hehe. Master¡¯s words are probably right. How about we decide whether to storm the mountain as soon as Rudrian returns?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do so.¡± However, Eugene¡¯s plans went sideways from the start. Rudrian and his four subordinates did not return even as the sun started to set. CH 59 ¡°Fuck! Maybe he ran off? Or he became blinded by the silver mine and defected.¡± Galfredik¡¯s words had their merit. It wasn¡¯t just a simple village, but a silver mine. It was definitely worth risking one¡¯s life for. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s a possibility. Well, if he wants to die, then sure. But I don¡¯t think that he is so foolish.¡± ¡°I agree. It wasn¡¯t as if he was putting up a decent fight against you, sir. He was completely dominated. I¡¯m certain that he¡¯s not stupid to that extent.¡± Partec also shared his opinion. He was quite good at gauging people. Galfredik spoke with a frown. ¡°Then was he done in by Balmong? Maybe he was captured?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking as well. Maybe Balmong wasn¡¯t inferior to Rudrian at all.¡± ¡°Or it might have been because they were outnumbered.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene fell into thought with a frown. Either way, it appeared that Balmong and the Hounds were quite capable. ¡°We should keep in mind that he could have spilled all of our plans to the enemy if he was captured. That bastard Rudrian¡¯s not a real knight, so he doesn¡¯t care about things like honor. If we consider the possibility, then we should rethink our plan to launch a raid at night.¡± ¡®Right. That sounds like¡­¡¯ Eugene suddenly stopped and raised his head. A cold smile was caught around his lips. ¡°There won¡¯t be a need for that.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Three people responded inquisitively. Eugene continued while pointing his finger at the sky. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like the moon will rise tonight.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡¯ The others raised their heads at the same time, then came to a realization. It was no wonder. It had been darker than usual, which wasn¡¯t due to the sun setting, but rather the dark clouds looming from the far sky. At that moment¡­ Rumble! Thunder could be heard from afar. Soon, raindrops began to fall from the darkness. ¡°Sir Eugene. This is even more troublesome. It seems that we have entered the rainy season. The astrologer did say that I would return with heavier shoulders after this trip.¡± Veron¡¯s complexion darkened. Climbing a mountain full of traps and pitfalls on a rainy night was akin to suicide. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We will wait for another 30 minutes. If they do not return, we will set out. Galfredik, get ready.¡± ¡°Hehe. Got it,¡± Galfredik answered as if he had been expecting Eugene¡¯s response. Veron¡¯s confusion only grew deeper. Were they actually planning to climb the mountain amidst the heavy rain? ¡°Ah, there won¡¯t be a need for all of you to follow.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Veron was even more surprised. ¡°You all know that I inherited the blood of an elf, right? I will give a signal, so come then.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Veron knew that Eugene would have good night vision thanks to his elven heritage, but what kind of signal was he talking about? ¡°As you wish, sir.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. We will follow your orders,¡± Partec answered before looking sideways at Veron, and Veron nodded quickly as well. However, his expression was still filled with concern and confusion. ¡°Then get going. Make sure to dig trenches and be vigilant as well.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Veron and Partec left Eugene¡¯s tent after saluting. ¡°Partec, can we really just do as we¡¯re told? Just the two of them? It might rain all night, but they¡¯re going to climb the steep mountain and attack the bandits with just the two of them?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. You still don¡¯t get it, do you? Don¡¯t bother thinking about it.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°If Sir Eugene says there¡¯s a way, then it means there¡¯s a way. We just need to do as we¡¯re told.¡± ¡°Even so...¡± ¡°Veron. Do you know what Sir Eugene¡¯s biggest strength is?¡± ¡°¡­that he¡¯s crazy strong? Or that he¡¯s generous? Ah, that he¡¯s handsome like a theater actor?¡± ¡°As expected, you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± Veron asked with frustration. Partec replied with a smile. ¡°Sir Eugene¡¯s biggest strength is that he will ask questions if there¡¯s anything he doesn¡¯t know, even to his subordinates.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t you get it? I¡¯m telling you that he¡¯s acting like that because he already has the answer. If he didn¡¯t know or wasn¡¯t certain, he would have asked you or me.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Veron exclaimed as he recalled his experiences with Eugene thus far. It was certainly true when he thought back. The knight he decided to serve always asked him many questions, from the moment they first met. - I heard this area is dangerous. Is it enough for me to worry about? - Tolls? Is there anything wrong with not paying? - As expected, right? And all the subjects involved in Eugene¡¯s question were either utterly smashed or were killed. ¡°¡­..¡± Veron made up his mind. If Eugene made a decision without asking him a question, he would shut up and follow it. *** Rudrian and the rest of the scouts did not return even after 30 minutes. The rain continued to intensify without showing signs of stopping. Eugene and Galfredik climbed onto their saddles. ¡°Luke, Lavan. Keep the campsite safe.¡± ¡°As you wish, Master.¡± ¡°As the Master wishes.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me, sir.¡± Although they were somewhat disappointed to be given the guard duty, the two bowed their heads. Lavan and Luke were similar in age as well, so they had good chemistry. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The troops were dressed in dark outerwear as they quickly followed behind Eugene and Galfredik. After walking 30 minutes along the muddy road, the group arrived at the entrance of Mount Nadir. Kwaaaaa! Heavy rainfall was being washed down the mountain in the form of many small and large streams, and the soldiers had dark, frustrated expressions as they laid their eyes on the mountain. They couldn¡¯t get a grasp on where to start climbing due to the darkness. ¡°You guys wait here. If there¡¯s no signal, climb up after the rain stops.¡± ¡°I guess they really are planning to climb up by themselves.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ They truly are amazing knights.¡± The troops began whispering with surprise. Eugene and Galfredik started climbing the foot of the mountain after slinging their crossbows over their backs. *** Fwaaahh! The intensifying rain would surely disturb anyone¡¯s line of view. However, a vampire¡¯s eyesight easily penetrated the rain and located a clear path that was often used by humans or beasts to climb the mountain. ¡°Whoa! My dear lord. My good sir, that way shadn¡®t do,¡± Mirian spoke arrogantly while pointing in a certain direction. She seemed a little chubbier, though Eugene wasn¡¯t sure if it was because she always indulged herself with food and sleep, or because of the heavy rain. ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°That way will lead to a valley where thoust water flows originally. I dare say, that I would give my opinion on this particular matter. Ehem. You will need to head towards the boulder on the left to reach the path used by humans.¡± He wondered why she was speaking like this again, but Mirian was the spirit of water, so he decided to accept her suggestion. ¡°Galfredik, this way.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Galfredik quickly followed behind Eugene while inwardly admiring his own strength and stamina. Being reborn as a vampire had truly left its mark on him. Even the pitch-black darkness and heavy rain posed no problem for vampires. Rather, he was invigored after liberating his abilities as a vampire during the night. ¡®Now I understand why he wanted to climb with just the two of us. Ha!¡¯ Regardless of whether Rudrian had been captured or had betrayed them, they needed to assume that Balmong and the Hounds were aware of their existence. Eugene¡¯s group was composed of two knights armed in plate armor and dozens of veteran mercenaries. As such, the enemy would definitely be in a tense state and should be preparing themselves for a potential attack. However, there was no need to prepare or be nervous on a day like today. No one in their right mind would think that the enemy would attack during a dark night filled with heavy rain. The enemy wouldn¡¯t climb a mountain in this weather unless they were suicidal. However, such presumptions were only true for regular human beings. Common sense didn¡¯t apply to vampires. ¡®Is fortune really with us?¡¯ Galfredik smiled, recalling Eugene¡¯s habitual response. Luck was a skill in itself as well. For a knight, luck was no different from receiving God¡¯s grace. One of the most important factors that separated ordinary knights from distinguished, world-renowned knights was luck. ¡®A vampire loved by God. How humorous.¡¯ Perhaps his master was a prodigious, unparalleled being. But regardless, Galfredik continued grinning because he found the whole thing extremely enjoyable. ¡°Galfredik. I think I found them.¡± Eugene suddenly stopped and crouched low before whispering. ¡°You see something? I can¡¯t see jack.¡± ¡°Not seeing, sensing. Over there, on that peak. It¡¯s faint, but I can sense heat and the smell of humans.¡± ¡°Hmm. Huh? You¡¯re right.¡± Galfredik was surprised that he could clearly sense heat signatures, although he was unsure about the smell. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this works.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll do better if you focus. Anyways, suppress them without killing them.¡± ¡°Leave it to me, Master.¡± Galfredik revealed his fangs and stepped forward with a rondel dagger in his mouth. He gracefully climbed the steep slope by grabbing onto various branches without making any noise. His movements were reminiscent of a feline predator. Although any sounds would be muffled by the rain, Galfredik did not let his guard down as he finished climbing and grabbed the dagger from his mouth. The stench of blood suddenly thickened one minute after he disappeared, and Eugene climbed up without delay. Eugene conquered the slope much quicker than Galfredik, then entered a small tent that was leaking light. ¡°Ugh!¡± Three figures were lying on the floor, bleeding from their throats and chest. The only survivor was profusely bleeding from his mouth, and his eyes widened as soon as he saw Eugene. ¡°He tried to scream, so I cut off his tongue.¡± ¡°What? Then, he won¡¯t be able to answer even if we interrogate him.¡± Eugene answered with a frown. Galfredik remained calm. ¡°There is no need for us to listen to what he says anyway. He will simply nod if it¡¯s right, and shake his head if it¡¯s wrong. And what if he¡¯s even a second late? Then, he will end up like those three on the floor. Oi, what do you think?¡± ¡°Ugh! Uh!¡± The bandit nodded frantically. His hand covered his mouth to stop the bleeding. ¡°See? I was right.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene agreed silently. Although he had already absorbed Galfredik¡¯s combat skills and experiences, it appeared that he still had more to learn. *** ¡°Tsk. I had been curious, but he really did get captured. That bastard Rudrian is so weak.¡± ¡°He must have been outnumbered or fell into a trap. Am I right?¡± The bandit once again nodded. His complexion was pale as it had been five minutes since he started bleeding out. It was clear that there was no hope of survival for him unless he was treated immediately. However, Eugene had no intention of showing grace to men who dared to attack and capture his subordinates. Shhk. ¡°Keup!¡± The bandit died instantly after having his throat pierced with a dagger. ¡°Should we head right away?¡± ¡°Yeah. Oh, by the way, you never had tasted a human¡¯s blood, right? Take your chance now.¡± ¡°Now that you mentioned it, you¡¯re right. Hehe!¡± Galfredik¡¯s crimson eyes sparkled as he raised the corpse of the bandit. He was able to control his thirst at will. Gulp, gulp! Galfredik tossed the body aside after fully indulging himself with the blood flowing from the bandit¡¯s throat. ¡°Keugh! There¡¯s not a huge difference between human blood and monster blood. It didn¡¯t taste very good either, probably because he was just trash.¡± Galfredik sounded like an actual vampire. Eugene could sense that Galfredik had recovered fully from the meal. ¡®Is it because he is my vassal? How strange.¡¯ ¡°Since there are about thirty of them, should we go in together?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll be heading in first. You take care of any stragglers or escapees.¡± ¡°Huh? Ah, I see¡­¡± Galfredik immediately accepted it after realizing something. He initially assumed that he would fight as a human since he was a human until not long ago. ¡°Haha. I see. It¡¯s just us, so this won¡¯t be a battle of knights.¡± ¡°Exactly. This¡­¡± The rain showed little sign of stopping. Eugene turned his head. He growled lowly while staring at the top of the mountain, which conveyed to him the vitality and blood of numerous bandits. ¡°...Is a battle of vampires. Krrrr!¡± The eyes of the two vampire knights flashed with killing intent. For the first time in a long while, they were about to rampage freely. CH 60 ¡°Kuwughh¡­!¡± ¡°B-boss! Let¡¯s run away!¡± ¡°You crazy bastards! Where can we even go in this weather!?¡± Balmong shouted furiously after hearing the desperate pleas of his subordinates. The heavy downpour and the darkness of the night discriminated against no one. Furthermore, it was much more dangerous to climb down a mountain compared to climbing up. A single misstep would lead to a fall resulting in broken bones at the least. In addition, suffering such injuries in a rainy mountain could easily lead to death. Kuuuugh! Kuagh! Once again, roars and screams pierced through the darkness. ¡°Hiek!¡± ¡°D-dear God! I repent for all the sins I have committed thus far. I swear I will pray every day from now on and donate as much as I can. Please show us mercy!¡± Some of the bandits even started repenting amidst the panic and chaos. The roars and screams coming from outside were truly terrifying. ¡°Uwah, fuck.¡± ¡°What is it? C-could it be an ogre?¡± ¡°You fucking crazy bastard. Don¡¯t say such accursed things. There are no ogres on this mountain.¡± The group of bandits, known as the Hounds, were in a state of panic and fear. Although they committed murders and robberies like nothing, they valued their own lives above everything else. Moreover, even though the bandits were experienced and skilled, the invader seemed to be an unidentified monster. It only served to intensify their fear. ¡°Get your shit together, you bastards! It¡¯s just a monster!¡± Balmong roared while holding two battleaxes in his hands. He had already killed two knights with his beloved weapons, so surely, he could overcome a monster. Moreover, Balmong was equipped with chainmail. The bandits finally regained some sense after hearing the shouts of their leader. They were currently hiding inside the mine entrance, and most mines had narrow entrances to prepare for attacks by wild beasts and monsters. Thus, it would be hard for larger monsters to enter, and even if they were able to enter, their movements would be restricted by the narrow space. ¡°We don¡¯t know what kind of a monster we are facing, but it won¡¯t be able to rampage freely in this narrow terrain! Get into formation! Lot! Finnel! Get your shields and get to the front!¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Immediately afterward, two bandits took their place at the front while holding two large wooden shields. The rest of the bandits flocked behind the two with their spears. This was a basic formation used to confront wild beasts or intermediate-rank monsters. The bandits felt somewhat reassured. They regained their courage after taking their place. As expected, humans were stronger and more stable when they were united. Boom! ¡°¡­..!¡± The tightly-locked, thick wooden door rattled explosively. The bandits held their breaths as they quietly stared at the entrance. Only the sound of water dripping from the ceiling could be heard amidst the darkness. The mine entrance was engulfed in an eerie silence. ¡°I-Is it gone?¡± ¡°What a¡­¡± Booom! The wooden door was shattered apart with an ear-shattering explosion. Whooosh! A figure entered through the broken door as the sound of heavy rain penetrated into the mine. It was a ¡®person¡¯ with red eyes. ¡°¡­..!¡± The bandits were greatly shocked when they saw that their opponent looked like a proper knight in armor. ¡°So this is where all you rats have been hiding.¡± The bandits didn¡¯t manage to feel either relief or surprise before the knight started to slowly walk forward with a shortsword and a rondel dagger in hand. ¡°Kill him!¡± Balmong shouted immediately. As soon as he recognized that the intruder was a knight instead of a monster, he regained his confidence. There was a stark difference between an unidentified enemy and an exposed one. Moreover, Balmong and the Hounds had assumed all this while that they were up against a large monster. But instead, they were greeted with a single man holding a sword. It was only natural for them to feel relieved and courageous, regardless of whether the enemy was a knight or not. However, the bandits would have realized that something was very strange if they paid attention to details. No human could climb up this rugged mountain in such rough weather. The bandits all had this thought. Thus, they assumed that the intruder was a monster. But it was clear that the knight had done the impossible. As such, they committed a fatal mistake by judging their enemy based on his appearance. ¡°Uwaaah!¡± Some of the bandits broke formation and charged towards Eugene. These actions were a result of careless relief¡ªrelief that they were against a fellow human¡ªand that the intruder was alone. However, the price of such a foolish charge was disastrous. ¡°¡­..!¡± The charging bandits suddenly stopped. The torches on the wall snuffed out one by one. Just like magic, the torches extinguished in sequence as the knight walked forward, and the accompanying darkness gradually pushed inward. ¡°W-what the fuck!?¡± As soon as Balmong roared with confusion, the final torch was snuffed out. ¡°Someone get some light!¡± ¡°Fuck! I can¡¯t see anything!¡± None of the bandits had bothered to bring any torches, since they had no reason to believe that they would ever be plunged into darkness. Someone hurriedly attempted to kindle a light with flint, but not even sparks could be seen to accompany the increasingly desperate clamor. There was no way to light a flame when the instrument used was wet. Krrr¡­ The bandits froze in place after hearing a growl. It wasn¡¯t a sound that could be produced by humans. At that moment, a pair of small, red balls of fire appeared in the suffocating darkness. The red orbs of fire rushed toward the bandits in the blink of an eye. ¡°Hiek!¡± Thwack! Crack! Crraaack! ¡°Kugh!¡± ¡°Krrrrr!¡± Only the terrifying roars of a monster and harrowing screams could be heard in the darkness. ¡°Uaah! Uaaaaah!¡± As the sounds grew louder and closer, the frightened bandits started swinging their weapons in a frenzy. However, they only managed to hit their allies in the darkness, and the other bandits screamed like wild boars before retaliating with their own weapons. ¡°Uaaagh!¡± ¡°Huagh!¡± ¡°Stop! It¡¯s¡­ Keugh!¡± Chaos ensued as the bandits started cutting and stabbing each other. The screams of the bandits and the inhuman growls of the monster, filled the entrance to the mine, seemingly turning this narrow space into a hell down on earth. ¡°Huagh! Huack!¡± Once he had finally become somewhat accustomed to the darkness, Balmong swung his battleaxe towards a shadowy figure approaching him from afar. Thuck! The shadowy figure fell with a grotesque sound. ¡°Heugh! Heugh!¡± Balmong breathed heavily while slowly retreating. His eyes were fixated straight ahead. He couldn¡¯t sense any movement, but he wasn¡¯t sure if everyone was already dead. Perhaps both the intruder and his men had died. ¡°Heugh, fuck! Getting sworn in or whatnot, I don¡¯t care anymore! I have to get out of here before the sun¡­¡± ¡°Getting sworn in?¡± A quiet voice whispered from behind his back. ¡°¡­..!¡± As an experienced, skilled bandit, Balmong instinctively swirled his body and swung his weapon at an angle, even amidst terror and shock. Boom! Balmong collapsed to the floor after an intense impact was delivered to his neck, dropping his weapons as well. ¡°Are you not going to kill him?¡± Mirian asked as she returned and plopped down on Eugene¡¯s shoulder after having completed her task of snuffing out all the lights. ¡°He said something interesting.¡± ¡®Being sworn in? It seems that there¡¯s something more than what meets the eye here.¡¯ Indeed, it would be strange if things were this easy to handle, especially when Eugene was dealing with a silver mine whose owner had changed hands several times. *** ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°¡­..¡± The two women maintained an awkward silence while sitting across from each other. Although they were aware of each other¡¯s presence and were somewhat acquainted, it was the first time that they were sitting down like this. The awkward atmosphere was inevitable. Priscilla was the first to break the silence. ¡°So¡­ Why have you come instead, master wizard?¡± ¡°I was told to do so by Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°I am curious as to the reason.¡± ¡°He said that he may soon come to possess a silver mine.¡± ¡°A-a silver mine?¡± Priscilla expressed her shock, and Romari nodded in response. The bags under the wizard¡¯s eyes appeared darker than usual. ¡°Yes. The story is quite complicated and will take a long time to recount, but I am quite certain that Sir Eugene will soon own a silver mine. He asked me to go on ahead while he wrapped things up back there.¡± ¡°How is that possible¡­?¡± Priscilla found it quite ridiculous that only the wizard had returned from the subjugation, but what was this talk about a silver mine? However, Priscilla was the vice executive of the Palin Association¡¯s main office. She could immediately sense possible profits, so she asked carefully. ¡°I apologize, but can I ask you to tell me more about this in detail?¡± ¡°Oh, so¡­¡± Romari recounted the events that transpired on the Carls Baggins Peninsula as concisely as possible. She wanted to rest as soon as possible after having just barely survived the seasickness. ¡®This is insane! Sir Eugene is truly insane!¡¯ Priscilla could not hide her astonishment after hearing Romari¡¯s story. ¡°S-so you are saying that Sir Eugene could become a lord on the Carls Baggins Peninsula?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying that he could. It¡¯s already a certainty. The baron of the Philia Ruins has already certified it, and the other nobles in the region will also be signing as well.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Priscilla¡¯s shoulders quivered ever-so-slightly. She had expected Eugene to grow, but she never imagined that he would grow to such an extent in such a short period of time. ¡®Wait! Doesn¡¯t that mean that the next subjugation could be his last?¡¯ A lord would not bother to personally participate in subjugations anymore. Moreover, a silver mine was enough to take care of anyone¡¯s financial issues. Thus, why would Eugene further involve himself in such a complicated expedition like a subjugation? ¡®This is a difficult situation.¡¯ Although she benefited from Eugene, Priscilla had barely evened out the amount she initially invested in him. It was rather difficult for her to be satisfied with the turn of events. She was confused and worried. But then Romari spoke in a weak voice. ¡°Then, can you check the goods that I brought? I have some things to take care of.¡± ¡°Ah. O-of course. You must be quite busy.¡± ¡°Yes. Oh, and this as well.¡± Romari pulled out a large, heavy leather pouch from her robe. ¡°These are the mana stones we collected.¡± ¡°There¡¯s quite a lot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little over 200. There are intermediate-ranked ones as well as a high-ranked one.¡± ¡°Yes. Intermediate and high¡­ What!? High-ranked? D-does that mean¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. We killed the wyvern.¡± ¡°Heuk!¡± Priscilla appeared to be even more shocked compared to when she heard the news of Eugene potentially becoming a lord. She jumped out of her seat with a gasp. Romari asked curiously. ¡°Is this something to be that surprised about? His objective was to kill the wyvern in the first place.¡± ¡°What? Ah, y-yes, of course. Haha. Ahahaha¡­¡± Priscilla sat down while laughing awkwardly. However, her heart was pounding nonstop. ¡®A wyvern! A wyvern!!!¡¯ She was happy to obtain a high-ranked mana stone, but she was even more overjoyed at the prospect of obtaining materials from a wyvern. Materials obtained from other high-ranked monsters boasted tremendous worth, but materials gained from a wyvern were worth even more. The seller could literally name any price. In the first place, the value of a wyvern¡¯s materials was unknown because a wyvern had never been killed in an evil land. The value of being ¡®first¡¯ was tremendous. ¡®An auction! If I put it on auction, I will be able to sell it for an enormous sum!¡¯ All sorts of prosperous figures and nobles would flock to them if they heard the rumors. In addition, the reputation of the Palin Association would obviously soar from then on. ¡®Ensnaring Eugene has been the best decision I made in my life thus far!¡¯ Priscilla indulged in her joy, but then she suddenly hesitated. ¡®There¡¯s only one subjugation left, and besides¡­ What do I do with this? Should I let him know now?¡¯ She wouldn¡¯t have hesitated if Eugene had come here personally, but she was currently facing Romari instead. Although Romari was a rare wizard and could be considered Eugene¡¯s left-hand woman, Priscilla was still hesitant to decide. She had a hunch that Eugene would not return and would forever escape her grasp if she delivered the news. ¡®There¡¯s no helping it. If Sir Eugene establishes his own territory in the Carls Baggins Peninsula, he will still be trading in Moffern. The least I can do is support Moffern¡¯s branch.¡¯ ¡°Can I go now? I really am quite busy.¡± Romari stood up, forcibly enduring the queasiness. At this moment, Priscilla reacted. She decided not to approach the matter as a merchant contracted with Eugene, but as the successor to the Palin Association. She came to a decision with tears in her eyes. ¡°Master wizard, please wait a minute.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°This is for Sir Eugene.¡± Priscilla unlocked her desk drawer with a key, then held out an object for Romari. ¡°Uh, and what could this be?¡± Romari felt anxious upon seeing the high-quality envelope and the majestic, lion-shaped seal placed on the letter. Perhaps it was the intuition of a wizard, but she felt rather worried and anxious while staring at it. ¡°This is a letter from Count Winslon. The courier was rather disappointed about Sir Eugene¡¯s absence. It would be better to deliver this to Sir Eugene as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°So¡­ are you telling me to deliver this to Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Right now? I have to go on a boat again?¡± ¡°If possible, or rather, it would be best to deliver it as soon as possible. I can have a ship prepared for you right away.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need to be in such a hurry. I think taking a few days off to rest might be¡­¡± ¡°I do not mind, since I¡¯ve already given you the letter, but considering Sir Eugene¡¯s personality¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s really nice to be on a boat so often. I can¡¯t even differentiate the cabin from my own room anymore. I¡¯ll go as soon as possible, so please don¡¯t mention to him that I told you that I wanted to rest. Blargh!¡± Romari retched at the thought of having to ride the boat again. ¡°What? Ah, yes.¡± ¡°For real. A wizard¡¯s resentment is very tough and lasts for a very long¡­ Uuuggh!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll make sure to keep it a secret!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your word on that, Vice Executive. No, I¡¯ll call you older sis. Heup! Uguup!¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Romari trudged out the door while covering her mouth, and Priscilla stared at her with a strange look. As soon as the door closed, Priscilla muttered with a slight frown. ¡°I thought I was younger for sure. Did something happen to her when she was younger? Maybe she ate something that she wasn¡¯t supposed to? She looks like a sick raccoon¡­ Or maybe she¡¯s actually sick?¡± Priscilla never imagined that a wizard could suffer from seasickness. CH 61 ¡°Ah! Sir Eugene!¡± Gardye rushed forward with his fat belly fluttering. It seemed that he had gained more weight in only six days. ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Of course, of course! Now, now, please come on in. Hey! Come quickly and serve these brave warriors!¡± ¡°Yes, master.¡± The maids and slaves flocked to greet the troops. There were many more of them than before, and their attitude seemed to have gotten even more earnest in serving these troops. Gardye stole a few glances at the troops before speaking in a quiet, cautious voice. ¡°It seems as though the number of troops has decreased.¡± ¡°Some were killed, and Sir Galfredik intentionally left behind others to guard the silver mine.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Gardye clenched his fists with excitement but stopped himself from congratulating Eugene. Even though Eugene had successfully occupied the mine, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to openly praise him when some of his troops had died. Gardye quickly grasped the atmosphere and spoke politely. ¡°Then, will you need some rest?¡± ¡°No, I will be fine. There are things that I wanted to ask you as well. Why don¡¯t we have a chat?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Gardye sent away his subordinates before pouring a glass of alcohol for Eugene. He asked politely. ¡°What was it that you wanted to ask me, sir? I will answer to the best of my abilities.¡± ¡°Thank you. I was wondering if you knew Sir Andre?¡± ¡°Of course. He is the nephew of Marquis Archivold¡¯s mistress and a knight of the marquis. But I heard he was the first to betray the marquis when things went astray.¡± ¡°Hmm. And the other nobles let him be?¡± ¡°Originally, he should have been condemned by the other nobles, but those nobles were the ones responsible for bringing down Marquis Archivold in the first place. To curse and condemn Sir Andre would have been tantamount to tarnishing their own face. They might criticize him behind their backs, but they do not dare to say anything publicly. Those dishonorable lads!¡± It was clear that the previous subordinate lords of Marquis Archivold had accomplished something so outlandish that even a former merchant, Gardye, would criticize them. However, Eugene didn¡¯t really care about that. ¡°But why are you asking about Sir Andre, sir?¡± ¡°It appears that he is the instigator behind Balmong, the one who has previously occupied the silver mine.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Clearly shocked to hear Eugene¡¯s words, Gardye hurriedly asked, ¡°I-Is that really true? The bandit Balmong was instigated by Sir Andre?¡± ¡°I have already confirmed it. I locked him up without killing him, so you will be able to check whenever you want.¡± ¡°Huh!¡± Gardye sighed. His eyes started sparkling fiercely immediately afterward. As a guild leader of a city, he was quick-witted and intelligent. Gardye quickly composed himself before speaking. ¡°Sir, this could be an opportunity for you to take the initiative in the peninsula.¡± ¡°Initiative?¡± Eugene had asked because he wanted to know how to take care of the bandit since he served as a noble of the peninsula. He tilted his head with puzzlement after hearing Gardye¡¯s unexpected response. ¡°Marquis Archivold was tyrannical, but that was only between the marquis and his lords. It was none of our business. But the situation on the peninsula had devolved even further once the marquis was overthrown and locked in his castle.¡± ¡°Hmm. That was what I heard as well.¡± ¡°Essentially, the lords betrayed their monarch. As such, it became difficult for anyone to hold the justification and legitimacy of inheritance.¡± ¡°Even the children of the marquis have found it difficult?¡± ¡°Well, here is the current situation. Each and every one of his immediate descendants is claiming that they are the rightful heir with a lord backing them, but from the perspective of a city like us, all of those punks are no different.¡± Gardye continued eagerly, even daring to address a noble as a ¡®punk.¡¯ ¡°But in the meantime, Sir Andre instigated a bandit responsible for the murder of a noble in an attempt to occupy the silver mine belonging to Lord Bemos. However! Sir Andre serves Lord Gabriel ¨C the eldest son of Marquis Archivold.¡± ¡°Hooh.¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered with understanding. ¡°You are suggesting that Sir Andre could not have acted on his own.¡± ¡°Exactly! Truly outstanding! That is exactly what I am trying to say. It doesn¡¯t matter even if they try to feign ignorance. If Sir Eugene steps forward, the City of Moffern and I, Gardye, will stand behind you.¡± ¡°The city will?¡± ¡°Ah, of course, of course! The road to the Beogalan Barony has been stabilized thanks to Sir Eugene. Sir Eugene has already monopolized the attention of the mayor and the other guild leaders. And now! Sir Eugene has the opportunity to establish a clear position in this region. What does this mean for all of us?¡± The young, handsome knight was strong, quick-witted, and incredibly fortunate. Gardye answered his own question, grinning at the potential conquerer of the peninsula. ¡°For the sake of peace on the peninsula! Moffern will support Sir Eugene with all its power!¡± *** ¡°That¡¯s him.¡± ¡°He is very handsome, but isn¡¯t he too young?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like much. Are you sure that he killed a wyvern?¡± ¡°Apparently, he killed two trolls near the City of Maren.¡± Many mercenaries were gathered in a pub located near the Moffern Mercenary Guild. The establishment was buzzing with the voices of the mercenaries. Both floors of the pub were completely packed with mercenaries. Eugene was already a celebrity not only among the mercenaries but also among the city dignitaries and the knights. Rumors ran rampant that Eugene would also become a lord with the backing of Baron Beogalan, and the consent of the surrounding nobles and lords. However, not everyone believed in the legitimacy of the rumors. The young knight wasn¡¯t from the area, and it was difficult to believe that he had achieved so much in such a short period of time. Moreover, the materials gained from killing the wyvern were immediately shipped to Maren the next day, so very few people had verified the rumors for themselves. Eugene was still steadily gaining fame, but there was no evidence to back up the claims. ¡°Everyone, be quiet!¡± The mercenary guild leader shouted while stepping out to the center of the pub. Similar to most other cities, the guild leader doubled as the recruitment officer of the city. He was in his forties, yet he still looked vigorous and muscular. He was someone that the mercenaries here found difficult to deal with. ¡°Right. I¡¯m sure all of you have already heard, but we are gathered here today because Sir Eugene is going to be recruiting some troops.¡± ¡°What? How many people could he possibly recruit? Why did you bring all of us here?¡± One of the captains of a medium-sized mercenary group raised his hand. Many mercenary groups, like his, had based their operations in Moffern. The mercenary guild leader turned his gaze with clear annoyance and responded bluntly. ¡°Ask the questions after I¡¯m done speaking, Gailo.¡± ¡°But think about it. Did I say something wrong? I don¡¯t understand why the guild leader has to step forward and gather all of the mercenaries in this city when it¡¯s just a single knight hiring mercenaries. Don¡¯t you all agree?¡± ¡°Right!¡± ¡°Even if you are the guild leader, it¡¯s impolite of you to order us around. We¡¯re also quite busy, you know?¡± ¡°I might change my mind if you treat us to some sour ale!¡± ¡°Do you want to drink my piss instead? I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be part rum from what I drank yesterday. It will have quite a rich flavor.¡± Hahahahahaha! ¡°You stupid bastards¡­¡± The situation was quickly devolving into chaos thanks to the ignorant, simple mercenaries. The mercenary guild leader started to voice his annoyance. ¡°Let me take care of it,¡± Eugene spoke quietly to the mercenary guild leader. ¡°Well. Do whatever you like.¡± The mercenary guild leader readily passed the torch. He had been rather unwilling to gather the mercenaries in the beginning. He simply gave way to Gardye¡¯s incessant request. ¡°Give us some alcohol!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Recruitment or whatnot, give us something to drink first!¡± ¡°My stomach¡¯s growling. I crawled all the way here since the break of dawn!¡± The mercenaries didn¡¯t care whether Eugene stepped up or not. The dignitaries of the city and the knights were observing the situation with interest as if they were simply watching a show. Some even agreed with the mercenaries. The rookie knight had a pale face like a girl. When could he ever have experienced such a daunting and intense environment? It was apparent that the young man was simply a nobleman who lived a sheltered life. Although he might have achieved success due to his unbelievable luck, he would surely react with anger or¡­ Boom! ¡°Gah!?¡± The people of the pub jumped at the sudden explosion. Then, their eyes started to grow with shock and disbelief. Eugene was holding a battleaxe in one hand, and a large, thick wooden table in front of him had been split into two halves. He had completely severed a table with a diameter of two meters with a single swing of his axe. Some of the knights and mercenaries gathered in the pub were also capable of splitting a table. However, no one was confident of splitting a table like this into two with just a single blow. Ting! A clear metallic sound resonated in the silence. ¡°¡­..!?¡± The pub owner instinctively snatched a silver coin out of the air. His gaze alternated between the silver coin and Eugene, and he spoke carefully. ¡°Excuse me¡­ But this is not enough, Sir Knight.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene flinched and glanced at the mercenary guild leader. ¡°Ah¡­ so how much is it?¡± While the mercenary guild leader compensated the pub owner, Eugene spoke while glancing around at the entire pub. ¡°You. Was it Gailo?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right.¡± Gailo stuttered an answer after being put on the spot, but he soon raised his head rather stiffly. It wasn¡¯t as if the knight could do anything to him with so many people around. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°¡­..!?¡± Gailo¡¯s eyes grew larger with shock. He immediately turned and shouted toward his subordinates with an arrogant frown. ¡°Ah, fuck it! What a waste of time. Hey! Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Five or six mercenaries rose simultaneously and followed him. Eugene ignored the group as they headed down the stairs, and he spoke to the remaining mercenaries. ¡°Some of you may already know, but I have just recently become a lord with the consent of Lord Beogalan and the other nobles in the region.¡± Pause. Gailo suddenly paused in the midst of heading down the stairs. ¡°Paranan, Varan, Mintan, and Pezil. These four villages belong to me now. Moreover, I have also succeeded in capturing the silver mine in Mount Nadir a few days ago.¡± Uwooooooohhh! A loud roar swept the pub like a storm. Even those who were ignorant of Mount Nadir could not help but erupt into a roar. Gold and silver mines represented a lord¡¯s success along with evil lands. Moreover, all of the gathered dignitaries and knights had coveted the silver mine in Mount Nadir for a long time, but none of them dared to take action because they were afraid of the lords and mercenaries situated around the mine. But now, the silver mine had already fallen into the hands of the young knight. ¡°I have already received the promise of full cooperation from the Palin Association and the Moffern Merchant Guild regarding the development of the silver mine. So¡­¡± The gaze of the mercenaries was completely and wholly fixated on Eugene. Their eyes glistened with desire and greed. Eugene looked around before speaking in a low, but heavy voice. ¡°I¡¯m saying that none of you will have to worry about your pay.¡± Uwooooooh! Knights were honor, and mercenaries were silver. The mercenaries stomped their feet and cheered loudly as if to prove the ancient proverb. ¡°And!¡± Eugene raised his voice once again, and the pub fell into silence. ¡°I have no intention of being satisfied with just four villages and a silver mine.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°I will be hiring 100 people on a first-come, first-served basis. Looting is prohibited, but spoils and compensation will be distributed according to individual contributions. Is there anyone willing to follow me?¡± ¡°I will!¡± ¡°Us Steel Bull Mercenaries will follow you!¡± ¡°Pope and ten others will join!¡± ¡°Sir, don¡¯t you need any knights!?¡± ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The pub instantly devolved into chaos. Mercenaries and knights alike yelled with crazed eyes. Even the dignitaries also busily calculated their potential profits and losses when Eugene openly declared his intent to become involved in the Carls Baggins Peninsula. ¡°Kyah~! It really doesn¡¯t matter whether you¡¯re a spirit, a vampire, or a human. Money is always the best! The thrill! The chase! Oh, the joy! Long live silver coins! Kyehehehehehehe!¡± Mirian laughed arrogantly, feeling a sense of unification that crossed the boundaries of race. However, not everyone was going crazy. ¡°Crazy bastards. They don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s the real deal or not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He might have been lying about killing the wyvern.¡± Gailo and his subordinates grumbled. They were still standing on the stairs. Eugene beckoned silently upon seeing them. Luke ran forward and handed Eugene a spear. Eugene immediately swung the spear upon grabbing it. Fwoosh! Gailo faltered at the sharp sound. ¡°W-what are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Are you curious as to how I killed the wyvern?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Gailo gulped silently while staring at the spear. Eugene turned his gaze away before immediately throwing the spear. Shuacck! Thuck! The projectile passed the dozens of men like lightning and embedded itself in a wall of the pub. ¡°¡­.!¡± The crowd was surprised by the sudden turn of events, and people turned their eyes to the embedded spear. The person standing closest to the weapon shouted with disbelief. ¡°The spear¡­ I-it¡¯s stuck in the wyvern¡¯s eye!¡± ¡°What!?¡± It was true. Eugene¡¯s spear was deeply embedded in the stone wall, more specifically in the eye of a wyvern¡¯s mural, even though it was the size of a small palm. Everyone was flabbergasted at Eugene¡¯s incredible skills. He turned his cold gaze towards Gailo, then spoke. ¡°This is how I killed it. If you understand, get out, before I make a hole in your head.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± Gailo hurriedly ran as if escaping. It seemed that the Gailo Mercenaries would disband today, judging from the eyes of the subordinates awkwardly following from behind. Favorite CH 62 The size of the military depot following the group increased to accommodate more than 100 troops and 20 porters. Such a large group of soldiers would be able to achieve victories in territorial wars against many nobles, with the exception of some great nobles. They were all united under the black dragon¡¯s crest. But that wasn¡¯t the end¡­ ¡°You want to join my army?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, sir. I would like to glorify the name of the Florence family and practice true chivalry under the command of Sir Eugene. Please allow it.¡± ¡°I want to show Sir Medein that the spear of Demeter has yet to break. I do not need any compensation. All I would like is a chance to prove my determination.¡± Eugene felt a little dumbfounded when knights started coming to him with their burning wills. Mercenaries had responded to his recruitment notice because he offered a good deal in regards to their salaries and compensation, but Eugene never expected prideful knights to come to him of their own accord. ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t know if you know, but I cannot afford to take care of all you sirs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. The worth of a knight is to be self-proven. When the right time comes, please just give us appropriate compensation. ¡° ¡°Just being with an outstanding knight like Sir Eugene will allow me to spread my name. Please give the permission for us to fight together, sir!¡± In other words, the knights were offering to fight without pay for the time being. However, they would be asking for compensation according to their performance in the future. They wanted to join Eugene¡¯s rise to fame and glory. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene looked around at the flock of knights. All seven knights were armed with either plate mail or chain mail. Moreover, all of them had their own horse and one or two aides as well. If the skills of the seven knights were similar to the knights that Eugene had seen thus far, they would add up to be quite an overwhelming force. Knights were easily capable of slaughtering five or six times their numbers if they were fighting on flat terrain. ¡®But it¡¯s not like I can just trust them.¡¯ Although they were willing to yield for now to chase after honor and reputation, as well as future compensation, knights were completely unpredictable when it came to real battles. Eugene eventually decided to adjourn, for now, after recalling the templars in the labyrinth of Count Evergrove ¨C the trio had driven themselves to death while acting as they wanted. ¡°I apologize, but I do not think that I will be able to officially take you sirs under my command.¡± ¡°Huh? The more knights there are, the better. Your vassal, Gal, said so, right? You need to take them and work them like slaves!¡± Mirian spoke out with a puzzled expression. She had been spectating with excitement until now. The expressions of the knights stiffened after hearing Eugene¡¯s response. ¡°Sir Eugene! Please reconsider¡­¡± ¡°However, there is nothing for me to say about the determination of meritorious men to practice true chivalry, is there?¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± The faces of the knights filled with surprise, and one of them hurriedly asked. ¡°Are you saying that you will allow us to follow you?¡± ¡°What is there for me to do if you insist on doing so? Do as you please.¡± The knights brightened up after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. ¡°I will not hold you back!¡± ¡°Yes. I will trust you sirs.¡± Eugene nodded with satisfaction. He was able to gather seven knights without spending a single penny. He also prevented any worst possible outcomes. ¡°You are going to make them your slaves for free? Wow, our sir always has a plan. Those idiots, look at them beaming with smiles on their faces.¡± Mirian sympathized with the knights when they saw them being done in by Eugene¡¯s technique as they volunteered themselves to serve him for free. However, the knights mistook Eugene¡¯s trap as his acknowledgment. They shouted vigorously. ¡°To think I, Florang Florence, will be fighting alongside a troll slayer and a wyvern slayer! This is the most honorable thing that ever happened in my life.¡± ¡°Even Sir Medein won¡¯t be able to avoid my challenge if I am with Sir Eugene. When it comes to status, Sir Eugene holds a much greater position.¡± ¡°I will wholly devote myself to the peace and stability of the Carls Baggins Peninsula!¡± Although the knights possessed slightly different goals, they were sincerely pleased. Eugene was also quite pleased to acquire free laborers. *** ¡°Spectacular. What a sight.¡± Gardye¡¯s face was filled with joy as he overlooked the departing parade of troops. They were accompanied by depot merchants responsible for supplying the soldiers and trading with them. ¡°Hmm. Do you truly believe that the knight will be able to accomplish it? Even if he is competent, you know that they won¡¯t be nice and obedient to an outsider. Especially the knights, since they are prideful. They might be hard to deal with¡­¡± The mercenary guild leader voiced his worries and Gardye clicked his tongue in response. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. You have definitely aged, guild leader. Your head is failing you. Don¡¯t you know that they will be even more willing to follow Sir Eugene since he¡¯s not from the peninsula?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why do you think the nearby nobles left Mount Nadir¡¯s silver mine unattended? Why were Lord Bemos¡¯ villages left alone by the nobles?¡± ¡°Well, because they would have been fucked if someone held them responsible later on¡­ Hmm?¡± The mercenary guild leader trailed off as he came to a realization. Gardye spoke with a grin. ¡°Do you get it now? There won¡¯t be any problems even if Sir Eugene runs rampant. Responsibility? Holding someone accountable later? Who could do such things to a knight with no connections to the peninsula?¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°Although we cannot be certain, about half of those knights must have chosen to follow Sir Eugene due to this truth, even forgoing any pay. If they are bestowed a village or two, later on, they won¡¯t have to worry about it being taken away.¡± ¡°You are suggesting that the knights will be free as well since their lord is free from any accountability.¡± ¡°Exactly! Hehehe.¡± ¡°Then, what does Moffern stand to gain from this?¡± ¡°No matter what anyone says, the fact is, our guilds supported Sir Eugene. It¡¯s only one silver mine for now, but who knows? Maybe he will acquire an evil land or two in the future. Where do you think he will dispose of the materials he gains? Even if Sir Eugene and Maren possess a deep relationship, do you really think that he would go through the trouble of sending a ship there each time?¡± ¡°Ooohh!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hoping for something grand, like conquering and unifying the peninsula. However, we will benefit greatly if we participate in this correction of balance. Compared to the potential benefits, an investment of thousands of silver coins is nothing. Huhahahaha!¡± Gardye laughed boisterously while dreaming of a rosy future. Even if Eugene was a ¡®Wyvern Slayer,¡¯ he knew only how to fight. Eugene was certainly quick-witted and intelligent, but territorial management and politics could not be solved by brute force. Eventually, he would come to realize his limitations as an outsider, and the City of Moffern would step up to supplement his flaws. The knight would take care of hard, arduous tasks, and Moffern would reap the benefits. That was the true reason behind why Gardye and the other merchants of Moffern decided to support Eugene. ¡°Master Gardye! Master Gardye!¡± A city guard shouted while running up to the wall. ¡°What is it? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°The administrator of Sir Eugene would like to see you.¡± ¡°Ah, Sir Delmondo? Where is he right now?¡± Although he appeared quite knowledgeable, at most, Delmondo was a young, na?ve official in his mid-to-late 20s. Gardye was confident in being able to trounce him. However, Gardye did not know that the ¡®young, na?ve¡¯ administrator had worked 10 years as the Roman Empire¡¯s financial and personnel management officer and had wandered around the world for almost 20 years. Most importantly, his opponent was a member of the Night¡¯s Tribe. In addition, vampires were known to be unrivaled in craftiness. Gardye hummed as he descended from the wall. *** ¡°A¡­ castle?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. A castle. Since he is the lord of six hamlets and four villages, it¡¯s only natural for him to have a castle.¡± ¡°No, but to ask for such a thing so suddenly¡­¡± ¡°A village with a castle and proper walls could be the headquarters. It will be able to house troops, and it would allow for a large marketplace, which would be quite useful. Moreover, it would be much better for merchants to stay in a village housing troop and a castle.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Gardye was immediately forced to shut his mouth. He couldn¡¯t think of an adequate response to Delmondo¡¯s words. ¡°Well, if you do not agree, that¡¯s fine as well. It¡¯s not like Moffern is the only city to dispose of the silver from the mine. Ah, perhaps I could make a suggestion to Maren. Since the mayor was kind enough to gift the lord with a set of armor engraved with the city¡¯s crest¡­¡± ¡°L-let¡¯s do it! We will be providing full support! A castle! Let¡¯s build it!¡± The merchant¡¯s greed caused him to take the bait. Delmondo was smiling shrewdly on the inside, but he quickly continued without a change in expression. ¡°Seven castle towers, including the main building, and two annexes. It should allow for up to 100 troops to be stationed at all times, and the number of residents should be around 50, excluding the troops. At least 30 arrow slits are to be installed on the left and right walls surrounding the gate with crossbows.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ah, is it a bit difficult to picture? Then, you could refer to the Lion Castle of the Calead Viscounty. There is a dwarf architect in Moffern, correct? If you leave it to them, they will finish it for you in half a year.¡± ¡°Uh, I-I understand¡­ for now.¡± Gardye was greatly shocked. He never imagined, even in his wildest imaginations that the young administrator would be so thoroughly prepared, and would be so specific in his demands. ¡°The construction site should be the Village of Varan, where the mansion of Lord Bemos is located. If you do not demolish the mansion and use it as one of the annexes, you should be able to save quite a bit of money. Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Delmondo asked with a bright smile after seeing Delmondo¡¯s reaction, which appeared somewhat bitter. ¡°Aha! You must be worried that the castle will be a little small for Sir Eugene to stay in! Don¡¯t worry. That castle will not be Sir Eugene¡¯s main castle. It will be a place for his appointed knights or administrators to stay.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Gardye asked while wiping off sweat from his forehead. What was Delmondo talking about? He would have to spend even more money?! ¡°What else could I mean? Don¡¯t tell me that the guild leader thought that Sir Eugene would only go on to become a neighborhood lord of the peninsula?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. I thought you might have a wider outlook as the merchant guild leader of a city like Moffern, but it appears that I have overestimated you. Take a step back and look at the big picture here, Gardye.¡± Delmondo even went on to criticize Gardye with disappointment. However, Gardye was still filled with shock from Delmondo¡¯s previous statement. -You thought that Sir Eugene would only go on to become a neighborhood lord of the peninsula? Of course, Gardye didn¡¯t think so either. In the first place, he suggested that Eugene should hire mercenaries and even paid for most of the expenses as a result of it because he believed that Eugene would become one of the pillars of the Carls Baggins Peninsula in the future. However, Eugene¡¯s younger cousin and administrator saw something larger with complete conviction. Gardye finally regained his calm after a million thoughts and doubts passed through his mind. ¡°Then¡­ How far do you think Sir Eugene will go, Sir Delmondo?¡± ¡°A great lord of the empire? Perhaps a king? Or maybe both?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Gardye¡¯s eyes filled with disbelief and immeasurable shock. However, Delmondo was calm. ¡®Since a great Origin has made the decision to live among humans, that much is only natural. Even my father was a lord of the empire.¡¯ *** ¡°The Malt Brothers?¡± Eugene asked. For some reason, Eugene thought that all the names of the bandit groups were rather impersonal and vague. ¡°Yes! They rarely come out of the forest, but they loot villages and attack merchants during every harvest. I¡¯m sure that they must already know about the stories about Sir Eugene, so it¡¯s unlikely that they will come crawling out anytime soon¡­¡± ¡°We will take care of them before leaving.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A newly appointed squad leader saluted in a fairly disciplined manner. In addition, all but Partec among the eight squad leaders gathered in Eugene¡¯s tent appeared similarly nervous. Was it because of Eugene¡¯s amazing display of spearmanship during their first meeting, at the pub? No. All of the mercenaries and squad leaders were frozen stiff because of the bouts that took place yesterday among the knights. It would have ended without any problems if the knights participated to hone their skills and to practice, but the typical characteristics of knights overcame the men. Even though they were sparring with wooden swords, the knights became heated when they became filled with the desire to win. However, that was still fine, since it was a normal, daily occurrence for knights. However, the problem arose when the knights applied for a fight with their commander out of curiosity and their competitive spirit. Eugene remembered Galfredik¡¯s advice, that he should always crush his subordinates¡¯ spirit at the very beginning, regardless of whether they were mercenaries or knights. As such, Eugene battered the knights without hesitation. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just one or two, but all seven knights. The knights were fortunate to escape with only a few bruises since they were wearing armor, but all of them agreed that they would have been absolutely crushed if it had been a real battle. However, the highlight of the scene was Eugene¡¯s following words. ¡°Should we do it again? Properly this time. I will feed you mana stones.¡± In other words, his merciless and relentless beating had not been ¡®proper.¡¯ The squad leaders could not help but be nervous and disciplined after witnessing such an unbelievable sight just yesterday. ¡°Who will go? We won¡¯t be needing all of you. Three squads should be enough.¡± ¡°Sir! The Iron Bull Mercenaries will take the front!¡± ¡°We will go. We will bring back the heads of the Malt Brothers within two hours!¡± ¡°No, we will!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The conversation quickly escalated into a heated competition. The entrance to the tent opened and a mercenary rushed in just as Eugene was about to intervene. ¡°Sir Eugene! T-the sir knights rushed into the forest!¡± ¡°What?¡± Not even a day had passed since they were pummeled, yet they were already throwing a fit? CH 63 ¡°This is getting out of hand¡­¡± The various guild leaders licked their lips in vain after hearing the words of Moffern¡¯s mayor. They were currently gathered in the mayor¡¯s study. The guild leaders had been gathered at the request of Gardye, the leader of the merchant guild, to discuss Jan Eugene. ¡°The cost of the castle will be the least of our worries since it won¡¯t be too burdensome to build a small castle. The problem is that the castle site will include the mansion of Lord Bemos.¡± Although the mansion had been left without an owner for a long time, it was previously owned by the youngest son of Marquis Archivold. If the structure was modified at will, it was highly likely that whoever settled the ongoing dispute and rose as the official successor in the future would create an issue about it. The fabric guild leader spoke up. ¡°What if we pay a reasonable amount of compensation? If we truly believe that to be true, then the lands that Sir Eugene claimed as his own will be picked on in the future.¡± Gardye chimed in. ¡°That¡¯s right. They have already been neglecting it for over a year, right? Our city has bled quite a bit due to it as well. And regardless, Sir Eugene will have to take responsibility for it. Even if they pick at it in the future, we have plenty of excuses to make.¡± ¡°I agree with the opinion of the merchant guild leader.¡± ¡°I, as well.¡± The mercenary guild leader and the stonemason guild leader shared their thoughts as well. Most of the other artisan guild leaders could be seen nodding their heads, giving their silent consent. ¡°That¡¯s beside my point. The other noble families, as well as the Archivold family, will become suspicious of our city.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°I also admit that Sir Eugene¡¯s services and contributions are great, but don¡¯t you think that things are proceeding too fast? How old is he now? Twenty-two? Twenty-three? He is way too young. Nobles who don¡¯t actually know Sir Eugene will surely assume that Moffern is trying to expand its influence by using a knight as its puppet.¡± ¡°They might, but only if they don¡¯t get to experience him personally.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The mayor narrowed his eyes. Gardye continued. ¡°Under the condition that all of our city¡¯s guilds will contribute, it will take about six months at the quickest, and a year at the latest to finish the castle¡¯s construction. Where and what will Sir Eugene be doing during this time? We didn¡¯t hire mercenaries on his behalf just so he could sit around doing nothing in his territory.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°The nobles who never experienced him firsthand might react similarly to the mayor¡¯s concern. However, I guarantee that those that had experienced him will have no choice but to keep their mouths shut. Lord Beogalan is a prime example, right?¡± ¡°Aha!¡± ¡°That¡¯s definitely true.¡± It was already well known that Baron Beogalan had recognized Jan Eugene as a lord, even going as far as to have other lords stamp their seals on an official document. It was unknown why the baron made the decision, but no one could deny that it was the result of the baron¡¯s encounter with Jan Eugene. ¡°Lord Beogalan hired Sir Eugene, but he ended up recognizing Sir Eugene as a lord. Then what about the nobles who will come to face Sir Eugene? No, rather, what about the lords who will take Sir Eugene as their enemy?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The mayor expressed surprise. Gardye continued with a smile. ¡°There is still a long way to go before we can see the results for ourselves, but no one will doubt his skills and achievements anymore if Sir Eugene becomes even more successful. We won¡¯t be labeled a puppeteer, but rather as wise investors who recognized a diamond in the rough.¡± ¡°Gardye,¡± The mayor called out with an astonished look. ¡°Yes?¡± The mayor continued, ¡°Since when did your sight become so far-reaching and vast? It¡¯s impressive.¡± ¡°I did have someone¡¯s help. Haha,¡± Gardye flinched and laughed awkwardly. He could never confess that most of what he said was what he heard from a random ¡®territorial administrator.¡¯ ¡°Then let¡¯s get started on building Sir Eugene¡¯s castle right away. Do you all agree?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The guild leaders of Moffern nodded vigorously in response to the mayor¡¯s words. *** ¡°¡­And what is this?¡± Eugene was dumbstruck after chasing the knights into the forest and into the bandits¡¯ hideout. The knights were waiting for him with proud looks, and nearly thirty bandits were trembling while kneeling on the ground. ¡°Sir Eugene! It seems that they have been completely shocked by our bravery! They surrendered immediately. Uhahaha!¡± ¡°See this, sir? I told you that I would never hold you back!¡± ¡°Is this enough to prove ourselves? Is it not worth trusting us in the future?¡± The morale of the knights pierced through the sky. From the looks of it, it seemed that they managed to defeat the bandits without even having to raise their blades. Eugene couldn¡¯t help but admit that although regular knights appeared rather weak in comparison to himself and Galfredik, mere bandits never stood a chance against them. A charge consisting of five or six knights in solid armor would exude a pressure similar to an intermediate-rank or high-rank monster. Moreover, the seven knights were ¡®survivors¡¯ of the Carls Baggins Peninsula¡¯s great chaos over the last several years. Even if they didn¡¯t possess transcendental abilities like himself or Galfredik, the bandits would have felt overwhelming fear in the face of their collective attack. The bandits had surrendered immediately without even thinking about taking advantage of their home ground. ¡®But to think they surrendered immediately without resisting. This is a bit strange.¡¯ Eugene headed toward the trembling bandits while having such thoughts. ¡°Oi.¡± ¡°Hieeek!¡± Eugene frowned after seeing their reaction. He had simply called out, but the bandits reacted as if he had killed their family. ¡°Why are you so surprised? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to eat you.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Is it not because of Sir Eugene¡¯s piercing reputation? In addition, we are with you as well. It¡¯s no surprise that these¡­¡± ¡°¡­Is that not true?¡± ¡°What?¡± One of the bandits muttered, and the knight turned his head. The bandit¡¯s entire body was soaked with sweat, and he stuttered with fear. ¡°I-I heard that h-he really eats people. I-Is that not true?¡± The knight responded fiercely. ¡°What the fuck is this bastard talking about?¡± The bandit fell flat on the spot. ¡°Hiek! P-please forgive me! I heard rumors that if you stand up against the black iron knight from Maren, he would eat you alive! If you surrendered, you would become his slave! Please forgive me! Sir! Please have mercy!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene was at a loss. He never imagined that such nonsensical rumors would spread as well. Of course, it wasn¡¯t entirely false, since he was a vampire. ¡°Where did you hear that from?¡± ¡°A-at a pub in a nearby village. That¡¯s why we haven¡¯t gone out of the forest at all recently! A-after we heard the stories, w-we stayed still and didn¡¯t do anything!¡± ¡°Mercy!¡± ¡°I will repent! Please, sir!¡± The bandits kowtowed with desperation. ¡°I think they are acting like that because they¡¯re scared of Sir Eugene, and not because of the other sirs.¡± ¡°I think so.¡± The spectating mercenaries started whispering, and the expressions of the knights became rather awkward. ¡°Sir! Compliment them! Compliment!¡± Mirian whispered in Eugene¡¯s ear. ¡®Ah, right.¡¯ Eugene recalled Galfredik¡¯s advice on how to deal with knights. He looked back at the knights. Their proud, brave expressions were nowhere to be seen, and they were only licking their lips with embarrassment. ¡°But would they have surrendered if you sirs had not rushed in bravely? Great work. All of you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The corners of the lips of the defeated knights quickly rose. ¡°Hahaha! Not at all. It is no match for Sir Eugene¡¯s bravery.¡± ¡°We are no match for Sir Eugene¡¯s sharp judgment. Haha!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the result of our boldness and Sir Eugene¡¯s reputation. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± The knights immediately stopped laughing when Eugene spoke in a quiet, subdued voice. ¡°Did I not say that I would be giving all the orders?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°I will show forgiveness just this once. Sirs, if something like this happens again in the future¡­¡± Eugene paused, then looked around at the knights before smiling coldly. ¡°Then we will be sparring with real swords. And maybe, just maybe, there may be a few accidents during the spar because of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± An eerie silence descended, and the knights stared silently while gulping with fear. *** The knights thoroughly followed Eugene¡¯s instructions since that day. Of course, they weren¡¯t technically ¡®orders,¡¯ but suggestions. Eugene would say things like ¡®I wish XX would be done,¡¯ or ¡®It would be nice if Sir XX took care of this.¡¯ However, the knights were wary of potential accidents that could occur during sparring with real blades, so they responded to every one of Eugene¡¯s requests and expectations. As such, Eugene was able to wipe out almost all the thieves and roamers inside his recognized territory without losing any troops. The survivors managed to escape from Eugene¡¯s territory before they met their doom. The villages and hamlets inside the territory finally regained peace and stability after almost two years, and the residents enthusiastically praised their new lords. The territory would surely progress steadily when the people from Moffern¡¯s guilds arrived. Since Delmondo was entrusted with taking care of such matters, Eugene departed once more. In the meantime, Galfredik joined up with Eugene after leaving behind a number of troops to manage the silver mine. Their destination was the territory of Andre, a knight of the Archivold Marquisate. Andre was the knight in alliance with the eldest son of Marquis Archivold, Gabriel. *** ¡°Sir Eugene! Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°What is it? Have you discovered more roamers?¡± A scout ran forward hastily before bowing his head. ¡°No, sir. Lord Feedren¡¯s sons would like to see you, sir.¡± ¡°Lord Feedren?¡± Eugene asked, and Veron quickly provided an explanation. ¡°He is a lord in the nearby area, but he is not a nobleman with a bequeathed title. He was appointed as a lord by Marquis Archivold since his family was around for several generations.¡± ¡°I see. But why do his children want to meet with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure¡­¡± Veron scratched his head. Partec stepped up. ¡°They might want to become acquainted with Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Become acquainted?¡± ¡°Partec is right, although I¡¯m certain it¡¯s also because they want to see who the master is for themselves.¡± Galfredik grinned, then turned towards the scout. ¡°How many sons were there?¡± ¡°Three.¡± ¡°And how many were with them? Surely, it wasn¡¯t just the three of them.¡± ¡°Including the servants and soldiers, there were definitely more than ten in total.¡± Galfredik spoke after hearing the scout¡¯s answer. ¡°I¡¯m right. They must have been curious and scared since so many troops were moving around. I think it should be okay to say hello.¡± ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s do it then.¡± Now that Eugene decided to become a lord, he would need to become familiar with the nearby nobles, although he might not become their best friend. ¡°Bring them here.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The scout rushed out. In the meanwhile, Eugene was informed about Lord Feedren from Veron. However, Veron was only the leader of a small mercenary group. He couldn¡¯t provide important information about Feedren, but it was more than enough. ¡®Are they similar to the Tywin territory?¡¯ It appeared that the Feedren family was wealthier, but they were rather similar to the Tywin family in terms of the size of their territory and their militaristic force. The scout returned while breaking a sweat. ¡°Hmm? Why are you alone?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The scout kneeled before speaking cautiously, ¡°The eldest son told Sir Eugene to come and see him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is he out of his mind?¡± Galfredik spoke with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°I think so,¡± Partec smiled bitterly. Eugene commanded more than one hundred troops and was even accompanied by a military depot. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t even the lord, but rather his son that attempted to order Eugene around. ¡°You. Are you sure that you delivered the message correctly? Did you fully explain who Sir Eugene is?¡± Galfredik asked with a frown. The scout quickly nodded his head. ¡°Of course! I definitely said that Sir Eugene has been clearly recognized as a lord by Lord Beogalan and by the many other nobles of the peninsula!¡± ¡°Yet he still dares to spout such nonsense? This guy is definitely out of his mind. Master, should I go?¡± Galfredik spoke while cracking his neck, but Eugene dissuaded him. ¡°No. I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°We will only be going there to give our greetings. It¡¯s not like anything else will happen, right?¡± Eugene shrugged, and the others tilted their heads with confusion. There was no reason for Eugene to make such a trip when he possessed a higher status than Lord Feedren¡¯s son. There was only one present who realized Eugene¡¯s true intention. ¡°I hope something else happens! I hope he picks a fight with Sir Eugene and gets pummeled senselessly!¡± Eugene was inwardly startled by Mirian¡¯s hopeful words. Although she wasn¡¯t always right, it was certainly hard to ignore the intuition of the greedy lump. CH 64 ¡°Brother, maybe we shouldn¡¯t be doing this. I think it would be better for us to go to him.¡± ¡°Nonsense. He was the one who entered our family¡¯s ancestral land without our permission. He needs to show proper respect.¡± The eldest son, Nestor, gave a firm response to his brother, Geor. He was currently out patrolling due to the frequent appearance of roamers and bandits in his family¡¯s land. Nestor wasn¡¯t in a good mood. Perhaps he could be generous and forgive the troops for entering his family¡¯s land without notice or permission. However, the problem was with the commander of the troops. The commander was an unknown knight from the outside, so how could he be a lord? Nestor had endured long years of hardship as an aide before becoming a knight. However, he had not been sworn in even though he had vanquished numerous bandits and roamers over the past two years! ¡°But even father stamped his seal on the approval document. Let¡¯s not pick a fight with him and invite him to the castle instead.¡± Aor, Geor¡¯s twin, could not hide his excitement as he agreed with his twin. ¡°I think that would be a good idea as well! He¡¯s a Wyvern Slayer. If we invite him to the banquet, we could hear all about how he was able to accomplish it. I¡¯m very curious as to how he killed it. Rumor has it that he is over 2 meters tall. Is it because he¡¯s extremely strong?¡± ¡°Tsk! How old are you to believe such nonsensical stories? He must have been lucky enough to kill a roamer. And I heard that he has more than one hundred subordinates. It would have been disgraceful if he couldn¡¯t kill a single wyvern chick with such a force.¡± ¡°Is that so? I still think he must be an amazing knight. It seems he¡¯s killed some trolls near Maren as well.¡± ¡°Rumors have always been exaggerated.¡± Nestor was certain. Either the young, na?ve knight was extremely lucky, or he had a great noble as his benefactor. Perhaps both were true. ¡°Huh? Brother, over there!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes shifted. They could see two knights leading a group of soldiers with the flag of a black dragon. ¡°¡­.¡± Nestor gulped anxiously. He could intuitively sense that the leading knight was equipped with plate armor that was extremely valuable. Moreover, he was dispirited after seeing the countless soldiers following behind the knights. Surely, such a large force could not be disregarded even if they were participating in a war between great nobles. ¡®This is the power of silver. This is only possible because he¡¯s rich. People like them are nothing when it comes to skill. They¡¯re nothing.¡¯ Nestor attempted to deny the intimidation he felt and bit his lips. The antipathy and jealousy he felt towards his opponent continued to grow. ¡°Are you the sons of Lord Feedren?¡± The eyes of the brothers filled with shock when Eugene took off his helmet. The young knight was incomparably beautiful, and he was incomparably young as well. ¡®Wow¡­¡¯ The twins were awestruck, but Nestor became enraged and surprised after discovering that Eugene appeared similar to him in age. ¡°That¡¯s right. Nestor of Feedren.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How crude and disrespectful. Did Lord Feedren teach you to speak like that when meeting other lords?¡± ¡°Kiek!? What the hell is wrong with this brat!? How dare you! Sir Eugene, do you want me to spit in his eyes or something!?¡± Mirian attempted to put her plan into action, but Eugene stopped it by immediately shoving her into the leather pocket. ¡°¡­.!¡± Nestor was flabbergasted. Although he had been rather impolite, he never expected Eugene to respond in such a manner. ¡°Oh, my. A child who doesn¡¯t know his manners nor honor. Since we met, I will get going. I do not have time to spare playing with impolite little brats,¡± Eugene declared coldly before starting to put on his helmet again. Nestor shouted. ¡°Sir! Take that back!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Did you not say that us Feedren do not know honor and manners!?¡± ¡°B-brother.¡± The twins attempted to dissuade their brother when Nestor suddenly burst with rage. ¡°What!? Are you fine with being called that? Are you cowards?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what we¡¯re saying¡­¡± The siblings started to argue, but Eugene quickly intervened. ¡°Stop. You children can continue bickering at home. I will let you off the hook for the sake of Lord Feedren¡¯s name, so get going.¡± Eugene was clearly belittling the brothers. Although it was somewhat cold, his attitude could not be considered rude. His actions could be considered rather normal since he was addressing a lower-ranking nobleman as a lord. In fact, it could even be considered accommodating to the siblings. ¡°Eek!¡± Nestor had never been treated this way, even when he was serving as a knight¡¯s aide. As a result, he committed a taboo. He brought his hand to the handle of his longsword. ¡®Well then.¡¯ Eugene felt rather listless. How could the brat show such an immediate reaction when Eugene had barely scratched his pride? As expected, having access to high-quality education did not mean that all nobles were smart. In particular, young noblemen and knights were usually unable to tolerate being ignored or dismissed by those with similar status to them. It had been said jokingly that half of the young knights born every year died in duels fought for no particular reason. Now, it appeared that it wasn¡¯t simply nonsense. ¡®I hope I keep coming across idiots like him.¡¯ Eugene hid his true thoughts and delivered a final blow to set off Nestor. ¡°What? Are you going to draw your blade and ask for a duel?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Brother! No, you can¡¯t!¡± ¡®At least the twins have a working brain.¡¯ ¡°You will regret it if you draw it,¡± Eugene hurriedly sent another provocation, just in case Nestor regained his calm. It worked excellently. ¡°Regret? There is no such thing as regret in Nestor Feedren¡¯s¡­¡± Thuck! Nestor was halfway through pulling out his longsword when he was knocked back and subsequently fell off from his saddle after being struck in the head with a rondel dagger. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Brother!¡± The twins hurried forward to their brother. Fortunately, the handle of the weapon had struck Nestor instead of the blade. He had fainted with a small cut on his head. ¡°Here. For treatment and the toll,¡± Eugene continued coldly after throwing a pouch filled with silver coins to the twins. ¡°I stopped here to save Lord Feedren¡¯s name. However, I will definitely bring today¡¯s matter to Lord Feedren. Tell Lord Feedren that I will be looking forward to seeing what kind of an apology I will receive. Understood?¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± The twins nodded hurriedly after hearing Eugene¡¯s horrifying words. ¡°What a waste of time. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The troops answered vigorously before following behind Eugene. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he attacked a lord. What a crazy brat.¡± ¡°Consider yourselves lucky. If Sir Eugene was serious just now, your brother would have had a hole in his head by now.¡± ¡°A hole? That¡¯s not right. He wouldn¡¯t have a head at all!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Kekeke!¡± Several mercenaries threw insulting remarks as they passed by, but the twins remained silent. They were afraid that the knight would return for them if they protested as well. ¡°W-what should we do? We are going to be in huge trouble if our father finds out.¡± ¡°What else? We still need to tell him the truth. It seems like they are on an expedition to someplace, which means they will be coming back through this way, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The twins stared at the departing troops with gloomy expressions, then turned towards each other as if something had come to their minds. ¡°But where are they going?¡± The twins simultaneously muttered the same words, then once again turned toward the direction that Eugene was headed towards. ¡°That¡¯s the way to the Archivold marquisate.¡± Although the glory of the past had faded somewhat, the Archivold marquisate was still teeming with the most influential and powerful nobles of the Carls Baggins Peninsula. *** ¡°Master, why did you act like that earlier? If we grabbed those kids and took them to the lord, we could have ignored the toll and even received compensation.¡± ¡°Hmm. That was my original plan. However, I remembered that Lord Feedren was one of the nobles who signed the document officializing my lordship.¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± The name had been rather unfamiliar at the beginning, but Eugene suddenly remembered the names written on the signed document. Moreover, he recalled that the first name on the list belonged to Lord Feedren. ¡°So you let it slide because he is our neighbor? It is not a bad idea, but it¡¯s never good to condone insolent brats.¡± ¡°Who said I was going to let it slide?¡± ¡°Hmm? Then why?¡± Galfredik expressed his puzzlement. Eugene responded with a smile. ¡°Lord Feedren was the first one that Baron Beogalan decided to send the document over to since he was the first to sign it.¡± ¡°Is that so? But why does that matter?¡± ¡°That would mean that he is very close to Baron Beogalan, or someone that Baron Beogalan finds limp.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°He would not have asked any random nobles to validate my lordship, right? The baron is not a fool.¡± ¡°Hooh. That¡¯s definitely true¡­¡± Galfredik stroked his chin. But it didn¡¯t seem like he fully understood Eugene¡¯s chain of thought. ¡°In any case, Baron Beogalan is either capable of easily controlling Lord Feedren, or they are close associates. What do you think Lord Feedren will do when he learns of today¡¯s incident?¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, he would probably ask the baron about master¡­ Huh! Does that mean¡­ you provoked the rude bastards because¡­¡± Eugene nodded. It appeared that Galfredik was finally catching on. ¡°That¡¯s right. He will try to find out more about me since I even sent a warning saying I would complain about today¡¯s incident. Moreover, he was the first to sign. Would he not spread my information to other nobles as well?¡± ¡°Kuhahahaha! He must be scared shitless right about now! His child was beaten up after causing an incident without permission, so he must be going crazy. The oldest bastard might really get a hole in his head. Puhaha!¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, it¡¯s none of my business.¡± Eugene shrugged at Galfredik¡¯s joke. *** Thuck! ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± ¡°M-my lord!¡± ¡°Please, restrain yourself, my lord!¡± Lord Feedren was pummeling his eldest son with his fists, and the people around were in a frenzy to dissuade him. Nestor¡¯s head was left with a small hole due to the sealed ring on Lord Feedren¡¯s finger. He bowed as blood continued to flow from his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Father! But that man was insulting our family and¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! Insult or assault, whatever! Thank the heavens he continued on his way. If he brought you here, do you know what would have happened!? What were you thinking!?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°He is a knight that Lord Beogalan personally vouched for! Lord Beogalan certified him as a lord! Moreover, as if that wasn¡¯t enough, he had me and other lords sign a document! Do you not realize its significance? Lord Beogalan himself recognized the knight as his equal! Your head must be filled with goblin shit, you brat!¡± Lord Feedren cursed for the first in a long time. He had restrained himself from speaking harsh words ever since being appointed by Marquis Archivold. Moreover, it was towards his eldest son, who was to be the successor. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Lord Feedren eventually collapsed into his seat and caught his breath, as if he had run out of energy. ¡°So, he is coming to bring the matter to me?¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± ¡°He said he would be looking forward to how we would apologize.¡± The twins answered in turn. ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Lord Feedren felt like he was about to collapse as his vision darkened. He was planning to wait and quietly watch as things played out since there was no reason to provoke nor lie down and roll over to his new neighbor. But everything was now in ruins thanks to his eldest son. It appeared that the stupid, boiling blood of youths had spilled into his son¡¯s brain, eroding his common sense which ended up ruining all of Lord Feedren¡¯s plans. ¡®What should I do? First, I should warn the other lords not to behave rashly¡­¡¯ Lord Feedren was quick-witted and intelligent, even though he was rather gutless compared to others. ¡®What should I send to him as a gift? Silver? That¡¯s only natural. What else?¡¯ Lord Feedren came to a conclusion after a moment of thought. ¡°Bring me paper and ink! The one decorated with silver foil.¡± It was always best to ask when one was unsure. ¡®Phew, that¡¯s a relief.¡¯ Eugene was currently on the road with his troops. As such, Lord Feedren would receive an appropriate answer if he summoned and asked Eugene¡¯s administrator, who would be much easier to deal with. He could keep his pride and show his sincerity, and it would be much less burdensome than chatting with the young knight. ¡®This is killing two birds with one stone.¡¯ Lord Feedren became relieved. However, he never even dreamed that the administrator, who was supposed to be ¡®easier to deal with,¡¯ was a member of the Night¡¯s Tribe and was previously an intermediate official of the Roman Empire. Two days later, in the late evening¡­ The administrator of the neighboring territory came to visit Lord Feedren. He was dressed in black clothes and a black hat as if he were a mortician. ¡°My name is Delmondo, sir. I heard that there had been a blunder towards my lord. That is very unfortunate. As someone who represents Lord Eugene, the one inheriting the cold, noble blood, I can relate to the substantial, burdensome honor that he carries as the illustrious and distinguished¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lord Feedren intuitively sensed that something was wrong as soon as the ¡®amateur land administrator¡¯ started speaking freely in the imperial language of the Roman Empire, which was only used by the royal family and renowned nobles. CH 65 ¡°We are now entering the Archivold marquisate, Sir Eugene.¡± After crossing a river and a few small mountains over the period of two days, Eugene was finally able to catch a glimpse of the Archivold territory. The great noble had reigned as a monarch of the Carls Baggins Peninsula and a margrave of a kingdom. ¡°Almost half of the peninsula belongs to the Archivold marquisate?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Although the land that they actually ruled was smaller, they had numerous nobles as their vassals, since they were such an ancient, powerful family. Of course, they are now separated and living out their own lives.¡± ¡°Oho. You are quite knowledgable for a merchant,¡± Galfredik expressed his amazement. ¡°You flatter me, sir. I have been traveling all over the peninsula since a long time ago. As I see it, I am fortunate to know just a little bit more than others.¡± The merchant Magat humbly bowed. He was certainly worthy of having been recommended by Gardye. ¡°By the way, did you say that Lord Gabriel¡¯s territory is quite far from here?¡± ¡°That is correct. We would have to travel for at least three more days, and we would pass through two other territories.¡± ¡°Hmm. And one of them belongs to Lord Essandra, the eldest daughter of the Archivold family?¡± ¡°Yes. According to principle, Lord Essandra should have succeeded the title¡­¡± Marquis Archivold had three sons and two daughters. His youngest son, Bemos, was dead, and the remaining children were currently at a standoff, each claiming themselves as the rightful heir. According to custom, the eldest child had the right to inherit the family, regardless of their gender. The current situation was a result of the abnormal fashion in which the marquis was robbed of his power. ¡°In conclusion, Lord Essandra has more legitimacy, but Lord Gabriel possesses the strongest force. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Eugene fell into thought as Magat bowed his head. Although Eugene had successfully captured a crazy bandit named Balmong, it was practically impossible to condemn a direct descendant of a marquisate with nothing else. This was a world ruled by bloodline and status. Even if the two committed the same crime, the price of the crime would change greatly depending on one¡¯s standing. Soldiers, mercenaries, and slaves would die on the battlefield while knights and nobles were exchanged and released for a price. ¡®Then...¡¯ Eugene came to a decision while recalling the information he gained from Gardye. ¡°I will be meeting with Lord Essandra in person.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene!¡± The squad leaders answered energetically. ¡°Sir! Sir! Are you going to marry the daughter of the marquis?! I¡¯m against this marriage! If you want to be called a demon king in the future, your partner should at least be a princess¡­ Kieekk!¡± Eugene prevented any further bullshit from the spirit by knocking his fist against the entrance to the leather pouch. Then, he continued to ride forward. *** ¡°Jan Eugene? Who is that?¡± Essandra Antigo Archivold asked with a frown. ¡°He is but a shameless man who dared to rob two villages and the silver mine belonging to the late Lord Bemos¡­¡± ¡°Rob? Shameless? Since when did we use these words to call those who claimed land without owners? In that sense, eight or nine out of ten of those who called themselves the vassal of our family are shameless robbers as well, are they not?¡± ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± Geko bowed. He was a former knight of Marquis Archivold and was currently serving as Essandra¡¯s knight. Essandra was in her mid-30¡¯s, but she boasted a young, healthy body that betrayed her age. She sat up straight after pushing away her handsome male slaves, who were openly displaying their solid upper bodies. ¡°Come to think of it, the templars from the Beogalan barony might have mentioned it. He succeeded in subjugating Lord Beogalan¡¯s ruin, correct? Although there¡¯s a lot of talk regarding the wyvern.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a false rumor, my lord. Nothing worth paying attention to. As long as no one has seen the corpse and the materials from the monster¡­¡± ¡°A jealous knight is ugly, Sir Geko.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°A sulking knight is ugly as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± ¡°However, I find your loyalty quite adorable. Anyways, the knight Eugene wanted to meet me?¡±¡¯ ¡°Yes, however, my lord, that knight possessed quite a number of troops under his command. He might have been instigated by Lord Gabriel. You must be careful.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Essandra nodded while recalling her younger brother. It was quite possible for her brother, who was two years younger than her, to try such a childish thing. ¡°I think it would be best not to¡­¡± ¡°Agree to it.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°However, tell him to come in alone. If he does not like it, he can scram.¡± ¡°A brilliant idea.¡± Geko¡¯s expression quickly loosened. Even the most reputable of knights would be reluctant and fearful to enter someone else¡¯s castle alone. Moreover, any self-claimed lord commanding over a hundred troops would never agree to such a proposition. ¡°Then, I will deliver your message to him.¡± Geko delivered Essandra¡¯s words to Eugene¡¯s messenger, and the messenger left the castle with an outraged expression. However, the messenger returned less than an hour later, and this time around, it was Geko¡¯s turn to be dismayed. *** ¡°Thank you for inviting me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Geko was momentarily at a loss for words. Even though Eugene was armed in plate armor, he appeared calm and composed as if he was currently out somewhere for a drink. He was truly here alone! ¡®Is he insane? Is he relying on his troops outside the castle?¡¯ Although the young knight seemed to possess quite a force, he would never be able to capture the castle with his troops. Moreover, the castle could withstand a siege for up to three or four months with its current food and supplies. It was obvious that the troops would scatter within ten days if their employer, who was also their commander, was captured. It was also a known fact that mercenaries could only be moved by money. So how could he willingly enter the castle alone despite knowing these facts? He was either out of his mind, or he was audacious beyond imagination. ¡°When will I be able to see Lord Essandra? I requested a meeting because I had something to tell her.¡± ¡°She will be here soon. You can speak to me. Lord Essandra will never¡­¡± ¡°Hey, why are you acting like that towards a guest?¡± Essandra entered followed by her slaves. She took her place on a large, decorated throne, and the slaves rushed to serve her by peeling fruit and pouring wine. ¡°Would you be Lord Essandra?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Jan of the Eugene family. I am Essandra of Archivold. You are much younger than I imagined. Quite handsome as well. You must have an elf as one of your ancestors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But is it really true that you killed a wyvern? I heard the stories, but it¡¯s hardly believable. My doubts have only grown after seeing you in person today, sir.¡± Doubting the accomplishments of a knight was akin to doubting his honor. In other words, Essandra was openly provoking Eugene during their first meeting. ¡®Now, let¡¯s see how you will react.¡¯ Essandra observed Eugene with interest in her eyes. Most knights would become enraged or flaunt their accomplishments in a grand manner after being provoked like this. ¡°It is true that I killed a wyvern. However, is that truly important? I do not think that you agreed to grant me an audience because you are curious about that matter.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Essandra¡¯s eyes filled with astonishment. ¡°Sir! What manner of speech is that?! How dare you¡­¡± Geko quickly interjected. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine. Sir Eugene, I find you to my liking.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t speaking to earn your favor, but I am grateful you find me so.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Essandra burst into a pleasant laugh. Most of the knights she had encountered thus far could be divided into two categories. Some were intimidated by her extraordinary status, while others attempted to present themselves by flaunting their skills and achievements. There were rare instances where the knights were quite silent and grave, like the protagonists of romance novels. But such knights were always quite prideful, so they could not stand being ignored or disregarded. However, the black-haired knight in obsidian armor before her was different. ¡°Fine. I did not agree to meet you to hear such stories, sir. Then let me ask you, Jan of the Eugene family. Why did you ask to meet me?¡± ¡°There are two things. I would like to ask for a favor, and I have a suggestion, my lord.¡± ¡°A favor? Would you like me to recognize your ownership of the village belonging to my deceased brother?¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a favor to me. Are you picking a fight?¡± All traces of a smile disappeared from Essandra¡¯s face. Eugene had conquered and claimed land that technically belonged to the Archivold marquisate. However, with the current vacancy of a legitimate successor, no one could spare any attention to anyone¡¯s claim of their ownerless land. If the conflict gave birth to the rise of a new monarch, he or she would regain the land by force or would recognize its current lord in exchange for loyalty. However, Essandra was not yet a marquis. Moreover, none of her three younger siblings had yielded just yet. As such, Eugene¡¯s words could only be taken as a taunting remark to Essandra. ¡°Of course not. So would it be possible after you become the marquis, my lord?¡± ¡°You are indeed trying to pick a fight.¡± ¡°Lord Essandra! If you give me an order, I will¡­¡± Geko started to shout in an agitated voice, but Eugene calmly replied. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to provoke you, only making a request. A pity. Then I will move on to my suggestion.¡± ¡°Sir, others must tell you quite often about how brazen you are, correct? Or crazy?¡± ¡°I have never heard either,¡± Eugene responded with a straight face. ¡°Ha.¡± Essandra fell into a daze after hearing his response. She found him to be a breath of fresh air in the beginning, but it was clear that she was mistaken. She could not understand how he could be so audacious. It seemed as if he was out of his mind. However, Eugene paid her reaction no mind and stated his true purpose in meeting with her. ¡°There is an opportunity for Lord Essandra to become the next Marquis Archivold.¡± ¡°What?¡± It was out of the frying pan right into the fire ¨C Essandra had almost given up. Now she would either pummel this crazy knight and chase him out of the castle or just kill him outright. ¡°I captured the boss of the men who had previously occupied the silver mine of Mount Nadir. His name is Balmong, and he is responsible for the murder of a noble.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°He told me something interesting. Apparently, a knight named Andre promised to pardon him in the future and have him sworn in as a knight as well.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Essandra¡¯s expression instantly cleared, and her eyes were filled with genuine shock. ¡°You should know who Sir Andre is, correct? I heard that he is a knight serving one of your brothers, Lord Gabriel.¡± ¡°I-is that really true!? The noble murderer was brought in by Sir Andre?¡± ¡°You have been doubting me for a while. I swear on my honor that I am telling the truth. I have a notarized document from the guild leaders of Moffern as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this! I never meant to doubt you, sir. I apologize.¡± Although she had never spoken such words to any knight in the past, Essandra hurriedly apologized rather than becoming angry. ¡°Then that murderer. Did you bring him with you?¡± ¡°Yes. I believe he could be quite helpful for you in your quest to become the next marquis. Am I correct?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s going to be of great help!¡± Essandra forgot herself and shouted excitedly. ¡°Then I will hand over Balmong, so please fully acknowledge me as a lord. That is my suggestion.¡± ¡°Hey! Bring me a pen and paper!¡± *** ¡°Ahahaha! Is that what it was? Lord Beogalan was done in. He was always a little petty and greedy. However, he is still a loyal man. He is one of the few lords who did not get involved in the peninsula¡¯s current mess.¡± Essandra was quite broad-minded for a noble. After accepting Eugene¡¯s proposal, she treated Eugene in a casual manner as if the two of them shared a long history with each other. As such, Eugene could communicate more comfortably as well. Of course, he found her excessive expressions of interest, such as tapping his arm while she talked, to be quite burdensome. ¡®It would be a mess if Mirian saw this.¡¯ He could feel her fussing and shrieking inside the leather pocket, but Eugene never opened the cap. ¡°But after the incident, he was very honorable and took care of things in an organized fashion. I could take a breather thanks to him.¡± ¡°That must be because his finances were freed thanks to you, sir.¡± ¡°His finances?¡± ¡°You killed the wyvern in the ruin, right? That would make it much easier for him to do future subjugations. And since the past failures would have caused a growth in the population of monsters in the ruin, Lord Beogalan must have organized another subjugation as soon as you left.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It appeared that Essandra was quite intelligent on top of being generous. ¡°Anyways, his pockets must have been quite happy thanks to you, sir. Hmm~ Anyways, I also need to subjugate evil lands in my possession as well¡­¡± ¡°Do you own evil lands as well, Lord Essandra?¡± Eugene asked while straightening his posture. ¡°Naturally. I have a few dungeons owned by the family. The problem is that my younger sibling¡¯s territory is located on the way to the dungeons. The fourth, Edrique.¡± ¡°Hmm. You don¡¯t get along with him?¡± ¡°Our relationship is neither good nor bad. It seems like Edrique wants the whole thing to come to an end as quickly as possible, whether it will be me or Gabriel taking the spot, he doesn¡¯t seem to care. But if he openly sides with one of us, he would be going against the other, right? He¡¯s watching from the sidelines because he¡¯s scared. He is asking me to pay the toll according to the number of heads if I want to pass through his territory.¡± ¡°He¡¯s trying to show Lord Gabriel that he won¡¯t be standing on Lord Essandra¡¯s side.¡± ¡°You have a good head, Sir Eugene,¡± Essandra smiled coyly while touching Eugene¡¯s arm. ¡°Anyways, he wants 10 silver coins for each of the subjugation team¡¯s members. Completely ridiculous. I won''t have anything left over if I have to pay the toll after hiring a knight and a bunch of mercenaries. That little brat, forgetting how much I adored him when he was little.¡± ¡°My lord. That dungeon, could I subjugate it in your stead?¡± ¡°What? Come on~ Of course not. You have over 100 troops under your command, right? Then the toll would add up to¡­¡± ¡°I will go alone.¡± Essandra¡¯s mouth was wide agape after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. ¡°¡­Sir, are you sure no one has called you crazy before?¡± ¡°As I have told you already, I never heard someone calling me that,¡± Eugene replied with a straight face. CH 66 ¡°She¡¯s a heroine. A heroine!¡± Galfredik expressed his admiration after hearing about Eugene¡¯s conversation with Essandra. ¡°It seems like Lord Essandra should already have succeeded the family from what you are telling me about her. I guess her siblings must be quite formidable as well, right?¡± ¡°It seems that Lord Essandra wants to take Lord Gabriel with her, but Lord Gabriel is refusing it. Apparently, he has connections in the royal castle, so he¡¯s trying to grab a title for himself.¡± ¡°Is there a problem with that? Can¡¯t they just go their own ways?¡± Galfredik didn¡¯t seem to understand the issue, which was expected of a knight. Eugene had reacted similarly when he first heard the story as well. He wasn¡¯t sure what the problem was. However, the story of the Carls Baggins Peninsula was incredibly complex, and Essandra mentioned how there were innumerable issues to consider if they decided to split their territory. ¡°Maintaining the family? Lord Essandra described it as a sense of duty, saying that the issues of the peninsula had to be dealt with by the people of the peninsula and that the royal family should not intervene. She also mentioned how the Archivold family must stand at the center of the peninsula.¡± ¡°Ah, the situation will become quite bizarre if Lord Gabriel accepts a separate title of nobility from the royal city. So that is what Lord Essandra wants to prevent.¡± Eugene never knew the inner workings of a kingdom during his past life. Knights and commoners devoted their loyalty to their lord, and the lords did the same to their superior lords or to the king. Including Eugene¡¯s past self, most commoners had a simple, hierarchical understanding of the world. Even most knights were similar in their perceptions. However, the reality was vastly different from their imaginations. A king wasn¡¯t the object of loyalty for numerous lords. Rather, he was only a contractual representative. In particular, a king had no control over the various cities and great nobles with immense power, vast land, and great wealth. As such, the royal family constantly devised ways to weaken the influence of the cities and the great nobles in order to expand their own influence in the territories. Gabriel was the target of the royal family¡¯s scheme in the Carls Baggins Peninsula. ¡°Even if Lord Essandra succeeds the family as the new marquis, she will only retain half of the family if Lord Gabriel receives a title from the king and goes his own way. In addition, she would have to live under constant threat from the royal family. She would essentially have a dagger pressed against her throat at all times.¡± ¡°So she cannot possibly leave him be.¡± ¡°I think so. She wants to win him over somehow, but Lord Gabriel seems to be a little greedy.¡± ¡°Hehe. I get it. He wants ownership of the evil lands, right?¡± ¡°Correct. He wants the ownership of one of the marquisate¡¯s dungeons. It¡¯s a condition that Lord Essandra would never agree to.¡± In addition, Gabriel had many other demands, including agricultural land. However, Eugene had not felt the need to remember all the details of Essandra¡¯s complaints. The important thing was that there were two evil lands in the marquisate. Eugene figured that Essandra could immediately rise as the new marquis if she so desired, but she continued this dance with Gabriel because of the evil lands. ¡°Then have you decided to stand on the side of Lord Essandra, Master? You will be handing over the bandit boss?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t think that there would be much use if I took Balmong to Lord Gabriel.¡± ¡°That is true. Even though Master has been recognized as a lord by the surrounding nobles, the direct descendants of the marquis would simply consider you to be a lucky knight. Even if both of them decided to vouch for you, Lord Essandra would have a stronger say. Ah! You¡¯re not offended, are you?¡± ¡°Hmm? Is there any reason I should be? You are only telling the truth.¡± ¡°Kuhahahaha!¡± Galfredik shook with laughter. Even after becoming a lord, his master¡¯s attitude remained the same. But Eugene sincerely thought this way. His hope in this life was to become stronger to avoid a miserable, vain death like in his previous life. But he was constantly met with many surprises. Naturally, he always tried his best, but Eugene didn¡¯t deny that much of his success was due to pure luck. ¡°Excuse me, Sir Eugene.¡± The merchant, Magat, spoke cautiously after silently watching the two along with the squad leaders. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If you decided to stand under the flag of Lord Essandra, don¡¯t you think you should be preparing for a territorial war?¡± ¡°I was thinking about it, but I figured things would work out easier if I took care of the other siblings instead of Lord Gabriel.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit too complicated for me to explain. Anyways, we will be heading to the territory of Lord Edrique. A dungeon owned by Lord Essandra lies beyond it. We will be subjugating it.¡± ¡°All of us? The toll you mentioned earlier would be enormous. Since it will be ten silver coins per person¡­¡± ¡°No, not all of us will be going. All of you can wait at the border of the territory. I will be the only one crossing the Edrique territory into the dungeon.¡± ¡°What!?¡± *** ¡°Take another moment and think about it again, sir.¡± ¡°I am grateful that you are worried about me, but I will be fine, so stop asking me, will you?¡± Eugene answered with a deep frown. Geko was following him as a guide and an agent for Essandra. This was already the third time that the knight had asked the same question. ¡°Your decision is not brave, but foolhardy, sir. Since Lord Essandra has recognized you as a lord, I will also follow her will, but honestly, I still cannot recognize you as a knight¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Geko even dared to send subtle provocations. Eugene wanted to pummel him into a pulp to shut him up, but he could not. As long as he was sailing these waters with Essandra, he could not possibly injure one of her valued knights. As such, he answered while nodding half-heartedly. ¡°Let¡¯s assume it will be fine for you to enter the dungeon alone. Then who will dismantle the corpses and carry the by-products? Sir, I fully understand that you want to appeal to Lord Essandra, but¡­¡± ¡°Over there, those men. Do they not belong to Lord Edrique?¡± Eugene asked while pointing at a group of troops watching them from across the narrow bridge. ¡°I think so. Phew~ Anyways, remember that I tried my best to dissuade you, sir. And I will not be waiting for more than three days, so¡­¡± ¡°I understand, so go convey Lord Essandra¡¯s words.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He gazed at Eugene with a displeased expression before turning his horse. While he conveyed Essandra¡¯s message to Edrique¡¯s troops, Eugene called for Galfredik and the squad leaders. ¡°Wait here while I am away. However, never cross the bridge. You cannot give them an excuse.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. If anyone tries anything, I¡¯ll make sure to bash in their skull,¡± Galfredik answered with a grin, and the squad leaders flinched before nodding at once. They knew Eugene to be more skilled than Galfredik, but they also knew that Galfredik was better at tormenting and beating people. Moreover, Galfredik was superior to Eugene in terms of military arts regarding group battles. The knight Galfredik perfectly filled the shortcomings of Lord Eugene. ¡®How could these two have possibly met?¡¯ ¡®If that¡¯s luck as well, Sir Eugene will surely go on to become an unrivaled figure.¡¯ The squad leaders returned to their respective positions while having such thoughts. However, they were unaware that there was another figure with as much loyalty as Galfredik. ¡°Veron, wait a minute.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, Brother Partec?¡± Veron stopped and turned his head while returning with the other squad leaders. ¡°Call some guys. Those who are bigmouthed and glib-tongued.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you need them for?¡± Veron asked with genuine curiosity. Partec answered while clicking his tongue as if he were frustrated. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. What were your first thoughts when you heard that Sir Eugene was heading into the dungeon by himself?¡± ¡°Well, Sir Eugene¡¯s about to be Sir Eugene again?¡± Partec chortled at the novel expression and continued. ¡°Right? You would think so since you saw Sir Eugene take care of Balmong and the Hounds, right? That he¡¯s simply about to go on another slaughter. Right?¡± ¡°Ah, of course. To be honest, it will be much easier to head into a dungeon and deal with monsters than climbing a mountain on a rainy night to confront criminals. I saw Sir Eugene personally flogging monsters at the ruin as well.¡± ¡°Okay. But what about the others? Those who didn¡¯t actually see Sir Eugene pulling off a ridiculous, impossible feat with their own eyes?¡± ¡°¡­Ah!¡± It seemed that Veron had finally realized the crux of the matter. ¡°Go and tell them. Let them know what it means for Sir Eugene to be Sir Eugene. We will prevent any of them from complaining. It would be better for you to do it rather than me, right? Since I¡¯m an outsider.¡± ¡°Leave it to me! Hey! You bastards!¡± Veron walked away while calling his men. ¡°Kyah! Just what I might expect from you, brother.¡± ¡°When did you wheedle Veron as well?¡± Glade and Lavan approached Partec with a smirk. ¡°Everyone has their own part to play. How could I boast that I was the first to serve Sir Eugene if I can¡¯t even do this?¡± Lavan grinned in response, then sneakily turned his head before speaking. ¡°But even if we do this, what about those knights over there? They look like they have a fucking lot to complain about.¡± Their gazes turned to the group of knights in the distance. It was clear that they had been immersed in sweet imaginations about fighting glorious battles and raising their reputation. They appeared quite upset by Eugene¡¯s decision to enter the dungeon alone. ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Partec responded while narrowing his eyes. There wasn¡¯t much he could do about the knights. At this moment, he caught a glimpse of Eugene riding Silion toward the knights. The knights stole glances at Eugene with displeased looks. Eugene spoke in a polite, kind manner. ¡°Sirs. I wanted to say how grateful I am that all of you have listened to my requests until now. You must be quite sore. It has been of great help.¡± ¡°Ehem! It¡¯s only natural for us since Sir Eugene asked us personally. However, to be frank, I am a little disappointed that you will enter a dungeon by yourself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I understand why you might want to leave the mercenaries behind, but I thought that us knight would fight alongside you, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Are we perhaps not to your liking, sir?¡± Unfortunately, a knight was forever a knight. The seven men were covertly expressing their dissatisfaction. Eugene wanted nothing more than to beat them into obedience. But¡­ ¡°Nonsense! How could that be?! Any sensible lord would be honored to be accompanied by knights as talented and dignified knights such as yourselves. So how could I have any other thoughts?¡± He could feel Galfredik sniggering in the distance, but Eugene tried his best to maintain a calm, soft attitude. Even a small-time lord like Camara Tywin was capable of thoroughly hiding his inner thoughts at times, so Eugene would need to do better. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°I cannot believe you would think so highly of us! Please forgive us for doubting you, even for a moment, sir.¡± ¡°We were insolent, Sir Eugene.¡± The atmosphere was instantly soothed by Eugene¡¯s praise. He continued in an even more tender voice. ¡°What is there to forgive? Anyways, sirs, could I ask you to watch the situation here for three or four days? I have great expectations for all of you, and so does Lord Essandra.¡± ¡°Even Lord Essandra?¡± ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. She could not spare any praise for how all of you followed me with determination, even without being officially hired. She also mentioned how she would not forget any of you if she became the next marquis.¡± It was naturally a lie. Eugene could tell such lies because he knew the knights would never have a chance to speak with Essandra alone. ¡°Now, this is not much, but it is a token of sincerity from Lord Essandra and myself.¡± Eugene beckoned, and Mark brought forth pouches filled with 50 silver coins and presented them to the knights. Of course, all the money stemmed from Essandra¡¯s vault. ¡°Ohhh!¡± However, the knights rejoiced without knowing the truth. Although it wasn¡¯t a very large sum, some of them still trembled as if they were greatly touched. Many of them were free knights. Although they possessed some skill, they had never been sworn in by a noble. As such, they were weak to praise and gifts from nobles. ¡°And that¡¯s not the end. These are just my personal thoughts, but in three or four days¡­¡± Although Eugene had no way of knowing whether his predictions would come true or not, it didn¡¯t really matter. He would be satisfied if it happened, but he wouldn¡¯t lose anything if it didn¡¯t. The knights were completely mesmerized by his words and their hips seemed to bounce off their saddles with excitement. It seemed that they would be fine staying put for even ten days, never mind three. ¡°¡­What do you all think? I think it would be an excellent opportunity to show Lord Essandra the skills and chivalries of you sirs.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me!¡± ¡°I will do my best not to betray the trust of Sir Eugene and Lord Essandra!¡± ¡°Just what I might expect from you sirs! You are all so trustworthy.¡± ¡°Haha! You flatter us. Hahahaha!¡± Eugene died a little inside after saying these things that he didn¡¯t truly mean. Nevertheless, he was satisfied with having increased the working hours of the volunteers. CH 67 ¡°Alone? He wants to subjugate the evil land by himself?¡± ¡°Yes. Sir Geko, the knight of Lord Essandra, confirmed it. Lord Essandra has given her permission for the knight to enter the dungeon by himself.¡± ¡°Huh! That knight, was it Eugene? He¡¯s from Maren? Is such a method of committing suicide gaining popularity in Maren nowadays?¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± The territorial lords and knight chuckled after hearing Edrique¡¯s joke. Although Edrique could not succeed his father, he was quite popular because he was pleasant, humorous, and took good care of his subordinates. Even though he was a little credulous, he was always attentive to the opinions of his subordinates. Moreover, he was quite good at maintaining a neutral position between Essandra and Gabriel. In the end, it was obvious that he would stand to benefit regardless of who succeeded the title of marquis. ¡°Sister Essandra would not do something like this without a reason. Anyways, I don¡¯t have a choice but to allow it¡­¡± He had no justification to refuse, but something felt off about the matter. He knew his older sister to be a little whimsical and impulsive at times, but she would never play a joke like this. ¡°My lord, I might have an explanation.¡± ¡°An explanation?¡± One of the nobles spoke up. ¡°That knight, Jan Eugene. Maybe he is truly a madman.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Everyone looked rather confused. The nobleman hurriedly continued. ¡°Take a look at all of his achievements. How could you possibly believe that a single man is capable of achieving all those things in such a short period of time? I do not think it¡¯s possible. Would you not agree?¡± ¡°Hmm. That is true.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t make sense to me either.¡± ¡°So you all agree, right? But on the contrary, it would be rather comical even if all of his achievements are true. Could a sane person try to do such things?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The surrounding nobles and knights seemed to be surprised after hearing a plausible theory. The nobleman became excited and continued laying down his hypothesis. ¡°But Lord Essandra is famous for having a good eye for people, right? She must have seen through the essence of the knight.¡± ¡°T-the essence?¡± ¡°Ah! Regardless of whether his achievements are true or not, it¡¯s clear that very soon, this knight will drive himself to death. That is why Lord Essandra sent him to our territory under the pretext of a dungeon subjugation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­!?¡± ¡°Yes. If that knight gets himself killed while attempting to complete another impossible feat, wouldn¡¯t Lord Essandra use it as an excuse to pressure us? Maybe the knight has been acting recklessly so far because he¡¯s riddled with an incurable disease. Since he is going to die anyway, why not go out with a bang?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The eyes of the gathered nobles and knights widened with wonder as they turned to Edrique. Edrique remained silent for a moment with a serious expression before finally opening his lips. ¡°You¡­ have a point!¡± *** ¡°Wow! This place feels so different from all the other places we¡¯ve been to. The humans here seem to be much more relaxed and freer. It must be because the land is ruled by higher-ranking nobles.¡± ¡°Kiek!? Sir, sir! Do you see the fortress on that mountain over there!? We could probably keep an eye on everything if we stationed some familiars in it. We have to build something like that! Right? Right? Hmm?¡± ¡°But that racy lady, hmm? No matter how much I think about it, it seemed like she had feelings for you, sir. Ha!? H-have you already fallen for her? Is that it? Really? I-is that the truth!? No! No! Kieeeekkk!¡± Mirian circled around Eugene while chatting restlessly. It seemed she was quite excited to be alone with Eugene after a long time. She was like a fish in water. ¡®Well, I guess she is the spirit of water.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re giving me a headache, so shut up.¡± ¡°Hmph! You changed, sir. Remember? In the past, when it was just the two of us. Hmm! You would tell me all about how lonely you were, and how we would rely on each other for thousands of years, and, and entice me with sweet, sugary words. Hmm? And now, you... Kiek!¡± The spirit tried her best at manipulation and fabrication, but Eugene simply snatched her out of the air before tightly tying her to Silion¡¯s neck with the horse¡¯s mane. However, as the spirit of water, she simply turned herself into liquid to free herself before climbing onto Eugene¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t make things up and stay still. There¡¯s a person coming this way.¡± ¡°Yeap.¡± Three horses were approaching Eugene at the end of the small trail. It was evident at first glance that the three figures were nobles or knights serving Edrique. As such, Eugene pulled on Silion¡¯s rein. ¡°Whoa! Would you be Sir Jan Eugene?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And who might you sirs be?¡± ¡°I am Megber, a knight serving under Lord Edrique. These are¡­¡± ¡°Theodora of Vangel. Nice to meet you, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Farminon Joice. A loyal vassal of Lord Edrique. It is an honor to meet a knight with such a brilliant reputation on the peninsula.¡± The nobles of Edrique greeted Eugene with utmost politeness. ¡®Why are they so courteous?¡¯ It was a fait accompli that Eugene would meet with Edrique¡¯s people. However, he was planning to visit them in person. He had not expected them to find him first and greet him with such respect since he would be no different from an uninvited guest from Edrique¡¯s perspective. ¡®Anyways, this is rather good.¡¯ He needed manpower to dismantle the corpses of the monsters and transport the gained materials. Eugene had been planning on asking for support from Edrique. Since Essandra would pay for the labor costs, Edrique would have no reason to refuse. Of course, Eugene had prepared a plan in case of a refusal as well. ¡°It is good to meet all of you sirs. I never expected to receive such a warm welcome. I am overjoyed and honored. Could I ask what brought all of you sirs here?¡± Eugene¡¯s philosophy was to return as much as he received. As such, he spoke generously and even gave a rare smile. But since his smiles were quite scarce, he looked quite awkward. Although his lips were pointing upwards, his eyes were like those belonging to a killer before a slaughter. The smile was sufficient to affirm the conviction of the three knights. They had been ordered to watch and report Eugene¡¯s every move. ¡®Such a frightening smile. Is he warning us that he would go berserk if we came here without a proper reason?¡¯ ¡®He is even more merciless and terrifying than I initially imagined.¡¯ ¡°Ah. Hahaha. Well, Lord Edrique wanted to express his desire to invite you, sir.¡± ¡°The lord admires all of your wonderful achievements, Sir Eugene. Lord Edrique will be very disappointed if you go your way without visiting, so I would really appreciate it if you could spare the time, Sir Eugene.¡± The three nobles were desperate not to offend this madman. If he became offended and suddenly started a rampage, they would have no choice but to beat, kill, or detain him. Regardless of the outcome, it would give Essandra the opportunity to intervene. It didn¡¯t matter to them whether he got himself killed in a dungeon, but they could not allow him to cause any accidents in the Edrique territory. ¡®We must not offend him!¡¯ ¡°Haha¡­ What do you think, Sir Eugene?¡± Although Eugene felt like something was strange about the way they laughed, he attempted to smile even brighter since he wanted something from Edrique as well. ¡°It would be an honor. Haha. Then I will have to go pay my respects. Hahaha.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir. Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°I should be the one to show my gratitude. Haha.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± ¡®Are these men in their right minds?¡¯ ¡®Unbelievable! He¡¯s trying not to lose even at things like this.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s the real deal! This knight is truly a madman!¡¯ The three knights and Eugene fell deeper into their delusions while they continued to laugh as if they were competing with each other. Mirian muttered while observing the rather tense, comical scene play out with an expression of contempt. ¡°Have they all gone insane? What the hell are they laughing about?¡± *** The three men accompanied Eugene to their castle before rushing to Edrique. ¡°Oh, welcome back. So, what kind of a person is he?¡± ¡°This is bad, my lord! He¡¯s even crazier than we thought.¡± ¡°What?¡± Edrique expressed his shock, and Megber continued with his report. ¡°All of the areas he declared as his territory were quite chaotic, right? I asked him how he managed to clear and occupy the areas, and he told me that he killed everyone that stood in his way. He said that without blinking an eye.¡± ¡°A-and?¡± ¡°I asked him what kinds of tactics he employed, and how he suppressed the fierce resistance since he was mostly fighting against criminals and mercenaries.¡± ¡°His response?¡± ¡°Apparently, he just charged alongside a knight named Galfredik. Moreover, they recaptured the silver mine with only the two of them. They climbed a mountain on a stormy night.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°My lord! Such insanity could not be called courageous acts of a knight. He is simply out of his mind. That man is eagerly chasing after his own death.¡± ¡°Perhaps he was bluffing?¡± Edrique asked with disbelief. Megber responded with a sigh. ¡°Phew! It¡¯s still problematic even if he was bluffing. Why else would he have told us such lies then? It¡¯s obviously because he wanted to convey his intentions ¨C that he could cause utter chaos if he feels offended, or even whenever he wants.¡± ¡°Keugh! What an arrogant man!¡± Although it was impossible for Edrique to succeed his father, how could a knight dare to make such threats to a direct descendant of a marquis? Edrique¡¯s shoulders trembled. His pride was hurt. ¡°My lord, you must not become aggravated. If that arrogant, insane knight causes trouble in the castle, you will fully bear the responsibility.¡± ¡°That is correct. That must be why Lord Essandra sent him our way.¡± Edrique¡¯s expression hardened after hearing the advice of the two nobles. ¡°Ugh!¡± He had been done in by his sister Essandra. The knight wasn¡¯t simply crazy. He was a real madman who wasn¡¯t afraid of death. Moreover, arrogance seeped right from his very bones and soul. However, he was a madman that Edrique could not touch. Essandra had sent a ticking bomb to him. ¡°Then what should we do? Would it not be better to immediately send him to the dungeon?¡± ¡°Since we have already invited him, you must see him, even if it is for a little while. We must hold a banquet and treat him well.¡± ¡°But no alcohol. You never know what he might do under the influence.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Edrique fell into thought with a frown, then soon raised his head with determination. ¡°We will hold a banquet, but exclude all the sirs with short tempers. And we will try to agree to whatever he wants, as much as possible. Prepare some silver and only one or two glasses of alcohol. Avoid any stimulating food as well. Make sure the servants and maids at the banquet are soft-spoken and pleasant.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± *** ¡®There¡¯s something wrong¡­¡¯ Eugene was rather puzzled. Everyone he encountered in the castle, regardless of age, gender, and status, was clearly shocked to see him. Moreover, they smiled awkwardly at him. Although the people didn¡¯t seem to have bad intentions, it was as if they were sinners trying to read the atmosphere. ¡®Is it because Lord Essandra sent me?¡¯ They would surely know that Essandra was a powerful contender for the marquisate. As such, Eugene assumed that their awkwardness and careful attitude stemmed from the fact that he was hired by Essandra. ¡°His Excellency, Lord Edrique.¡± Edrique entered the room along with a few nobles. Eugene took off his helmet and placed it by his side before bowing. ¡°I am Jan of the Eugene family. It is an honor to finally meet a direct descendant of the Archivold Marquisate, Lord Edrique.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Edrique¡¯s eyes widened with surprise after seeing Eugene. He naturally thought that the knight would look like a real maniac, but on the contrary, Eugene was neat and even handsome. ¡®Moreover¡­ he is much too young! A knight like this achieved such impossible feats in only a month or two?¡¯ Edrique¡¯s doubts and concerns only grew, and he reaffirmed his determination. No matter what, he would not aggravate the knight! ¡°Ehem! Nice to meet you, Sir Eugene. Welcome to my castle! Hahaha!¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± Edrique spoke before approaching Eugene without hesitation. He even gave Eugene a light embrace, as if he were greeting his own brother. Eugene was slightly taken aback by Edrique¡¯s attitude. ¡°I have heard endlessly about your outstanding skills and amazing achievements on the peninsula, sir. I heard you even killed a wyvern at the ruin belonging to Baron Beogalan, right? Truly amazing!¡± ¡°I was quite lucky. Lord Beogalan¡¯s support was of great help as well.¡± To tell the truth, Beogalan had dispatched a knight and mercenaries to harm him, but they had ultimately contributed to the killing of the wyvern. None of Eugene¡¯s troops had been sacrificed because they had acted as meatshields by rushing in. As such, Eugene purposely credited Baron Beogalan with the achievement as well. If a direct descendant of the marquisate gave a good evaluation of the baron, and if the baron found out that it was due to Eugene¡¯s words, it would solidify Eugene¡¯s relationship with Baron Beogalan. Since the two of them were neighbors, it was better to maintain a harmonious relationship. However, Edrique understood Eugene¡¯s words in a completely different manner. ¡®This man dares!? Is he threatening to create trouble if I don¡¯t support him like Baron Beogalan did?¡¯ How could such a beautiful, elegant-looking man make such a dishonest and devious threat!? CH 68 Edrique was briefly distracted by Eugene¡¯s beautiful appearance, but after coming to a realization, he felt goosebumps rising all over him. He quickly remembered the warning he received from the three nobles ¨C he must never be fooled by the knight¡¯s appearance. ¡°Ehem! Right. So you are heading to subjugate a dungeon at my sister¡¯s suggestion?¡± Edrique said after taking his seat. ¡°Yes, and in order to do so, I needed to pass through your territory, Lord Edrique. It would have been disrespectful for me to not pay you a visit. But I happened to receive an invitation from three of your men, my lord. I think it was a very fortunate encounter.¡± Eugene responded. ¡®Very fortunate? So if I did not send anyone, you would have come on your own and thrown a rampage here? You¡¯re saying that I should know how fortunate I am?¡¯ Edrique felt cold sweat soaking his back. It was truly frightening. Edrique would not have let him into the castle even if the knight came of his own accord. However, it was clear that the knight would have started rampaging in the nearby villages or in front of the castle instead. Casualties would have been inevitable, and the knight would have also sustained injuries or would have even died. If that happened, then Essandra¡¯s plan to put pressure on him using that incident as an excuse would have succeeded. ¡®This is quite difficult.¡¯ Essandra was in a precarious position. ¡°Hahaha! Is it not a natural obligation of a lord to treat an outstanding knight to everything they deserve? However, just as you must already know, sir, the relationship between me, my sister Essandra, and my brother Gabriel, is quite peculiar. You understand, right?¡± Edrique spoke cautiously. ¡°I fully understand. Lord Essandra was also quite worried about her younger siblings, Lord Gabriel and Lord Edrique. She said that she wants to solve the matter with the succession as soon as possible and have the marquisate operate normally sooner. However¡­¡± Eugene saw an opportunity and gave an immediate response. ¡°However?¡± Edrique asked with growing anxiety, emptying his glass of wine in a single swig. ¡°Although she is not faced with any financial difficulties, she wants to subjugate the dungeon as soon as possible. As you know, Lord Edrique, the number of monsters will only continue to increase with the delays in subjugations, which causes more roamers to appear. The Edrique territory must be enduring, or the territory may have to endure the brunt of the damages in the future.¡± Essandra wasn¡¯t extraordinary, but she was a fairly outstanding candidate for a margrave. She was sincerely worried about her younger brother¡¯s territory, which was why she had spoken such words to Eugene. However, Edrique didn¡¯t take Eugene¡¯s words as her sister¡¯s concern, but as Eugene¡¯s scheme. ¡®N-now he¡¯s openly threatening me!¡¯ If Edrique could calmly think things through, he would immediately see that Eugene was simply stating his worries about an upcoming problem rather than threatening him. But Edrique was overanalyzing Eugene¡¯s every word because he was greatly worried about the young, handsome knight. In addition, he was slightly under the influence of alcohol. ¡°So, sir, are you telling me that you have a solution?¡± Edrique¡¯s tone was slightly edgy. ¡°I won¡¯t know until I actually enter the dungeon, but we did not come to the decision without thinking about it first. However, I might need some help from you, my lord,¡± said Eugene. ¡°My help? Are you asking me to hire mercenaries?¡± Edrique responded. ¡°What? No, I will not be needing any mercenaries. I will be entering the dungeon by myself.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Edrique was truly shocked. Even after hearing the story, he had been doubtful that the knight would actually venture into a dungeon alone, but it appeared that the knight was quite serious. ¡°I would like some support with porters and those capable of dismantling corpses, Lord Edrique. They can wait at the entrance of the dungeon and start their work once the subjugation is complete.¡± The corpses of monsters decayed relatively slowly inside evil lands. Even if the corpses in the evil lands were left unattended for a day or two, they would be in a similar condition to corpses that were left alone outside for only a few hours. Naturally, they would incur greater losses by dismantling the corpses outside rather than actually taking the porters and dismantlers inside, but the purpose of the trip was the subjugation itself. Essandra would accept the possible losses. ¡®The problem is whether Lord Edrique will accept it or not.¡¯ ¡°How many?¡± Edrique replied. ¡°I think ten people might be enough.¡± Eugene gave an immediate response. He had been expecting Edrique to play hard to get, so he felt rather puzzled after hearing a direct response. ¡°I will send twice that. But when will the subjugation be?¡± Edrique asked. ¡°The sooner, the better.¡± ¡°What about tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes. Well¡­¡± ¡°You might also need some people to control the workers, so I will be sending Sir Megber and a few soldiers. Just in case, I¡­ No, never mind. Anyways, I will not be sparing any effort in supporting you.¡± Edrique stopped himself. He had been about to speak his true thoughts ¨C that the extra personnel would be there to stand witness. They were required to ensure that the blame would not fall to Edrique if the young knight got himself gutted in the dungeon. It was for the best to send a madman into the dungeon as soon as possible while sparing any useless information. ¡°I will be looking forward to your outstanding performance, Sir Eugene. And would it not be better to let my sister know that you were treated with utmost respect and honor in my castle? What do you think? Why don¡¯t you write her a letter, just in case?¡± Edrique asked while hiding his nervousness. Eugene wondered if such a thing was really necessary, but he gave a gentle nod. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to appease Edrique¡¯s demands since he was giving his full cooperation. ¡°Well, sure.¡± ¡°Hey! Bring me parchment and a quill!¡± Edrique shouted. A servant ran forward before Edrique finished his words. Eugene wrote a letter and stamped it with his seal. ¡®How strange. Is it okay for everything to proceed smoothly like this?¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s a relief. I just need to send this madman to the dungeon as soon as the sun rises tomorrow!¡¯ Regardless of the process and their true motives, both men fulfilled their respective goals. *** Early next morning¡­ Six troops and a bunch of personnel left the castle alongside Eugene with Megber in the lead. ¡°I wish you the best of luck! Hahaha!¡± ¡°Take care, Sir Eugene!¡± Most of the castle¡¯s nobles accompanied Edrique to see Eugene off. ¡®Is this because of Lord Essandra¡¯s valuable prestige? If that¡¯s the case, then why have they not sided with her, if they would go to such lengths for me?¡¯ Eugene was rather puzzled by the situation. However, considering the atmosphere, he felt assured that his following endeavor would work out well after the dungeon subjugation. Therefore, Eugene tried his best to recall his previous bright smile in order to part with a good impression. ¡°Haha. Thank you. I will make sure to convey your generosity to Lord Essandra, my lord. I will come back with good results,¡± Eugene spoke. However, it was counterproductive. ¡°I-I am overjoyed to hear that. Anyways, you should hurry. Should you not bring good results for my sister as soon as possible?¡± ¡°Right. But since you were so gracious, Lord Edrique, I will give you a report as well.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± ¡®Never come back. Just go get your head lobbed off in the dungeon!¡¯ Edrique tried his best to keep a smiling face. At last, once Eugene and the workers could no longer be seen, Edrique stumbled in front of the drawbridge. ¡°My lord!¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± The shocked nobles quickly hurried to his assistance. Edrique placed his hand on his forehead. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I think I must have overworked myself because of that man. I never imagined that I would come across someone capable of making me even more nervous than my sister and brother,¡± Edrique muttered. ¡°To think that he would threaten you to the end, my lord. He must be unrivaled in his arrogance and insanity.¡± ¡°Is it not a relief that he will definitely be killed in the dungeon? We will not have to see his face ever again, so you can be relieved.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank goodness. Anyways, my sister will be heartbroken if something goes wrong in the dungeon, so we should prepare to hold a proper funeral. I cannot leave any openings for her to blame me.¡± Edrique spoke with relief. ¡°We will have it prepared.¡± The nobles bowed their heads with relieved expressions. It had already been more than half a year since the dungeon of the Archivold marquisate was left unattended. The number of monsters around the dungeon had obviously increased since it was left unattended. But no one knew exactly how many monsters were around. Moreover, a high-ranking monster, known as the strongest on earth, was present in the dungeon of the marquisate. ¡®He won¡¯t even be left with a body if he gets caught by an ogre.¡¯ ¡®We never got to recover the bodies of the last group of soldiers, right?¡¯ ¡®Should we get to work on a memorial stone?¡¯ ¡®Although he is a madman, he sure is courageous.¡¯ The minds of the nobles were riddled with various thoughts, but they agreed to pray for Eugene¡¯s soul and to give him a nice funeral. *** Rumbleee! A large, one-meter-thick stone door opened, which caused the surrounding soil to rise. It was the opening of the Archivold marquisate¡¯s Oppert Dungeon. Would he truly head in alone? Or would he give up and give us various excuses? The soldiers and workers stared as Eugene stood in front of the opened door. Their eyes were filled with expectation and fear. Eugene was fully armed. Four javelins were slung over his shoulder, and two battleaxes were hanging from his hip, as well as his shortsword. ¡°Great work thus far. I will send a signal within three days at the latest, so please open the door then.¡± ¡°Sir, are you actually planning to venture in by yourself? This is a dungeon you have never experienced before. This is suicide,¡± Megber attempted to dissuade Eugene once more. Although Eugene¡¯s arrogance and insanity pierced the sky, Megber still acknowledged Eugene¡¯s achievements on the Carls Baggins Peninsula. ¡°Lord Essandra provided me with a map of the dungeon. I already have information regarding the inhabiting monsters, so there is nothing for you to worry about, sir.¡± ¡°Even still¡­¡± Rumble¡­! ¡°¡­!?¡± Megber¡¯s eyes filled with shock. Five or six soldiers had worked together to open the stone door, but Eugene was closing it single-handedly. The soldiers and workers were also in disbelief as they stared at the closing gate. The young knight gradually disappeared into the darkness. ¡°In three days, I will give a signal from the inside. I will knock three times. Remember, when I knock on the door three times¡­¡± Boom! The entrance to the dungeon closed with a loud roar. Megber stared at the door with a blank gaze for a moment, then came to his senses. ¡°What are you all doing? Hurry up and set up camp. Form groups of two and guard the entrance. Report back to me as soon as you hear the signal.¡± Megber shouted. ¡°Yes! Sir!¡± The soldiers and workers got to work. Neigh! Megber¡¯s eyes filled with sorrow when he saw Silion whining. ¡°A rare, purebred stallion. You won¡¯t be able to see your master anymore. If my lord permits, I will take care of you from now on.¡± All knights cherished and loved horses. As such, Megber reached out to pet SIlion. Thuck! However, Silion strongly refused Megber¡¯s hand and proceeded to spit in his face instead. ¡°Agh! Both the owner and the horse are crazy!¡± Megber suppressed his anger and wiped the saliva off his face. He could not touch the horse as long as Eugene¡¯s death wasn¡¯t confirmed. ¡°Three days? It will be a miracle if you manage to last even a few hours! Hmph! Maybe you will come knocking on the door begging for your life within an hour. But I won¡¯t open it for you! And once I confirm your owner¡¯s death, I will make sure to bury you along with him!¡± Megber glared alternatingly at Silion and the dungeon¡¯s entrance while gritting his teeth. *** As soon as Eugene entered the dungeon, he threw off his cumbersome backpack. Eugene didn¡¯t need items essential to human survival, such as water and food. Crack! The nails of his left hand grew long into crimson claws, jutting out of his tipless gloves. He held Wolfslaughter in his right hand, and the weapon responded to the owner¡¯s energy as it emitted a faint light. ¡°Krrrr!¡± Eugene growled. He slowly walked deeper into the dark dungeon while his eyes flashed with a red light. Paaaa¡­! Suddenly, translucent waves of fear stretched out deep into the dark dungeon like a spider web. Eugene¡¯s senses were elevated by several times. He was able to detect everything ¨C every single noise and smell, as well as the very flow of air. His abilities had been vastly improved compared to his time in the Tywin dungeon. Eugene wasn¡¯t sure how far along he was, nor where his limits lay. However, there was no need for him to be conscious of anyone else for the first time, so he decided to utilize his abilities to the fullest. Psssss! Pssst! The fear of an Origin Vampire tore the air of the dungeon in line with Eugene¡¯s stride, but it didn¡¯t stop there, it continued to expand deeper into the dungeon. ¡°Kieeek!? C-could this be? Is the new crest materializing into reality!? Keugh! The evil dragon is threatening to rampage inside me! Ah!¡± Even Mirian was affected by Eugene¡¯s great energy. The monsters of the dungeon had been approaching the entrance, overcome with appetite and the urge to kill after a long time. However, the monsters were met with an unfamiliar energy, and they reacted instinctively. They quickly stopped heading to the entrance and began to run deeper into the dungeon to avoid being killed by the intruder. Favorite CH 69 ¡®This is strange.¡¯ Eugene was quite puzzled. Even after an hour of exploring the dungeon, he had not encountered any monsters. Usually, he would have at least detected the presence of monsters, but he could not feel even the faintest trace of their energies. The only thing that was out of place was the chaotic footprints of the monsters littering the ground. However, he was able to trace the direction of the monsters¡¯ movement due to the trails. ¡®If that¡¯s the case.¡¯ It was quite simple. Fwoosh! Eugene ran. He determined the direction of the monsters¡¯ movement with his heightened senses, and Eugene ran like the wind. Kuwaaagh! Kieek! He could hear the cries of monsters as he continued. However, the sounds weren¡¯t growing louder as quickly as he had expected. After a while, Eugene was able to determine the reason for the strange phenomenon. Kieeeeekk! Even though an intruder was in their territory, the monsters were running away instead of rushing at the unwelcomed guest. ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene felt rather flustered after witnessing the monsters jump in fear and frenzy away. ¡°It¡¯s because the monsters are scared of you, sir! Kekeke! At least they have an eye for people, or rather, vampires!¡± Mirian chatted excitedly. ¡°That seems to be the case,¡± Eugene responded quietly before chasing after a group of escaping kobolds. Kieeeek! Kuagh! It was literally a slaughter. The kobolds were devoid of any fighting spirit from the very beginning, and they simply trampled over other kobolds in a futile attempt at escape. All Eugene had to do was to stick Wolfslaughter or his claws in their heads or backs. In less than a minute, more than 30 kobolds lay lifeless on the ground, buried in pools of their own blood. ¡°This is too easy,¡± Eugene muttered. He had no intention of drinking the blood of low-ranking monsters. After shaking the blood off his claws and his blade, Eugene turned his gaze deeper into the dungeon. How many monsters would be waiting for him? After all, the dungeon had been left unattended for more than half a year. How many monsters could he hunt in a day or two? ¡°It might not be a bad idea to put it to the test.¡± ¡°Kekekeke! And there it is! Today is the day, huh? We¡¯re going to flip the dungeon upside down! Hundreds of mana stones are waiting for us! Kieeeek!? Hey, slow down!¡± Mirian started shouting with excitement, then hurriedly grabbed onto Eugene¡¯s cape. The Origin Vampire flitted through the dungeon like a crimson gust of wind. *** A few hours later¡­ ¡°Wow! How many is that so far?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Did you really think that I was counting? I don¡¯t know,¡± Eugene replied before sinking his teeth into the throat of a troll to quench his thirst. Unlike low-ranking monsters such as goblins and kobolds, the troll attempted to fight back despite being frightened. However, all of its subordinate monsters, goblins, were busy fleeing, and Eugene was fully utilizing his abilities as a vampire. A troll could not be his match. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure how many low-ranking monsters he had slaughtered thus far, but including the troll, he had killed three intermediate-rank monsters. Such an achievement could be considered successful in an ordinary subjugation, and Essandra would be satisfied. As such, from now on¡­ ¡°It¡¯s time to procure my own.¡± Eugene had multiple reasons for entering the dungeon by himself after passing through Edrique¡¯s territory. He would assist Essandra in becoming the new Marquis Archivold, however, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. Only a small portion of high-rank monsters possessed the red mana stones. Realistically, there weren¡¯t many opportunities for Eugene to enter the evil lands of a great noble, since they were often unavailable to outsiders. If Eugene could help Essandra become a marquis, which would solidify his own position as a lord, while acquiring those red mana stones at the same time, he stood to gain much more than he could hope for. ¡°Hmm. I should go this way.¡± Eugene muttered while looking over the map of the dungeon he received from Essandra. He was headed towards a direction that was marked with a skull. No one had ever seen the high-rank monster of the dungeon since the witnesses all died without telling the tale. However, considering the condition of the human remains, everyone inferred that the culprit was a ¡®bloodsucking¡¯ monster. ¡®I¡¯m certain it¡¯s not a vampire.¡¯ According to the words of Essandra and Geko, there were numerous traces of teeth marks on the bodies, and the distance between the marks was wide. As such, Eugene was certain that the marks didn¡¯t belong to a humanoid monster, but a large, beast-like monster. ¡®I¡¯m looking forward to it. Let¡¯s hide my presence for now.¡¯ He was faced with an unknown, high-rank monster. Eugene was certain that there was a good chance that the monster possessed a red mana stone. *** ¡°Kiek?¡± Mirian was amazed. Eugene also looked around with great surprise. Ordinary dungeons did not exceed four to five meters in width and height. However, Eugene was currently looking at a place that was dozens of meters tall and as wide as the labyrinth¡¯s stadium where he fought the minotaur. However, the environment was significantly different from the labyrinth. There was no glowing grass to illuminate the area, and the floor was filled with water that reached up to the ankles. Moreover, the sharp rocks that stretched down from the ceiling were quite daunting. Even a considerable knight would be afraid to pass under them. However, Eugene was no ordinary knight, and his eyes could see through the darkness. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Eugene breathed while looking over the ceiling. Kekekekekekeke. Kilkilkil. A horde of unpleasant laughs resonated from the ceiling. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just one or two, but hundreds or thousands of laughs. It was as if the disharmonious chorus was mocking Eugene. Eugene quickly identified their identity after skirting the ceiling with his crimson eyes. ¡°Bats.¡± An immeasurable number of bats were hanging upside down from the ceilings and the protruding rocks. Their large wings were black velvet. ¡°Kieeeek!? W-why are they so big!?¡± Mirian expressed her astonishment. It was just as she said. Each of the bats was seemingly more than a meter in size. ¡®Were those bats responsible for the deaths? I guess there wasn¡¯t a high-rank monster after all. That¡¯s a shame.¡¯ A subjugation group would have consisted of fifty or sixty soldiers at most. If they were attacked by a humongous horde of bloodsucking bats, they would have been annihilated quite quickly. ¡°This has been a waste of time,¡± Eugene mumbled quietly before releasing his fear. Kwaaaaaahh¡­! The translucent energy expanded with Eugene at its center. The overwhelming fear soon reached the bats, who were laughing mockingly at the arrival of new prey. For a moment, the laughter stopped, and silence ensued. However, the quiet only lasted for a short moment. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°¡­!?¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes filled with shock. He had been preparing himself for an attack, but the large bats burst simultaneously as if they were crushed by a giant, invisible hand. A waterfall of crimson washed down from the exploding creatures. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Eugene expressed his confusion while bathing in the pouring blood. He had simply released his fear, so why did the bats explode? ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes while suddenly turning around. His heightened senses detected fine movements from one of the protruding rocks. Tsssssss! He was certain. The surface of the rock, which was quite bumpy, was moving little by little. ¡®A high-rank monster!¡¯ Eugene knew. There were no other reasons for so many bats to live in one place. It made sense that a higher-ranking monster reigned over the bats. ¡°Kuwuuuugh!¡± Papapapapapa! Eugene darted forward as he burst into a roar of joy. The vampiric fear responded to the Origin¡¯s murderous intent as it gathered before swirling towards the direction where Eugene was staring at. At the same time, the surface of the large, sharp rock exploded. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Kieeeeekk! As if answering Eugene¡¯s cry, a huge bat abandoned its disguise and shrieked while spreading its large wings. Kwakwakwakwakwa! The water on the floor suddenly began to split in half, and it was headed towards Eugene. ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene instinctively realized that the monster was releasing an unidentified ¡®power¡¯ from its menacing jaws. ¡°Kuwwwuugh!¡± Eugene answered with a vigorous roar, and his Vampire Fear took on the form of a giant spear before heading straight for the splitting water. It then collided with the invisible ¡®power¡¯ of the bat monster. Craaack! A sound similar to cracking glass resonated instead of an explosion. Boooom! However, it only lasted for a moment before being replaced by a massive explosion. The humongous sound was carried forth as the invisible spear of fear penetrated through and shot towards the giant bat. Boom! The body of the giant bat, which had reigned as one of the rulers of the dungeon since the distant past, exploded into a million pieces. Eugene could clearly see an object amidst the pouring rain of intestines and blood. A red mana stone was glimmering with a dazzling light. *** ¡°Sir! Sir! What power did you gain this time?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°¡­¡± However, Eugene didn¡¯t immediately answer Mirian¡¯s question. It was because he had no idea how to properly explain it. Although his head was already filled with the relevant information, he was rather doubtful that it was actually possible. ¡®Transformation¡­?¡¯ The power he gained from the red mana stone of the giant bat was the ability to transform. Of course, there were certain restrictions, and it wasn¡¯t like he could freely transform into anything he wanted. Firstly, he needed to have ingested the blood of the subject of transformation, and rather peculiarly, he could only transform if the object possessed a mana stone. As such, he could not transform into humans, elves, and dwarves since they did not possess mana stones in their bodies. But it was possible for him to transform into all kinds of monsters with mana stones. It was unclear whether he could fully utilize the special abilities of the monsters, and it was a rather cumbersome requirement for him to suck the monster¡¯s blood again each time, but it was certainly a great ability. ¡°I should be diligent in drinking blood from now on,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°Huh? What does that mean? What do you mean by that? Huh? Huh!?¡± Mirian voiced her frustration. ¡°There¡¯s something like that. Anyways¡­ Hmm!?¡± Eugene darted around as his heightened senses alerted him. Beyond the place filled with the blood and mana stones of the bats, he could feel an unfamiliar, intense energy deeper within. It was rather paradoxical, but the energy felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. ¡°Vampire? No, this is¡­¡± There was a subtle difference from Delmondo. However, it was clearly different from the energies of the monsters he faced until now, including the bats¡­ ¡°Something dead. Then, an undead?¡± Huwwwwuuuuugh! As if to answer Eugene¡¯s question, a huge roar reverberated from the deeper parts of the dungeon. However, no vitality could be felt from the bizarre roar. ¡°W-what? What is it?¡± Mirian shouted with shock. Eugene started to head towards the roar. ¡°Sir! Something¡¯s weird. Shall we go back? We should go back. We already got a red mana stone, right? Right? Right!?¡± Despite Mirian¡¯s dissuasion, Eugene continued walking without answering her. Curiosity? Greed for merit and mana stones? No. This was different. This was fundamentally different. It was a kind of instinct. His instincts as a vampire were screaming at Eugene. That ¡®thing¡¯ had to be removed at all cost. *** It was hard to believe that they were still in the dungeon. The illuminating lights originated from the bodies of hundreds of low-rank monsters hanging from the wall. The torches of death burned bright using the fluids and oils of the monsters as their source. And in the middle of it all, a giant monster with two heads roared with all four of its arms raised. Huwwwwuuuugh!!! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Eugene began to walk forward after seeing the four-eyed monster. The grotesque monster was wearing a bizarre helmet made by forcibly crumpling human equipment together. ¡°Twinhead ogre¡­¡± Eugene muttered quietly. It was an evolutionary form of a monster that could be called the strongest on earth. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t a living being, but rather an undead monster that had been revived by magic. Favorite CH 70 There were numerous monsters that could be classified as giant types. All of them were violent, and they were even stronger than large carnivores such as gray bears. And among the giant-type monsters, the ogre possessed an unrivaled status. They possessed terrifying power capable of easily ripping apart intermediate-rank monsters such as trolls, and regular weapons could not even scratch their thick skin. Moreover, ogres were incredibly agile even though they were over four meters tall. As such, regular soldiers and mercenaries stood no chance against the weaker, roamer counterpart ogres. Five or six heavily armed knights would be required to rival a roamer ogre. Ogres residing in dungeons were much stronger than their counterparts, and a twin-headed ogre stood above all of its brethren. It was said that an ogre could only evolve or mutate into a twin-headed ogre by killing hundreds or thousands of monsters and consuming their mana stones. Eugene was currently faced with a twin-headed ogre. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The titan slowly walked forward as if to announce its reign of power. It was undoubtedly the king of this dungeon. The monster¡¯s four, thick muscular arms were long enough to touch the ground, and they were as thick as the bodies of two or three adult men. The four hands were holding shields and weapons formed from the equipment of dead humans. Moreover, the monster was wearing armor crafted by connecting pieces and bits of plates and chains, as well as helmets for its two heads. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°Hick! Hick!¡± Mirian hiccupped while hiding behind Eugene. The twin-headed ogre was exuding an overwhelming majesty. Eugene sheathed Wolfslaughter before retrieving the javelins from his back. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± He collected his breath. Then, Eugene''s whole body was engulfed in a soaring frenzy of Vampire Fear. Kwaaaaaa! The energy quickly expanded and enveloped the ogre, but the monster kept walking without care. It appeared that the monster was unfazed by Eugene¡¯s Fear. ¡°As expected, undead monsters do not respond to¡­ Hmm?¡± Eugene started muttering before suddenly stopping. He could feel something far beyond the ogre from his heightened senses, near the end of the spacious area. The ogre suddenly picked up its speed and began running towards Eugene. Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°Kieeeek! Sir!¡± Mirian shouted with panic when the ogre took its third step, and a javelin was liberated from Eugene¡¯s hand at the same time. It drew a straight line through the air. Fwoosh! However, the javelin missed the ogre as it ripped through the air. Instead, it passed between the monster¡¯s arms. ¡°Kiek!?¡± Mirian was dismayed. Eugene had missed his target, even though he was usually accurate enough to shoot down a flying wyvern from the sky. However¡­ Kuuuuuwaaagh¡­! A piercing scream was heard from the far distance. The ogre suddenly halted less than ten meters in front of Eugene. Papapapapat! Eugene darted forward with a glimmer in his eyes. He completely ignored the ogre, which was standing still like a stone statue, and threw another javelin while maintaining his speed. Thuck! ¡°Kiiyaaahk!¡± Another scream broke out and Eugene quickly arrived in front of his target. Fwoosh! Wolfslaughter left behind a silver trail as it sliced. Less than five seconds had passed since Eugene¡¯s first javelin. Eugene had moved as if he personified speed itself. Thud. The object rolled as it dropped to the floor. It was an incense burner emitting a dark red smoke from its many holes. It was crafted from elaborately piecing three skulls together. ¡°A holy knight¡­¡± The being started to speak in a hoarse, raspy, and poisonous voice, but it was interrupted as Wolfslaughter flashed once again. Slice! The famed sword was carefully smithed and smelted together by mixing silver and meteoric iron. It emitted an eerie cry as it cut straight through. - When dealing with wizards, you must end it as soon as possible. You must cut off their heads or destroy their sticks. Do not give them a chance to finish their words. Eugene was faithful to Galfredik¡¯s advice. He looked down at the kneeling, headless body. The javelins had pierced through the figure¡¯s grey robes and body. The hand of the corpse was still tightly grasping a stick with an incense burner made of skulls. He was clearly a wizard, although he was already dead. ¡°Kiek!? W-was this man manipulating the ogre?¡± Mirian screamed. ¡°That seems to be the case. The ogre stopped moving as soon as my javelin found its target.¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Ha! But how did you know to aim at this guy instead of the ogre? How did you know that he was here without seeing him?¡± Mirian expressed her curiosity. ¡°My Fear reached him, but he must have assumed that I wouldn¡¯t notice him because of the ogre¡¯s large size,¡± Eugene explained. According to the last words of the wizard, it was clear that he had considered Eugene to be a holy knight. Even if holy knights were armed with special equipment and possessed great amounts of divine power, they were ultimately human. Monsters could be considered the absolute enemies of the church, so the wizard must have assumed that Eugene would be oblivious to his existence due to the overwhelming presence of the ogre. It was a reasonable and fair thought. However, the wizard could never have considered one minor detail ¨C that Eugene was an Origin Vampire, the highest-ranking noble of the undead. ¡°Kieeeeeeek! Sir! Did you just kill a black wizard!? Awesome!¡± Mirian started jumping around with excitement. ¡°You¡¯re distracting me.¡± Eugene waved his hand with annoyance, pushing away the spirit before examining the dead wizard¡¯s body. ¡®Why is there a wizard inside a dungeon? And how long had he been here for? Why did he create an undead out of an ogre? Does Essandra or Edrique know of this?¡¯ The more he thought about it, the stranger and more suspicious it was. The incense burner caught Eugene¡¯s eye. It was no longer emitting any smoke. The skull incense burner was the head of the stick used by the wizard, and Eugene had instantly noticed that it seemed to express powerful magic, which was why he had prioritized it. ¡®It¡¯s quite elaborate.¡¯ Eugene didn¡¯t know much about magical tools, but the incense burner was quite unusual even at first glance. It was very elaborately crafted, and strange shapes, as well as symbols, were densely carved on the surface of the three small skeletons. ¡®Let¡¯s think about it later. I¡¯ll take anything valuable.¡¯ Eugene searched the wizard¡¯s body after storing the incense burner in his pack. Since the wizard was talented enough to create an undead out of a twin-headed ogre, he would certainly have a lot of valuable items. *** ¡°Maybe he¡¯s already dead?¡± ¡°Probably. Haa! This is so boring. Why are we still waiting? We should head back already,¡± A soldier grumbled a response to his colleague while stretching his arms. ¡°Shh! What if Sir Megber hears you? Even though he¡¯s not very fond of that knight, you know how much he values promises.¡± The soldier¡¯s colleague whispered while bringing a finger to his lips. ¡°T-that¡¯s true.¡± Both soldiers turned their eyes toward Megber, who was resting in the distance. It was then when¡­ Boom! Boom! ¡°Aggh!¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± The two soldiers fell to the ground with embarrassing shouts. Boom! Another roar resounded from the inside. Megber and the other soldiers rushed to the entrance. ¡°What is it!? Were you two responsible for that sound?¡± ¡°N-no! It wasn¡¯t us. I-it came from inside the door, sir!¡± One of the soldiers answered while hurriedly saluting. Megber¡¯s eyes were filled with suspicion as he looked at the two soldiers. Boom! Another roar resounded from the inside. Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°¡­!¡± Everyone¡¯s mouths opened agape when they heard the loud sound. It had resounded exactly three times. ¡°S-sir? That was exactly three times. Shall we open the door?¡± One of the soldiers asked. ¡°Well¡­ Just wait for now. It could be an evil monster trying to play tricks on us.¡± Megber answered after a moment of hesitation. ¡°¡­¡± Although no one actually believed Megber¡¯s ridiculous claim, all of them quickly shut their mouths. No one was foolish enough to question a knight¡¯s words. While the soldiers and workers remained silent, a little bit of water started flowing from underneath the stone gate. But no one noticed it. A short moment later¡­ Neiiiigh! Neigh! Silion started rushing to the dungeon¡¯s entrance from a little distance away. ¡°W-what is it?¡± Neiiiiigh! The stallion pushed the humans away, then kicked the stone gate with his hind hooves. Boom! Boom! Boom! Silion was clearly signaling for the humans to open the gate. Even the horse had noticed that his owner was waiting inside. ¡°Argh!¡± Megber bit his lips. ¡°All soldiers, prepare for battle, just in case. You guys open the door.¡± Megber continued. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The soldiers answered in unison before raising their shields, and the workers slowly unclasped a large iron lock before opening the stone gate. Soon, the stone gate started to slowly inch open, and the unique stench of the dungeon rushed over them. The workers quickly stepped back. A moment of silence ensued¡­ Krrrrrrr! Someone pushed the stone gate open with great force. ¡°Hick!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The workers and soldiers hurriedly retreated with shock. Finally, Eugene walked out of the fully opened entrance. ¡°I-it¡¯s him!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± They quickly forgot their shock and started to greet Eugene. However, they were forced to flinch. Eugene¡¯s plate armor was stained with blood, and chunks and pieces of flesh and organs were plastered all over his figure. It was truly a terrible sight. ¡°I thought I told you to open the door when I knocked three times,¡± Eugene took off his helmet while speaking in a cold voice as he looked around. ¡°I-I apologize.¡± ¡°Please forgive me, sir!¡± Everyone but Megber bowed after hearing Eugene¡¯s reprimand. It was clear from his appearance that the knight had fought a desperate battle for life and death. ¡°It¡¯s fine since you all opened the gate in the end. Everyone, prepare to enter the dungeon.¡± Eugene said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Megber gave a hurried response with an incredulous expression. ¡°What else could I mean? We need to dismantle the corpses and gather the by-products. Why are you asking such an obvious question?¡± Eugene answered in an irritated tone. ¡°Huh! You want me to believe the words of a man who came back after just one day, let alone three days? I think it¡¯s about time to stop with the bluffs¡­ Hmm!?¡± Megber started speaking with a frown but was promptly forced to shut his mouth. Thud. Megber¡¯s expression underwent a massive transformation. After taking it out from his pack, Eugene was spilling the contents of a leather pocket on the floor. ¡°Mana stones!¡± ¡°H-how many is that?¡± The small mana stones continued to pour endlessly. It was clear that there were about a hundred at first glance. ¡°Sir. If you continue to doubt my honor and spew bullshit one more time, I will not stand still anymore.¡± Eugene declared. ¡°¡­!¡± Megber raised his head with a blank expression. The moment he saw Eugene¡¯s red eyes, he came to a realization as he started to tremble. The man standing in front of him was no longer an arrogant, insane knight. He was an extraordinary, rare talent and the first man in history to subjugate an evil land by himself. ¡°If you understand, then let us go in,¡± Eugene spoke. ¡®H-how could this be¡­?¡¯ Megber followed the workers into the dungeon. His eyes continued to quiver with shock. However, this was just the beginning. The mana stones that Eugene had dumped on the floor were those collected from the exploding bats. They were only a fraction of Eugene¡¯s total kills, and there were still hundreds of corpses waiting to be dismantled. *** ¡°My lord! Lord Edrique! Sir Magber and Sir Eugene have returned!¡± A guard captain hurriedly reported. ¡°What!? It has only been two days since they left for the dungeon, so what are you talking about?¡± Edrique shouted as jumped up from his seat. He had been leisurely enjoying a glass of wine while his slaves gently fanned him. ¡°Did he run away from the dungeon? I knew it! Even if he talked big¡­¡± Edrique started shouting rather triumphantly. ¡°T-that¡¯s not it, my lord!¡± The guard captain interrupted. ¡°What do you mean that¡¯s not it?¡± Edrique asked with a frown. ¡°The subjugation was a huge success! They have returned with materials belonging to more than three hundred monsters! There are five completely full carts, my lord!¡± The guard captain shouted excitedly. ¡°Huh!?¡± Edrique ran to the balcony with disbelief. It appeared that the rumors had spread already. The people of the castle were already in the courtyard to witness the unbelievable sight. While receiving the gazes of countless people, Eugene jumped from Silion and took off his helmet before raising his head. Eugene met Edrique¡¯s eyes before speaking, ¡°I stopped by on my way back to give you my greetings, my lord. By the way, I must return all the way to the territorial border¡­ Could I ask for your continued support with the workers?¡± ¡°O-o-of course! Of course! I will support you with anything you want, sir! H-however¡­¡± Edrique stuttered a response. As a direct descendant of a marquisate, Edrique quickly came up with ideas. He continued with an expression of concern and anticipation. ¡°Please tell my darling sister, whom I respect and adore, that I, her beloved brother Edrique, gave my full support to you, Sir Eugene!¡± Edrique had demanded 10 silver coins per person from Essandra to allow her passage to the dungeon. Considering the sizes of normal subjugation groups, it was a rather unfair condition. However, since Eugene succeeded in subjugating the dungeon alone, Edrique would have to continue receiving ten silver coins to allow him passage. If he attempted to modify the conditions, his eldest sister would surely become furious. ¡°That¡¯s not a difficult request, my lord. I will do so.¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much, Sir Eugene!¡± It was clear that Edrique¡¯s time of impartiality between his sister and brother was finally over after more than a year. However, he wasn¡¯t dismayed. What could Gabriel possibly say, when the cause of his change was a knight with such ridiculous achievements? In fact, this was the best possible outcome for Edrique. ¡°Hahaha! Sir Eugene! To celebrate, I will hold a banquet, so¡­¡± Edrique started to speak. ¡°Lord Edrique! Lord Edrique!¡± Several nobles of the castle shouted while belatedly rushing into his office. ¡°We heard of Sir Megber¡¯s return. Did he retrieve the body of that arrogant man? Ah! Should we start the funeral process right away?¡± The nobles continued to shout without realizing the current situation. ¡°¡­¡± Edrique¡¯s expression underwent an immediate change. The nobles could not see Eugene standing in the courtyard without making their way to the balcony. ¡°We will have to hold a big, fancy funeral to satisfy¡­¡± The nobles continued without care. ¡°Perhaps we will be holding your funerals today, sirs. Shut up and prepare a banquet!¡± CH 71 ¡°Sir! Sir Galfredik! I think you should come out and see this!¡± A mercenary urgently shouted after opening the entrance to the tent. Galfredik stopped his conversation with Partec¡¯s group and turned his head with a frown. ¡°What is it? Did another bastard get caught stealing a pig from someone¡¯s ranch?¡± Galfredik asked. Just yesterday, he had pummeled a few drunk mercenaries after they were caught stealing pigs and chickens from a nearby house. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that! The other sirs¡­ they are about to fight¡­¡± The mercenary quickly shook his head after remembering three of his banished colleagues. ¡°Those bastards are really¡­¡± Galfredik muttered with frustration. It had been rather strange that they managed to stay quiet for the last few days. It seemed the knights were finally revealing their true colors once more and were more active in causing trouble. ¡°Who did they pick a fight with? Lord Edrique¡¯s troops? Or the merchants?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°No, sir. I think¡­ they are knights related to Lord Gabriel,¡± The mercenary answered. ¡°Hooh?¡± Galfredik narrowed his eyes. They were currently camped at the border of Lord Essandra¡¯s territory and Lord Edrique¡¯s territory. However, at the same time, they were also on a path leading to Lord Gabriel¡¯s territory. Essandra and Edrique did not prevent the nobles and knights serving their brethren from passing through their own territory. Although they were currently at a stand-off, doing so could escalate the situation into a real, full-blown war. Moreover, they had to give each other face as well. As such, knights and nobles would pay a toll and pass through the various territories when they could not be bothered to go around, but it seemed that there was a conflict between Gabriel¡¯s knights and the knights following Eugene. ¡®Is this regarding what master mentioned before? This is rather fortunate.¡¯ Galfredik left his tent with a grin, remembering what Eugene had told him before leaving. *** ¡°Mere wandering knights dare to block the way? Those who aren¡¯t even sworn in by a lord? We are knights serving Lord Gabriel, he who continues the honor and legacy of the Archivold marquisate.¡± ¡°Be patient with them, Sir Domingo. They do not know their own place.¡± A knight responded in an arrogant manner. There were three knights, and all of them were armed with high-quality plate mail that glistened in the light. All three knights were also donning surcoats with the symbol of the Archivold marquisate. ¡°Hmph! And since when did Lord Gabriel ¡®continue¡¯ the honor and legacy of Archivold? Lord Essandra is the eldest daughter of the marquisate. She is the one true representative of Archivold!¡± One of Eugene¡¯s knights retorted. ¡°Right!¡± Another agreed. The followers of Eugene, the free knights, were no pushovers either. They were already enamored by Eugene and Essandra, and they shouted enthusiastically at Gabriel¡¯s knights. ¡°Hm! They are trying to mislead us with nonsense! Sirs, let us get going. My ears will rot if I keep listening to these people.¡± One of Gabriel¡¯s knights declared. Not all knights were the same. Territorial knights ¨C in particular, those serving a great noble, like a marquis, did not consider free knights to be on the same level as them. To them, free knights were only a little better than regular mercenaries. As such, Gabriel¡¯s knights did not hide their contempt and attempted to cross the bridge while ignoring the free knights. ¡°Kuhahaha! I knew it! Cowards! Oi, are you all trying to run away?¡± Gabriel¡¯s knights turned their heads after hearing a loud, vigorous shout. Galfredik was standing in a relaxed manner with his arms folded. His eyes burned fiercely. ¡°Sir! Did you just call us cowards?¡± One of Gabriel¡¯s knights retorted. ¡°Why? Did I say something wrong? Were you not about to run away with your tail between your legs, since you had nothing more to say? That¡¯s what it looked like to me.¡± Galfredik said. ¡°W-what did you say?¡± ¡°Take that back right this instant!¡± Gabriel¡¯s knights responded with fury. Galfredik¡¯s lips curled up into a cold smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will. And sirs, what you said just a moment ago, all those fancy words about how Lord Gabriel continues the legacy and honor of Archivold. Could you say the same words in front of Lord Essandra? If you could repeat yourselves in front of Lord Essandra, I will apologize immediately.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± The knights flinched. Galfredik¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Why? You can¡¯t do it? Kuhaha! I would think that all of you are some kind of peddlers, with your swaying, pendulous beliefs. It¡¯s a waste to call people like you knights. I truly feel for Lord Gabriel. At least peddlers can bring him back some money.¡± Galfredik continued to taunt the knights. ¡°You!¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°You bastard! Take that back immediately!¡± The three knights erupted into anger and pulled out their longswords. The mercenaries quickly retreated with shock after seeing the swords of the three knights glistening sharply with light. But Galfredik stood still. Moreover, the free knights took their place behind Galfredik. They had succeeded in carrying out their secret orders by deliberately starting a quarrel with Gabriel¡¯s knights. ¡°What? You want to have a go?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Of course! We will be ashamed to call ourselves knights if we stay still after being insulted like this!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough for you to insult us, you even dared to insult Lord Gabriel as well? I will cut off your slimy tongue!¡± It appeared that Gabriel¡¯s knights were unable to contain their anger. However, they were hiding their true agenda as well. Just as Galfredik and the free knights caused a deliberate quarrel, Gabriel¡¯s knights had also chosen to travel this path with a specific purpose. ¡®The knight named Eugene isn¡¯t here?¡¯ ¡®Then the remainder are weaklings. If we can crush the morale of the remaining knights, we can humiliate Lord Essandra as well.¡¯ Gabriel¡¯s knights were survivors of the peninsula¡¯s chaotic times. As such, they were quite smart. Even though they weren¡¯t fully convinced by the incredulous rumors surrounding Eugene, they were still unwilling to take risks. As such, they judged that it was worth a shot to engage with the opponents in Eugene¡¯s absence. This was the perfect opportunity to break Essandra¡¯s spirit while leaving a strong impression and a warning for Edrique, who was still trying to walk a fine line between both Gabriel and Essandra¡¯s camp. ¡°So you are asking for a duel,¡± Galfredik stated. ¡°Hmph! Are you trying to avoid it? It seems you are the one who is cowardly, sir!¡± One of Gabriel¡¯s knights provoked. ¡°How could that be? I was only worried about your lives, sirs.¡± Galfredik responded with a grin. ¡°What did you say!?¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t get too excited. Let¡¯s have a 3 on 3 match. How about a brawl without our swords? Things might become problematic if anyone dies, right?¡± Galfredik suggested. ¡°¡­..!¡± The three knights quickly exchanged a glance. Knights weren¡¯t only good at handling weapons such as spears and swords, knights were human weapons that excelled at all aspects of fighting as well. A true knight could easily best a few soldiers on the battlefield even without a weapon. ¡°Not a bad idea. Let¡¯s do that.¡± Gabriel¡¯s knights quickly nodded. ¡°Hehe! That¡¯s an excellent choice.¡± Craaack! Galfredik chuckled while cracking his neck. ¡°Sir, I will participate.¡± ¡°No, Sir Galfredik. Leave it to me.¡± The free knights were eager to be chosen. Galfredik randomly chose two well-built knights before speaking in a quiet voice. ¡°Sirs, let¡¯s make sure they are barely breathing when we are finished with them. I, no, Sir Eugene will take full responsibility for it.¡± ¡°Say no more.¡± ¡°I will crush their bones.¡± The chosen knights responded. They were delighted to think that they were finally provided with a chance to display their true skills. ¡°Then who will go first?¡± One of Gabriel¡¯s knights asked after dismounting his horse. Galfredik smashed his gauntlets together before bursting into a frenzied laugh. ¡°Three on three! It will be a group match! Kuhahahaha!¡± He then charged forward like a wild boar. *** Even if it wasn¡¯t grand, Eugene felt that his farewell ceremony had been sincere. He left Edrique¡¯s castle along with five carts. ¡®It didn¡¯t seem like Edrique knew anything about the wizard.¡¯ Edrique was a cautious man. He was so cautious that he did not attempt to subjugate the dungeon as to not provoke his sister Essandra. It was nearly impossible for such a man to have sent a black wizard into the dungeon to transform an ogre into an undead. ¡®It¡¯s probably not Essandra either. Then¡­¡¯ The most likely suspect was the eldest son, Gabriel. It was also entirely possible that the black wizard ran his scheme by himself, but it wasn¡¯t easy for an outsider to invade an evil land belonging to a great noble. ¡®Perhaps I should have asked him before killing him? No, I made the right choice. Wizards are dangerous.¡¯ Romari was the only wizard he knew, and she was sometimes a little dumb and untrustworthy. However, if she came at him with the full brunt of her magic, even Eugene would have to be very careful. As such, it was best to kill a wizard before they could use their magic. ¡°Sir, sir. What are you going to do about that undead ogre? Are you going to leave it be?¡± Mirian whispered while leaning over. She was seated on Eugene¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Not everyone has access to the dungeon, and the monsters of the dungeon are reborn within two to three weeks. Most won¡¯t get past those bats,¡± Eugene whispered. ¡°That¡¯s true. But! But! Why did those bats explode? Even that giant bat exploded after being hit by your fear,¡± Mirian asked. ¡°The power they were emitting was similar to a vampire¡¯s fear. Perhaps our powers were quite similar, which was why the stronger side could overwhelm the other and cause them to explode.¡± Eugene theorized. ¡°Wow! Awesome.¡± Eugene was convinced as he recalled the invisible ray of power used by the giant bat. Their powers had been strangely similar to a vampire¡¯s, perhaps since they were bloodsucking monsters. ¡®Anyways¡­¡¯ Eugene recalled the memories he regained after consuming the red mana stone of the giant bat. One woman and two men. The three figures had been adorned in extremely elegant clothes, and they had been smiling brightly at himself. Although their faces were still blurry, he was certain they had been smiling, and the lips of the three figures had been red like blood. ¡®Vampires. Maybe Origins, just like me.¡¯ And he suspected that the three of them knew the story of his birth ¨C because he was looking up at the three in his memories. ¡®I need to consume more red mana stones.¡¯ There were still over ten tattoos left on his body. Once all of his tattoos were erased, he would surely regain all of his memories and finally discover his own ¡®existence.¡¯ ¡°Sir, we are almost at the border.¡± One of Edrique¡¯s workers reported. Eugene raised his head. He could see a narrow bridge up ahead and some of Edrique¡¯s soldiers guarding it. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah! Sir!¡± The soldiers became startled after hearing Eugene¡¯s voice and quickly bowed their heads. ¡°There is a fight happening at the campsite of the sirs. We were watching it because we were bored.¡± One of the soldiers reported. ¡°A fight?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. I think the knights are fighting. It¡¯s quite crazy,¡± A soldier replied. ¡°Is that so?¡± Eugene invoked his vampiric abilities to observe the campsite on the other side of the river. ¡°Hooh¡­¡± Indeed, it was just as the soldier said. There was a fight happening inside of a circle formed by the mercenaries. One of the fighters stood out. ¡°You¡¯re doing well,¡± Eugene muttered with a smile. Galfredik was on top of another knight, raining down punches without showing mercy. *** ¡°Have you heard from him yet?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°No, my lord. With all due respect, I think it might be best to forget about Sir Eugene. It was an act of insanity to head into Lord Edrique¡¯s territory alone. If he really entered the dungeon by himself as well, there¡¯s no chance he would ever return safely.¡± Geko answered. He was a faithful, loyal knight, and he was truly sorry to see that his lord had vain expectations. However, Essandra grinned in response. ¡°Hoho! Sir, you are truly loyal, but it¡¯s a bit unfortunate that you cannot see the bigger picture. Well, I guess that¡¯s the charm I see in you.¡± ¡°I am unsure as to what you might be talking about¡­¡± Geko expressed his puzzlement. ¡°Just as you said, sir, Jan Eugene is out of his mind. Although it¡¯s quite praiseworthy for him to have handed over that murderer to me, he should have stopped there.¡± Essandra answered. ¡°Yes. So why did you allow him to head to the dungeon?¡± Geko asked. ¡°Edrique. It was to¡­¡± ¡°My lord! Lord Essandra!¡± The nobles of the castle shouted as they entered the room. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s going on?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°T-that knight! Sir Eugene is back!¡± The nobles answered. ¡°¡­..!¡± Essandra was shocked. She even dropped a grape she was about to plop into her mouth. However, a slave quickly handed her another grape, and she frowned as she quickly placed it into her mouth. ¡°Tsk! I thought he might do something useful, but he must have been kicked out by Edrique. Well, that¡¯s not the worst outcome. If I can pressure Edrique with this¡­¡± Essandra started talking rather regretfully. ¡°T-that¡¯s not it, my lord!¡± However, the nobles interrupted. ¡°Hmm? Then what is it?¡± Essandra asked. The nobles could not hide their excitement as they shouted. ¡°The subjugation! It was a great success! Sir Eugene has returned with five carts filled with the by-products of monsters!¡± ¡°In addition, he successfully captured Lord Gabriel¡¯s knights as prisoners!¡± Another grape dropped to the floor from Essandra¡¯s lips. CH 72 ¡°As promised, you will give me half of the mana stones and the materials, correct?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­..!¡± Essandra stared blankly at the mountain of materials before flinching. She responded with a bright smile. ¡°Of course! Ahahahaha! Dammit! I knew I could believe in you, sir!¡± Essandra was clearly delighted. The knights and nobles standing behind Essandra could not help but shiver. The number of materials brought back by Eugene was enormous, but it was even more unbelievable that he had achieved it ¡®alone.¡¯ ¡®H-how could this be possible?¡¯ ¡®Is this knight truly a monster!?¡¯ One or two famed, incredibly skilled knights were born every blue moon. Their stories spoke of an impossible victory against hundreds of enemy soldiers or hunting several large monsters by themselves. However, none had ever succeeded in conquering a dungeon by themselves. Even the most skilled knights would bring along at least a team of mercenaries and a few aides, and such figures were praised as ¡®master knights.¡¯ However, the young knight standing in front of them had executed a successful subjugation by himself. There was only a single explanation for an impossible feat such as this ¨C Eugene was an unparalleled prodigy. Such a genius might be born once a century, and any sane noble would go nuts to build a relationship with such a knight or have the knight under their command. ¡°Open the gates! I will invite all the brave warriors who follow Sir Eugene! A feast! A banquet! I will be holding a grand banquet!¡± Essandra shouted with ecstasy. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± All the surrounding figures immediately answered. Essandra was considered the brightest of her siblings, and her orders were quickly carried out. *** A marvelous feast was held at the palace and the courtyard of Essandra¡¯s castle. Eugene¡¯s mercenaries were rather fed up with eating the same, stale food every day. As such, they ate and drank gluttonously without holding back. The atmosphere heated up even more as the band started playing an exciting tune. The dancers and clowns displayed their talents as well. ¡°Hahahaha! Drink up!¡± Essandra encouraged the attendees. Essandra was quite broad-minded. As such, she mixed with her subordinates and other attendees without hesitation. She even went as far as to personally pour drinks for Eugene¡¯s mercenaries. Her treatment of Eugene¡¯s men was truly exceptional. Nevertheless, she possessed a unique charm that allowed her to dominate the atmosphere. Her authority was innate, and no one dared to underestimate or belittle her. It was evident that she was a prepared monarch from the perplexed reactions of the rough, ignorant mercenaries. ¡°Now, then, Sir Eugene. We have something else to talk about, right?¡± Essandra spoke after returning to her seats. Her slaves hurriedly took their place at her side and started fanning her and massaging her hands and feet. ¡°How did you manage to capture the knights of Gabriel?¡± She asked. ¡°They seemed to have had a quarrel with some of those men on their way to Lord Edrique¡¯s territory,¡± Eugene answered while beckoning toward the free knights. ¡°Hooh~ I thought they were just dead wood, but it seems I was mistaken,¡± Essandra spoke curiously. Eugene glanced at the prideful knights. They were surrounding Galfredik and laughing boisterously with boastful expressions. ¡°They are quite useful. They have helped me in many ways as well.¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Hmm. Now that you are officially a lord, are you planning on taking them in?¡± Essandra asked. Eugene shook his head and replied in a quiet voice. ¡°I cannot afford to do that.¡± ¡°Hoho! Indeed, I am quite fond of you.¡± Essandra answered with an alluring smile, stroking Eugene¡¯s arm at the same time. It was fortunate that Mirian was completely occupied with the food and drinks of the banquet. After all, the spirit would have thrown a fit if she were here. ¡°It is difficult for knights seeking fame and honor to also possess a sense of reality. In that sense, you will continue to grow, sir. I guarantee it.¡± Essandra answered, feeling rather charmed by Eugene¡¯s answer. ¡°I remember you asking me if anyone had ever called me crazy, my lord,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Haha! Knights that hold grudges are not attractive, sir.¡± Essandra waved her hand while chuckling. Then, she continued after sending away the slaves. ¡°Anyways, thanks to your efforts, it is now clear that Edrique will submit to me in the future. If I tell him that I will be sending you to the dungeon once a month, he won¡¯t be able to prohibit a subjugation force under the pretext of tolls.¡± Essandra said. ¡°That¡¯s great. Then what about Lord Elena?¡± Eugene asked. Elena was the youngest remaining sibling after the death of Bemos. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about her. She does whatever Gabriel tells her to do, so she will kneel before me if I take care of Gabriel. Well, she does have two strange wizards by her side, but I¡¯m certain that she would not dare to confront me.¡± Essandra explained. ¡°Wizards?¡± Eugene asked with curiosity. Essandra felt it was rather strange for Eugene to ask, but she answered anyway. ¡°Well. You already know that the bishop fled to the royal city after my father was overthrown, right? These wizards crawled into the marquisate not long after that. I¡¯m not sure what school they belong to, but I heard that the two of them are in a teacher-student relationship. Elena is quite reliant on them. Crazy wench. If I succeed the marquisate, I¡¯m planning on getting rid of them right away.¡± Most nobles didn¡¯t particularly dislike wizards. However, it bothered Essandra that her younger sister was heavily reliant on wizards of unknown origin. Even though Essandra was quite candid, she cared deeply about her siblings as well. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Anything!¡± Essandra answered. ¡°What is the exact relationship between Lord Elena and Lord Gabriel like? To what degree does she follow him? Eugene continued. ¡°They were inseparable ever since we were young. Gabriel adored Elena terribly. Isn¡¯t it quite obvious, that she would send even her own husband to Gabriel?¡± Essandra explained. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ah, you didn¡¯t know? Sir Andre is Elena¡¯s husband.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± As if she found Eugene¡¯s reaction amusing, Essandra giggled before she continued to explain. ¡°Now do you understand why I was overjoyed when you brought me that murderer? It gave me a hold on both Gabriel and Elena.¡± ¡°Hmm. But they can simply deny anything.¡± Eugene answered. ¡°That¡¯s possible. But that will be useless. The nobles under them are bound to be shaken. Can Gabriel succeed the marquisate in that situation? He will be branded as a traitor of the peninsula. He can never do that.¡± Essandra explained. ¡°Congratulations. You will soon be called a marquis.¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s all thanks to you, sir.¡± Eugene was sincerely amazed at Essandra. She clearly proved the importance of one¡¯s political power and influence in the noble society. As such, Eugene decided to gift her another hand that could be utilized to secure her position as the succeeding Marquis of Archivold. ¡°Lord Essandra,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°What is it, my beloved Sir Eugene?¡± She answered while stroking his arm once again. Eugene wasn¡¯t used to her flirtatious actions, so he escaped her touch before continuing. ¡°Although the tides have turned in your favor, my lord, there¡¯s still a possibility of an all-out war, correct?¡± He asked. ¡°Well, yes,¡± Essandra answered in a dejected voice. Gabriel could certainly escalate the conflict if he was cornered. ¡°Then when you meet Lord Gabriel and Lord Elena, please say this before you bring up the incident regarding Balmong,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hmm? Say what?¡± She asked. ¡°The wizard of the dungeon is dead,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­..?¡± Essandra simply blinked several times. She was clearly confused. Eugene continued in a lower voice. ¡°If they do not show any reaction, continue on to the matter with Balmong. If they react at all, the conflict will never escalate into a territorial war. They will kneel down before you of their own will. In any case, you stand to lose nothing, my lord.¡± ¡°¡­Sir. Are you sure no one¡¯s ever called you crazy before?¡± Essandra asked with a baffled expression. ¡°Never.¡± Eugene once again answered with a straight face. ¡°I understand, but what does that mean? I need to know the facts if I want it done properly.¡± Essandra expressed her frustration. ¡°You have to keep this to yourself, my lord.¡± Eugene slowly and quietly began to give a summary of the dungeon¡¯s events, although he made sure to hide the various details. Since Essandra was never trained as a knight, she took Eugene¡¯s words at face value. Of course, the trust and favor she had towards Eugene had escalated enormously after Eugene¡¯s brilliant achievement, which contributed greatly to her response. ¡°I also brought the wizard¡¯s head, just in case,¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°And you think the evil wizard must be one of the two that Elena is with?¡± Essandra answered. Her relaxed, leisurely demeanor was replaced by an ice-cold atmosphere. ¡°I think it is highly probable. Only those permitted by the direct descendants of the marquisate can enter the dungeon in the first place, right? Of course, it would be a relief if my guess is wrong.¡± Eugene said. ¡°Gabriel. Elena. Those crazy bitches¡­¡± Essandra was genuinely furious. The fact that she could utilize this fact to completely subdue her younger siblings wasn¡¯t very important. She was heartbroken and filled with disappointment and anger that her younger siblings might have resorted to such a disgraceful, unforgivable action as children of the Archivold family, the pillar of the peninsula. ¡°Sir Eugene,¡± Essandra called out. ¡°Please speak.¡± He answered. ¡°I apologize, but I hope you can keep this matter a secret from everyone else.¡± Essandra pleaded. ¡°Naturally.¡± It was obviously a lie. Eugene was planning to let Galfredik and Romari know. In particular, he had an order and a gift for Romari. ¡®That way, I can keep her working even if she manages to complete her chimera.¡¯ ¡°Phew! It seems that I¡¯ve done nothing but receive your help, sir. Of course, I presume there is something you want in return, right?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°Yes. Please recognize me as a lord, but not under the Archivold Marquisate.¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Tsk! I thought that might be the case, but I¡¯m rather disappointed to hear it.¡± Essandra spoke regretfully. ¡°That¡¯s fine. But will you be okay? You might be liberated from your duties, but there could be quite a few figures who might consider you a thorn in their sides.¡± Essandra asked with worry. Becoming a vassal of a great noble meant that one was obligated to respond to the call of their lord at any time. However, the relationship also allowed the vassals to be protected by their superior. There was a reason why nobles continued to establish blood ties with others to form their forces. ¡°There is no need to worry about that. I will have the authority of a lord, but I intend to share the responsibility with others. Of course, I will need a little help from you, my lord,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°I¡¯m referring to those men over there.¡± Eugene beckoned and Essandra followed his gaze to the smiling, noisy free knights. ¡°Please have them sworn in by you, my lord. I will take care of them and give them portions of my territory.¡± Eugene answered. ¡°What? What does that¡­ Ha!¡± Essandra came to a realization, and she laughed vainly. ¡°You are planning to tie the knights to your territory after they become sworn in to me? And since they were born and raised in the peninsula, no one will have the justification to touch your land? Ha! My goodness!¡± Essandra continued. She was baffled by Eugene¡¯s request. ¡°Will it not be to your advantage as well, my lord? You will gain seven knights under your command without spending a single coin. Those men are quite formidable as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ Ha! Haha!¡± Essandra laughed before staring at Eugene with a straight expression. ¡°Fine. I will accept all of your requests and suggestions,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°However, I have a condition,¡± She continued. ¡°¡­..?¡± Eugene frowned, and Essandra continued with a meaningful smile. ¡°There¡¯s nothing better than blood ties as evidence of mutual trust.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Sir, you are still unmarried, right? One of my nieces is quite fine. She¡¯s Gabriel¡¯s eldest daughter, so take her. If you don¡¯t want to become engaged, you can have her as your aide as well. She is the best swordsman in our family,¡± Essandra said. ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene was at a loss for words after hearing the sudden proposal. However, an idea suddenly came to his mind like lightning. ¡°It might be a bit difficult for me, but what about the person I trust the most? He is almost like a brother to me.¡± Eugene suggested. ¡°A vassal? Who?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°That man. He contributed the most in pummeling, or rather, capturing the knights of Lord Gabriel.¡± Eugene answered while gesturing towards Galfredik. Both of their eyes became fixated on the burly knight, who was smiling pleasantly while gulping down wine. ¡°That knight¡­¡± ¡°Is Rowan of the Galfredik family. I assure you, you will be hard-pressed to find a knight that could rival him. He is a good friend, as well as an incredibly loyal knight. He does not have any aides yet as well.¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Hmm. Not bad. Good, then I will send Selena as that knight¡¯s aide. Depending on the situation, it will be good for them to become engaged.¡± Essandra accepted Eugene¡¯s counterproposal. ¡°I am grateful for your consideration, my lord,¡± Eugene spoke while inwardly sighing with relief. A thought suddenly came to his mind, and he asked another question. ¡°How old is Lady Selena?¡± ¡°Fifteen.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± It was rather common for girls younger than fifteen to become engaged as a noble. But Eugene couldn¡¯t believe that Essandra would send her niece, who had not even commenced her coming-of-age ceremony, to such a rough, burly-looking knight. ¡®Things will become even more complicated if they find out that he¡¯s a vampire. Well, that will never happen.¡¯ Essandra was trying to keep him by her side, but Eugene was confident of escaping her influence whenever he wanted. Regardless, Eugene stared at Galfredik without a word. The world of true nobles was really complex and mysterious. ¡®Well, you are my vassal after all, right? This is the least that you can do for me. Right, Gal?¡¯ CH 73 ¡°Knights! Gather under the Archivold¡¯s crest of the White Rose!¡± Detailed explanations regarding the incident with Balmong and Essandra¡¯s orders were delivered to the lords and the knights. An incredible number of the nobles in Carls Baggins immediately responded, and within ten days, almost 800 troops gathered in Essandra¡¯s territory. All were troops belonging to lords and knights subordinate to the Archivold family, and nobles incapable of sending troops sent large sums of money through their agents instead. ¡°The name of the Archivold family still has its worth,¡± Eugene noted. ¡°I told you. Great noble families will never collapse unless they become involved in a war on a national scale. The most important thing for lords is honor and cause, and they will never abandon such things voluntarily.¡± Galfredik responded with a grin. In other words, even if the designated individual of the nobles¡¯ loyalty shifted, they would always remain true to the family. As such, the previous marquis was removed from his seat after his reign of tyranny and locked in his castle. However, the vacant seat had to be inherited by a direct descendant who inherited the blood of Archivold. In addition, even if the nobles were allowed to take advantage of the confusion and satisfy some of their personal greed, they could never deny and disobey Archivold. Such an act would bring dishonor and rob the nobles of any justification to be a lord on the peninsula. ¡°If Lord Essandra steps up as the marquis, she could easily gather three or four times the number. Now you know why the royal family is so wary of the great nobles, right? Hehe.¡± Galfredik spoke with a laugh. ¡°Definitely,¡± Eugene replied. The royal family could be threatened even if there were five families capable of gathering two or three thousand troops each. The royal authority would be at stake. Anyone would panic if there were ten thousand blades pointing at them. ¡®And if cities like Maren join in the fray as well, it will be over before it even begins.¡¯ Eugene felt as if he had grasped a certain truth about the world. ¡°Huh? Look over there,¡± Galfredik spoke. ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene turned his eyes in response. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same crest that was on the surcoats of those brats? Right?¡± Galfredik asked while beckoning. ¡°That¡¯s right. Is that Lord Feedren?¡± Eugene responded. The nobleman, presumed to be Lord Feedren, was looking around with an anxious gaze. Although he was armed with the finest plate coat and a longsword, Feedren did not seem like a real knight at all. However, his hired mercenaries looked quite capable. Galfredik spoke with a grin. ¡°He must have spent quite a sum. Hiring 50 people is more than just showing off. Hooh? Did he bring the twins as well? He has definitely thrown his dice already.¡± Unlike the subjugations of evil lands, there were no definitive promises of an end date for territorial wars. As such, it was quite burdensome to hire mercenaries for war. In the past, when Eugene kidnapped his son and nephew, Baron Bommel financially struggled to hire more than 100 mercenaries for over a month. It was quite evident that Lord Feedren wasn¡¯t better off than Baron Bommel. As such, there were many implications for him to have brought his own sons. In addition, he even hired fifty mercenaries. But that wasn¡¯t all¡­ ¡°Huh! Master, look over there.¡± Galfredik spoke with surprise after scrutinizing the crowd of soldiers. It was Baron Beogalan. He was standing with a few knights, including Oleg, as well as a large crowd of soldiers. ¡°Lord Beogalan is not a vassal of the Archivold family, so what is he doing here?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Eugene shrugged while answering truthfully. However, Eugene would discover the reason for the attendance of his friendly neighbors in less than an hour. *** ¡°Excuse me, would you be Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Hmm. I am indeed Jan of the Eugene family, but who might you be?¡± Although Eugene had been keeping an eye on the man since he began to approach, Eugene asked while feigning ignorance. ¡°Ah! It is nice to meet you. I am Bereta of Feedren. It¡¯s good to see you, Sir Eugene.¡± Feedren introduced himself. ¡°Ah, so it was Lord Feedren. Nice to meet you as well.¡± Eugene responded in kind. ¡°I should have greeted you earlier, but as you know, I ran into some trouble because of the current situation. But I¡­ I heard my son committed a great offense to you, Sir Eugene. That¡¯s why I came here to apologize personally.¡± Lord Feedren spoke before beckoning at those following him. Soon, a small box was delivered into Luke¡¯s hands. Luke immediately opened the box and showed Eugene the contents. ¡°Kieeeeek!?¡± Mirian suddenly shot up from Eugene¡¯s shoulder while screaming. ¡°I sent two such boxes to your administrator as well, Sir Eugene. It¡¯s a small token of my sincerity for my new neighbor, as well as an apology for my son¡¯s misdeeds. I would appreciate it if you could accept it without burden. Ah, and I will do my best to cooperate in the development of the silver mine as well.¡± Lord Feedren spoke. ¡°I am truly grateful for your consideration. It was just a small mistake committed by a young man in his youth. I have already forgotten the matter, so please don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Eugene responded kindly after seeing the shiny gold coins stacked in an orderly manner. His original plan was to take the initiative with Feedren¡¯s son as an excuse, but it appeared that he had gained much more than what he expected. ¡®Delmondo must have done his part as well.¡¯ Delmondo was always humble and cowering in front of Eugene, but it appeared that he had fully displayed his sly ability against humans. As expected, it had been the right choice to have him concede without killing him. ¡°Sir Eugene! There you are!¡± A familiar voice called out and a group of nobles approached Eugene. ¡°Lord Beogalan. It has been a while. Ah, I want to thank you for swiftly taking care of things at that time.¡± Eugene answered. Eugene could only be referring to the matter with the signatures of the nobles and lords. Baron Beogalan smiled awkwardly before quickly nodding. ¡°Ha, hahaha! How could I not, when it was your personal request? Oh! If it isn¡¯t Lord Feedren. Have you already spoken with Sir Eugene?¡± Baron Beogalan quickly switched the subject. Eugene and Galfredik were forced to swallow a smile. ¡°Yes. We will be neighbors from now on, so would you not agree that it would be best for us to form a good relationship?¡± Feedren answered. ¡°That¡¯s a good attitude. Now, now. Sirs, say hello. This is Sir Eugene, whom I mentioned several times before!¡± Baron Beogalan turned and spoke to the surrounding nobles. ¡°What? I¡¯m not sure if you did mention¡­¡± A clueless nobleman started speaking with a frown before quickly shutting his mouth after receiving Baron Beogalan¡¯s fierce gaze. ¡°I have heard a lot about you, Sir Eugene. I am Caylor of Paramonte.¡± ¡°Tutran Ramon, Sir Eugene.¡± The nobles fought to introduce themselves to Eugene. The man in question, Eugene, was slightly confused, but he returned all of their greetings without becoming flustered. ¡°Hahahaha! Sirs, it has been a while.¡± ¡°We greet Lord Essandra!¡± The nobles quickly bowed as Essandra called out with a laugh. She was fully equipped in plate armor. Although she wasn¡¯t a knight, no one could deny the fact that she was the commander of almost 1,000 troops. Moreover, knights weren¡¯t the only ones with knowledge and proficiency in tactics and military arts. Nobles, and lords, in particular, were always educated in military management as one of their fundamental studies. ¡°First, I want to express my gratitude to all of you who have responded to my request. As the legitimate successor to Archivold, I promise not to forget your contributions in the future.¡± Essandra spoke. ¡°Not at all! It is our duty!¡± ¡°I have claimed until now that the honor of the White Rose was with you all along, my lord!¡± ¡°I would like to join your efforts in achieving peace and prosperity on the peninsula!¡± Essandra smiled after seeing the nobles shout while bowing deeply. She was deeply satisfied, even though she knew that they were simply fawning over her. Almost seventy percent of the nobles and knights of the Carls Baggins had responded to her declaration by participating or sending large sums of money with pledges of loyalty. It was evident that the nobles and knights had noticed the tide turning in Essandra¡¯s favor. Essandra judged that there was a single person who played the decisive role. ¡°Now! Let me introduce you! This is Sir Eugene. He will stand as one of the pillars of the peninsula along with the rest of you!¡± Essandra declared while patting Eugene on the shoulder. The nobles who were already familiar with Eugene nodded calmly after seeing Essandra¡¯s friendly gesture, but those who were unfamiliar appeared rather puzzled. Essandra had already expected such a response. As such, she continued in an even louder voice. ¡°Yesterday evening! My younger brother, Edrique, has contacted me and he now recognizes me as the head of the family! He has made it known that he will actively support me to claim what is rightfully mine!¡± Oohh¡­! Essandra had deliberately abstained from including Edrique¡¯s intent in her letters to the lords and knights. She had tested them by attempting to rally the troops while only making the incident with Balmong known. ¡°And Sir Eugene played the most important role in getting Edrique to pledge his loyalty to me,¡± Essandra spoke. ¡°¡­..!¡± Baron Beogalan and Lord Feedren were surprised by her words, as well as the other nobles. ¡°Hahaha! I think I should introduce him one more time. Sirs! Sir Eugene succeeded in the subjugation of the Karinsa Dungeon!¡± Essandra declared. Ooohh¡­ The nobles exclaimed to be polite, but they were rather puzzled. What was so amazing about that? Perhaps the subjugation was only an excuse, and Essandra was actually introducing her lover. Since he looked quite fit and possessed a beautiful face like an elf¡­ ¡°By himself!¡± She continued. ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°Hahaha! Sir Eugene successfully subjugated a dungeon by himself! Moreover, he killed three intermediate-rank monsters!¡± Essandra shouted excitedly. ¡°¡­..!!!¡± The expressions of the nobles changed in real-time. Most of them didn¡¯t know or believe that Eugene had killed a wyvern. However, such rumors could not be compared to Essandra¡¯s official declaration when it came to credibility. Moreover, it was already well known that Edrique had forbidden Essandra¡¯s troops from crossing his territory under the pretext of tolls. ¡®Heuk! Then Lord Edrique suddenly gave in to Lord Essandra because¡­¡¯ ¡®If that knight succeeded in a subjugation by himself, it¡¯s totally understandable!¡¯ Oooohhhhhh!!! Dozens of nobles and knights burst into loud exclamations. Simultaneously, some of the nobles quickly processed the current situation. Obviously, the beautiful, or rather, the incredibly strong knight would take his place by Essandra if she became the new marquis. *** ¡°Sir, sir! Their eyes! The nobles are looking at you like those bums who used to suck, lick, and bite each other buck naked in my pond¡­ Kiek! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Mirian started to shout excitedly before being quietened by a single glare from Eugene. ¡°This is hot. Smoldering hot. Hehe!¡± However, it wasn¡¯t only Mirian who took notice of the eyes of the nobles and the knights. Galfredik grinned and inched closer to Eugene before speaking. ¡°It looks like they want to get you in their ropes somehow. Baron Beogalan and Lord Feedren are talking about master as if you are their best friend. Kuhahaha!¡± Galfredik whispered before laughing. ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad about it,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Kuhaha! Nothing bad about it? It¡¯s amazing. Master¡¯s position has been elevated thanks to Lord Essandra. It¡¯s a good thing.¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Who knows. Do you really think so?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hmm?¡± Galfredik looked puzzled. However, as an awakened, highest-tier vampire, Eugene was capable of looking even further and wider than Galfredik. He was predicting a situation that Galfredik couldn¡¯t even fathom. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about it. Leave it to me.¡± Eugene assured Galfredik. ¡°Naturally, I¡¯m your vassal. But what is it? Can¡¯t you tell me now?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°You won¡¯t lose anything from it, so don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± To be frank, Galfredik intended to obey Eugene¡¯s orders even if they caused him to suffer. Perhaps he could die if he was ordered to do so. Galfredik himself didn¡¯t know it yet, but that was the bond between an Origin and his vassal. ¡°Oh, and by the way. Take Partec and his men, and¡­¡± Eugene instructed Galfredik in a quiet voice. ¡°¡­It has already been discussed with Lord Essandra, so take care of it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Haha! When it comes to dealing with wizards, I might even be better than you, master. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Galfredik answered. ¡°Good.¡± *** A day after Essandra¡¯s army departed from her territory, Edrique joined forces along with the nobility and other troops under his command. Although 200 troops weren¡¯t anything to be compared to Essandra¡¯s army, it was enough to showcase Edrique¡¯s ability as a lord. Moreover, the nobles were shocked to see Edrique treating Eugene like his own brother. As such, it became an indisputable fact that Eugene would stand next to Essandra once she took her place as the new marquis. The nobles and the lords continued to calculate their next moves regarding Eugene as the group traveled to Gabriel¡¯s territory. Four days later, more than 1,000 troops and dozens of merchant carriages arrived at the border of Gabriel¡¯s territory. It was the largest gathering of troops ever seen since the Carls Baggins Peninsula became embroiled in chaos. CH 74 ¡°My sister is at the border of our territories. What should I do now?¡± Gabriel could not hide the fear in his voice. He was the eldest son of the Archivold marquisate, and he was known as a fairly competent, smart individual. In fact, he was smart and skilled enough to be the successor of the marquisate. However, Gabriel was always overwhelmed by his sister Essandra ever since they were young. Gabriel had made the decision for independence after the fall of his father because of his desire to escape from his sister¡¯s shadow, as well as the urging of some lords and knights. In addition, his younger sister Elena, whom he had been very close to since childhood, had been very insistent on it as well for some reason. ¡°...¡± Elena remained silent while biting her lips. Gabriel felt an even greater sense of urgency after seeing her reaction. ¡°Elena. What happened to the wizard you sent? Why is there no news from him? And what happened to that man¡¯s disciple?¡± Gabriel asked. ¡°He went to find his master, so we should hear from him soon, brother,¡± Elena answered. ¡°And when will that be? Haa! It¡¯s fine. You told him to leave the peninsula if it failed, right?¡± Gabriel asked. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid? I told him to release it and disappear.¡± Elena answered. ¡°Phew! That¡¯s a relief. Then even our sister¡¯s army will have no choice but to retreat.¡± Gabriel spoke with relief, a smile finally creeping on his face. However, Elena Archivold could not share in his relief. ¡®Why haven¡¯t they contacted me yet? It¡¯s already been five days!¡¯ The two wizards had entered the marquisate shortly after the bishop fled to the royal city. They took advantage of the confusion and entered the peninsula. The master and disciple duo, who claimed to be the official successors of an unfamiliar sect called the ¡°Blood Shadow School,¡± had offered Elena an irresistible proposal. - I will make your brother Gabriel the new marquis of Archivold. Even if things go wrong, he can still split the marquisate and become a lord by receiving a title from the royal family. At first, Elena did not believe them. She was about to kick them out, but she changed her mind after she saw the two wizards revive a few roamers. - We will revive a powerful monster and endanger the marquisate. Sir Andre, your husband, and Lord Gabriel¡¯s knight will defeat the monster honorably. Although Elena was suspicious, she also felt enlightened. If things went as the wizard planned, the reputation of her husband and her brother would soar through the sky. All of the marquisate¡¯s vassals would want her brother to succeed their father. - However, we will need some time to turn the monster into an undead. We need at least six months. Thus, Elena had to drag things on somehow. As such, she threw the entire peninsula into chaos. She pressured Edrique to prohibit Essandra¡¯s troops from entering the dungeon, made a deal to provide amnesty to a criminal in exchange for creating a ruckus in the silver mine that belonged to their dead sibling. Everything had been a part of the plan. But the plan involving the silver mine was shattered by a knight she never heard of, and someone even subjugated the dungeon she so carefully controlled for more than half a year. ¡®I was just a little unlucky. They said it was almost complete, so if we hold out for a few more days, the monster will start its rampage throughout the marquisate. And no one but my husband will be able to vanquish the monster.¡¯ Elena was determined. ¡°Try to drag it out as long as possible, brother. Even if they call us honorless cowards, it will only be for a moment,¡± Elena spoke. ¡°Yes. I will do as you say,¡± Gabriel replied. The two siblings resolved themselves while dreaming of a rosy future. *** ¡°We cannot simply stand still like this, my lord! You must bring down the hammer on those who do not know honor!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It has already been more than two days since we sent a messenger, but there has been no answer!¡± Essandra¡¯s followers shouted with rage. ¡®They couldn¡¯t be more loyal from how they speak.¡¯ Eugene was quite amused. But now that he knew the workings of the world, he could understand why the nobles were shouting with such fervor. ¡°Why? Is it because the hired mercenaries are sitting around doing nothing? Do you find their wages wasteful?¡± Essandra spoke. ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± The nobles turned their gaze away, hurriedly denying the truth. ¡°Although you sirs have a point, let¡¯s wait a little longer. We should give Gabriel time to prepare. His ass must be on fire by now,¡± Essandra spoke. Hahaha¡­ The nobles laughed quietly at the rather inappropriate joke. All of the people gathered in Essandra¡¯s tent were nobles at the level of lords. Partec, who was Eugene¡¯s temporary messenger, slipped into the tent and approached Eugene before whispering into his ear. The eyes of the nobles were fixated on Partec. ¡°Lord Essandra, Sir Galfredik is back.¡± Eugene said after Partec departed. ¡°Hoo! Right, and everything went well?¡± Essandra responded. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s going to be any problems,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Good.¡± The surrounding nobles were puzzled after hearing the conversation between Eugene and Essandra. They had no idea what the two were talking about. Essandra suddenly stood up from her seat and picked up her leather baton. ¡°It¡¯s time! We will be crossing the border!¡± She shouted. Oooohh! ¡°Only death will await those who attempt to stop me and my army, regardless of who they are! Those who do not concede under the flag of Archivold will be subject to the law of the White Rose, which has been passed down for more than 300 years!¡± Essandra continued. ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡± The nobles responded simultaneously. All but Eugene, who stood next to Essandra bowed to her. *** As soon as the heavily armed knights started crossing the border, the troops stationed at the border surrendered. In the end, it was a familial dispute. As such, it wasn¡¯t particularly disgraceful to surrender to Essandra. After crossing into Gabriel¡¯s territory, Essandra instructed Eugene and a group of knights to occupy the smaller territories belonging to the nobles within Gabriel¡¯s territory. The knights of the peninsula were quite proud, but they were faithful to all of Eugene¡¯s orders. It was only natural since Eugene had subjugated a dungeon by himself and even slew a wyvern. On the contrary, most of the knights appeared to be quite happy to accompany Eugene. Fighting alongside a knight recognized by Essandra was a golden opportunity to make their names known and to raise their reputations. In particular, the seven free knights never strayed from the sides of both Eugene and Galfredik as their enthusiastic followers. The knights used their mobility to their advantage and raided the villages on the way to the main castle of the Archivold family alongside Eugene. *** ¡°Please! Sir!¡± ¡°S-show mercy¡­!¡± Eugene smiled bitterly when he saw the kneeling residents. The villagers had flocked to the entrance of the village and had been waiting for their arrival. ¡®This is already the third time.¡¯ Eugene had been expecting some resistance, but all three villages he passed in the period of half a day had been like this. Naturally, he never caught a glimpse of the village administrators. Even in a large village with a population of more than 500, not even a single mercenary could be seen, let alone any knights. There weren¡¯t any other reasons. ¡°Did the administrator of this village also flee to the castle?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Yes, yes! He left with the mercenaries three days ago,¡± The village chief answered. ¡°Did he take all the wealth and the food?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The residents answered with gloomy expressions, despite being frightened. Galfredik clicked his tongue before returning to Eugene. ¡°It¡¯s the same here as well. It seems like Lord Gabriel is preparing for a sit-in.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we let Lord Essandra know, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Judging from the villages we¡¯ve seen so far, the same should be true for all the remaining villages on our way to the castle.¡± The other knights also agreed with Galfredik¡¯s opinion. This was the only possible answer when they witnessed how Gabriel gathered all of the village administrators to the castle along with all the supplies and soldiers. It was highly likely that Gabriel would attempt to negotiate after holing up in his castle. ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene became lost in thought for a moment. Then, he rode Silion closer to the village residents. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you something,¡± He spoke. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The chief and the villagers became more polite after noticing that Eugene was the commander of the group. ¡°In this area, where are the roamers most active at?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Uh¡­¡± However, it seemed the village chief didn¡¯t fully understand the question, so Eugene continued. ¡°Not monsters like goblins or kobolds, but trolls and lycanthropes. Is there an area where dangerous monsters are known to roam?¡± ¡°Ah! T-there is someplace like that. The Rodan Forest. The black griffons of the Rodan Forest have been notorious for about a decade now,¡± The chief answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Griffons were medium-sized monsters with wings, heads, and front claws resembling eagles while their lower halves resembled lions. Although they possessed wings, griffons were incapable of flying long distances. As such, their territories were relatively small. Even so, griffons were incredibly ferocious and violent, so even other medium-sized monsters tended to avoid griffons. ¡°Is there a group of griffons there?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯s said that they are in flocks of three or four. They are so fierce that no one goes near Rodan Forest without being accompanied by mercenaries,¡± The chief answered. ¡°Hmm. I see. I understand,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The chief and the villagers bowed. Eugene headed to Galferdik and the other knights. ¡°Go to Lord Essandra and let her know of the situation. Sir Galfredik, there is something for the two of us to do,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What? You won¡¯t be returning with us, Sir Eugene?¡± The knights questioned his decision. Eugene answered with a solemn expression. ¡°It seems griffons are rampaging around these areas. But as all of you saw, this village, as well as the other villages we passed thus far, are devoid of any knights and troops, right?¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Ah! Sir Eugene, perhaps¡­?¡± One of the free knights asked after coming to a realization. Eugene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. This is the land of the Archivold family, right? Soon, Lord Essandra will succeed the title, so we cannot just leave the monsters to threaten the residents. Lord Essandra should agree with me as well.¡± Eugene explained. ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°However, I cannot go against Lord Essandra¡¯s orders. So go back and relay the current situation to Lord Essandra. In the meantime, Sir Galfredik and I will take care of the griffons.¡± Eugene continued. Essandra intended to thoroughly win over the allegiances of all the villages and small territories within the marquisate, even if it took some time. So even if Eugene and Galfredik were away for about two days to kill the griffons, it wouldn¡¯t matter greatly. Moreover, wasn¡¯t the justification simply too perfect? ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°Sir, you truly are¡­!¡± ¡°I have witnessed true chivalry, Sir Eugene!¡± It was clear from the touched expressions and shouts of admiration of the knights that not only were his actions consistent with chivalry since he was helping the weak, but if he succeeded in hunting the griffons, Essandra would also receive the credit for deeply caring about her people. It was truly a perfectly honorable act. ¡°Anyways, I will be heading to Rodan Forest with Sir Galfredik. Sirs, I will leave the matter with Lord Essandra to you sirs,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Please leave it to us, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°I will do my best to live up to your expectations.¡± Hunting monsters was a great achievement, but an opportunity to fight as a knight of a great noble like Essandra did not come so easily. Therefore, the knights weren¡¯t envious of Eugene and Galfredik, but rather, they welcomed the opportunity. ¡°We won¡¯t let you down, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°We will remember your generosity!¡± Some of the knights even thanked Eugene, assuming that he was providing them with the chance on purpose. ¡°Why are they thanking you?¡± Mirian asked. ¡®How would I know?¡¯ Eugene answered inwardly. ¡°Then take care. Let¡¯s go, Sir Galfredik,¡± Eugene said before departing with Galfredik. ¡°Master! Are you really planning on hunting the griffons?¡± Galfredik asked ¡°For now,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Hmm. I¡¯m sure you have your reasons, but is that really necessary? There¡¯s nothing for us to gain, right? We already killed a wyvern,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Wow! The big bear is pretty smart.¡± Galfredik knew Eugene better than anyone else. Both he and the spirit of desire voiced their puzzlement. ¡°There is indeed something to gain. Something significant.¡± Clop. Clop. As soon as they were far enough from the village, Eugene smiled coldly before unleashing his vampiric abilities. This was the perfect opportunity to test the new ability he gained from consuming the giant bat¡¯s red mana stone. CH 75 ¡°Hooh, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Essandra. Sir Eugene said that he would eradicate the evil monsters with Sir Galfredik and he asked us to report to you.¡± One of the knights spoke in a resolute voice, and Essandra nodded with satisfaction. ¡°As expected, Sir Eugene is truly a knight who knows honor. Taking care of my people is just as important to me as succeeding the marquisate. Hahaha! Truly an exceptional knight. Would you not agree, sirs?¡± Essandra spoke with a laugh. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± ¡°Well spoken, my lord!¡± The nobles hurriedly agreed with Essandra¡¯s words. However, not everyone was sincere in their agreement. ¡®Hmph! The new replacing the old¡­¡¯ ¡®No matter how outstanding he is, Sir Eugene isn¡¯t a knight from the peninsula, right?¡¯ ¡®But it¡¯s not like we can express our dissatisfaction. This is quite troublesome.¡¯ Quite a few nobles, including Edrique, forced a smile on their faces while grumbling on the inside. For now, the most important thing for them was to get on Essandra¡¯s good side since she would soon become the new marquis. ¡°Sister, will you be heading straight to the castle?¡± Edrique asked. ¡°That¡¯s the plan. It¡¯s highly likely that all of the villages and hamlets in the marquisate are in similar conditions, and not only the ones that Sir Eugene had visited thus far. Therefore, it would be meaningless for me to wander around to win over their loyalty. Rather, I might even scare the residents.¡± Essandra responded. As someone capable enough to become the next marquis, Essandra had accurately seen through the situation. She continued while looking around at the nobles and the knights. ¡°As the one succeeding the honor of Archivold, I will reclaim the family¡¯s main castle. Prepare yourselves.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord!¡± The nobles and knights answered in one voice before leaving the tent. However, Edrique dawdled for a moment before approaching Essandra. He spoke carefully while she put on her armor with the help of her slaves. ¡°Sister, to me it seems like brother Gabriel is trying to buy time.¡± ¡°I know.¡± She answered. ¡°Are you planning to lay siege? That would increase the casualties of the troops and it will make things more difficult after the battle,¡± Edrique said. The noble followers of Gabriel were not technically Essandra¡¯s enemies. All of them shared the same root. Of course, according to customs, the nobles would not be killed even if Essandra¡¯s siege was successful, but problems would definitely arise with their disposition after the battle. That was what Edrique was referring to. ¡°It¡¯s highly probable that there won¡¯t be a siege at all. Gabriel and Elena will come out of the castle with their own two feet.¡± Essandra declared. ¡°What? What do you mean by that¡­?¡± Edrique asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°It¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. Anyways, there is something for you to do.¡± Essandra said. ¡°Uh¡­ for sure. What should I do?¡± Edrique asked. ¡°Take some knights in my place and warn the villages and hamlets of the marquisate. You can join the main army after you visit all those places.¡± Essandra explained. ¡°Warn them?¡± Edrique asked. Was she planning to persecute the residents of the marquisate? Edrique felt a little nervous. ¡°Scary, dangerous monsters are on the loose, and I sent knights and soldiers to kill them. That¡¯s what you should say.¡± Essandra continued. ¡°Monsters? Ah, are you referring to the griffons that Sir Eugene is planning to kill?¡± Edrique said. ¡°No. Don¡¯t mention anything about griffons. Just tell them that there is an evil, vile, vicious monster on the loose. A monster that threatens the safety of the marquisate, something that has never been seen before. Ah, right. An undead might be good,¡± Essandra said. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want to do it? Well, then I will entrust someone else with the task. I was going to send away them with my flag in tow. Who should I choose?¡± Essandra spoke playfully. ¡°Not at all! I, your younger brother Edrique! Will definitely accomplish the mission! I will depart right away!¡± Edrique exclaimed in a confident voice. He quickly abandoned his puzzlement and ran like the wind to complete his task. Essandra grinned when her brother left. ¡°With this, the bait has been laid out.¡± *** ¡°And that¡¯s Rodan Forest, sir knights. Griffons usually start to become active around sunset, but they sometimes wander in the middle of the day as well, so you should be careful.¡± The hunter could not hide his nervousness as he pointed at the dense forest. He had been active in the nearby area for more than a decade by now. Eugene glanced through the thick woods before turning towards the hunter. ¡°Have you ever seen the griffons?¡± He asked. ¡°Just once from afar. There was a griffon fighting against a group of more than ten wolves. It ripped apart the dogs in less than five minutes,¡± The hunter said. ¡°Hooh. To think that you would stay and watch it, you have great courage.¡± Galferdik complimented the hunter. The hunter scratched his head awkwardly after receiving the compliment. ¡°Any hunter would have done the same, since watching them fight will be of great help in the future. I was hiding behind a rock at the time. I think I must have been slightly out of my mind as well,¡± The hunter said. ¡°I see. Did you see if they weren¡¯t able to fly very far as the rumors have it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Maybe it¡¯s because their wings are quite small for their size. Even though it was extremely agile on the ground, it was a little slow and clumsy when flying. However, the beak and the claws of the monster were quite frightening. It tore apart the wolves as easily as butter. If humans were to get caught in them¡­ Phew.¡± The hunter shuddered as if recalling the events. ¡°I heard that mercenaries attempted to kill a griffon several times,¡± Eugene said. ¡°The forest is very deep and dense, so it¡¯s quite difficult to find the griffons. Moreover, they won¡¯t make an appearance if there¡¯s a large group of mercenaries, just like any other monsters or beasts. They will only come out at night to hunt, one by one. So far, no one has even managed to stay inside the forest for more than three days, not to mention hunting the griffons,¡± The hunter said. ¡°Hmm.¡± It seemed that the griffons were quite crafty and knew how to deal with armed humans, just like the monsters who became roamers after leaving an evil land. ¡°Great work. Here.¡± Eugene spoke before tossing a silver coin at the hunter. The hunter bowed and expressed his gratitude before speaking carefully. ¡°Please be careful. Griffons are dangerous monsters capable of tearing apart fully grown wolves with their talons.¡± Even if knights were equipped with solid armor, it would be difficult to endure the claws of large monsters such as the griffon. The hunter was quite worried for the two young knights, who were without any mercenaries or aides. ¡°Thank you for your concern. Ah, one more thing. Is there anything you know regarding the habit of griffons? Perhaps what they like or dislike.¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hmm, ah!¡± The hunter thought for a moment, then spoke while clapping his hands. ¡°According to my grandfather, griffons love deer and horses.¡± ¡°Hooh. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m hearing about this.¡± Galfredik responded with an interested expression. Knights weren¡¯t aware of the characteristics of all monsters. In certain cases, mercenaries or hunters were more knowledgeable than knights. ¡°They like deer and horses¡­¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°Yes, yes. Whenever the griffons leave the forest, they always attack people with carriages and carts. I¡¯ve heard tales that they would leave the humans and take the horses,¡± The hunter said. ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± Eugene stroked his chin before turning his eyes towards the forest. His gaze remained fixated, and a cold smile appeared around his lips. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the griffons really like it if the horse had a pedigree?¡± Eugene said. N-neigh¡­ Silion cried softly while trembling with a mournful expression after meeting the gaze of its master. *** ¡°What? A-a spirit!?¡± Galfredik shouted. ¡°Yes. Her name is Mirian, and she became my subordinate before you. She is the spirit of water.¡± Eugene explained. The two had been conversing as they entered Rodan Forest, and Eugene brought up the matter and informed Galfredik of Mirian¡¯s existence. It did not really matter since Galfredik would have to serve Eugene until he died. ¡°Ha! Haha¡­¡± Galfredik laughed vainly as if finding the situation ridiculous, and Mirian swirled around his head while shouting arrogantly. ¡°So make sure to know your place from now on, and serve me well, vassal Gal! I am Sir Eugene¡¯s right arm!¡± ¡°She¡¯s flying around your head, telling you to know your place. She¡¯s calling herself my right arm.¡± Eugene explained. ¡°What? She¡¯s right next to me?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Sitting on your helmet right now,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Wow.¡± Galfredik instinctively reached out and waved his hand above his helmet. ¡®You won¡¯t be able to catch her anyways.¡¯ ¡°Kiek!?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°It felt like I just touched something,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°G-gal just touched me! He violated my body!¡± ¡°Hmm? It feels like there¡¯s the faintest trace of a whiny voice.¡± Galfredik said with a frown. ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene was at a loss for words. Even though Galfredik could not see Mirian, it seemed that he could touch her and recognize her presence since he was connected to Eugene as a vassal. ¡°Kieeeeek! I¡¯ve been defiled. I cannot believe that he violated my delicate body with those big, rough hands! Kieeeeahh! Sir, you can¡¯t abandon me, okay? I belong to you.¡± Mirian whined. ¡°Is she saying something? What did she say?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°¡­It¡¯s better this way,¡± Eugene muttered. It was quite surprising, but it wasn¡¯t so bad. Rather, it was better for them to be able to communicate with each other since they would be with him until the end. ¡°It¡¯s quite unexpected that the wizard¡¯s disciple did not head to the dungeon,¡± Eugene said. Among the two wizards who colluded with Elena, it was highly likely that the wizard that died in Eugene¡¯s hands was the master of the pair. It was unlikely that the student was skilled enough to transform a twin-headed ogre into an undead. As such, Eugene sent Galfredik and Partec¡¯s group to the dungeon to prepare for any contingencies, but no one showed up. Fortunately, the twin-headed ogre was still frozen in its place. Eugene assumed that the skull incense burner was a magic tool used to control the dead. Without it, the undead would become useless. ¡°He must have run away after noticing that things didn¡¯t work out. He may have judged that he had no chance of winning since his master was defeated. Well, we can ask our very own underdeveloped, child-like wizard later when we get the chance. By the way¡­ the place is too quiet, isn¡¯t it?¡± Galfredik looked around the surroundings with a sharp gaze. When the duo first entered the forest, it had been filled with the sounds of birds and insects, but at a certain point, it became eerily quiet. ¡°I think we must have entered the territory of the griffons, master,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°I think so as well.¡± Eugene agreed. Eugene dismounted from his saddle and removed all of his luggage and weapons from the saddle before placing them on the ground. After removing SIlion¡¯s armor and harness, he spoke while stroking the horse¡¯s mane. ¡°You are much lighter than usual, so you will do well. Please.¡± N-neigh Silion let out a sorrowful cry. He was being served as bait when he was born to be a prominent, proud warhorse. Eugene felt sympathetic towards the horse. ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m sorry about this. Ah, right.¡± He apologized before snatching Mirian from his shoulder. ¡°Kieeeek!¡± She shouted. ¡°Go with SIlion and help him out. If anything dangerous happens, fly to me right away.¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Got it! Taking good care of subordinates is a basic virtue of a great senior like me. Hehehe!¡± She spoke proudly before grabbing onto Silion¡¯s mane. ¡°Hey, buddy, you shouldn¡¯t underestimate me, hmm? You will be my junior until the day you die, understand? If you are obedient, I¡¯ll even give you a tour of the spirit world later on!¡± Mirian said. Silion whined vigorously before departing, perhaps it felt relieved in Mirian¡¯s company. About thirty minutes later¡­ Tutututututututu! The earth started to tremble and Silion could be seen galloping crazily from afar. ¡°Kieeeeeeekk! Sir! It¡¯s here! It¡¯s here! Kieek!¡± Neiiiiiigh! The spirit and the horse screamed in fear. In particular, Silion¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as he galloped with all his might, pushing himself towards his master, who was more reliable than anyone else in the world. Beeeeek! A monster about the size of a bull with wings could be seen charging right behind them, between the tall trees. The griffon completely crushed many branches and bushes in its charge, and saliva continued to flow from its beaks. It was evident that the monster was completely enamored by Silion¡¯s fluffy buttocks. ¡°Griffon!¡± Galfredik shouted. ¡°Galfredik! I can sense more than just one!¡± Eugene responded. ¡°I understand. Krrrr!¡± Galfredik raised his longsword as his fangs extended. Beeeek! The chasing griffon paused momentarily when it spotted the two vampires. The large monster was proudly standing on a large tree measuring 20 meters in height ¨C it was definitely the king of the forest. Beek? The griffon had settled down in the forest after leaving an evil land. Since then, it wandered the world. But until now, it never encountered a vampire. The two figures were quite similar to the humans who entered the forest with their irons, but the air around them was somewhat different. Should it attack? Should it retreat? The mother griffon fell into contemplation. Soon, several young griffons arrived belatedly. Unfortunately, the younglings weren¡¯t as cautious or as experienced as their mother. The younglings were born in Rodan Forest and they had only hunted creatures weaker than them for their entire lives. They completely ignored the sudden appearance of the two humans. The yellow eyes of the baby griffons were fixated on the aromatic, plump buttocks of the horse. Their beaks were filled with drool. Beeek! Beeek! In the end, the young griffons couldn¡¯t suppress their irresistible instincts as they leaped toward the ground in pursuit. ¡°Kieeeek!¡± Neeeiigh! Mirian and Silion quickly hid behind Eugene. ¡®Is it because of his pedigree? It¡¯s not just the mares he attracts. I should use him more often to attract monsters.¡¯ Silion would probably tremble with betrayal if he could hear Eugene¡¯s thoughts. Eugene turned his attention toward the griffons and completely liberated his fear. They would become the first sacrificial lambs that would grant him the ability to transform. CH 76 Fwoosh! Just like the unraveling of tangled threads, Eugene¡¯s Fear shot forth with incredible momentum and reached the young griffons. Bweeeeh!? It was the first time the young griffons were ever faced with such overwhelming pressure. Their bodies stiffened instantaneously. This was understandable, however, for the strongest opponents they faced until now were the likes of bears and wolves. They could not possibly overcome the fear emitted by an awakened Origin. Fwoosh! Galfredik saw the opportunity and threw his javelin, which pierced through the air and penetrated the shoulder of one of the younglings. The griffon cried out in pain. ¡°Ha!¡± Galfredik shouted before picking up his longsword and rushing at the struggling griffon. The other griffon jumped back with surprise, even though its sibling was crying in pain. In the meantime, Eugene unsheathed Wolfslaughter and charged forward without delay. Beeeeek! The remaining cub became even more startled. On top of being subjected to an overwhelming fear, this was the first time that a human dared to retaliate against it. There were times when humans sheathed their weapons and put up a fight, but this was the first time that the other party chose to engage first. Beeeeeeeeek! The mother griffon stepped out after recognizing that its children were in danger. Even though the griffon was smaller than wyverns, its wingspan was almost 6 to 7 meters. The sight of the creature descending from the trees with its wings spread wide was quite daunting and fearsome. However, Eugene had been paying attention to the mother since the moment he started approaching its child. He reacted instantly and threw the javelin held in his left hand. Shuaaak! The projectile shot forward while ripping through the air, and the mother griffon hurriedly folded her wings and rotated her large figure. Thuck! The javelin grazed her wing, which caused feathers to spread like snowflakes along with gushing blood. However, the griffon managed to avoid a fatal injury thanks to its quick reaction, and she landed safely on the ground. Beeeeeeeeek! The mother griffon roared with anger. Similar to other medium and large monsters, the griffon¡¯s roar contained Fear. Animals and regular humans would stiffen and soil themselves, while inexperienced knights would shrink back as well. Neiiiigh! As if to prove it, Silion and Galfredik¡¯s horse ran away with shock and fear. ¡°Hey! You cowardly horse bastard!¡± Mirian shouted while hurriedly flying after the horses. But Eugene and Galfredik were unaffected by the roar. ¡°It hurts my ears.¡± ¡°I know. What a loud roar.¡± The two knights responded nonchalantly. The griffon was completely flabbergasted by their response. The mother griffon realized through instinct and her experience that the humans, although she couldn¡¯t think of them as such any longer, weren¡¯t ordinary. She spread her wings to protect her young. Beeeek! Beeeeeeeek! The mother griffon slowly retreated while threatening the humans with her claws, which were each as big as a human palm. ¡°Hmm? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ are those bastards trying to run away?¡± Galfredik spoke as if he was dumbfounded, his fangs jutting out of his mouth. Beeeeeek! The young griffons actually began running away, and the mother griffon continued making threatening noises and flapping her wings in the meantime. Then, she started to slowly step back before turning around and suddenly flying away without looking back. ¡°¡­..!¡± Galfredik was stupefied. Griffons were considered to be quite strong among the immediate-rank monsters, but they were running away without even attempting to fight. ¡°Galfredik. You take care of the younglings. One of them was seriously injured, so they won¡¯t be able to fly. You should be able to take care of them easily enough,¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°What? Then what about the mother? You¡¯re not thinking of catching up to it, right?¡± Galfredik responded. Once a flying monster escaped, it was basically impossible to catch it. Moreover, they were in the midst of a thick forest. Even if Eugene was an Origin Vampire, it would be nigh impossible to catch up to the mother griffon. ¡°I have an idea,¡± Eugene said. Eugene was convinced as he recalled killing the giant bat in the dungeon. Although the sun wasn¡¯t completely set yet, there was little sunlight in the dense forest. He could display his full abilities as a vampire in such a place, just as he had done in the dungeon. ¡°Phew.¡± Eugene took a deep breath. His eyes gradually turned crimson. Paaaaa¡­! Vampiric Fear slowly exuded from his body and spread far and wide in a wave only visible to his eyes. It extended quickly in the direction where the griffon escaped. Soon after, Eugene¡¯s heightened senses picked up on the smell of the mother griffon¡¯s blood and the noise it made as it flapped its wings. ¡°That way.¡± He muttered. Eugene jumped vigorously while staring in a certain direction with his crimson eyes. Eugene leaped about ten meters in a single step, then quickly disappeared into the depth of the forest while jumping from branch to branch. *** The mother griffon moved a little slower than usual, and in a different direction from her cubs. She was attempting to protect her young, even if she had to act as a decoy. The humans would surely target her, so she would continue her current pace until she was certain that her cubs were completely safe. Then she could escape with all her might. The mother griffon continued jumping from branch to branch before stopping at a large branch to catch her breath. She observed the forest. Although she possessed the lower body of a lion, she had the head of an eagle. As such, her vision was excellent¨Cenough to accurately identify a mouse creeping in the grass located hundreds of meters away. Beek¡­ She was the ruler of the forest. Perhaps due to the fact, she could not sense any movement on the ground. The griffon finally let down her guard and attended to her injured wing. Although she had been injured several times in the past when dealing with the iron-clad humans, she had never been injured so severely. If she had not managed to fold her wings and twist her body, the human¡¯s weapon would have pierced straight through it. The griffon started to carefully lick the wound on her wing. Suddenly, a strange sound stimulated her ears. The griffon raised her head and hurriedly looked around, but she could not spot any movements. She tilted her head with confusion and once again resumed licking her wound. But she suddenly felt the emission of a strange, ominous energy. Pat! Pat! She could see the human in black armor running on the branches like a swift bird. The griffon was greatly shocked. Humans always crawled on the ground like insects. Sometimes there were strong individuals among them, but even they never ran through the trees like monkeys. Kuwuuuuugh! Moreover, she had never imagined that a human was capable of unleashing such a tremendous, powerful, and overwhelming roar. Shuack! Eugene slashed with both the sharp claws of his left hand, as well as Wolfslaughter held in his right while jumping at the griffon. The creature was momentarily stunned at the roar containing his Fear. Thuck! The griffon hurriedly raised its foot, and it collided with Eugene¡¯s claws. Both claws were powerful enough to tear steel apart, but the griffon was flustered by the unexpected attack. It could not overcome Eugene¡¯s planned attack. Craaaaack! Beeeeeek! The griffon cried horribly. Its paw had turned into a bloody mess of flesh. Crack! Eugene stabbed Wolfslaughter into the griffon¡¯s chest while holding onto its bloody foot with his claws. The weapon easily penetrated the griffon¡¯s thick feathers and hide. Only the pommel of Eugene¡¯s sword could be seen sticking out of the monster¡¯s chest, and the griffon could not overcome the pain and fell to the ground. After all, Wolfslaughter was a famed sword whose blade contained silver. Boom! Beeeeek! Eugene fell along with the griffon¡¯s large figure. Although he suffered a few broken bones, he was able to overcome the pain thanks to his vampiric physique. The griffon pecked at him crazily after crashing to the ground, but Eugene was able to withstand the attacks thanks to his sturdy armor and Black Scales. Crack! Eugene dug his claws into the griffon¡¯s chest as well and started stirring it around. Beeeeeek! The griffon cried out and struggled in pain while having its organs torn to bits and pieces. Eventually, the griffon suddenly stopped moving and collapsed while excreting all of its waste. ¡°Huff, huff!¡± Eugene dug himself out from underneath the griffon, then started ripping open the monster¡¯s chest without delay. ¡°Good.¡± He muttered with a bright expression. He held a mana stone the size of a thumbnail in his hand. After putting aside the mana stone, Eugene plowed through the numerous feathers and sank his fangs into its neck. Eugene continued drinking for a few minutes, then raised his head. ¡°Kuwwwwwwuuuugh!¡± The vampire roared victoriously with his face soaked in the griffon¡¯s blood. *** ¡°This is driving me crazy!¡± Gabriel could not hide his anxiety as he looked down from the spire of the Rose Castle, which had been used as the main castle of the Archivold family for many years. Dozens of large tents had been erected in the field next to a stream located about three to four hundred meters away. Yesterday, the field had been devoid of any human presence. Moreover, hundreds of troops were lined up outside the wide, deep moat surrounding the castle, and knights carrying the flags of different families could be seen as well. ¡°How many are there exactly?¡± Gabriel asked. ¡°Their number seems to exceed one thousand,¡± Andre answered. Andre was Gabriel¡¯s most trusted knight as well as his brother-in-law. ¡°We only have about three hundred, right? Do we stand a chance?¡± Gabriel asked. Andre replied while stroking his mustache. ¡°It is common knowledge that a successful siege requires at least three times the number of defenders. However, our mercenaries are very capable and high in morale, and the loyal knights are also strong-willed. Moreover, it is highly likely that Lord Essandra will not attack the castle.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Gabriel asked. Unlike Essandra, who was always diligent in her education ever since she was young as the margrave¡¯s successor, Gabriel was slightly lacking in qualities as a monarch. He wasn¡¯t able to accurately comprehend the situation. ¡°Take a look at those troops. More than half of them are mercenaries. To satisfy men like those, looting must be allowed of the occupied areas. However, this is the prestigious, honorable main castle of the Archivold family. This isn¡¯t a random village or a hamlet of the territory. Would Lord Essandra permit those savages to loot the castle?¡± Andre answered. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s true,¡± Gabriel exclaimed. ¡°Yes. In the end, she will try to negotiate. So you need to delay as long as possible, my lord. I have already sent someone, we should hear from them in two to three days,¡± Andre said. ¡°Phew! I understand. As expected, it¡¯s truly reassuring to have you by my side, brother-in-law,¡± Gabriel spoke with relief. ¡°Not at all. I believe that only Lord Gabriel is capable of leading the Archivold marquisate to stability and prosperity. Moreover, my wife regards only Lord Gabriel as her true brother,¡± Andre continued. ¡°Yes. Good, very good. Hahaha!¡± Gabriel laughed. Two was better than one, and three was better than two ¨C the same held true for great nobles as well. As such, Gabriel could laugh with relief. A day later, the anticipated news finally arrived. *** ¡°My lord! I have returned,¡± after entering the Rose Castle through a secret passage, a knight spoke on one knee. ¡°Great work, Sir Molve. Did you encounter any danger on your way here?¡± Andre asked. ¡°Just as you said, I didn¡¯t come across any troops belonging to Lord Essandra on the way,¡± Molve answered. The existence and location of the secret passage were only known to the official successor of the marquisate. But both Gabriel and Elena had coincidentally discovered the secret passage when they were playing hide-and-seek in their childhood. ¡°Sister would have guarded the passage herself. She is stubbornly responsible in that aspect, so she must have not told anyone about it,¡± Elena said. ¡°Yes, you are right. Anyways, Sir Molve, you must never tell anyone about the existence of the passage.¡± Gabriel added. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry. I swear on my honor to keep it a secret until the day I die,¡± Molve answered. ¡°Good. I trust you, sir. Now, did you look into the matter I spoke about?¡± Gabriel asked. Both Gabriel and Elena waited for an answer with a tense, but hopeful expression. ¡°Yes. Just as you predicted, Lord Essandra did not come to personally occupy all the villages and hamlets in the marquisate. Rather, she merely confirmed their loyalty by dispatching a few knights,¡± Molve answered. ¡°I knew it. And what else?¡± Gabriel asked. His real curiosity lay somewhere else, but he didn¡¯t want to risk arousing the knight¡¯s suspicion. As such, he pretended to be calm. ¡°First, I wasn¡¯t able to enter the Karinsa Dungeon. With Lord Edrique joining Lord Essandra, there were quite a few troops guarding the entrance to the dungeon. They were quite stubborn, insisting that they could not let anyone enter without Lord Essandra¡¯s explicit permission¡­ I apologize,¡± Molve answered with a dejected expression. ¡°Hmm.¡± Gabriel and Elena¡¯s expressions darkened slightly. Now, they had no way of knowing the current status of the wizard. They could only hope that the wizard had escaped safely. ¡°What about the roamers? Their numbers in the vicinity must have increased greatly since the dungeon hadn¡¯t been subjugated for quite some time,¡± Elena asked. ¡°Ah, I would have thought so as well, but the number of roamers has not increased much. However, this might be hard to believe, but¡­¡± The knight hesitated. ¡°But¡­?¡± The two siblings asked with curiosity. ¡°A monster seems to have appeared in Rodan Forest. It¡¯s definitely not a griffon, but judging from its fierce roar, it¡¯s presumed to be a very dangerous, wicked monster. Something that has never been seen before.¡± CH 77 ¡°Really? Tell me more, what kind of a monster is it?¡± Gabriel and Elena responded while leaning forward, suddenly showing interest at the mention of a mysterious monster. ¡°Unfortunately, the ignorant peasants were incapable of giving an accurate depiction of the monster, so I do not know much more. However, it¡¯s known that the monster¡¯s cry is terrible enough to haunt your soul, and it¡¯s rumored that the griffon of Rodan Forest was defeated by that monster, which means¡­¡± The knight trailed off. ¡°Which means?¡± The siblings asked. ¡°It must be a high-ranking monster. Something like an ogre or a drake,¡± Sir Molve answered. ¡®Finally! Those wizards!¡¯ ¡®They succeeded!¡¯ The siblings quickly shared a gaze while clenching their fists. ¡°Sir Molve. The griffon of Rodan Forest was a humongous headache and a threat to the marquisate over the last few years, was it not?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then that means the mysterious monster must be a truly terrifying force. What would happen if such a powerful monster attacked a nearby village?¡± ¡°Ah! You have a good point. Come to think of it, I also heard rumors regarding the appearance of an undead monster. Tsk, those lowly peasants are quite delusional.¡± ¡°What? An undead!?¡± Although Gabriel was already certain, he pretended to be greatly shocked as he responded. ¡°If it truly is an undead, this issue may escalate into a threat to the honor of the marquisate. But we are unable to send an army because of our sister¡¯s army¡­¡± Gabriel continued. ¡°Brother, send a messenger to Sister Essandra. Although we are placed in an undesirable situation right now, she must be sincerely worried about the marquisate as a member of the Archivold family. I am certain that she will take action,¡± Elena said. ¡°You are right. Sir Molve.¡± Gabriel called out.¡± ¡°Please give me your orders,¡± Molve responded. ¡°Inform all the sirs of the castle about the matter with the undead monster. Send a messenger to Essandra immediately as well,¡± Gabriel ordered. ¡°I understand, my lord! I will carry out your orders!¡± Sir Molve answered. He was completely oblivious to the truth of the matter, and as such, he was touched by Gabriel¡¯s sense of duty and honor towards the marquisate. ¡°Just as I thought! Only Lord Gabriel is suited to lead the marquisate! I cannot believe he is such a broad-minded, honorable man!¡¯ The knight¡¯s emotions were conveyed as he spread the news to the castle¡¯s nobles, and the two siblings were delighted to see their plan proceeding smoothly. ¡°This is great. Essandra will have no choice but to withdraw her army, right?¡± Gabriel asked. ¡°Yes! And even if she doesn¡¯t, she won¡¯t be able to lay siege on the castle either. Not until the undead is taken care of. Hoho!¡± Elena answered. The presence of a holy knight was required to defeat undead monsters. However, there weren¡¯t any legitimate holy knights on the Carls Baggins Peninsula due to the fact that the bishop had fled a long time ago. In the end, Essandra would be forced to withdraw her army and focus all her efforts on dealing with the undead monster. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Hohoho!¡± The two siblings were able to heartily laugh with ease after a truly long time. However, their joy did not last more than a day. *** The next morning, Essandra stood in front of the Rose Castle with other nobles standing behind her back. A knight dressed in black plate armor stood in front of the castle¡¯s drawbridge with the corpses of three griffons and a two-headed noble. He shouted¡­ ¡°I am Jan of the Eugene family! I am a knight supporting Lord Essandra!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Gabriel and Elena stood with their mouths agape, and the nobles and knights of the castle began fervently whispering. ¡°Jan Eugene? Is he not the knight who occupied the land belonging to the late Lord Bemos?¡± ¡°Wyvern Slayer! He¡¯s the knight who successfully subjugated the Philia Ruins! The evil land located in the Beogalan territory!¡± ¡°Why is that man¡­¡± ¡°As you can see, I already took care of the evil undead that appeared in the marquisate! Moreover, I have killed the griffons that had been threatening the people of the land for a long time!¡± Eugene shouted. ¡°Heup!¡± The whispering stopped, and the people of the castle became wide-eyed with surprise. Elena quickly raised her voice in a flurry. ¡°Take that lying man and¡­¡± ¡°This undead ogre was brought back to life as an undead by a wizard¡¯s evil magic! And I have taken the wizard¡¯s head with my blade!¡± Eugene continued. ¡°¡­!¡± The complexion of the two siblings paled in an instant and their eyes started quivering as Eugene took out an object and shook it in the air. ¡°This is the journal belonging to the wizard I killed! Would you like to know the names that are mentioned in this journal? I can reveal it immediately if you would like!¡± Eugene shouted. The eyes of Gabriel and Elena started to quiver even more when they saw the ragged booklet held in Eugene¡¯s hand. ¡°Unfortunately! And dishonorably! Those who shared a deep relationship with the evil wizard responsible for the creation of this anomaly were¡­¡± Eugene started to shout. ¡°I surrender! Open the gate! Open it! I surrender!¡± Gabriel had no choice but to immediately respond while the numerous nobles and knights of the marquisate were watching. *** ¡°Do you have anything to say for yourselves?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°¡­What excuse could I make? Even if I had ten lips, I would have nothing to say. All of us inherited the same blood. Please show us mercy, sister,¡± Gabriel said. ¡°Please forgive us, sister. Those wizards must have placed us under an evil spell. There is no way that either Gabriel or I would have done such a terrible thing if we were in our right minds,¡± Elena added. ¡°Hooh. At least both of you still have glib tongues.¡± Essandra clicked her tongue while sitting on the pedestal located in the castle¡¯s main hall. Both Gabriel and Elena were on their knees in front of her, trembling with fear and shame. However, this was much better than having their plans revealed in front of all the nobles and knights of the marquisate. ¡°I can forgive the fact that you two caused the peninsula to fall into chaos by goading the vassals. After our father was detained, there was a need to sort out those who were loyal from those that weren¡¯t. On the contrary, I was satisfied that the two of you caused such a commotion,¡± Essandra said. ¡°...!¡± The eyes of the two siblings shook violently. They initially assumed that Essandra had been doing nothing while sitting in her own territory, but it appeared that it wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°The same was true of Edrique. Since he is friendly, even though he is credulous, I thought he would be capable of comforting and taking care of the various vassals,¡± Essandra continued. ¡°Then does that mean you already knew everything¡­?¡± ¡°Obviously. I was just biding my time. I thought it would take at least a few more years for the chaos to subside since it was brewing since our father¡¯s time. But receiving a title from the king? That¡¯s crossing the line,¡± she said. ¡°I-I apologize¡­¡± Gabriel said while dropping his head. Essandra smirked and said, ¡°However, it was a wise decision to surrender right away. If you attempted to deny Sir Eugene¡¯s words, I do not know what would have happened to the both of you. The knights of the castle might have risen up against you before anything else.¡± ¡°...¡± In all likelihood, a rebellion would have occurred. It was an act of self-destruction for a lord, regardless of whether they were the direct descendant of a marquis, to have released an undead in their territory. It would have caused their honors to plummet to unrecoverable depths. ¡°In that sense, I praise your decision to surrender immediately and open the gates. I guess your desire for power had not blinded you completely, hmm?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°H-how could that be? Your dull-witted, but loyal younger brother was simply concerned about the rapid deterioration and division of the marquisate. I was planning to offer them to you, sister, after I have unified them to the best of my abilities¡­¡± Gabriel started to reason out. ¡°Enough. Gabriel, I will confiscate all of your property and strip you of your status indefinitely. Do you have any objections?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°¡­None. I am grateful for your mercy,¡± Gabriel answered. ¡°And Elena,¡± Essandra said. ¡°Yes, sister,¡± Elena answered. Ever since they were young, Elena had found her older sister particularly difficult to deal with. Her shoulders trembled as she met her older sister¡¯s gaze. ¡°Technically, you were responsible for bringing those wicked wizards to the castle and sending them to the dungeon. It¡¯s a serious crime, and I would be more than justified in sentencing you to life in prison,¡± Essandra declared. Elena simply stayed silent with her head bowed. There was nothing she could say in response. ¡°However, it has been less than a year since father was locked away and the death of Bemos. I cannot allow for more blood of the Archivold family to be shed,¡± Essandra said. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Elena raised her head with hope. Essandra gave a cold smile. ¡°Still, someone must take responsibility for the situation. Is that not so, Sir Eugene?¡± Essandra said after turning her gaze to Eugene. ¡°You are correct,¡± Eugene answered while stepping forward. Gabriel and Elena were once again shaken. This was a private gathering of the Archivold family¡¯s direct descendants, but an outsider was present. The knight had been keeping his place next to Essandra as if it was a given. From the moment Gabriel and Elena saw the knight, they made certain assumptions ¨C everything traced back to the beautiful, alluring knight. The ¡®time¡¯ that Essandra referred to happened faster than expected due to the presence of that knight. ¡°Okay, then who do you think should take responsibility for the matter, sir?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°I think¡­¡± Eugene turned his gaze to the two siblings before continuing. ¡°Lord Essandra, your siblings only made a small mistake that was misguided by their deep loyalty to the family and the marquisate. The one who should take responsibility for the situation should be the one who abandoned their morality and honor, the one who tried to drive a wedge between the direct descendants of the Archivold family because of their self-interest.¡± Eugene answered. ¡°¡­!¡± A figure naturally came to the mind of the two siblings after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. ¡°S-sir, are you perhaps referring to my husband?¡± Elena asked hurriedly. Eugene nodded. ¡°Who was the one responsible for instigating a murderer of nobles because of their desire for Lord Bemos¡¯ mine? The one responsible for bringing evil wizards into the territory? Lord Elena? Lord Gabriel? Or perhaps both of them?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Sir Eugene. Isn¡¯t that too harsh? There is no way my siblings would do such a horrendous thing, right?¡± Essandra rebuked Eugene and defended her siblings. However, Gabriel and Elena recognized that they were driven into a perfect corner after seeing Essandra¡¯s expression. Eventually, Elena¡¯s head dropped. ¡°Y-you are right, sister.¡± This was a world where one had to abandon even their husbands to survive. That was the world that those known as the great nobles lived in. *** Several figures, including Knight Andre, Elena¡¯s husband, were imprisoned in the castle¡¯s dungeon. The rest of the nobles welcomed Essandra as the new marquis with open arms. As such, Essandra managed to occupy the Archivold family¡¯s main castle without shedding a drop of blood where she held a grand banquet. Alcohol and meat were made available to the mercenaries located outside the castle, and the mercenaries also toasted the birth of the Carls Baggins Peninsula¡¯s strongest margrave with one, unified voice. ¡°Sir, are you still insistent? You have no desire to stand by my side?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Haha!¡± Essandra burst into laughter after hearing Eugene¡¯s simple, concise answer. Eugene was unlike all the nobles who were desperate to get on her good side. Perhaps that was why she felt even more favorable towards him. ¡°Did you know? You are the first one to ever treat me in such a fashion. That¡¯s why I want you even more,¡± Essandra stated. ¡°Unfortunately, there is nothing to be done. And even if I do stay by your side, it doesn¡¯t mean that only good things will happen,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°The nobles of the marquisate. They are currently standing still to prevent offending you, but how do you think they will react if I make even more achievements? That¡¯s just how the human heart is, is it not?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Who would dare to¡­¡± Essandra glanced over the nobles with a gaze of anger. However, she knew that Eugene was right. A monarch needed many competent subordinates, but if one was too competent, it would inevitably lead to conflict and antagonism. ¡°But you will join me for the rest of the expedition, right? I still need to take care of the territories and cities in the south of the peninsula, after all,¡± Becoming the new marquis wasn¡¯t the end. Essandra currently had more than 1,000 soldiers under her command, and there wouldn¡¯t be many opportunities and justification in gathering such a large group of soldiers under her flag in the future. As such, Essandra was planning to take advantage of this opportunity to fully unite the peninsula and to make Archivold¡¯s name known to the world. ¡°Did you not tell your siblings that you had been planning to take action even without my involvement? I think it would be fine if you resume your plan,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Wow. You remembered all that? Well, I guess I would have acted even without you, sir. But things will definitely be easier with you by my side, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°Perhaps. But as I have already told you, neither of us will benefit if I accomplish anything more. You must think about the others under your command,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Essandra licked her lips while stroking her chin like a man. Eugene certainly had a point. Trouble could definitely arise after peace was restored on the peninsula. ¡°Then what about your men? It might be quite damaging if all of them went missing.¡± It was clear that Essandra couldn¡¯t abandon her lingering feelings. However, Eugene gave an immediate answer. ¡°Including Sir Galfredik and I, only around thirty troops will be leaving.¡± ¡°What?¡± Essandra expressed her confusion. ¡°I mentioned before that I promised a seat for the free knights who had followed me here, right? Since they haven¡¯t done much so far, to leave them be would be a loss for both you and me, Lord Essandra. Take them and make them work as you would like. Moffern¡¯s mercenaries would be very disappointed to return immediately as well. Why don¡¯t you take the chance to display your leadership and financial power, my lord?¡± Eugene suggested. ¡°¡­Ha, hahahahaha!¡± Essandra laughed boisterously while stroking Eugene¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re a crafty fox, aren¡¯t you? In the end, you are planning to leave me with your baggage, right?¡± She continued. Eugene felt rather guilty, but he responded with a straight face, ¡°How could that be? You are mistaken. I am only offering you an option that everyone, including yourself, me, and the knights, would benefit from.¡± ¡°Haha. You aren¡¯t exactly wrong, so I can¡¯t say anything about it. In the end, you managed to become a lord and commanded those troops without spending a single coin,¡± Essandra said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I intended, but I can¡¯t deny it,¡± Eugene answered nonchalantly. It was Gardye, the merchant guild leader of Moffern, who recruited the mercenaries, but Eugene was responsible for their payroll. Coincidentally, their first payday was in two days. But what if he handed over the mercenaries to Essandra before their payday, since she needed the troops for at least another month anyway? ¡®Would she ask me to pay their wages? She has to save face as the marquis, right?¡¯ Eugene hid his innermost thoughts and spoke calmly, ¡°The wage of the mercenaries is set at two silver coins per day. We decided to give them half of the loot and spoils, so please remember that.¡± ¡°Wow! So you¡¯re planning to not spend a single coin at all? Isn¡¯t this blatant robbery?¡± Essandra spoke in disbelief. Eugene was unwilling to take a loss until the end. Regardless, Eugene was satisfied. His original purpose was to become recognized as a lord by the next marquis, which he achieved, and he also managed to command mercenaries and free knights without spending any money. Moreover, he gained quite a bit from subjugating the dungeon by himself. And that wasn¡¯t the end¡­ ¡®The red mana stone, and the things I took from the dead wizard as well¡­¡¯ The only regret he had was that he had not been able to activate his transforming ability. As it turned out, he could only activate his transforming ability by consuming a red mana stone and the blood of the monster he wanted to transform into. As such, he wasn¡¯t able to exercise his ability from the griffons, since they only possessed blue mana stones. However, discovering the requirements to activate his ability was a great achievement in itself. In the end, this expedition was also a great success. ¡°Huh. Look at your lips twitch. If you want to laugh, just do it. Sir, are you sure that no one has ever called you shameless before?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°As I have told you many times, no one has ever called me that,¡± Eugene answered with an indifferent expression. Essandra was about to speak when the guard captain of the castle hurriedly approached. ¡°My lord, please excuse me, but Sir Eugene has a guest.¡± ¡°A guest?¡± Eugene asked with a frown, and Essandra took on a curious expression as well. ¡°Yes. A female wizard¡­¡± The guard captain responded. ¡°Does she have a bit of a blank expression? Looks similar to a raccoon?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. But, erm¡­the wizard is currently crying and whining in the courtyard.¡± The guard captain answered. ¡°¡­?¡± It was most likely Romari, but why did she travel all the way here just to create another ruckus? CH 78 ¡°No! No, you can¡¯t!¡± Romari screamed. ¡°Wizard, are you out of your mind? We must burn the cursed undead right away!¡± ¡°Research¡­I need to research it. Ten days, no, just three days. Please!¡± She was in a heated debate against the knights. ¡°Impossible! Even if you are a wizard hired by Sir Eugene, we cannot allow such a thing. Such an evil monster that threatened the marquisate must be burned to ashes immediately.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Since you are a wizard, you must know that the church banned the resurrection of dead monsters, right?¡± ¡°Are you in cahoots with those cursed wizards?¡± The atmosphere of the knights started to become quite harsh as the conversation continued. ¡°Sirs, did you just call Master Romari a black wizard?¡± ¡°Sir Galfredik.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the case¡­¡± The knights faltered as Galfredik stepped out. Galfredik was Eugene¡¯s right-hand man, and he was incredibly skilled as well. All of the knights found him quite difficult to deal with. ¡°A black wizard? Me? I swear on my master¡¯s name and on magic that I do not serve the evil mana!¡± Romari shouted. ¡°Just as she says. I can guarantee that Master Romari possesses no blemish as a wizard, even though her body is quite lacking,¡± Galfredik chimed in. ¡°Right! I have no problems except my body¡­Wait, no!¡± Romari started to shout her response, then stopped herself after realizing what Galfredik had said. ¡°Romari,¡± Eugene called out. As soon as Romari saw Eugene, she ran forward like a puppy while wiping away her tears. ¡°Sir Eugene, Sir Eugene! Could you please stop those knights?¡± she asked. ¡°Because of the undead?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Yes, yes. It has extraordinary value for research. I can¡¯t believe they are planning to burn such a precious thing! Please, if you give it to me, I swear on the name of magic, I will devote my body and my mind fully to¡­¡± Romari pleaded. ¡°If you swear a few more times, it will be the hundredth time,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°I-I swear! I¡¯m completely serious this time,¡± Romari brought her staff close to her chest and pleaded with teary eyes. ¡°Then you were lying before?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying¡­whimper,¡± Teardrops began to fall from her eyes. ¡°I feel bad for the raccoon,¡± Mirian said. It was true. Romari¡¯s clothes and face were caked with dirt from rushing over, and her tears were slowly dripping across her face. However, it wasn¡¯t nearly enough to move Eugene. After making a few calculations in his head, Eugene spoke. ¡°Hmm. Well, I have the right to dispose of the monster, so I will think about it.¡± ¡°Uwaaah! Thank you! You¡¯ll be blessed, Sir Eugene!¡± Romari spoke with a smile after wiping away her tears and snot. Eugene turned his gaze away from the wizard and approached the group of knights. They were gazing at him with disapproving expressions. ¡°Sirs. I will take care of that undead,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ehem! Sir, we do not have the right to prevent you from exercising your rights. However, according to the laws of the church and the kingdom, any undead monsters are to be burnt¡­¡± One of the knights started to speak. ¡°Sir, do you serve Lord Gabriel by chance?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± The knight responded, curious as to why Eugene was asking an unrelated question. ¡°As I expected. It makes sense since you seem to greatly like the kingdom¡¯s law.¡± Eugene said. ¡°...!¡± Several knights flinched after hearing Eugene¡¯s words. They were all Gabriel¡¯s knights. It was an open secret that Gabriel had been planning to receive a title from the royal family. But he ended up surrendering unconditionally to Essandra. As such, if the truth of the matter was revealed to the public, Gabriel¡¯s reputation would be damaged even further. ¡°B-but the church¡­¡± One of the knights muttered. ¡°Who was responsible for the dismissal of the previous marquis? And where is the bishop, who should have taken responsibility?¡± Eugene retorted. ¡°¡­¡± The knights promptly closed their mouths. They realized that it was better to not mention the church or the royal family since Essandra had already taken control of the marquisate. At that time, Essandra and several nobles made their appearance. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°My lord! You are here just in time. That wizard¡­¡± The knights rushed over to Essandra and began to hurriedly tell their stories. The sight was reminiscent of ducklings rushing to their mother. ¡°Those cowardly bastards,¡± Galfredik muttered. ¡°Wait,¡± Eugene dissuaded Galfredik. Essandra frowned after hearing about the current situation from the knights. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°My lord. We are justified in our view. Regardless of the circumstance, should we not immediately burn down the remnants of that evil creature?¡± ¡°I agree with Sir Daniel¡¯s opinion. Even if we disregard the law of the church and the kingdom, the people of the marquisate will become anxious if we leave it be.¡± ¡°What would the other territories and cities of the peninsula say if they knew about this? We must get rid of it as soon as possible.¡± The nobles immediately saw the opening and pushed forward while sticking to Essandra¡¯s side. All of them had been quite wary of Eugene recently with his imminent rise to power as Essandra¡¯s closest aide. ¡°Hmm. All of you certainly have a point,¡± Essandra said. She stared at Eugene with a difficult expression. It was obvious that the public sentiment would sour if the corpse of an evil, undead, twin-headed ogre was left untouched. If the other territories and cities of the peninsula used the opportunity to their advantage, it would prove quite troublesome for Essandra. ¡®What should I do? Ah!¡¯ Eugene slowly opened his lips after thinking of an idea. ¡°I also agree that it could be quite uneasy to leave the corpse of such a monster alone. However, would you not agree that the purpose of a cow is to taste good, regardless of whether it is black or white?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Everyone became puzzled at Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Even though it was transformed into an undead by evil magic, wouldn¡¯t things change depending on how it is used?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Sir, what does that mean?¡± Essandra asked with a frown. Eugene struggled with internal conflict for a brief moment, then made up his mind before raising his right hand to his chest. ¡°Let me tell you the honest truth. It¡¯s commonly known that only holy knights are able to deal with undead monsters. What do you think is the reason I was able to defeat that undead?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­?¡± Everyone, including Essandra, tilted their heads with confusion. Eugene took on a reverent posture and slowly spoke while drawing the holy symbol with his hand. ¡°There is only one explanation¡­It is because of God¡¯s grace and care.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Everyone fell silent at the sudden confession of faith. ¡°As such, why don¡¯t we adorn the evil creature in a priest¡¯s uniform? It will be a living testament of the protection and miracles of God.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Essandra started to react with absurdity, but Eugene quickly drove into the stake even further. ¡°I think it would act as an excellent shield if the bishop ever returned to the peninsula. A miracle took place when the bishop was absent. The church would have nothing to say, right?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Essandra and the nobles flinched, then slowly opened their lips with wonder. ¡°Wow, how brazen. Sir, even your shamelessness is on the level of the demon king.¡± ¡®T-this is crazy. I heard even our founder never dared to sell out God!¡¯ The wizard and the spirit became at a loss for words after witnessing an Origin Vampire drawing the holy symbol with an amicable smile. *** ¡°Oh, my. I never thought I would see an undead wearing a surcoat,¡± Essandra muttered. ¡°It looks quite decent, does it not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to admit it, but it definitely suits it. I¡¯m speechless.¡± Essandra felt conflicted. The ogre, which possessed two heads and four arms, was adorned in a surcoat with the symbol of the church, similar to a paladin or a holy knight. Moreover, the armor wasn¡¯t half-baked or created in a hurry. Rather, it was a top-notch product that was carefully smelted and put together by the craftsmen of the castle overnight. Essandra¡¯s confusion only deepened because of how well the armor suited the monster. ¡°It¡¯s not going to start moving, is it?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°It won''t. The magical tool was destroyed, so it won¡¯t be able to move again. It will only serve as a piece of decoration,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°I see. The effect will be great even if it¡¯s only a piece of decor,¡± Essandra said. It would become a great sight for anyone to see. Those who were susceptible to religion and superstition would worship the miracle of God with tears, and others would praise the Archivold family for achieving such a ridiculous feat. ¡®The noisy church will have nothing to say about it either. Sigh.¡¯ Essandra looked at Eugene with wonder. ¡°Sir. Of course, you must have never heard this before, but I think you are truly out of your mind,¡± she said. ¡°I will take it as a compliment,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Haha. Right, right. But are you really not going with me?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°Yes. It is time for me to return to my territory. I must take care of internal matters and get the silver mine running. It will be beneficial for both of us.¡± Eugene said. Although the silver mine of Mount Nadir belonged to Eugene, thirty percent of the profits would go to the real owner of the land, the Archivold family. It was a natural relationship between lords who were given and recognized by a great noble. ¡°That¡¯s true. But you will be taking care of the internal politics personally? I find that a little hard to believe,¡± Essandra asked skeptically. Eugene felt a little sheepish, but he maintained a calm expression as he responded. ¡°One of my younger cousins is an administrator, and he is quite competent.¡± ¡°Hmm. So you are planning to leave the management of the land to that person? Is he reliable?¡± Essandra asked. ¡°Yes. He is trustworthy.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll kill him if he isn¡¯t.¡¯ Eugene looked around at the knights and vassals of the marquisate before continuing. He had already finished preparations for departure. ¡°And as I told you already, people will be quite discontent if I go with you. They will finally have a chance to show off their loyalty and skills to their lord, so wouldn¡¯t they be disappointed if I joined in as well?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hooh? You¡¯re even being considerate of others? This is quite suspicious. This makes me want to take you with me even more,¡± Essandra responded. ¡°It¡¯s a simple misunderstanding,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hahaha. Well, there¡¯s no helping it. Just as you said, sir, the others will become anxious if you earn yourself even more merit. They are all so narrow-minded. Ah, right.¡± Essandra smacked her lips before looking around. Then, she raised her voice. ¡°Selena! Where is Selena!?¡± The servants ran around busily at Essandra¡¯s shouts. Soon, a young knight with short, bobbed hair and average height shuffled towards the group. ¡°You called for me, my lord?¡± The newcomer spoke. ¡°Aunt,¡± Essandra responded. ¡°¡­Yes, aunt.¡± The knight corrected herself rather unwillingly. A light glimmered in Eugene¡¯s eyes when he saw the girl. ¡®So this is¡­¡¯ Selena was quite good-looking, and her emerald eyes left a big impression. Even though she was only fifteen, she looked quite mature for her age. ¡°Give your greetings to Sir Eugene,¡± Essandra said. Selena glanced at Eugene before speaking. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Selena Perin Archivold.¡± Her tone was very dry. Mirian, who was plopped on Eugene¡¯s shoulder, shouted with flames in her eyes. ¡°Kieeeek!? What is this? This little wench! She dares to glare at Sir Eugene when she¡¯s nothing more than a large rat dropping? What an ugly, rude little girl!¡± ¡®She¡¯s not that ugly.¡¯ Eugene was becoming well-versed in the human standards of beauty, and he thought that Selena possessed a decent appearance among humans. But that wasn¡¯t important to him at all. ¡°Jan Eugene,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!¡± Selena¡¯s eyes turned even sharper when Eugene gave a short, blunt response. ¡°As expected, she¡¯s a little lacking to become my aide,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°W-what did you say?¡± She responded. ¡°Galfredik!¡± But Eugene ignored her and called out after turning his head. ¡°Did you call for me?¡± Galfredik trudged towards Eugene. He had been hanging out with Partec¡¯s group. Eugene spoke while pointing to Selena. ¡°From today, she will be your aide.¡± ¡°Huh? My aide? So suddenly?¡± Galfredik responded with wide eyes. ¡°She is Lord Gabriel¡¯s daughter. I think you will need to take care of her properly,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Please take good care of my niece, Sir Galfredik.¡± Essandra chimed in with a smile. Galfredik scratched his head with an awkward expression. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really need an aide, but since both of you are insistent¡­ I guess there¡¯s no other choice.¡± Selena was at a loss for words. In an instant, she had gone from a direct descendant of a great noble family to a simple, unwanted piece of baggage. But she was an intelligent girl, and she instantly realized why she was being sold to these insidious knights. ¡®If it¡¯s for my father¡­¡¯ From today, she would have to endure any humiliation as a hostage. She had to do this if she wanted her father, Gabriel, to live. ¡®However!¡¯ Selena secretly clenched her teeth and raised her head. ¡°My name is Selena Perin Archivold. Sir Galfredik, right? With all due respect, I would like to experience the skills of the person who will become my master from today. Would you give me your permission?¡± Her appearance was rather gender-neutral and she had deliberately lowered her tone, but Galfredik immediately noticed that she was a woman. He responded while grinning. ¡°Are you asking for a bout with me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relief that the one I will serve as my master is quick-witted,¡± she said. ¡°Bring it on. I will count to three. Three, two¡­¡± Galfredik responded before immediately counting down. Selena was born with great talent and had been trained ever since she was young by the knights of the castle. Despite the sudden turn of events, she quickly unsheathed her longsword and took a posture. ¡°¡­one.¡± Whoosh! Clang! Thuck! ¡°Keugh!¡± Selena¡¯s throat rested in Galfredik¡¯s right hand even before her blade, which had been knocked aside by his gauntlet, hit the ground. The battle was over in less than a second. ¡°Keugh! Kuwagh!¡± Selena struggled with all her might as she gasped for air. But Galfredik stood immobile like a stone statue and slowly raised her into the air. Their gazes met. ¡°Do you know how my master often punished me when I was still an aide?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Keugh! Kuagh!¡± ¡°It was to strip me naked and to have me train with a wooden sword. If you are a knight, you should already know, right? Blades do not discriminate based on gender or age. Rather, it is even crueler to the weak,¡± Galfredik stated. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°If you look at me or Sir Eugene with those eyes one more time, I will strip you naked for an entire month. I swear it on my honor,¡± he continued. Selena fainted. But it was because she failed to overcome the frightening fear contained in Galfredik¡¯s reddish eyes, rather than the lack of oxygen. ¡°H-hey, Sir Galfredik. You aren¡¯t really going to strip her naked, are you?¡± Essandra asked anxiously. As long as Selena was Galfredik¡¯s aide, he would have full control over the young girl¡¯s disposition. ¡°My lord. With all due respect, what kind of a man do you take me to be¡­?¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Right? Phew, you had me worried,¡± Essandra responded. ¡°I am Rowan of Galfredik. I am a man of my word, and I definitely keep my promises,¡± he continued. ¡°¡­¡± Essandra became convinced that Galfredik was a man of his word as she watched him place her niece over his broad shoulder with a smile. It wasn¡¯t only Eugene who was insane, but also his most-trusted knight as well. CH 79 ¡°Please take care, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°It was such an honor to be with you!¡± ¡°Sir! I will see you at the territory in a month!¡± The mercenaries of Moffern and the seven free knights came outside to see Eugene off. The time they spent together was rather short, but Eugene had undoubtedly been the best employer and the leader for all of them. Some of them would no longer have to roam the world without a master after being sworn in by the marquis, and they burned even more with loyalty. ¡°I will return after accomplishing feats that will not taint the names of Lord Essandra and Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°I promise you. The names of Archivold and Eugene will resonate loudly over the skies of the peninsula.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Don¡¯t overdo it. I know I¡¯ve already mentioned this, but make sure to absolutely obey Lord Essandra¡¯s orders. If I hear otherwise, there won¡¯t be any land waiting for you once you return,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry!¡± It could only contain three or four small households, but the knights were passionate and eager to possess their own land and farmer tenants. Their profits from their land would be sufficient to feed their horses and replace a few of their equipment. Moreover, Eugene would not be satisfied with managing territory only on the peninsula. The knights¡¯ hearts swelled up at the thought of officially becoming lords of small territories one day. All they had to do was to be loyal to Eugene. ¡°Then I wish you all luck,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The mercenaries and knights answered in one voice. Leaving the large group behind, Eugene passed the gate with Galfredik and a small number of soldiers. ¡°But¡­do they really have to take that with them?¡± One of the knights muttered while staring at the departing group. His eyes were glued on the undead ogre dressed in a priest¡¯s uniform which was seated on a cart. ¡°Huh! Isn¡¯t that only natural? Isn¡¯t that the living proof of the miracle? It¡¯s evidence that God declared this land as a sacred place and that he loves the marquisate and Sir Eugene!¡± One of the other knights quickly rebuked his comrade. ¡°T-that¡¯s true. I misspoke,¡± The knight quickly admitted his fault and hurriedly drew the holy symbol with his hand while repenting. ¡°Oh, God. Please forgive me. I dared to have doubts towards you and Sir Eugene, the one who receives your love.¡± The knight¡¯s confession caused a fierce wave of repentance to spread through the knights. ¡°Ohhh! May you bless his path!¡± ¡°May God¡¯s protection and blessing always be with you, Sir Eugene!¡± Thus, the knights reverently waved their hands in the air and dedicated the greatest blessing they could give to the Origin Vampire. *** ¡°You came all the way here to give this to me?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes. I heard that the person who brought this to the Palin Association was greatly disappointed that Sir Eugene wasn¡¯t there,¡± Romari answered. She had handed Eugene a letter after leaving the Archivold family¡¯s castle. Eugene stroked his chin after carefully reading the content of the letter. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°What does it say?¡± Romari asked. ¡°The introduction is quite long, but it¡¯s essentially asking me to go over in a rush to participate in a knight competition,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Hooh. Has it already been four years?¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Four years? What do you mean?¡± Eugene turned his head and asked. ¡°Count Winslon holds a competition every four years. It appears that this is the fourth year since the last,¡± Galfredik answered. ¡°I see. A knight competition. It must be similar to the one hosted by the Evergrove County, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s going to be even more amazing. Rumor has it that nearly a hundred people participated in the competition four years ago,¡± Galfredik answered. ¡°Is that so? How many participants were there in Count Evergrove¡¯s competition?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Maybe about thirty? Discounting the random nobodies, there must have been about ten proper knights. Even though the Evergrove family acts like they are kings in the area near Maren, they still can¡¯t compare to Winslon.¡± Galfredik answered. ¡°Is Winslon that amazing?¡± Eugene muttered while tilting his head. His response was only natural since he knew at most about ten noble families. Galfredik responded with a grin, ¡°First of all, they are a family stemming from the first royal family. It¡¯s said that even kings cannot mess with them recklessly because of their enormous territory and power.¡± ¡°Really? To what extent?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I¡¯ve only heard of it as well, but it¡¯s said that Count Winslon has more than five hundred troops under his direct control and almost one thousand troops including those serving his vassals. In addition, the Winslon County has a knight order,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°A knight order?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. Dozens of guys like me who are loyal and only obey the count¡¯s orders,¡± Galfredik answered. ¡°That¡¯s¡­definitely incredible.¡± Eugene was surprised. Hiring dozens of mercenaries for a period of time had cost too much money, which was why he handed them over to Essandra. But Count Winslon had dozens of times the number of troops as well as a knight order! ¡°Then the knights from the order will be participating in the competition as well, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°They live and die by their reputation, so it¡¯s only natural that they do? If they win, they¡¯ll get a chest full of gold and expensive armament as well,¡± Galfredik said with a shrug. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene answered before resting his gaze on Wolfslaughter, which was hanging next to the saddle. It was a famous blade bestowed to a famous knight by the Winslon County in the past. ¡®I could become sworn in to a nobleman who is even greater than Marquis Archivold, and get other equipment on the level of Wolfslaughter. If I¡¯m lucky I could even get the chance to conquer evil lands as well.¡¯ Most importantly, several months had already passed since he received the letter of recommendation. It was about time to go. ¡°We will stop by our territory before heading straight to Maren. We will depart after making preparations in Maren, which should give us enough time,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°Hehe! Good idea. This is exciting,¡± Galfredik responded with a face filled with expectations. Unfortunately for Galfredik, Eugene responded with a shrug. ¡°What are you talking about? You have to stay back and protect the territory.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You will need to act as the lord in my stead for the time being,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Master, what are you¡­¡± Eugene glanced behind Galfredik while cutting off his words. ¡°That girl. Why do you think I had her become your aide instead of mine?¡± ¡°What? What does that baggage have anything to do with this?¡± Galfredik responded with a frown, turning his eyes to the limp, drooping body of Selena. ¡°Don¡¯t you think Lord Essandra will only be satisfied once she gets to know that her niece is in the care of a knight who is trustworthy enough to rule a territory in my stead?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Galfredik finally realized the meaning behind Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°I would have preferred real baggage instead. This way, she¡¯s basically my master. Hmph.¡± Galfredik muttered with a scowl. ¡°It¡¯s only temporary. It seems like it will take some time for the Carls Baggins Peninsula to become stable again. Delmondo is quite competent, but I could only be truly relieved if I had you here. How could I compare someone like Delmondo with you?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Tsk! Well, I guess there will be more opportunities to rampage together in the future,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°Of course. If you ever get bored, go and subjugate the evil lands belonging to Lord Essandra or Sir Beogalan. I¡¯ve already talked to them about it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Galfredik¡¯s expression loosened as he responded. Romari, who had been quietly watching the two men, slowly inched her horse closer to Silion before speaking. ¡°Sir Eugene, Sir Eugene. Then what should I do? I think heading to Maren with you and researching that ogre would be¡­¡± ¡°You will stay behind with Galfredik,¡± Eugene gave a curt answer. ¡°What? I have to? Why?¡± Romari asked. ¡°Then what else are you going to do? Take the undead to Maren? Aren¡¯t you supposed to start smelting the silver from the mine? How much longer are you planning to be a freeloader?¡± Eugene said. ¡°No, of course. I¡¯ll do as you said. Yes, of course,¡± Romari answered with a dejected expression. Galfredik burst into laughter, ¡°Haha! Master Romari, let¡¯s get along for a while.¡± ¡°What? I have to? Why?¡± Romari gave the exact same answer as before with a curious expression. ¡°It¡¯s definitely the same words, but why do I feel offended?¡± Galfredik said. ¡°That¡¯s because that was my intent,¡± Romari answered. ¡°Your harsh words remind me of my dead grandmother.¡± ¡°Stop! Talking! About your fucking dog Tallulah and¡­¡± The two started to bicker once more, but Eugene interrupted in a quiet voice, ¡°By the way, Romari, are there other wizards in the Blood Shadow School beside you?¡± ¡°Um, as far as I know, my master is the only one. It¡¯s not like our school follows a single student policy or anything, but the conditions for entering and leaving are very strict. But why are you asking me that all of a sudden?¡± Romari said. ¡°That¡¯s strange. The wizard I killed, apparently, he told the Archivold family that he belonged to the Blood Shadow School,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°¡­!¡± Romari¡¯s eyes grew wide with shock, and she asked back in a hurry.¡°I-is that really true? That can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Are you doubting me?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No! That¡¯s not what I¡¯m trying to say¡­¡± Romari answered in a flurry. ¡°Then that must mean that they were impersonators,¡± Eugene said. ¡°That¡¯s right! Wizards belonging to the Blood Shadow School would never create undead. Only chimeras! The ultimate goal of the Blood Shadow School is the production of chimeras. It¡¯s completely different from black magic, because¡­¡± Romari desperately defended her school. Creating undead was frowned upon because it involved the trapping or controlling of the souls belonging to the subject of magic, regardless of whether they were humans or monsters. On the other hand, chimeras were an entirely new species created by combining various parts belonging to different monsters. As such, souls tailored for the body had to be created. Not only was it more difficult, but it was an entirely different branch of magic. ¡°Most importantly, chimeras only respond to monsters possessing mana stones. Even though they obey the orders of their creator, they do not oppose those without mana stones,¡± Romari said. ¡°I see. But do ordinary people know the difference?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Probably not. Moreover, our school isn¡¯t very public because of our founder¡¯s identity¡­¡± Romari trailed off. ¡°But since the impersonators were using your name, wouldn¡¯t that make things difficult for your school?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes¡­Ah! But since the wizard was killed by Sir Eugene¡­¡± Romari said. ¡°The other one is still alive,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The dead wizard had a student. It appears that he escaped after discovering his master¡¯s death. There¡¯s no guarantee that he won¡¯t create an undead and exploit the name of the Blood Shadow School,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Heuk!¡± Romari¡¯s expression quickly dimmed. She looked to be a serious person when she first met Eugene. When things started to flow to Eugene¡¯s liking, he revealed the bait to make the catch. Even though she was only a small fish, she could grow to be very big in the future. ¡°However, I took the magical tool and the journal from the dead wizard. I¡¯m not sure if this would be of any help¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°It will! It will! Please, give it to me! I will definitely find out their true identities! I swear it on the name of magic and my school.¡± Romari immediately took the bait and shouted fervently. ¡°All right.¡± Although it was quite ridiculous how fast Romari changed her attitude, Eugene nodded with satisfaction. Mirian, who was laying comfortably on Silion¡¯s mane, spoke while thumping her large belly. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk! The greed of wizards is even bigger than the bellies of dragons. They don¡¯t know when to be satisfied. Tsk, tsk. Burp!¡± It was all too shameless to be coming from a spirit who had literally stuffed herself to the brim at breakfast. *** ¡°Oh, I greet the great Ori¡­I greet my lord,¡± Delmondo quickly corrected himself and bowed deeply. It appeared his heart still fluttered with awe and fear whenever he saw Eugene. ¡°Everyone except the administrator, you may all leave,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The servants, who were all villagers hired by Delmondo, bowed before leaving. Eugene sat comfortably in a chair before continuing, ¡°I guess everything is going well. The village was quite bustling.¡± ¡°Yes. The guild leaders of Moffern actively cooperated. First¡­¡± Delmondo quickly knelt on one knee before giving an accurate, concise report. The report was even better than the ones he gave to his immediate superior during his time as an imperial official. ¡°¡­As such, the castle is expected to be completed in half a year, and we plan to run the territory by hiring those recommended by the guilds. Do you have anything you would like to point out?¡± Delmondo spoke carefully, unable to hide his anxiety. Eugene nodded. ¡°I trust that you will do well on your own.¡± ¡°Ah! Thank you for trusting me to¡­¡± ¡°Since you will die if you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I swear on my life that I will do my best,¡± Delmondo immediately responded with a brighter expression, then he bowed his head afterward while trembling. ¡°I won¡¯t be returning to the territory for a while. Take your orders from Galfredik. The troops who came with me and the wizard will be staying behind as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I will follow the will of the great one,¡± Delmondo said obediently. The status between himself and the vassal of an Origin was comparable to the gap between heaven and earth. Moreover, Galfredik was even more difficult to deal with for Delmondo. He could already that a bleak future awaited him. *** Gardye and the other guild leaders of Moffern did not spare their praise after hearing about the incident regarding Eugene and the Archivold marquisate. As a result of Eugene¡¯s heroic deeds, the roads leading inland of the peninsula would be opened once again for the first time in nearly two years. Moreover, Moffern¡¯s guilds would be tasked with the disposal of monster by-products and mana stones from the various dungeons, as well as the silver from Eugene¡¯s mine. This wasn¡¯t all¡­ ¡°You may have already guessed, but Lord Essandra has no intention of stopping here. She is planning to demonstrate her force to the southern territories and cities of the peninsula. She appeared to be looking forward to Moffern¡¯s support,¡± Eugene said while handing the guild leaders a letter. Gardye and the other guild leaders were so overjoyed that they even shed tears. The letter contained Essandra¡¯s signature along with the seal of the Archivold family, and it was a long list of supplies required for her army. Peace and stability would allow merchants to fill their bellies slowly, but war would immediately satiate them. Thanks to Eugene, the land surrounding Moffern became quite peaceful. Fortunately for them, the southern part of the peninsula would continue to be noisy due to Essandra. It was a golden opportunity for the City of Moffern to rake in money. ¡°Horray! Horray! Horraayyy!¡± The overjoyed cries of the guild leaders resonated endlessly as the ship with Eugene and the various by-products left the port. Of course, Eugene was very satisfied as well. ¡®I can¡¯t believe that they agreed to build a castle, develop the mine, and even pay the mercenaries for the time being. What a fortunate outcome.¡¯ This result was achieved because the interest of both parties exquisitely matched. Eugene felt satisfied even without knowing the details. CH 80 ¡°S-Sir Eugene, what are these¡­?¡± ¡°There had been a few more unplanned subjugations, so take this as well.¡± Eugene threw a leather pouch, and Priscilla hurriedly received it before opening it. He had returned after a month. ¡®How beautiful!¡¯ Her eyes dimmed as hundreds of mana stones shone brilliantly, nestled comfortably within the heavy leather pocket. ¡°Vice Executive. Drool,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes. What?¡± She answered. ¡°You¡¯re drooling,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Ah! Please excuse me. Please, come inside, Sir Eugene.¡± Priscilla hurriedly wiped her mouth before guiding Eugene in a polite manner. After the two arrived at her office, she spoke while calming herself down. ¡°Sir Eugene, with all due respect, could you please explain to me what happened?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a very big deal,¡± Eugene said in a nonchalant voice before explaining the incidents that took place in the Archivold marquisate. Priscilla¡¯s expressions continued to change dramatically in real-time as he told the story. ¡®What!? You¡¯re calling that ¡®not a very big deal?¡¯ Are you out of your mind?¡¯ The knight she chose disappeared for a month and suddenly became a real lord. Moreover, he had become the lord of an independent territory that was recognized by the new marquis of the Carls Baggins Peninsula. He even owned a silver mine and had as many as seven knights under his command. She couldn¡¯t immediately think of any lords near Maren who were as powerful, influential, and possessed as large of a territory as Eugene. However, he called these achievements of his ¡®not a big deal.¡¯ ¡°I sincerely congratulate you, Sir Eugene! This is definitely more than ¡®not a big deal.¡¯ You achieved something great.¡± Priscilla exclaimed. ¡°Is that so? Anyways, it had been unplanned, but I succeeded in a subjugation, so the contract is now over, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s right,¡± Priscilla said in a worried voice while lowering her head. Even while Eugene told her exciting stories about the happenings on the peninsula, she had been anxiously waiting for this topic to surface. ¡°Sir, would you have any intention of extending the contract? Two more times¡­ If you agree to just two more, then¡­¡± Priscilla said hurriedly. ¡°We should terminate the original contract,¡± Eugene interjected. ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Priscilla answered dejectedly. It was fundamental for powerful merchants to always hide their feelings, but Priscilla could not hide her regret. ¡°Why don¡¯t we sign a new contract?¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?!¡± Priscilla shouted excitedly. A moment ago, she had been like a man grieving for his lost country and family, but now she was like a baby bird excitedly greeting the return of her mother from the hunt. ¡°Half of the silver gained from the mine, and all of the mana stones and by-products I will acquire in the future ¨C I will dispose off these through the Palin Association. In return, the fee¡­¡± Eugene started. ¡°Ten percent! We will only take ten percent! Mana stones, by-products, all of it! We will also only charge the shipping cost for the silver. But whenever you participate in a subjugation, or whenever you go on an expedition or anything else, please let us, the Palin Association, quietly follow behind you.¡± Priscilla said desperately. She was serious. Her intuition as a merchant, combined with Eugene¡¯s tremendous performance thus far, was screaming at her to take the chance. If she could somehow stick by Eugene¡¯s side, it would allow the Palin Association to grow to even greater heights! She could not miss this opportunity. This was why she could respond immediately without having to make complicated calculations like usual. ¡°Customers are family! I swear on the name of Palin, which has strived for four generations for honesty and credibility, that we want to continue to trade with you in the future. Sir Eugene! You will not regret this decision!¡± Priscilla shouted passionately. ¡°If you say so, Vice Executive. I will do as you say, then,¡± Eugene answered rather generously, but he was inwardly surprised. The other party had suggested much better conditions than he had initially expected. ¡®Delmondo, you bastard. They would accept twenty percent? Maybe I overestimated your competence. I will see you when I return.¡¯ Eugene became determined to admonish Delmondo even harder before speaking with a relaxed attitude. ¡°I should be able to skim through the new contract within three days, right? I hope to receive it while my armor is being repaired.¡± How could this be?! He was even asking for the association to pay for the repairs of his armor as well! Priscilla was inwardly amazed at Eugene¡¯s meticulousness. In her mind, she already made the decision to always be careful when dealing with the knight. But on the outside, she responded quickly, ¡°Feel free to leave it at the Palin Association. I will take responsibility and have it repaired. I will have it delivered to you along with the new contract, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Huh? Ah, that would be nice.¡± Eugene nodded. It was quite fortunate that all of the merchants he encountered in Moffern and Maren were so good-natured and nice. ¡°Then I will see you in a few days,¡± Eugene said before getting up from his chair. ¡°Yes,¡± Priscilla answered before hurrying up from her own chair, then personally opening the door for Eugene. ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes filled with interest as he headed down the stairs under Priscilla¡¯s guidance. There was a familiar face among the workers who were carrying the materials he had brought from the peninsula. The young man was wearing a navy vest on top of a nice shirt with a neat haircut. It was Felid. ¡°How is my aide doing nowadays? Is he proving useful?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What? Ah, you mean Mister Felid. Of course. He is very intelligent and hard-working. Would you like me to call for him?¡± Priscilla asked. ¡°Kieeek! Let¡¯s see him for a bit, sir! It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen our little old man. He is your servant number one, so you should at least say hi.¡± Mirian popped her head out of Eugene¡¯s leather pocket and spoke with a bright expression. Felid had been the first person with whom Eugene established a human relationship. Moreover, he taught Eugene how to read and write. Regardless of the circumstance, Felid was still Eugene¡¯s aide, yet Eugene had been too indifferent about him thus far. ¡®Hmm? I was being indifferent?¡¯ Eugene paused for a moment. Having such thoughts was an unfamiliar process for him. Eugene stared at Felid for a brief moment. The young man was working hard, carrying a box while sweating profusely. A few other faces came to Eugene¡¯s mind in turn ¨C a rough, unrestrained knight, a slightly dumb wizard, and a greedy, rude spirit. ¡®How strange.¡¯ Eugene felt taken back. But it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling overall. ¡°Sir Eugene?¡± Priscilla asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I don¡¯t want to interfere with his work, so I will have to take my leave for today. Anyways,¡± Eugene spoke before giving a slight bow to Priscilla, who was looking up at him, ¡°Thank you for taking good care of my aide, Vice Executive Priscilla.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The knight had never expressed his gratitude even when she had offered the best terms for their contract, but he was doing so now. Moreover¡­ ¡®H-he¡¯s smiling?¡¯ A faint smile could be seen on the lips of the seemingly cold-blooded knight. Priscilla was quite dumbfounded by the scene. *** Eugene stayed in Maren for three days. During these three days, Maren¡¯s mayor and other various celebrities continued to bother him. It was all because Eugene had helped Essandra stabilize the Archivold marquisate and was bestowed a considerable territory from her and a silver mine. Moreover, rumors had spread that several guilds in the City of Moffern had rolled up their sleeves together to help build Eugene¡¯s castle. The mayor and the merchant guild leader of Maren felt a sense of crisis after hearing the various rumors. They were scared that they would lose Eugene to the City of Moffern. In the end, the two people took the lead in holding banquets and feasts to celebrate Eugene¡¯s meritorious achievements along with the blacksmith guild leader and the mercenary guild leader. As always, many stories were told and words were exchanged in places where people gathered and soaked in alcohol. Confirmed facts continued to grow into unclear rumors and exaggerations over the period of a few days, and as a result, even those who did not fully believe in Eugene¡¯s ability and achievements, the royalists, began to be allured by the stories. ¡°We must bring Jan Eugene to our side.¡± The royalists consisted of a small group of merchants and washed-up nobles who were on the side of the king because of vested interests and beliefs. For the City of Maren, they were a huge risk factor. It was unclear when the royalists would betray the city. The objective of the royalists was to somehow cause chaos in the city to allow the royal family to intervene. But even though they were followers of the king, their foundation was still in the city. As such, they could not always openly oppose the city leadership and had to be wary of prying eyes. ¡°Is there really a need for that? A single knight is not a big deal.¡± ¡°Maren and Moffern. If there is another noble who has influence in both cities, name them. Moreover, he has found favor in the eyes of both cities¡¯ various guilds.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The retort caused the figure to firmly close his lips since there was no one else who fit the criteria except Eugene. The knight, who suddenly rose to fame one day and quickly became an influential figure in the city of Maren, had the potential to become a ¡®seed of discord¡¯ if he could be won over. ¡°But I heard that the knight became a lord in the Archivold marquisate. Doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s already a sailed ship?¡± The figure asked. ¡°He¡¯s not a vassal, but rather an independent lord,¡± the other answered. ¡°Ah, really?¡± The figure said. ¡°Yes. The knight named Galfredik, the right-hand man of Jan Eugene also took in an aide in the Carls Baggins Peninsula. But it turns out that the aide is actually the daughter of Lord Gabriel Archivold,¡± the other continued. ¡°Lord Gabriel? Isn¡¯t that the one whom the king was about to confer a title to?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The daughter of the sole figure with a relationship with the royal family on the Carls Baggins Peninsula has become the aide of Jan Eugene¡¯s most trusted knight. In other words, at the least, he is not hostile to the royal family, right?¡± ¡°Hooh!¡± ¡°You have a point.¡± The people were gathered in a dark room with a flag embroidered with the royal symbol hanging from the wall. They nodded and agreed while looking around at each other. ¡°Let¡¯s say that it¡¯s possible. Do you have a method in mind? The mayor and the merchant guild leader are sticking to the side of the knight as if they want to lick his asshole. If we make a move, those vipers will catch on immediately.¡± ¡°Is there a rule saying that we have to be the ones to approach?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Sir Eugene will participate in Count Winslon¡¯s knight competition.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°We can contact the royal city. They can send a reliable figure to the Winslon County to persuade Sir Eugene. The relationship between the royal family and the WInslon County isn¡¯t too bad, correct?¡± ¡°Ohhhh!¡± ¡°Certainly! No one would doubt anyone from the royal city, whether they are a congratulatory envoy or a participant in the competition.¡± Maren¡¯s royalists became delighted at the suggestion. But they soon faced another problem. ¡°How will we send a message to the royal city? The surveillance and monitoring are one thing, but haven¡¯t most of our connections been severed as well? Even if we succeed, could we even achieve our goal before the start of the competition?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Everyone, what about we do it like this?¡± One of the nobles carefully stepped up and explained his plan. ¡°Let¡¯s use the Evergrove County. Since¡­¡± The nobleman¡¯s brief explanation caused everyone¡¯s expressions to brighten. ¡°Good idea. That family only has things to gain from a disturbance in the City of Maren, right?¡± ¡°Exactly. Now, now. Let¡¯s write up a letter and place our signatures.¡± The royalists excitedly drafted a letter and signed their names. They were joyed after finding an unexpected solution. The next day, an errand boy left the gates of Maren City at a similar time as Eugene. *** ¡°Why did you bring this to me?¡± Jevin Evergrove asked bluntly. He had been quite dissatisfied recently with all of his plans going awry. ¡°I-I am merely an errand boy for Sir Shiranosa. I was only ordered to deliver this letter to you, my lord,¡± the boy answered. ¡°I see. You can go,¡± Jevin Evergrove said. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The errand boy hurriedly bowed several times while trembling, then bolted out the door. ¡°Shiranosa¡­¡± Jevin Evergrove muttered while recalling the family. Jevin vaguely recalled that since being separated from the Evergrove family at the time of his great-great-grandfather, his distant cousins had settled in the City of Maren. He took a small knife and unsealed the letter. If it was a plea asking to borrow money, he intended to thoroughly punish them by sending a knight. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± But he soon burst into laughter after confirming the contents of the letter and the signatures lining the bottom. ¡°Is it because he knows something that he sent me this? No, that can¡¯t be it,¡± Jevin muttered. Like Shiranosa, Maren¡¯s royalists were mostly washed-up nobles without many connections. Moreover, Maren had not been on good terms with the royal family for nearly five or six years. As such, no one had a direct relationship with the royal family in Maren. As a result, the royalists were unable to make a direct move. They had to find someone to convey their will to the royal family on their behalf. The Evergrove family still retained a connection with the royal family, even if they weren¡¯t very close. As such, they planned to use the Evergrove family as a kind of messenger. ¡°How can I use this? The royalists and the royal city¡­¡± Jevin fell into deep thought for a few minutes before he raised his head with a bright look. ¡°That¡¯s right. I just need to change the content very slightly. No, maybe it will be better to add a postscript.¡± Since it was a letter signed by multiple people, it wouldn¡¯t be suspicious to add a postscript in a different handwriting. ¡°Hahaha! This is good. I can finally teach that cheeky brat a strict lesson,¡± Jevin said with joy. This time around, the arrogant knight would never realize that Jevin was involved in this matter. ¡°Hoho. It doesn¡¯t even matter if you notice it. It¡¯s very common for people to die in a knight competition after all.¡± Jevin had been moody after hearing about Eugene¡¯s actions and achievements on the Carls Baggins Peninsula. But for the first time in a long while, life and joy returned to Jevin¡¯s face. CH 81 Eugene traveled for nearly fifteen days before finally arriving at the Winslon County. ¡°There¡¯s a village if we head straight this way, let¡¯s stay there today,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, master,¡± Luke immediately answered. Luke¡¯s appearance was similar to a knight¡¯s aide instead of a slave. After Luke contributed greatly in the matters involving the Carls Baggins Peninsula, Eugene decided to make a massive investment in Luke. Partec and his group were able to repair or replace their equipment with the large sum they earned since they had signed an official contract with Eugene. However, Luke had only earned a few silver coins because he was a slave, which was why Eugene had to invest his own money in him. As a result, Luke was wearing a plate coat over full-body mail and was armed with a long, pentagonal shield and a shortsword. As a native of Brantia, Luke possessed a good physique and a strong demeanor. With the addition of new equipment, he appeared quite fearsome. It was to the point where regular mercenaries would avoid eye contact with him. ¡°Hmm! Slave number one is becoming quite useful. If we raise him well, he could become as skilled as the big bear before we transform him into a vampire,¡± Mirian pointed out. Eugene agreed with Mirian¡¯s sharp predictions. Luke had an excellent physique and skills, as well as a good head. He would likely grow into an outstanding knight. ¡°But I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s someone who¡¯s even less talkative than the old man-child. Unbelievable,¡± Mirian added. Luke was indeed very quiet, even more so than Felid. Felid was rather naive, so his emotions would surface on his expression from time to time. In contrast, Luke¡¯s expression rarely changed. It was probably due to the thorough training he received ever since he was young. Like master like man, or in this case, like owner like slave. In fact, there was a time when Eugene and Luke remained completely silent for almost half a day, quietly riding their horses. What Eugene had said regarding the village was the first word that had been spoken in nearly two hours. ¡°Sir, even though he¡¯s your slave, you need to be very careful. He must have more than ten vipers slithering in his heart. [1] One day, just like those bastards who were sucking and licking each other in my pond, he might pounce on you and¡­ Kiek!¡± The spirit¡¯s head recessed into her body after suffering a light blow on the top of her head for the first in a long time. ¡°H-How cud ye¡­¡± Mirian shouted sorrowfully. She was forcibly transformed into liquid that was then stuffed into the pocket. Eugene made sure to firmly place the flap over the pocket. Eugene laid his eyes on Luke for a moment. The slave was quietly riding his horse in front of him. Eugene called out, ¡°Luke.¡± ¡°Yes, master,¡± Luke answered. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious as to why I brought only you?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I am curious,¡± he answered. ¡°Then why won¡¯t you ask?¡± Eugene said. ¡°I think you brought me with you for a reason. And that reason would as always be justified.¡± Luke answered without a change in expression, even though he was essentially praising Eugene. But Luke sincerely meant every word. *** Recently, Luke found his everyday life enjoyable and thrilling. He thought that his life was over when he was captured in battle one year ago. However, he regained his hopes and expectations after meeting his second master in an unfamiliar, foreign nation. Unbelievable skills, grace as boundless as the sea, and an incomprehensible level of luck that could only be attributed to God¡¯s grace. Luke firmly believed that he could go beyond his goals if he continued to follow his young master. He could not understand where Eugene¡¯s limits lay. ¡®The knight king. Master Eugene is the reincarnation of the knight king.¡¯ The knight king was a legendary hero of the island nation of Brantia. Anyone walking the path of a knight knew of the knight king. Luke had also developed his dreams after hearing the epic stories of the knight king when was just a child. His dream had faded after losing the battle and being captured as a slave, but the master he encountered in a foreign nation allowed Luke to dream once again in a different direction. ¡®There were eight knights who served the knight king with the wisdom of eagles and the bravery of lions.¡¯ Sir Lalavane, one of the eight knights and Luke¡¯s second favorite figure in the story of the knight king, started as a prisoner of the king and eventually became a knight after serving as an aide. He was a figure who existed for hundreds of years and carved out a path that was incredibly similar to Luke¡¯s. ¡®Master will definitely become the knight king. And one day¡­!¡¯ It was only known to himself, for now, but Luke was completely certain about it. ¡°As long as the flame of my soul burns, I will follow you master. I will never have any questions regarding master¡¯s decisions.¡± Luke said. ¡°¡­.¡± It was a very cool declaration, but on the other hand, it was slightly creepy. For a moment, Eugene thought that Luke was more like his vassal than Galfredik. *** Eugene rested in the village and organized his equipment and things. Then, he rode his horse without break for two days and arrived in ¡®Winslon,¡¯ the main village of the county. The villages or areas housing the main castle of some nobles had the same name as the family name of the nobles. This was the case for the Winslon County. Winslon was protected by high walls, and it was a very large, bustling place, as was expected of the main village belonging to one of the most prominent nobles in the kingdom. It wasn¡¯t as large or spectacular as Maren or Moffern, but it was incomparably better than all the villages Eugene had seen so far. ¡®So this is what I should expect from a noble considered as one of the three best ones in the kingdom. His territory is very different.¡¯ ¡°Welcome to Winslon, sir knight. Are you here to participate in the competition?¡± A guard asked Eugene. As if to prove the prestige of the county, even the regular guards wore a hauberk[2], and circular helmets. ¡°Kieeeek!? And that¡¯s just an ordinary soldier? Then what about the knights? I think we found ourselves a real tycoon here,¡± Mirian exclaimed. Eugene responded while inwardly empathizing with Mirian¡¯s admiration. ¡°That¡¯s right. I am Jan of the Eugene family.¡± ¡°All right. Will you be signing personally? If you have a seal, you can stamp it instead,¡± the guard said. There were many knights who were unable to read and write, it appeared that the Winslon County had been quite considerate. ¡°I will do both,¡± Eugene said. There weren¡¯t many opportunities for Eugene to use the seal, so he wrote his name before pressing the ring seal detailed with the sophisticated symbol of a black dragon. The seal was quite nice, but his writing was rather¡­ cute. ¡°Thank you for your cooperation, Sir Eugene,¡± the guard said with an even more polite attitude. There weren¡¯t many knights who were able to write and carried personal seals with them. ¡°You could go straight to the castle or stay in the village. However, please refrain from fighting with your weapons in the village until the end of the competition.¡± ¡°There must have been quite a few accidents,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Honorable, chivalrous sirs would not cause such accidents. However, some people have too much confidence in their blades and sometimes cause disgraceful mistakes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene was rather surprised. It wasn¡¯t because there were knights who dared to cause trouble right in Count Winslon¡¯s front yard. Rather, it was because of the guard¡¯s elegant and confident way of speaking. ¡°Then, Sir Eugene. I wish you the best of luck in the competition.¡± ¡°Thank you. By the way, can you tell me your name?¡± Eugene asked. This was quite unusual from Eugene, but he asked because he had taken a liking to the guard and since he knew nobody in this place. ¡°Are you¡­talking to me?¡± The guard asked. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Eugene nodded. The guard took on a strange expression for a moment before responding with a large grin. ¡°Drak. It¡¯s Lanslo Drak. You can just call me Lanslo.¡± Seeing as he had a family name, it appeared that the guard stemmed from a noble family. It appeared that the rumors were true, that great nobles like Winslon had nobles serving as mere soldiers. Eugene nodded while having such thoughts. ¡°All right then, Lanslo. I will see you again.¡± ¡°Yes, until next time.¡± Lanslo wiped the smile off his face and saluted. Leaving him behind, Eugene entered the Village of Winslon. *** ¡®Amazing.¡¯ Eugene was impressed after seeing Winslon Castle standing proud at the end of the long, wide bridge. Even the road was wide enough to fit two carriages at once. ¡°Kieeeeeeek!? S-sir! Please forget everything that this foolish spirit has said so far! Now that¡¯s a real castle! As the future demon king, you need a castle as grand as that! Kiek! Kiek!¡± It was to the extent that Eugene could almost sympathize with the spirit¡¯s unfiltered desires. The biggest, grandest castle he had seen until now was the main castle of the Archivold family. But Winslon Castle appeared twice as large as the Archivold family¡¯s castle. Eugene¡¯s castle, which was being built in the Village of Varan by the people from the Moffern guilds, couldn¡¯t even be compared to a quarter of the castle that lay before him. ¡®As expected, titles aren¡¯t everything.¡¯ Being strong and powerful was the way to go. In terms of status, Baron Bommel was inferior to Viscount Fairchild. However, everything was meaningless in face of one¡¯s power. That was why Eugene had been able to meet with Essandra even though he was a mere knight. ¡°Sir, sir! If it¡¯s such a beautiful castle, even if it¡¯s for thousands, no, tens of thousands of years, I could¡­Keugh!¡± Mirian started shouting excitedly before being stuffed back into the pocket. She was proving to be exceptionally distracting today. Eugene narrowed his eyes. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ ¡°Master, over there,¡± Luke whispered after stepping up, he noticed what Eugene saw. ¡°There are knights near the middle of the bridge,¡± Luke continued. ¡°I see them as well,¡± Eugene answered. Clop. Clop. The two horses slowly started crossing the bridge. The sturdy stone bridge, which was decorated with elaborate sculptures, only reached the middle of the river. The other half of the distance was occupied by the drawbridge of the castle. It seemed to have been designed in preparation for a possible siege. There were four knights standing at the boundary of the bridge and drawbridge. The villagers and castle residents crossed the bridge casually without any hitch, although they appeared to be a little wary of the knights. But when Eugene and Luke tried to cross the boundary, two of the four knights stopped them on their way. ¡°Stop,¡± one of the knights said in a harsh tone. He was dressed in a cylindrical plate armor and was equipped with two shortswords on either side of his belt. ¡°Who are you, and where are you from?¡± The knight continued. ¡°Jan from the Eugene family,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Never heard of it. Are you here to participate in the knight competition?¡± The knight asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Then get off your horse. You must pass a test to cross,¡± the knight declared. ¡°A test?¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes. The other knights stepped forward as well. ¡°There are far too many nobodies wanting to participate in the competition because of the prize awarded to the victor. So we decided to only let participants in after they passed the test, sir,¡± one of the other knights explained. ¡°Decided? Who did? Did Count Winslon make the decision?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No, we did,¡± one of the knights responded. ¡°We?¡± Eugene said. The knight in the cylindrical armor raised his voice after snorting disdainfully, ¡°It appears you lack comprehension. Or are you trying to play with words because you¡¯re scared? Step down from your horse and participate in the test. I¡¯ll tell you in advance. It¡¯s a mistake to think that we will respect you just because you possess expensive armor. Who knows? Maybe you stole it or cheated it from someone.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Eugene finally came to a complete understanding of the situation and slowly dismounted from Silion. ¡°So, you are saying that since there are many knights who arrived early and settled in the castle, there aren¡¯t very many spots left. You¡¯re doing this to get a place in the castle and to get rid of competitors who arrive later. Am I right?¡± he said. Eugene wasn¡¯t wrong, but the knights¡¯ gaze gleamed coldly due to Eugene¡¯s direct words. The latter¡¯s straightforwardness was rather unpleasant for them. ¡°But the guard said it¡¯s forbidden to fight with weapons in the village. Are you saying we should fight with our fists?¡± Eugene asked. The knight in the cylindrical armor pulled out his shortswords before speaking with a grin. ¡°Sir, are you an idiot? This isn¡¯t the village. Technically, we are standing on a bridge located above a river between the village and the castle. Count Winslon didn¡¯t say much about this either.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Eugene responded. Count Winslon was a nobleman who was incredibly fond of outstanding knights. He was known to support knights without wanting much in return. In other words, there was a high possibility that he hated knights who were incompetent and unskilled. It was the only explanation for him to tolerate such a forced ¡®test.¡¯ ¡°You will have to beat me. Think of this as the competition. You will have to risk your life,¡± the knight in cylindrical armor said. ¡°Hmm. So all of you sirs are my competitors?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ha! Now you finally understand,¡± the knight spoke with a grin while cracking his neck. The three knights were looking at Eugene as if they found the situation entertaining. Eugene calmly looked around at the three before continuing, ¡°Then would it not be better for more competitors to disappear?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The knight responded. ¡°It seems like you are the one who lacks comprehension,¡± Eugene said before raising his hands above his shoulder. ¡°¡­!¡± The knights belatedly realized the meaning of Eugene¡¯s words. Their eyes filled with shock. Whoosh! Luke quickly threw two battle axes after catching Eugene¡¯s cue. As the weapons settled in Eugene¡¯s hands, he charged at the knights without delay. 1. Koreans usually use snakes to represent a cunning and vicious person. ? 2. chainmail covering their thighs ? CH 82 Boom! ¡°Uagh!¡± The knight in the cylindrical armor was knocked back after being tackled by Eugene. He fell in the water without even getting a chance to swing his sword. ¡°Sir Valzak!¡± The other knights shouted. They quickly unsheathed their own swords and shields after watching Valzak drop to the water. Shiing! The battle axe was a heavy weapon intended to be used with both hands. But Eugene held one in each hand and swung with a tremendous force. Booom! Clang! ¡°Argh!¡± A single blow was sufficient to completely shatter a shield and a knight was forced back with a broken arm. The knight standing next to him attempted to deflect Eugene¡¯s blow with his own sword, but failed and lost his blade in the face of the monstrous force. Yet after all these, Eugene did not stop. He continued forward while rotating his body. Eugene¡¯s cloak fluttered in the wind as the sharp edges of the axes whistled eerily while cutting through the air. It was like the descent of a black tornado. Shuuuack! Boom! As one of Eugene¡¯s battle axes struck the thick chest plate of one of the knights, he let go of the handle. ¡°Kuagh!¡± Thanks to the thick armor, the blade did not penetrate the body, but the knight was flung back several meters after receiving a blow that contained unimaginable power. Boom! ¡°¡­!¡± There was only one knight remaining. He stood with his jaws agape, remaining motionless with shock and fear. In just a few seconds, three knights had been defeated without even getting a chance to retaliate. Moreover, they had been propelled backward regardless of whether they had blocked the axes or not. Eugene glanced at the remaining knight while loosely holding the remaining battle axe in his hand. ¡°Heup!¡± The knight gasped and flinched involuntarily. ¡°Are you coming?¡± Eugene said. The knight shook his head madly. ¡°Sir Valzak! Sir Valzak!¡± ¡°Sir Valzak fell into the water!¡± Soon, the people of the castle began rushing over. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°Yes, master!¡± Luke answered as Eugene once again climbed on Silion¡¯s saddle. The two men started to leisurely cross the bridge. ¡°¡­!¡± Was it a hallucination? Eugene blinked hard several times and even rubbed his eyes before narrowing his eyes and staring with disbelief. Among a group of troops armed with chainmail, there were three knights with silver plate armors and blue surcoats. One of the knights was descending from a dazzling white horse, and his face was one that Eugene would never forget. ¡®Jung Dircht¡­?¡¯ The arrogant face of the holy knight fully occupied Eugene¡¯s line of sight. It was him, the one who had been responsible for Eugene¡¯s death in his previous life. Suddenly, a strong wind blew down the river and over the bridge. Eugene¡¯s eyes glowed a strong crimson as his black hair fluttered in the wind. The memories of his past life were running rampant in his head. He could vividly recall the feeling of the silver sword digging into his flesh. Eugene¡¯s breathing quickened as he recalled the holy knight mockingly laughing at him when he had been desperately crying out. ¡®Should I kill him?¡¯ The unfathomable anger and killing intent imprinted on his soul began to surface, but Eugene quickly caught his breath and put his murderous will to rest. Eugene had known that he would one day face the holy knight, but his emotions had almost gotten the best of him after seeing the knight¡¯s face in person. Sadly, he could not kill Jung Dircht in Count Winslon¡¯s castle. Unlike in his previous life, Jung Dircht had no idea who Eugene was, and if he openly killed a young, acclaimed holy knight, he would face harsh backlash, especially since Jung Dircht was adored by the high-ranking members of the church. But this didn¡¯t mean that Eugene wouldn¡¯t do anything. The fact remained that Dircht had killed him in his previous life. Eugene had no intentions of showing any mercy just because the two weren¡¯t acquainted in this life. Eugene had no reason to do so. It didn¡¯t matter if Jung Dirch would feel unjustified. ¡®I will definitely get the chance.¡¯ Eugene wasn¡¯t only stronger compared to his previous life. Discipline and patience. Having learned these two important virtues, Eugene managed to control his anger and turned back from the bridge. ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Eugene said. The spirit of desire became furious and started running wild. ¡°Kieeek!? Why aren¡¯t you going into the castle!? Sir!? Sir!?¡± Although Mirian had traveled to many places after signing a contract with Eugene, it was the first time she had seen such a large, magnificent castle. She was strongly convinced that Eugene needed a castle just as big and magnificent as this when he became the demon king. ¡®Or we can take it away by force! Kekeke!¡¯ She had been having such exciting, insidious imaginations after seeing the castle, but what was happening? ¡°Let¡¯s gooo. Pwease? Hmm? Don¡¯t you have to take the recommendation and meet the count?¡± Mirian begged. ¡°¡­¡± However, Eugene remained silent as he crossed the bridge back to the village. ¡°I¡­ Kiek!¡± Mirian started to beg again, then she suddenly squeaked with trembling wings. Eugene¡¯s eyes were gleaming coldly, and his lips were tightly closed. ¡®This is a very serious situation! I need to stay quiet at times like these.¡¯ The spirit had gained the ability the gauge Eugene¡¯s condition after several incidents, which involved her getting battered after failing to acknowledge the atmosphere. She quietly folded her wings and entered the leather pocket voluntarily. ¡°Master. With all due respect, could I ask you a question?¡± Luke said carefully. ¡°All right,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°The articles who were at the castle gate earlier. I don¡¯t know if I am mistaken, but the symbol on their surcoats¡­¡± Luke said. ¡°You weren¡¯t mistaken. They were indeed holy knights.¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Ah. I see.¡± Luke nodded. He had also seen paladins, who were associated with various monasteries, but this was the first time he actually witnessed holy knights, those who were known as the Constellation of Blood (Pentagonal Start). They represented the central church¡¯s force. Even others who walked the path of the blade could feel the difference and distance between themselves and the holy knights. Moreover, as a man born in Brantia, Luke hated the holy knights. ¡®As expected, master is a man of true faith. I¡¯m certain that he felt disgusted by those holy knights ¨C those mindless pawns for the rotten cardinals and the bishops who declare their faiths only on the surface.¡¯ The cardinals and bishops of the continent¡¯s church declared the lords of Brantia as pagans, which resulted in an invasion that turned Luke into a slave. As such, since those bishops and cardinals caused Luke to be enslaved, his loyalty toward Eugene grew more intense as a result of their conversation, albeit for slightly wrong reasons. Eugene¡¯s reaction to seeing Jung Dircht also led to an unexpected chain of reactions from others. *** ¡°Eugene? Have you heard of it?¡± ¡°Never. Is it a family based in one of those shabby villages?¡± ¡°The name sounds like it should be based off the empire.¡± Knights conversed with each other while wiping off their sweat. They had just finished their training. ¡°So, one died and two were defeated? Who died?¡± ¡°It was Sir Valzak, master.¡± ¡°And who was that? Ah, the country boy with the beer barrel for armor?¡± Hahahaha! The knights burst into laughter while recalling Valzalk¡¯s cylindrical armor. However, the only witness of the confrontation, an aide, could not join in. ¡°Sir Valzak flew about five meters into the air and drowned in the river.¡± The aide reported solemnly. ¡°...¡± The sounds of the laughter immediately trailed off. The knight had been blown away several meters even though he had been equipped in heavy armor? ¡°There were three more, sirs, and one of them suffered a broken arm and his shield was smashed. One of the others had the blade of his longsword broken into two and an axe was embedded into his chest. The impact also cracked his ribs.¡± The aide continued. ¡°Hmm. It seems he possesses formidable strength, but it¡¯s not very difficult to deal with one or two country bumpkin knights, is it?¡± One of the knights muttered. ¡°That¡¯s right. They were loitering around the bridge because there weren¡¯t any spots in the castle anyway. They were merely free knights who were dime for a dozen. They were even worse than some of the mercenary captains out there.¡± Another knight responded. Although they were slightly surprised, the knights appeared quite calm and leisurely. ¡°Sirs. Sir Eugene dealt with all three knights simultaneously,¡± the aide carefully said. ¡°¡­!¡± The knights flinched. Even though all of them were quite confident in their skills, dealing with three knights simultaneously was not an easy task by any means. ¡°How long did it take? He must have traded more than ten blows with each knight, right?¡± ¡°The knight named Eugene must have suffered quite a few injuries as well.¡± ¡°He may have the skills, but he is quite narrow-minded and short-tempered. To think he would let himself become injured with only two days left until the competition.¡± The knights responded. ¡°It took less than 10 seconds,¡± the aide said. ¡°What!? Is that true?¡± The knights took on shocked expressions after hearing the response. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Sir Eugene wasn¡¯t injured at all. There wasn¡¯t even a single scratch on his armor,¡± the aide continued. ¡°¡­¡± A heavy silence befell the knights. After a while, one of the knights said to the aide with a stiff expression. ¡°So, where is this Sir Eugene now? The outer castle? The annex? Not the main castle, right?¡± ¡°No way! How could that be? I¡¯ve never even heard of his family before.¡± Many of the knights entering Winslon Castle were taken in on a first-come, first-served basis, but the knight without any connections took their residence in the outer castle. Those gathered here, in the annex, were quite famous in their respective regions or were knights serving lords with titles. Those who could stay in the main castle were knights who were also real nobles. Those residing in the main castle were quite diverse in nature as well. Most of them were titled nobles, and there were even rumors that holy knights were participating as well. ¡°I should build up a relationship with him once he arrives at the annex.¡± ¡°Good idea. Everyone will be competing with each other in the swordsmanship and the jousting competitions, but it will be better to have even one additional strong knight in the mock battle.¡± ¡°What if those from Antinori snatch him away first? Where did you say Sir Eugene came from?¡± The knights started to ask a variety of questions. The aide took on an awkward expression and answered with an expression of disbelief, ¡°Well¡­ He simply¡­returned.¡± ¡°What?¡± They responded. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely certain, but it appeared as if he was returning to the campground outside the castle walls where the free knights were assigned.¡± The aide said. A surprising rumor began to spread throughout the castle ¨C that a knight strong enough to cause a huge commotion did not enter the castle but instead chose to reside outside the walls. Naturally, it also entered the ears of Count Winslon, the owner of the castle. *** Eugene set up a temporary residence in a remote place located outside the castle walls in the campground. It was a place established by the free knights who came to participate in the knight competition. He set up a tent with the leather he purchased from the village, and he placed a chair and two small beds inside. It was quite decent in Eugene¡¯s eyes. But since he couldn¡¯t leave Silion, a pedigree horse, unattended, he brought Silion and Luke¡¯s horse into the tent as well. ¡®I feel sorry about that time as well.¡¯ Neigh! Silion whined as if pleased with Eugene¡¯s touch. ¡®However, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it if we encounter a similar situation.¡¯ ¡°Yes, good boy.¡± Eugene laughed coldly, recalling the time when he used Silion as bait to lure the griffons. He felt as if Silion had trembled momentarily, but he brushed it off as an illusion. ¡°Kieee¡­ You should have headed into the castle and disregarded those holy knights. It doesn¡¯t make sense for your precious self to stay in such a shabby place. This is absurd,¡± Mirian said. Something seemed rather strange about the greedy spirit¡¯s expression, but Eugene completely ignored her. In the first place, Eugene didn¡¯t like being served by maids and servants in a spacious, large space. As such, he didn¡¯t feel inconvenienced at all. In addition, Luke was quick-witted and did his best to make Eugene¡¯s stay much more comfortable. ¡®Hmm. Should I take Luke as an aide?¡¯ Eugene contemplated the thought. There was no law that stated that a knight could only take in a single aide. However, unlike Felid, Luke would be accompanying him for a long time. Eugene¡¯s identity as a vampire could be exposed if he made Luke an official aide. ¡®Then I would have to kill him.¡¯ Although Luke was quite useful, he was different from Galfredik or Romari. It was still early to entrust him with the truth, and as such, killing him would be the best choice if he were to ever find out the truth. However, Eugene didn¡¯t want to kill Luke. It was because he was quite fond of the slave. ¡®I¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡¯ Suddenly, the outside became rather noisy. ¡°I will check it out, master,¡± Luke said before hurriedly exiting the tent. A shortsword was hanging from his belt. In less than ten seconds, Luke came rushing back in and spoke. ¡°Master, I think you should come out.¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± Eugene answered. ¡°You have a guest. It¡¯s¡­¡± Luke answered with urgency. It was rather uncommon for Luke to become flustered. As such, Eugene frowned before exiting the tent. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Count Winslon¡¯s knight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But why is he here? Did he come to see that man?¡± ¡°I caught a glimpse of him earlier. His armor and equipment looked very expensive. But other than that, he didn¡¯t look all that special.¡± Eugene stood still and gazed at a knight slowly walking towards him while listening to the murmurs of the free knights. The newcomer had his helmet pressed down low. Upon recognizing the identity of the approaching knight, Eugene¡¯s eyes filled with astonishment. The knight took off his helmet and spoke with a smile after seeing Eugene¡¯s expression. ¡°You have very good eyes, Sir Eugene.¡± The knight spoke with a refreshing smile. It was the guard that Eugene met early at the gate, Lanslo Drak. CH 83 ¡°Kieeeek! Such a precious figure is greeting us in such a shabby place!¡± Mirian said excitedly, correcting her words from before. ¡°Did His Excellency send him? Hmm? To take Sir Eugene to the castle? Please say yes! Oh, handsome knight, please!¡± Mirian pleaded while buzzing around Lanslo, even though she knew he could not hear her. Eugene glared at her and gestured. ¡°Kiek!¡± Mirian cried out with shock and quickly recognized Eugene¡¯s hidden instructions, hurriedly making her way into the tent. Naturally, Lanslo wasn¡¯t able to see Mirian¡¯s reaction, and he took his seat in a chair cleaned by Luke. ¡°Then I will be outside. Please call me if you need anything, master,¡± Luke said. ¡°Right,¡± Eugene answered. Luke bowed deeply before saluting to Lanslo as well. Then, he left the tent. ¡°Your aide is quite quick-witted. He possesses a good physique, and judging from the way he walks, he must have been faithful to his training as well,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°He¡¯s a slave, not an aide. He was a gift from Viscount Fairchild, Count Winslon¡¯s son-in-law,¡± Eugene responded. Lanslo looked surprising after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. ¡°You bought your slave a sword, armor, and a horse?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°As you saw, he¡¯s quite competent,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°¡­As I heard, you¡¯re not an ordinary person. You surprised me in many ways, Sir Eugene,¡± Lanslo commented with a good-natured smile. Eugene responded calmly, ¡°I could say the same for you. Are you truly a knight of Count Winslon? Why were you pretending to be a guard before?" ¡°Haha. I wasn¡¯t pretending. Rather, it was my assigned task. I could not disobey the request of the one who presented me with my sword, armor, and horse,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Count Winslon?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Eugene felt rather confused. Even if Count Winslon was a great noble possessing a knight order, how could he use a knight as a mere guard? No, rather, Eugene had a hard time understanding how could a proud knight willingly obey an order to work as a guard. ¡®No, wait a minute. He said it was a request from Count Winslon, right?¡¯ Eugene intuitively sensed that the relationship between Count Winslon and Lanslo was different from the typical relationship between a lord and his knight. However, he decided to keep the information to himself for now. ¡°By the way, what is your purpose for coming?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Once again, it was a request from the count. He asked me to meet with you, Sir Eugene,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Although those knights who were acting impudently towards you on the drawbridge were free knights, their skills were quite decent. You defeated all three of them, sir,¡± Lanslo continued. ¡°So what?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°The count became very interested in you, sir. Naturally, he expected you to enter the castle for you to give your greetings, but since you established your residence outside the walls, this happened. Even though he didn¡¯t explicitly say it, I¡¯m certain he was quite disappointed,¡± Lanslo smiled meaningfully with a shrug. ¡°Is that all?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re quite extraordinary, Sir Eugene,¡± Lanslo answered. Count Winslon was the host of the competition and a great noble. To hear that he was disappointed would come as a great shock for anyone. However, Eugene was far from being shocked. In fact, he didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid. ¡°The main purpose of this visit is that the count wants Sir Eugene to join me in the mock battle,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Mock battle?¡± Eugene asked. Galfredik had spoken to Eugene about the knight competition in great detail. The competition consisted of three major parts ¨C the jousting competition, the swordsmanship competition, and the mock battle. The jousting competition was the most popular among the spectators, but the nobles and the lords regarded the mock battle as most important. Knights were considered indispensable in large-scale battles, and that was why nobles and lords always wanted competent, strong knights under their commands. ¡°And why should I do that? Wouldn¡¯t you have any complaints about fighting with me, sir?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Complaints? No way. I wonder if there are any knights who would refuse to fight alongside the man who assisted Lord Essandra in ending the chaos in the Carls Baggins Peninsula,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°You know about that?¡± Eugene said with surprise. ¡°As I expected. I apologize, I was merely confirming my suspicions,¡± Lanslo answered with an awkward grin. Eugene felt dumbfounded. He had felt it at the gate as well, but it became clear that Lanslo was no ordinary knight by any means. ¡°Since there are so many knights that gather from all over to participate in the competition, there are as many accompanying rumors as well. I happened to hear an interesting story regarding the Carls Baggins Peninsula, and after meeting you today, I deduced that you might be the protagonist of the story,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s say that¡¯s true. That still doesn¡¯t answer why I should fight alongside you in the mock battle, sir,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°In the upcoming competition, thirty points are awarded for the jousting competition, thirty points for the swordsmanship competition, and forty points for the mock battle. As such, one must win the mock battle and contribute greatly in the fight if they want to become the winner,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t answer my question,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Haha. You are truly sharp, Sir Eugene. Any other knight would have accepted the proposal already, then declared their intention to become the captain of the group,¡± Lanslo responded with a smile. ¡°I tend to be cautious. So, why do I have to fight alongside you, sir?¡± Eugene asked once again. Lanslo wiped the smile off his face and answered with a serious expression. ¡°You must team up with me if you want to win. I¡¯m a little¡­ or rather, I¡¯m very strong.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene stared at Lanslo with a dumbfounded expression. Then, he responded in a cold voice, ¡°Stop spouting nonsense and tell me the real reason.¡± ¡°Oh, I was being completely honest just now. I really am quite strong and I can fight well,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°I thought you heard the rumors regarding what I accomplished on the Carls Baggins Peninsula,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes. But the mock battle¡­¡± Lanslo started to respond. ¡°Did you also hear about how I subjugated the Archivold family¡¯s dungeon by myself?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I guess that must have slipped your ears. That was why you could spout such nonsense with such confidence,¡± Eugene said. Lanslo could not hide his surprise after hearing Eugene¡¯s words. After a moment, he spoke with a sigh. ¡°Phew~ I guess this requires a change of plans. No, rather, I guess the standard had been incorrect in the first place. I was basing your skills off the rumor that Sir Eugene had hunted a wyvern in an evil land. Then, I will be frank with you,¡± Lanslo spoke in a quieter voice. ¡°The sudden participation of the holy knights in the competition has caused quite a bit of trouble. Many participants are already hoping to be in the same group as the holy knights, and in order to defeat them, quite a few members of the Golden Moon Knights will need to participate, which would expose the strength of the county. That is what the count is worried about,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°You should have said that from the beginning,¡± Eugene replied. Lanslo leaned back on the chair with an awkward smile before responding. ¡°I apologize. However, it¡¯s hard to believe and recognize all of Sir Eugene¡¯s accomplishments and skills from the count¡¯s point of view. In the first place, it would be strange to fully trust a knight from the first meeting even if he did bring a letter of recommendation.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true,¡± Eugene nodded. Eugene would have done the same if he were Count Winslon. ¡°Anyways, so Count Winslon would like other participants, instead of the holy knights, to win the mock battle, and he wants me to join. Is that correct?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Exactly. If you accept, we will support¡­¡± Lanslo began. ¡°I accept,¡± Eugene said curtly. ¡°¡­!¡± Lanslo was truly shocked. He had judged Eugene to be a shrewd, calculating person since he kept on baiting him. But he had never imagined that Eugene would accept the proposal without hesitation as soon as the truth was revealed. ¡®He is truly a magnanimous knight.¡¯ Lanslo was overcome with admiration and awe. ¡°Even though I haven¡¯t met him in person yet, I often heard that Count Winslon is a man who knows true chivalry and honor. Since he is facing a difficult situation, it would be wrong for me to simply watch from the sidelines. I would be ashamed to call myself a knight,¡± Eugene said. How long had it been since Lanslo had met such a man? Eugene was a tiger among men, a knight among knights! ¡®How shameful! I cannot believe that I was trying to trick a true knight.¡¯ Lanslo repented amidst the admiration he felt. ¡°Sir Eugene. I swear on my honor. If you lead the troops to victory in the mock battle, I will grant you a request, apart from the prize money and the award from the count,¡± Lanslo exclaimed. ¡°Hmm. As you wish,¡± Eugene responded nonchalantly. Although Eugene was pleasantly surprised, he made sure to hide his true thoughts. There was a simple reason why he accepted Lanslo¡¯s proposal without hesitation. ¡®There are supposed to be a lot of casualties in the competition, right? Since the count personally sent a knight to ask for my help, I should be fine even if I kill a few.¡¯ Since one of the deaths was bound to be Jung Dircht, Eugene was inwardly grateful for the sudden stroke of luck. But Lanslo was unaware of Eugene¡¯s thoughts. He simply stared at the brilliant, ¡®true knight¡¯ with sparkling eyes. *** After Lanslo returned to the castle, Eugene left the tent with Luke. He headed to a pub located in Winslon Village. ¡°Welcome, sir knight. Drinks, food, women. What would you like?¡± A young boy said politely after greeting Eugene. Even though the pub was quite busy due to the competition, the boy had instantly noticed Eugene¡¯s plate armor. ¡°Is the owner here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Please wait a moment,¡± the boy responded politely. It was rather common for high-profile knights to ask for the owner, so the boy quickly returned with the owner. ¡°You were looking for me, sir knight,¡± the pub owner spoke while groveling. Eugene stretched out his hand while speaking. ¡°Can you prepare wine and ale, as well as food for one hundred people? Let me know if this isn¡¯t enough money.¡± The owner¡¯s mouth stretched into a huge grin when he saw three gold coins falling into his palm. ¡°Of course! I can do that! I will get that prepared for you right away!¡± ¡°Then bring it to the campground located outside the castle gate as soon as everything is ready. You know where that is, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Of course! I will bring it there on a cart!¡± The owner answered. *** After a couple of hours, several carts entered the campground. The sun was nearly set. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Hmm. I smell something delicious.¡± The knights residing in the campground began exiting their tents one by one, some of them accompanied by their aides. Most of them were rather young and unaccomplished. Luke, who had been waiting for the arrival of the carts at the entrance of the campground, raised his voice after accompanying the carts inside. ¡°My master, Sir Eugene, would like to treat the brave, honorable sirs to food and drinks! I would appreciate it if you could accept his small favor!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not much, but I hope everyone can enjoy themselves. I, Jan Eugene, plan to treat everyone here to food and drinks until the competition is over. But I still want to ask for your permission.¡± Eugene said with a small salute toward the knights, his hand resting on the handle of his shortsword. He was standing next to Luke. Ohohhhhh¡­! The knights¡¯ exclamations spread like a wave. ¡°Kyah! After hearing that Count Winslon¡¯s knight came to visit personally from the main castle, I thought he would be an arrogant knight, but it seems I was greatly mistaken.¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯s my first time seeing him, but he is a knight of true honor and chivalry!¡± ¡°Thank you for the meal, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Sir! Thank you very much! I am from the Bettirak¡­¡± ¡°I pay respect to your magnanimity. I am from the Pilon family¡­¡± The attitudes of the knights changed completely from when Lanslo had come to visit Eugene. Free knights were always poor, and it cost them a fortune to feed their horses and aides. Knights with sufficient wealth made their residence at the inns inside the village, and as such, those staying in the campground outside the walls were truly the poorest among the knights. Perhaps it was only natural for the knights to be moved since Eugene declared he would continue to serve them food and alcohol until the end of the competition. But of course, Eugene wasn¡¯t doing this out of the goodness of his heart or because he had spare money lying around. ¡°Those beggar bastards! They¡¯re truly¡­ ugh! They are fighting for their lives over a single silver coin! The knight in the tent next to ours was beating the crap out of his aide because he misplaced a single pair of underwear! This is a shithole! A shiteeehole!¡± Eugene ordered Mirian to get a grasp of the general atmosphere when Lanslo came. Even though she was rather mischievous and playful, Mirian was competent as well. After getting an accurate grasp of the campground¡¯s general atmosphere, she had reported back to Eugene. That was when Eugene decided. ¡®There are going to be a lot of knights on the side of the holy knights in the mock battle? But more than half of the knights participating in the competition are in the campground.¡¯ He could win over the knights by spending money. In turn, the grateful knights would serve as a powerful sword and shield for Eugene when he destroyed the holy knights and killed Jung Dircht. CH 84 ¡°The knight didn¡¯t enter the castle?¡± ¡°Yeah. Apparently, he has established a residence in the campground with the free knights outside the castle walls.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Jung Dircht frowned upon hearing the response, and his colleague shrugged. ¡°Is there really a reason to care about it? He¡¯s going to participate in the competition anyway, right? Whether it¡¯s the jousting or the swordsmanship competition, we just need to take care of him when we have the opportunity.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dircht fell into contemplation after hearing the words of his two colleagues. ¡°Dircht. The problem is that you are too cautious. Frankly, it¡¯s quite absurd that we had to come all this way just because of a single knight from the countryside,¡± one of his colleagues said. ¡°Tsk. What on earth is the cardinal thinking? There¡¯s nothing to be gained by the church even if we win the competition here, right? It would be much better to continue our original mission and track down that black wizard,¡± Another colleague added. ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Dircht responded in a cold voice before continuing. ¡°The prestige of the church will increase if we win the competition. Moreover, it gives us the opportunity to teach lessons to those who aren¡¯t respectful towards the church and us holy knights.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Think about it. What happened to the attitudes of the nobles of Carls Baggins Peninsula toward the church ever since Bishop Nordic returned? Moreover, what about those cities with Maren at its forefront? They are trying to break the influence of the central church by bribing priests with gold and silver,¡± Dircht continued. ¡°How sacrilegious!¡± ¡°Those corrupt cities deserve divine punishment!¡± The holy knights responded with anger. Dircht spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s just as you sirs said. We have been too focused on hunting monsters so far because we wanted to convey God¡¯s mercy and holy words. Sometimes it is necessary to display the church¡¯s status according to worldly standards. This knight competition will provide us the perfect opportunity to do so.¡± ¡°So, we should win the jousting competition, the swordsmanship competition, and the mock battle, correct?¡± One of his colleagues asked. ¡°Exactly,¡± Dircht responded. If the holy knights could win all three competitions, they could firmly imprint the status and dignity of the church, as well as the power of the holy knights, throughout the entire kingdom. ¡°In addition, we need to condemn the unholy, arrogant, country bumpkin knight for daring to disrespect the church. He has convinced himself that he¡¯s unrivaled just because of a small accomplishment he made in the countryside,¡± Dircht added. The other holy knights took on bleak expressions after hearing Dircht¡¯s words. ¡°Hmph! I hope he gets placed with me in the jousting competition. I will break his head on behalf of God.¡± ¡°Sir, you should go easy on him and give me the chance. Would it not be better for me to cut off his hands and feet in the swordsmanship competition?¡± ¡°Whatever the case, let¡¯s teach that bumpkin a proper lesson. But before that, we must find out why he chose not to enter the castle. Maybe he¡¯s already planning his escape after hearing about us.¡± ¡°From what I hear, he came with a letter of recommendation from Count Winslon¡¯s son-in-law. If that¡¯s the case, he wouldn¡¯t possibly run, right? It would cripple his honor and dignity.¡± Dircht nodded after hearing the speculation of a fairly sharp colleague. ¡°That¡¯s true. However, it bothers me that he took residence in the campground instead of the village. Hmm¡­ Lloyd, Llorente, go find out whatever you can,¡± Dircht instructed. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the aides answered confidently. But one of them asked carefully afterward. ¡°But sir, what if we have to face that knight?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Dircht stroked his chin while observing the aides. Both of them were in their mid to late teens, and although they were still young, they had received thorough training ever since they were seven or eight. If the cheeky, country knight was as good as it said in the letter they received from Maren¡¯s royalists, it would provide the perfect opportunity to test the skills of the two aides. ¡°Fine. However, you cannot provide him with the justification. You understand what I¡¯m talking about, right?¡± Dircht said. ¡°Of course.¡± The two aides responded before sharing a meaningful gaze. They left the room joyfully, mistakenly thinking that they could suppress an ignorant, arrogant, unskilled knight from the countryside with ease. After all, how could they possibly lose, when they had received the most intensive, high-quality training since they were young? *** ¡°Ugh! What¡¯s this smell?¡± ¡°Even a pig¡¯s pen couldn¡¯t smell worse than this. Even Polyma¡¯s slums are better than this.¡± Lloyd and Llorente, the aides of the holy knights, frowned and covered their noses and mouths as soon as they entered the campground. The two were born into a noble family and had grown up in a clean, pristine church their entire lives. As such, it was natural for them to feel averse to the atmosphere and odor of the campground, which was both dirty and messy. ¡°How could honorable knights stay in such a place?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obviously because they¡¯re ignorant and uncultured. Ugh!¡± Lloyd and Llorente walked through the campground without bothering to hide their disgust. Some of the free knights and aides, who were standing outside their tents, stole glances at the two. Some knights didn¡¯t even hide their glares. Even though the two aides were covering their faces and bodies with a brown hood, the clothes embroidered with the church¡¯s symbol was revealed with their every step. ¡®Those punks are purposely revealing it.¡¯ ¡®Why do you even bother wearing a robe? Tsk, just what did I expect from the church bastards.¡¯ It was only natural for the two of them to attract the glares of the knights since they were acting so impudently even though they were only aides. However, Lloyd and Llorente mistook the gazes of the knights as envy and proudly roamed the area. The two aides walked up to the person with the softest appearance and spoke. ¡°Oi, do you know where Sir Eugene is residing?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The man stared back with an uninterested expression. Lloyd spoke with a frown. ¡°Are you deaf? I¡¯m asking where Sir Eugene is staying.¡± ¡°Hmm. He must not know, since there are so many knights here,¡± Llorente chimed in. Lloyd smacked his lips together before nodding, ¡°That makes sense since he¡¯s a nobody with a reputation as big as the rat droppings in the countryside.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± The man in front of them suddenly took on a fierce expression. ¡°I guess you aren¡¯t deaf after all. I asked you where the knight named Sir Eugene is staying,¡± Lloyd said. ¡°No, not that. What you said about the countryside. Say it again,¡± the man spoke. He spoke in the kingdom¡¯s language, but he possessed a unique accent. ¡°What?¡± Lloyd responded with contempt, then straightened his shoulders before speaking clearly. ¡°I said, you might not know him because he¡¯s a nobody from the countryside with a reputation as big as rat droppings. Why?¡± Whoosh! Thuck! ¡°Keugh!¡± Lloyd fell backward after being struck in the jaw with a lightning-fast fist. His clothes became covered with dirt and mud. Hahahaha! The onlookers burst into laughter and shouted. ¡°Good work, Luke!¡± ¡°You punk! You¡¯ve got quite a fist!¡± ¡°You might just make them cry! You should be gentle with these soft, sheltered ladies!¡± Lloyd immediately jumped up as the knights openly jeered. Both Lloyd and Llorente¡¯s faces were as red as a beet. As aides of noble, elegant holy knights, they had refined their minds and bodies through faith and manners. Experiencing such an embarrassing situation for the first time in their lives was enough to completely shatter their state of mind. Shing! ¡°Reveal your name and your master¡¯s name!¡± ¡°You dishonorable man! I will bring the crime of ambushing me in such a cowardly way to your master!¡± A clear, metallic sound resonated as Lloyd and Llorente unsheathed their longswords. The surroundings, which had been filled with laughter, immediately fell into silence. Many of them had led rough, simple lives like mercenaries after wandering for a long time, but they were still free knights with their aides. Everyone knew the significance of unsheathing one¡¯s blade and disrespecting the opponent¡¯s honor. Moreover, the action weighed even heavier if the opponent¡¯s master was a knight who was humble, honorable, and respectful despite his incredible reputation. ¡°These crazy bastards.¡± ¡°They dare to draw their swords here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear that they¡¯re still rookies serving as aides. They must have lost their minds.¡± Lloyd and Llorente finally realized their mistake once the murmurs rang in their ears. ¡®Ah!¡¯ ¡®To think I would make such a mistake.¡¯ However, the two were more resentful and angrier towards their opponent for causing this situation rather than being remorseful about their mistake. ¡°Speak!¡± ¡°Who is your master!?¡± ¡°Why is it so loud?¡± The tent¡¯s flap was lifted, and a figure came out wearing only their outer garments. ¡°Master,¡± Luke quickly bowed his head. Lloyd spoke up angrily, ¡°Sir, are you the master of this impudent fellow?¡± ¡°What if I am?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°That dishonorable man punched me! The aide is a reflection of the knight! Only improper education of the¡­¡± Lloyd started to retort. ¡°He¡¯s not my aide. He¡¯s my slave,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°Slave¡­?¡± Lloyd muttered with a dazed expression. His face distorted and he turned his head before shouting with an even louder voice. ¡°How dare a mere slave punch me!? I will have your head!¡± A slave was considered a tool rather than a human being. Still, one could not treat other people¡¯s slaves recklessly. However, nobles could simply give compensation even if they killed slaves belonging to others. As such, Lloyd immediately responded by swinging his longsword towards Luke when he heard of his identity. Clang! But Luke¡¯s hand had been resting on the pommel of his weapon. He reacted immediately by unsheathing his shortsword and blocking Lloyd¡¯s attack. ¡°¡­!¡± Lloyd¡¯s eyes filled with disbelief. Even though he was furious, he had been trained for a long time as the aide of a holy knight, and he could not believe that his attack had been blocked by a mere slave. Luke didn¡¯t miss the chance. Krrrrrrrr! Luke bent his wrist and pulled the opponent¡¯s blade inward while taking a large step and digging into Lloyd¡¯s space. ¡°You¡­!¡± Lloyd flinched before retreating. He attempted to retrieve his sword, but Luke¡¯s sword bounced towards him like a spring. Crack! ¡°Kuagh!¡± The pommel of Luke¡¯s sword struck Lloyd¡¯s forehead with great force, and Lloyd was flung backward while bleeding from his forehead. Luke continued forward like an enraged beast with a dagger in his hand. ¡°Lloyd!¡± Llorente screamed and attempted to intervene, but a grey shadow flitted by him. Clang! Luke¡¯s dagger was blocked by Eugene¡¯s gauntlet. Uwaaaaah! ¡°Did you see that? Did you see Sir Eugene¡¯s movement?¡± ¡°I barely caught it. Wow!¡± ¡°He¡¯s too fast! Just what I would expect from Sir Eugene!¡± The free knights expressed their awe. Eugene spoke, ¡°Regardless of the circumstance, it won¡¯t do to just kill them carelessly. They appear to be aides of the holy knights, so what you were about to do could cause quite a bit of trouble in the future.¡± ¡°I apologize, master! I overstepped my boundaries.¡± Luke quickly retracted his weapon and bowed deeply while calming himself down. ¡°And you,¡± Eugene¡¯s cold gaze passed Luke and stayed on Llorente. Eugene¡¯s left hand was holding the end of Llorente¡¯s longsword, which had been directed towards Luke. ¡°Who taught you to act so dishonorably? Did the holy knights teach you to stab someone in the back while they are engaged in a one-on-one battle? Hmm?¡± Eugene took a step forward while maintaining his grip on the blade. Llorente attempted to pull back his sword. ¡°Ugh!¡± But Eugene¡¯s sturdy gloves were made of monster leather, and the blade lay unmoving from Eugene¡¯s iron grip. In the end, Llorente struggled to pull out his sword without any results, finding himself unable to overcome the strength of Eugene¡¯s one hand. Then, Llorente came to face the most humiliating event that could happen to those dreaming of becoming knights. Whoosh! Ooooohhh! Eugene took away Llorente¡¯s sword in a series of fluid motions, and the spectators once again expressed their wonder. ¡°¡­!¡± Llorente¡¯s face filled with devastating shock and shame. Eugene spoke after placing the stolen sword on his shoulder. ¡°If you want it back, go bring your master.¡± ¡°Heup!¡± ¡°The aide is a reflection of the knight, right? I would like to ask him how he trained and educated you, considering your cowardly actions of attempting to backstab an opponent,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°I-I, I only¡­!¡± Llorente started to retort, but Eugene simply ignored him and looked around the surroundings. ¡°Stop embarrassing yourself and close your mouth. Look around, everyone around you is a witness. Is that not right, sirs?¡± ¡°Naturally!¡± ¡°We¡¯re witnesses!¡± ¡°Bring your master! Bring your glorified, holy master!¡± Wooooahhh! Dozens of free knights shouted enthusiastically. ¡°Kiehehehehe! As expected, you can¡¯t beat silver coins! It¡¯s the best! So exciting and thrilling!¡± Eugene fully agreed with Mirian¡¯s passionate words. CH 85 ¡°What did you say!?¡± ¡°I apologize, master! I have defiled the honor of the holy knights¡­ I have defiled the noble faith! Keugh!¡± Llorente bowed his head while shedding tears. ¡°This¡­¡± The holy knight Daymos gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. The most shameful thing for a knight was to have their weapon taken away by the enemy. The sword of a holy knight represented not only an individual knight¡¯s honor but the status and the faith of the church as well. But even though they knew of this fact, the opponent still took Llorente¡¯s weapon away. ¡°Ugh! That blasphemous man truly harbors hatred for the church. The letter we received from Maren¡¯s royalists was really true. I won¡¯t let him off!¡± Daymos shouted before banging on the table and standing up. ¡°Sir Daymos. I will be coming with you.¡± Another holy knight, Iod, stepped up in a flurry. Daymos had already lost his reasoning after witnessing his favorite aide returning on a stretcher with head injuries. ¡°Wait a minute, sirs. We must maintain our cool, especially at times like these,¡± Dircht interrupted. ¡°What are you talking about, Dircht?!¡± ¡°My aide was humiliated like this, but you expect us to stay still?!¡± The two holy knights shouted in anger. Dircht responded in a low, cold voice, ¡°Then what will you do once you get there? Are you going to ask him for a duel? And what next? Are you going to cut him down? Do you think the free knights of the campground will praise you for your actions?¡± ¡°...!¡± The two knights flinched, and Dircht spoke in a slightly softer voice. ¡°I understand that you are furious, sirs. If I could, I would send that heretic back into the arms of the Lord right now. But we must endure it for now.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°We will be participating in the competition soon, right? We will have our chance to condemn that man during the competition. Nothing good will come out of confronting him right now,¡± Dircht continued. ¡°That may be true, but what about the honor of the church?¡± ¡°They are simple and ignorant, no different from thugs who roam the back alleys. Would they truly know of honor?¡± Dircht responded. ¡°...¡± ¡°Sirs, honor is a responsibility given to those who are noble and possess pure blood. Right now, only those who are in the main castle possess the purest of blood. They are the judges of honor. What about those knights staying at the annex or the village inns? Moreover, what about those who couldn¡¯t even afford to enter the village and have made their residence in shabby tents outside the castle? Is it necessary to pay attention to the mumblings of those weak, simple creatures?¡± Dircht continued. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The two holy knights nodded with somber expressions. All of them were direct descendants of high-ranking noble families. They were born different from those shabby, unknown knights without names. The purest and most noble blood flowed through their veins. And honor was a right they possessed. ¡°Sirs. Let us not fall for the provocations of those who are beneath us. Our honor isn¡¯t so cheap, is it?¡± Dircht said. ¡°Phew! I would have made a huge mistake today if it weren¡¯t for Sir Dircht.¡± ¡°Hmm! I also realized that I am still lacking in training. I have put on a shameful appearance today in front of the Lord.¡± The two knights were quite religious and deep in their faith. As such, they quickly calmed down and expressed their gratitude. ¡°Llorente,¡± Daymos called out. ¡°Yes, master,¡± Llorente answered. His face was full of tear marks. ¡°You will have your sword returned to you in three days, at the jousting competition,¡± Daymos said solemnly. ¡° ¡°M-master.¡± Shing! Daymos unsheathed his longsword and straightened it right in front of his chest. The weapon was Evil Destroyer, a blade only bequeathed to official holy knights. ¡°Wait until then. I swear on my honor and my faith. On that day, the blood of the wicked unbeliever will spill under my blade,¡± Daymos declared. *** More people gathered in Winslon in these two days, including various lords, nobles, merchants, knights, mercenaries, musical bands, minstrels, bards, and jesters. Winslon overflowed with vitality and energy as it eagerly awaited the beginning of the competition. Fights were commonplace, and more than ten knights had already perished in duels even though the competition had yet to begin. Winslon¡¯s atmosphere was fiery and was engulfed in a strange madness. During the next couple of days, Eugene continued to stay in the campground and focused all his efforts on building up a relationship with the free knights. He was equally polite to all knights, and he did not spare any money and effort in treating everyone as if they were a guest in his territory. Eugene¡¯s incredible generosity even caused some knights who were staying in the inns at the village to move their residence to the campground. They heard that a feast happened every day in the campground. ¡®Dammit. I¡¯ve already spent more than 200 silver coins.¡¯ Of course, he still had plenty of money left, but Eugene could not help but feel regret at wasting so much money. ¡®But I will gain so much more.¡¯ He was certain that he would benefit if he won the competition. The prize money was enormous in itself, and Eugene would be satisfied if the equipment bestowed to the winner was similar to Wolfslaughter in value. ¡®And if I annihilate the opposing troops in the mock battle, he would surely allow me to participate in a subjugation, right?¡¯ He would surely come across a red mana stone among the three evil lands located in the county. If he was lucky, he might even come across two or more red mana stones. ¡°Sir Eugene! Let¡¯s get going!¡± The free knights shouted while flocking towards him. ¡°Let us go,¡± Eugene responded. They had decided to travel together to the venue of the knight competition. As such, Eugene climbed onto Silion¡¯s back before moving with the other knights. ¡°Will Sir Eugene be participating in the jousting competition?¡± ¡°Naturally. What about all of you?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°I¡¯ve given up. I only have one set of armor, and if I lose, I do not have enough money to pay my ransom.¡± ¡°Same with me.¡± ¡°Tsk! It seems everyone¡¯s in the same boat.¡± The jousting competition was the most popular event in the knight competition, and it attracted the most spectators. The charm of the jousting competition lay in the fact that two heavily armed knights would clash head-first while galloping on their horses. The excitement of jousting was unparalleled. It was said that knights battled each other with maces and longswords in the past. But only wooden lances were allowed in competitions, due to the dangers of using real weapons. Still, the jousting competition was dangerous, and quite a few knights had been injured and killed during each competition. But this wasn¡¯t the only problem either. The loser of each of the events had to pay ransom to the victors. However, the losers of the swordsmanship competition only had to pay about fifty silver coins, while the losers of the jousting competition had to bear the costs related to their horses as well as the victors¡¯ horses. As such, it was incredibly rare for poor free knights to participate in jousting competitions. ¡°Many nobles would be willing to hire those who display their skills at the swordsmanship competition.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same with the mock battles? The lords pay more attention to mock battles than the jousting competition.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The losers have to pay their ransom for all the events, but there¡¯s still a possibility that an ally will come to your rescue in the mock battle.¡± The free knights stemmed from shabby, lesser families, and they had traveled from place to place while living frugally. They were practically betting their entire lives on the swordsmanship competition and the mock battle. ¡°Am I the only one who will participate in the jousting competition here?¡± Eugene said. The knights¡¯ responded with enthusiastic expressions. ¡°Don¡¯t lose to those rich, snobby people, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lose heart, even if they may be from a barony or a viscounty. Technically, you also have your own territory in the Carls Baggins Peninsula, right?¡± ¡°Show them the spirit of the campground, Sir Eugene!¡± Over the past few days, the free knights came to regard Eugene as an object of admiration. But they also felt a strange sense of kinship towards him as well. He was their role model ¨C a knight who had carved his path with a single blade! In addition, he was also a generous person who knew the difficulties of being a wanderer and took care of free knights like themselves. Therefore, the free knight sincerely hoped for Eugene to defeat the rich knights who came from high-ranking noble families and win the competition. Since they could not participate anyways, they wanted to feel vicarious satisfaction through Eugene¡¯s victory. ¡°Well, since all of you are cheering me on, I must perform well. And if¡­¡± Eugene paused before looking around at the dozens of free knights around him, then raised his voice. ¡°If I do not suffer any major injuries and have a chance to participate in the mock battle, I would like to fight honorably by all of your sides. All of us here have practiced true chivalry while wandering in the wilderness, so wouldn¡¯t you agree that we are peers to share comradeship with?¡± Wooaahhhh¡­! The free knights responded with a fierce cheer. Although Eugene¡¯s ability to be a leader was still developing, his generosity had drawn enthusiastic responses from the knights. ¡°Kyah~ You¡¯re even good at speaking now, sir. Where did you learn such cool words?¡± Mirian asked. Where else could he have learned apart from Galfredik? But Eugene remained silent as he continued on his journey. Soon, a large, oval-shaped stadium came into view. ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°The knights are here!¡± The spectators shouted excitedly when they saw Eugene and the free knights. They had been sitting around since early in the morning, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the knights. The other knights from the village and the castle hadn¡¯t arrived just yet, so the appearance of these shabby free knights was enough to arouse the crowd. ¡°Wow! Look at that black knight!¡± ¡°It¡¯s plate armor! He couldn¡¯t be a free knight, right?¡± ¡°Ah! He¡¯s taking off his helmet!¡± ¡°Woaaaaaah!¡± A timely gust of wind gently scattered Eugene¡¯s black hair. His pale skin and perfectly proportioned features were more than enough to garner the people¡¯s attention. Moreover¡­ ¡°Kiehehehe! It¡¯s time for me to work my magic!¡± Mirian shouted with an evil laugh before taking her place near Eugene¡¯s face. Once she shook her body, Eugene¡¯s skin became moist and his beauty became even more noticeable. ¡°Kiehehehe! This is the glow-up effect of water!¡± Mirian¡¯s shouted. But her arrogant voice was buried by the shouts of the spectators. ¡°Isn¡¯t he too handsome!?¡± ¡°Is he a half-elf by chance!?¡± ¡°Kiyaaaahk! Sir! Over here! Please look over here!¡± Most of the cheers were for Eugene. The other free knights had consumed nutritious meals for the past few days thanks to Eugene, and perhaps due to the ¡®glow-up,¡¯ they received some attention as well. ¡°Ehem!¡± ¡°Now, now! Move aside! The knights are coming through!¡± The knights and aides walked proudly with their heads held high. Someone called out from afar with a brilliant smile while coming towards Eugene. ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± It was Lanslo Drak. ¡°You arrived early,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Haha! You¡¯re early as well, Sir Eugene,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Did you come alone? What about the other knights?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°They will be escorting the count. Anyways¡­¡± Lanslo said before looking around. Then, he inched closer to Eugene before whispering. ¡°I heard. You taught a harsh lesson to the aides of the holy knights?¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t me. It was my slave,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Hooh.¡± Lanslo turned his eyes to Luke with an inquisitive expression. Luke was well-armed in a high-end plate coat crafted by inserting a thin iron plate inside monster leather. He bowed towards Lanslo, ¡°Sir Drak. It¡¯s nice to see you again.¡± ¡°Yes. So you were responsible for pummeling Sir Daymos¡¯ aide?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Yes. I only fulfilled my responsibility as a slave after he insulted my master,¡± Luke responded. ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s right. A slave should not stand still and let their master be insulted,¡± Lanslo said in agreement. In principle, it was true. Slaves were properties of their owners, and they were required to move according to their owners¡¯ will. There were even cases when slaves would die to maintain their master¡¯s dignity when the latter lost an unexpected duel. But slaves would seldomly start a fight against the aide of other knights. Of course, there were very few slaves who were skilled enough to do so in the first place. ¡°You must have been trained as a knight,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°It has not been very long since you learned our language, has it? Judging from your accent¡­ Brantia?¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s correct,¡± Luke responded. Both Luke and Eugene were surprised by Lanslo¡¯s perceptiveness. Although Lanslo appeared quite young and seemed to be in his mid-20s, he seemed to possess a plethora of experience. ¡°It makes sense that you were able to pummel the aide of a holy knight. You must have participated in the crusade, right?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Crusade?¡± Luke responded while tilting his head. Lanslo answered with a smile. ¡°Well, you would have responded to your lord¡¯s call without knowing the details. Anyways, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°The master of the aide whom your slave pummeled, Sir Daymos, will participate in the jousting competition. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll target you, so be careful,¡± Lanslo warned. ¡°That will be beneficial for me,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­What?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°The holy knights will organize an army in the mock battle, right? Wouldn¡¯t it be beneficial if I can reduce their numbers before the mock battle?¡± Eugene answered. ¡°...!¡± Lanslo could not hide his surprise. Eugene had casually declared that he would defeat one of the holy knights, those who were known as the sword of the church and the constellations of blood. CH 86 ¡°His Excellency the Count of Winslon!¡± Feeeehp! The horn trumpet sounded a long note. A middle-aged man dressed in a royal purple robe decorated with golden threads entered the grounds while riding a white stallion under the escort of numerous nobles and knights. As soon as he made his appearance, everyone in the stadium paid their respects by taking off their hats and bowing their heads. ¡°I greet the count.¡± Count Winslon climbed to the seats reserved for the high-ranking nobles and made his way to the very top while receiving the greetings of many nobles. Eugene observed Count Winslon from afar. ¡°Wowwwww! Look at how rich he looks! Look at that robe. Is it made of high-quality silk? I remember my seniors talking about such precious materials! Kiek?! How many rings does he have?¡± Mirian exclaimed in a voice literally dripping with greed. Eugene paid no attention to her ramblings as he calmly observed the count and his company with keen eyes. Although they were quite far away, Eugene could easily count the number of spots on their faces with his heightened sense of sight. ¡®Are those all of his children? There are quite a few of them.¡¯ Some of them were only teenagers while others were in their mid to late 20s, but they all had arrogant expressions. All three sons and two daughters were dressed luxuriously, and they exuded a similar atmosphere to Count Winslon. Moreover, all of their eyes were directed at the knights who had been assigned to stay at the main castle. ¡°Some of the nobles and lords had already established relationships with the holy knights or knights from high-ranking families. In fact, that was one of the reasons why reputable knights were given residences in the main castle,¡± Lanslo said nonchalantly after noticing where Eugene¡¯s gaze was headed. ¡°I see. Then why are you here? Your comrades are there, right?¡± Eugene said while gesturing to a gathering of knights who were from the county¡¯s vassal families. ¡°Strictly speaking, we aren¡¯t comrades. The Golden Moon Knights and the territorial knights don¡¯t get along very well,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Is that so?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Those knights over there are from the vassals of the county. As such, they possess various relationships with His Excellency¡¯s children. However, the Golden Moon Knights are under the count¡¯s direct control, and we only receive the count¡¯s direct orders. Well, I guess request might be a better term than order,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°Hmm.¡± It appeared to be a very unique system. ¡°Then, are you the only member of the Golden Moon Knights who will participate in the competition?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s correct. Three or four of us would have participated if it weren¡¯t for the holy knights, but because of them, it was decided that only I would participate in the mock battles,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°They must be quite dissatisfied,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Indeed, they are quite angry. They were forced to give up a chance to display their skills and make a name for themselves because of the uninvited guests.¡± ¡°And what about you, sir? Do you want to participate in the jousting competition or the swordsmanship competition?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I don¡¯t like to show off my skills in front of others,¡± Lanslo answered. Eugene was slightly surprised. From his experience, knights were hell-bent on gaining fame and spreading their name. It was only natural for knights to chase such values. ¡°I prefer real battles. To be honest, I believe that both the jousting and the swordsmanship competition are no different from jestering around,¡± Lanslo continued. ¡°Well, I agree with you as well. However, I will participate this time around because it¡¯s essential,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Of course. I knew that Sir Eugene would understand,¡± Lanslo answered with a smile. Mirian could not hide her admiration after seeing his smile. ¡°Wow. He¡¯s not as handsome as you, but he¡¯s quite the looker as well.¡± ¡°...¡± Eugene silently agreed since he couldn¡¯t converse with the spirit in front of Lanslo. However, to their surprise, Lanslo spoke with an intrigued smile. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to ask this question, but where did you get that talkative spirit, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Kiek?!¡± ¡°...!¡± Neither Mirian nor Eugene could hide their shock. But Lanslo continued with his gaze fixated on Eugene¡¯s shoulder. ¡°An undine? How strange.¡± ¡°¡­You can see her?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hahaha. I would have been disappointed if you tried to lie about it. Yes, I can see the spirit.¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Kiek! Kieeeeeek!¡± Mirian screamed intensely before quickly hiding behind Eugene. ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t have to think it strange. My grandfather is an elf, so I can see spirits as well,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°Ah, I see.¡± It was understandable. In fact, Lanslo was the most handsome out of all the knights Eugene had met thus far. ¡°It was one of the reasons why I thought that Sir Eugene was not an ordinary knight from the beginning. As you know, it¡¯s uncommon for humans to become contracted with spirits,¡± Lanslo added. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Lanslo could not help but chuckle after seeing Eugene¡¯s response. It was only natural for anyone to become wary after having an important secret revealed, but Eugene appeared mostly unaffected. ¡®Really, you truly are a man of great depth.¡¯ Lanslo was once again impressed by Eugene. He continued after removing his gaze from Mirian, ¡°It should be starting soon. I wish you the best of luck, Sir Eugene.¡± Clack. Eugene raised his visor and grabbed Silion¡¯s reins before taking a step forward. ¡°I¡¯ll only be jestering around anyways, but I will do my best,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Lanslo¡¯s clear laugh rang behind his back. *** The jousting competition was fierce. Two knights had already been seriously injured out of the five matches that had been held so far. To make things even worse, the two injured knights had been poor free knights who had made the decision to participate in the jousting competition despite their circumstances. Since victors could ask the loser for a ransom including the price of their own armor and horse, those without money would lose everything they possessed. ¡°Polesen! Polesen!¡± ¡°Sir Meatren! Over here! Over here!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, Baylor!¡± However, the crowd was uninterested in the sobbing, pathetic losers, and instead only poured out praise and cheers for the winners. It was a harsh reality, but such an outcome was only natural in a competition that attempted to simulate an actual war. Feeeehp! ¡°The next match!¡± A trumpet horn echoed a long note, and the host of the jousting competition raised his voice with exaggerated movements. ¡°The shining holy knight of Borcia!! Sir Setrang of the Daymos family!¡± Woaaaaaaahh! The cheers of the crowd pierced the sky at the appearance of a holy knight. This was the first appearance of a member of the rumored group. It was extremely hard for ordinary people to see holy knights in person. Daymos made his appearance on horseback. He wore an extra layer of armor on top of his plate armor for the jousting competition, and a black feather representing the holy knights was attached to his helmet. Daymos looked proud and confident, befitting his reputation as a holy knight. ¡°And Sir Daymos¡¯ opponent is!¡± The gazes of spectators headed to the other side of the stadium at the host¡¯s cry. But after seeing Eugene¡¯s appearance, their eyes were quickly filled with shock. Unlike Daymos, Eugene wasn¡¯t wearing any extra armor or even a breastplate according to the standards for jousting competitions. Instead, he was simply equipped in a black armor. ¡°Huh? The armor looks quite luxurious, but is that going to be enough?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. It seems like an ignorant rookie is blindly chasing after fame.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to lose his armor if he loses.¡± Daymos smiled coldly while listening to the voices of the crowd. ¡°So you¡¯re the one, heretic. I will cripple you in the name of God. And I will dedicate your armor and horse to the church,¡± Daymos muttered. His colleagues were also carefully scrutinizing Eugene at the same time. ¡°From how he looks, I can¡¯t feel anything special from him. But I can see that his armor is very expensive and luxurious,¡± Iod remarked while greedily looking over Eugene¡¯s armor. Dircht slowly nodded. ¡°I see. But sometimes, there are knights who possess incredible techniques that are unbeknownst to the world in these types of competitions. I only hope that it¡¯s not the case with that knight.¡± ¡°Haha! Don¡¯t you know that Sir Daymos is one of the strongest knights in our branch of brothers? Moreover, his skill with the spear is within the top three. As long as that heretic¡¯s armor isn¡¯t coated with magic, Sir Daymos¡¯ victory is inevitable,¡± Iod posited. ¡°Hmm.¡± Although Dircht nodded as if agreeing with Iod, a fierce light remained in his eyes as he stared at Eugene. Boom! Boom! Boom! A large drum resounded three times, and the horses of the two knights kicked off the ground. The distance between the two was about fifty meters. Normally, the distance between two competitors in a jousting match should be about thirty meters, but it had been purposely expanded to enhance the thrill and excitement of the match. Tudududududududu! ¡°What!?¡± ¡°...!¡± Iod and Dirch could not hide their astonishment, and the same was true for the other knights who were watching the match. Eugene¡¯s steed, Silion, was far too swift compared to Daymos¡¯ horse. Tududududu! 15 meters. 10 meters. 5 meters. The distance narrowed in an instant, and the wooden lances of the two knights were about to collide as the distance further shortened to about 2.5 meters. Neiiigh! ¡°What?!¡± Daymos¡¯ horse suddenly reared on its hind legs, and the tip of his lance was rerouted in an instant. The cause of the sudden event was the momentary exudation of Eugene¡¯s Fear, but unfortunately, no one could ever know the truth except Daymos and his horse. Thuck! Eugene¡¯s wooden lance accurately struck the bottom part of Daymos¡¯ helmet, and the weapon shattered into a million pieces upon impact. The weapons had been designed in such a way to minimize shock upon impact. Ooooh¡­! The crowd exclaimed, and Daymos fell from his saddle, or rather, was thrown several meters back before crashing on the ground. Boom! Daymos lay unmoving after falling with a loud thud. ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°Quickly!¡± Servants quickly rushed to Daymos¡¯ side. After a while, the referee shook his head with a solemn expression and crossed his arms into the shape of an ¡®X.¡¯ ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°T-that means¡­!¡± The nobles were shocked after seeing the referee¡¯s gesture. This was the first time that the gesture was used today, and it represented the death of a participant. ¡°T-the winner is Sir Jan of the Eugene family!¡± Woaaaaahhh!!! A huge roar engulfed the entire stadium like a storm. Clop, clop, clop. Eugene pulled on Silion¡¯s reins before taking off his helmet. ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Sir! Sir Eugene!¡± Eugene¡¯s gaze skirted past the cheering crowd and came to a stop at the two holy knights. They were standing frozen with devastated expressions. ¡°...!¡± Even though the holy knights were located quite far from Eugene, Dircht immediately noticed that Eugene was looking his way. His eyes widened with shock after reading Eugene¡¯s lips. ¡®You¡¯re next.¡¯ Eugene had mouthed the words before once again pulling on Silion¡¯s rein. Clop, clop, clop. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! You bastard, I will gut you!¡± Eugene could hear the other holy knight shouting amid the enthusiastic shouts of the crowd, but he simply dismissed it. None of the holy knights were destined to leave the Winslon County alive anyway. *** ¡°That was a great match, Sir Eugene,¡± Count Winslon commented. He was a noble with a very solemn face, befitting his status as a great noble. ¡°I am embarrassed that you have complimented me for my meager talents. I am satisfied knowing that you enjoyed watching my bout,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°What a humble knight you are. Eida, present Sir Eugene with the coronet,¡± Count Winslon instructed. ¡°Yes.¡± The youngest-looking girl of Count Winslon¡¯s children stood up and shyly hung a coronet on Eugene¡¯s wooden lance. ¡°Kiek! This little wench! Even though she¡¯s so young, she dares to look at Sir Eugene with such lewd eyes! Scram! Shoo!¡± Mirian fussed. However, it wasn¡¯t only Eida. All of Count Winslon¡¯s children were observing Eugene with passionate eyes. A knight strong enough to defeat a holy knight in a single blow was extremely rare, and nobles couldn¡¯t help but covet such a gem. CH 87 ¡°It seems there was a reason why the letter of recommendation was so thunderous. You are definitely as good as it said,¡± Count Winslon declared. ¡°You flatter me, Your Excellency. I lacked the skills to prevent the unfortunate accident. I apologize for that.¡± Eugene bowed his head while acting remorseful for killing Daymos, even though he felt not a drop of guilt. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about Sir Daymos¡¯ departure to God¡¯s side in the unfortunate accident,¡± Count Winslon assured Eugene. ¡°What?¡± Eugene carefully raised his head. Count Winslon continued with a stern expression, ¡°It is unprecedented for holy knights to participate in knight competitions. As such, they signed memorandums promising not to hold my family or the opposing knights responsible in case they suffered serious injuries or died.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Eugene felt great joy, but he didn¡¯t show it. Wasn¡¯t this essentially a free pass that would allow him to kill Dircht and the other holy knight without any penalties? Judging by the count¡¯s expression, such measures must have been prepared beforehand. ¡®Just as it was with Essandra, it seems that all great nobles have a few slithering snakes in them.¡¯ ¡°Then, I must prepare for my next match, so please excuse me,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Of course,¡± the count answered politely before clapping, and the rest of the nobles in the honored seats followed suit. ¡°Luke, go get those things,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, master!¡± Luke answered in an excited voice before running to the people who were moving Daymos¡¯ body. Luke was thrilled. Soon, he returned with a disappointed expression after seemingly arguing with the opponents. ¡°The other holy knight stated that he could not give us the armor and the sword¡­ Instead, he gave me this,¡± Luke stated. Eugene confirmed the contents of the leather pocket given to him by Luke with regret. ¡°300 silver coins isn¡¯t bad either,¡± Eugene said. He coveted the armaments of the holy knight, which contained divine power, but there was no helping it. Moreover¡­ ¡®The one who dies last won¡¯t be able to pay with coins anyways.¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyes sank coldly as he met the gaze of the holy knights. They were glaring at him with furious, threatening eyes. But the hunt had just begun. *** After winning his first match, Eugene only participated in one more match before advancing to the finals. All of his opponents had forfeited after witnessing Eugene¡¯s two matches. Considering that knights valued reputation and victory greatly, this was an extremely unusual situation. However, on the other hand, it was only natural. Sir Lucius, who had been considered as one of the strongest candidates for the competition, had been defeated in a single exchange during Eugene¡¯s second match. After having his horse and armor robbed by Eugene, Sir Lucius was left lying unconscious on the ground for nearly thirty minutes wearing nothing but his underwear. His appearance was more than sufficient for Eugene¡¯s next opponents to give up. In the end, Eugene came to face a mercenary captain after advancing to the finals by fighting only two matches. ¡°Hahahaha! Sir! It seems you made it all the way here due to luck! However, I, Palacios, can shatter even luck with my spear¡­¡± Before the match began, the mercenary captain shouted with an arrogant attitude. But he was thrown off his horse after only one exchange and was unfortunately killed on the spot when his own horse stomped on his throat. ¡°The champion of the jousting competition is! Sir Jan Eugene!¡± The loud shout of the host caused the crowd to explode into a loud cheer. Following the customs of the competition, Eugene slowly circled around the stadium as dozens of wreaths landed around him, although some were lucky enough to get caught on Eugene¡¯s lance. Eugene recalled Galfredik¡¯s advice and nodded at those who were throwing the flowery crowns at him. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± To put it nicely, most knights were ¡®manly,¡¯ which meant that they possessed rather burly, hideous appearances. As such, Eugene¡¯s beautiful, refined face was sufficient to drain the souls of all the women, regardless of their status or age. ¡°Kiekk! Kieeeeek! Back! Get away, you wenches! Stop flirting with him! He¡¯s mine! He¡¯s mine!¡± Mirian shouted angrily. It appeared as if she had devolved from the spirit of desire to the spirit of jealousy. Eugene simply ignored her and directed Silion to the seats of honor, where Count Winslon and the other nobles were seated. ¡°What an excellent match, champion!¡± Count Winslon praised Eugene with excitement in his voice. ¡®His heart rate is completely normal.¡¯ If this had been an acting competition, Eugene was certain that Count Winslon would have taken home the championship. As such, he inwardly dismissed the meaningless praise. The count¡¯s speech lasted for a while, and afterward, Lanslo slowly crept up to Eugene¡¯s side. ¡°Kiek!¡± Mirian screamed with fear and voluntarily dived into Eugene¡¯s leather pocket. ¡°Great work today, Sir Eugene. Thanks to you, I was able to witness something amusing,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Something amusing?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. I have never seen such angry holy knights before.¡± Lanslo answered. According to his words, Jung Dircht and his colleague had returned to the castle earlier after recovering Daymos¡¯ body. ¡°I heard them say that they would kill you, probably more than twenty times. They will surely be determined to do so tomorrow,¡± Lanslo continued. ¡°I see,¡± Eugene answered calmly. Lanslo grinned after seeing Eugene¡¯s reaction. ¡°It seems that there is no reason for me to worry. By the way¡­ What about tomorrow?¡± Lanslo asked. His question contained a plethora of meanings. Eugene passed by him, just as he had done in the morning while answering quietly. ¡°I have a feeling that there will be quite a few unfortunate accidents during the competition this time around. Well, I guess it could only be considered fortunate events for those holy knights since they had always wanted to depart to the side of God.¡± ¡°Kuhaha!¡± Lanslo laughed without realizing it. The more he interacted with Eugene, the more he found the man to be strangely charming. *** ¡°I¡¯ll kill him! That heretic!¡± Iod shouted in fury while breaking all the furniture and ornaments in his room. The servants and aides were stricken with fear, and they did not dare to enter the room. Dircht became lost in his thoughts while watching his colleague. After a while, he muttered while stroking his chin. ¡°Something¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°You think so as well, right!?¡± Iod jerked his head while huffing. ¡°That man must have used evil magic. There should have been no reason for Daymos¡¯ horse to have been scared like that, right?¡± Iod continued. ¡°That should be the case. Specifically, that feeling¡­¡± Dircht recalled the moment before Daymos clashed with Eugene. Just before Daymos¡¯ horse had reared, Dircht had felt something eerie. It had been a strange feeling ¨C something different from the monsters of the evil lands, something that could only be detected by holy knights who had trained and developed their divine powers for a long time. ¡°Sir Iod. Jan Eugene¡­ That man may not be human,¡± Dircht stated. ¡°What? Is that true?¡± Iod asked. Jung Dircht was famous among the younger holy knights for his deep-rooted faith. Moreover, he possessed a very good intuition and was often responsible for detecting monsters or undead even without utilizing his divine power. ¡°I think it will be better for us to use our Evil Destroyers when we face off against him during tomorrow¡¯s swordsmanship competition, just in case,¡± Dircht said. ¡°Hmm! If you say so, then I¡¯ll do as such,¡± Iod answered with a nod. He grabbed a longsword that stood tall along with the rest of his luggage on one side of the residence. ¡°With this, we will know for certain even if he suffers a small wound!¡± Iod declared. The Evil Destroyer had a circular pommel engraved with a radial pattern and its silver blade was etched with lines of prayer. It was a special weapon used by holy knights when dealing with monsters or undead. If an undead creature or a monster that possessed a mana stone was injured by the blade, their identity would be revealed. ¡°Yes. And if he is indeed an evil creature, we could use it to pressure Count Winslon as well. We can get revenge for Daymos and make a great contribution at the same time,¡± Dircht decalred. ¡°Good!¡± Iod responded. Shing! Iod¡¯s reflection could be seen on the glistening blade of the holy sword. But his eyes were filled with eerie, ghastly energy. *** Clang! Thuck! ¡°Keugh!¡± A metallic ring was followed by a dull thud and a groan. ¡°What a mess. Who were the knights that instructed you? Did they go easy on you because you were a girl? Or because of your father?¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Not at all! Keugh!¡± Selena shouted while dangling in the air with her collar held in Galfredik¡¯s hand. The burly knight clicked her tongue before letting her go. Of course, he wasn¡¯t gentle in placing her down. ¡°Ugh!¡± Selena groaned after being tossed to the ground like a sack of potatoes. She stood back up while massaging her neck. ¡°And you thought you could become master¡¯s aide with that much skill? No, rather, you thought he was rather lacking, didn¡¯t you?¡± Galfredik said. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Even slave number one is much stronger than you. Moreover, he has a lot of experience even though he is only three or four years older than you. So, someone like you would dare?¡± Galfredik said. Selena¡¯s face turned red once again. Before, it had been due to a lack of air, but it was due to shame this time around. Although she was never actually stripped naked, Galfredik¡¯s words were as fierce as his excellent swordsmanship. It was to the point where she had cried more times because of his harsh criticism rather than the pain from being beaten up during her training. It was even more upsetting that she couldn¡¯t refute his words since all he said were the truth. ¡°Do you think that the monsters in evil lands or enemies on the battlefield will treat you like the knights from your family? ¡®Oh, little missy knight~ You must be so tired, why don¡¯t we take a little break~?¡¯. ¡®Oh, what? You were injured~? Why don¡¯t you consume a mana stone before we continue~?¡¯. Is that what you¡¯re expecting?¡± Galfredik scolded. ¡°Is the training too tough? What you¡¯re receiving now is what I went through when I was twelve! Are you trying to indirectly confess that you¡¯re worse than a twelve-year-old?¡± ¡°Have you never taken care of your equipment? What kind of an aide can¡¯t even take care of their master¡¯s armor? What are you good at then ¨C knitting? What? You can¡¯t even do that?¡± ¡°I will give you a choice. If you want to be a knight, stay, and if you want to be a lady, go back to your aunt¡¯s castle right now. You can continue learning swordsmanship as a hobby, just as you did so until now.¡± Selena was about to go insane. It felt as if each of the savage knight¡¯s words were stabbing her lungs. She finally came to realize that the knights at her castle had gone easy on her during training. ¡®I was but a frog in a well.¡¯ Galfredik alone seemed to be stronger than most of the knights at her castle, but he hadn¡¯t even been sworn in yet. She had mistakenly thought that she could be sworn in within a year or two, even though she couldn¡¯t even receive a single blow from Galfredik. She wanted to hide in a hole somewhere. But despite the embarrassment, Selena felt somewhat relieved. It was difficult at first, but after acknowledging her shortcomings, it felt as if her eyes had been opened. ¡®Anyways, how strong is Sir Eugene then?¡¯ Selena had a sudden thought. As such, she carefully asked Galfredik. ¡°Master. Sir Eugene is incredibly strong, right?¡± ¡°Very strong,¡± Galfredik answered. ¡°How strong is he exactly? Do you perhaps know of Sir Entailer? How strong is Sir Eugene compared to Sir Entailer?¡± Selena asked. Sir Entailer was one of Selena¡¯s favorite knights and a famed knight of the previous generation. He was famous as the Ogre Slayer. There were many legendary tales regarding Sir Entailer, and his stories were a regular repertoire of minstrels and bards. ¡°Entailer? Who is that?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Y-you know. Um, don¡¯t you know the legend of Wolfslaughter? He¡¯s the one who defeated an ogre with it¡­¡± Selena quietly trailed off. She was somewhat disappointed that Galfredik didn¡¯t know about her idol. ¡°Wolfslaughter? That¡¯s master¡¯s sword.¡± Galfredik stated. ¡°What? What?!¡± Selena exclaimed with shock. Galfredik shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the sword that master uses. He was satisfied that it was a very good sword. I don¡¯t know who that is, but this Sir Entailer, he must have been quite strong.¡± Galfredik said. ¡°...¡± Selena could not believe that Sir Eugene owned the sword of her favorite knight. She stood frozen in place, her mouth wide agape in shock. *** ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± On the second day of the competition, both the vassals of the county and the direct descendants of the family were dumbstruck. Eugene¡¯s shortsword, which was easily slicing through chainmail as if it was a freshly baked bread, was a sword they knew very well. ¡°W-wolfslaughter!¡± ¡°Why is Sir Entailer¡¯s famed sword in the hands of that knight?!¡± ¡°Is he Lord Fairchild¡¯s knight?¡± The nobles of the county could not hide their astonishment after witnessing the return of a famed blade to its home after more than twenty years. A satisfactory smile appeared on Count Winslon¡¯s face after seeing the nobles¡¯ reactions. He had married off his daughter due to a relationship from the past, even though he had not been particularly fond of his son-in-law. But now, it seemed as though he needed to re-evaluate his son-in-law. After getting married to his daughter, Viscount Fairchild had not been in touch with him for a while. So when he suddenly sent a letter recommending a knight from the countryside, Count Winslon had been befuddled. But when he found out that there were quite a few unusual rumors surrounding the knight, he sent someone to invite the knight to participate in the knight competition. Now, it appeared as though he had netted a bigger fish than he expected. ¡®My son-in-law has an eye for talent.¡¯ Count Winslon nodded with satisfaction as Wolfslaughter sliced the opposing knight¡¯s blade into two pieces. Eugene weaved past the opponent¡¯s guard in a ghastly fashion, then placed his blade against the small gap between the knight¡¯s helmet and armor. ¡°Ooooh!¡± The count forgot his dignity and jumped up with a shout after witnessing the amazing sight. Eugene¡¯s incredible performance was a combination of an amazing sword technique, power, and the famed blade. ¡°Incredible! This is incredible! That is a knight who is worthy of Wolfslaughter and Sir Entailer¡¯s honor. You could even call him Sir Entailer¡¯s reincarnation! Hahaha!¡± The count exclaimed in a bout of rare praise, and the nobles became wide-eyed with surprise. Simultaneously, their intuition alerted them ¨C if the ¡®black knight¡¯ played a decisive role in the upcoming mock battle in two days, they might be able to see the birth of a directly appointed vassal after a long time. CH 88 After winning his first match using Wolfslaughter, Eugene chose to utilize his battleaxe and mace to win the following battles. Although Wolfslaughter was a great sword, it wasn¡¯t all too effective against opponents armed in plate armor. Naturally, there were some knights who chose to stick with their longsword or shortsword, but those who had received proper training considered such an act to be foolish. It was the basics of battle to choose weapons according to the situation and their opponents. As such, although it was called a ¡®swordsmanship competition,¡¯ blunt weapons capable of smashing through heavy armor appeared more frequently as the competition continued. Rather than a ¡®swordsmanship competition,¡¯ it was more appropriate to call it a series of duels. Since Eugene acquired all of Galfredik¡¯s skills after taking him in as a vassal, he was able to show off overwhelming skills in the confrontations. However, the matches were vastly different from yesterday¡¯s events. *** ¡°Keugh!¡± Firmino, a free knight, stumbled backward after receiving a powerful blow to the shield held in his right hand. Eugene took the opportunity and narrowed the distance, then swung his mace without missing a beat. Firmino reflexively stabbed forward with his shortsword. Clang! However, Eugene¡¯s gauntlet blocked Firmino¡¯s frantic blow, and Eugene¡¯s mace struck his helmet. ¡°Keugh!¡± Firmino staggered with a scream. Shuack! He attempted to regain his balance, but the mace was falling toward his head again. It was an unavoidable blow. ¡°Agh!¡± Firmino screamed with his eyes closed. But the expected blow never came. Firmino slowly opened his eyes. The mace, which had been falling towards him with an unstoppable force, remained unmoving right in front of his eyes. Firmino trembled while biting his lips, then he spoke with a bow. ¡°I lost.¡± ¡°The winner is! Sir Jan Eugene!¡± ¡°Uwaaaahhhh!¡± The crowd once again erupted into thunderous shouts and applause when the officiate announced the results of the battle. However, Eugene did not return the passionate cheers of the crowd and instead stretched out his hand towards Firmino. ¡°That was impressive swordsmanship, sir,¡± Eugene said respectfully. ¡°...!¡± Firmino¡¯s eyes filled with shock. He soon breathed a long sigh and took Eugene¡¯s hand. ¡°How cool!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°A knight who knows honor! You both fought great!¡± The crowd¡¯s enthusiasm only grew at the sight. The beautiful scene was akin to a moment from a romance story, where the winner consoled the loser as a fellow knight. Moreover, it helped greatly that the winner was the champion of the jousting competition from the day before. ¡°Sir, about the ransom¡­¡± Firmino started. ¡°There is no need. I am satisfied to have crossed blades with you, sir,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°Ah,¡± Firmino expressed his surprise. However, Eugene gave a light bow before leaving without hesitation. ¡°Kiek?! Again? Are you really doing this? We have to save every coin we could save to build ourselves a castle suitable for the future demon lord,¡± Mirian spoke with regret, but Eugene didn¡¯t respond as he headed to the shade on the sidelines. ¡°Master, please have some water!¡± Luke hurried to Eugene¡¯s side and held out a wooden cup with an excited face. ¡°I! Will get you the best water! Sir, wait a minute.¡± Mirian shouted excitedly before darting into her leather pocket to literally excrete some of her ¡®best water,¡¯ but Eugene quickly placed the cap over the pocket. Kieeeeek! Kiek! He could feel her thrashing around, but Eugene didn¡¯t care. ¡°This is the third one, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing. I can¡¯t believe he defeated three knights in a row without taking a break.¡± ¡°But no one¡¯s dead, right? I thought he was a cold-blooded knight without any mercy. It¡¯s unexpected.¡± ¡°In addition, he doesn¡¯t ask for the ransom from his opponents. As I expected, he is a man of true honor.¡± The other knights whispered while stealing gazes at Eugene. Although the swordsmanship competition wasn¡¯t as dangerous as the jousting competition, it still had its risks. In fact, there had already been several fatalities during the swordsmanship competition. But unlike yesterday¡¯s jousting competition, none of Eugene¡¯s opponents had died, and Eugene also hadn¡¯t exercised his right to ask for a ransom from his opponent as the victor. His actions were sufficient to change the attitudes of the knights who were jealous of Eugene or had looked at him unfavorably. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing that I chose not to kill them.¡¯ ¡°Congratulations, Sir Eugene. This is already your third victory,¡± Lanslo whispered. It seemed the knight had once again snuck up after witnessing Eugene¡¯s match. Eugene answered after turning his head, ¡°Even if you aren¡¯t close with them, shouldn¡¯t you be over there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. No one cares about what I do anyway,¡± Lanslo answered while looking at the group of knights with a smile. He continued. ¡°By the way¡­ are you intentionally not asking your opponents to pay the ransom?¡± ¡°Everyone is poor. They are different from the knights who made their residence in the castle,¡± Eugene answered. Most of the participants in yesterday¡¯s jousting competition had been high-profile knights with residence in Winslon Castle. Plate armor and equipment for the jousting competition were extremely expensive, and it was extremely rare for free knights to possess such valuable items. However, one could participate in the swordsmanship competition with just chainmail or a plate coat. Of course, the loser had to pay their ransom, but many free knights participated in the matches because everyone¡¯s ransom was fixed at fifty silver coins. ¡°As I expected. Thanks to your actions, it seems as if those who were staying at the inns are re-evaluating your character, not to mention those who were with you at the campground. They understand that you are an honorable knight who knows chivalry,¡± Lanslo said. He looked at Eugene in a new light. But Eugene wasn¡¯t acting in pursuit of chivalry and honor. ¡°Then, they might consider joining the group I¡¯ll form during the mock battle,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°I don¡¯t know about the knights from the castle, but maybe those who were staying in the village¡­ Ah! Don¡¯t tell me¡­?¡± Lanslo exclaimed as if he suddenly understood. Eugene responded in a quiet voice, ¡°It¡¯s better to have more knights, right?¡± Eugene¡¯s plan was to recruit not only the knights from the campground but all those who were staying in the village as well. As such, he did not demand ransom from the losers of his matches, unlike in the jousting competition. ¡®If I could have it my way, I would rob them of everything they have, but I must endure it for the greater good.¡¯ Eugene hid his innermost thoughts while continuing. ¡°I heard that the holy knights and those from the main castle have already formed a group to participate in the mock battle. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s the matter with their statuses as well, and it¡¯s common for knights of similar levels to gather and form a unit,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Hmm. Then they will have about forty people. I guess they are planning to fill the rest of the ranks with hired mercenaries, right?¡± ¡°They are practically overflowing with money. In addition, they look down on free knights. They truly believe that they are the only true, honorable knights,¡± Lanslo replied. Although Lanslo spoke in a soft tone, Eugene felt as if he was mocking them. But Lanslo was correct. ¡°Noble knights¡± were born into wealthy, affluent families where they received a thorough education, and were essentially plastered with expensive equipment. As such, they avoided mingling with free knights. This was because noble knights only considered themselves to be true knights who knew honor and dignity. For them, free knights were simply arrogant, stubborn beggars who couldn¡¯t differentiate sticks from stones. On the other hand, holy knights were famous even amongst knights, and this was why many noble knights were desperate to join the ranks of the holy knights. ¡°Including their aides and the mercenaries, the actual number of troops must be quite large,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°That¡¯s right. Moreover, it¡¯s human instinct to align oneself with the advantageous side. In the end, no matter how merciful you are during the competition, it¡¯s still unknown how many of them will actually join your side,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°You have a point. However, quite a few of them will change their minds after the final match of the swordsmanship competition,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°What?¡± Lanslo asked. He already knew that Eugene was strong, and there was a high chance that he would win the swordsmanship competition as well. But what did that have to do with choosing sides in the upcoming mock battle? ¡°Master, your next opponent has been decided. The match will start in thirty minutes.¡± Luke reported after rushing over. Eugene nodded before responding. ¡°Good. Who is my opponent?¡± ¡°The Lord of Colben, Baron Eindolph,¡± Luke answered. ¡°Baron Eindolph. Is he in the main castle?¡± Eugene asked after turning his gaze towards Lanslo. ¡°Yes,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Then he should be in the same group as the holy knights during the mock battle, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well, most likely,¡± Lanslo replied. ¡°Good,¡± Eugene stated. ¡®Good? What is he talking about?¡¯ Lanslo¡¯s curiosity was resolved thirty minutes later. *** Boom! Baron Eindolph was knocked far away with a battleaxe embedded in his chest plate. ¡°Keugh! Uagh!¡± He managed to keep his life thanks to the expensive armor, but his cough was mixed with blood due to his broken ribs. ¡°M-master!¡± ¡°My lord!¡± Baron Eindolph¡¯s aide and servants hurried to his side and loaded his body onto a stretcher. ¡°The winner is Sir Jan Eugene!¡± The officiate declared, and Eugene left behind the loud cheers and approached Baron Eindolph. The baron¡¯s aides paused, believing that the honorable black knight would offer a word of comfort to their master, just as he had done until now. But what Eugene said after taking off his helmet caught them by surprise. ¡°You need to pay the ransom.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°He has a title, land, and I heard he even hired mercenaries to join the same unit as the holy knights. Hurry up and pay the ransom,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Y-yes!¡± The aides hurriedly answered before counting silver coins and putting them in a leather pocket. They politely offered the bag of coins while noticing the cold glint in Eugene¡¯s eyes. Eugene tasked Luke to retrieve the ransom before heading towards the shade in the sideline. The observing knights started whispering after witnessing Eugene¡¯s unexpected action. ¡°Why did he ask for the ransom this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°And look, even though he didn¡¯t kill his opponent, Baron Eindolph is basically crippled. With an injury like that, even if he consumes a mana stone every day, he will be bedridden for at least ten days.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is he trying to prevent his opponents from participating in the mock battle?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Lanslo frowned while eavesdropping on the knights¡¯ conversations. ¡®Perhaps¡­?¡¯ Lanslo hurried to the officiate and asked about Eugene¡¯s next opponent. ¡°Baron Feren of Belmart,¡± the officiate answered. ¡°Is he staying in the main castle?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°As far as I know, he is staying in the annex, not the main castle,¡± the officiate replied. ¡°Hmm.¡± Even though most of the knights who were staying at the annex were without titles, they were already sworn-in to a lord. As such, it was almost certain that they would fight with the holy knights as well. ¡®Now, now.¡¯ A strange smile came to Lanslo¡¯s lips as he realized something. Thirty minutes later, the match between Eugene and Baron Feren concluded just as Lanslo predicted. *** ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± Baron Feren collapsed on the muddy floor with a pained scream before struggling. ¡°Uagh! Arggh!¡± He continued to shout. ¡°M-master!¡± Baron Feren¡¯s aides flocked to his sides. His arms were bent in strange, unnatural ways, and tears continued to flow down his face. Eugene had overpowered his opponent with his bare hands this time around. ¡°The ransom,¡± Eugene calmly said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He has a title, land, and I heard he even hired mercenaries to join the same unit as the holy knights, right? Hurry up and pay the ransom.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°...!¡± Baron Feren¡¯s aides were struck speechless. Eugene was repeating the same words from the previous match. Unless they were a fool, anyone could recognize Eugene¡¯s intentions. ¡®Is he saying that he is going to cripple anyone who joins a unit other than his?!¡¯ They understood Eugene¡¯s intention perfectly. *** ¡°T-That evil heretic! Is he choosing to inflict serious injuries only on the sirs who are planning to fight alongside us?¡± Iod gritted his teeth. He himself had already achieved five consecutive victories. He had been doubtful when Baron Eindolph suffered broken ribs, but he became certain when two more knights were left in a crippled state after Baron Feren. Only the knights from prominent noble families who decided to fight with the holy knights were left with serious injuries and were forced to pay their ransoms. ¡°Hmph! Does he really think that the others will betray us? It¡¯s vile, disgusting, and stupid. Would you not agree, Sir Dircht?¡± Iod continued. ¡°Yes. I do not think that the others will betray us. However¡­¡± Dircht said. ¡°Hmm?¡± Iod responded. Dircht was looking toward the group of knights who were from the village within the castle. He spoke with a serious expression, ¡°They are gathering while feeling vicarious satisfaction with the heretic.¡± ¡°¡­I must take care of him in the finals,¡± Iod said. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he turned to his aide before instructing, ¡°Bring the holy sword.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Iod checked his equipment once again after putting on a belt holding the longsword of the church. All of his weapons, including the longsword, contained silver. The weapons themselves were of excellent quality, but their true power would come into effect against monsters with mana stones or the undead. In addition, his plate armor was lavishly decorated with silver, and it was infused with the divine power of a high priest. Iod unsheathed his longsword. Ziiing! The sword revealed its slim figure while emanating a clear, resonant sound. The blade symbolized the faith of the holy knights and the honor of the church. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t kill him, you must leave a mark on his body, Sir Iod,¡± Dircht said. ¡°Leave it to me. I will reveal the true identity of that heretic to the whole world,¡± Iod answered with confidence. Exposing the heretic¡¯s true identity would be equivalent to achieving their purpose in participating. Iod headed toward the stadium, where the final match was scheduled to take place. CH 89 ¡°This is what everyone has been waiting for! The finals! The final round will finally begin!¡± The officiate shouted enthusiastically. Woaaaah! The audience roared louder than ever to greet the grand finale of the exciting competition. After half a day of nonstop action, the closing act of the swordsmanship competition was about to begin. In addition, the expectations and excitement of the crowd grew to unprecedented levels because one of the finalists was the champion of the jousting competition. ¡°Do you think Sir Eugene will win once again?¡± ¡°Who knows? Holy knights possess excellent swordsmanship and they can even use divine power, right?¡± ¡°Divine power? I thought that only worked against monsters.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to jump to conclusions! You can¡¯t dismiss the power of prayer and faith! There are so many knights who won their battles with deep faith.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s even a story that a knight who was dying was miraculously revived and killed all the monsters surrounding him as soon as he recited a prayer, right?¡± Most of their chatters were ridiculous, childish stories, but they were mixed with some truths as well. ¡°Anyways, if Sir Eugene wins the swordsmanship competition, it¡¯ll be a twin crown!¡± Twin crown ¨C it was a term to refer to the knight who had won both the jousting and the swordsmanship competition. There had only been a few knights in history who ever achieved a twin crown in the numerous competitions, including Count Winslon. In the first place, one needed to be extremely lucky and skilled to win the jousting championship without suffering any injuries before participating in the swordsmanship competition. ¡°A twin crown. If Sir Eugene wins, it will be the first in a long time. How long has it been exactly?¡± ¡°16 years. There has been no one since Sir Krafomos.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he go on to become a lord of the empire? Rumor has it that he was made a count of the empire.¡± ¡°I heard that he became a king. Apparently, he got a really lucky marriage.¡± The crowd started to converse about the last appearance of a twin crown. It became apparent that anyone capable of achieving a twin crown would go on to be very successful. The audience¡¯s expectations for the upcoming match grew even more. ¡°Will you be okay, sir? If you are cut or stabbed by the holy knight¡¯s weapon, your identity as a member of the Night¡¯s Tribe will be revealed,¡± Mirian voiced her worries to Eugene who was waiting for his opponent in the middle of the stadium. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You should get inside and hide. We don¡¯t know who else might be able to see you,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Got it!¡± Mirian shouted before hurriedly jumping into her leather pocket. It was a necessary precaution since it was possible that there were others similar to Lanslo. ¡°The champion of the jousting competition! The black-haired prince! The black knight, Sir Jan Eugene! And his opponent! The apostle of God and the guardian of faith! The Constellation of Blood! Sir Vitoz Iod!¡± The officiate introduced the two competitors in a rowdy fashion. Eugene stared at his opponent as the holy knight stood up from his seat. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Eugene narrowed his eyes. He saw the holy knight placing something in his mouth as he lowered his helmet. ¡®What is that? Ah, could it be?¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyes glinted coldly as a thought suddenly came to mind. In the meantime, Iod made his way to the middle of the stadium. ¡®I should assume that his skills are on par with Dircht for him to have made it to the finals without suffering any injuries and that all holy knights use the same sword technique.¡¯ Eugene recalled his battles with Dircht during his previous life. At that time, he hadn¡¯t awakened as an Origin. But he hadn¡¯t been helpless either since he consumed quite a bit of human blood at that time. If he had to give an approximation of his power from the previous life, it would have been similar to the time just before he entered the Tywin family¡¯s dungeon. ¡®I didn¡¯t know anything about swordsmanship. I only relied on my instincts and vampiric powers to fight.¡¯ He had been no match for Jung Dircht. He had literally been toyed with. If Dircht wished, he could have finished off Eugene at any time. But Dircht had deliberately taken his time and pretended to struggle to elicit a dramatic response from Eugene. ¡°Heretic,¡± the holy knight quietly uttered after stopping a few meters in front of Eugene. Shing! He unsheathed his longsword. The holy knight¡¯s blade was the same as the weapon that Dircht carried in Eugene¡¯s previous life. The silver armor, which was painted red in various spots, was the same as well. ¡°I have already figured out your wicked methods. Today, I will reveal your identity to the entire world,¡± Iod said bitterly. ¡®As I thought.¡¯ Eugene smiled coldly. Indeed, holy knights lived up to their name. It was clear that the two holy knights had detected the Fear Eugene released during the jousting match against Daymos even though it had lasted for only a fraction of a second. This must be why they had chosen a sword used to battle against monsters and the undead. But that wasn¡¯t all¡­ The object that Iod had consumed a moment ago ¨C there was only one thing for a knight to consume when he was faced against his mortal enemy. ¡®Consuming an anti-mana stone? He¡¯s insane.¡¯ It was clear that Iod had refrained from using the drug until now to avoid any suspicion. ¡®It should take about ten minutes for an anti-mana stone to be completely absorbed, right?¡¯ Eugene recalled a piece of information he heard from Romari while slowly lifting Wolfslaughter. ¡°Here I come,¡± the holy knight uttered in a grave voice before taking a stance. The strange energy surrounding the knight¡¯s body condensed into the longsword. A wizard like Romari would have been able to sense the energy, even if she couldn¡¯t see it. But right now, Eugene was the only one who could see the holy knight¡¯s energy. ¡°Huaaap!¡± The holy knight shouted and charged. He spun his longsword above his head as he ran ¨C it was a sword technique unique to the holy knights to distract and confuse their opponents. Shuack! The holy knight¡¯s longsword drew a sharp line through the air along with a loud shockwave. It was a fierce, exquisite attack that Eugene couldn¡¯t have avoided in his previous life. This time, Eugene simply shifted his steps to dodge the attack and drew his own blade horizontally. The attack was aimed at the holy knight¡¯s armpit, which was one of the gaps that existed in the plate armors of holy knights. Clang! The opponent reacted unbelievably fast and slapped Eugene¡¯s blade away. Shiik! The two knights quickly widened the distance after exchanging blows in the blink of an eye. Wuaaaaaaah! The audience erupted into a clamor. Even though it had only been a single exchange, the battle between the two masters was breathtaking and electrifying. As if intoxicated by the cheers, the holy knight started to once again rotate his weapon above his head while spinning around. Shiiing! Shing! Eugene¡¯s gaze kept pace with the direction of the holy knight¡¯s movement. However, his gaze wasn¡¯t fixated on the knight himself, but rather the hazy, translucent power that was trailing behind his longsword. ¡®When I was stabbed by Dircht¡¯s sword in my previous life, I felt as if I had been burned by something. Back then, I assumed it to be his divine power.¡¯ But that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Eugene was certain that the object his opponent consumed earlier, presumed to be an anti-mana stone, had imbued him with some sort of power. It had been the same with Dircht in Eugene¡¯s past life and with the templars of the monastery in the labyrinth. The incredibly fast, powerful movements of Iod in blocking Eugene¡¯s blow a moment ago were the most definite proof of this. ¡®Then¡­¡¯ Eugene made up his mind. Shh¡­! Eugene¡¯s red eyes explosively radiated with Vampire Fear. It was invisible to the human eye, and in an instant, it condensed and swirled around the holy knight¡¯s figure. Iod flinched and shrank back for an instant. Even the forbidden power of an anti-mana stone wasn¡¯t capable of completely resisting the Fear from a highest-ranking vampire. Shuuack! Eugene¡¯s body shot forward like a spring. The holy knight belatedly came to his senses and swung his sword. Although Eugene could have dodged the attack, he continued forward. From his experiences battling Dircht, he knew that avoiding the straightforward attack would result in the holy knight chaining his attacks into a relentless assault. Instead, Eugene drew closer to the ground and raised his left hand to change the longsword¡¯s trajectory with his gauntlet. ¡®It worked!¡¯ Consuming an anti-mana stone granted the user twofold or threefold their normal strength. As such, Iod fully expected his sword to chop off the arms of the heretic. Clang! But as soon as he felt his blade deflect off the ominous black gauntlet, Iod instinctively knew that something was wrong. But as always, it was already too late. Crack! Eugene ignored the pain of the blade shattering his left arm and stabbed Wolfslaughter forward at an angle. It was aimed at the tiniest break in the holy knight¡¯s armor, a gap big enough to barely fit a single, thin blade between his armor and helmet. Thuck! Eugene¡¯s blade dug under Iod¡¯s chin and fully penetrated his head, coming to a stop when it reached the hard, metallic helmet from the inside. The holy knight stood motionless like a statue for a moment with his hands hanging limp. Soon, blood began to flow like a stream from inside his helmet. ¡°...!¡± The victor of the match was indisputable, but all the spectators simply remained unmoving with their mouths agape. They had expected a fierce, raging battle between the two knights. No one had expected it to end so quickly. Moreover, the holy knight had advanced to the finals without suffering a single injury but unexpectedly died at the hands of his opponent. ¡°T-the winner is Sir Eugene!¡± The officiate hurriedly shouted after waking from his daze, and a delayed, but powerful roar swept the entire stadium. Woaaaaaah~! But not everyone was impressed and thrilled with Eugene¡¯s victory. ¡°I cannot accept this! This is black magic! That wicked heretic employed evil magic!¡± Jung Dircht shouted while running forward with his longsword. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Several knights and soldiers shouted urgently and rushed to block his way. Even the nobles in the distinguished seats were startled at his response. ¡°You! Don¡¯t think for a second that I wouldn¡¯t know that you used evil magic to kill my colleague! Reveal your true identity right now! You heretic!¡± Dircht shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what nonsense you are spouting,¡± Eugene felt a little flustered, but he responded calmly before continuing. ¡°And if we are talking about using evil magic, I think you should be pointing your finger to your colleague.¡± ¡°W-what¡­?¡± Dircht stuttered. Eugene became convinced of his theory after seeing Dircht¡¯s response. ¡°Trying to mislead people with irresponsible nonsense, just what I would expect from an evil heretic! I will reveal your identity with my own hands and¡­¡± Dircht started to shout. ¡°Then, I should be allowed to test it out,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°...!?¡± Eugene raised his voice after turning his head to Lanslo, who had approached the battleground. ¡°What happens if a holy knight uses forbidden magic, Sir Drak?¡± Eugene addressed his words to Lanslo, but he was actually speaking for the nobles and Count Winslon to hear. ¡°They will be excommunicated, regardless of their denomination. But what do you mean by that? A holy knight using forbidden magic?¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Sir! That heretic is¡­¡± Dircht started to shout. ¡°Shut your mouth! This is not your church, sir! This is His Excellency Winslon¡¯s land! And all judgments and decisions will be made by him in his own land!¡± Lanslo interrupted with a loud shout. Dircht closed his mouth with a stunned expression. Eugene was greatly surprised as well. He had not expected such a fiery response from Lanslo since he had always been soft and calm. ¡°It¡¯s just as Sir Drak said. Sir Jung Dircht. I cannot allow anyone to cause a disturbance on my land.¡± Count Winslon stepped up. He descended from his seat under the escort of his knights and nobles. He spoke after arriving in front of Eugene, ¡°And Sir Eugene. You know that you must take responsibility for your words, right?¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°You heard him, Sir Dircht. You will also take responsibility for your words, correct?¡± Count Winslon said after turning towards Dircht. ¡°I swear it on my honor! That man borrowed evil power to murder two of my colleagues!¡± Dircht roared with a sharp expression. ¡°Then prove it. Who will go first?¡± Count Winslon asked. ¡°I¡­¡± Dircht tried to take the opportunity, but Eugene took the initiative. ¡°What?¡± ¡°W-what is he doing now?¡± Everyone stared at Eugene with shock. He was taking the armor off of Iod¡¯s cold corpse. ¡°You! How dare you insult the honor of the holy knights! Stop what you¡¯re doing immediately!¡± Dircht shouted with immense anger. But Eugene ignored him and finished taking off Iod¡¯s armor. Without delay, he started to cut open Iod¡¯s stomach. ¡°You dareee!¡± Jung Dircht started to charge towards Eugene with fury, but Eugene picked up an object from Iod¡¯s innards and lifted it into the air. ¡°This is proof!¡± He shouted. The eyes of the nobles, knights, and spectators became fixated on Eugene¡¯s fingertips. A jewel the size of a fingernail reflected a strange light in Eugene¡¯s hand, and it didn¡¯t take very long for the people to recognize the identity of the jewel. ¡°A m-mana stone¡­?¡± ¡°N-no! The color is different! That¡¯s an anti-mana stone!¡± ¡°An anti-mana stone!?¡± An item strictly forbidden by the church had been retrieved from the stomach of a dead holy knight. CH 90 The discovery of an undigested anti-mana stone from a holy knight¡¯s stomach caused a huge aftermath. Mana stones were by-products of malice offered to humans by demons to entice them. But refined mana stones, which were purified from mana stones, were considered to be the grace of God bestowed to the faithful humans. In the first place, that was the reason why the church took responsibility for all matters related to the purification of the mana stones. But it was revealed that a holy knight, the sword of the church, had consumed a strictly forbidden drug in the form of an anti-mana stone. In addition, it had been during the finals of the swordsmanship competition held by one of the great nobles of the kingdom. Boooooooooo! ¡°You cowards!¡± ¡°And you call yourselves knights?¡± ¡°Get lost! This isn¡¯t a place for dishonorable scum like you to be!¡± ¡°You guys are the heretics! You have no faith and no honor!¡± Loud shouts of disapproval and hate poured out on Dircht and the aides. The situation was quite chaotic. Count Winslon turned to his soldiers and gave his orders, realizing that the eruption of a riot was entirely possible. ¡°Guide the holy knight and the others to the castle.¡± Dozens of soldiers surrounded Dircht and the aides at Count Winslon¡¯s orders. They hurried forward while escorting the group. None of them were able to raise their heads as they left the stadium listening to all kinds of insults and demeaning words. The gazes of Eugene and Dircht met just before the holy knight left the stadium. Anyone else would have found Eugene¡¯s appearance to be alluring and charming, but Dircht¡¯s expression became completely distorted when he saw the smile hanging around Eugene¡¯s lips. ¡®The enemy! He is an enemy of the church!¡¯ Dircht¡¯s anger burned even fiercer. But there was nothing he could do right now. He was stuck in a predicament, and he would be lucky to escape the anger of the crowd unscathed. In the end, Dircht had no choice but to quickly leave the area under the escort of the soldiers like a sinner. Bwooooooo! A long, loud note of the horn trumpet resounded, and the agitation of the crowd slowly subsided. Count Winslon raised his pure gold baton and shouted solemnly. ¡°What a shame for such a disgraceful thing to have occurred during the competition! However! There is a knight who has proved his bravery and honor through this tribulation! He stands with me!¡± Woaaaah! ¡°As such! I give the order as the master of Winslon! Write an ode to celebrate the champion, who was more honorable than anyone else! Give your praise and raise your voice! For the hero who proved himself! For the twin crown!¡± Count Winslon shouted. Woaaaaaaaaaahhh!!! Enormous cheers rang high in the sky. Thus, Eugene won the twin crown for the first time in 16 years, becoming champion in both the jousting competition and the swordsmanship competition. *** Count Winslon generously opened his pockets. Food was transported from the village inns and pubs to the stadium for all to enjoy. The crowd ate and drank, celebrating and praising the champion for winning the competitions and the benevolent count. However, the protagonists of the event, Eugene and Count Winslon, only attended the festival for about thirty minutes before retiring to the castle. There were simply too many people, including the nobles, knights, and commoners who wanted to see Eugene up close, and it could have led to an accident. Even the distinguished guests and the direct descendants of the county were eager to share even one more word with Eugene. However, Count Winslon sent them away and met with Eugene alone. ¡°Will you smoke?¡± Count Winslon asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Eugene responded, before lighting a cigarette rolled by Count Winslon. Although he had no interest in smoking, he assumed it would be rude to refuse a great noble. The count gave a satisfied, warm smile. It was an expression he rarely displayed when others were present. ¡°It contains mana powder,¡± Count Winslon said. ¡°I see.¡± Eugene nodded. He recalled Romari¡¯s words. Before going through the purification process, mana stones were no different from poison to all living creatures except monsters. However, as the saying went, even poison could be medicine if used accordingly. The debris from the purification process of mana stones wasn¡¯t harmful but provided a rather special effect. It provided the user with hallucinations. It was also one of the reasons why mana stones were so expensive. The raw material of drugs capable of creating hallucinations was bound to be traded at high prices regardless of the times and location. The symptoms of addiction caused by mana powder could be neutralized by consuming a refined mana stone. As such, wealthy nobles, who were capable of wasting away refined mana stones, enjoyed inhaling mana powder or mixing it with tea and tobacco. ¡°I will give you a refined mana stone once you are finished.¡± Count Winslon stated. ¡°This much will be fine,¡± Eugene responded. It might be harmful to humans, but such a meager amount of mana stone debris would have no effect on him. ¡°I like that you are so straightforward. Anyways, today¡¯s unfortunate incident. Was it intended, just like yesterday?¡± Count Winslon asked in a straightforward manner. Eugene had already expected such a question. He nodded without hesitation. ¡°Naturally. Since it will be of greater help in tomorrow¡¯s mock battle.¡± ¡°Hahaha. This just makes me like you even more, sir. Although we¡¯ve barely met, you are already scratching my itch so well.¡± Count Winslon was sincerely pleased. When the holy knights declared their intent to participate in the competition, he became worried. Like other nobles, Count Winslon wasn¡¯t on very good terms with the royal family, and like other lords, his relationship with the church was average at best. On the other hand, the church maintained a tight relationship with the royal family. In fact, the godfather of the current king was a cardinal of the church. With such a strange relationship in place, the church acted as a bridge between the royal family and the various lords. With such a situation, the county couldn¡¯t openly refuse the demands of the holy knights to suddenly participate in the knight competition. But the holy knights would obviously best any ordinary knights and either win the competitions or achieve great results. Such a result was unacceptable to the count due to his pride since holy knights acted as the hands and feet of the cardinal, who was the godfather of the current king. In the end, if he were to allow the holy knights to participate in the competition, it was a necessity for the members of the Golden Moon Knights to participate in the competition as a method of suppression. However, such a reaction would cause another problem. Both the holy knights and the Golden Moon Knights were famous knight organizations in the kingdom. Regardless of who won between the two groups, the losing side would suffer great damage to their honor and pride. Since Count Winslon wanted to protect his pride while also avoiding worsening his relationship with the church, he had been faced with a dilemma. This was why he had been desperately hoping for a knight unrelated to either side to have the highest achievements in the competition, and as if God had heard his wish, the black knight in front of him had magically appeared to solve all of his problems. In addition, Count Winslon never had any interactions or a relationship with the knight Eugene, the current owner of Wolfslaughter. As such, it was only natural that Count Winslon felt extremely favorable toward Eugene. It was to the degree that his son-in-law, whom he had never liked very much, suddenly felt like a saint. Count Winslon had a sudden urge to see his son-in-law after a long time. ¡°The knights who are staying in the castle have been greatly shaken by your actions, sir. All of the knights who were smashed apart by you during today¡¯s matches were those staying in the castle. Unless they are fools, they should know what you are after by now,¡± Count Winslon said. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Their reactions weren¡¯t that great. There were a few sirs who had openly declared their intent to crush you personally, Sir Eugene,¡± Count Winslon continued. It was to be expected since knights were usually arrogant and hot-tempered. Moreover, the knights who resided in the castle were high-ranking nobles or those with titles. They would naturally attempt to restore their honors in the mock battle. ¡°I would rather have that,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Hooh? And why is that?¡± Count Winslon asked with an intrigued expression. Eugene responded calmly. ¡°There are a few things I learned during the various subjugations I participated in. One of them is that agitated monsters are easier to kill compared to sneaky monsters. You must know this fact already, Your Excellency. I have heard that you like to hunt.¡± ¡°Hahaha! That is true. Your words are completely accurate, sir!¡± Count Winslon voiced his agreement while laughing and even clapping. ¡°But, it is also true that a cornered prey can act in unexpected ways. What do you think about that?¡± ¡°That would be even better for me. You will find out why in tomorrow''s battle,¡± Eugene declared. Count Winslon¡¯s eyes became filled with surprise. The young champion wasn¡¯t even contemplating the idea of defeat in tomorrow¡¯s mock battle. ¡°In many ways, you have a talent for making me curious, sir. Good, good.¡± Count WInslon said with a grin before continuing. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I will also let you know the reward I will be giving you tomorrow, sir. You can look forward to it since an appropriate reward is only natural for the champion who won the twin crown for the first time in 16 years.¡± Count Winslon said before lightly clapping twice. The door opened, and servants carefully stepped into the room. Eugene¡¯s eyes glistened when he saw the large wooden box decorated with gold, and the count spoke with a voice full of pride and expectation. ¡°Open it. It is an item that is suitable for the twin crown champion.¡± Eugene bowed lightly to the count before opening the box. Click. ¡°This is¡­¡± Eugene spoke with surprise. Seeing Eugene react in such a way, especially when he had always maintained his composure thus far, caused the count¡¯s smile to deepen with satisfaction. ¡°Her name is Madarazika. It¡¯s the language of the dwarves who live in the far north. In our language, it is called the Ogre Slayer.¡± Count Winslon explained. ¡°Madarazika¡­¡± Eugene muttered while stretching his hand towards the object. It felt as if he had been enchanted by the weapon. ¡°With your strength, I¡¯m certain that you could¡­ Huh?¡± The count stopped himself and gasped with a shocked expression. Eugene had raised the weapon with one hand. It was a spear that exuded a dark luster. ¡°It should easily weigh fifty kilograms. How is it that you can lift it so easily with a single hand?¡± Count Winslon asked. ¡°As I mentioned before, I have the blood of the elves flowing in my veins,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Huh? But even Sir Drak barely managed to hold it with both his hands¡­¡± The count expressed his astonishment. But he did not doubt Eugene¡¯s explanation. The fact that Eugene was able to take the twin crown for the first time in 16 years proved that his skill was far beyond any ordinary knight. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it... Wooong! The spear trembled and emitted a strange cry. ¡°Huh! Haha!¡± The count could not help but burst into vain laughter. ¡®Numerous knights weren¡¯t able to even hold the spear properly until now! As expected, this knight¡­¡¯ All doubts and suspicions were completely wiped from Count Winslon¡¯s thoughts. He stroked his beard with a satisfied look. ¡°Every precious treasure is said to have a rightful master. It seems Madarazika has met her true master today.¡± ¡°You flatter me,¡± Eugene responded. But contrary to his words, Eugene was just as pleased as the count. Upon grabbing the spear, he instantly recognized that it wasn¡¯t an ordinary object, and the count¡¯s explanation only solidified Eugene¡¯s conviction. ¡°Now, spill a little bit of your blood on Madarazika.¡± ¡°My¡­ blood?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. That will decide whether you will become Madarazika¡¯s true master or not.¡± Count Winslon continued. Eugene contemplated for a very short time. Afterward, he quickly took off his gloves, removed Black Scales, and drew his dagger across his palm before grabbing onto the spear. ¡°...!¡± Eugene became greatly surprised. The spear was absorbing his blood like a piece of cotton pressed against water. ¡®Is it enchanted with magic?¡¯ ¡°Hooh! Madarazika has recognized Sir Eugene as its true owner. How astonishing,¡± Count Winslon remarked. Seeing that the count was genuinely surprised, Eugene assumed that Count Winslon would have taken the spear back if it had not absorbed Eugene¡¯s blood. On second thought, it was only natural. Since the count was known to be crazy about gallantry and skill, he wouldn¡¯t allow a precious, magical object to belong to anyone other than its true master. ¡°Sir, try throwing Madarazika,¡± Count Winslon said. ¡°Right here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s fine, so try it,¡± the count responded. Eugene felt a little strange after hearing the excitement in the count¡¯s voice, but he did as he was told. Shuack! When he threw the weapon with moderate force, it became embedded into the wall with a shockwave. ¡°Try calling it,¡± Count Winslon said. ¡°What?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Try to call Madarazika with your will as if you were calling your subordinates. Imbue your words with your¡­ Heuk!¡± Count Winslon gasped. Craack! Shuack! The spear was pulled out from the wall before returning to Eugene¡¯s hand as if it was connected to him with an invisible thread. ¡°Hahahaha! I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong. Sir Eugene, you are the true owner of Madarazika!¡± Count Winslon exclaimed. ¡°This is¡­ surprising,¡± Eugene stated. Although he wasn¡¯t as excited as the count, he was still shaken. A spear that could be retrieved with just his will! This wasn¡¯t simply a matter of never losing his spear. Just like other knights, Eugene always carried several javelins with him at all times. Although using the javelin meant sacrificing range and accuracy, it was incomparably stronger than bows and arrows, especially when dealing with medium-sized and large monsters. The only problem with javelins was that it could be difficult to retrieve them after they were thrown. But Madarazika had completely solved such a problem. It was several times heavier than a typical javelin which meant that it was a lot stronger than the latter. To summarize, it was an awesome weapon. And if he won tomorrow¡¯s mock battle, another prize would be waiting for him. ¡°Can I look forward to tomorrow, Sir Eugene?¡± Count Winslon asked. ¡°Naturally. I will bring you victory. I swear it on my honor,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°Kieeeek?! S-sir Eugene is emitting a similar aura as me!?¡± Mirian shrieked. At this moment, Eugene became the Origin of Desire. CH 91 After continuing to converse with Count Winslon for a little while longer, Eugene left the castle before sunset. Although the count suggested that Eugene should stay at the castle until tomorrow, he politely declined. It was annoying just to even think about having to stay at the castle with the arrogant noble knights who had clearly expressed their hatred towards him. It was much better to retire to the campground for the night and to strengthen his ¡®camaraderie¡¯ with the free knights. Eugene returned to the campground, and that evening, he once again generously served the free knights with food and drinks. In addition, he provided those who had lost their matches ten silver coins to help them with their situation. The knights were greatly moved. In the first place, people were more emotionally vulnerable when they were in a tight spot, and following the same logic, they felt even more grateful towards Eugene. As such, Eugene¡¯s recruitment for the upcoming mock battle continued until the morning of the battle. Including those who were staying at the campground and the village, more than forty knights vowed on their honor to battle alongside Eugene in the mock battle. Including the aides of the knights, there were nearly 100 people in Eugene¡¯s army. It was a huge number. But the armies led by the aristocratic knights numbered twice or thrice Eugene¡¯s group. They had recruited a huge number of mercenaries using their capital. It felt a little underhanded, but a mock battle was a smaller model of an actual war. In wars, money played a huge role, and as such, it was naturally accepted as a tactic. Eugene had already expected as much, so he didn¡¯t consider it an issue. He didn¡¯t care too much about it. But shortly after everyone started to arrive at the county¡¯s hunting ground for the mock battle. An unexpected situation arose. *** ¡°What? Is that true?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. I was surprised as well. Who would have expected that a holy knight would flee during the night?¡± Lanslo answered with a shrug. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Eugene felt dejected. Jung Dircht, the arrogant holy knight, escaped with his aides at dawn. ¡°What were the guards doing? They must have seen the holy knight leaving the castle, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Apparently, he told them that he was going to pray at the church in the village. What could they have done when a holy knight was going to visit a church? Moreover, today is the day of the mock battle, right? They assumed that he was going to pray for victory during today¡¯s battle,¡± Lanslo answered. Eugene frowned. He had been looking forward to finally killing Dircht during today¡¯s battle. Everything he had worked for to prepare for the mock battle was in vain if Jung Dircht didn¡¯t die. ¡®Dammit. Should I go after him?¡¯ Eugene ignored his sudden impulse and calmed himself down. ¡®No, it¡¯s too late. It¡¯s been more than five hours. If he galloped the entire time, he would have already left the county.¡¯ Even with a vampire¡¯s ability to smell, it would be impossible to chase after Dircht after such a long time. ¡®This is rather good. Now that he¡¯s run away in shame, he¡¯ll surely try to get rid of me. I can finish him off then.¡¯ There weren¡¯t many justifications to kill a holy knight. But if the opponent was trying to kill him, it was within his right to retaliate. It was only natural for knights to fight back. ¡®Hurry up and come after me. I will finish you off for good this time.¡¯ Eugene once again reaffirmed his determination, then responded as if he was surprised. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that such a thing has happened. How preposterous.¡± ¡°Hoho. Take a look over there.¡± Lanslo gestured with his eyes. Eugene turned his head. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know a thing about honor! He doesn¡¯t deserve to be called a holy knight!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t stay still. Don¡¯t you agree that we should file an official complaint to the central church?¡± The noble knights expressed their strong opinions. They were greatly shaken by the incident. It was to be expected since two of the holy knights were killed and the third had run away. ¡°Was the holy knight going to lead the army?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°They had divided their numbers into three units because of their large number. The holy knight was responsible for leading one of the units. It must be a headache for them that he disappeared all of a sudden. Hoho,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Hooh. Did you hear this from the castle?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°There are quite a few blabbermouths. In addition, there are even more who are quite greedy. So currently, the situation is¡­¡± Lanslo explained to Eugene what he saw and heard while staying at the castle. In the meantime, the noble knights turned their focus away from Dircht and started to argue about who would fill Dircht¡¯s void as the new captain. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Sir Carl be in charge?¡± ¡°Nonsense! Sir Ishmael, who has tons of first-hand experience, should be the one to take charge. Last year, he led his troops to victory in a territorial war.¡± ¡°How could you call that a war? It was a tiny battle with at most one hundred troops involved.¡± ¡°Sir, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re going too far?¡± ¡°In addition, this is a mock battle with cavalry involved. Things will be completely different than ordering around some mercenaries to take charge.¡± It appeared that Jung Dircht¡¯s escape had a significant impact. It was extremely regrettable that Eugene couldn¡¯t kill him this time, but the holy knight had left behind a gift in the form of conflict among the noble knights. ¡®Should I consider myself lucky?¡¯ Eugene spoke to Lanslo while feeling satisfied with the situation, ¡°Judging from their atmosphere, it won¡¯t be strange if their army gets divided into five or six, rather than three.¡± ¡°I agree with your thoughts. But don¡¯t forget that they hold the advantage in terms of equipment and skills,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°But what if they come at us in groups of twenty or thirty? Could they still gain the upper hand? With both you and me in the same group?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hahaha,¡± Lanslo chuckled softly. There was nothing more to say about Eugene¡¯s abilities. But those who were worthy of being called heroes or conquerors among knights also needed to be competent in strategies. In that aspect, Eugene had passed Lanslo¡¯s standards. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of throwing them a bait. What do you think, sir?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°An excellent choice. Why don¡¯t we do this?¡± Lanslo answered with a grin. He was convinced that Eugene¡¯s thoughts were aligned with his own. Eugene nodded after hearing Lanlso¡¯s plan. ¡°Very good. Anyways, the mercenaries won¡¯t be using real swords, will they?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s correct. If they do, the knights will immediately unsheathe their longswords. The only reason the mercenaries can participate without much concern is that everyone will be using wooden swords and spears, even if they possess real weapons,¡± Lanslo explained. Even though the mock battle was a simulation of actual war, real weapons weren¡¯t used, since most of the participants would end up dead or seriously injured if that were the case. Even so, the knights would keep real weapons in their saddles just in case ¨C there would always be mercenaries who were willing to resort to cowardly measures to score it big against knights. ¡®If we can handle the knights, the mercenaries won¡¯t pose a big threat. It¡¯s not a real war anyway, so they will surrender quickly if they lose the momentum.¡¯ ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± Eugene¡¯s allied knights flocked while calling his name. ¡°What should we do? Even if it¡¯s rough, we should have a plan prepared,¡± one of the knights said. Their expressions were rather somber. It appeared as if they had been discouraged by the high-quality equipment of the noble knights. After sharing a gaze with Lanslo, Eugene responded in a confident manner, ¡°Just as I said yesterday, they have little experience fighting alongside each other anyways. When the battle begins, I am confident that they will come charging in. I¡¯m not sure if they will even have a proper formation.¡± Eugene¡¯s words were based on Galfredik¡¯s extensive, practical experience. Nobles and lords preferred mercenaries in wars because they had experience fighting with their colleagues. On the other hand, knights were solitary creatures who enjoyed fighting alone. Moreover, their opponents were noble knights who were always drunk on their own magnificence. It would be strange if they could cooperate well with each other. ¡°And they will likely split up into at least three units, or at most five or six,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Even if they do look down on us, would they really do that?¡± The free knights expressed their doubts. Lanslo stepped up with a grin. ¡°Sirs, let me explain.¡± The gazes of the free knights became fixated on Lanslo. The Golden Moon Knights consisted of members that were personally chosen by Count Winslon. All of the knights were rumored to be brave and excellent in strategy. ¡°What will be the biggest merit for those knights over there? I think it would be knocking down or capturing the one who won the twin crown. No?¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The free knights nodded after hearing his words. Even they would charge while hoping for a miracle if they were against the twin crown. Capturing or eliminating Eugene would award the biggest honor and achievement to the one responsible for it. A grand finale for the victor. ¡°But one of their captains, the holy knight, has suddenly disappeared. Now they have an empty, commanding role to fill. But would they truly follow their new captain? Especially since all of them are similar in status and strength? In the end, there is a high possibility that they will act independently while targeting Sir Eugene,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°I see your point, but there¡¯s no guarantee that they will split into five or six units, is there?¡± One of the knights asked. ¡°We just need to throw them a bait,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Bait?¡± The knights asked. Lanslo turned his gaze towards their ¡®captain,¡¯ and the eyes of the free knights followed suit. ¡°Sirs, we will be dividing our army into two. Of course, it will only appear like that on the surface, we will actually be together,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Here is the plan,¡± Eugene said. He explained the plan he discussed earlier with Lanslo. The expressions of the free knights gradually loosened while listening to Eugene¡¯s plan. When he was done explaining, the free knights were left staring at him with awe and determination. ¡°I pay tribute to your courage, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°We must win, sirs!¡± ¡°We cannot let Sir Eugene¡¯s sacrifice be in vain. I will not forgive anyone who becomes blinded by their greed and leaves the line of battle!¡± Wuaaaaaah! The free knights raised their weapons and cheered. *** The location of the mock battle was a vast hunting ground that seemed to hint at the reputation of the Winslon County. Its diameter was more than five kilometers, and one would need to walk for more than half a day to cross from one end to another. In addition, there were forests and small hills scattered everywhere, which made it an excellent environment to hold a mock battle. The red army, which was led by the free knights, and the blue army of nobles headed to their respective ends. Everyone had colored bands of their respective sides hanging on their arms and helmets. The two armies were placed in locations where they could not see each other due to the forests and hills. The ringing of a bell in the castle would signal the beginning of the mock battle. ¡°That forest will do, sirs,¡± Eugene said after moving along a hill for a while. The free knights immediately switched directions and swarmed around the forest without a word. ¡°Master, everything seems fine,¡± Luke reported back along with the other aides. Eugene proceeded to give further orders. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡± Most of the free knights and aides headed to the shade of the forest. Only around twenty people were left outside the forest, including Eugene and Lanslo. If viewed from the distance, the enemy would surely mistake them for a separate unit or a group of scouts. After about ten minutes... ¡°Sir, sir!¡± Mirian buzzed while quickly flying toward Eugene. She continued while taking a seat on Eugene¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Three guys riding horses are coming over the hill! I don¡¯t think they¡¯re knights. Probably mercenaries!¡± She continued. ¡®They¡¯re finally here.¡¯ Eugene looked in the direction Mirian pointed toward. In a short while, he saw some movement at the top of the hill. ¡°Ah! The enemy¡¯s scouts have already come this far?¡± Some knights with good vision exclaimed. Eugene hurriedly dissuaded them. ¡°Shh! Sirs, this is just the beginning. We can¡¯t get agitated already. Luke,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, master,¡± Luke answered before picking up a flagged spear. The black dragon which symbolized Eugene¡¯s crest fluttered vigorously in the wind. Lanslo turned his head before speaking, ¡°Sirs, let¡¯s move slowly as if we¡¯ve just arrived here.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The knights slowly rode their horses along the border of the forest, and the enemy¡¯s scouts hurriedly disappeared after spotting them. But another group of scouts appeared from a different direction in a little while, and they also ran away like the wind after seeing Eugene¡¯s flag. A few minutes later, another group of scouts appeared, and after they disappeared, another group appeared. ¡°How many times will they send their scouts?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just as Sir Eugene and Sir Drak said. Are they desperate for achievements?¡± ¡°Then they must truly be out of their minds.¡± The free knights muttered. Even with the disappearance of the holy knight, they wondered if the noble knights would truly be so foolish. However¡­ ¡°Sirs, I think it¡¯s actually happening.¡± Tududududududududu! Even before Lanslo could finish speaking, a group of galloping horses appeared over the hill, accompanied by the sounds of hooves. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they actually came!¡± ¡°Without the mercenaries!?¡± ¡°Are they arrogant? Or are they out of their minds?¡± ¡°I think it must be both.¡± The free knights were dumbfounded. No matter how much the nobles looked down on the free knights, what could they possibly do with just twenty of them? ¡°I will capture the owner of the twin crown!¡± ¡°Nonsense! I, Rodelso, will handle the champion!¡± ¡°Master! Let me help you!¡± After seeing the noble knights and their aides charging at him on their horses with their wooden spears held at their sides amidst the brilliant gleams of their armors, Eugene muttered in a quiet voice. ¡°Human greed is endless, and they always repeat their mistakes.¡± Favorite CH 92 Neighhhh! The stallion immediately responded to its master¡¯s order. Silion was named after the king of the wind spirits, and it lived up to its name. ¡°Let¡¯s go, sirs! We shall knock those arrogant men down!¡± Eugene shouted in a loud voice. Wuaaaaaah! The knights responded to his shouts and rushed out of hiding in groups. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said there were less than twenty!¡± The noble knights faltered in their charge, and their expressions paled when they saw the numerous free knights banding under the flag of the black dragon. ¡°W-what should we do?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to lose at this rate! We cannot allow ourselves to be captured by those vermin! It would be a disgrace to my family!¡± The noble knights stopped in their tracks and started to fall into confusion. But the free knights continued to charge in the meantime, and one of the noble knights threw away his wooden spear as if he could not overcome the pressure. ¡°Sir Jeremy!¡± ¡°Are you trying to surrender?!¡± The other knights shouted. ¡°Of course not,¡± Baron Jeremy responded before taking his longsword from his saddle and unsheathing it. ¡°Now that things have turned out like this, we must fight for real. There¡¯s no way we could lose if it¡¯s a battle of true blades, right?¡± Baron Jeremy continued. ¡°...!¡± The eyes of the other noble knights widened when they saw the glint of Baron Jeremy¡¯s silver longsword under the sun. Soon, they followed suit and started to discard their wooden spears and swords before unsheathing their real weapons. ¡°He¡¯s right! There¡¯s no way we could lose to those filthy vagrants!¡± ¡°Jan Eugene? Even if he is the owner of the twin crown, he shouldn¡¯t have any experience battling against real knights like us.¡± ¡°The other sirs will be arriving soon anyway. We just need to hold on until then. Even if we end up killing some of them, we simply need to pay the ransom.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! A few casualties in a knight competition is unavoidable!¡± ¡°We just need to catch Jan Eugene! Sirs, let¡¯s go!¡± Uwaaaaahhh! The noble knights and their aides were filled with confidence and their morale exploded as they once again rushed to the free knights with real weapons. ¡°T-those crazy hooligans!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene! What should we do?¡± The free knights were visibly shaken. Eugene let out a response to calm them down. ¡°They are the ones who started it! I will take care of it, so follow me!¡± Tududududududu! Silion sped up even further and galloped across the ground. It had already crossed dozens of meters at full speed, but as if to prove its pedigree, it continued to run energetically. Several seconds later, Eugene collided head-on with the noble knights. *** ¡°Do we still have a long way to go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just over that hill! Judging from what I heard from the scouts, it seemed that they were attempting to establish a formation.¡± ¡°Good,¡± The Lord of Lotvia, Baron Ishmael, responded with a satisfied look. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I had mercenaries planted in advance.¡¯ Strictly speaking, it was foul play, but it could be written off as an excellent strategy once he earned great merit in the mock battle and won. In fact, at least three or four others had employed similar strategies as himself. But he was the first one who discovered the target that would grant him the greatest achievement in the mock battle. This was evidence that God himself was helping him. ¡°Sir Ishmael, shouldn¡¯t we take a short rest? I¡¯m afraid the horses are a little exhausted from the rush,¡± one of the knights commented. Baron Ishmael thought for a short while before shaking his head. ¡°The enemy may have sent out their scouts. We should not give them time to prepare. Let¡¯s finish this as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, there are only about twenty of them, and most of them are equipped with shoddy armor. That sounds like a good idea,¡± the other knight responded. Baron Ishmael and his knights were all armed with plate armor or plate mail. Similarly, the aides of the knights were also wearing high-quality plate coats or high-quality chain mail. Meanwhile, the richest of the free knights would only have chain mail since they were poor. There were even some among the free knights who could only afford to equip themselves with a hauberk. The stark difference in equipment meant that even wooden weapons could cause substantial damage and pain to the free knights depending on how they were used, while wooden weapons would have little to no effect against plate mail. Of course, this was natural since even plate mail was strong enough to provide a good defense against heavy weapons like maces and real swords. Wooden weapons were simply a joke. As such, Baron Ishmael and his knights were fully convinced that they would win the upcoming battle. ¡®Even if they number in the dozens, it will still be like taking candy from a baby.¡¯ Even if Jan Eugene was strong, he should not be able to compete with five or six knights armed with plate armor, especially if he was limited to using a wooden sword and a wooden spear. At least, that was what they thought until they came close to the hill. They could hear a loud commotion coming from the other side. ¡°What¡¯s this sound? What?!¡± Baron Ishmael exclaimed in shock when he arrived at the top of the hill. *** ¡°Wow. There are even more of them. They really keep coming.¡± ¡°I know. They must have really considered us to be dogshit.¡± The free knights turned their heads and spoke while glaring at the new arrivals. They were pummeling the aides of the noble knights who had arrived earlier. ¡°Sirs. Don¡¯t get carried away. We will be employing the same method once again.¡± Eugene said in a cold voice. The knights came to their senses. They had been rather apprehensive when Eugene charged in alone when the enemies first arrived. As such, they were prepared to face the rest of the noble knights once Eugene faced off one or two on his own. But they were mistaken. Eugene¡¯s black spear shot through the air and pierced one of the noble knight¡¯s shoulders before returning to Eugene¡¯s hand like a living creature. Eugene handled two more knights in a similar fashion, then crushed the weapons of the remaining knights with his battleaxes and knocked them off their steeds. The noble knights had paid a steep price for going against the rules and using real weapons in the mock battle. The free knights were filled with awe and admiration after seeing Eugene¡¯s performance. After Eugene finished off the knights in less than three minutes, the free knights were tasked with a simple clean-up¡ªthey would pummel the panicked aides of the noble knights. Now, a new batch of noble knights had arrived to become prey to both Eugene and Lanslo. ¡°Ah! It looks like they are trying to escape!¡± One of the free knights shouted. Eugene and Lanslo quickly urged their horses forward. Tudududu! ¡°Mirian!¡± Eugene shouted. ¡°Leave it to me! Kieeeeeek!¡± Mirian flew up the hill like the wind, then arrived in front of the noble knights who were about to turn tail and flee. ¡°Ptooey! Ptooey! Kuwaaahkk! Ptooey!¡± She let loose a barrage of spit through the narrow, long gaps in the helmets of the knights. ¡°Uagh!?¡± ¡°T-there¡¯s water in my eye!¡± The knights took off their helmets while shouting after being baptized with the invisible spirit¡¯s phlegm. ¡°Master! What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Sir Rodel?!¡± The other knights and aides shouted in a flurry. Eugene and Lanslo started to draw their wooden weapons from their saddles as they neared the top of the hill. Thuck! Baron Ishmael fell from his steed after receiving a heavy blow, he couldn¡¯t even scream. The outcome was clear since even wooden weapons could be lethal against an opponent who was without their helmet. Thuck! Bam! Thwack! ¡°Kuagh!¡± ¡°Uagh!¡± Lanslo and Eugene struck the heads of the noble knights one after the other. Eugene used a wooden sword while Lanslo utilized a wooden spear. ¡°You¡­ Heuk!?¡± The aides attempted to retaliate, but their eyes filled with shock upon spotting something. Uwaaaaaaah! The free knights were belatedly charging toward them with loud shuts. The thrashing began once again. Thuck! Thuck! ¡°Uagh!¡± ¡°Mercy! Mercy! Uagh!¡± ¡°Kuagh! Kuaaaaa!¡± The free knights weren¡¯t as strong as Eugene, but their strikes were fierce. They themselves had been trained harshly since childhood, so they knew exactly where to strike to inflict the most pain. ¡°You little rascals! Nice armor, hmm?!¡± ¡°But your skills are dogshit!¡± The free knights rampaged while letting loose their fury and mocking the aides. Since the free knights were poor, they had more experience with wooden weapons than real blades. The beatings from the free knights who had already completely mastered the art of suffering and inflicting pain were truly ruthless. It was to the point where Lanslo had to step in to stop them, just in case they beat the aides to death. After a few minutes of the brutal beating, Eugene spoke to the free knights, ¡°Sirs, I believe there are more of them on their way here. This is the perfect time for all of you to consume it.¡± ¡°Ah! Of course!¡± The knights responded in a unified voice before taking something out of their pockets and swallowing it. The mysterious objects were mana stones, which Eugene bought and distributed before the battle. Although they were quite expensive, mana stones were extremely useful in battles. Rich knights capable of affording mana stones always had some prepared in real battles. Mana stones were unrivaled in restoring one¡¯s energy. Most of the free knights here were now consuming a mana stone for the first time in their lives. ¡°Ohh! I can feel energy flowing through my veins!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! Could this be a superior-rank mana stone?!¡± Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t wasn¡¯t superior-rank mana stones. In fact, they were low-rank mana stones with the lowest level of medicinal efficacy, but the effects were sufficient to amaze the free knights. Soon, their surprise quickly turned into something else. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he would just give such precious treasures away! I cannot possibly fathom Sir Eugene¡¯s generosity and¡­¡± ¡°Sir Eugene is the only knight who knows true honor! I, Caylor of Alamas, swear from this moment that I will act on anything Sir Eugene asks me to do!¡± ¡°As do I!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± The free knights weren¡¯t simply feeling an emotion of camaraderie anymore. Rather, they felt a sense of reverence and awe toward Eugene. Eugene took on a humble expression and responded to their praise. ¡°Sirs. Let us focus on the battle for now. Not for just myself, Jan Eugene, but for all of us! Let us fight for our noble honor!¡± Uwaaaaah! The morale of the free knights burned brightly once again. The spirit said while shaking her head. ¡°Just what I would expect from our sir. The king of fighting, and the king of deceit.¡± *** After two more battles, Eugene and the free knights captured 21 additional enemies, composed of noble knights and their aides. Fortunately, no fatalities occurred as a result of the battles, but all of the noble knights who had abandoned their wooden weapons and drew their blades became seriously injured. If Eugene hadn¡¯t shown mercy and given them mana stones, about a dozen of them would have died by now. In any case, a total of more than sixty knights and aides, all disarmed and restrained, were handed over to Count Winslon after the mock battle. ¡°Amazing! This is truly amazing!¡± ¡°I thought he was only skilled with the blade, but it seems that he is a master of tactics as well!¡± Count Winslon and the other observing nobles were seated in a tent located at the top of a mountain, where they could see the entirety of the vast hunting ground at a glance. They could not hide their astonishment after witnessing the results of the battle. At the same time, they denounced the noble knights for their foolish acts after being blinded by greed and merit. ¡°Both Sir Ishmael and Sir Rubran had been too conceited. I was looking forward to how they¡¯ll perform because they are famous, but this has been a disappointment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because they pursue fame and not honor. Would you not agree?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± It was common for knights with high status or titles to be obsessed with fame, since they did not need to be sworn in. Both Baron Ishmael and Sir Rubran fell into that category. ¡°Ugh!¡± The faces of both knights turned red when they overheard the conversation of the distinguished guests. However, they couldn¡¯t deny the words and had no excuses. Their aides attempted to defend their masters. ¡°Sir Eugene acted cowardly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If he was truly an honorable, chivalrous knight, he would have¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Baron Ishmael shouted loudly while gritting his teeth. He continued, ¡°To what degree do you intend to humiliate me? Who do you think was responsible for not killing the both of us?¡± ¡°I-I apologize, master,¡± the aide quickly stuttered before bowing. His face was covered in bloody bruises after being beaten by the free knights. ¡°I was complacent. Sir Eugene only responded accordingly after having expected my actions. I was defeated by an outstanding knight,¡± Baron Ishmael declared. ¡°I think so as well.¡± ¡°And I, I realized my flaws thanks to the way Sir Eugene commanded his army.¡± The other noble knights chimed in and started to praise Eugene as well. ¡°...?¡± The aides could not understand the sudden shift in their masters¡¯ attitude. Weren¡¯t they mockingly laughing at Eugene and his army only a few hours ago and were calling them a group of beggars? But their reactions were natural. Since they had already lost, praising and giving credit to their opponent was the only way to avoid losing face completely. Wasn¡¯t it much preferable to be defeated in an unfortunate turn of events by an honorable knight and his competent army, rather than being beaten like a dog by wandering beggars? The unexpected attitudes of the captured knights started to lead to an unexpected outcome. ¡°Prepare the ransom,¡± said one of the noble knights. ¡°H-how much should we pay?¡± the aide asked. ¡°The armor and horses, and the worth of both you and me. Hmm. One thousand silver coins should do,¡± the noble knight responded. ¡°What?!¡± The aide could not hide his shock after hearing the answer. But the noble knight continued solemnly, looking as if he were engrossed in something. ¡°Thus, honor cannot be valued or matched with money. However, even if it¡¯s to reflect even a small piece of honor, paying that much is only natural. Moreover, if it¡¯s a hero like Sir Eugene, I do not consider it a waste at all.¡± After hearing the words of the knight, the other noble knights turned their heads toward their respective aides. ¡°Get our ransom prepared as well!¡± ¡°But master. We don¡¯t have enough coins.¡± ¡°Then sell the horse! Are you trying to embarrass me?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± ¡°Send someone back to the family! Tell them to bring back the silver we lack as soon as possible!¡± A fierce competition to boast one¡¯s wealth and honor ensued among the losers. Although it was an unexpected, rare event¡ªa knight capable of defeating a holy knight in a single exchange was even rarer, and any noble had no choice but to covet Eugene. Favorite CH 93 ¡°Quite a few sirs are missing.¡± ¡°But we still have pretty much all of the mercenaries, right? We should be more than enough to deal with those groups of beggars. They won¡¯t even serve as a warm-up.¡± ¡°Haha! I hope those hillbillies don¡¯t piss their pants and run away after they see us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that everyone but Sir Jan Eugene will run away with their tails behind their legs.¡± Hahahaha¡­! The knights of the blue team were still overflowing with leisure, even though four groups of knights and aides, about sixty people in total, had already retired from the battle. Jousting competitions and swordsmanship competitions were heavily dependent on individual skills, but mock battles were different. In a battle between large groups, the most important factors were the number of troops, quality of equipment, and morale. Compared to the army of the free knights, they still held a significant advantage in all three fields. Even with about half of their knights gone, this wasn¡¯t a fight that could be lost. ¡°Sirs! The scouts have returned!¡± One person shouted as the aides returned from their reconnaissance mission. The aides quickly dismounted their horses and rushed to the knights before giving their report. ¡°We have discovered a group of troops believed to be the enemy¡¯s vanguard. It was being led by Sir Jan Eugene, and there were about twenty of them in total,¡± said one of the aides. ¡°Really? Are you certain?¡± a noble knight asked. ¡°Yes, sir! It was definitely the flag of the black dragon. I¡¯m certain it was Sir Jan Eugene!¡± the aide responded. ¡°And what about the rest of the red army?¡± the noble knight asked. ¡°I could not see them. I assume that the others who went on ahead are dealing with the enemy¡¯s main army,¡± the aide said. Ohh¡­! The expressions of the knights brightened at once. In a stroke of luck, they were presented with the opportunity to make the greatest contribution in the mock battle. The noble knights chattered excitedly. ¡°Let¡¯s go and get it done!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Let¡¯s hurry. The others might discover it as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. They could well be on their way back from taking care of the enemy¡¯s main army. Where is that place? Hurry and lead us there!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The noble knights hurried their steeds after the aides. ¡°Sirs! Sirs! What about us?¡± ¡°Sirs! Please wait for us!¡± The mercenaries shouted urgently while chasing after the knights. ¡°Hmph! That¡¯s not my problem! Do we really have to take care of you like children?¡± ¡°You punks! Act your worth!¡± The knights responded coldly as they moved further and further away. ¡°Dammit¡­ Why did they hire us if they were only going to make us clean up?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that they only hired us to suit their tastes? If there¡¯s no battle, I¡¯m fine with that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If we fight properly, we¡¯ll have to risk breaking a few bones even if this is a mock battle. The knights will take care of everything anyway, so let¡¯s take our time.¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s do that.¡± There were a few mercenaries who ran diligently after the knights, but a great majority of them only pretended to chase while taking their time. But even the few responsible mercenaries stopped running after the knights as the distance between them grew. Eventually, the two noble knights and the mercenaries became completely separated. *** ¡°Master! The enemy¡¯s main army is heading our way!¡± Luke reported back after hurrying back on his horse. ¡°Good work.¡± Eugene nodded. After taking care of more than sixty knights and aides in a total of four battles, Eugene finally opted to send a group of scouts. It was because he had finally deemed it possible to face the enemy¡¯s main army in a direct battle. ¡°Was there anything unusual?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°In fact, there was something strange. I couldn¡¯t see the mercenaries,¡± Luke said. ¡°Hooh?¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes. At this time, Lanslo¡¯s scouts also returned from their mission. ¡°Sir Eugene. They are telling me that the blue army has been completely separated from the mercenaries,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Hmm. Is it a trap?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Judging by the pace of the knights, it appears that the mercenaries weren¡¯t able to keep up with the speed of their steeds,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°It¡¯s an opportunity,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s an opportunity,¡± Lanslo replied. The two men once again shared a glance after coming to an understanding. Eugene turned and shouted to the free knights, who were brimming with energy once more after consuming mana stones. ¡°Sirs! This will be our last battle! But it seems that the rest of the enemy¡¯s army is still looking down on us! Apparently, they are coming our way without any of the mercenaries!¡± ¡°Those arrogant men truly dare!?¡± ¡°Have they not come to their senses yet!?¡± ¡°Hmph¡­!¡± The free knights jeered fiercely. After having won four consecutive battles, their morale pierced the skies. The best method to stimulate someone was truly to rub at their pride. ¡°There are about forty of them, excluding the mercenaries. Sir Lanslo and I will take the lead as planned. This is our opportunity to turn the momentum and truly show those men what we are made of! Show me your courage and spirit, sirs!¡± Eugene shouted. ¡°Leave it to us!¡± ¡°I swear on my honor to bring you victory, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°For our comrades!¡± Uwaaaaahhh!!! The powerful shouts of the free knights resounded. But it wasn¡¯t one derived from a pure expression of honor and camaraderie. Rather, the eyes and expressions of the free knights were filled with one of the most fundamental emotions known to man¡ªdesire. This would be their last battle, which meant that there would be a distribution of rewards based on their individual performance and merit. Eugene had made a promise to the free knights. He would only take 10% of the ransom provided by the prisoners, and 90% of the ransom would be shared fairly among the rest of the army. Eugene was the leader of the red army, and even if he were to take half of all the ransom, no one would dare to raise an objection. After all, he played such an overwhelming role in the battle. Still, the poor free knights were naturally filled with greed after hearing about the unexpected compensation. Soon, the two armies came to face off at a certain location in the vast hunting ground, and the free knights began to freely express their desires. ¡°The silver coins have come!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s beat them up!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s gooooo!¡± *** ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°Why are they all here?!¡± ¡°You said that this was only the vanguard!¡± ¡°What about the others! Where are the other sirs?!¡± The noble knights could not hide their shock when they came to face the free knights. The fact that they were about to face the entirety of the red army came as a shock to them, but they were even more dumbfounded when they couldn¡¯t see any of the other noble knights. ¡°Where are the mercenaries?!¡± ¡°Those lazy donkeys!¡± The noble knights belatedly looked for the mercenaries, but it was useless. They had pushed their horses with excitement after hearing the news, and it was essentially impossible for the mercenaries to keep up with their pace. ¡°Sirs! How are your horses?¡± ¡°They are good to last for a charge or two!¡± ¡°Keugh! What a mess! Sirs! Let¡¯s charge¡­ Hmm?!¡± The leading knight faltered when he started to shout his orders. The other noble knights shouted simultaneously. ¡°Jan Eugene!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the twin crown!¡± Eugene was charging like the wind with the flag of the black dragon fluttering from his saddle. All of the noble knights shared similar thoughts when they spotted him. ¡®If I can just get him!¡¯ ¡®Then the greatest achievement will be mine!¡¯ Although the noble knights were rather arrogant, they weren¡¯t fools. As soon as they noticed the absence of their colleagues, they immediately realized that the battle could sway either way. But a mock battle was a simulation of actual warfare. Even if they were put at a severe disadvantage, they could turn the tides of the battle by capturing the enemy¡¯s general. ¡°Get him!¡± ¡°You¡¯re mine!¡± ¡°Jan Eugene!¡± Each of the noble knights began to race toward Eugene while shouting vigorously. All they could think about was netting themselves the greatest achievement by catching Eugene. Like the free knights, the noble knights had also expressed their desires in this final battle. Tududududududududu! Uwaaaaaaah! A strange sight unfolded. The noble knights were chasing after Eugene and the free knights were chasing after the noble knights. As time went by, the distance between the noble knights and the free knights quickly narrowed. But this was expected since the free knights had leisurely ridden their horses while the noble knights pushed their horses to the limit. ¡°You stupid lads!¡± ¡°Take this!¡± The noble knights were greatly taken aback as their steeds foamed at the mouth with exhaustion and the wooden spears of the free knights rained down on them. In the end, the noble knights and their aides at the rear became surrounded by the free knights. Thuck! Thuck! The free knights outnumbered the noble knights severalfold, and they started pummeling the noble knights with their wooden swords. Several of the noble knights could not bear the shame of receiving a beating from the ¡®wandering beggars¡¯ and started to unsheathe their weapons. ¡°Now they¡¯ve done it!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get them!¡± The free knights were enraged when they saw the sight. Three or four of them rushed at each one of the noble knights. *** As the free knights overtook the noble knights at the rear, Eugene and Lanslo turned their horses. Tududududu! There were only about ten opponents left, and their horses were clearly on the verge of exhaustion. The two of them charged straight at the middle of the enemies. Knights often talked about the beauty and honor that existed in their battles. But it was all nonsense. Not a speck of honor or beauty could be found in the ensuing battle. The sounds of horses whining, blades clashing, and humans screaming filled every inch of the field. ¡®Now!¡¯ Eugene took the chaos as an opportunity and directed his fear toward the horses of the noble knights. He was certain that no one would notice anything strange amidst the chaos. Neiiiiigh! ¡°Ugh?!¡± The horses started to run wild with fear, and some of the noble knights fell off their horses. Mirian¡¯s salivary baptism awaited those who managed to hold on with their excellent riding skills. ¡°Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooooey!¡± ¡°Argh! M-my eyes!¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± Eugene and Lanslo dug into the formation of the noble knights in the middle of the chaos. The two focused on the knights who were on horseback. Their steeds weren¡¯t equipped with armor due to the nature of the battle, and they ran amok when they were beaten with wooden swords. ¡°Uaggggh!¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± The noble knights and the aides were left with no choice but to dismount their horses. Sadly, this was the worst decision possible. Chaeng! Their swords and spears glinted coldly in the sun. As if he had been waiting, Eugene pulled out Madarazika and threw it as hard as he could. Fwoooosh! ¡°What!?¡± The noble knights raised their weapons in a futile attempt to defend themselves, but Madarazika smashed apart all of their weapons. Their weapons were considerably high in quality and were luxury items as well, but they could not possibly endure the combination of a vampire¡¯s incredible strength and Madarazika¡¯s tremendous weight. Shuack! Madarazika returned to Eugene¡¯s hand after completing its mission. ¡°A magic spear?¡± ¡°T-this is unbelievable.¡± The shocked knights took on blank expressions. As a result, they briefly forgot that Eugene wasn¡¯t the only opponent they were facing. Thuck! Blam! Lanslo¡¯s spear drew a brilliant arc in the air and struck the knights¡¯ helmets. ¡®Hooh!¡¯ ¡°Kiek?! Sir Quarter Elf is amazing!¡± Even Eugene and Mirian were amazed by Lanslo¡¯s spearmanship and his horseback riding skills. ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± The free knights came running after they were done taking care of the noble knights that they had to face. ¡°Heuk¡­¡± The faces of the noble knights and aides became noticeably pale when they noticed the dozens of free knights rushing toward them. After noticing that their colleagues were crawling like dogs in the distance, they came to an immediate decision. ¡°I surrender!¡± ¡°Please treat me honorably!¡± Thus, the mock battle came to an end. Red army: 0 prisoners, 11 wounded. Blue army: 80 injured and captured¡ªall but the mercenaries. It was an overwhelming victory. *** Although the mock battle had come to an end, a feast wasn¡¯t held like yesterday. There were simply too many injured individuals. But as if to prove his mercy and generosity, Count Winslon provided all knights with mana stones and praised both the victors and the losers. However, Eugene was the recipient of the loudest cheers and praise. The free knights were grateful to Eugene for allowing them to fulfill their desires, and the defeated noble knights attempted to lessen their embarrassment by praising Eugene. ¡°Tsk, tsk! They change their stance even faster than the spirit of light,¡± said Mirian. Eugene silently agreed with her words while comforting the losers. There was no need to make enemies by mocking the losers when they had already bowed their heads. Some of the noble knights came to truly admire Eugene for his generosity and boldness. However, their admiration was nothing compared to the joy of the free knights. Eugene kept his promise and the free knights were rewarded about 200 silver coins per person. ¡°Kieeeeek?! Why is there so much ransom? Do we really have to hand these over to the knights? It¡¯s such a waste!¡± Mirian shouted. Although he tried his best to smile, Eugene also agreed with Mirian. ¡®What the hell are these crazy men doing? Do they have trees that grow money?¡¯ Eugene had never expected that he would receive silver coins in boxes by the dozens as ransom. CH 94 ¡°Sir, sir. Did you notice the way the nobles here look at you?¡± Mirian whispered. ¡°If you say anything about stripping naked. I will shove you in the leather pocket and not let you out for a month,¡± Eugene gave a curt response. ¡°Kiek.¡± The spirit of desire promptly disappeared with a whine upon hearing Eugene¡¯s response. She had been munching on cheese and lamb which she held with both hands. Eugene observed the surroundings with a calm gaze. Everyone smiled brightly when they met his gaze, including Count Winslon¡¯s immediate lineage to nobles who came from all over the world with the count¡¯s invitation. Although he wasn¡¯t too sure about stripping naked, sucking, and biting, he knew that everyone wanted him. But Eugene had no intention of entrusting himself or being sworn in to any of them. ¡°Sir Eugene, Is the food not to your liking?¡± Count Winslon asked. ¡°I already had quite a bit earlier, Your Excellency. The cook¡¯s skills are definitely commendable. It was incredible,¡± Eugene responded. It wasn¡¯t actually true, and he had barely touched the food, but Eugene recalled how the gluttonous spirit had seemed even more obsessed than usual. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. Then shall we go and have a smoke?¡± Count Winslon continued. ¡°Of course,¡± Eugene responded. Everyone¡¯s gazes were drawn to the two men as they stood up. However, they knew better than to interrupt the two. When Count Winslon was taking someone to smoke separately, it meant that he did not want to be disturbed. As such, everyone had to swallow their regrets. ¡°Thank you,¡± Eugene said before receiving the mana powder-containing cigarette from the count and placing it in his mouth. A servant started to approach him to help him light the cigar. ¡°Let me.¡± But the count took it on himself to personally light Eugene¡¯s cigar. ¡°Thank you for your consideration,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I should be the one thanking you. The competition concluded successfully thanks to you, and most importantly¡­¡± Count Winslon spoke before taking a long drag of the smoke. Then, he continued with a sparkle in his eyes, ¡°I am incredibly grateful and joyous that the spear has finally met its true master after collecting dust for such a long time. If it¡¯s Sir Eugene, I have no doubts that you will continue Sir Entailer¡¯s honor through Wolfslaughter and uphold the pride of the northern dwarves as well.¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Count Winslon was like a child who wanted to show off his expensive toys. Eugene quickly responded, ¡°The fact that you have kept such precious objects in your arms for such a long time proves that Your Excellency and the county are upholders of true honor. Would you not agree?¡± ¡°Hahaha. You flatter me.¡± Although Count Winslon shook his head, Eugene could see that Count Winslon was very pleased. Through their few encounters, Eugene realized that Count Winslon was a person who sincerely revered an individual¡¯s strength and skills. Perhaps it was because he did not walk the path of the knight. ¡°Truly, I mean it. Fortunately, both Wolfslaughter and Madarazika recognized me as their master, but if Your Excellency had not recognized their value in the first place, would I have ever gotten the chance?¡± Eugene continued. It didn¡¯t cost him a single coin to praise the count, so he continued to speak words he knew the count would like. Naturally, Count Winslon¡¯s smile only deepened as he continued. ¡°Haha. Hahaha¡­¡± ¡°I have something that I am personally curious about. May I ask you about it, Your Excellency?¡± asked Eugene. ¡°Anything!¡± Count Winslon responded. ¡°I have a feeling that Wolfslaughter and Madarazika are strangely alike. They both exude a similar feeling. With all due respect, how did you come by the two weapons?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hohoho. I was wondering when you would ask, sir,¡± Count Winslon responded. As expected, Count Winslon was dying to flaunt the two treasures. ¡°In fact, the two weapons are a set,¡± Count Winslon continued. ¡°Hooh! I knew it! Tell me more.¡± Eugene pretended to be surprised. The count said with even more excitement. ¡°When my father was succeeding the county, one of our family¡¯s relatives¡ªDuke of Batla of Brantia at the time¡ªgifted him Wolfslaughter and Madarazika.¡± ¡°Ah! Isn¡¯t the Duke of Batla one of the most honorable and distinguished noble in Brantia?¡± Eugene said. He didn¡¯t actually know who Duke Batla was and he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in that individual either, but he simply pretended to know. Obviously, a duke would be considered one of the most prestigious nobles in that region. ¡°That¡¯s right. Anyways, I am unsure as to how the treasures of the northern dwarves ended up in the possession of the Batla Duchy. But Brantia is a country that is often embroiled in wars since ancient times with the orc pirates living in the northern land. I can only guess that the duke received the weapons as a gift from the dwarves or from coming to an agreement or allying with them,¡± Count Winslon explained. ¡°I see. This is quite a fascinating story,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°But would you like to know something even more interesting?¡± Count Winslon continued. ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene asked as if he were genuinely curious. Count Winslon responded with a proud chuckle, ¡°The two weapons that you acquired aren¡¯t a complete set. You need the shield and the armor for it to be fully unified.¡± ¡°Hooh?¡± Eugene had asked the question without much interest, but Count Winslon¡¯s answer incited a genuine sense of curiosity and surprise. ¡°Unfortunately, however, I do not know the whereabouts of the other two. I can only hope that the first twin crown in sixteen years might just be able to acquire the remaining pieces and complete the set,¡± Count Winslon said. Eugene felt a little puzzled after hearing the count¡¯s words. Why wasn¡¯t the previous twin crown given Wolfslaughter and Madarazika as a reward instead? However, Eugene quickly came to realize the answer. ¡°I¡¯m assuming that the champion from 16 years ago could not pick up Madarazika. And that was already after you had gifted Wolfslaughter to Lord Fairchild,¡± Eugene voiced his hunch. ¡°You are very wise, sir. That is correct. However, not only did you manage to obtain Wolfslaughter from my son-in-law, but you also proudly took ownership of Madarazika. This is why I cannot help but have a certain expectation toward you,¡± Count Winslon commented. ¡°I see. My shoulders feel quite heavy to hear you say that, Your Excellency. But I will do my best to live up to your expectations.¡± Eugene¡¯s acting exquisitely harmonized both humility and confidence. Count Winslon grinned in response before uttering in a quiet voice. ¡°On that note, Sir Eugene. Let me ask you. Do you have any intentions of being sworn in by me?¡± ¡°¡­With all due respect, I apologize, Your Excellency,¡± Eugene said. Although it was something he would have accepted without hesitation in the past, his situation was different now. From his experiences thus far, Eugene came to the conclusion that choosing to serve a lord would do him more harm than good. ¡°Hahaha. What is there to be sorry about? I¡¯ll admit that I have no talents in being a knight personally, but I pride myself on having a good eye for people. You are not one to be satisfied by being a territorial knight, Sir Eugene. I wouldn¡¯t want to obscure a knight like yourself under my shadow,¡± Count Winslon remarked. ¡°Thank you for your understanding,¡± Eugene said. ¡°However, now that you have both Wolfslaughter and Madarazika in your possession, you have a destiny to follow. And that path is connected with Winslon,¡± Count Winslon continued. What is he trying to say? Count Winslon was acting more cautious than usual. Eugene waited attentively for Count Winslon¡¯s following words. ¡°There was a reason why the Batla Duchy passed the two treasures onto us in the past. It¡¯s because they challenged the throne of Brantia and failed. Even if the House of Batla collapsed, their great noble blood would not disappear as long as Wolfslaughter and Madarazika are safe,¡± Count Winslon explained. Eugene didn¡¯t know too much about the noble world, but he could intuitively understand it. And as if to deliver the finishing blow, Count Winslon said with a solemn expression while stroking his beard, ¡°Indeed. I am proposing that you should become the Duke of Batla.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I have no way of knowing the current state of the Batla family. There¡¯s also the war issue, but we lost contact with them even before that. What is certain, however, is the fact that Brantia is currently in great turmoil,¡± Count Winslon explained. ¡°The¡­ crusade,¡± Eugene muttered while recalling the conversation between Lanslo and Luke. Count Winslon nodded. ¡°The war had divided the royal family of Brantia. A controversy regarding heresy began when the denomination of the continent destroyed the church¡¯s power in Brantia. With the current circumstances, if you can prove yourself as the master of Madarazika and Wolfslaughter, there¡¯s no law against you if you succeeded the Duke of Batla. Why?¡± Count Winslon said. He continued while pointing his fingers to his chest, exuding the powerful atmosphere of a great noble. ¡°The Batla Duchy is related to me by blood, which means that I have a large stake when it comes to the issue of legitimacy.¡± Eugene completely understood. But he still had some lingering questions. ¡°Could I know why you are willing to provide me with such a great opportunity?¡± Eugene asked. There was no such thing as free lunch. Even if Count Winslon cared greatly for excellent knights, this issue was beyond the reach of simple favorability. He was certain that Count Winslon had some other purpose. Count Winslon smirked as he stared into Eugene¡¯s calm, collected gaze. ¡°Saying that it¡¯s because you are a true knight¡­ that would be a lie. I will be honest with you, Sir Eugene. I want you to become the Duke of Batla so you can keep the royal family of this nation in check,¡± Count Winslon said. ¡°Sure,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± ¡°I will do that if I become the Duke of Batla. I swear it on my honor,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Well¡­ don¡¯t you want to know why I want to keep the royal family in check?¡± Count Winslon asked. ¡°You have been quite considerate to me until now, so why would the reason be important? Anyway, if I get a hold of the rest of the equipment in addition to Wolfslaughter and Madarazika, I could become the Duke of Batla. Is that right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°T-that¡¯s right.¡± Count Winslon was quite bewildered by Eugene¡¯s response. But Eugene was serious. He didn¡¯t care very much about why Count Winslon wanted to keep the royal family in check. No, rather, he didn¡¯t feel the need to ask because he already had a rough idea. ¡®Just like with Essandra, the great nobles hate the royal family.¡¯ He simply needed to listen to their demands and make a profit. Wasn¡¯t this easy for him? ¡°I will head to Brantia soon,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Sir Eugene! Y-you truly are¡­¡± Count Winslon could not continue. He was truly shocked beyond words. For Eugene, he had agreed to a condition that would benefit him without asking for much since he disliked complicating things, but the count had misunderstood Eugene¡¯s reaction as an act of loyalty and honor. ¡®I cannot believe that there¡¯s such an honorable knight in the world!¡¯ Grab! Count Winslon was overcome with emotions. He tightly grasped Eugene¡¯s hand with trembling shoulders. ¡°I am heartbroken that there¡¯s nothing else I can do for you, Sir Eugene! Tell me if there is anything else you need or want from me, I will oblige gladly!¡± Count Winslon shouted. ¡®What is this stroke of luck?¡¯ Eugene felt like jumping up and down with joy. He collected his thoughts at the speed of light before speaking with great calmness. ¡°It would be going against my honor to ask Your Excellency for anything more. Rather, I should be the one who should give something to you.¡± ¡°Oh! Ohh¡­!¡± ¡°Please allow me to subdue the evil land of the county. I would like to kill a high-ranking monster to show the world the strength of the one who was titled the twin crown of the Winslon Family,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°S-sir Eugene!¡± Count Winslon was finally moved to tears. But not even in his wildest dreams did he imagine that the smiling, kind-hearted knight was in fact a vampire thinking of nothing else but red mana stones. *** ¡°What? Me?¡± Lanslo responded with astonishment. ¡°Why are you so surprised? And sir, you swore that you would do me a favor, regardless of what it was,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Lanslo stuttered with a sour expression. ¡°The count gave his permission as well. He told you to do as you please. Anyways, are you saying you won¡¯t do it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­I cannot break an oath of honor. I understand. I will follow Sir Eugene¡¯s suggestion,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°It¡¯s not a suggestion, it¡¯s a demand. You must obey my instructions for three years from now.¡± Eugene responded. Eugene didn¡¯t only demand the right to subjugate a dungeon from Count Winslon. Instead, he asked to ¡®borrow¡¯ Lanslo for just three years. Eugene had a good feeling toward Lanslo, and it was the first time he felt such emotions since he met Galfredik. Count Winslon also felt that the two knights had been quite in-sync during the competition. As such, he promptly agreed to Eugene¡¯s request. Of course, he also had the intention to place one of his own men by Eugene¡¯s side to watch over Eugene as he followed the path to become a duke. Eugene was no stranger to such intentions. ¡®I¡¯ll drag him in if I find him to be more useful than he is now.¡¯ Eugene would have three long years to devise a specific method. ¡°Ha! I understand. Then what is your first order?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Firstly, take care of the new recruits in five days,¡± Eugene said. ¡°And what are you going to be doing in the meantime, Sir Eugene?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Evil land subjugation.¡± ¡°The prize from the competition and the ransom. Was that not enough silver coins for you?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°There are things that are much more important than money,¡± Eugene answered. He was after the red mana stones, but he didn¡¯t find it necessary to inform Lanslo of the fact, which was why he gave a general answer. Eugene¡¯s calm attitude was sufficient to reaffirm Lanslo¡¯s confidence in him. ¡®I don¡¯t know about anything else, but one thing is for sure. Jan Eugene¡ªthis knight is after money and fame!¡¯ Lanslo smiled brightly, not knowing that his conviction couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. CH 95 ¡°Uwah~ I¡¯m so hungry.¡± ¡°Already? It hasn¡¯t even been that long since our last meal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even weirder that you can manage to feel hungry in a place like this. I¡¯m scared to death right now.¡± Workers were huddled together in front of an iron gate, which was tightly locked. They continued to chatter away. ¡°By the way, do you think he will be fine? It¡¯s already been a day and a half.¡± ¡°What? Are you doubting the master of the twin crown?¡± A hairy worker shouted, and a hunter-turned-dismantler responded with a click of his tongue. ¡°What does it matter if he¡¯s the twin crown? Does it make sense to enter a dungeon alone?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. That doesn¡¯t really make sense.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the count was thinking. Why did he allow the knight to enter the dungeon by himself? Hmph.¡± Most of the other workers voiced their agreement with the dismantler. The hairy worker responded as if he were frustrated. ¡°You can only say such things because you¡¯ve never seen Sir Eugene fight before. It didn¡¯t matter if he was up against a holy knight, hmm? He still smashed them all!¡± ¡°Even a holy knight is a human after all, right? It¡¯s a different matter to deal with monsters in a dungeon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare to hear some sense coming out of your ignorant brain. Oi, that¡¯s a dungeon brimming with monsters. And it¡¯s not only kobolds or goblins either. Even a single intermediate-rank monster could¡­¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°Uag!¡± ¡°Oh, dear!¡± The workers became startled as a series of heavy sounds resonated from inside the iron gate. Boom! Boom! Boom! The workers stared at the iron gate with shocked expressions. They recalled the words of the knight who entered through the iron gate yesterday morning, then quickly ran to the iron gate. Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Including the soldiers who had been guarding the entrance to the evil land, about ten people rushed to push the iron gate with all their might. Soon, it opened with a loud creak. ¡°S-sir!¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± Everyone had expressions of disbelief as the knight made his appearance. His black plate armor was thoroughly coated and drenched in blood. ¡°Hiek?!¡± One person gasped after noticing the corpse of a large monster lying at the entrance, and everyone¡¯s gazes followed suit. ¡°Heukk?!¡± ¡°W-what is that?¡± The workers and soldiers shouted with their mouths agape, and Eugene muttered in a nonchalant voice. ¡°It¡¯s a manticore¡­¡± ¡±It¡¯s going to be hard to dismantle, so move the entire thing onto the cart. If you go further inside, you will find the corpse of a drake, so place that on the cart as well. Take care of dismantling the low-rank and intermediate-rank monsters,¡± Eugene spoke before leisurely walking away, leaving behind the soldiers and workers in utter disbelief. *** Winslon County owned two evil lands. Both were long-standing dungeons that had been opened for more than 30 years already, and unlike other evil lands, the types of monsters residing in the dungeons and their pathways had almost been identified in their entirety. It was thanks to Count Winslon¡¯s tendency to favor his knights. While other lords mainly hired mercenaries and sent only one or two knights on subjugations, Count Winslon sent a fairly large number of knights on each expedition. Moreover, since he only took half of the mana stones and materials gained from the evil lands, his knights were usually well-motivated and satisfied with their gains. The knights had no hesitation in exploring deeper and dealing with stronger monsters. But even though the identities of the high-ranking monsters had been discovered, none of them had ever been defeated. Cyclops, manticore, and drake¡ª they were incredibly powerful monsters, and they were incredibly rare as well. Even in the history of the entire kingdom, they had rarely been defeated. But they had finally been defeated, and they fell to a single person to boot. In addition to the birth of a new crown after sixteen long years, the rumors regarding the defeated monsters spread like wildfire. *** ¡°...!¡± Priscilla trembled when she saw the numerous carts lining the yard of the association. ¡°Careful! Be careful when you move it!¡± ¡°Heave-ho! Heave-ho!¡± One of the carts contained the intact corpse of a giant monster, and the workers worked in unison to carefully move it. ¡°A-a manticore!?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a dragon over here!¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? It¡¯s a drake. A drake! A dragon is much bigger than that.¡± ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± However, it wasn¡¯t just Priscilla who was overwhelmed by the sight. The entire association was thrown into an uproar. Quite a few of them had seen corpses of intermediate-rank monsters such as trolls, war boars, and lycanthropes. However, none of them had ever set sight on the corpses of high-rank monsters, like the manticore or the drake. They were shocked at the overwhelming majesty of the corpses, and they were surprised once more upon discovering that the corpses had remained fully intact even after traveling an incredibly long distance. ¡°Vice Executive,¡± Eugene spoke up. ¡°Y-yes, Sir Eugene,¡± Priscilla answered. ¡°I spent one hundred silver coins for the preservation magic, so please take that into account,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°Yes! I will get that calculated for you right away!¡± Priscilla answered while nodding frantically. However, she kept on stealing gazes. ¡°And who might this be¡­?¡± she asked. ¡°Sir Drak. He will be with me for a while,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°With you? Then that means¡­¡± Priscilla started to speak. As if feeling Priscilla¡¯s gaze, Lanslo stepped forward with a gentle smile. ¡°It is my honor to meet you, my lady. I am Lanslo of Drak. Will you honor me with a chance to feel your warmth?¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Oh, my!¡± Priscilla exclaimed as her face flamed up in an instant. It was the first time any knight had referred to her as a ¡®lady.¡¯ ¡°W-well¡­ I-I¡¯m noot a noble, S-Sir Drak,¡± she stuttered. ¡°Noot?¡± Eugene said with a frown. Priscilla¡¯s voice had suddenly become quite nasally, and her manner of speech had undergone a slight change. ¡°A flower of jewels blooming on a field of gold, a wildflower growing wild and free in the green fields, and even the moonflowers bathing in the silver glory on clifftops. All are precious and beautiful flowers to me ¡ª they¡¯re flowers called ladies,¡± Lanslo recited. ¡°Oh, my. Oh, my¡­¡± Priscilla lowered her with her hand outstretched. Her blush deepened when Lanslo took her hand and lightly kissed the back of it. Eugene felt goosebumps rising all over his skin. It was an incredibly outlandish, chilling sensation ¡ª something he had not felt even when he faced the manticore and the drake. He quickly interjected in a cold voice, ¡°Don¡¯t make a fool of yourself, Lanslo, and watch over the process. Vice Executive, I have something to ask you. Let¡¯s go inside.¡± ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡± Priscilla answered hurriedly. ¡°Let¡¯s have formal introductions later, Lady Palin,¡± Lanslo said. Priscilla hurriedly pulled her hand away, and Lanslo gave a charming smile. Priscilla could not hide her embarrassment while contorting her body in strange ways. ¡°Sir, sir. I¡¯m afraid the merchant fox wench has fallen in love with the quarter elf,¡± Mirian commented in a quiet voice while stealing a glance at Lanslo. It appeared that she felt rather wary toward the quarter elf since she had been unheard and unrestrained by anyone except Eugene until now. ¡°A fox? Undine, such words are not suitable to describe a lady who is as beautiful as a lily.¡± ¡°Kiek!¡± Sure enough, Lanslo whispered while glaring at Mirian, and she screamed before hiding inside her leather pocket. ¡°Did you just say something, Sir Drak?¡± Priscilla asked. ¡°Hahaha. It¡¯s nothing, Lady Palin. Anyway, I will see you later,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Yessh,¡± Priscilla replied. ¡®They¡¯re a mental pair.¡¯ Eugene shook his head as he entered the main building. *** ¡°T-the royalists?¡± Priscilla felt alarmed by the unexpected topic. ¡°That¡¯s right. Do you know anything about the royalists of Maren?¡± Eugen asked. ¡°With all due respect, why are you asking me about the royalists all of a sudden, Sir Eugene?¡± Priscilla asked while pressing her hand against her drumming chest. Nothing good could come out of becoming involved with the royalists. If Eugene was planning to form a relationship with the royalists, then the association would have to cease all operations with him, no matter how profitable their relationship with him was. ¡°I want to take care of them,¡± Eugene said. ¡°...!¡± She was surprised by the unexpected answer, but she felt relieved at the same time. This was much better than Eugene allying himself with the royalists. ¡°Anyway, I was hoping you could tell me whatever you know about the royalists of Maren, or if you could introduce me to someone who knows them very well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Well, then¡­¡± Priscilla contemplated for a moment before raising her head. ¡°You should talk to the head of the mercenary guild about this issue.¡± ¡°The head of the mercenary guild?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. If you were to pick two people in Maren who hate the royalists the most, it would be the mayor and the mercenary guild leader. But Sir Eugene will attract attention if you meet with the mayor, so it will be better if you meet with the mercenary guild leader instead,¡± Priscilla explained. ¡°Hmm.¡± Indeed, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for a knight to meet with the leader of a mercenary guild. - I don¡¯t know how useful it will be, but I have one piece of information I would like to share with you. The holy knights came to my territory because of the royalists. The royalist of Maren¡­ Eugene recalled the story he heard from Count Winslon before he left the county as he continued. ¡°Then please set me an appointment with the head of the mercenary guild. The sooner the better.¡± ¡°Of course. Is there anything else?¡± Priscilla asked. ¡°Lanslo, or rather, Sir Drak needs a new set of plate armor. If you could get in touch with the Betissark Armor Workshop and¡­¡± Eugene started to ask. ¡°I will immediately place an order under my name! I will buy it for you!¡± Priscilla interjected. Eugene hesitated. He had been about to say that Lanslo would head to the workshop to pay for the equipment. In the beginning, he had simply considered Priscilla to be a kind-hearted merchant, however, it appeared that she had an external motive today. As such, Eugene responded in a different manner. ¡°There is no need. Someone already provided the money for the armor, so Sir Drak will pay.¡± Count Winslon had given Lanslo hundreds of silver coins to get himself a new set of armor. After all, wearing the armor of the Golden Moon Knights would make him too conspicuous. ¡°What? Ah¡­ Of course.¡± Merchants would naturally jump with joy after saving money, but strangely, Priscilla responded with a devastated expression. *** Two hours later, Eugene left the Palin Association alongside Luke and Lanslo. Lanslo and Luke left for the merchant district to take measurements for their armors, while Eugene immediately headed to the mercenary guild. Trevik postponed all other meetings after hearing that Eugene wanted to meet with him, and he personally came out of the building to greet Eugene upon the latter¡¯s arrival. ¡°I¡¯ve already heard, Sir Eugene. You swept the floor during Count Winslon¡¯s knight competition? And you killed a manticore and a drake!¡± Trevik exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re very quick when it comes to information. Well, I was lucky,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What? Hahaha¡­¡± Trevik chuckled with astonishment. Any other knight would have boasted until they died after achieving such tremendous accomplishments, but Eugene still remained humble. ¡°Anyway, you had something to speak to me about?¡± Trevik said. ¡°Well, I heard from vice executive Priscilla that you are familiar with the royalists. Is that correct?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hmm, well, that is true. Do you have some business with the royalists?¡± Trevik asked in a lower voice. The atmosphere immediately turned rather heavy. ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand. I heard that you are the one who is least fond of the royalists in Maren, and that is why I came to speak with you,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Ah! Is that so? Sir Eugene, what is it that you wanted to speak about¡­?¡± Trevik continued. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the details, but the royalists of Maren tried to screw me over,¡± Eugene said. ¡®Those crazy bastards! What a bunch of ignorant fools!¡¯ Trevik wanted to dance with joy after hearing Eugene¡¯s words. He wanted to maintain a harmonious relationship with Eugene, and he wasn¡¯t sure what they had done exactly, but the royalists had somehow gotten on the wrong side of Eugene! ¡°Those unscrupulous fellows! I knew they would cause trouble someday!¡± Trevik exclaimed. His voice was laced with anger, sincerity, and sprinkled with a dose of exaggeration. He quickly continued. ¡°Sir Eugene. Most royalists are usually similar. However, the royalists of Maren are known to be as shameless as vipers. They are even worse than goblin dung. In addition¡­¡± Trevik started to excitedly gossip about the royalists. Eugene interjected in a cool voice, ¡°I already know about all of that. Please provide me with the names of the royalists.¡± ¡°Of course. However, Sir Eugene...¡± Trevik said. ¡°...?¡± ¡°I think I need to provide you with a rough explanation. When you come to pass down judgment on those vipers or put them on trial, we can provide you with assistance at the city level,¡± Trevik continued. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene showed interest. Trevik continued in an uncharacteristically subtle voice, ¡°You should at least tell the mayor to put yourself at an advantage. If you let us know, we can take care of the clean-up. What do you think?¡± ¡°Let us do that. Let me explain¡­¡± Eugene briefly explained why the holy knights had suddenly participated in the competition held in Winslon County. Trevik¡¯s expression continued to change throughout the story, and then he responded with a serious expression at the end, ¡°Sir Eugene. The royalists of Maren barely have any connection with the central church and the royal city. Moreover, as far as I know, the cardinal¡¯s approval is necessary for the holy knights to make a move. But do you think it was really possible that the holy knights were authorized to move in that short period of time after a letter was sent directly to the central church? It doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± ¡°Is that so? Are you suggesting that there was external intervention?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s very likely. So¡­ ah!¡± Trevik suddenly remembered something and hurriedly continued in an excited voice, ¡°Among the royalists of Maren, there is a nobleman named Sir Shiranosa. But this man is a distant relative of Count Evergrove. And the Evergrove county¡­¡± A certain individual¡¯s face naturally came to Eugene¡¯s mind. ¡®Jevin Evergrove. Is it you again?¡¯ His eyes glowed with an ominous light. CH 96 Nobles valued honor and dignity above all else. Of course, there were a few easy-going, rational figures like Essandra, but most nobles tend to be very traditional and prideful. It was generally accepted that the higher one¡¯s status, the greater their sense of pride and honor. Nobles took pride in their honorable and noble ¡®pure blood,¡¯ and Jevin, the successor to the Evergrove County, was the most prideful individual among the nobles Eugene had met thus far. It wasn¡¯t out of sincere respect that Jevin Evergrove treated his knights well. Rather, it was to make use of the fact that knights would do all kinds of things to prove their worth to their lord, especially to one that appeared considerate and kind toward them. ¡®I did think that he wasn¡¯t the one to take a loss.¡¯ ¡°¡­In conclusion, it¡¯s highly likely for Maren¡¯s royalists to have delivered their message to the central church through the Evergrove County. Even if the City of Maren wanted to request the presence of holy knights, the mayor himself would have had to come forward. As such, I highly doubt that the royalists planned the entire thing without anyone¡¯s help, especially since they have little to no influence anymore. It would have been simply impossible,¡± Trevik explained. ¡°So, let¡¯s pretend that the Evergrove County was involved in the manner. Which individual do you think it could have been?¡± Eugene asked. Trevik replied with certainty, ¡°It would have been Young Master Jevin, the successor of the county. Count Evergrove prioritizes stability over all else, but Lord Jevin is an ambitious man. But the question is, how deep was his involvement? If he was responsible for simply relaying their message, it would be hard to hold him accountable,¡± Trevik said. ¡°Hmm.¡± It was just as the guild leader said. Maren¡¯s royalists were washed-up and kaput. But Jevin Evergrove was the legitimate successor to the most powerful, noble lord in the nearby area. Obviously, he could not be pinned down with an ambiguous accusation, especially if there wasn¡¯t any hard evidence. ¡®I¡¯ll have to make sure of that first.¡¯ Trevik was silently waiting for Eugene to speak with a sparkle in his eyes. Eugene organized his thoughts before speaking, ¡°First, please give me all the information you have regarding the royalists and the list of their members.¡± ¡°Of course. I will draft that for you right away. Of course, it will be free,¡± Trevik responded with a bright smile before immediately starting to write with his pen. ¡°Ah, and I was planning to hold a party sometime soon. I was hoping that both you and the mayor could attend,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh! How could I refuse? I will make sure to participate. I will let the mayor know in advance as well,¡± Trevik responded. ¡°Thank you,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Please take care, Sir Eugene!¡± Trevik exclaimed with a dazzling smile as Eugene placed the piece of parchment in his pockets before standing up. Trevik burst into boisterous laughter once Eugene disappeared. ¡°Uhahahahaha! I can finally get rid of those unpleasant royalists once and for all! I knew it! Sir Eugene is truly Maren¡¯s lucky charm. Ah! This isn¡¯t the time for this,¡± Trevik muttered to himself before quickly putting on his jacket and making his way towards the city hall. He would have to deliver the good news and start preparing for the ¡®clean up.¡¯ *** The news of Eugene¡¯s return quickly spread throughout the City of Maren. It also became known that he would be holding a party. Eugene was already renowned in the City of Maren. However, his fame soared even further after rumors of his great achievements in Count Winslon¡¯s competition circulated throughout the city. Every celebrity was looking forward to receiving an invitation from the master of the twin crown who defeated a manticore and a drake. Naturally, there were a number of royalists among such people. ¡°I received an invitation from Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Oh! So did I!¡± ¡°Haha! It seems that whoever the royal city sent was successful in conciliating with him.¡± The royalists could not hide their joy. A knight as famous as Eugene would surely know how the royalists were treated in the City of Maren. Even so, he had invited them to his party. As such, there was only one possible explanation. ¡°Everyone. Don¡¯t you think that we should be more careful? We still haven¡¯t heard anything from the royal city, right?¡± One of the royalists remarked, which made the others hesitate. It was true. The knight competition had already concluded a while ago. It was a little strange that they hadn¡¯t heard anything yet. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything from Lord Jevin either. We don¡¯t know if the plan was a success or a failure. Would you not agree that it¡¯s too early to celebrate?¡± the figure added. ¡°Hmm. You have a point. But think about it. Do you really think that a man holding an important position in the royal city would bother to inform us of the results? If it were you, would you bother to inform us?¡± One of the other royalists commented. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°No news is said to be good news. Moreover, Sir Eugene invited us. Doesn¡¯t that mean that he sees us in a favorable light? From now on, everything will depend on our individual abilities.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There is no need to think too much about it. Now, now¡­ Why don¡¯t we worry about what we should get Sir Eugene as a gift?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that. Hahaha!¡± The royalists started to excitedly discuss what they would bring as a gift. They were completely oblivious to the fact that the church had decided to keep things a secret in order to hide the deaths of two holy knights and the humiliating escape of the sole survivor. *** At a similar time¡­ News regarding Eugene also reached Jevin Evergrove through a spy he had planted in Maren. ¡°Dammit!¡± Jevin Evergrove rarely lost control of his temper, but he couldn¡¯t help but roar in outrage. The servants quickly shrunk back and hurried outside, and Jevin collapsed into a chair while breathing heavily. ¡°Ugh! Uagh!¡± ¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense! This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen!¡¯ Jevin was on the verge of madness. He had added a postscript to the letter of the royalists to the royal city ¨C Conciliation is the priority, but there is reason to believe that Jan Eugene is unfaithful and is distrusting of the church. In addition, he had described Eugene¡¯s achievements without a hitch and recommended that holy knights should be dispatched since it would be difficult for ordinary priests to deal with him. As a result, he heard rumors that holy knights would participate in Count Winslon¡¯s knight competition, and he felt as if he were soaring through the sky. Holy knights were the pinnacle of all knights. Although there were numerous outstanding knights, the holy knights were still considered one of the best in the kingdom. As such, Jevin never doubted that Eugene would be seriously injured and humiliated in the competition. ¡®Killing a high-ranking monster? Defeating the thieves and mercenaries of Carls Baggins and rising to become a lord?¡¯ Such achievements wouldn¡¯t matter a dime compared to fighting against holy knights in the jousting competition, swordsmanship competition, and mock battle, which simulated a real war. Jevin had been certain of this because he had personally witnessed the skills of the holy knights in the past. But as if to mock his efforts, Jan Eugene had returned to Maren without any problems. ¡°What the hell is going on? Did the holy knights lose?¡± Jevin muttered. He was unaware of any details. His contact in the central church and the royal castle had gone silent, and even if he were to send a letter to them, it would take at least five or six days to receive a response. In addition, there was no guarantee that he would receive a reply. ¡°Should I ask Shiranosa?¡± Jevin whispered. But he shook his head after biting his lips. ¡°No. That¡¯s too risky. They might notice that I intervened.¡± Jevin continued to agonize. ¡°Jan Eugene shouldn¡¯t know that I was involved yet. If he did know, he would have come to me instead of heading back to Maren. Then that means¡­¡± Jevin muttered. Should he feign ignorance? No. His instincts were warning him. It was a bad idea. Jan Eugene wasn¡¯t a fool. Compared to other simple, ignorant knights, he was quick-witted and extraordinary in his thinking. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just once or twice¡ªthis was the third time that he had been threatened. Would he really not notice anything? ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. And what if¡­ What if he really defeated the holy knights?¡± Jevin felt a chill in his spine as he voiced his thoughts. He could still rest easy even when he heard of Jan Eugene¡¯s achievements in the Carls Baggins Peninsula. However, he could not stand still anymore. What if Eugene¡¯s blade turned toward him? What if he caught Maren¡¯s royalists like little rats, then hired mercenaries and invaded the Evergrove territory? What if Eugene came to him asking for the truth behind the matter? ¡°I-it¡¯s over.¡± His family would survive, but he would naturally be ruined. His father, Count Evergrove, was a man who sought stability to the extent that it felt almost foolish. Obviously, Count Evergrove would rather replace his successor than fight against a monstrous knight while enduring suffocating pressure from the City of Maren and the new Marquis of Archivold at the same time. "Ugh..." Jevin¡¯s face whitened as he finally came to realize the significance of the situation. Jevin contemplated for half a day before finally coming to a decision. His stress had caused his hair to start falling out. ¡°Gold! Prepare gold! Clean around ten slaves and have them wait!¡± Jevin shouted. ¡°What? Where will you be going? What about your escorts?¡± ¡°Escorts¡­ That¡¯s right! Call Sir Marvel, Sir McCullay, and Sir Philton! I will immediately depart for Maren. Right now!¡± Jevin continued, listing the names of knights who had been beaten like dogs by Eugene. He jumped up from his seat and started to move. *** The feast was held at the mansion that was lent to Eugene and his group. It was more appropriate to be called a large house than a mansion, but after Priscilla hastily spent silver coins to decorate the residence, it became quite presentable. That wasn¡¯t all¡­ Priscilla mobilized all available resources, capital, and personal connections to prepare all the essential personnel and supplies that would be required to host a grand feast, including cooks, dancers, jesters, and musicians. It was a way to show her appreciation for one of the association¡¯s most prioritized customers. In other words, Eugene held a feast without spending a single coin of his own. Sunset¡­ Led by the mayor, the head of the city¡¯s guilds, the owners of large merchant associations, and many nobles started arriving at the mansion one after another. The royalists also arrived at the mansion, dressed in their nicest attire and with gifts for Eugene. Many of the attendees stared at the royalists with distaste, but none of them took action. If they were to cause a disturbance on Eugene¡¯s doorstep, they would be looking down on the knight¡¯s honor. As such, they simply ignored the royalists as if they were simply dogs and cows. ¡°Sir Eugene! Congratulations! I heard you achieved great accomplishments in Count Winslon¡¯s knight competition!¡± ¡°A manticore and a drake! Even if I have to spend all of my money, I will make sure to write a beautiful poem about Sir Eugene¡¯s achievements and pass it down from generation to generation.¡± ¡°Sir Eugene! This is a small token of our appreciation that we prepared. I hope it is to your liking.¡± The royalists stuck to Eugene¡¯s side and fawned over him as if he were a statue in a shrine. ¡®What are they planning?¡¯ Eugene felt flabbergasted. It was impossible to believe that they were the ones responsible for trying to exterminate him using the holy knights. It would be normal for them to show even a trace of fear, but he couldn¡¯t feel such emotions at all. If all of them were acting, they would be fit to perform in front of royalty. ¡®This is strange.¡¯ Eugene decided to put his plan on hold for a while as doubts started to arise, though the box of gold they gifted him played a large part as well. ¡°Kiek?! G-g-gold!? Kiee¡­¡± It was no wonder that the spirit of desire collapsed with shock after seeing the gold. Eugene had already made a fortune through Count Winslon¡¯s knight competition and the evil land subjugations, but there was no reason for him to refuse a gift of 200 gold coins. ¡°Thank you. I will make sure your gift is put to good use. Here, please have a glass,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh, my! Your generosity with wine is as grand as your bravery, Sir Eugene! Hahaha!¡± One of the royalists exclaimed. They were now certain. Eugene was already conciliated by someone from the royal city. Otherwise, there was no reason for him to treat them so kindly. ¡®It¡¯s done!¡¯ ¡®Now we must get this knight to speak for us.¡¯ ¡®Our position will grow, and the city will fall into chaos!¡¯ Hahahaha! The royalists couldn¡¯t control their joy and burst into genuine laughter. The other attendees, including the mayor and the various guild leaders, were looking at the royalists with aversion. All of them had already heard the story from Trevik. It was then¡­ ¡°The successor of the Evergrove County, Young Master Jevin!¡± Eugene¡¯s expression turned stiff after hearing the announcement. He was already confused by the reaction of the royalists, so why on earth was Jevin Evergrove here without an invitation? ¡®Did they plan this as a group?¡¯ They would not have had the time. In addition, they would not throw themselves into the maw of an ogre unless they were fools. ¡®I don¡¯t know what you are up to, but you picked the wrong person to mess with.¡¯ Eugene stared at the entrance. When it was time, he would take care of the royalists and Jevin Evergrove. CH 97 ¡°Ohhh! Sir Eugene!¡± Jevin exclaimed as he hurried towards Eugene and stretched out his hand. There were many watching eyes, and Jevin was the successor of the nearby region¡¯s most influential family. As such, Eugene shook his hand. ¡°It has been a while, Lord Jevin,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Haha! Indeed. It has been too long,¡± Jevin responded. ¡°We are here as well, Sir Eugene!¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the knights who accompanied Jevin. ¡°Kiek?! Aren¡¯t those the knights who were beaten to a pulp by our Sir Eugene?¡± Mirian exclaimed. Although the matter had concluded successfully, it was strange to see the three knights smiling brightly after Eugene had beaten them up only a few months ago. ¡°They wanted to see you again so badly, Sir Eugene. By the way, I heard about your spectacular performance in Count Winslon¡¯s knight competition. I couldn¡¯t stand still after hearing the stories! My blood was boiling, so I came. Ah! This is my gift to you.¡± Jevin said before gesturing at a group of well-dressed slaves. They came forward holding a large chest. ¡°Open it,¡± Jevin ordered. Click! The slaves opened the large chest. ¡°Ooooh!¡± The attendees couldn¡¯t hold themselves back. ¡°Kieeek! Kiek! K-Kiiiuaagh!¡± Mirian was overcome with such intense emotions that she even fainted. Dozens of large gold bars were glimmering with an enchanting light inside a chest large enough to fit a child. ¡°This is a token of my respect for Sir Eugene. You have glorified our region with your spectacular, wonderful performance in the competition. I hope you will accept it,¡± Jevin said. Eugene was distracted by the gold bars for a moment, but he quickly came to his senses and stared at Jevin. Jevin Evergrove was smiling brightly after drawing the attention of the crowd by suddenly revealing the chest of gold. His appearance was dignified and confident. Anyone could see that he was a proud successor of a great noble. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Eugene squinted. Although Jevin was smiling, his eyes were quivering ever-so-slightly. In addition, his scent was a mixture of perfume and a bodily odor that humans naturally emitted when they were nervous and scared. From his experience, Eugene knew the defining characteristic of those who reacted like this. They were afraid of him. As such, Eugene became convinced. ¡®It¡¯s him.¡¯ It was Jevin. Eugene was certain that Jevin Evergrove was the one responsible for directing the holy knights to Count Winslon¡¯s knight competition. Funnily enough, it appeared that Jevin was unaware that Eugene already knew the truth. ¡®But why did he come? Ahh¡­¡¯ Eugene turned his gaze towards the royalists. Their gazes were glued to the gold bars, and their mouths were agape with shock. Just as Count Winslon said, those who were responsible for sending a letter to the royal city were the royalists of Maren. They were the main culprits behind the letter which caused an influential figure of the royal city to mobilize the holy knights. Jevin Evergrove had simply been the middleman, the deliverer of the message. Regardless of the actual truth and the various circumstances, this was the situation thus far. ¡°Anyway, Sir Eugene. I was told that you won the twin crown at the knight competition. Is that true?¡± Jevin asked. ¡°Hoooh. I¡¯m not sure how you found out, but it is indeed true,¡± Eugene responded. Oooohh¡­! The attendees expressed their admiration. They already knew that Eugene had performed well in the competition, but the details had not been properly revealed yet. Eugene had purposefully asked the mercenary guild leader to keep the results of the knight competition a secret for the time being. ¡°As expected! I heard that there were truly amazing knights who participated in the competition. Yet, Sir Eugene managed to win both the jousting and the swordsmanship competition! In addition, I heard that Sir Eugene led an army to victory in the mock battle as its captain! Truly amazing!¡± Jevin exclaimed while raising his arms somewhat exaggeratedly. His words were enough to astound everyone at the banquet. ¡°The twin crown!¡± ¡°And a captain in the mock battle!?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that he swept the floor in the entire competition?¡± The attendees of the banquet started to whisper excitedly. Jevin looked around the crowd before speaking even louder. ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s said that even a number of holy knights from the royal city participated in the competition, right? Sir Eugene didn¡¯t just form a unit with the holy knights, but he even took the lead and led the troops to victory as a captain! Everyone, would you not agree that Sir Eugene is a true hero of Maren and our region!?¡± ¡®What is this nonsense?¡¯ Eugene was left speechless. It was already ridiculous that Jevin was the first to bring up the matter regarding the holy knights, so why was he telling a completely opposite version of the story? Regardless of Eugene¡¯s puzzlement, the atmosphere of the banquet heated up even more. Ooohhh¡­! The reputation of the holy knights was almost universal. They were a chosen, select group of elites possessing excellent skills, noble blood, and distinguished faith. Only those who satisfied all three conditions could become holy knights. It was shocking for the crowd to hear that Eugene had ¡®led¡¯ such a group of distinguished knights to victory in a mock battle. It was even more surprising than the fact that he defeated a high-ranking monster. Moreover, this fact was sufficient for the royalists to be assured of their belief. ¡®There¡¯s no doubt! The royal city sent holy knights to completely win over Sir Eugene!¡¯ ¡®Do they expect us to believe that those proud folks allowed him to be their captain without reason? It would have been impossible unless he swore to become a royalist!¡¯ They had no reason to doubt Jevin¡¯s words since he had acted as the intermediary for their message. The royalists couldn¡¯t hide their smiles as they approached Eugene. ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Sir Eugene! I can¡¯t believe you formed a unit with the holy knights!¡± ¡°The holy knights are a symbol of noble faith and ardent loyalty, right? They are a sword of the church and His Majesty the King.¡± The royalists started to freely express themselves while currying favor with Eugene. ¡°Did you know, Sir Eugene? We were actually the ones responsible for requesting the presence of the holy knights.¡± ¡°But we would have never thought that holy knights would actually be mobilized. Anyway, I am glad to hear that they were a valuable contributor to your amazing achievements. Would you not agree that this is proof that both God and His Majesty the King greatly favor you? Hahaha!¡± ¡°...!¡± The expressions of a great number of attendees changed in an instant after hearing the words of the royalists. If what they were saying was true, didn¡¯t it mean that the hero of Maren, an unrivaled, unprecedented knight, had already aligned himself with the royalists? Hahahahahaha! Hahaha. Haha¡­ The royalists burst into laughter with proud expressions while looking around at the attendees. However, the sound of their laughter gradually decreased. The one who should have praised and thanked them wasn¡¯t showing any reaction. ¡°Sir¡­ Eugene?¡± One of the royalists called out. Eugene stared at them while maintaining his silence for a while, then slowly parted his lips. ¡°It is indeed true that the holy knights were participating in the knight competition. Are you saying that you were the ones who requested the holy knights?¡± ¡°Of course! Haha!¡± ¡°I see. However,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°Hmm?¡± He continued while looking around at the banquet. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why, but the holy knights were extremely hostile toward me. They were trying to keep me in check, and in addition, they attempted to kill me in the jousting and the swordsmanship competition.¡± ¡°What!?¡± The royalists exclaimed. However, Eugene didn¡¯t spare them a glance as he calmly continued. ¡°I am a knight. No matter how honorable and noble the holy knights may be. I could not tolerate their unreasonable behavior. They were trying to harm me for no reason, so I fought back as hard as I could. And as a result¡­¡± Eugene paused, and his red eyes skirted over the attendees before stopping at the royalists, who were trembling like sailboats facing a storm. ¡°Two of the holy knights died in an unfortunate accident during their match against me, and the other fled with his companions at dawn on the day of the mock battle,¡± Eugene said. ¡°...!¡± The royalists stiffened as if time had stopped. ¡°What dishonorable, underhanded fellows! How dare they try to harm the hero of our city!?¡± It was the mayor¡¯s cry that broke through the momentary silence. ¡°And that was under the instigation of those viper-like men? Sir Eugene! As the mayor representing the City of Maren, I apologize on their behalf!¡± The mayor exclaimed before giving a slight bow to Eugene. Then, he turned towards the trembling royalists and roared fiercely. ¡°All of you must know how serious a crime it is to conspire a murder against a noble, right? Arrest those men immediately!¡± ¡°Arrest them!¡± Trevik repeated the mayor¡¯s words as Maren¡¯s mercenary guild leader and the city¡¯s recruiting officer. ¡°Yes!¡± The guards, who were participating as the mayor¡¯s escorts, immediately answered. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°T-this is¡­¡± The royalists could not hide their shock. One of their members gritted his teeth and shouted. ¡°This is a trap! They got us! What are you all doing!? Protect us!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no helping it!¡± ¡°Fight! Protect me!¡± The rest of the royalists quickly came to their senses and shouted at their servants and guards. Shuack! But before their guards could react, Eugene took Madarazika from inside his cape and threw it vigorously. ¡°Uagh!¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The famed spear passed by the attendees like a black meteor before piercing two guards who were starting to draw their swords. After cleanly passing through the two men, the spear embedded itself in the wall. ¡°Uaggggh!¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead!¡± Whoosh! Eugene crossed the chaotic banquet hall in an instant like lightning while swinging Wolfslaughter. The guards collapsed while spewing blood and their attempts to protect the royalists were nullified. ¡°R-run away!¡± ¡°Hurry!¡± In the meantime, some of the faster royalists hurried to the exit of the hall under the escort of their slaves. Shhhuack! ¡°Kuagh!¡± Two beautiful silver lines were drawn through the air, and two sturdy slaves fell with holes in their heads and chests. ¡°Heuk!?¡± The royalists gasped. ¡°And where are you going? I am under orders from Sir Eugene, so I ask for your understanding.¡± Lanslo shook the blood off his blade with a beautiful, dazzling smile. If not for the current situation, it was certain that his smile would have enchanted countless ladies. ¡°You¡­ you dare to plot against Master!?¡± Luke didn¡¯t stay still either. The young slave respected his master the most in the world, and as such, he rushed toward the royalists¡¯ guards without hiding his fury. ¡°Kill them!¡± ¡°Run!¡± ¡°Kieeek?! The blood¡¯s going to dirty the gold bar!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them get away!¡± ¡°Uagggh!¡± ¡°You human scum!¡± ¡°Kieeeeeeek! My gold!¡± The hall was thrown into a great turmoil, and even strange shouts could be heard from time to time amidst the chaos. *** It did not take too long for all of the royalists to be put under arrest, and the long-standing headache of Maren was finally cleared up. Eugene and Lanslo were far too strong that the slaves and guards of the royalists quickly surrendered after witnessing their colleagues fall like autumn leaves. Even though the banquet turned into such a mess, the remaining attendees raised their glasses to praise Eugene and congratulate him for driving out the royalists. ¡°He¡¯s the king¡¯s godfather, so I cannot believe that the cardinal was involved in such a disgraceful affair!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I am saying. I can only say how relieved I am that our city had already cut ties with the central church and the royal family.¡± ¡°Those despicable royalists don¡¯t know what honor is. The central church is no better.¡± ¡°Mister Mayor, you must strongly protest regarding this situation in the quarterly correction report.¡± The attendees of the banquet strongly voiced their opinions. ¡°There is no need to worry, everybody. I will take responsibility and cut off all ties we have with the royal family.¡± The mayor responded. He was inwardly overjoyed at the outcome. The royalists had been removed at once, and the entire city was unified in its will. He tried his best to hide his smile as he comforted and assured the attendees. Eugene watched the situation play out from a distance. He turned his head and spoke to the figure who was stealing glances at him. ¡°Don¡¯t we have something to discuss as well, Young Master Jevin? Ah, before that, should I compliment you on your brilliant plan?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Jevin quivered before letting out a long sigh. Then he approached Eugene before continuing. ¡°So you already knew everything, sir.¡± ¡°I would have been a fool otherwise. Anyway, I think I did an adequate job participating in this little game of yours. Are you satisfied?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Thank you, Sir Eugene. And¡­ I apologize,¡± Jevin responded. ¡°Why would you apologize? If anyone heard you, they might misunderstand and assume that you have committed a grave crime. For example¡­¡± Eugene said before looking around their surroundings. Then, he inched closer to Jevin before whispering in his ear. ¡°Asking for the dispatch of holy knights from the central church through tampering with the royalists¡¯ letter¡­ or something similar, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Can I be assured such things won¡¯t happen again?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°O-of course. I swear on the honor of my name, my title, and my family,¡± Jevin responded. ¡°That¡¯s only natural. Anyway, it seems a little lacking to leave it as a promise between just the two of us,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°What¡­¡± Jevin was about to reply when Eugene interrupted him by shouting at the attendees of the banquet. ¡°Sirs!¡± ¡°Oh! Sir Eugene! Do you have something to say?¡± The mayor immediately responded with a delighted expression. His impression of Eugene was close to that of a deity after all he had done for the city. Eugene continued after placing his hand on Jevin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Young Master Jevin here has contributed greatly to destroying the royalists¡¯ dirty plot, would you not agree?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yes,¡± the mayor agreed. Even though it felt rather strange, he wouldn¡¯t refute the words of Maren¡¯s hero. ¡°However, it is also true that Young Master Jevin failed to properly confirm the contents of the letter that called for my murder. As such, Young Master Jevin feels very apologetic about the matter. Isn¡¯t that right, Lord Jevin?¡± Eugene shouted. ¡°O-of course! Even though it was a mistake, I have no excuses to make!¡± Jevin was flustered as well, but he eagerly agreed with Eugene¡¯s statement. The sword lay in Eugene¡¯s hand after all. ¡°And as such. Young Master Jevin swears to actively cooperate in anything I do from now on, and I am sincerely grateful!¡± Eugene continued. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Hooh?!¡± Jevin flinched, but the mayor and others widened their eyes with interest and surprise. ¡°As an apology, he is willing to open the evil land of his territory for subjugation whenever I want, and he wants to leave the disposal and trading of all mana stones and materials gained from the evil lands to the City of Maren. In addition, he stated that he will never confront anyone who holds the crest of Eugene, including myself. Finally, he swears on the honor of the Evergrove County and his own honor that he will abide by all these. Hahaha¡± Eugene gave a dry laugh while strongly pulling Jevin¡¯s shoulder. Jevin managed to open his lips while sweating heavily. He could feel the murderous intent in Eugene¡¯s red eyes and the incredible strength from his hand. ¡°T-that¡¯s right. I, Jevin Evergrove, swear before all of you that I will do everything Sir Eugene had just said. I swear it on my honor and my family.¡± Wuaaaaah! Maren¡¯s dignitaries were amazed by the declaration, and the city''s mayor and guild leaders could not hide their shock. Eugene also felt satisfied. He would have control over the Evergrove County in the future. ¡°Ptooey! Ptoooey!!! My gold! My gold bars! My¡­ Hing! Uwaaaaah! Ptooey! Huaaaaah.¡± But tonight was a heartbreaking evening for the spirit, and the spirit only, as she continued to spit and wipe the blood-stained gold clean. CH 98 The next morning. A trial of the royalists was held in the city square. According to custom, someone needed to serve as a lawyer for the royalists, but unsurprisingly, no one came to their defense. In addition, a great majority of Maren¡¯s nobles and dignitaries were witnesses of yesterday¡¯s incident. As such, the fates of the royalists were as good as decided. ¡°I sentence Sir Viol Shiranosa and the seven others to be imprisoned indefinitely with no parole, and for all of their properties and possessions to be confiscated!¡± The panel of judges, which consisted of Maren¡¯s mayor, Jevin Evergrove, and Maren¡¯s parish, came to an agreement with an iron fist. ¡°This is all a setup!¡± ¡°This was a trap! We were lured into a trap!¡± The royalists shouted desperately after falling from their positions overnight, but only the jeers of the citizens greeted them. Thus, the trial concluded in less than ten minutes, and Eugene had a brief conversation with Jevin before he returned to the Evergrove territory. ¡°I trust that you will keep your promise,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I swore on my honor and the honor of my family in front of all those people. You should know well how strong that shackle is, Sir Eugene.¡± Jevin responded bitterly. Even if he succeeded the county in the near future, yesterday¡¯s oath would still be valid. If he were to violate his promise, Jevin Evergrove would be ridiculed and criticized by all the attendees of yesterday¡¯s banquet, including the mayor of Maren. Moreover, that wouldn¡¯t be the end of it. Eugene¡¯s splendid connections, including Count Winslon and Marquis Archivold, would never sit still, and such an outcome would represent the end for the Evergrove County in the aristocratic world. ¡®I poked my stick into the wrong hole.¡¯ As he climbed onto his saddle, Jevin Evergrove was determined never to cross Eugene ever again until he heard the news of the knight¡¯s death. ¡°Those slaves are my gift to you, so do as you would like with them. Feel free to use them or sell them. Goodbye,¡± Jevin bid farewell. ¡°Take care,¡± Eugene responded. Jevin departed with his knights. ¡°Master, what shall I do with them?¡± Luke asked while pointing at the slaves. There were seven men and three women, and all of them appeared to be in their mid-teens to early twenties. Both their appearance and physique were excellent. It seemed Jevin had selected and brought along only those with the highest value among his slaves. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene glanced at the slaves. The slaves attempted to smile in front of their new master. But they could still clearly remember the bloody events of yesterday. All of them had clearly seen how strong and merciless their beautiful master was. ¡®I have to smile. If I don¡¯t want to die, I must smile.¡¯ ¡®I can only pray he doesn¡¯t torture me.¡¯ ¡®What if he drags me to the evil lands and throws me to the monsters as bait?¡¯ ¡°The women will work as maids in my castle. You will receive one silver coin every month as your pay,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°...?!¡± The eyes of the female slaves became filled with shock. Eugene turned toward the male slaves before continuing. ¡°Does anyone know how to fight or hunt? No, rather, it doesn¡¯t matter what it is. If you have any specialties, speak.¡± The slaves couldn¡¯t answer the sudden question. Rather, they warily stole glances at Eugene and at each other. Luke stepped forward with a frown. ¡°The master asked you a question. Hurry and answer.¡± The slaves mistook Luke for Eugene¡¯s aide and hastily answered. ¡°M-my pop was a hunter.¡± ¡°I know how to read and write letters and numbers.¡± ¡°I am able to trim leather. I can make candles as well.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The slaves started to answer one after another, and Eugene nodded with satisfaction. Not only were the slaves well-built and handsome, but all of them also possessed at least one special skill. ¡°Good. All of you will be paid one silver every month as your wage. Luke, educate them well before we arrive at the territory,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Luke answered vigorously before walking over to the slaves. ¡°Excuse me, should we address you as Sir Luke from now on?¡± One of the older slaves asked carefully. Luke responded with a grin. ¡°And why would you need to? I am a slave as well.¡± ¡°What?¡± All of the slaves were astonished by Luke¡¯s answer. What kind of a slave was equipped in such fine armor and wielded a sword and a shield? ¡°Just call me Luke. I¡­ have forgotten my last name. I have been with our master for about half a year, and I am fighting alongside him because I was trained as a knight in the past,¡± Luke explained. ¡°I-I see¡­¡± However, the slaves still felt rather uneasy toward Luke. Since he was trained as a knight and even had a last name, though he claimed to have forgotten it, he was different from them. Moreover, they knew that a knight would never arm a slave with weapons unless the knight had great trust in them. ¡°Excuse me, Luke. I-is it true that master will pay us a¡­ wage?¡± One of the slaves asked politely. ¡°It is true. I will receive more than the lot of you because I participate in evil land subjugations and various expeditions,¡± Luke responded. ¡°T-then did you save up to buy your armor and¡­ weapon?¡± One of the other slaves asked. ¡°No. Master himself purchased these and gave them to me. Master Eugene is the most merciful man in the world,¡± Luke said. Oooh¡­ The expressions of the slaves instantly cleared up, but Luke glanced coldly at them before speaking. ¡°However, you will lose your head if you get ahead of yourself and forget your place. You saw it clearly yesterday, right? Master shows no mercy to those who attempt to harm him. And¡­¡± Luke tapped on his shortsword before continuing, ¡°I won¡¯t forgive anyone who acts impudently toward Master Eugene.¡± ¡°...¡± The slaves gulped loudly while vigorously nodding. ¡°Whew~ Slave Number One is pretty decent,¡± Mirian commented. Eugene agreed with the spirit. He was satisfied that Luke was properly educating the new slaves from the get-go. ¡°Lanslo,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, yes. Then, farewell, ladies.¡± Kiyaaah! Lanslo had been secretly flirting with the women who came out to watch the trial. He winked at the group before following after Eugene. ¡°Kie, kieeeh... Kieeewahwah.¡± Mirian was about to blurt out some nonsense but stopped herself after gazing at Lanslo and voluntarily jumped into her leather pocket. If nothing else, Eugene was satisfied that Lanslo was useful as a spirit suppressor. ¡°Oh, Sir Eugene,¡± The mayor and the other guild leaders welcomed Eugene. They were in a festive mood, and it seemed as if they wanted to immediately head to the pub to toast. ¡°Maren will be more peaceful from now on,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s all thanks to you, Sir Eugene. Sir Eugene is a true hero of our city. I am thinking of setting up your statue as a sign of respect after asking for the opinion of the citizens. What do you think about that?¡± The mayor asked. Eugene could tell that he was being sincere and that he would immediately erect a statue with Eugene''s permission. But Eugene shook his head in a humble gesture. ¡°That would be too much for me. I only did what I had to do, and it¡¯s clear that God is personally looking after the City of Maren,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oohh¡­¡± ¡°How could he be so humble!?¡± The mayor and the guild leaders shared an emotional gaze. Eugene glanced over their faces before speaking nonchalantly, ¡°By the way, gentlemen. I have a suggestion. Would you like to hear it?¡± ¡°Anything. If it¡¯s a request from Sir Eugene I will even take off the balls of a giant living in White Noble!¡± ¡°There will be no need for that. However, I am planning an expedition in the near future. Could I ask for support from the City of Maren?¡± Eugene said. ¡°An¡­ expedition?¡± The mayor responded. Eugene quickly noticed that the mayor¡¯s expression was a little stiff, and he continued without giving them time to think. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m afraid I will need to head to Brantia.¡± ¡°...!¡± *** Eugene¡¯s plan to travel to Brantia drew full support from the mayor and the various guild leaders of the city. If anyone else had spoken similar words, they would have been dismissed as a crazy individual, but the mayor and the guild leaders judged that it would be possible with Eugene. One needed to travel for more than five days by boat to go to Brantia, and it wasn¡¯t a journey through the sea routes of the continental nations, which mainly consisted of traveling near the coastline. Rather, one had to travel across the open sea in a dangerous journey to reach Brantia. Moreover, there were numerous, small islands scattered across the sea on the route leading to Brantia, and they were brimming with pirates. In addition, there was a powerful orc tribe called the Kite Tribe on the northern part of the sea. As such, an expedition to Brantia was incredibly dangerous, but at the same time, it was very alluring and promising. Although it was an island, Brantia was very large. There were dozens of evil lands in Brantia, as well as numerous mines and vast, fertile land. The most promising aspect of Brantia was the fact that most royal families of the land had declined steadily in the past. As such, there had been no proper king for the past decade. If that was the case, then why had the kingdoms of the continent not intervened? After all, it was a lovely piece of morsel waiting to be claimed. It was because everyone was in quite a dire situation. In order to send thousands of troops to Brantia, they needed to possess astronomical funds, a noble, dignified status to rally various nobles, and above all else, ¡®justification.¡¯ Only ¡®kings¡¯ were capable of meeting all the qualifications. However, the kings of the continent were occupied with monitoring and keeping their own great nobles in check, and as such, it was impossible for them to even make an attempt in occupying Brantia. Even if the conditions were met, they knew that they would be placing themselves in a risky position by leaving their nation undefended, and there weren¡¯t any kings who were foolish enough to take such a risk. As a result, the ¡®church¡¯ took the lead in all three expeditions of Brantia throughout history. The Church of Brantia accommodated the native faith and walked a different path from the denominations of the continent, which provided a perfect cause for invasion. Jan Eugene had Winslon and Archivold as his supporters, and even though he wasn¡¯t a holy knight, he was a man of faith capable of purifying the undead. He walked the path of sublime faith. Most importantly, Eugene was a tremendously strong knight, and it wasn¡¯t just his brute strength either. He displayed his prowess in politics by solving the dispute of the Archivold family in the Carls Baggins Peninsula, and he also proved his ability as a commander in the mock battle of Count Winslon¡¯s knight competition. ¡°Who else could possibly attempt an expedition to Brantia but Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! If we, the City of Maren, could establish a proper trade with Brantia, we could become the best city on the continent. We could even surpass kingdoms.¡± ¡°But an expedition calls for a massive investment. Where will we get the funds?¡± ¡°Are you a fool? What are you planning to do with the property we confiscated from the royalists?¡± ¡°Aha!¡± Thus, the City of Maren unanimously supported Eugene¡¯s expedition to Brantia. *** A few days later¡­ Rather than a merchant ship of the Palin Association, Eugene arrived in Moffern on a military ship provided by the City of Maren. The stories regarding Eugene¡¯s accomplishments in the knight competition had yet to spread in Moffern, but numerous leaders of the city, including Gardye, welcomed Eugene with open arms. ¡°Welcome back, Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Kiek? The rich halibut has another chin.¡± As Mirian said, Gardye had gained more weight and now had a triple chin. He smiled and personally guided Eugene to the sitting room after greeting him. ¡°Have you been injured anywhere, Sir Eugene? Are you doing all right?¡± Gardye asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah! Pardon me for being rude. There¡¯s no way that a knight as outstanding as Sir Eugene would have been injured in a knight competition,¡± Gardye said. It appeared his flattery had grown as large as his fat belly. Gardye continued in a husky voice, ¡°With all due respect¡­ how did you perform in the competition, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Twin crown. And I won the mock battle as the captain,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Oooh!¡± Gardye expressed his astonishment. Unfortunately, the City of Maren was involved in the matter and they were Moffern¡¯s rival. Nevertheless, Gardye was overjoyed after hearing that Eugene had dominated a competition held by a great noble like Count Winslon. ¡°Sir Eugene! Give me the word, and I will use my own money to erect your statue in front of Moffern¡¯s port¡­¡± Gardye started. Eugene had been wondering when the merchant would mention it. It was just what he would expect from merchants. ¡°Thank you, but I will politely decline. Anyway, what is the progress on the construction of my castle and the status of my territory?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Everything is proceeding smoothly. According to a report we received a few days ago, the castle is set to be completed in three or four months. And regarding the silver mine¡­¡± Befitting his status as the merchant guild leader, Gardye gave a concise, but detailed report regarding Eugene¡¯s territory. ¡®Hmm. Something¡¯s a little strange. Why does he seem so wary?¡¯ Gardye had always acted a little cautiously in front of Eugene, but this was different. He felt different from the past. Eugene wasn¡¯t sure why, but it was as if the merchant was afraid of him. ¡°¡­As such! All the guilds in Moffern and myself have been working tirelessly for Sir Eugene and the territory. It¡¯s a little weird for me to say it with my own lips, but we really have been working hard, squeezing out the last drops of our tears and blood in our bodies. So, Sir Eugene,¡± Gardye paused before continuing in a quieter, more subtle voice. ¡°Could I ask you to relay our efforts and sacrifices properly and clearly to your cousin, or rather, the administrator of the territory, Sir Delmondo? I beg of you¡± Gardye bowed deeply. ¡°...¡± Eugene misunderstood. Gardye wasn¡¯t afraid of him. Rather, he was afraid of Delmondo. Favorite CH 99 ¡°So, in conclusion, you went to the battlefield on behalf of Lord Crawlmarine, and you were taken prisoner?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°To be exact, it was on behalf of my father, Sir Bosch. Sir Bosch was incapable of complying with the lord¡¯s orders because of injuries he had suffered during a territorial battle,¡± Luke answered. After leaving Moffern, Lanslo conversed quite a bit with Luke. Although Lanslo was heavily favorable toward women, he was still a sociable man to begin with. In addition, Luke was a man who respected excellent knights. As such, the two were able to grow quite close. ¡°What about Sir Bosch¡¯s direct heirs? There must have been others who are older than you, right?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Sir Bosch is an excellent knight, but my brothers were mediocre at best. Originally, our eldest brother, Velt, should have gone, but¡­ No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Luke hesitated before shutting his mouth. Lanslo observed him for a moment before responding with a smirk. ¡°Now I understand. Your father should have participated in the war instead of Lord Crawlmarine, but he couldn¡¯t because of his injuries. But someone had to go, so you ended up taking his place instead of your eldest brother, right?¡± Luke remained silent, but the answer was evident from his expression. ¡°Tsk. It was obviously a lost battle, so he sent his illegitimate child instead, is that it? Your father, Sir Bosch, is a coward,¡± Lanslo continued. ¡°That is not true! If it weren¡¯t for his injuries, Sir Bosch would have gone personally! He is an honorable¡­¡± Luke retorted. ¡°A truly honorable knight would have taken a mana stone and participated, regardless of his injury. If Sir Eugene orders you to fight, what will you do? Will you send someone else in your stead?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Well, t-that¡¯s¡­¡± Luke flinched before biting his lips. Lanslo¡¯s smile only grew deeper. ¡°See? Even a slave like you would raise your sword and shield to serve their master with sincerity. A knight should always be willing to risk their life for their lord. Can you really call someone a knight if they only participate in battles after gauging the situation and considering this and that? Is that what you would call honor and loyalty?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°...¡± ¡°Listen. Land, horse, and armor. Everything that the lord bestows to the knight is the price for his loyalty. What do you call someone who doesn¡¯t keep their promise after reaping all the benefits? A disgrace. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s called being disgraceful and dishonorable. Do you want to live and die in disgrace?¡± Lanslo said. ¡°¡­No, sir. I will never live such a life,¡± Luke answered while gritting his teeth. His eyes were quivering as he stared at the young knight. ¡°Sir, sir. The elf knight sir is harassing slave number one,¡± Mirian whispered while sitting on Eugene¡¯s shoulder. However, Eugene had been eavesdropping on the conversation with his enhanced sense of hearing anyway. He called out after turning his head, ¡°Hey. Stop bothering my slave and come over here.¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Lanslo answered with a grin before urging his horse closer to Eugene. ¡°Why are you harassing him?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Sir Eugene. Luke is quite promising,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°...?¡± Lanslo suddenly complimented Luke, although he had been excitedly pummeling him with words until now. ¡°As the illegitimate child, he said he never received any official training. He learned by looking over their shoulders. He possesses a great physique, and he is very talented in swordsmanship as well. Moreover, he knows more honor than his father,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°So what?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I mean, if it¡¯s someone like him, I would have them in as an official aide already. Please think about it. It¡¯s hard to come across someone like him. If you don¡¯t want to, then perhaps I could¡­¡± Lanslo replied. ¡°I was planning to do so anyway,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°¡­Truly? You didn¡¯t come to the decision on the spot, right?¡± Lanslo doubted. ¡°Naturally. Anyway, Lanslo, why are you so interested in him?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve met someone from my hometown,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Same hometown? That means¡­¡± Eugene muttered. Lanslo responded while revealing his white teeth, ¡°Yes. I am from Brantia as well.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene was quite surprised. At the same time, a thought flashed by. ¡®Count Winslon. Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ When Eugene asked Count Winslon for a carefully selected list of the Golden Moon Knights, he handed it over immediately without hesitation. It appeared Count Winslon had already planned ahead when he brought up the story of Duke Batla after gifting Madarazika to Eugene. A knight from Brantia would obviously be helpful for Eugene¡¯s expedition. ¡°Did Count Winslon say anything to you by chance?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hmm. Well, the count only asked me to stay with Sir Eugene until he called me back,¡± Lanslo responded. Lanslo wasn¡¯t lying, or at least, Eugene couldn¡¯t detect anything unusual. He could not sense any of the signals unique to people when they were lying when Lanslo responded. Moreover, Eugene saw Lanslo as a knight who prioritized ¡®honor¡¯ above everything else. If Lanslo were like other knights who chased after fame and reputation, he would have been less willing to follow Eugene since there was more to be gained by staying with the Golden Moon Knights. ¡°By the way, is there still a long way to go? The territory must be quite small,¡± Lanslo commented. ¡°Kyah? And what could you possibly be articulating about, oh sir knight of the elves? We have been in Sir Eugene¡¯s territory since a while ago. Kyaaahh.¡± ¡°...?¡± Eugene turned his head with a frown. It was a sweet, unfamiliar voice. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked. ¡°Kyah. Oh my. Sir Eugene, you are so humorous. Who else could it be? It¡¯s me, Mirian! Kyahoho! Mirian has always been Mirian. Fwoosh~ Fwoosh~ Fwoosh~ Kyaaaah~!¡± The spirit even expressed her movement through the sky as she sprinkled fresh water droplets. Eugene was speechless. ¡°Haha. I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a while now, but she is a very peculiar undine. It¡¯s hard to come across an undine with such a peculiar personality,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Do you want it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Kyah?¡± ¡°Would you rather have a peculiar spirit or an aide? If you want, I can¡­¡± Eugene started. ¡°Kieeeeeeeek! Sir! Sir! It¡¯s this little one¡¯s fault! My humble self must have gone insane for a short while! I¡¯ll just go back to how I was originally! Kieeeeeeek!¡± Mirian shrieked. ¡°Pffft!¡± Lanslo couldn¡¯t hold his laughter when the spirit kowtowed after landing on SIlion¡¯s mane. ¡°Kuhunghunghung! Please don¡¯t abandon me! I will work tirelessly to shit and spit water for you from now on!¡± Mirian continued. ¡°Ahahahahahahaha!¡± ¡°...¡± The spirit was crying, and Lanslo was laughing, but the shame was for Eugene to bear. *** ¡°The lord has returned!¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes filled with surprise as the tall, wooden gate opened. The residents of the huddled houses were rushing out and bowing with excited expressions. ¡°We greet the lord!¡± ¡°We celebrate your safe return, my lord!¡± ¡°Lord Eugene!¡± It appeared that a lot had transpired during Eugene¡¯s absence. The filthy residents from the past could no longer be found, and those who greeted him were no different from the residents of cities or large territories. In addition, Eugene recalled that more than half the houses of the village had been patched together from wooden boards and mud, but now, most of the houses had become strong, wooden structures. That wasn¡¯t all¡­ The roads were previously covered with filth and garbage, but now, they were clean and well-maintained with drains on both sides. Pigs were also contained in separate pens, instead of roaming around the village. ¡°Hooh! The village is quite well-developed. It seems that Sir Eugene has talent in internal affairs as well, hmm?¡± Lanslo commented. ¡°...¡± However, Eugene could not give an answer. ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ Eugene urged his horse forward toward the castle in the distance, feeling somewhat stunned after witnessing all the unexpected changes. *** ¡°The rightful master of the Eugene territory, and the only glorious lord to whom my undying loyalty is¡­¡± Delmondo started to recite a grand greeting that he had memorized beforehand. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Delmondo quickly shut up. ¡°All of you may leave now.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The servants and maids bowed before quietly stepping outside. Surprisingly, they were dressed in clean clothes and were well-groomed. It felt as if Eugene was in a castle belonging to an esteemed lord with a title. Eugene remembered the original state of the village, so how could it have transformed so dramatically in such a short period of time? ¡°I await orders from your esteemed self.¡± Once the others left the room, Delmondo immediately took off his mask and spoke after getting down on one knee. ¡°Explain to me what¡¯s going on here,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What? B-by what¡¯s going on, you mean¡­?¡± Delmondo asked. ¡°All the changes in the village, the residents, and all the people I saw just now. Everything,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Yes!¡± Delmondo was quick-witted, and he immediately noticed what Eugene was curious about. ¡°Actually, I¡­¡± Delmondo utilized the skills he gained from serving as an imperial official to give an accurate, concise report in the shortest time possible. The silver mine ended up producing more ore than expected, which resulted in an increase of approximately 50% in profits. Originally, Delmondo intended to leave it aside as operating expenses for the territory, but he judged that it would be much better to use them and invest in various facilities for the hygiene of the villages and satisfaction of the residents, which would ultimately result in extending the lifespan of the residents. As such, he built new houses, opened new waterways, and scouted technicians from Moffern to produce soap and supplied it to the residents at a low price. And that was only the tip of the iceberg¡­ ¡°¡­So it may be difficult to expect immediate profits, but in a few years, it will certainly lead to an outcome that will differentiate our territory from others. Moreover, I believe that your name will shine more brightly as a lord. Everyone will come to know of your honor and mercy,¡± Delmondo concluded. ¡°I see. Is there a precedent?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. A margrave of the Roman Empire experimented with such methods in his own territory for about ten years. As a result, the overall productivity of the territory increased by about fifty percent. Moreover, compared to the other regions of the empire, the average lifespan of the residents in his territory was about seven to eight years longer.¡± ¡°...¡± Eugene silently stared at Delmondo. ¡®What the hell? He¡¯s much more capable than I imagined!¡¯ Eugene had appointed Delmondo as the administrator of his territory because of a simple reason. Due to various circumstances, Eugene had to spend more time away from his territory. As such, he judged that it would be beneficial to have a vampire administrator who would never betray him. Moreover, Eugene could acquire more knowledge and information regarding vampires and their societies with Delmondo by his side. It would be like killing two birds with one stone. But he had never expected something like this. Eugene continued to look down at Delmondo without a word. Delmondo was struck with fear and he hurriedly bowed before continuing, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about money at all, either. Merchants and engineers from Moffern are working as hard as they can to serve me, or rather, to your esteemed self. Even though they are quite obedient to my words, isn¡¯t it all because of your esteemed self¡¯s blazing reputation, dignity, and honor? This humble servant simply borrowed your great reputation and¡­¡± ¡°Well done. This is great work. I also heard that the merchant guild leader of Moffern is helpless in front of you. Delmondo, you are very useful, aren¡¯t you? Keep up the good work,¡± Eugene interrupted. Delmondo¡¯s shoulders flinched noticeably, then he began to slowly raise his head. His eyes were quivering with disbelief, and he stared up at Eugene as he spoke. ¡°I-I can¡¯t believe that I was praised by a great Origin¡­¡± ¡°...!?¡± Eugene was rendered speechless as tears began to flow from Delmondo¡¯s red eyes. ¡°Guwaaaaaaaah! This humble servant can die with no regrets! Uwahhh!¡± Delmondo started to bawl. ¡°¡­Why are you crying like that? Stop it¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°Y-yes.¡± Delmondo hurriedly wiped his tears and bowed. However, his shoulders kept on shaking. It seemed that he was quite touched. Although Eugene couldn¡¯t understand, it was quite natural among vampires. The difference between a lower-ranking vampire like Delmondo and an Origin was enormous. In human terms, it was as if a king had personally praised a commoner. ¡®Father, and the masters of Noferos. I will dedicate my blood to this glorious being!¡¯ Eugene was unaware, but Delmondo had completely committed himself to Eugene thanks to a simple compliment. Favorite CH 100 Galfredik had grown bigger and bulkier since their last meeting. Apparently, he had hired mercenaries to subjugate evil lands in the Archivold marquisate and the Beogalan barony. His transformation had come about after he drank the blood of the intermediate-rank monsters he killed in the evil lands. ¡®He should be about as strong as I was just after the subjugation of the Tywin family¡¯s dungeon.¡¯ Galfredik was Eugene¡¯s vassal, and as such, Eugene could immediately grasp Galfredik¡¯s level as a vampire. In addition, Galfredik was originally an incredibly skilled knight. Since he was always training and gaining experience, he would naturally become stronger over time. ¡°Brantia?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Yes. Things turned out that way. We will be departing soon, so keep that in mind,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°If that¡¯s what Master says, then, of course, I will follow you. But what¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Eugene began to explain what had happened with Count Winslon. Eugene thought of Galfredik as one of the only people he could share everything with. ¡°Hooh! The Duke of Batla?¡± Galfredik exclaimed. ¡°Do you know about it as well?¡± Eugene asked. Galfredik responded with a wide grin. ¡°No. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m hearing about it.¡± ¡°¡­Then why are you pretending that you know about it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s a duke, right? A duke is part of royalty, which means that they have the right to challenge the throne. In other words, if you do well, you could even become the king of Brantia, Master,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in that,¡± Eugene refused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Kiek?!¡± Both Eugene¡¯s vassal and the spirit were surprised by his response. Eugene calmly stated, ¡°Why are you so surprised? Becoming the Duke of Batla may be a possibility, but do you really think I can ascend the throne as Brantia¡¯s king? I¡¯m a vampire.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Is there really no way?¡± Galfredik mumbled. ¡°Right! Sir Eugene is destined to become the great demon king! Kiek?!¡± Mirian started to scream, then was stifled as Eugene shoved her into the leather pocket. ¡°I would not want to. Let¡¯s say the impossible happened and I became the King of Brantia. You want me to stay locked up in a castle and play king? I should just live out my days comforting and playing house with the nobles and lords of Brantia?¡± Eugene said. ¡°You have a point. My head hurts just thinking about it,¡± Galfredik responded. There were stark differences between being a lord and a knight. No matter how outstanding a knight was on the battlefield, it didn¡¯t mean that they would make an excellent king. The two paths were entirely different and the education they received was different as well. As such, oftentimes, even successful knights were incapable of managing even a small territory properly, which was why most of them recruited agents to take care of domestic affairs. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s focus on taking over the Batla Duchy for now. That way, I can complete the entire set,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hehe. Is that the true reason? You¡¯re coveting the equipment?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°¡­Maybe a little bit?¡± Eugene replied with a grin. Obtaining all the other pieces aside from Wolfslaughter and Madarazika was definitely one of his primary objectives. In fact, he was more interested in the shield and the armor than the title of duke. Since the two remaining pieces were made for defense, he was looking forward to how great they could be. ¡°Whatever the case, I¡¯m good! Haha! The name of Rowan Galfredik will make its way across the sea! Ah, will it be just the two of us?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Luke and the wizard will be with us. Ah, and I intend to take Partec¡¯s group as well,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Good. Slave Number One is from Brantia, so he should be quite useful, and I¡¯m sure that Partec and the lads will prove their worth as well. They¡¯ve been getting quite good as of late,¡± Galfredik commented. ¡°Hmm? Did you teach them while I was away?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°There¡¯s no point in training with anyone who¡¯s weaker than Partec. That piece of luggage you gave me is just too weak,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°Ah, come to think of it, we should take your aide as well. How is she? Is she adapting well?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°She¡¯s become a little obedient,¡± Galfredik answered. ¡°Hooh?¡± Eugene expressed his curiosity. Although she put up the pretense of being a knight, it still became obvious that she was raised in a sheltered environment as a direct descendant of a marquisate. So how did Galfredik make her obedient? ¡°This is all I need. Hehe.¡± Galfredik grinned while tapping on his scabbard. Eugene instantly understood. ¡°I see. Indeed, there¡¯s no better teacher than a good beating.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the way it works, right? Haha! Anyway, who¡¯s the lad that came with you? He looked pretty strong,¡± Galfredik commented. Galfredik was a strong knight to begin with, and after becoming Eugene¡¯s vassal, he had grown to the point of accurately estimating an opponent¡¯s skills by simply observing the air around them and the way they walked. Lanslo Drak was exuding one of the most extraordinary auras among the knights Galfredik had encountered until now. ¡°He is one of Count Winslon¡¯s knights. He seemed pretty useful, so I asked to have him accompany me for a little while. He¡¯s a quarter elf, and he¡¯s pretty strong,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Hooh. Can I have a go at him?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Do as you please, but don¡¯t injure him,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Very well. Hehe. I will have to play with him as a greeting,¡± Galfredik was overjoyed. ¡°That¡¯s right. Big bear! No, Gal! You show him! You need to determine the hierachy and show him how things are from the get-go!¡± Mirian crawled out of the leather pocket and twirled around Galfredik¡¯s head while shouting. ¡°Gal? Determine¡­ the hierachy? I think the spirit just said something. Is that right?¡± Galfredik said with a frown. ¡°Kiek?¡± Eugene was astonished and asked. ¡°You can hear it now?¡± ¡°Yeah. I can barely see something that looks like a fruit fly. I can hear a whiny voice as well,¡± Galfredik responded. Eugene was surprised, but it made sense. Indeed, just as he had grown stronger throughout the expedition, Galfredik had grown stronger as well. Since the two vampires shared a bond formed by a covenant of the soul, it would be possible for Galfredik to express some of Eugene¡¯s powers as well. ¡°I¡¯m not a fruit fly! My voice is enchanting! Don¡¯t you know that they call me the minstrel of the spirit world?! Kieeeek!¡± Mirian retorted angrily. ¡°How noisy,¡± Galfredik muttered. Clap! ¡°Kiek!¡± Mirian screamed after being caught between Galfredik¡¯s thick palms. She was squashed flat, but she escaped the palms by softening herself like water. Then, she began to wail loudly. ¡°Kiehehekheuek! Even the big bear is looking down on me now! Oh, who could possibly understand my sorrows! Ah~! Spirits, please come and listen to my story!¡± Eugene immediately noticed that the spirit was about to enter a monologue. As such, he shoved her into the leather pocket and tightly sealed the entrance before she could even begin. *** ¡°I will go! Please, please take me!¡± While Galfredik had grown stronger during Eugene¡¯s absence, Romari appeared even more devastated than before. The bags under her eyes had grown a shade darker, and it was now nigh impossible to tell whether she was a human or a raccoon. When Eugene had just left, Romari had been filled with excitement at the thought of studying the twin-headed ogre undead. After all, even though there were clear differences between chimeras and the undead, she knew that there was still a lot to gain from studying the latter. But her expectations were completely shattered in just a day. The dwarven miners and engineers from Moffern were extremely competent, and she had to spend all her time refining the mountain of silver that was being mined every day. It was an unending nightmare of labor for Romari. In addition, she also had to dedicate herself to research from evenings to late nights after refining the silver, which caused her to slowly wilt away into a living skeleton. ¡°Heheuk. Sir Eugene, please take me with you. It¡¯s so hard being here. Please save me!¡± Romari begged. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard that the silver production has improved substantially thanks to you, so I will do that,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Thank you! You will be blessed,¡± Romari wiped away her tears and bowed. She continued, ¡°When will we be leaving?¡± ¡°The sooner the better. Delmondo is doing a good job running the territory even without me, so there aren¡¯t any problems that we need to get out of the way,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°I see. Then I will make preparations right away! Ah, you need to get ready as well, right, Sir Eugene?¡± Romari asked. ¡°Get ready? What preparations would I need to make?¡± Eugene was puzzled. The City of Maren was providing them with a ship to cross the sea, and he wasn¡¯t planning to bring a large army with him, so he thought that there wouldn¡¯t be much to prepare. ¡°What? I thought that we were going to Brantia, right? Then you must prepare a coffin,¡± Romari answered. ¡°A coffin? Like a coffin for corpses?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯s an absolute necessity,¡± Romari answered. Eugene was made speechless for a moment. He wondered what the wizard was going on about. However, Romari intuitively sensed that an opportunity had presented itself for her to show off her wizardly knowledge for the first time in a while. As such, she straightened her posture before speaking. ¡°Ehem! It appears you didn¡¯t know, Sir Eugene. Members of the Dark Clan must enter a coffin when they are crossing the sea.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°You travel along the coastline on a boat in the inland sea, right? In such situations, the earth¡¯s power still has some influence, so members of the Dark Clan won¡¯t be subjected to any adverse effects. But it¡¯s different when traveling the open sea since the earth has no influence. That¡¯s why you must go into a stone coffin filled with soil. You need to pay special attention when it comes to sealing the coffins as well. Of course, it will be fine for you to come out for a little while at night,¡± Romari explained. ¡°Dammit,¡± Eugene muttered a curse. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. Eheem! Anyway, only someone like me, who succeeds the legitimacy of the Blood Shadow School, would be privy to such knowledge and know methods of dealing with it in advance! I dare say I might be the only one,¡± Romari declared. ¡°You¡¯re being a little cheeky,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°N-no way! Hoho! You must be mistaken.¡± In an instant, Romari shriveled up. She continued, feeling as if she were treading on eggshells. ¡°You should be good when you arrive in Brantia. Since the continental church has little influence in Brantia, it might be fine to reveal your identity as a member of the Dark Clan.¡± ¡°What? Is that true?¡± Eugene asked with shock. ¡°Yes, yes! It¡¯s true. Well¡­¡± Romari was scared that Eugene might leave her behind. As such, she explained everything she knew about Brantia. ¡°Thanks to that, there are more members of the Dark Clan in Brantia than in this kingdom. I heard from my master that in the distant past, there were even places in Brantia where vampires ruled as lords. Ah, well, it was only possible because they were high-ranking nobles within the Dark Clan.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Eugene nodded. He was greatly surprised. If what she said was true, couldn¡¯t he live in Brantia without any worries? ¡®As expected, this kingdom was the problem. Even the empire doesn¡¯t antagonize vampires as much.¡¯ It felt as if he had stumbled upon a new path. In addition, he found a new objective. ¡®I will take Brantia.¡¯ Even though he had no definite plans or methods just yet, Eugene could only focus on obtaining the Batla Duchy for now. However, Eugene was convinced that he would find a way if he dove straight in and struggled, just as he had done until now. *** Three days later, Eugene departed from his territory. He felt slightly worried that he was leaving his territory far too often, but he was quickly relieved of his anxiety. For some reason, Delmondo was burning with enthusiasm. The head of the Moffern merchant guild, Gardye, had begged Eugene for mercy, but that wasn¡¯t Eugene¡¯s problem. Eugene once again praised Delmondo for his work and devotion to the territory. Naturally, he reduced Delmondo to tears once more. It was due to a piece of good news. It was reported that Essandra would soon return from her expedition. As such, the free knights that Eugene collected would also return to his territory, which would resolve the security issue of the land. But of course, there wasn¡¯t really a security issue in the first place since Eugene¡¯s neighboring nobles, including Baron Beogalan, would never dare to invade his territory. After ensuring that all internal affairs of his territory were in order, Eugene headed to Maren via Moffern. *** ¡°Do you like it, Sir Eugene?¡± Maren¡¯s mayor asked proudly. Eugene nodded in response. ¡°It is very nice.¡± ¡°Hahahaha! Luckily, one of the royalists had a very nice merchant ship in their possession. Maren¡¯s engineers did their best to modify it. Even the strong waves of the Brantian Sea won¡¯t cause any problems for her.¡± The mayor boisterously laughed as he explained. Eugene had no choice but to believe in the mayor¡¯s words after seeing the ship personally. The ship was named ¡°Elion¡± after the water spirit king, and it was more than ten meters longer than any other ship Eugene had ever ridden. Moreover, it possessed many masts and oars as well. ¡°It must have cost quite a lot,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hahaha! The royalists had a considerable sum of money in their possession. I originally assumed that they were close to ruin, but they had secretly garnered an enormous sum in order to take over the city one day. Those poisonous vipers¡­¡± The mayor explained. ¡°How much is it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised. In total, there were over 300,000 silver coins,¡± the mayor answered. ¡°Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeek?!¡± The spirit¡¯s jaw melted into water as it dropped with shock. It was truly an unfathomable amount of money. ¡®300,000?¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyebrows wriggled. He was also incredibly shocked. Although he was incomparably wealthier compared to his past life, this was on another level. However, the mayor understood Eugene¡¯s response a little differently. ¡®As expected, he considers himself to have ownership over it as well.¡¯ In any case, the royalists had attempted to kill Eugene, and Eugene was a knight as well as a nobleman. It was customary for whoever attempted the killing to pay a ransom. However, all relevant parties were currently in prison, so Eugene could ask for whatever he wanted as ransom. ¡°Ahem! Sir Eugene,¡± the mayor coughed and called out. ¡°Please speak,¡± Eugene answered. But his expression and voice were still slightly stiff from the initial shock as if he was angry. ¡®What endless greed! Well, only someone like him could possibly dream of an expedition to Brantia. I knew he wasn¡¯t ordinary.¡¯ The mayor became confident in his thoughts. He looked at Eugene and spoke as kindly as possible, ¡°There are various circumstances to consider with the laws of our city and the situation of the guilds. About 10% of the confiscated property will be handed over to you as consolation money. I know how generous you are, so I hope you can understand that¡­¡± Whoosh! ¡°...!¡± The mayor stammered unknowingly as Eugene¡¯s gaze burned bright like a flame. Even if Eugene was the hero of Maren, surely, he wouldn¡¯t exercise violence against the mayor¡­ ¡°Forty-thousand,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°W-what?¡± The mayor stammered. ¡°Let¡¯s go with forty-thousand, shall we?¡± Eugene added. ¡°L-let¡¯s do that. Forty-thousand, good!¡± The mayor agreed. ¡°Horray! Horray! Kieeeeeeeek!¡± The spirit of desire released herself from the bindings of sanity. This was the most fitting gift for them before they left for Brantia. Forty-thousand was a large sum of money. It would take years of hard-earned silver mining to gather such an amount. CH 101 ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Hmmmmmm.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you acting like that? Is there any problem?¡± Galfredik asked. Eugene had been in deep contemplation for the last ten minutes with crossed arms and a frown. Romari stepped out. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you¡¯ve been causing so much trouble? Maybe Sir Eugene is worried that you¡¯ll start groping every woman you come across and lose your hands.¡± ¡°My precious hands don¡¯t just touch any woman¡¯s hips. Can¡¯t you tell by the fact that my hands have no interest at all in your buttocks?¡± Galfredik retorted. ¡°What?!¡± Romari raged after losing the argument, although she picked the fight. ¡°Quiet. I will send you back to the territory if you keep it up,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Romari apologized. Eugene licked his lips before continuing, ¡°I need to be in a coffin on my way to Brantia. I could say that I¡¯m going to be staying in my cabin the entire way, but if I never come out, won¡¯t Lanslo and the others start to become suspicious?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t know about the others, but it would be troublesome if Lanslo found out,¡± Galfredik answered. Although Lanslo was a little peculiar, he was still a righteous knight. No matter how favorable he was toward Eugene, their relationship could take a plunge if he ever discovered Eugene¡¯s true identity. ¡°What? I thought Sir Drak was from Brantia, right? There should not be any problems then,¡± Romari commented. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Both Eugene and Galfredik expressed their puzzlement while turning their heads, and Romari once again straightened her back and explained, thinking that another opportunity had presented itself for her to boast her wizardly knowledge. ¡°Ahem! Brantia is different from here. Their church has hybridized and combined with the local beliefs, which is why they are very generous toward wizards and respectful toward other races. There was even an orc lord at one point.¡± ¡°What? Is that true?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. There was an orc knight among the subordinates of Brantia¡¯s legendary knight king in the distant past. In addition...¡± Romari paused for dramatic effect, then continued with a sly smile. ¡°There is a high chance that one of the other subordinates of the knight king was a member of the Dark Clan.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± The two vampire knights expressed their astonishment. Romari gave a satisfied smile and added, ¡°It¡¯s not been proven as a fact since it was such a long time ago, but it¡¯s very credible since my master was the one who told me the story. Why, you ask? The fact that my master told me so means that it was also the words of our school¡¯s founder.¡± ¡°Oh! And so?¡± Galfredik asked. However, Romari ignored him and turned toward Eugene with a smile. ¡°Since Sir Drak was born in Brantia and has the blood of elves flowing in his veins, it won¡¯t cause any problems even if you revealed your status as an Origin Vampire to him, Sir Eugene,¡± Romari said. ¡°Is that so?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes. In the first place, Brantians share a hatred toward the continental church regardless of race, so he might even be happy to hear it,¡± Romari continued. ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s entirely possible since the church stood at the forefront of every invasion. Whew~ Miss Romari, you¡¯re quite smart,¡± Galfredik exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m at least smarter than you,¡± Romari rebuked. ¡°Being smarter than me isn¡¯t anything to brag about, is it? I guess I will take back what I said just now,¡± Galfredik countered. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± Eugene immediately put a stop to their argument. He continued, ¡°Anyway, you are saying that it will be fine for Lanslo to know that I am a vampire, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Galfredik. Go and bring Lanslo. No, rather, bring Luke and Partec¡¯s men as well.¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, master. Ah, if anyone has a fit after being told the truth, can I take care of them?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Naturally,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Hehe!¡± Galfredik stepped outside with a cruel smile befitting a vampire. *** ¡°So that¡¯s what it was. I understand.¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°What? Then what did you expect? You know that I¡¯m from Brantia, right?¡± ¡°...¡± Eugene felt slightly disappointed by Lanslo¡¯s lukewarm reaction. Rather than being surprised, Lanslo was accepting it as if it were only natural. ¡°Hehe.¡± Romari gave a big grin from the side after silently watching the interaction. It was as if she were saying ¡®I told you so, didn¡¯t I?.¡¯ Lanslo came to understand the situation from Romari¡¯s reaction. He spoke with his charming, trademark smile, ¡°Only the church of the continent is hostile toward the vampires. Any Brantian would have shown a similar reaction as me. Humans are the ones who commit the most crimes, and humans are the ones most responsible for killing other humans, so why would this be a problem?¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Eugene was once again reminded of how unique Lanslo was. ¡°If you know honor and seek chivalry, you are a knight, regardless of whether you are an elf, an orc, or a vampire,¡± Lanslo continued. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°And Sir Eugene is one of the most exceptional knights I have ever seen, in both honor and skills Oh, of course, please don¡¯t turn me into a vampire. I am proud of my own blood,¡± Lanslo added. ¡°I had no intention of doing so,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Haha!¡± Lanslo¡¯s clear laughter resonated. Eugene turned his gaze toward Luke. The slave was trembling in silence. ¡°What about you?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°...!¡± Luke flinched before slowly parting his quivering lips. ¡°I-I¡­ T-this is the best!¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡®What? Wasn¡¯t he frightened?¡¯ As if to resolve Eugene¡¯s puzzlement, Luke excitedly raised his voice, ¡°I despise the church. The army that invaded my nation was part of the main pillars of the church. But Master is someone who will challenge the continental church in the future! I would like to fight by your side. If you want, I am determined to devote my blood to master every day to¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I only drink blood from monsters that are at least intermediate-rank,¡± Eugene interrupted him. For some reason, Luke became rather sullen after hearing Eugene¡¯s response. He responded while bowing his head, ¡°Ah. I see. Yes, Master.¡± ¡°Now, then¡­¡± Eugene turned toward the remaining three. Although they weren¡¯t Brantian nor elven-born, they had been with him for the longest time. ¡°What about you three?¡± Eugene asked. Partec shared a quick gaze with Glade and Lavan before answering in a quiet, but confident voice, ¡°We are mercenaries, and Sir Eugene has treated us incredibly well thus far. We couldn¡¯t even compare it to any of the other employers we have experienced until now.¡± ¡°Really? Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± Eugene asked while deliberately releasing a small amount of fear. ¡°...!¡± The three men shuddered. Partec struggled to part his lips. He couldn¡¯t even think of attempting to wipe the sweat off his forehead. ¡°I-I would be lying if I said that I wasn¡¯t afraid. However¡­ if you had any intentions of harming us, we would already be lying on the ground. Though we are ignorant mercenaries, we know at least that much. So, in the future¡­¡± Partec paused before gesturing at the other two. All three of them stood up, then knelt on one knee before shouting, ¡°I will live for you, sir. Please take us in!¡± Although their voices were quivering, the three men were proving their loyalty even as Eugene¡¯s fear caused cold sweat to form on their bodies. Eugene nodded. ¡°Good. From now on, all of you will receive treatment equal to a knight¡¯s aide.¡± ¡°...!¡± The three men raised their heads with astonished expressions. ¡°What are you so surprised about? Did I ever break my promise?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°N-never!¡± Partec shouted. ¡°Good. Luke,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± He responded. ¡°From this day on, you are no longer my slave, but my aide. Any objections?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°N-not at all! I will devote myself to you, Master!¡± Luke immediately knelt beside Partec as hot tears flowed from his eyes. Galfredik was watching with a pleased expression. He stepped forward with a grin. ¡°Hehe! Since you have a new aide, I¡¯ll have to act as a witness for the oath.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not right,¡± Lanslo interrupted. ¡°What?¡± Galfredik jerked his head toward Lanslo with a fierce expression. An ordinary man would have been unable to speak under the immense pressure, but Lanslo simply shrugged while returning the gaze. ¡°Think about it. Sir Galfredik, you are Sir Eugene¡¯s vassal, correct? It would be unconventional,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°So this time, I will stand as a witness. He happens to be from Brantia as well. If anyone tries to question or challenge the authenticity of the relationship he has with Sir Eugene, it will be much better for me to stand witness as someone from Brantia,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Hmph! That¡¯s true, too. It¡¯s hard to win against you with words, though the story is different with swordplay,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°The outcome might have been different if you didn¡¯t use your vampiric strength, Sir Galfredik,¡± Lanslo retorted. ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s true,¡± Galfredik confessed after a short moment. Through the short, but meaningful interaction, Eugene was able to obtain figures who would act as his hands and feet in the future. *** Fwooooosh! The Elion cut through the harsh currents, its sails pulled tight by the strong winds. Lanslo stood at the helm of the ship by the wooden statue of the beautiful spirit king, which held swords in an ¡®x¡¯ shape. Lanslo called out after turning his head, ¡°Tell the captain that I can see Rodrick Archipelago.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± As a quarter elf, Lanslo possessed better eyesight than ordinary humans. Thus, the sailor rushed to relay Lanslo¡¯s words to the ship¡¯s captain. ¡°Sir Drak. Are you really planning to go through the islands? The pirates will discover our ship. It¡¯s not too late. If you change your mind, then¡­¡± The captain started. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a pirate ship that¡¯s faster and bigger than the Elion, is there?¡± Lanslo interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s too dangerous to fight against pirates at sea. It won¡¯t be just one or two ships either. Perhaps five or six ships might flock toward us, and they will catch up quite quickly as well. Since they reside on the islands, they know the local water much better than we do as well,¡± the captain strongly insisted. He had yielded quite a bit because the knight was from Brantia, but he could no longer afford to give way when his own life was at stake. ¡®Even if you¡¯re a knight, seamen are kings at sea, lad.¡¯ The knight obviously had some knowledge regarding naval battles from the fact that he had taken off his heavy armor after boarding the ship, but there was a world of difference between land battles and sea battles. Therefore, the captain was able to make a strong stand and refute the words of a knight. It was something he would have never done in ordinary circumstances. ¡°So, captain, you are concerned about engaging in a naval battle with the pirates, is that right?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± the captain responded. ¡°And the danger will escalate with a larger number of pirate ships, right?¡± Lanslo continued. ¡°You know it very well. Think about it. Right now, the other two sirs aren¡¯t functioning because of their seasickness, right? What could we possibly do against a group of pirates? How shameful would it be to become captured by the pirates?¡± The captain asked. ¡°Aha.¡± ¡°Ehem! That¡¯s why, sir¡­¡± The captain was flattered by the idea that a proud knight had accepted his sound advice. As such, he attempted to continue. However, Lanslo interjected. ¡°That would even be better, wouldn¡¯t it? That was the original plan anyway.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The captain was dumbfounded. Lanslo spoke with a frightening smile. ¡°Please tell my comrades in the cabin to get ready. Let them know that they will be able to use their power since we are close to the islands.¡± ¡°That¡­ well.¡± The captain hurriedly shut his mouth and stopped himself from retorting. He had simply considered the knight to be a handsome young lad, but he felt as if the knight was exuding a mysterious aura. ¡®Fuck it! I don¡¯t know anymore!¡¯ The captain had a hunch that he would be missing his head if he spoke another word. Perhaps the pirates would show him mercy and let him live if he handed over the entire ship. Thinking so, the captain walked toward the cabin. Knock, knock! ¡°Excuse me, sirs. Sir Drak wanted me to relay his words. We are nearing the islands, so your powers¡­¡± Bang! ¡°Heuk!¡± The door slammed open, and the captain faltered with surprise. The face of the woman responsible for opening the door was extremely frightening. ¡°Bwugh. I-I understand. T-the two of them are already¡­ Uup! Already prepared so¡­ Bweuuuuugh!¡± Romari stuttered while attempting to steady herself, but she eventually spewed out yellow soup. Her complexion was extremely pale like a ghost. A large, burly knight with fierce eyes appeared behind her while twisting his head and swinging his arms. ¡°Whew~ I feel so stiff! Oi, Slave. No, I mean, Aide Number 2! Get rid of this pathetic wizard,¡± Galfredik shouted. ¡°Yes!¡± Luke answered. ¡°Did you forget to make medicine for seasickness again?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Well¡­ Bweugh! It was because I had to pay special attention to your coffins. It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t make any because I didn¡¯t want to. Bweuuugh!¡± Romari shouted while vomiting. ¡°Ah! This raccoon is so filthy!¡± Mirian said. A puking wizard, an aide who was comforting her, two vampire knights with crimson eyes, and a spirit invisible to the captain¡¯s eyes¡ªthe group left through the door one after another. CH 102 The Elion slowly entered the waters of Rodricks Island at the command of the captain. The Rodricks Archipelago was a gathering of several small islands in narrow waters around Rodrick Island, and it wasn¡¯t originally a place for pirates to gather. As the name suggested, Rodrick Island was ruled by the ¡°Rodrick¡± family, and it was a sort of prison for criminals who had committed severe crimes on the mainland. However, about a decade ago, a large number of prisoners escaped and occupied the island in an unfortunate turn of events. Since then, pirates started gathering on the island as well, which ultimately turned it into a notorious island known to harbor criminals and pirates. ¡°So does the Rodrick family still exist?¡± Eugene asked. Lanslo answered with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that. Since then, no one has been paying much attention.¡± Galfredik stepped out while stroking his chin. ¡°What about during that war¡ªthe crusade or whatever it was called? I heard that thousands of troops arrived at Brantia by crossing the sea. Wouldn¡¯t they have passed the islands at that time? The pirates were left alone?¡± Lanslo nodded. ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Galfredik was confused. ¡°The aim of the continental church wasn¡¯t to eradicate the pirates of the archipelago but to take over Brantia. And the pirates wouldn¡¯t have dared to even think of messing with the soldiers when there were more than a hundred ships passing through at once,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°That makes sense. So are you saying that they will come at us with fire in their eyes since we only have a single ship?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°When dozens of carriages are being escorted by mercenaries, regular bandits wouldn¡¯t dare to try anything, right? And even well-known, strong groups of bandits will have to think twice. However, what if there¡¯s a single, luxurious carriage passing by? Would there be any bandits who would think twice about robbing it?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°¡­There wouldn¡¯t be,¡± Galfredik replied. ¡°The same goes for pirates,¡± Lanslo concluded. ¡°But are we supposed to take it over?¡± Eugene asked. He had been listening to the conversation silently until now. Lanslo responded with a grin. ¡°Yes. A bridgehead is absolutely necessary for an expedition.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s certainly one of the basics of military tactics,¡± Galfredik responded to Lanslo¡¯s words. Both knights were quite bright when it came to such matters, perhaps because they were properly educated since they were young. ¡°The crusade was led by the holy knights, and they were incredibly skilled. So why did they fail?¡± Lanslo asked. Eugene thought for a moment before answering. ¡°It must have been due to this place. If they truly did have so many troops, they would have needed a constant chain of supplies. But since they left this place untouched, the supply ships must have been robbed by the pirates on their way to Brantia.¡± ¡°Exactly. Since it was an army centered around the church, they were too obsessed with justification. They underestimated the pirates and ignored them, which came back to bite their heels.¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°Hmm. I understand what you mean.¡± Eugene responded. After coming to a decision, Eugene turned toward the captain and the crew. They were stealing glances at Eugene with nervous eyes. ¡°How do pirates usually attack?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-they surround their targets. Although their ships are quite small, there are usually thirty to forty pirates on board. They surround their target from three or four directions, then they board the ship,¡± the captain explained. ¡°I understand,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­.what?¡± ¡°I said I understand,¡± Eugene repeated himself. ¡®You understand? And what exactly did you understand?! Why aren¡¯t you even devising a plan?! A naval battle is completely different from battling on land!¡¯ The captain simply bowed his head, knowing he could never actually voice his inner thoughts. He was a man of the sea, and he was ignorant of happenings on land. As such, he didn¡¯t know much about Eugene either, except the fact that the young knight had killed many monsters in the evil lands and had great results in a knight competition. ¡°I see the pirates'' ships! Four, no, there are six of them!¡± The lookout shouted from the crow¡¯s nest. ¡°Captain. Take the crew and take care of the ship,¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Although he was afraid of pirates, sailors were tough and experienced as well. They knew that Eugene was a prominent knight on land, and Galfredik and Lanslo were obviously no ordinary knights either. With all three knights proudly stepping forward, the sailors regained their courage. ¡°Partec, Luke. Work with the wizard to defend the ship,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± ¡°Leave it to me, sir!¡± They responded ¡°W-what about me? Master Galfredik?¡± Selena spoke in a timid voice. She couldn¡¯t hide her fear and anxiety. It was the first time she was out in the open sea, and she was about to plunge into an actual battle. ¡°Tsk! You can fight with them or go hide somewhere,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°How could I hide?! I will fight as well!¡± Selena responded. ¡°As you please,¡± Galfredik muttered before jerking away, and Selena bit her lips. Luke called out, ¡°You, come this way.¡± ¡°You?¡± She responded with shock. ¡°Why, do you have any complaints?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Ah¡­ No, I don¡¯t.¡± Selena answered curtly while glaring at Luke. She felt uncomfortable being addressed in such a way by someone who had been a slave not too long ago. But Luke ignored her reaction and loaded his crossbow along with Partec and his men before taking his position behind a shield at the side of the ship. In the meantime, the pirate ships appeared from the various islands, and they quickly caught up with Elion, which had deliberately reduced its speed. Fwoosh! Foowsh! The pirates fired their arrows while shouting. Several of them became lodged in the hull of Elion, but none of them actually managed to find their mark. The wind was far too strong, and the pirates had terrible aim. ¡®These are the notorious pirates?¡¯ Eugene was puzzled. Although the pirates were still about 100 meters away, he was able to observe them closely with his enhanced vision. The pirates were topless, probably in case they fell into the water, and they possessed vicious appearances. However, they didn¡¯t seem all that threatening. The mercenaries-turned-pirates were adequately armed, but the others looked no different from beggars. ¡®How strange. But they might have set up some sort of trap, so I should be careful.¡¯ Eugene was determined not to underestimate the pirates. He nocked an arrow on his longbow and pulled the string back all the way. Peww! The projectile shot forward along with a sharp whistle, and it traveled in a straight line before piercing the throat of a pirate. The pirate fell into the sea, and the volley of bolts coming toward the Elion stopped momentarily. However, Eugene paid no attention and continued to let loose arrow after arrow. ¡°Wow! You are an outstanding shot. Let me as well,¡± Lanslo commented when he saw Galfredik¡¯s marksmanship. ¡°Hehehehe. Show me what you got, sir elf,¡± Galfredik responded. Lanslo was born with the blood of the elves, and elves were known to be excellent marksmen. Meanwhile, Galfredik was using a bow that was several times stronger and tenser than in the past. The two knights stood side by side and allowed their arrows to fly as well. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The sailors expressed awe while crouching low against the ship¡¯s sides. With each arrow from the three knights, the pirates fell into the sea one by one. However, the pirates weren¡¯t fools, and they quickly took cover behind the decks of their ships. In the meantime, the other pirate ships quickly approached Elion¡¯s sides. But the pirates continued hiding behind their deck and only shot their arrows. They had obviously been frightened by the archery of the three knights. Ping! Titing! As the pirates drew closer, their arrows became more threatening. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go fishing.¡± At Eugene¡¯s instruction, Galfredik and Lanslo lowered their bows before crouching. The pirate ships sped up as if they had been waiting for their chance. The pirates were desperate to climb the Elion to shed blood after losing their comrades to the arrows. ¡°Two ships are attempting to block our way! T-they are preparing the hooks! I think they are about to board!¡± The captain shouted. Eugene shared a gaze with the two knights. Bang! Bang! As the hooks fell on the deck of the Elion, Eugene ran toward the bow of the ship, while Galfredik veered left and Lanslo shot to the right. ¡°Huh?¡± Only the few who had known Eugene for a long time had no change in expression, while all the others took on shocked expressions. Fwoosh! The three knights had charged in different directions at almost the same time. Two of them were vampires who had transcended human limits, and the other possessed the blood of the agile elves. Moreover, they had abandoned their heavy plate armor for leather armor. The three of them landed on their respective pirate ship in an instant. ¡°W-what the hell!?¡± The pirates expressed their shock after observing Eugene jump dozens of meters in one leap before making a perfect landing. But since there was only one opponent¡­ ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°Is this landlubber out of his mind?!¡± The pirates revealed their yellowed teeth while rushing toward Eugene. Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered with a red light, and his fangs instantly grew longer. The brutal and bloody massacre of the sea commenced. *** ¡°The pirates are coming up the stern!¡± ¡°Lavan! Glade!¡± Partec and the two men quickly crossed the deck. ¡°Let us fight together!¡± With even Selena and Luke joining in the fray, the five people raised their shortswords and shields before taking a stance against the pirates. ¡°Ughhh¡­ Oh my¡­¡± Romari weakly groaned in a dying voice before slowly making her way behind the five people. ¡°Miss Romari! It¡¯s dangerous here! Please hurry back into the cabin!¡± ¡°Uwagh~ Ah~ I wish I could, but if I don¡¯t prove useful this time around¡­ I don¡¯t think I can¡­ Bweeeeugh!¡± Romari was constantly heaving, and she was in a terrible state. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t the time to be worrying about¡­¡± Partec started to respond, but Romari raised her staff and started to murmur. A group of red lights began forming at the tip of her staff, then shot forward. ¡°Kuhahahaha!¡± ¡°Kill all the men. Leave the girls to¡­¡± The pirates jumped aboard and started to shout before suddenly coming to a stop. The red light emitted from Romari¡¯s staff was wrapping around their heads. ¡°Huhehehehehe!¡± ¡°Hehe! Huhaha!¡± Four of the pirates took on empty expressions, then started to emit a strange laugh. Then, they suddenly jerked around before starting to swing their cutlasses toward the climbing pirates. ¡°Uagh!¡± ¡°You bastards! What are you doing!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s us! It¡¯s us!¡± ¡°Huhehehehe! Die! Die! Die, you monster!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a zombie! We have to kill the undead!¡± The pirates didn¡¯t even have leather armor, and as such, they fell to their death after being slashed and stabbed by their enchanted comrades. ¡°Oh, my~ What are you all doinnbuweegh! I don¡¯t have any power left, so I¡­ Bweeeugh!¡± Romari muttered before once again discharging yellow liquid from her mouth. It was the cost of using magic despite enduring a severe case of seasickness. It was an ugly, pathetic sight. But it was more important to take care of the pirates, so the five figures left Romari behind and started swinging their blades toward the remaining pirates. *** ¡°...¡± The captain and crew of the Elion had their mouths agape, but they couldn¡¯t speak a single word. The deck of the pirate ships and the surrounding seas were colored crimson, and sharks would approach the floating corpses of the pirates. However, the eyes of the captain and the crew were fixated on the three knights who had each smashed an entire ship to smithereens. Even though they were seamen, they knew that it was a foolish move to confront a knight, since knights were known as killing machines. However, the sailors spent most of their time on the sea rather than on land, so they were unfamiliar with a true knight¡¯s skills. However, today, they had finally witnessed a battle of true knights. They finally came to realize that ¡®real knights¡¯ were monsters who were trained in the art of killing since childhood. ¡®T-they aren¡¯t human.¡¯ ¡®They¡¯re monsters!¡¯ ¡®Oh God. From today on, I won¡¯t even try to speak with a knight.¡¯ Although the sailors remained silent, they had similar thoughts as well. But their stunned silence was disturbed by the desperate shouts of the lookout. ¡°T-to the right! An unidentified monster is approaching the ship! It¡¯s fast! It¡¯s incredibly fast!¡± Everyone¡¯s heads turned toward the right side of the ship. ¡°What!?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Something black was approaching the Elion at an incredible speed while hiding beneath the surface of the water. It was almost the size of the Elion. Kwaaaaaaa! The monster roared while surfacing, then hurled itself at one of the pirate ships. Kuwaaaaaaaaah! The monster swallowed the pirate ship whole while emitting a large cry, then it sank back into the sea amidst a huge splash. Fwoosh¡­! The captain cried out as the seawater fell like heavy rain. ¡°Sir Eugene was eaten by a sea monster!¡± CH 103 Shortly after the giant sea monster made its appearance, the rest of the pirates fled back toward the islands with their tails behind their backs. Galfredik returned to the Elion before bursting into a rage. ¡°What the hell is going on?! What¡¯s with that monster? What happened to Master?!¡± Galfredik ran across the deck of the Elion while shouting loudly. It was quite a frightening sight since his entire figure was colored crimson with blood. The atmosphere of the Elion instantly turned quite gloomy. ¡°Motherfucker! I¡¯m coming! Where did the monster go?!¡± Galfredik shouted. ¡°Y-you can¡¯t, Sir Galfredik. Although we are near the islands, your powers won¡¯t be complete. If you jump into the sea, you will surely die,¡± Romari whispered while glancing around at the surroundings. ¡°Dammit¡­¡± Galfredik gritted his teeth. It was just as Romari said. Although he smashed a pirate ship to smithereens and massacred all the pirates on board, he felt a stark difference compared to when he was on land. Even though he drank some of the pirates¡¯ blood from time to time, it was of no use. ¡°Then what do you want me to do? Master is in that monster¡¯s belly,¡± Galfredik said with frustration. ¡°Sir Eugene is an Origin. He will probably be fine, so just wait for a little while. Ah, Sir Lanslo,¡± Romari called out. Lanslo had belatedly returned to the Elion. He threw a pirate on deck before speaking. ¡°It seems the pirates know something about the sea monster.¡± ¡°Really? Hey, you motherfucker. What was that monster we saw earlier? Speak before I shove an axe up your asshole,¡± Galfredik said threateningly. ¡°$#*$#*@##*! *###!¡± The pirate responded. ¡°What the hell is he saying?¡± Galfredik asked. Lanslo translated the unfamiliar words. ¡°He is speaking the language of Brantia. He says that the monster is the demon god of the islands.¡± ¡°Demon god? What a superfluous title for a fucking monster. Anyway, where is the monster? Ask him,¡± Galfredik responded. Lanslo asked, and the pirate responded while trembling with fear. ¡°The Island of Pering is its territory. It seems the monster smelled blood. Usually, the pirates offer regular sacrifices to the monster,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°What a load of bullshit. You little fucking morons. You make sacrifices to monsters? Cut off your balls right now, you little shits. No, I¡¯ll rip them off for you and throw them to the sharks, you fuckers!¡± Galfredik began to speak aggressively. He was agitated about the possibility of losing Eugene. Without Eugene, there was no one who could control Galfredik. Romari felt a great sense of responsibility and inched closer to Galfredik. ¡°Sir, sir. Let¡¯s calm down for now. Do you feel dizzy at all? Or as if all the strength is slowly seeping away from your body?¡± Romari asked. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like my usual self, probably because we¡¯re at sea. But it¡¯s not to that degree. Why do you ask?¡± Galfredik answered. ¡°Ah, then Sir Eugene should be fine as well. You are Sir Eugene¡¯s thrall, right? If something happens to either one of you, the other should be able to sense it immediately,¡± Romari commented. ¡°I see. But I¡¯m not his thrall. I¡¯m a vassal,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°A-a vassal?¡± Romari asked. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s what Master said,¡± Galfredik replied. ¡°Then¡­ Ah! Anyway, that¡¯s even better. If Sir Galfredik feels fine, that means Sir Eugene is also in good condition,¡± Romari explained. ¡°Fuck¡­ That¡¯s a relief. Hey, you piece of shit,¡± Galfredik called out. ¡°Hueeek!¡± Although there was a language barrier with the pirate, the screams were the same. The pirate crawled backward with a frightened scream. ¡°Take me to the Island of Pering right now. I¡¯m going to strangle that monster to death,¡± Galfredik muttered. There was no need for Lanslo to translate Galfredik¡¯s words. The word ¡®Pering,¡¯ and his terrifying appearance were enough to convey Galfredik¡¯s intention. The pirate immediately understood and started to diligently wave his hands while speaking. ¡°It¡¯s right behind the main island,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°Tell him that I¡¯ll cut off his limbs and throw him into the sea if he doesn¡¯t guide me properly,¡± Galfredik said. The pirate¡¯s face paled after hearing Lanslo¡¯s interpretation, and he nodded crazily. *** ¡°Kieeeeek! Sir! Sir! Are you all right? Hwaaaah!¡± Mirian shouted urgently with tears in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m fine for now,¡± Eugene responded. He tightened his grip on Wolfslaughter while taking in his surroundings. ¡®Am I inside the monster¡¯s stomach? Or is this the throat?¡¯ The sight was quite horrendous. Various limbs and remains of the pirates were entangled with all kinds of sea creatures and the pirate ship¡¯s debris. The filthy, bizarre sight was enough to make Eugene feel sick. ¡°Sir, are you really fine? I heard from my seniors that members of the Dark Clan die when they go into the sea!¡± Mirian said. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It must be due to Black Scales.¡± Eugene responded. Although Black Scales didn¡¯t turn Eugene completely waterproof, it was sufficient to prevent the seawater from completely soaking Eugene¡¯s figure. As such, he was able to move without much difficulty. ¡®But it¡¯s much worse compared to being on land. Guys like Delmondo would have died immediately.¡¯ He finally understood why Romari had prepared the coffins full of soil. He never imagined that even Origin Vampires would possess such a weakness. ¡°Sir, what are we going to do? I can¡¯t die like this! Even if I can¡¯t build myself a mountain out of gold and silver, I would have expected a golden castle at the least! I should be bathed in silk and served three meals a day on a silver platter! I have to live for at least another 100 years while spoiling myself with all sorts of delicacies!¡± Mirian whined. ¡°At least you are honest even in this mess. Anyway, stop whining. There¡¯s no way we¡¯re going to die,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Kieeng?! Really?! Reaaaally?!¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Really. Have you already forgotten which monsters I killed in the evil land at the Winslon County?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Umm, manticore and drake, right? But what about it? Ahh! I almost forgot! You consumed the red mana stone after killing the drake, right?!¡± Mirian shouted. Mirian was right. The manticore had left behind a common mana stone, but the drake had dropped a red mana stone. Eugene had gained a new ability after consuming the red mana stone, and he was finally able to utilize his ability to ¡®transform.¡¯ ¡°But, but¡­ how do we get out of here?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Simple.¡± Eugene focused his attention while rousing his fear. A dark, crimson glow began to emit from his eyes, and a red haze began to form over his body. Soon, it deepened in color while swirling around his body. ¡°Keugh!¡± Eugene felt a shredding pain envelop his body. However, he kept his focus and directed his fear according to the instinct imprinted on his soul. Kwooooooh¡­! Eugene¡¯s body glowed red, and his clothes and boots were torn into pieces. It wasn¡¯t due to his fear, but due to the fact that his body was growing rapidly. Crack! Craaack! Eugene continued to grow in size. He slowly took on a ¡®specific shape¡¯ and began pressing against the monster¡¯s throat. Just like any other creature, the sea monster¡¯s mouth was large, but it had a narrow esophagus. A little while later. Kuwwwwwuuuuuugh!!! A deafening roar resonated throughout the cave-like throat of the monster, and the gastric juice and seawater began to regurgitate out of the monster¡¯s stomach. ¡°Kieeeeeeeeeek!¡± Mirian screamed while holding on for her dear life. Eugene had completely transformed into a drake, and she was grabbing onto his tail. ¡®Is it because of the sea? It will be hard to keep it up for more than five minutes.¡¯ Eugene contemplated his options while keeping himself in place by piercing his big, sharp claws into the monster¡¯s throat. ¡®The monster was large enough to swallow an entire ship in one gulp. The odds won¡¯t be in my favor if I choose to fight it outside. If so¡­¡¯ Eugene quickly came to a decision. If he couldn¡¯t fight it outside, then he would simply fight it from the inside. Kuwuuuuuuugh! Even though drakes weren¡¯t comparable to dragons, they were known as the dragons of the land. Eugene roared before digging his claws and fangs deeper into the monster¡¯s esophageal walls. He began to frantically rip apart the wall of flesh. The intestinal fluid and the seawater began to infringe on his mind, but an Origin stood at the apex of vampires, and their strong soul and determination were not easily dampened. Craccck! Crack! Kuwuuuugh! Kuwuuuugh! The pained cry of the monster threatened to rupture Eugene¡¯s eardrums, but he did not stop. Eugene continued in a single direction while ripping apart the monster¡¯s flesh and crushing its bones. He did not forget to guzzle on the turbulent wave of its blood as well. A few dozen seconds later. Craaaack! Eugene realized that he couldn¡¯t feel any resistance from his claws as a grotesque, tearing sound resonated. ¡°Kieeeeek! We escaped! Sir! I see land! It¡¯s land!¡± Mirian let go of Eugene¡¯s tail and flew up while exclaiming. Eugene was able to finally escape after widening the tear in the monster¡¯s throat. Just as Mirian said, Eugene saw land. It seemed that the sea monster had surfaced due to the immense pain it felt having its throat destroyed from the inside out. Kwaaaaaaah! A crimson current swirled around Eugene¡¯s 8-meter-tall body. ¡°Keugh!¡± Soon, his transformation was undone, and Eugene rolled on the floor and groaned after returning to his original form. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Eugene pulled himself up with all his might. After finding Wolfslaughter among the debris mixed in with the monster¡¯s vomit, Eugene raised his head and observed the monster¡¯s corpse. Was it as big as a house? No, it was closer to an entire castle. The monster shuddered from time to time, and Eugene could see a large gash on its neck. The giant monster¡¯s body was covered with corals and barnacles, and it almost resembled an armor made to protect its skin. If Eugene had faced the monster on the outside, he would certainly have struggled. ¡°A dragon? No, a whale?¡± Eugene muttered. The monster¡¯s head was abnormally large, and it possessed a very bizarre appearance resembling both a whale and a dragon. It was likely a colossal monster that operated in the sea, and Eugene suspected that Romari might know of its identity. ¡°Phew.¡± Eugene collapsed to the ground with a sigh. ¡°My, my! Sir Eugene! I believed in you!¡± Mirian flew over to Eugene and made a fuss while washing his body with water. He would have hated it in normal circumstances, but the excreted water felt more refreshing and cooler than anything else at the moment. Thanks to Mirian¡¯s services, Eugene regained some strength when the seawater was washed off his body. He stood up before speaking. ¡°Where are we now?¡± He could see streams of light through a few cracks in the ceiling, which was easily 70 to 80 meters tall, and strangely shaped stones were placed on both sides of the wide, white, sandy beach. There were also several piles of unidentifiable bones and shipwrecks. ¡°Is it the monster¡¯s den? This is a very large space,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s super big. It makes sense since that monster was as big as a dragon,¡± Mirian responded. ¡°You¡¯ve never even actually seen a dragon, right?¡± Eugene retorted. ¡°Kiek! I¡¯ve heard about dragons from my seniors. It¡¯s probably just around the size of that monster. But I heard they spew fire and use magic as well. Ah! Sir, look! Over there!¡± Mirian exclaimed. Eugene turned his head. He could see the entrance to what looked like a naturally formed cave. ¡®I can feel the wind.¡¯ Eugene became convinced from the flow of air that the cave was connected to the outside. He turned before speaking to Mirian, ¡°I will look over there, so you stay back and find something for me.¡± ¡°Hmmm? Find what?¡± Mirian responded. ¡°Mana stone,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Umm¡­ where could a mana stone be in such a place? Mirian doesn¡¯t really know, hmm?¡± Mirian felt her heart drop, but she tilted her head and pretended to be innocent and ignorant. ¡°Kiek!¡± Mirian screamed as Eugene snatched her out of the air and held her in a certain direction. ¡°In there,¡± he said. ¡°Kiehhh?!¡± The spirit¡¯s face became colored with fear and despair. Eugene continued while pointing directly at the sea monster''s body, or to be exact, the area that could be considered its anus. ¡°It will be easier to enter through there than the mouth. Hurry up and go find it.¡± Eugene slowly approached the sea monster¡¯s anus while maintaining his grip on Mirian. The back entrance into the sea monster was littered and full of horrible wrinkles. ¡°Sir! Sirr! Wait! Just wait a minute! KiekkK?! Kieeeeek! Kieeeeeeee¡­¡± Squirt! Spatter! The spirit¡¯s terrible scream slowly faded away along with a squishy, unpleasant sensation. A few minutes passed¡­ Kerplunk! FLPHHHBLUBLUH! Dark red stool erupted from the monster¡¯s anus like a waterfall. Ploosh! Fwooo¡­ Mirian slowly crawled out from the barrier of poop after breaking through the confines of the monster¡¯s anus. However, she could no longer be called the spirit of water. ¡°...¡± Her entire figure was painted with fecal mass as she slowly flew forward while carrying a mana stone that was almost as large as her body. She placed the object on Eugene¡¯s palm without speaking a word, then sat down on the white sand with her back toward Eugene and crawled into a ball. Then, she began murmuring while scribbling something on the sand. ¡°I¡¯ve been defiled¡­ Kieh. I¡¯m no longer¡­ the spirit of water. That¡¯s right¡­ I¡¯m the spirit of poo. From today, I am the spirit of poop¡­ Kiehehehe.¡± ¡°The golden castle you talked about. I¡¯ll build it for you,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°...!¡± Mirian flinched, but she still had her back to Eugene. ¡°I¡¯ll embed jewels in the walls for you. Well, I guess I can¡¯t help it if you don¡¯t want it.¡± Eugene said with a shrug. ¡°Sir! Please accept my eternal loyalty and allegiance!¡± Although she was covered in feces, Mirian was still a spirit filled with greed and desire. ¡°Wait a minute, be quiet,¡± Eugene raised his finger and stared toward the cave. ¡°Someone is coming,¡± he whispered before quickly hiding behind a rock. Soon, a group of people appeared at the entrance of the cave. ¡®Hmm?!¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyes narrowed. CH 104 ¡°Walk faster, you filthy brutes!¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± Four pirates shouted while dragging several figures behind them. The pirates were armed with torches and cutlasses, and the figures behind them were tied up with ropes. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ Eugene was quite surprised. Those who were being dragged were not humans. The bodies of the figures were covered with fine, glossy, dark brown hair, and they were very similar in appearance to the seals Eugene had sometimes seen on his way back and forth from Maren and Moffern. ¡®Hybrids?¡¯ The seal humans possessed longer and plumper bodies than humans and their fin-like limbs were quite short. As such, they couldn¡¯t move quickly even with the pirates urging them. ¡°Fuck. Let¡¯s get this over with and get out of here.¡± ¡°B-but do you think the demon god will accept our request?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain,¡± the pirates were conversing in an unfamiliar language, but Eugene was able to understand thanks to the ability of ¡®language interpretation¡¯ he gained from consuming the drake¡¯s mana stone. ¡°The demon god likes unique things, right? Since we have ten sacrifices, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s enough to satisfy¡­ What?!¡± The pirates continued to clamor in a voice filled with fear, then they suddenly stopped in their tracks. They had finally discovered the lifeless corpse of the sea monster. ¡°The demon god is dead!¡± ¡°W-what should we do? What do we do now?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, fuck!¡± The pirates started to panic. Eugene silently watched the pirates while assimilating Black Scales into the surrounding scenery. He slowly stood up before walking toward the pirates. He used Black Scales on top of the camouflage ability that he had obtained from consuming the red mana stone he gained from the giant cave spider lord. Of course, upon close examination, it was possible to notice the minuscule differences between the surroundings and Eugene¡¯s camouflage, but the pirates were too occupied with the monster¡¯s death to notice anything strange. However, it appeared that the seal humans were a little different. ¡°KKyu¡­?¡± The youngest-looking cried out while blinking its big, black eyes. ¡°You filthy beast, what are you trying to do?!¡± One of the pirates shouted angrily before attempting to swing his stick towards the seal human. Shiik! However, the attack never connected. Eugene¡¯s claw grew longer in an instant and cut off the pirate¡¯s throat. Fwoosh! The pirate collapsed while blood spewed from his half-sawn neck, and Eugene continued to wave his claws without hesitation. Shuuack! Thuck! ¡°Keugh!¡± ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± The pirates collapsed one after another with pierced throats or holes in their chests. ¡°Hieeek! What is this!? What¡¯s going on!?¡± The last remaining pirate retreated while swinging his torch and cutlass. Shing! A small patch of black appeared out of nowhere before gradually spreading in the air. Soon, Eugene¡¯s body was completely revealed with Black Scales still covering his body. ¡°Heup!¡± The pirate gasped. Eugene¡¯s hair, face, and body were covered in black, and his red eyes were emitting a fear. The pirate¡¯s instincts were warning him to flee, but he could not move. The fear of an Origin Vampire was constricting both the pirate¡¯s body and soul. Tap. Tap. Eugene neared the pirate before speaking in a low voice. ¡°Tell me everything you know¡­¡± The pirate could not comprehend Eugene¡¯s words. However, it was an order that completely seized and imposed Eugene¡¯s will upon the perfectly overpowered subject. As such, the pirate began to reveal everything he knew, starting with his own name. *** Slice! The decapitated pirate fell like a bundle of straw. Eugene turned around after shaking his claws free of blood. ¡°K-Kyuu!¡± ¡°Kyuk! Kyu!¡± The seal humans finally started to struggle with fear after being freed from Eugene¡¯s fear. However, their legs were just too short, and they simply fell to the ground due to the rope binding their bodies. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene approached the seal humans with interest. ¡°Kyuu¡­¡± The seal humans instinctively realized that Eugene was an ¡®absolute predator,¡¯ and that he could not be compared to the human pirates. In the end, they could only quietly lie on the spot and look up at Eugene. The sea monster had reigned as the ruler of the nearby sea for many years, and Eugene was the one who appeared to be responsible for its death. As such, none of the seal humans dared to rebel, let alone even squeak. The big, black, puppy eyes of the human seals were glistening with tears, and their appearance was heartrending. ¡°Sir, I feel kind of bad for the sea puppies. They were simply living here peacefully until they were caught and turned into the monster¡¯s prey,¡± Mirian said. ¡°This world follows the law of the jungle. They should have retaliated. Poor as they may be, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that they are incompetent. Even if the pirates had not captured them, they would have been devoured by the monster anyway,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hing. That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Mirian hesitated. ¡°But I might have a use for them,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°A use for them?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°I have something in mind,¡± Eugene replied. With a few swings of Wolfslaughter, Eugene cut apart the rope that was restraining the seal humans. ¡°K-Kyuit!?¡± The seal humans expressed their surprise. Eugene pointed with the tip of his sword before continuing. ¡°Oi, Pocas. Lead the way. Go back to where you came from.¡± Although they could not understand Eugene¡¯s words, the Pocas realized what they wanted from them. After sharing a gaze with each other, they started to waddle. However, they kept on looking backward and bowing their heads. They seemed grateful, but fearful at the same time. ¡°Are you sure you can make use of the sea puppies? They seem like complete idiots.¡± Mirian commented. ¡°They¡¯re just timid and slightly stupider than humans,¡± Eugene responded. The Pocas were smarter than monsters such as goblins and kobolds, but they were timid, which made them the perfect targets to take advantage of. This was why the pirates made slaves out of the Pocas and regularly used them as sacrifices to the sea monster. ¡°Kkyu kkyu.¡± ¡°Kuwa, kuwa.¡± The Pocas were slower than humans because of their short legs, but they eagerly waddled forward while shaking their chestnut-shaped hips as they entered the cave entrance. Eugene followed them at a distance. As a member of the Night Tribe, darkness was no obstacle for Eugene. However, the Pocas were also able to easily navigate through the dark, complex cave without any torches or lights. Simultaneously, they would turn their heads to make sure that Eugene was keeping up with them. They seemed to be kind, timid creatures by nature. After slowly treading behind the Pocas for a while, Eugene passed them and took the lead. He could only feel a single streak of air from this point on, which pointed him to the entrance of the cave. He didn¡¯t have to walk behind the slower Pocas any longer. ¡°Kyuu?¡± ¡°I will take the lead,¡± Eugene declared while pointing at his chest, and the Pocas bowed their heads before following behind him. ¡°Sir, I can see light up ahead! But it¡¯s really noisy outside!¡± Mirian reported after returning from flying up ahead. Eugene unsheathed Wolfslaughter in response. He had to consider the possibility that the pirates were preparing something since their colleagues had not returned for a long time. Uaaagh¡­ Ahhh¡­ Kuaghh¡­ ¡®These are screams, right? And the stench of blood?¡¯ Eugene raised Wolfslaughter and ran out of the cave. He felt that something unusual was happening. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Kieeeh?¡± Both the spirit and the vampire became wide-eyed at the sight that unfolded before them. Indeed, there was something unusual taking place. There were two fully armed knights literally massacring pirates in the wide, gravel field located in front of the cave. ¡°Kuwaagh!¡± ¡°Aggh!¡± *** The knights had easily overwhelmed the pirates when they were equipped with simple, leather armor on the ships. As such, the difference in their power was made even clearer once the knights were fully equipped in plate armor and various weapons. The pirates were no different from mobile wooden dolls in front of the knights. The pirates were stronger in numbers with more than 100 men on their side. But in less than ten minutes, greater than seventy percent of their numbers had been killed. ¡°L-let¡¯s run!¡± ¡°Run!¡± The knights slit their throats even if they surrendered and begged for their lives, so the pirates chose to flee up toward the hill or jump into the sea. However, there were numerous sharks waiting for them in the water, and there was a group of sailors formed around Partec and the two aides waiting for the pirates on the hill. In the end, all but a few pirates were slain. ¡°Master!¡± Galfredik ran with joy after spotting Eugene coming out of the cave. ¡°What¡¯s going on?! Why are you coming out of that cave?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Well,¡± Eugene continued on and gave a brief recount of his experience, from killing the sea monster to rescuing the seal humans. In the meantime, the Pocas carefully exited the cave, and Lanslo ran up and took his place by Eugene. Lanslo spoke while looking at the Pocas, ¡°This is a surprise. I had heard that all the Pocas in this place had gone extinct when the islands were occupied by pirates.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that them? Pocas?¡± Galfredik frowned after seeing the Pocas slowly waddling forward. It appeared that the Pocas were slightly wary of the three knights. ¡°The Pocas are a very timid and gentle race. They are known to hide in the water when other races approach their settlements, which is why they are relatively unknown,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°Then how were they captured by the pirates? They were being used as slaves, right?¡± Galfredik asked. Lanslo shrugged in response. Eugene answered instead, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of the sea monster. They chose to be slaves to the pirates rather than being eaten by the sea monster after jumping into the sea.¡± ¡°Ahh.¡± ¡°Hmm. That sounds entirely possible. When the Rodrick family ruled the archipelago, humans didn¡¯t involve themselves with the Pocas. They might have thought that humans were better than the sea monster,¡± Lanslo surmised. ¡°The pirate I questioned didn¡¯t know much about Rodrick, but he must have been a pretty decent person,¡± Eugene stated. The pirate that Eugene questioned at the sea monster¡¯s den had been just a lowly thug, so Eugene hadn¡¯t been able to gain any important information from him. Lanslo responded with a grin, ¡°Yes. It is true that he had a good reputation, for he was rumored to be a very generous, merciful lord. However, he wasn¡¯t human.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you earlier? Brantia is very accepting of other races, and there have been cases when they became lords,¡± Lanslo added. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Yes. The Rodrick family were orcs.¡± *** The pirates¡¯ den was easily wiped out with the three knights taking the lead. One peculiar thing was that the pirates weren¡¯t only humans, perhaps since the island was used to imprison criminals from Brantia in the past. There were orcs, dwarves, and even elves. However, the pirates were under-armed and had been living an idle life. They were no match for knights who constantly teetered on the edge of life and death. ¡°Hey, technically, you¡¯re an elf as well. Is it fine for you to kill them like that?¡± Galfredik asked as Lanslo pulled out his longsword from the heart of an elf pirate. Both knights were coated in blood. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting question. Humans kill humans, so why can¡¯t elves do the same?¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Haha! Sir Drak, that¡¯s a great fucking response. I like that about you,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t saying it to please you, but thank you anyway. Ah, you aren¡¯t interested in men, are you?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°I don¡¯t even like shaking hands with men,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± Lanslo spoke with a grin before turning toward Eugene. He had just returned with a group of sailors following behind him. ¡°Did you take care of them, Sir Eugene?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°A few of them seem to have fled into the mountains, but we can deal with them at night,¡± Eugene answered. The pirates didn¡¯t know that Eugene and Galfredik were vampires. After tonight, the pirates of Rodrick Island would cross the river of death. ¡°Lanslo, take Partec, his men, and the sailors to rescue the Pocas. Ah, take them with you as well.¡± Eugene spoke while gesturing at the Pocas. The seal humans slowly approached him while bowing. ¡°And what are you planning to do, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°The man I questioned earlier said something interesting.¡± Eugene coldly laughed when he recalled the words of the pirate. Although the man had been ignorant of any important information, he hadn¡¯t been completely useless. ¡°It seems that the descendants of the Rodrick family are confined somewhere in that castle.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Oh. Does that mean¡­?¡± Lanslo asked with expectant eyes. Eugene nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll have to save them for now.¡± ¡°As expected! You are always pursuing true chivalry to¡­¡± Lanslo started. ¡°I plan to have them come under me instead of paying me a ransom. If they refuse, then there¡¯s no helping it,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a very benevolent, yet practical judgment,¡± Lanslo expressed his awe. Eugene had made a decision befitting his status as the leader of the expedition. CH 105 ¡°Kyuuu!¡± ¡°Kyuu-hung! Kyu, kyu, kyuuu!¡± The Pocas hurried to their friends and family after being released from their bindings. ¡°There¡¯s so many¡­ Ugh! It smells.¡± Selena held her breath with a frown. There were hundreds of Pocas living in miserable conditions inside the wooden fence. ¡°They are originally a very clean race. Although they are primarily active in the sea, most of them live in places with fresh water. So they live peacefully among themselves on islands located down the river or near the coast£¬¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°I apologize, Sir Drak. I had no idea,¡± Selena said. She then turned to look at Galfredik and asked cautiously. ¡°But Master, why did Sir Eugene order us to rescue them? How should I say this¡­? I didn¡¯t think that he was such a humanitarian.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Galfredik stroked his chin and was about to answer when Luke responded with anger, ¡°What? What did you just say?¡± Selena was startled and quickly hid behind Galfredik before murmuring, ¡°Well, it¡¯s the truth, right? Although they are kind of cute, the Pocas won¡¯t be of any use to Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°You punk!¡± Luke shouted. ¡°Haha. Selena is right this time around. Your master didn¡¯t save the Pocas out of pity,¡± Lanslo interjected. ¡°See? Even Sir Drak agrees,¡± Selena said proudly when even Lanslo took her side. Luke asked politely after hesitating, ¡°Then what is the reason, Sir Drak?¡± ¡°You know that Sir Eugene is trying to turn this island, or rather, the Rodricks Archipelago into a bridgehead, right? In the future, merchant ships and supply ships from Moffern will pass through here, so where do you think we could find laborers and workers? Should we recruit those despicable pirates?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why Sir Eugene is trying to save the descendants of the orc lord as well, right? He¡¯s doing that so he could obtain proper control of this region. Am I right, Sir Drak?¡± Selena said with a clap of her hands. Lanslo responded with a grin, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think Sir Eugene is such a kind and caring person.¡± ¡°Haha! That¡¯s right. That would be akin to saying that Master Romari loves the sea.¡± Everyone turned their heads. ¡°Ahhhh~ Ugh! Save me~¡± The wizard was groaning after collapsing on the floor, even though they were no longer on the water she still looked as shabby and pitiful as the trapped Pocas. *** Clop. Clop. ¡°Whoa.¡± Silion stopped at Eugene¡¯s command. It had been a long time since the steed stepped on real ground. Eugene was armed in plate armor and all kinds of weapons as he stared at the castle that stood erect across the bridge that swayed over the sea. The old castle was built on a cliff, and it was¡­ rather simple looking without much d¨¦cor. To put it in bad terms, it was quite crude. The castle door was firmly closed, and the pirates, who had escaped earlier, were on the wall looking in Eugene¡¯s direction. The bewilderment was visible on their faces. ¡°Sir, what are you going to do? You can¡¯t enter houses or castles unless the owner invites you in, right?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true,¡± Eugene answered. It was one of the biggest disadvantages of being a vampire¡ªthey could not enter a compound without permission from its owner or residents. It was just that he had not encountered any problems until now because he had received invitations from the lords and the nobles of the castles. ¡°Well, I just need their permission, right?¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°Kieh?¡± ¡°Phew¡­¡± While Mirian expressed her puzzlement, Eugene took a long breath before shouting at the top of his lungs. ¡°Open the gates!!! If you surrender, I will kill you painlessly!!!¡± Painlessly¡­ lessly¡­ lessly¡­ lessly¡­! The thunderous shout echoed around the castle walls and the cliff. ¡°Hiek!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± They were already scared when they heard Eugene¡¯s roar, but they were even mortified after hearing his actual words. Instead of offering to let them live if they surrendered, the knight had declared that he would kill them painslessly. Was that even a negotiation? ¡°Bull! Stop with your bullshit! We have water and food that will last us for months! Just go on your way, you landlubber!¡± A bald pirate shouted. His entire figure was covered with hideous tattoos. ¡°I will cut off all your limbs and decorate the castle with them! I will drink the blood that spews from your filthy bodies and bathe myself in it! However! If you open the gates and surrender peacefully! I will kill you painlessly!¡± Eugene roared once again. ¡°Suck my dick! Or eat this instead!¡± The bald man took off his pants before shaking his bulky hips towards Eugene. It appeared that he was the leader of the pirates. Hahahahahaha! The pirates burst into an exaggerated laugh as if they were desperately trying to forget their fears. Mirian¡¯s wings suddenly quivered when she saw the sight and she murmured in a grim voice. ¡°Kieh? Butt¡­ Asshole¡­ Something that I¡¯ve forgotten is trying to return. Ah, the nightmare¡­ what was it? No, I must forget it. I never did anything of the sort. Kiee¡­¡± It appeared that her ¡®exploration¡¯ of the sea monster¡¯s body had left behind a large scar on the spirit¡¯s mind. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t even think about forgiving that bald bastard. Something¡­ something inside is telling me so,¡± Mirian muttered. ¡°I have no intention of forgiving him,¡± Eugene responded. He once again turned toward the castle before shouting with a jeer, ¡°You! Seeing as your dick is even smaller than a goblin¡¯s dick, it seems that you¡¯re not even a boy!¡± ¡°W-what did you say?!¡± The bald pirate was shocked. ¡°I can safely assume that the size of your dick is proportional to your courage, right? Do you know how good I am with the sword?! I could easily cut your dick into ten microscopic pieces if I climb that wall!¡± Eugene continued. ¡°You bastard!¡± The bald pirate roared furiously. ¡°Try it if you can, you motherfucker! Climb up if you can! I¡¯ll smash your head with this!¡± The pirate continued before throwing a large rock. Eugene had simply said whatever had come to mind, but the provocation had poked a sore spot. The bald pirate was indeed slightly concerned about the size of his junior, which was why he went berserk. ¡°Is that right? Are you saying it¡¯s fine for me to climb up the wall!? You¡¯re saying that I have your permission to climb up to cut your little weenie into even tinier pieces, right? You invited me?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Try it if you can! Come in if you can, motherfucker!¡± The pirate roared. ¡°Good. Thank you!¡± A cold smile appeared around Eugene¡¯s mouth. ¡°Wow~ No one can possibly rival your skills in angering people,¡± Mirian muttered. ¡°Stop the nonsense and let¡¯s return. Hey! Cute little weenie! I¡¯ll see you later, so wait for me!¡± Eugene provoked. ¡°You fuckerrrr!¡± Eugene turned his steed without hesitation as the bald pirate roared. The sun started to disappear into the west sea about an hour later. *** ¡°Why aren¡¯t the landlubbers coming? Oi, have you heard from the watchtower?¡± ¡°Yes. Earlier¡­¡± ¡°Boss, you brat.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, boss. He said that he saw them boarding their ships earlier. He hasn¡¯t seen anything since.¡± The subordinate said after hastily correcting himself. Their real boss had died in the battle earlier in the day, so the bald pirate had forcibly taken the position as his own. There was nothing anyone could do about it even if they didn¡¯t like it since he was the strongest one around here. ¡°Fuck! I got it. Anyway, where did those fuckers even come from?¡± the bald pirate asked. ¡°They looked like knights from the continent. Given that they only had a few sailors and soldiers, perhaps they coincidentally stopped by on their way to Brantia,¡± answered one of the subordinates. ¡°Then they should¡¯ve quietly taken the way around. Those assholes¡­ Anyway, the ones who went to the demon god haven¡¯t returned yet, have they?¡± the bald pirate asked. ¡°No, they haven¡¯t returned yet. I think that they were eaten alongside the Pocas,¡± the subordinate responded. ¡°Motherfucker. Nothing¡¯s going according to the plan,¡± the bald pirate said after spitting on the ground. He stared intently over the cliff, but it was impossible to make things out clearly in the dark, especially when the clouds were covering the moon as well. ¡°Tell the brats to keep an eye out for anything unusual. Make sure they pay close attention to any rocking on the bridge,¡± the bald pirate ordered. ¡°Boss, wouldn¡¯t it be better to just cut it off?¡± The subordinate asked. ¡°You fucking idiot. Then how will we get out after the landlubbers leave? Are you going to crawl down the cliff on all fours?¡± The bald pirate asked him in return. ¡°N-no, I wouldn¡¯t. I understand. I will have them keep an eye out,¡± the subordinate answered. ¡°Good. I¡¯m heading inside to get some rest,¡± the bald man said before waddling down the wall. Once the bald pirate left, the remaining pirates started conversing with each other. ¡°Bitch. He¡¯s going to soak in rum and lay around with the slaves again, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°What a piece of shit.¡± ¡°Fuck it. Should we just turn it upside down?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Think about it. Boss Beiron and the Baba Horton brothers are all dead, right? We only need to kill the bald asshole and a few others.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s get his head and take it to the knights.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea. If we do that, surely, they¡¯ll let us live, right?¡± Several pirates voiced their agreement while revealing their killing intent. Pirates killed and robbed at random without discretion. In the first place, they never abided by things such as loyalty. Instead, they followed the law of the jungle. The strongest was the best, and the strongest monopolized everything. That was the law of the pirate world. However, the original boss and his men had been wiped out earlier. The strongest, cruelest pirates were gone. As such, there was a chance it would be much easier to kill the bald pirate rather than to face the horrifying knights they had seen earlier. ¡°What should we do¡­ fuck. Hmm?¡± One of the pirates started muttering in contemplation, then they were startled. Once the dark clouds cleared and the moon made its appearance, the terrible darkness was shunned to some extent, which allowed him to see the bridge connecting the cliff and the castle shaking up and down. Squeak. Squeeeak. The bridge continued to rock with an ominous sound, and the expressions of the pirates quickly grew dim. ¡°W-what is it? It¡¯s not even windy,¡± one of the pirates muttered. Even if it was windy, the bridge should shake from side to side, rather than up and down. If it was moving up and down, then there was only one possible explanation¡ªsomeone was crossing the bridge. ¡°Uah¡­¡± ¡°Fuck, is there a ghost crossing the bridge?¡± ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t say something like that, you bastard.¡± Although the pirates lived a life filled with murder and crimes, they were all quite susceptible to superstition. As if to prove their weaknesses, the pirates trembled while staring at the bridge with anxious expressions. ¡°Keke. Maybe the ghosts of the Pocas you killed are waddling over the bridge. Kyu, kyu, kkyu.¡± ¡°Ah, stop it. Shut up!¡± ¡°Ah, stop it~ Listen to yourself, coward.¡± ¡°You motherfucker!¡± One of the pirates growled with anger. Kieeeeeeee! A breeze from the sea swept over the walls with a sound similar to the wailing of a ghost. Suddenly, the bridge stopped fluctuating like it had never actually swayed. The pirates felt goosebumps rising on their arms after witnessing the mysterious phenomenon. ¡°Uaah¡­¡± ¡°D-did a ghost really cross over?¡± ¡°Ah, fuck! This is so fucking scary.¡± Even the pirates who had been mocking their colleagues slowly retreated closer to the walls in fear. *** Eugene used his camouflage ability to blend into the darkness before suspending himself at the bottom of the rocking bridge. After crossing, he quietly began climbing the wall using his long claws. To avoid detection, he had left behind his armor and any metal he had been carrying. He was naked with only Black Scales protecting him. Shik. Shik. Eugene slowly climbed the wall by inserting his claws into the cracks between the rocks. A few minutes later, Eugene¡¯s head quietly appeared over the wall. A group of about ten pirates was gathered around a fireplace, and there were pairs and trios standing guard and wandering about the walls and the watchtowers. After successfully crawling up the wall without making a sound, Eugene pressed himself against the ground like a spider. It was bizarre to see Eugene crawling across the rampart on all fours. The pirates were busy chatting among themselves or staring at the opposite cliff. No one noticed Eugene. Shik. Shhh. ¡°Hiek?!¡± A pirate turned around in shock. He was obviously more sensitive than the others. ¡°W-what was that? You scared me, you punk,¡± his colleague said. ¡°I think something just grazed my leg,¡± the pirate responded. ¡°Stop trying to scare me, you bastard!¡± the colleague commented. The two of them hurriedly looked around with anxious eyes. However, they weren¡¯t able to find anything out of place. ¡°¡­huh?¡± The keen pirate stared at his colleague with wide eyes. ¡°Ah, stop it, you shitface. Stop it.¡± the other pirate responded. He was already scared, and it annoyed him that his companion was looking at him as if there was something standing behind him. ¡°A-ah, that¡¯s not it! Behind you¡­ there¡¯s¡­ Hieeeek!¡± ¡°Hey, you fucker. Stop¡­ Kuaggh!¡± Slice. The pirate collapsed while putting his hand against his neck. His throat was sliced open, and crimson blood poured out without stopping. A pair of red eyes appeared over his body, and a quiet voice reverberated. ¡°Cur¡­se¡­¡± ¡°Kiyaaaaaaahhhk!¡± The keen pirate began to run away with a fearful scream. ¡°It¡¯s a ghost! Kiyaaaah! Kyaaaahh!¡± he shouted. ¡°What? What is it?¡± ¡°A ghost! It¡¯s a ghost! Finel was killed by a ghost! We¡¯ve been cursed! Uaaaagghhh!¡± the pirate shouted in fear. The dark passageway where Eugene stood was dimly illuminated by the swaying torches, and the moon was peeking out from the clouds. Only the upper half of Eugene¡¯s body had been released from the camouflage, and it was all that was visible. ¡°¡­..?!¡± It was natural for anyone to mistake him for a ghost. ¡°You have¡­ been cursed. The strongest one must be sacrificed¡­¡± A quiet, evil voice resonated from the passage. Uwaaaaaahh! The frightened pirates fled like madmen. Favorite CH 106 How to Live As the Vampire Lord CH 107 ¡°You¡¯re not offended, are you?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°O-of course not. You saved me, and I misunderstood you, sir. I am not offended at all,¡± Ortos responded with a stutter. He had already recovered considerably, perhaps because he possessed strong tenacity as an orc and due to the mana stones. However, judging by the way he stole glances at Eugene, it appeared that the aftermath of the beating still remained. ¡°I forgot myself after hearing such nonsense. I apologize, Sir Rodrick,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I-it¡¯s completely fine,¡± Ortos responded with a forced smile. However, it only made him look even more miserable. It was hard to believe that he was the only descendant of the lords who ruled over the archipelago throughout history. ¡°Excuse me, sir,¡± Ortos spoke up. ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What will happen to me now?¡± Ortos asked. Even though he was the only descendant of the Rodrick family, he was a lord only in name over an island that had long been neglected by Brantia. Moreover, Eugene wasn¡¯t Brantian, but a knight from the mainland. Ortos was not so foolish as to be ignorant of the fact that his fate lay in Eugene¡¯s hands. ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re going to be the lord here,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah, as expected. I¡¯ll have to live as a prisoner for the¡­ Kwegh?!¡± Ortos was stunned by Eugene¡¯s response and flared his nostrils. ¡°M-me? The lord of Rodrick?¡± he asked. ¡°Why? Is there a problem? Your family originally lorded over the archipelago, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s true. But why me¡­? Couldn¡¯t you simply take over the islands?¡± Ortos hesitated. ¡°I didn¡¯t cross the sea for this island. And I heard that your father was an excellent ruler. His honest and honorable temperament must have been passed on to you as well. I believe in you,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°S-sir Eugene¡­¡± Ortos muttered. His eyes started to fill with tears. In addition, the small animosity he had toward Eugene due to the beating disappeared like melting snow. Although Eugene¡¯s thrashing had made the pirates¡¯ beatings seem like child¡¯s play, who wouldn¡¯t be angry after being called a pervert during their first meeting? Right, and it would only be more applicable for knights who were honorable and wise like Eugene. ¡®I¡¯ve made a huge mistake.¡¯ ¡°Kuagh! Sir Eugene! I, Ortos of the Rodrick family, swear on my honor that I will do my best!¡± Ortos shouted as tears started to drip from his little eyes. Eugene was convinced that Ortos was almost his. He spoke generously while hiding his insidious thoughts. ¡°Yes, yes. I believe in you, sir.¡± ¡°Of course. Pwease leave it to me!¡± Ortos shouted while wiping away his tears. But his expression darkened slightly when he continued. ¡°However, Sir Eugene. There are only a few residents left on the archipelago and only hundreds of Pocas. I am a little doubtful as to whether I can properly manage this place.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about that. Sooner or later, ships will be arriving here from Maren and Moffern,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What? Maren and Moffern?!¡± Ortos exclaimed. He was knowledgeable about the two famous port cities as the child of a lord. He remembered when ships from the eastern kingdoms and cities would stop at Rodrick Island when he was but a child. ¡°That¡¯s right. The two ports are supporting my expedition. My ship was also generously provided by them as well. And¡­¡± Eugene also hinted that Count Winslon and Essandra Archivold were his backers. Considering the relationship he had with the two figures and their current circumstances, they would never send him funds or troops to support his expedition, but words could have different levels of impact depending on how they were packaged. Ortos had spent a long time in miserable confinement, so he could not help but be struck with awe after hearing Eugene¡¯s stories. ¡°You are truly amazing, Zir Eugene! Not to mention the great cities, but even the great nobles! I can¡¯t believe it!¡± Ortos shouted. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Anyway, the Rodrick Archipelago must play a role as an intermediate supply stop from now on. Lord Rodrick, it should be possible considering our friendship, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Of course!¡± Ortos answered immediately. He would be a fool to refuse such a great opportunity, not to mention the fact that Eugene had saved his life. ¡®God has not abandoned Rodrick! Sir Eugene is a messenger sent to me by God!¡¯ Ortos felt his heart pounding against his chest as he revealed a bright smile. ¡°Good. First, let¡¯s make use of the Pocas and send a ship to Maren. There are a few ships that were being used by the pirates, so we can remodel them. The ships will sail much faster if the Pocas are pushing them, right?¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Ah¡­ certainly. However, there¡¯s¡­¡± Ortos hesitated with a grim expression. ¡°What is it? Is there a problem?¡± Eugene asked. Ortos spoke cautiously, ¡°It seems that you aren¡¯t aware of it yet, Sir Eugene. There is a place called Pering Island behind this island. A large sea monster known as the demon god resides there¡­¡± ¡°Water Dragon Bomagelle? I already killed it,¡± Eugene responded curtly. ¡°Whaaat?!¡± Ortos¡¯ mouth went agape. Then, he learned from Eugene that Romari and the other sailors were currently busy dismantling the body of the large sea monster. ¡°So, there aren¡¯t any remaining threats to the Rodrick Archipelago. There won¡¯t be any problems for the Pocas to move through the sea, right? So, all you need to do is to be a good lord with the support of Maren and Moffern,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°...!¡± Ortos quivered as tears started to drop from his eyes. The devil of the sea had remained undefeated even though numerous warriors had challenged it from his father¡¯s time. However, Eugene had successfully put an end to its tyrannical reign, and he was even presenting Ortos with an unprecedented opportunity! ¡®W-wait. But what if¡­ What if Sir Eugene turns a blind eye in the future or becomes hostile? What if there¡¯s a misunderstanding between us?¡¯ Ortos felt goosebumps rising on his dark, grey skin. His benefactor wasn¡¯t simply presenting him with an opportunity. Eugene was also hinting that an even more miserable fate would await Ortos if he refused and dawdled. ¡°Oh, my! I apologize for displaying such an ugly sight after hearing such wonderful news, Sir Eugene,¡± Ortos said. He quickly wiped away his tears while hiding the fear he felt, then jumped to his feet. He made a decision for himself and his family¡¯s future¡ªhe knelt down in front of Eugene. ¡°Sir Eugene! I, Ortos, son of Batu Rodrick, swear on my honor and my family¡ªuntil the day I return to the side of the great earth god, I will surrender myself and my allegiance to your crest! Please take Rodrick as your loyal vassal!¡± Ortos declared. ¡®What¡¯s with this stroke of fortune?¡¯ Eugene was a little surprised, but he never missed an opportunity when it was in front of him. Eugene quickly took out Wolfslaughter before placing it on Ortos¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Yes. Ortos Rodrick, from this moment on, you are a vassal to me, Jan Eugene, and your territory shall be the entirety of the Rodrick Archipelago. Do you solemnly swear in accordance?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes! I understand and I swear!¡± Ortos shouted. ¡°Good.¡± Eugene raised Ortos to his feet with a satisfied expression. *** ¡°So, the Rodrick family has decided to become a vassal?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He has already made a vow. Isn¡¯t that right, Sir Rodrick?¡± ¡°Of course. I, Ortos of Rodrick, solemnly swear that I vill rule the archipelago as a loyal vassal of Sir Eugene! I swear it on the name of my family and the great earth god!¡± Everyone was stunned by the sudden turn of events. Only an hour ago, the orc was being beaten up while squealing like a pig, but now, he was speaking like the most reliable, loyal subordinate in the world. Everyone knew that Eugene had been planning to take the Rodrick Archipelago as a bridgehead in his Brantian expedition. However, no one had ever dreamed that he would take the Archipelago¡¯s ruler as his vassal. ¡°Why are you all standing around like that? Oi, captain, you heard what I said just now, right? Rodrick Island is the territory of my vassal, which means that it is a friend to the City of Maren. Make sure you tell your crew upon their return,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-yes, Sir Eugene!¡± the captain answered. ¡°Good. Anyway, how do we make use of the Pocas? Do we need to teach them our language?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What? What do you mean by that, Sir Eugene? Pocas can speak our language.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no way.¡± ¡°Is that really true? I thought they only knew how to say ¡®Kyu, kyu.¡¯¡± Everyone expressed disbelief, but Selena seemed to be especially shocked after hearing the truth. ¡°Ah, that. Well, their race as a whole was always taken advantage of, so it¡¯s a type of defensive mechanism they utilize to deal with newcomers. They look quite pitiful and cute if they cry like that. In reality, they are capable of understanding human speech, and there are even Pocas that are capable of speaking the language of the kingdom¡­ Hmm? What¡¯s with your expression?¡± ¡°I-I feel so betrayed. Hmph! We¡¯ll see about that!¡± Selena expressed her disappointment and resentment. Anyhow, the incident in the Rodrick Archipelago was processed in a timely manner, and the remaining pirates were completely wiped out four days later. *** ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you send us to our respective families, we will never forget your mercy and generosity. We will make sure you are compensated greatly, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°We beg of you, Sir Eugene.¡± There were several people pleading with their heads bowed deeply. All of them were skinny and haggard. They were nobles who had been captured by the pirates while riding supply ships during the crusade. Most of them had died due to hunger and abuse, but a small portion had persisted and recovered after consuming the mana stones that Eugene provided them with. ¡°Of course, of course, sirs. However, if your families had intended to pay the ransom for your release, wouldn¡¯t they have done so earlier?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°W-well, there were certain circumstances¡­¡± The nobles started to make excuses, but Eugene interjected coldly. ¡°It won¡¯t be difficult for me to let you all go. However, I implore you not to taint my honor by speaking of rewards or whatnot.¡± ¡°...?¡± Everyone stared at Eugene with surprise. Until now, he had been willing to do anything to make a profit, so why was he suddenly acting like this? ¡°If anyone would like to return to their family, I will let you go unconditionally,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ahh!¡± The nobles exclaimed. Eugene raised his hand. ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I, Jan Eugene, am receiving the full support of the City of Maren and the City of Moffern and the support of His Excellency Count Winslon and Her Excellency Archivold, the margrave of the Carls Baggins Peninsula. If any one of you would like to join me in my expedition to Brantia, I am willing to provide you with a spot,¡± Eugene stated. The eyes of the nobles quivered mercilessly. They were all born into nobility, but they possessed insignificant positions in their own families. If they truly were successful nobles, why would they have to board a supply ship to Brantia in the first place? But in the end, it was also true that most of the nobles who had been on supply ships in the crusade were those who wanted to somehow get ahead by borrowing the power of the central church. ¡®¡­is what I heard from Ortos. He told me all about how much you¡¯ve lamented over your situations in the prison.¡¯ ¡°I leave the choice in your hands, sirs. Now, what will you choose?¡± Eugene said while looking at the nobles with relaxed eyes. The nobles did not contemplate for very long. Their families would have forgotten about them long ago, and it would be much better to align themselves with Eugene, who had wiped out the pirates and was supported by great nobles and cities. ¡°If you will take me, I will live for you, Sir Eugene!¡± Eugene suppressed a smile before solemnly speaking, ¡°Good. Gentlemen, you will make the best of your abilities for me and Rodrick. I am really looking forward to it.¡± ¡°Ohhh!¡± The nobles cheered for now. Although the word ¡®Rodrick¡¯ seemed to have been forced into Eugene¡¯s statement as well, they had been mere prisoners living out their remaining days until yesterday. As such, they were more than satisfied that the captain of an expedition would take them in. Once the cheering nobles returned, Lanslo asked, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want their ransom?¡± ¡°We¡¯re short on men here. I will put them to work first, and if it doesn¡¯t work out, I will send them to Maren and claim the ransom,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Aha! It¡¯s a very benevolent, yet reasonable decision,¡± Lanslo commented. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard something similar from you before,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Haha! Wouldn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s your unique, defining characteristic, Sir Eugene? You are a lord with both a benevolent heart and a rational mind befitting a leader. At least, that¡¯s what I think,¡± Lanslo responded. Eugene paused at Lanslo¡¯s remark. Only a year ago, he had been struggling to find himself a proper identity. He couldn¡¯t believe that he was being referred to as a ¡®lord.¡¯ by now. He felt proud of himself, but he could hardly believe it. ¡®My own land, my own territory. A place where vampires like myself can live without any worries.¡¯ A specific goal was slowly forming in his mind. Eugene let his thoughts settle and organized them before looking around at his people. He raised his voice. ¡°Now! Let¡¯s settle the accounts first, then talk about how to get into Brantia.¡± ¡°Settle the accounts?¡± Galfredik asked. Eugene responded with a nod. ¡°We have all the goods we seized from the pirates, right? And we have the by-products from the water dragon¡¯s corpse. We need to collect all of it and sell it.¡± Even if it had only been for a moment, some of them had doubted Eugene¡¯s love for money. However, they immediately repented after hearing Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Everyone worked hard, so the money will be shared equally amongst all of you. Let the sailors know as well,¡± Eugene continued. Wooooaahh! Then, they were forced to repent once again. No one in the world, including themselves, hated money. *** ¡°The best way would be to use the Pocas to get us through the quiet shore. As such, I recommend this place,¡± Lanslo said while pointing at a specific place on the map. The Rodrick family had ruled as the lord of the archipelago for a long time. As such, the map they possessed was precise and detailed. It displayed Brantia, as well as the Rodrick Archipelago. ¡°Then we¡¯re heading to the City of Mungard?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not sure how it is now, but when I left Brantia, it was considered the most liberal city in Brantia. They were welcoming of foreigners and other races. Hundreds of years of history and tradition certainly wouldn¡¯t change overnight, and I think it is also the best place to acquire information. Moreover¡­¡± Lanslo paused, then continued while looking at Eugene with a meaningful smile. ¡°Rumor has it that there are noble vampires living in Mungard.¡± Favorite CH 108 ¡®Mungard¡­¡¯ It was a city with vampires, and not just any vampires either. Perhaps Eugene would discover other Origins in Mungard. The city aroused his curiosity since Eugene only knew two other vampires¡ªGalfredik and Delmondo. ¡®I might find myself new enemies, or perhaps new friends. Of course, the former is more likely.¡¯ Other vampires wouldn¡¯t act favorably toward him just because they were of the same race. Such na?ve thoughts were only befitting fairy tales written for children. Even human nobles and lords waged war against each other and shed blood for a handful of land, so would members of the Dark Clan, who were rumored to be crafty, show unconditional love toward their own? Even Delmondo referred to his own ¡®territory¡¯ when he first encountered Eugene. It went without saying that it would be similar to others who would have accumulated territory and power in one city over long years. ¡®Then¡­¡¯ ¡°Is there a need for us to sneak in like bandits? Why can¡¯t we go around and experience Brantia¡¯s situation first-hand?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s one way to go about it. Do you have any other plans?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Mungard. What if we stride in with confidence and take it over?¡± Eugene asked him instead. ¡°What?¡± Everyone, including Lanslo, expressed disbelief at Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Kwuuuu¡­ Kiek?!¡± Mirian¡¯s sweet slumber was disturbed as Eugene¡¯s hand abruptly intruded into the pocket. Although it was originally Eugene¡¯s money pouch, it had been doubling as Mirian¡¯s bed for a while. Eugene continued after taking something out of the pocket. ¡°Why don¡¯t we make use of this? I don¡¯t think anyone would be suspicious if we were carrying some materials from the water dragon. What do you think?¡± The two silver coins glinted with a greedy light when Eugene rubbed them against each other. ¡°With money?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Are there others in the city who can afford to use tens of thousands of silver coins at any time?¡± Eugene asked. Although he knew that he currently possessed a lot of money, he was rather blind as to exactly how rich he was or how wealthy people in other countries were. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be a historical port city, right? Shouldn¡¯t there be quite a few wealthy merchants?¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s a few thousand, sure. But who could possibly afford to spend tens of thousands of silver coins at their leisure?¡± ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t know about how things have changed in Mungard after the crusade, so I can¡¯t provide an accurate answer either.¡± Galfredik, Romari, and even Lanslo could not fully answer Eugene¡¯s question. Selena, who had been quietly listening until now, said carefully, ¡°Excuse me, sirs. May I say something?¡± Eugene gave his permission with a nod, and Selena continued, ¡°Even on the Carls Baggins Peninsula, there are only a few lords who could spend tens of thousands of silver coins at one time. Such figures will be rare even in affluent cities.¡± ¡°Really? Oh, right. Your father is Lord Gabriel. Right,¡± Eugene answered. It made sense that she knew since she stemmed from the richest, most noble family out of anyone else here. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Selena said. She had always taken great pride in her family, but she felt rather bitter knowing that her family¡¯s status and prestige did not mean much to these people. But she continued, ¡°Anyway, including the peninsula and the entire kingdom, there aren¡¯t many nobles who can afford to throw tens of thousands of silver coins at once. Even if there are, they wouldn¡¯t have the entire amount in coins. It would also come from the various goods in their territories or from their evil lands.¡± ¡°Hmm. So?¡± ¡°I believe such people will be even rarer in Brantia since it was recently devastated by the crusade. From what I learned, Brantia¡­ How should I say this¡­? It¡¯s supposed to be a very poor, uneducated nation,¡± Selena finished while stealing a glance toward Lanslo and Luke. It appeared that she felt bad saying such things in front of two Brantians. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong. Even among the nobles, there are quite a few who are ignorant,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°It¡¯s also true that Brantia is quite poor, master. Not many knights are able to afford chainmail, let alone plate mail,¡± Luke chimed in. The two people unexpectedly agreed with Selena''s words without any hesitation. Eugene nodded. ¡°Then this might work. All right, we¡¯re heading straight to Mungard.¡± *** ¡°Huh?! L-look over there!¡± People in the port of Mungard turned their heads at someone¡¯s shouts. ¡°A fleet? Is it an invasion?¡± ¡°There are only five ships. What kind of invasion would that be?¡± ¡°But that one is really big, is it?¡± The residents of Mungard were both nervous and curious. It was exceedingly rare for ships of such size to arrive at their port. Ding! Ding! Ding! Soon, the bells started resounding. The guards of mercenaries rushed to the port. In addition, the ballistae and the catapults located to the sides of the port and inside the breakwater, began loading as well. ¡°The ships have stopped! The boats are coming down!¡± The residents were finally relieved when they saw a blue flag being waved from the lighthouse located at the end of the breakwater. ¡°Are they foreign merchant ships?¡± ¡°They managed to make it through that many pirates? That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°Or maybe that¡¯s all that¡¯s left of them.¡± ¡°What if they are beggars asking us to save their colleagues from the pirates?¡± ¡°Then we can simply take their remaining ships as well. What¡¯s there to worry about? It will be hard for them to return anyway.¡± While the port buzzed with all sorts of speculations, a boat lowered from the largest ship slowly approached the port. ¡°I-it¡¯s a knight!¡± ¡°They¡¯re knights from the continent!¡± The people of the port became frightened when they saw Eugene standing at the front of the boat with several troops standing behind him. ¡°Are they dogs of the central church!?¡± ¡°They can¡¯t be holy knights, right?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to take care of them!¡± Their curiosity quickly transformed into hostility. Although Mungard managed to escape the fires of the crusade, it was by no means favorable toward knights from the continent. Squeak. Tap. Eugene stepped onto the pier once the boat stopped. ¡°I am Sir Rocca, the guard captain of Boros Wharf, elected with the consent of the mayor and the guild leaders of Mungard. Who might you be, sir?¡± Thanks to the deciphering ability he gained from consuming the red mana stone from the drake, Eugene could understand the words of any intelligent being. However, responding fluently in the same language was an entirely different manner, so Eugene glanced at Lanslo in response. ¡°This is Sir Jan Eugene, the lord of a territory belonging to the Carls Baggins Peninsula and an honorable knight receiving the support of Maren and Moffern,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°Maren and Moffern? That means you are coming from a city in the Kingdom of Caylor?¡± The guard captain asked. ¡°Yes. However, Maren and Moffern do not receive any influence from the royal family. They have no connections to the central church as well,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Sir Rocca looked over Eugene and the others with a suspicious gaze. Eugene searched his pockets and retrieved a yellow piece of parchment before handing it to Rocca. Lanslo quickly explained, ¡°You will see from the contents, but this is a letter from Lord Ortos Rodrick, the lord of the Rodrick Archipelago.¡± ¡°Huh?! The Rodrick Archipelago became occupied by pirates a long time ago. Could that mean¡­?¡± Rocca stuttered through his words. ¡°Sir Eugene liberated the Rodrick Archipelago. It is now under the rule of the new Lord Rodrick,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Rocca mumbled in disbelief while skimming the letter. However, the seal stamped next to the signature at the end of the letter truly belonged to the Rodrick family, if his memory served him right. ¡°Hmm. There aren¡¯t any problems with the contents of the letter and the seal. However, it is entirely possible that you threatened Lord Rodrick to write such a letter. As such, I will have to take you into custody and¡­¡± Sir Rocca started to speak. ¡°I brought. Monster by-products. Mayor of Mungard. I prepared a present. I will sell. Pirated goods. Cheap price.¡± Eugene interrupted him in raw, unpolished Brantian. Although it was not perfect by any means, he was able to convey his message. Rocca was taken aback. Fortunately, Brantian was quite similar to the kingdom¡¯s language in terms of words and grammar. It also wasn¡¯t too difficult to learn. Moreover, Eugene possessed the ability to decipher others¡¯ words, and as such, he could learn unfamiliar languages much faster than others. ¡°And I¡­¡± Eugene continued calmly while raising his visor, ¡°I cannot reveal my family name. I am a member of the Tribe of the Night.¡± ¡°V-vampire knight?¡± Rocca exclaimed with astonishment when he saw the sharp fangs jutting under Eugene¡¯s lips. *** The rest was history. Brantians absolutely despised the church of the continent, and as such, they warmly welcomed Eugene, who was a vampire that the church had labeled as the ¡®enemy.¡¯ In addition, the pier¡¯s atmosphere turned frantic once the boat carrying the by-products of the water dragon arrived from the Elion. As a port city, Mungard saw quite a bit of traffic in regards to the by-products of marine monsters, but no one had ever killed a water dragon in the past. Water dragons were comparable to drakes on land. ¡°Sir Eugene! We could make a fortune with this! Shall we put it up for auction?¡± The captain asked with his mouth agape, but Eugene shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t try to make too big a profit. It will be better to sell it at a reasonable price. This isn¡¯t the only time we will be trading in Mungard, right?¡± ¡°Ah! Of course. I understand.¡± The captain nodded. He quickly understood Eugene¡¯s words. It was clear that the mayor of Maren had personally chosen the captain due to his capabilities. As such, he sold the by-products fairly at a reasonable price to those that gave the highest offers among the merchants of Mungard. Moreover, the goods that were obtained from the pirates were sold in a similar fashion, and as a result, everyone began to see Eugene and the expedition in a more favorable light. With the current turn of events, a merchant ship from Moffern or Maren would have a much easier time in the future if they had connections with Eugene. In the end, Eugene was able to make thousands of silver coins and win over the hearts of the people only a few hours after arriving in Mungard. ¡°Where are you planning to spend the night, Sir Eugene?¡± Rocca asked. He had become much politer in the meantime. ¡°I don¡¯t know too much about Mungard. Nice place. Can you show me around? Sir Rocca?¡± Eugene responded in broken Brantian. ¡°Ah! Then what about an inn that my brother operates? During my grandfather¡¯s time, even the Starna royal family stayed there for a few days,¡± Rocca suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s do that,¡± Eugene answered without hesitation. He believed that a place run by the family of the guard captain would be reliable. However, less than ten minutes after departing for the inn, Eugene started to slightly regret his decision. *** Eugene was no longer curious to see a port city of a foreign nation. He could be considered eye-catching in the kingdom, but it was to an entirely new level in Mungard. Eugene felt as if he was a clown. Whisper! Whisper! All the passersby whispered while stealing glances at him when Eugene passed by with his men. At first, he did not know why he was attracting so much attention, but he finally understood now. ¡°There are very few people with plate mail, let alone plate armor,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°I told you earlier, right? Brantia is very poor. Something similar to what you are wearing, only the great nobles and royalties could possess such things in Brantia. In the first place, the skilled dwarven craftsmen would have headed to the empire or the kingdoms in the continent, not Brantia,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Hmm. But I thought the northern dwarves gifted these to the duchy, right? If they were that close, they must have visited Brantia quite a bit,¡± Eugene asked while tapping Wolfslaughter and Madarazika. Lanslo responded with a smirk. ¡°The northern dwarves may sell items, but they will not send anyone. Why do you think the emperors of the Roman Empire often attempted to subjugate the dwarves?¡± ¡°Is that so? Anyway, all of this feels a little burdensome,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°Haha! I don¡¯t think Sir Galfredik shares the same sentiment.¡± Lanslo boisterously laughed. Eugene¡¯s gaze headed toward Galfredik, who was following right behind Sir Rocca. Galfredik had his head held up high like a general, and it appeared that he was enjoying the attention. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be detrimental. It will be a hot topic that three knights armed in plate armor arrived from the continent and sold rare goods on the wharf,¡± Lanslo commented. ¡°And the fact that I revealed my identity as a vampire?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°In fact, that would probably be the biggest topic,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Hmm. I thought they would be at least a little scared. I was a little surprised by their reaction,¡± Eugene said. ¡°That is because most members of the Dark Clan in Brantia suck blood from slaves. The poor, impoverished ones sometimes commit murder, but so do humans. The same goes for the fact that if you commit murder and are caught, you¡¯ll receive the death penalty,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°So, it¡¯s not a problem even if you reveal your identity, as long as you drink blood legally?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Customs and laws vary between regions and cities, but they don¡¯t care too much unless you forcibly drink blood or kill others. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean that all vampires would reveal their identities,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Only those who are confident will, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. After all, although vampires are stronger than humans, they are weak to silver and sunlight. Revealing one¡¯s identity is an expression of confidence, a type of statement,¡± Lanslo explained. Perhaps only Origins like Eugene had the confidence to reveal their identities. ¡°Anyway, since you have revealed your identity as a member of the Dark Clan, Sir Eugene. The aristocratic society of Mungard must be in a frenzy. We may be faced with a flood of invitations starting this evening,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s partly why I revealed my identity as well,¡± Eugene answered. In a world where status and power determined many things, ¡®fame¡¯ played an extremely important factor as well. However, though Eugene was quite famous in the Caylor Kingdom, he was simply a nameless foreign knight in Brantia. Rumors were often spread by word of mouth through merchants and minstrels on the continent, but Brantia had little to no traffic from the continental merchants, and there was also no possibility of a minstrel passionate enough to cross the sea. As such, Eugene made a plan to establish his own reputation. He would first make use of the silver coins he gained from the royalists, as well as the by-products of the water dragon. Then, he would reveal his identity as a vampire knight. He would become known as an extremely rich, strong knight who was capable of hunting a giant sea monster. On top of that, he was also a member of the Dark Clan visiting Brantia and Mungard for the first time! ¡°It would be nice if the Dark Clan¡¯s nobles invited us,¡± Mirian commented. Would they find any Origins? And if so, how would they react and respond? Eugene¡¯s curiosity continued to simmer. CH 109 After putting away his things at the inn operated by Sir Rocca¡¯s younger brother, Eugene headed to the City Hall alongside Lanslo and Partec¡¯s group. Luke expressed his desire to follow Eugene, but he was forced to stay behind. The only ones capable of speaking Brantian were Luke and Lanslo, so each of them were required to stay with each of the groups as translators. ¡°By the way, Sir Eugene, where did you get that armor? Do all the knights possess such armor in the Kingdom of Caylor? How much would it cost to buy something like that?¡± Rocca asked. Although he could not be called an official knight, Rocca was still a knight that had been sworn in by the city. He appeared quite envious of Eugene¡¯s armor. ¡°My armor. It was a gift. From the mayor of Maren. To buy. One thousand silver coins?¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Rocca¡¯s jaws dropped with disbelief. It was an astonishingly large amount of money. Lanslo commented with a smile, ¡°It was probably a little cheaper because the mayor ordered it personally. Even on the continent, plate armor like this could go for much higher, since it¡¯s high in demand.¡± ¡°I-I see. Your armor is excellent as well, sir. How much would¡­?¡± Rocca asked cautiously. ¡°About three hundred silver coins in the Caylor Kingdom, so in Brantia, it would come out to about 30,000 cellings,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°...!¡± Rocca could not hide his shock. 30,000 cellings was indeed an enormous sum of money. He would have to save up for an entire year without spending a single coin to accumulate such an exorbitant sum. If he wanted to buy Eugene¡¯s armor, he would have to save up for about five years. But even if he did save up for five years, it wasn¡¯t clear whether he would qualify to buy such an armor. ¡®Is he from a prestigious noble family from the continent? No, I¡¯ve heard that the Kingdom of Caylor is clearly hostile to vampires¡­¡¯ Rocca was confused. However, come to think of it, it was likely that Eugene would earn hundreds of thousands of cellings from selling monster by-products and the goods he gained from the pirates, even if he was to sell them at a relatively low price. Eugene and his companions had demanded only a portion of their payments in cellings, so more than half was paid with silver and gold bars. ¡®He must be incredibly wealthy. Hmm¡­ some people may try to go after his money.¡¯ Rocca¡¯s predictions were on the mark. However, the one who was after Eugene¡¯s wealth was someone he would have never expected. *** Partec¡¯s men laid down a gift for the mayor of Mungard in the middle of the spacious office. The rather greasy-looking mayor greeted Eugene. ¡°First of all, I would like to say thank you for coming to visit our city. But may I ask what clan and family you come from?¡± ¡®How would I know?¡¯ Unfortunately, Eugene couldn¡¯t give such an answer. He responded to the mayor in a slow, but clear Brantian. ¡°It is my first time visiting Mungard. I hear that there are nobles of our tribe. If there are hostile clans. It won¡¯t be ideal.¡± ¡°Haha! So that¡¯s why. Let me tell you. There are two clans of families in Mungard. Markus and Graham, respectively. Have you heard of them?¡± the mayor asked. ¡°No. I have never heard of them,¡± Eugene said. Eugene only knew about four vampire clans, and that was from what he heard from Delmondo. There was no way he would know about families that existed in a foreign city. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s too bad. Both families make generous donations to our city every year. I was planning to show mercy if you had any relations with them,¡± the mayor responded ¡°Mercy?¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°It means that I would have only taken your money and let you live,¡± the mayor slowly said. Shing! Lanslo unsheathed his blade before the mayor finished his words. His hand had been resting on the grip of his sword. Simultaneously, the city¡¯s troops raised their crossbows, swords, and spears. All of them were standing with their backs against the wall. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Draw your weapons!¡± Partec and his men quickly pulled out their weapons before arranging into a formation. Eugene was dumbfounded. He had found it a little strange from the moment he entered the office. Even though he was an armed foreigner, there had been way too many soldiers stationed in the office. Regardless, he could not believe that a mayor of a city would be so blinded by greed as to act like this. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Brantia is terribly poor, and even knights and nobles are ignorant. However, I must admit. I never imagined that it would be to this degree,¡± Lanslo muttered in the kingdom¡¯s language. Eugene silently agreed. ¡°Mister mayor! What are you trying to do?!¡± Rocca shouted with confusion and anger. The mayor laughed mockingly before responding, ¡°What else? A wandering member of the Dark Clan with nowhere to go, and one with an enormous wealth to boot. We will be taking control of it. The Markus and Graham families have already approved of this as well.¡± ¡°This is insanity! What would happen to our city¡¯s honor and reputation if this spreads? We¡¯re dealing with Maren and Moffern¡­¡± Rocca started to shout. ¡°I don¡¯t care. What, do you think they will send an army to retaliate? Over the death of a few measly knights? No, it doesn¡¯t matter even if they come. Let them come, we will destroy them with my city¡¯s catapults and ballistae before they can even land. Do it!¡± At the mayor¡¯s shout, the soldiers pulled aside all the curtains that were blocking the walls and the windows. The afternoon sun quickly permeated the room, and a number of large silver plates on the wall sparkled as they reflected the light. ¡°You should have never revealed your identity as a member of the Tribe of Darkness. I cannot believe that there is a vampire as stupid as you. Hahaha. I appreciate it,¡± the mayor boisterously laughed. Sunlight and silver were fatal to vampires. Eugene had also suffered considerably from such weaknesses in his past life. However, that was a long time ago. ¡°Sir Rocca,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°I apologize, sir,¡± Rocca responded with a miserable expression. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be sorry about. But let me ask you a question,¡± Eugene said. ¡°...?¡± ¡°In this situation, what happens if I kill the mayor? Our laws. A knight is innocent if he is defending himself. Regardless of the situation,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hahaha! I take it back. You certainly are a member of that crafty tribe. Even in this situation, you¡¯re still trying to use trickery. Oi! Finish him!¡± the mayor shouted. At his instructions, the soldiers fired their crossbows. Ting! Ting! No one was able to stop the attacks, but Partec had already formed into a defensive formation with his men. They were able to deflect and block the projectiles with their shields and swords. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t able to avoid all the bolts, but the attacks were nullified by their solid armor. It was the same with Lanslo. He had been looking in the direction of the crossbows. As soon as the bolts left the crossbows, he curled up slightly while raising one arm in front of his head. There was no way that bolts fired from crude crossbows could penetrate Lanslo¡¯s plate armor. ¡°Eek! Leave the vampires for now and deal with the others first! The vampires won¡¯t be able to move anyway!¡± the mayor shouted. Uwaaaah! Around thirty troops rushed toward Lanslo and Partec¡¯s men. Even if a vampire was shrouded in heavy armor, it was common knowledge in Brantia that vampires could not exert their power in a place filled with sunlight and flashing silver. Therefore, vampire nobles who revealed their identities rarely headed to places unbeknownst to them. Even if they had to go, they would usually send a servant or a slave to inspect the room beforehand. However, the stupid foreigner had been na?ve enough to walk headfirst into a room in the middle of the day. As such, the mayor naturally assumed that it would be a piece of cake to simply deal with the three mercenaries and one knight before taking care of the vampire. Shuack! A black object sliced through the air with a loud shockwave, then passed straight through the mayor¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Kuagh?!¡± Boom! Craack! Madarazika buried itself in the wall behind the mayor after piercing his abdomen, creating dozens of web-like cracks in the wall. Thud! The mayor looked down at the spillage in his stomach with disbelief before collapsing forward. Ziiing! The spear pulled itself out of the wall almost simultaneously, then returned to its master¡¯s hand. ¡°...!¡± Everyone was stunned into silence by the sudden turn of events. Eugene held Madarazika in his left hand and Wolfslaughter in his right as he slowly walked forward. ¡°Hiek!¡± The troops retreated toward the windows with shock. Eugene raised his visor. The rays of the sun were making direct contact with his face, but he was unfazed. ¡°All the vampires in this place must be weak. Or perhaps¡­¡± Eugene paused. As the dazzling sunlight surrounded his figure, he gave an even more brilliant, stunning smile while revealing his fangs. ¡°...I¡¯m just too strong.¡± ¡°Kieeeeeeeek! Sir, you¡¯re so cool!¡± Mirian exclaimed. The slayer of orcs and slaughterer of wolves cried out with joy as they danced in the glittering sun. Crimson flowers bloomed splendidly around. *** Clack. Clack. Clatter. The sword could be called the shadow of a knight. However, Rocca¡¯s sword hung limply by his side as his teeth continued to clatter. The shock and fear stemming from an overwhelming force was something no one could imagine. It made humans completely and utterly helpless. ¡°Take this to stop the bleeding,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Partec and Glade hurriedly received mana stones from Eugene before stuffing them into their mouths. Although they had avoided fatal injuries, their injuries had exposed their bones, and they were bleeding from various places. In the past, they would have never had the chance to consume superior mana stones, let alone lay their eyes on one. However, their master generously provided them with such precious items. ¡°What shall we do now? This is the City Hall, after all, so there must be other troops. Should we kill them all?¡± ¡°I wonder if that will be necessary,¡± Eugene mumbled. ¡°...!¡± Rocca came to his senses and trembled as he felt Eugene¡¯s cold eyes heading toward him. ¡°Sir Rocca. My question earlier. What¡¯s your answer?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°...?!¡± ¡°Someone who tries to kill a knight. Killing them. What happens in Mungard?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Y-you would be innocent,¡± Rocca answered. ¡°Even if the opponent was the mayor?¡± Eugene asked once more. ¡°¡­yes,¡± Roca answered after a moment of contemplation. He had no choice but to unconditionally agree to Eugene¡¯s words in the current situation. Judging by the overwhelming display of force earlier, it would be difficult to guarantee a victory even if all the knights and soldiers of Mungard attacked, let alone the remaining soldiers in the City Hall. ¡®He must have personally killed the water dragon! I was a fool!¡¯ Rocca blamed himself for realizing the truth so late, but it wasn¡¯t his fault. No one in Brantia would have imagined that a vampire knight was responsible for hunting a large sea monster. ¡°Lanslo, relay my words,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Lanslo turned towards Rocca after listening to Eugene¡¯s words. Rocca was still shaking with fear. ¡°Sir Rocca, please take care of the mess. Sir Eugene would like to continue to trust in the honorable actions you displayed before this unfortunate incident. However, if you attempt to do anything similar¡­¡± Lanslo said. Rocca¡¯s gaze headed in the direction that Lanslo was pointing his blade towards. It looked as if he was possessed. ¡°Tomorrow morning, before sunrise, there will be no one left alive in Mungard¡¯s City Hall,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°...!¡± Rocca collapsed with immense shock. That was right. There were dozens of dismembered, torn bodies, and pools of blood in the room. However, the bright rays of the sun were still illuminating the room. Eugene was a vampire who could do such outrageous things in broad daylight. So what would happen when he regained his true strength at night? Clatter! Clack! Clack! Rocca¡¯s teeth continued clattering with fear and shock, and saliva ended up dripping from the side of his mouth. ¡°Ah, right,¡± Eugene muttered just as he was about to leave. Rocca jumped with fright. ¡°Hiek!¡± ¡°The mayor. Tried to kill me. Compensation. I want it,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°O-of course! We will pay!¡± Rocca responded. ¡°Good. And. Markus. Graham. Where are they? Sir Rocca?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-t-they¡­¡± Rocca immediately informed Eugene about the residences of Mungard¡¯s vampire nobles and where he might find them. *** ¡°The mayor is late to contact us.¡± ¡°That swine of a human. He couldn¡¯t possibly think of taking it all for himself, right?¡± ¡°No way. He might take his share, but he will hand over all the gold bars and the coins from the Caylor Kingdom.¡± ¡°And the armor and the weapons. It will be offered to Lord Markus, so no one should dare covet it.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± There were five figures, all skinny, and all dressed in silky clothes with a subtle gloss. Their sharp fangs were exposed. ¡°Anyway, the members of the tribes in the continent are so stupid. It took us so long to reveal our identity in Brantia, but they wasted no time in revealing their identity as soon as they arrived.¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious that they had let their guard down when they heard that our kind is not being persecuted in Brantia. I don¡¯t know if I should call it being na?ve or stupid.¡± ¡°It worked to our advantage, right?¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t think his lord or parent will come looking for us, right?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if they do. Lord Markus looks after our family, and he received the cold, noble blood of the Rivoles Clan. Daring to act against him wouldn¡¯t be simply going against our family. It would be akin to taking action against the entire clan.¡± ¡°Hoho! No one would start a war because of a stupid butler or a knight who intruded on another clan¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°Now, now. Let¡¯s not worry about useless things and drink. We should cleanse our mouths before feasting on the blood of the humans from the continent¡­ Hmm?!¡± The youngest vampire suddenly paused mid-toast and frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Sir Claven?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you¡­ feel that?¡± ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± ¡°T-this is weird. Why do I feel stinging on my skin?¡± ¡°...?¡± The other vampires looked puzzled. Booom! The wooden door was smashed to pieces with a loud explosion. Kuwuuugh!? The vampires immediately prepared themselves for battle. A figure shrouded in darkness appeared in their line of sight. ¡°There¡¯s only one who is capable of reacting to this much fear? Similar to Delmondo, I assume.¡± CH 110 Krrrr! Kyarr! The five vampires reacted by emitting threatening growls. Their eyes were glowing crimson like fierce flames, and saliva slowly dripped down their elongated fangs. Ordinary humans would have already lost their minds faced with the combined might of their fear. The vampires surrounded Eugene on all sides. Shing. Wolfslaughter revealed its slim figure from her sheathe. Krrr?! The eyes of the five vampires filled with great shock. They recognized the energy coming from the blade as belonging to silver crafted by the famous dwarven craftsmen of the north. ¡®How could a vampire be wielding silver¡­!?¡¯ They were reacting in a similar fashion to how Delmondo had reacted in the past. Eugene became convinced. The five vampires were comparable to Delmondo, or even weaker. Eugene allowed the boiling energy inside his body to manifest and flow freely. His Vampire Fear erupted in a sudden, fierce movement. Rumbleeeee! Eugene¡¯s Fear materialized in a wave of true, dark energy and swept through the room like lightning. The Fears of the five vampires could not hold a candle in front of Eugene¡¯s Fear. Kyaaaaaaaaaahhh!!! The five vampires screamed. They weren¡¯t simply faced with a being stronger than themselves, but a vast, impassable, overwhelming power. The vampires of the Markus family encountered the Fear that belonged to a pureblood, an Origin who stood at the apex of the blood-bound contract that all vampires were under. Nevertheless, they immediately came to a realization. The ¡®Fate of Blood,¡¯ which they were bound by, was even more profound than the ¡®Oath of Blood,¡¯ which was imprinted on their very souls as instincts. The Emperor of the Night¡ªOrigin. ¡°Y-y¡­ Your m¡­¡± Shuack! As soon as one of the vampires managed to open their lips, Wolfslaughter left behind a cold light. Thuud! Four heads fell in the blink of an eye. However, there was no blood. Only dark red smoke billowed from the headless stumps of the vampires. The only survivor¡ªa female vampire¡ªimmediately kowtowed as soon as the others were killed. Although the undead could not feel cold or hot, she felt her back slowly becoming drenched in sweat as she shouted with all her might. ¡°Please kill me! Us mere insects dared to act impudently toward the king!¡± ¡°Kieeekk?! King?! Sir, are you really a king?! Is that what this is?¡± Mirian shouted excitedly. Eugene was emitting an enormous energy. Originally, a lower spirit could never leave unscathed in the face of such power, but Mirian was freed from the enormous pressure due to her contract with Eugene. ¡°I will ask of you,¡± Eugene said. ¡°P-please, anything,¡± the vampire responded. ¡°The language of the Caylor Kingdom. Do you speak it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, I do,¡± the vampire affirmed. Eugene continued in the kingdom¡¯s language, ¡°Just a moment ago, you were speaking ¡®butlers¡¯ and ¡®knights.¡¯ Is that the hierarchy that exists among the vampires of Brantia?¡± The vampire didn¡¯t even ponder why he asked such a question. Alice Bohem, a knight of the Markus family, blabbered under the direction of her soul. ¡°In Brantia, members of the Dark Clan are divided into seven ranks. Slave, servant, knight, butler, banneret, lord, and high lord. My humble self is one of Lord Markus¡¯s four knights¡­¡± she explained. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ The information Eugene obtained from Alice, a female vampire knight, was similar to what he heard from Delmondo, but it was even more specific. First, among the four vampires he killed, three had been knights and one had been a butler. Butlers were direct subordinates or children of lords, and it was a position held by the most capable of the knights. Bannerets were knights under the direct control of high lords, and though they were lower than lords in rank, they were sometimes stronger than lords. However, high lords and lords could transform others into members of the Tribe of the Night by injecting their blood into others, while bannerets could not. ¡®So that¡¯s why only those who are at least lords could be called nobles.¡¯ ¡°¡­It is very rare for there to be only one clan in a city. Lord Markus is of the Rivoles clan, and Lord Graham is of the Helmond Clan¡­¡± Alice continued. However, Eugene raised his hand and stopped her. He had acquired quite a bit of important information. ¡°Stop. I will ask you another question.¡± ¡°Yes, great king,¡± Alice answered. ¡°The Rivoles Clan, which your Lord Markus belongs to. Is the head of that clan similar to me?¡± Eugene asked. Alice¡¯s pale face turned completely colorless at Eugene¡¯s question. She started pounding her head against the floor while giving an answer. ¡°This lowly servant has never even seen the high lord whom Lord Markus serves! Please forgive me for being unable to answer the question! I dare not say that I could possibly answer such a question!¡± Eugene was disappointed by her answer. He had hoped to possibly meet another Origin, but it appeared to be an impossible task to accomplish in Mungard. ¡°What is the relationship between your family and the Graham family?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s neither good nor bad. Essentially, we have a competitive relationship with each other,¡± Alice answered. In the end, it meant that vampires had a similar societal structure as human nobles and lords. Eugene said nonchalantly. ¡°Really? It seemed to me that you get along quite well considering that the mayor said that both of you conspired to kill me.¡± ¡°P-please kill me!¡± Thud! Thud! Thud! Alice shouted while pounding her head against the floor once more. ¡°Stop. Get up,¡± Eugene instructed. ¡°Yes, great king.¡± Alice struggled to prop herself up. Her forehead was covered in blood. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡®W-where are we going?¡¯ But Alice dared not ask. In fact, she couldn¡¯t even look Eugene in the eyes, and instead, she trembled with her head lowered. Thuck! Thuck! Eugene thrust Wolfslaughter into the hearts of the dead vampires. After their bodies had scattered into ashes, he turned toward Alice. ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s go. To your master.¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Alice quickly answered before leading the way. It never even occurred to her that she was betraying her master. The overwhelming presence she was faced with did not allow for such thoughts. *** ¡°Knight Bohem.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a little late.¡± The gatekeeper vampires bowed politely after seeing Alice. They were guarding the gates leading into the mansion which overlooked the entirety of Mungard. ¡°And who might this knight be?¡± One of the gatekeepers asked. Eugene looked no different from a human knight with his Fear hidden. The gatekeeper¡¯s transgression caused Alice to feel a sense of dread. ¡°How dare a mere servant! Shut up and open the door!¡± Alice shouted. ¡°I-I apologize, Knight Bohem,¡± the gatekeepers hurriedly apologized, as if to prove the strict bindings of the hierarchy. Alice turned her head slightly, then spoke to Eugene with a frightened, nervous expression. ¡°L-let¡¯s go in¡­¡± Eugene nodded lightly before crossing the gate into Lord Markus¡¯ mansion. The gatekeepers were quite surprised. They had never seen Alice acting so kindly to anyone before. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ A glint appeared in Eugene¡¯s eyes as he overlooked the servants. His five senses had been fully activated since before he arrived at the mansion, and he detected something unusual. Three of the four servants standing guard had almost no difference in their odors, while one of them was subtly different. However, Eugene feigned ignorance and followed Alice through the inner courtyard. ¡°Wow! I guess vampire lords must be rich! Look at this mansion,¡± Mirian chatted while looking around incessantly. Just as she said, the mansion of the vampire lord was very spacious and splendid. ¡®It seems even better than my castle.¡¯ Eugene felt a wave of subtle anger rising in his chest. At the same time, his anger toward Markus for daring to target him intensified. ¡°I will guide you personally.¡± Alice bowed deeply after arriving in front of the mansion¡¯s main door. She then opened the door. ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene frowned slightly before entering the mansion. ¡®The servant with the different smell left the gate.¡¯ Vampires possessed enhanced senses, but lower-ranked vampires could only utilize their heightened senses against other races or monsters. Alice could be considered to be on the cusp of intermediate rank as a ¡®knight,¡¯ but it appeared that she was oblivious to the disappearance of the servant, perhaps because of the extreme anxiety she had. ¡®This is interesting.¡¯ Eugene smiled coldly. Perhaps things would work out very easily. ¡°I will show you to Lord Markus.¡± *** Eugene followed Alice through a long hallway filled with all kinds of paintings and decorations. Finally, they arrived in front of Lord Markus¡¯ office. Thump! Thump! Alice knocked on the iron doorknob twice before opening the thick door without any difficulty. A man was seated in the office, which was lit by various lights. He jumped to his feet and raised his voice. ¡°Alice! Where have you been? Why are you so late? Where are the others¡­ Hmm? Who is that man?¡± A glimmer appeared in the man¡¯s eyes. He appeared to be in his mid-30s, and he was rather thin and of medium height. Fwoooosh! Eugene shot forward while erupting his Fear. ¡°Keugh¡­Agh!¡± The man attempted to retaliate by releasing his own Fear, but Eugene grabbed him by the collar and raised him into the air. Eugene kicked Markus¡¯ knee, and a dull thud announced the breaking of a bone. ¡°Kuwwwuuugh!¡± Markus howled in pain and fury. Simultaneously, a crimson energy began to engulf his figure. Eugene immediately realized what Markus was planning to do. ¡®Transformation?¡¯ The foreign vampire was about to utilize the same transformation ability Eugene had gained when he consumed the red mana stone he acquired from the giant bat monster. Eugene forced Markus to the floor and pulled him hard by the collar before whispering. ¡°You¡¯d better quit unless you want to die.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± As soon as Markus peered into the two glowing orbs of red inferno, the crimson energy that engulfed his body disappeared without a trace. At the same time, his body went limp as if he was a frog faced with a serpent. Eugene threw Markus onto the floor. The vampire seemed to have aged ten years in an instant. Markus looked up at Eugene with trembling eyes, then he barely forced himself to speak, ¡°I, a lowly servant scrounging the darkness of Rivoles! Greet the great king!¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! The vampire lord of Mungard, who ruled the city¡¯s darkness for over a hundred years, pounded his head against the floor with both his legs broken. *** ¡°I have committed a grave sin by not recognizing your honored presence. I plead guilty to eternal extinction,¡± Markus said while trembling. His head was still held against the floor and both his knees were smashed broken. Eugene looked down at Markus with interest. ¡®I was expecting more from a lord, but he¡¯s not even up to Galfredik¡¯s level.¡¯ Markus¡¯s Vampire Fear had fallen short of Eugene¡¯s expectations. However, Markus immediately started speaking in the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s language after their initial dialogue. It appeared that he was quite quick-witted. ¡°I am willing to call it a mistake since you didn¡¯t know who I was,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Your mercy is as wide as the sea, oh exalted one. Your lowly servant dares not express his gratitude, for I am unworthy,¡± Markus responded. ¡°It¡¯s quite unsightly, so fix your legs,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°I will obey your orders,¡± Markus replied before slowly connecting his broken bones. Then, he knelt on one knee. ¡°From what I heard, you were planning to kill me with a guy named Graham. Is that true?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Please kill me!¡± Markus shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you when I see fit, so just answer my questions,¡± Eugene said. ¡°T-that¡¯s right. Our lowly selves had been blinded by greed. Please, I deserve to suffer eternal damnation¡­¡± Markus stammered through his words. ¡°You wanted my armor and my sword, didn¡¯t you?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°P-please, kill m¡­¡± Markus started. ¡°If you say that one more time, I will really kill you,¡± Eugene interrupted. Markus immediately paused his desperate shouting and closed his mouth. Eugene looked down at him for a moment before slowly walking toward the windows. Click. The night''s cold air began to fill the room alongside his murderous intent. ¡°Mungard. Isn¡¯t it rather small for two families to share?¡± Eugene stated. ¡°F-forgive me. Your humble servant is having a hard time understanding,¡± Markus responded. ¡°Let me put it plainly. According to the rules of your clan, what are you supposed to do if a member of another clan attempts to kill you?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°According to the Covenant of Blood, I am supposed to protect myself and kill the opponent,¡± Markus answered. ¡°I see. But right now, I¡¯m keeping you alive, even though you tried to kill me. Furthermore¡­¡± Eugene paused before turning around. He looked over Markus and Alice before continuing. ¡°I might let you live once more. So, what does that mean?¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Markus flinched before slowly raising his head. Eugene¡¯s smile was as cold as the moonlight streaking through the window. ¡°It looks like the traitor of your family has brought those known as Graham.¡± CH 111 Markus shuddered with anger. He could vividly sense the Fear belonging to the vampires of the family. However, he did not dare reveal his fangs in front of a supreme monarch of the clan. ¡°So what will it be? Do you want me to spare you or not?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°If your revered self would be so kind as to consider¡­¡± Markus slowly responded. ¡°That¡¯s not the kind of answer I¡¯m looking for. If I let you live twice, what can you do for me?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°A-anything and everything you want¡­¡± Markus answered. ¡°Swear it on your name and the blood of your clan,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°I swear it on my name and the blood of Rivoles,¡± Markus declared. Vows of vampires were not to be taken lightly. However, the opponent was speculated to be at the very pinnacle of the vampires. No matter what the consequences of his oath may be, Markus firmly believed that the elders and the high lords of the clan would consider the gravity of his situation. Of course, Markus was also furious. He could not let himself be beaten by the Graham family in vain. ¡°Good. I will spare your lives once again,¡± Eugene spoke while revealing his fangs. Then, he turned toward the window. Markus and Alice looked up at Eugene¡¯s back with a nervous look. They were curious to see how the cruel, overwhelming monarch would annihilate the Graham family. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ The lord and the knight shared a perplexed glance while kowtowing side by side. Eugene was simply staring out the window without making a move. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ ¡°How would I know?¡¯ However, they didn¡¯t dare to ask. The two vampires could only stare up at Eugene¡¯s back with restless, worried eyes. ¡°It seems that he has arrived,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°...?¡¯ Alice became puzzled by Eugene¡¯s words, but Lord Markus suddenly shuddered with a shocked expression. ¡®What¡¯s wrong, Father?¡¯ Alice turned her gaze towards Markus, but her lord only stared at Eugene with a blank expression. No, rather, Markus¡¯ gaze was now fixated on the window. Alice soon understood why Markus was reacting as such. ¡®W-what is this?!¡¯ Alice felt goosebumps rising on her skin for the first time since she became a vampire. *** ¡°Lord Graham. All preparations have been made.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Lord Graham responded before pressing down his helmet. He was adorned in a red armor he had inherited from his father, the one responsible for turning him into a vampire. ¡°Today, we shall destroy the Markus family,¡± Lord Graham stated. His crimson eyes were glowing with anger and killing intent. When he first heard of the mayor¡¯s death, he assumed that he had mistakenly underestimated the status of the one who had crossed the seas. However, as soon as he heard that there were three knights and a butler from the Markus Clan who were missing, as well as the news of Alice entering the Markus'' family mansion with a human knight, he immediately came to a realization. Betrayal. The vampires of the Markus family must be trying to monopolize all the wealth after eliminating both Mungard¡¯s mayor, as well as the foreign vampire. Moreover, the human knight accompanying Alice into the Markus'' family mansion had been adorned in a foreign silver plate armor, which meant that the knight was with the foreign vampire. It appeared that the human knight had joined in on the betrayal. ¡®Both human and vampire alike. You dare to betray our trust because you¡¯re blinded by wealth? I should have expected this to happen!¡¯ If he had known that such a thing would happen, he would have shared an Oath of Blood with the Markus family to prevent such an outcome, even if it was only temporary. However, he had a simple reason for not having done so. It was all because he had also been planning to betray Lord Markus if there was a chance. Just like this¡­ He was incredibly envious of the enormous wealth and the precious armor that the vampire had brought over the sea. ¡°Now that most of the knights and the butler are absent, this is our chance. I will take care of Lord Markus, so take care of the Knight Bohem and the human knight¡­ Hmm?!¡± Lord Graham started giving orders before suddenly turning his head. ¡®What¡¯s wrong, my lord?¡± His butler and knights reflexively followed his gaze. Shuuuuack! Thuck! A sharp whistle was followed by the head of one of the knights splattering into pieces. Kuwugh?! The vampires were greatly shocked. Simultaneously, their fangs elongated. In the deep darkness, they could see a group of horses galloping towards them from far away. As the head of his family and the strongest vampire, Lord Graham was able to identify that a short spear was hanging from the spear-thrower of the knight at the forefront of the approaching group. ¡®A javelin?!¡¯ From so far away? More importantly, a single attack had caused one of his knights¡¯ heads to burst like a watermelon. However, Lord Graham¡¯s shock and doubt did not last very long. Fwooooosh! Another javelin left the knight¡¯s hand, which was followed by an ominous sound. ¡°How dare you! Kuwuuugh!¡± Graham¡¯s butler shouted before raising his iron shield and taking his position in front of his master. Vampires were much stronger than humans, and they mainly used wooden shields bordered with metal. The butler was confident that he would easily deflect the javelin. And just as he predicted, he did indeed deflect the javelin. Thuck! ¡°Kuwuugh?!¡± However, that was only after he flew back several meters. His shield was shattered along with the bones of his forearm and shoulder blade. ¡°...!¡± Both Lord Graham and his subordinates were taken aback by the inconceivable outcome. Kuwuuuuuugh! The roar of an Origin¡¯s sole vassal resounded, and the bodies and the souls of the vampires were immediately frozen in place. *** Markus and Alice were oblivious to the saliva dripping down their fangs as they blankly stared at the events occurring outside the window. The Graham family had settled down in Mungard more than thirty years ago, and ever since then, they had always been a thorn in the Markus family¡¯s flesh. However, they had just been literally ¡®massacred.¡¯ Most importantly, it was only done by two knights and five soldiers. Moreover, one of the knights was a member of the Dark Clan like themselves, but he had defeated all the knights, as well as Lord Graham himself. ¡®H-he¡¯s on the level of a high lord. No! Perhaps¡­¡¯ Markus could only blankly stare as he recalled the high lords of his clan. Although he had only encountered them twice, he was certain that the fear emitted by the overwhelming vampire knight, whom he no longer considered a simple knight, was clearly on par with or above a high lord¡¯s. ¡®Then that means¡­?¡¯ Markus had lived a long time as a family¡¯s lord. He immediately came to a realization. The cruel knight, who had just crushed Lord Graham¡¯s heart with his foot, was clearly a vassal of a monarch. ¡°Kieeeeek~! Vassal Gal! So strong! Mega strong! So cool, but so arrogant. Hmph, you only got to know Sir Eugene later than me. Kieeeagh!¡± Mirian started to rant, but Eugene flicked her off with his finger, then turned toward the two vampires before speaking. ¡°Oi. Are you done watching?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Both Markus and Alice answered as soon as Eugene¡¯s cold voice resonated from behind them. ¡°Do you know why they came here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-this foolish, trivial one knows not the¡­ Heuk!¡± Markus started to blabber whatever thoughts came to mind due to his nervousness. He paused, then suppressed his doubts while forcing himself to continue. ¡°I-I believe that the king has called them here to punish us for our insolence.¡± ¡°You know it well,¡± Eugene responded with a cold laugh. Just as Markus guessed, Eugene had called Galfredik and the others to the mansion with the intention of completely wiping out the Markus family, depending on the circumstances. ¡®I¡¯m glad I switched my armor with Lanslo.¡¯ It had been done to simply confuse the mansion¡¯s guards, but he never imagined that a spy from the Graham family would be in their midst. It only went to show how cunning and greedy the vampires of Mungard were. ¡°Consider yourself lucky. My vassal over there is not nearly as merciful or as patient as I am. Ah, well, you¡¯ve seen it for yourself already,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Markus and Alice answered frantically while repeatedly bowing their heads. Vampire nobles were close to immortal, and simply thinking about having their hearts pulled out from their chest while they were alive made their hairs stand on edge. ¡°Anyway, just like I promised, I spared your lives twice,¡± Eugene said. ¡°T-the heavenly mercy of the great king! This humble servant of Rivoles¡­¡± Markus started. ¡°Enough,¡± Eugene cut off his words before taking a seat on Markus¡¯ favorite chair. He continued after crossing his leg. ¡°It seems that we¡¯ll have to reconsider.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Sparing your lives twice is a different matter from allowing you to become the only vampire family in Mungard, right?¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Ah? Don''t tell me that it never crossed your mind?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°H-how could that be?¡± Markus hurriedly denied it. Eugene muttered while stroking his chin. ¡°I¡¯m a little disappointed. Hmm~ Perhaps I should leave my vassal in Mungard and have him watch over you¡­¡± ¡°Not at all! You are completely right! The words of the king are the justice and the truth!¡± Markus shouted while smashing his head against the floor. He could already imagine his heart being held in the hand of that dreadful vassal. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s take our time and discuss your future. As you know, the night is long,¡± Eugene stated. Vampires were known as the Tribe of the Night, the beloved race of the night. However, Markus and Alice wanted nothing more than to see the rays of the sun as soon as possible. *** ¡°What!? The mayor was murdered last night?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s ridiculous.¡± ¡°Who! Who was it?!¡± Similar to most cities, the guild leaders representing the various occupations stood at the top of the city¡¯s hierarchy. ¡°The culprit was¡­¡± The gazes of the guild leaders focused on Sir Roca, the sole witness of the previous night¡¯s bloodbath. ¡°It was Sir Graham and his men.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± The guild leaders were dumbfounded by the unexpected answer. The head of the vampire family had maintained a harmonious relationship with the City of Mungard for decades, so why would he suddenly kill the mayor? ¡°Nonsense! Although he was a member of the Dark Clan, Lord Graham was an honorable man!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! He always insisted on drawing the blood of slaves from foreign countries, and he even took the liberty of wiping out the roamers near the city. Why would such a nobleman commit such an atrocious act?!¡± ¡°Sir Roca! Tell us the truth!¡± The first ones to speak up were the guild leaders who had shared a close relationship with Graham. However, the other knights of the city also appeared rather suspicious of Sir Roca¡¯s words. Suddenly, the door opened, and a figure walked in. ¡°What? If it isn¡¯t Lord Markus?¡± ¡°Lord Markus, what brought you here at this hour¡­?¡± The nobles weren¡¯t able to hide their surprise. Even noble vampires rarely made their appearance during the day. ¡°It has been a while since I saw you all,¡± Markus said politely after taking off his wide-brimmed hat and his mask. He was also adorning a thick, black coat. ¡°I¡¯m sure many of you have already noticed why this old man took the risk of coming here at this hour.¡± Markus continued. Although he appeared to be in his mid-to-late 30s, the guild leaders knew very well that Markus had lived in Mungard for well over a hundred years by now. In addition, they were aware that Markus rarely moved about during the day. ¡°Everything Sir Roca said is true. The Graham family was involved in the murder of the mayor. I can swear on my cold blood,¡± Markus declared. ¡°Well, well!¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± The ones close to Graham fell back on their chairs while sighing. The old vampire lord had lived in the city for more than 100 years, and his words were worth their weight, especially when he swore on his ¡®cold blood.¡¯ ¡°This is how it all started. The mayor, alongside Lord Graham, was after Sir Jan Eugene¡¯s wealth and armor¡­¡± Markus recounted the incident in which he colluded with Lord Graham and the city¡¯s mayor with a miserable expression. A pledge on his cold blood? It didn¡¯t matter. Markus wasn¡¯t lying. Aside from the fact that he didn¡¯t mention one of the participants in the incident, everything he was saying was true. And the one responsible for ordering him to do so was¡­ ¡®Even his malevolence and craftiness reek of a sovereign¡¯s dignity.¡¯ The honorable vampire Lord Markus was simply following Eugene¡¯s orders. CH 112 ¡°Sir Eugene beat up the vampires?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m telling you! I don¡¯t know much Brantian, but I can understand that much. The pub owner at the wharf said¡­¡± For the majority of the Elion¡¯s crew, this was their first time visiting Brantia. The eyes of the sailors were filled with wonder and awe after hearing the words of an old, veteran sailor who had returned from buying food and water. ¡°Graham? Anyway, they must have committed a ton of evil deeds. Apparently, they were trying to hurt Sir Eugene by conspiring with the mayor, but Sir Eugene and the other knights stepped up and decapitated them.¡± The veteran sailor continued. Woaaaah¡­! ¡°What a bunch of insane bastards!¡± ¡°Exactly! What a bunch of cuckoos. Who did they think Sir Eugene was?¡± ¡°Maybe they were eager to die¡± That¡¯s right! That¡¯s right! The captain of the Elion felt his head throb as he listened to the sailors talking. - The sailors don¡¯t speak Brantian, and only a few landed in the harbor, so there won¡¯t be any problems. But Captain, you now know that I¡¯m a vampire, right? ¡®I never wanted to know such an outlandish truth!¡¯ The captain felt like crying, but he had nowhere to complain. Eugene was keeping him in check with the carrot and the stick. - If you tell the truth in Maren, the city will be thrown into chaos. The mayor will also be in quite a bit of trouble. Moreover, even though he trusts you, Captain, maybe he will try to keep your mouth shut. Maren¡¯s waters must be pretty cold by now, right? He recalled how Eugene spoke nonchalantly as if it were someone else¡¯s business. The captain felt a sudden chill as if he had been thrust into Maren¡¯s cold sea. - However. What if you only report the fact that I killed vampires in Brantia and took control of a harbor? Wouldn¡¯t the mayor¡¯s trust in you grow even further? Ah, perhaps he¡¯ll appoint you to head all the merchant ships that will travel back and forth between Mungard and Maren. Oh, you know I have a pretty strong say in these matters, right? When the captain recalled Eugene¡¯s following words, the chills quickly subsided, and wealth and honor seemed to glimmer right in front of his eyes instead. - And what if you get caught later? Captain. People are¡­ once the bet is escalated, they can¡¯t just walk away. Could you put forth all your money on a bet and then just walk away and forget about it? Without even opening your cards? Of course not! Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just one or two individuals, but rather two entire cities. Both Moffern and Maren were involved in the matter, and it wasn¡¯t just his own head on the line. The ship had sailed already, and it couldn¡¯t be overturned with just the captain¡¯s head alone. - Now, take this as a souvenir and evidence. Galfredik had stepped up at Eugene¡¯s words and held out around ten small boxes with a vicious smile. The boxes, which were now stored in the captain¡¯s quarters, contained the heads of dead vampires. The vampires had died in fear with their fangs clearly visible. - I don¡¯t expect to be revered as the defender of faith or anything. However, let¡¯s just say that I wouldn¡¯t want the central church to use my expedition as an excuse to start trouble with Moffern and Maren. I believe in you, captain. I believe in you. I believe in you. I believe in you¡­ Eugene¡¯s voice echoed in the captain¡¯s head. At that time, the voices of the sailors started to grow louder. ¡°Come to think of it, Sir Eugene converted an undead on the Carls Baggins Peninsula, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s what Partec¡¯s mercenaries had said!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene is the guardian of true faith. Would you not agree? Even the holy knights had no choice but to concede to Sir Eugene without saying a word!¡± ¡°Maybe the vampires of Brantia will start to repent because of Sir Eugene!¡± Uwahahahahahaha! A sudden thought came to the captain¡¯s mind as he listened to the stories and laughter of the sailors. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s it!¡± the captain shouted. ¡°What? Captain, what do you mean by that?¡± The navigator turned his head with a frown. The captain jerked his head towards the navigator before continuing. ¡°Listen carefully. Sir Eugene did not occupy Mungard.¡± ¡°Um¡­ w-well, o-okay?¡± the navigator responded. ¡°Instead, he crushed a vicious plan of Mungard¡¯s vampires. The guild leaders of the city were moved by his actions and opened the port to Sir Eugene,¡± the captain added. ¡°That¡¯s also true, but¡­¡± the navigator muttered. ¡°Oi! So Sir Eugene didn¡¯t take Brantia by force! He made them open their doors voluntarily! Do you understand?¡± the captain asked. ¡°W-well, we already know that,¡± the navigator responded. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Sir Eugene¡¯s honorable deeds and true chivalry allowed Mungard to open their doors to us. That¡¯s what everyone thinks already,¡± the navigator explained. ¡°¡­Ah, yes,¡± The captain answered despondently, then soon clenched his fist. That¡¯s right! He would also board the sailing ship! ¡°Weigh the anchor! Raise the sails! Get on the row! Boys! We¡¯re going home!¡± Ahoy! I am a sailor from Maren! Yahoo! Yahoo! Our mast is broken like the captain¡¯s leg! Yahoo! Yahoo! Blow, wind! Blow for Maren¡¯s Cape! A harbor full of gold and silver! We shout for! ¡°The Harbor of Mungard!¡± The captain shouted the last verse of a traditional song of Maren¡¯s sailors, which always changed depending on where the ship was arriving. The crew of the Elion began excitedly preparing for their return voyage, knowing well that each of them had earned a minimum of 100 silver coins. *** ¡°Please take good care of me, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°The same for me. I¡¯m just afraid of something like this recurring in the future.¡± ¡°Oh, my! No, I can promise you that it will never happen.¡± The former fabric and leather guild leader shook his head and waved his hands. He had succeeded the dead mayor as the new Mayor of Mungard. ¡°Anyway, regarding the promise that you would send all of the monster by-products from any evil lands you¡¯ll subjugate¡­¡± The new mayor started. ¡°I¡¯m a man of my word. If nothing else, I promise that all of the leather will be processed through Mungard,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ahh! Oh, my! Sir Eugene!¡± As soon as the guild leader was announced as the new mayor, Eugene received an apology and compensation from the city. Despite his greed, the previous mayor¡¯s wealth didn¡¯t amount to much. However, the Graham family had been in possession of quite a bit of money. Eugene had the choice of claiming all of the Graham family¡¯s wealth as a member of the Dark Clan, but he decided to take half and donate the rest to the city. In addition, he promised to process all of the by-products he gained from any evil lands in Brantia through Mungard in the future. And this was the result. ¡°It would have been a world of difference if there were only a few more knights as honorable as yourself on the continent. Now, now, please, drink,¡± the mayor said. ¡°I hear that quite often. But I only did my duty as a knight. I¡¯m flattered to know that you think so highly of me.¡± Eugene took up the mayor¡¯s toast with a smile. He stole a glance at the other guild leaders and Markus, who were looking at him, before slightly raising his voice. ¡°Then. From now. The flag with my crest. Those carrying it can come and go to Mungard? May I rest assured?¡± ¡°Whew! Naturally!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene is Mungard¡¯s friend. You have treated us with honor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Mungard isn¡¯t some rascal who would respond to your kindness with disrespect.¡± The guild leaders spoke up in unison. Of course, it was highly likely that only around half of them were being truthful, and that the rest were speaking out of fear and greed. However, no one denied the fact that Eugene had taken good care of Mungard, unlike any other knight. In addition, those gathered at the table knew that it wasn¡¯t an act of altruism, but rather a cooperative exchange of favors. ¡®What¡¯s good for the goose is good for the gander!¡¯ ¡®In any case, the city will make more profits because of that knight, right?¡¯ ¡®What if he¡¯s not just all talk? What if he really stabilizes the southern coast?¡¯ ¡®Then we can be comfortable regardless of who becomes king!¡¯ Brantia was an isolated country in general, but many different races were gathered in the port cities. Moreover, Brantia had been without a real king for a long time now, so no one really cared who ascended the throne. The guild leaders of Mungard simply wished for someone who would guarantee their interests, like Eugene, to ascend the throne of Brantia. ¡®But that would be a stretch, right?¡¯ ¡®It might be possible for him to become a count or a marquis, but it would be unprecedented for a foreigner and a member of the Dark Clan to become the king.¡¯ ¡®But what if he can gain a significant influence in the new royal family?¡¯ ¡®Whew~!¡¯ The new mayor and the guild leaders quickly calculated their possible gains, then raised their glasses with bright smiles on their faces. ¡°Then! Let us drink to the friendship between Sir Eugene and Mungard!¡± ¡°For friendship!¡± ¡°For Mungard and Sir Eugene!¡± Hahahahaha! There was a constant stream of laughter. Except for Lord Markus, who was forcing himself to smile. *** ¡°Who¡¯s in charge of purifying the mana stones here? The priests?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s correct. However, once you go inland, there are more wizards and sorcerers performing purification rather than priests,¡± Markus answered politely. Since it was just the two of them, he was on one knee and his head was held low. ¡°And who is doing the purification in Mungard?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well¡­ no one,¡± Markus answered. ¡°What? How come?¡± Eugene said. Eugene could not understand. Mana stones were the second most important resource for nobles and territories after food. Nobles would disregard even their own family and honor in front of the enormous profit they could make from mana stones and monster by-products. But there was no one in Mungard who purified mana stones? ¡°Well¡­ to tell the truth, there were some members of the Graham family who were gifted with magic. After the Graham family settled down in Mungard, they took care of purifying mana stones.¡± Markus explained. ¡°And before that? There must have been those who were responsible for the purification before the Graham family arrived,¡± Eugene asked. ¡°The first thing Lord Graham did after arriving in Mungard was to kill the orthodox priests¡­¡± Markus said. ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Eugene finally came to a complete understanding. He finally understood why Markus had allowed the Graham family to stay, and why several of the city¡¯s guild leaders had a close relationship with the Graham family. ¡°Tsk. I would have kept the purifiers alive if you had told me earlier,¡± Eugene said. ¡°It¡¯s this humble one¡¯s fault! Please k¡­¡± Markus shouted. ¡°If you ask me to kill you, I will kill you.¡± Eugene interrupted him. ¡°K¡­k-know that I will take responsibility and look for those capable of purifying mana stones,¡± Markus said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered as he looked down at Markus. ¡°Markus,¡± he called. ¡°Yes, my lord. Please speak,¡± Markus responded. ¡°How much did Graham charge to purify the mana stones?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°All of the mana stones were either low-grade or intermediate-grade, and he charged them 30% of the purchasing price,¡± Markus answered. ¡°What? So he was a complete swindler?¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°You are absolutely right,¡± Markus commented. ¡°Then that means everyone will be happy if we only charge 20% instead, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Markus answered. ¡°Then let¡¯s do that. You will be in charge of purifying mana stones from today on,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°I-I am eternally grateful for this opportunity, but my humble self is lacking in the ability to purify mana stones¡­¡± Markus stuttered. ¡°I have someone. She is a decent wizard, but I will lend her to your family for a while. Treat her well,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ohhh! My king!¡± Markus shouted with joy and raised his head. He had absolutely no doubts about Eugene''s words. Most wizards didn¡¯t have antagonistic relationships with vampires. Moreover, a wizard would be much preferable to the terrifying Origin or his vassal¡­ ¡°Ah, do you know about the Blood Shadow School? The wizard told me that she succeeds the Blood Shadow School. Well, I don¡¯t really know too much about it, but I heard that its founder was similar to me,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°...!¡± Blood Shadow. It was the name of a school that was known to only recognize vampires who were at least high lords as ¡®true members of the Dark Clan.¡¯ A drop of sweat flowed from Markus¡¯ forehead. ¡°Oh, and one more thing,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-yes! Please speak!¡± Markus hastily responded. ¡°Do you happen to know about the Batla Duchy? Do you know how to get there?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, indeed. If you would like some information regarding it¡­¡± ¡°Organize it and bring it right away. And a map to get there as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°As you wish. H-however, my king,¡± Markus called out. ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene said. ¡°With all due respect, the road to the Batla Duchy is extremely chaotic. I fear for your safety, my king,¡± Markus responded. ¡°That¡¯s not your concern. Why is it chaotic?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°The roads are rampant with robbers and bandits, and those who claimed to be knights are fighting for their own interests, disregarding their faith and honor. In particular, you must pass through Crawlmarine to get to the Batla Duchy, and¡­¡± ¡°Crawlmarine?¡± Eugene frowned after hearing a familiar name. Crawlmarine was definitely the name of the family that was responsible for Luke¡¯s participation in the war. CH 113 ¡°Me? Why?¡± Romari asked with disbelief. Eugene responded with a frown. ¡°Because we don¡¯t have anyone else capable of purifying mana stones. Besides, you don¡¯t like wandering around anyway, right? Well, if you¡¯d like, I can take you all over Brantia.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I think purifying mana stones will be a very rewarding job for me. If you will leave it to me, I won¡¯t disappoint you, Sir Eugene,¡± Romari answered with an immediate change of attitude. Eugene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good choice. I¡¯ve spoken to Markus and the merchant guild leader of the city, so you can get started tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes. Uh¡­ by the way, how much work will I have?¡± Romari asked. ¡°For now, 40 or 50 a day,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Romari said. She was doing her best to maintain a grim expression, even though she felt delighted. ¡°It will depend on the condition of the mana stones being brought in, but you will need to ensure that at least 30% of them are refined into high-rank mana stones,¡± Eugene added. ¡°I understand,¡± Romari answered. She was confident that it was still less than half a day¡¯s work. As such, she would be able to spend the rest of her time elsewhere. ¡®I-I¡¯ll finally be guaranteed some time to research and to take a break.¡¯ She felt like tearing up. It appeared heaven hadn¡¯t abandoned her, after all. Finally, she would see the light at the end of the tunnel¡­ However, Eugene¡¯s following words shattered her hopes and dreams. ¡°The number of mana stones will likely increase twofold or threefold in about a month.¡± ¡°What? W-why would that¡­¡± Romari muttered with disbelief. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We will have to clean up the area surrounding Mungard first, right? In particular, I¡¯m planning to focus on cleaning up the roads leading to the territories with the evil lands as soon as possible,¡± Eugene answered. Brantia was even worse off than the Carls Baggins Peninsula. Although the peninsula had been thrown into chaos and confusion after the detainment of the former marquis, the lords were still kept in check by the remaining forces of the Archivold family. But Brantia had devolved into a completely lawless land. After all, the throne had been deprived of a proper master for a long time. From the things Eugene had heard from Markus, there were apparently four self-proclaimed kings in Brantia, and their subordinate nobles were always at war with each other. In the unending turmoil and chaos, knights devolved into simple bandits while thieves gathered forces and proclaimed themselves to be lords. The pandemonium naturally brought along a restriction of movement. People could no longer travel without having to worry about their safety. Once upon a time, Mungard also maintained active trade with five or six families possessing evil lands, but now, there was only one left. ¡°Since we will be heading to the Batla Duchy anyways, I¡¯m planning to reconnect the routes leading to the territories with evil lands. Anyway, it should take a few months, so work hard. Ah, I thought that you might get bored by yourself, so I will be leaving Selena behind as your escort,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Romari answered in a dejected voice. ¡®How annoying!¡¯ However, she could not express her dissatisfaction with Eugene. Instead, Romari¡¯s negative emotions shifted to another target. ¡®Things wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this if it weren¡¯t for the muddy vampires living in this backwater town. We¡¯ll see how I deal with you.¡¯ Romari¡¯s lifeless eyes glinted with an evil light. She was completely determined to constantly torment those that were ultimately responsible for her situation. ¡°K-kiek?! I can feel an evil, ominous aura coming from the raccoon. D-don¡¯t tell me¡­ Has she finally devolved into a black wizard?¡± It was to the point where the spirit of desire expressed her astonishment. *** Eugene left Mungard alongside Galfredik, Lanslo, Luke, and Partec¡¯s group after stationing Romari and Selena at Markus¡¯ mansion. ¡°May the blessing of blood be with the steps of the great one. Please stay safe until the day I am in your presence once again.¡± Markus spoke politely with a deep bow. Although it was the middle of the day, Markus had insisted on following Eugene to see him off at the gate. Markus was completely covered in a coat, a hat, and even a mask. ¡°I¡¯m going to warn you just in case, but don¡¯t even try to bother my wizard or waste my fortune in my absence. Understood?¡± Eugene said. ¡°I-I would not dare. I will treat your property like my own blood, my king. Also, the wizard who succeeds the Blood Shadow School is a friend of the clan. In addition, since you have personally hired the wizard, I will put her safety before my own,¡± Markus hurriedly responded. ¡°And don¡¯t trouble my aide either. Well, I won¡¯t mind it if it¡¯s just a moderate amount of work,¡± Galfredik said with a grin. ¡°O-of course,¡± Markus replied while nodding desperately. As an Origin, Eugene was definitely out of his league. However, even Eugene¡¯s vassal caused Markus to erupt into fear with mere eye contact. The intimidation was even greater than when Markus had come to face with the clan¡¯s high lords in the past. As such, he was determined to protect Selena at all costs. ¡°Then I will be leaving. If ships arrive from Maren or Moffern, behave and give reasonable explanations about me. If my relationship with them turns sour, then I will make sure to hold you fully accountable,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Your humble servant will fulfill your orders by mobilizing everything I have. By the way, with all due respect¡­¡± Markus hesitated for a moment before continuing. ¡°If you encounter a member of the Rivoles Clan or the Helmond Clan¡­ About the current situation¡­ Could you¡­¡± ¡°I will take care of that. And if the members of the Helmond Clan come to harass you, feel free to sell me out. I¡¯ve already talked with Romari, so you can seek help from her as well,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°I am eternally grateful for your boundless mercy and consideration, my king!¡± Markus shouted while dropping to one knee. He felt as if a giant boulder had been removed from his shoulders. Vampires rarely ventured outside of their territory once they settled down, and as such, it was highly unlikely for a lord or a banneret of the Helmond Clan to make their way here. However, even if it happened, Markus now had a wizard of the Blood Shadow School to appeal in his stead regarding Eugene¡¯s existence. As such, he should not be held accountable. ¡®I-I¡¯m safe.¡¯ Although Markus had a bad habit of asking Eugene to kill him every time he made a mistake, his true desire was to live a longer, more comfortable life than anyone else. With Eugene¡¯s reassurance, he was finally able to attain peace of mind. Of course, he never imagined in his wildest dreams that his mental stability would soon come to collapse under the brunt assault of an irritated, tired wizard that had been forced into simple repetitive labor. *** Bang! A human head was ruthlessly crushed under a mace, and the limp body fell backward. A few more loud screams erupted in succession, and the noisy forest road soon regained its quiet. ¡°Why are there so many crazy bastards in this place?¡± Galfredik muttered while shaking off the blood and brain matter from his mace. Lanslo answered, ¡°If they sell all of our horse and equipment, they could easily earn hundreds of thousands of cellings. Even when compared to robbing an average village, they would earn dozens of times the profit by taking all of our possessions. It¡¯s worth a gamble for them.¡± ¡°Even so, we have three heavily armed knights, right? Besides, you mentioned earlier that even the equipment on those guys would be on par with knights here,¡± Galfredik said while pointing toward Luke and Partec¡¯s men. They were armed with chainmail and plate coats. Lanslo responded with a bitter smile. ¡°Whether they are bandits or mercenaries, thirty is quite a large number. It¡¯s a force enough to catch the eye of any lords. They would have never imagined that things would turn out this way.¡± The bandits, all of whom had been wiped out promptly, had been dressed in shabby leather armor, dull rusted spears, and swords, as well as simple wooden shields. It hadn¡¯t been just them either. Eugene¡¯s party had been attacked a total of three times while traveling for four days, and the attackers had been groups of 30 to 50 soldiers and bandits armed with extremely poor-quality weapons and armor. The type of equipment they used was similar in quality to the garbage worn by novice mercenaries on the continent. They were wielding sticks that one wouldn¡¯t even pay to use. Naturally, none of them possessed even a single crossbow, and there had been only a single person who had been armed with chainmail, and he had been the sole, self-proclaimed ¡®knight.¡¯ ¡°By chance, are the mercenaries and knights of Brantia unfamiliar with plate armor?¡± Eugen asked after leaving Luke to clean his weapon. Lanslo nodded. ¡°That¡¯s exactly right. Plate armor is extremely valuable here. Since there aren¡¯t many knights fighting in plate armor, not many people understand the defensive capabilities of plate armor. In addition, most would be ignorant as to how to fight against a knight armed in plate armor.¡± ¡°In other words, they are brave because they are ignorant,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Haha. I guess that¡¯s one way to put it,¡± Lanslo said. Lanslo¡¯s words were true. The various nations of the continent had greatly developed smelting and armor manufacturing technology. As such, most countries were up to standard in terms of technology and the quality of their armors. Naturally, the majority of those who lived and died by the blade were familiar with the greatness of plate armor, as well as the proper method of facing off against an opponent with plate armor. However, Brantia possessed poor technology, and sets of plate armor were extremely limited in number. As such, even a great number of knights had no idea how to deal with enemies wearing them. In Brantia, plate mail was considered the toughest armor. During the crusade, numerous disputes had been fought over plate mails and chain emails that were looted. ¡°Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Yes. Is it the same this time as well?¡± Eugene answered. Glade, Lavan, and Partec were scratching their heads with disappointed expressions. They had just finished searching the bodies of the bandits. ¡°Yes. There¡¯s nothing useful. Just dozens of silver coins. They were practically beggars,¡± Partec reported. ¡°Well, we killed quite a few of them during the last four days, so I¡¯m sure we¡¯ve secured a safe passage until this point. This should be enough.¡± Eugene made a decision. It was a pity that there was nothing to show for the massacres, but their primary objective had been to secure a safe passageway. As such, Eugene could only endure his disappointment. ¡°Master. Why don¡¯t we rest in a village today? The smell of blood is really getting to me,¡± Galfredik said. It was quite ironic that a vampire was feeling uncomfortable with the stench of blood. But even Eugene agreed with Galfredik. After his initial awakening, Eugene had only feasted on the blood of monsters that were at least intermediate-rank, and he had grown to possess a ¡®sophisticated palate.¡¯ ¡°Sure. Luke, let¡¯s head to the nearest village,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Luke shouted eagerly before intently observing the map. Then, he started in a direction without hesitation. ¡°Sir, should we leave the bodies behind?¡± Parted asked. Eugene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. The roamers who¡¯ve been following us will take care of them.¡± About ten minutes later¡­ Kekeke! Kyeeeeee! Keueueuek! A number of roamers slowly came out of hiding and crawled out of the forest. They immediately pounced on the corpses of the bandits and dragged them away. However, the number of roamers was unexpectedly high¡ªhigh enough to baffle Eugene who had already known that there were measly monsters following their tracks. Eugene had no idea, but thanks to the repeated massacres over the last four days, the ¡®great migration¡¯ of the local roamers had begun. *** ¡°Welcom¡­ Hieck!¡± The server boy started to eagerly greet the customers before freezing in place with shock. He started to hiccup. There were three knights completely covered in metal, not to mention other men who possessed unusual weapons and armor. It wasn¡¯t just the boy either. The guests of the filthy pub, which resembled a barn or a warehouse, turned to stare at the newcomers with disbelief in their eyes. ¡°A-an iron man?¡± ¡°I-is that human?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it heavy to walk around in something like that? Maybe he has monstrous strength.¡± The guests of the pub believed themselves to be discreetly murmuring amongst themselves, but Eugene could hear everything. It was certainly a response he had expected from the ignorant people of a poor country. ¡°The food and drinks will be served soon. There are even rooms with baths,¡± Lanslo said after returning from the counter. He looked around with a smirk before continuing. ¡°You will have to get accustomed to it. Remember how it was in a city like Mungard. You¡¯ll be receiving everyone¡¯s attention regardless of where we are in Brantia.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. It would be a relief if it ended with just gazes,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°That¡¯s true. Greed makes people foolish,¡± Lanslo stated with a bitter smile. He could see the greed overflowing in the expressions of several people in the pub. After a while, food and alcohol were served. With the exception of the two vampires, the group filled their stomachs. By the time the group retired to their rooms and prepared to wash themselves and take care of their equipment, a sudden disturbance came from the outside. Ding! Ding! Ding! ¡°Monsters! The monsters are coming! Ahhhh!¡± Uwaaaaah! Frightened screams accompanied the urgent rings like a disharmonious chorus. Eugene and his men quickly headed outside after arming themselves. The villagers were rushing into their homes and tightly locked their doors. About twenty vigilantes were lined up in front of the gate while holding exceedingly shabby weapons. ¡°S-sir knights! Please help us! If you protect us, we can offer you 6,000 cellings!¡± ¡°Please, save us! Please grace us with your chivalry!¡± The chief and the vigilante captain begged Eugene. Six thousand cellings was only a meager amount of money¡ªapproximately sixty silver coins of the Caylor Kingdom. However, it was likely a huge sum for the villagers. Eugene turned toward the two figures and asked in Brantian, ¡°Monster type. What is it? How many?¡± ¡°T-they are controlling strange wolves! It looked like there were more than fifty of them!¡± ¡°Wolves?¡± Eugene said. He was slightly puzzled. He himself had faced black wolves in the past, and he knew that although wolves traveled in groups, they usually didn¡¯t have more than ten members in a single pack. Even the largest packs would only have fifteen or sixteen wolves, so there was something strange about the fact that more than fifty wolves were traveling together. Awwoooooooo! The eerie cry of a wolf resounded. ¡°Kieek?! Sir, this isn¡¯t just a wolf! This, this¡­ I think it¡¯s a lycanthrope!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°The undine is correct. It would make sense for a lycanthrope to control such a large number of wolves,¡± Lanslo chimed in. Eugene unsheathed his sword. ¡°You will finally live up to your name.¡± The wolf-tearing sword glinted silver-gray as it slowly unveiled itself to the world. A few moments later, giant wolf-shaped monsters started jumping over the wooden fence surrounding the village. ¡°Kuhahaha! How exciting! This is my first time facing a lycanthrope! Come get it, you shitty mutts!¡± Galfredik shouted while drawing his longsword. However, something unexpected occurred. ¡°Kuhung! Who are you calling a dirty mutt, member of the Dark Clan?!¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± The wolf monster standing at the forefront of the group had spoken. Favorite CH 114 ¡°Kiek?! The lycanthrope is speaking!¡± Mirian shouted with shock. Eugene and Lanslo also had surprised expressions. Then, Lanslo asked as if he had thought of something. ¡°Are you a beowulf?¡± ¡°You have a good eye. What I would expect from someone born with the blood of the forest watchers,¡± the creature responded. The self-proclaimed ¡®beowulf¡¯ was grey overall with three lines of black fur that cut through the middle of his forehead. It appeared that he was the leader of the pack. ¡°Beowulf?¡± Eugene muttered with a frown. Lanslo responded in a low voice, ¡°They are a race that normally takes on human form. However, they are able to transform into a lycanthrope whenever they desire. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a transformed beowulf as well. I have only heard about them in stories.¡± ¡°Do not compare us with inferior beings like lycanthropes, knight born with the blood of the forest watchers,¡± the beowulf said. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been referred to as such. However, I was not born in the forest, and I have never watched over them either,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Hmph! That¡¯s what you would expect from a mongrel, I suppose.¡± The beowulf scoffed. Lanslo smiled after hearing the beowulf¡¯s words. However, his smile was unusually cold. Lanslo responded after slightly raising his favorite spear into the air. ¡°I have killed five or six lycanthropes with this spear before. Ah, well, they looked just like you. Maybe they were beowulfs instead?¡± ¡°You dare!¡± ¡°Kuwuuuuuuuugh!¡± ¡°Uagh!¡± ¡°Hieeeek!¡± The enraged group of beowulfs roared. The village chief and the vigilantes screamed and fell on their hips. Beowulf possessed a unique Fear, similar to vampires, and it was difficult for ordinary humans to withstand such energy. However, Eugene¡¯s group was unmoved. Although Lavan and Glade flinched slightly, the rest of the group glared at the group of wolves without moving an inch. The beowulfs were rather surprised by their reactions. ¡°Is it because you have a member of the Dark Clan? It seems none of you are ordinary humans.¡± ¡°Uncle! What use is there to waste any more words on those weaklings? Look, their fangs are as small as a rat¡¯s!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Wolfgan. Let¡¯s just tear them apart! Hundreds of roamers wrecked the mountains and the fields because of those bastards!¡± Krrrrrrr¡­! About a dozen beowulfs revealed their fangs in fury, and their subordinate wolves growled in response. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Eugene stepped forward. The one called Wolfgan answered with a glare, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the roamers were having a feast every night because of the corpses you left behind in your wake? It seems that it¡¯s not just your fangs, but your brains are tiny as well!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Kieeeeeeeeeek! That little punk-ass mutt! How dare he utter such words towards Sir Eugene! Kieeek! I¡¯ll have him steeped in a pot all the way from his ears to tail and boiled alive! You little bastard! You look like you would fuck a goblin!¡± Mirian hollered. Eugene could see that Mirian was genuinely angry from her unusual, ingenuine curses. Of course, Mirian wasn¡¯t the only one. A gruesome smile had appeared on Galfredik¡¯s hideous face, and Luke was red to the back of his neck. Partec¡¯s group was also on the verge of rushing at the beowulfs while grinding their teeth. However, none of them budged an inch. They obeyed Eugene¡¯s instructions to never attack without the order when faced with Brantia¡¯s aristocracy or other races. ¡°Kuhahaha! Let me correct myself again! It¡¯s not just your brains either, but your guts as well!¡± ¡°Look at him! A member of the Dark Clan is clad in a bunch of metal. You can see how weak and scared they really are!¡± ¡°Maye he can¡¯t even kill a single goblin if he doesn¡¯t have his metal!¡± Crahahahaha! The bizarre, unique laughter of the beowulfs echoed loudly. ¡°Oi,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Hmm? I guess you have enough courage to speak. Fine, let¡¯s hear it. What¡¯s your excuse for having done such a stupid thing?¡± Wolfgan spoke while folding his arms together. Eugene responded with a grin, ¡°You. Bunch of ignorant, stupid dogs. You must not know. Where I come from, only idiots insult knights. It means you are putting your head on the line. And. This is a saying as well.¡± Eugene¡¯s short and unique way of speaking in the Brantian language had a knack for making people very angry. ¡°What? You little rat fang¡­¡± The beowulfs started to rear once again. Eugene looked over the group of wolves before sheathing Wolfslaughter and taking out Madarazika. ¡°Disobedient mutts. Beating is the best answer.¡± Kwaaaaaaah! Shuack! Eugene shot forward like a spring while fully radiating his Fear. His black cape spread out behind him like the wings of a giant bat and then it followed behind Eugene after transforming into a long awl. Krr?! The beowulfs had beastly reflexes, and they immediately responded by taking on a defensive stance. Their yellow eyes flashed with lights. However, an Origin¡¯s Fear was akin to a large storm capable of leveling a mountain. It was simply impossible for them to overcome Eugene¡¯s Fear. Clang! Wolfgan froze on the spot, and the 50-kilogram iron rod hammered down on his head. ¡°Kuaagh!¡± Wolfgan slumped to his knees as he felt his very skull rattle. The other beowulfs showed their fangs and belatedly attempted to make their move. Kuwuuugh! However, they were petrified by the Origin¡¯s roar. It was a powerful sound capable of crushing powerful magic. Kwakwakwakwang! Eugene pummeled the 2-meter monsters without missing the chance. In terms of pure physical ability, beowulfs were above vampires. However, their bones were shattered and their limbs were forcibly twisted in bizarre ways when faced with a spear capable of killing ogres. Yip! Yap! The magnificent roar of the creatures could no longer be heard, and instead, only the pained howls of these mutts filled the place. Ten seconds later¡­ Eugene crippled all of the beowulfs in just ten seconds before turning toward Galfredik and Lanslo. ¡°Take care of the mutts that they brought.¡± ¡°Kuwuuuugh!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting!¡± With the two knights taking the lead, the rest of the group rushed toward the subordinate wolves of the beowulfs. Kkae-aeng! Yip! Yaff! Kung! Kung! ¡°Arrrrrrrgh! Shut up! I don¡¯t want to hear any more dogs barking!¡± The angry roar of the spirit made a perfect harmony in accordance with the cries of the dogs. *** ¡°Kuwuwuuuuuugh! Kuwuuuu!¡± ¡°K-ing! Kki-ing~¡± ¡°Oi. I thought I told you to keep your mouths shut.¡± The sad cries of the beowulfs died down in an instant. The beowulfs¡¯ injuries had recovered to some extent, thanks to the outstanding physique and resilience unique to their species. But Eugene¡¯s overwhelming fear suppressed both their bodies and minds, and their recovery progressed slower than usual. As such, the beowulfs still had broken limbs and shattered skulls as they kneeled in front of Eugene. ¡°So. The roamers were moving because of us?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­ right,¡± Wolfgan answered. As soon as he noticed Galfredik¡¯s glare, he immediately took on a polite tone. ¡°You punk. Funny little bastard. Why is that my responsibility?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­!?¡± Wolfgan felt dumbfounded, but he no longer dared to retort. He simply rolled his yellow eyes without responding. ¡°If it were you. The ones who attacked to kill. Should you just leave them alone?¡± Eugene asked once again. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You. If it were you, will you take care of the corpses of the ones who attacked you?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This is not my territory. Why do I have to care about it? Local roamers going wild...¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you need help? Then you should have asked for it. You little mutts. You insulted me, a knight. Is that the honor of the beowulfs of Perseus?¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± Wolfgan and the rest of the beowulfs dropped their heads in shame. They had been completely outclassed, and even their justification had been taken away. Of course, things had turned out like this because the opponent was a monstrous being. However, that was their fault as well. They were too arrogant and ignorant, which made them unable to properly gauge their opponent. ¡®I can¡¯t believe that there is such a monstrous being among the Tribe of the Night.¡¯ ¡®Even if the beowulf king came, could he be that vampire¡¯s match?¡¯ ¡®Where the hell did he come from?¡¯ All sorts of miscellaneous thoughts were going through the minds of the beowulfs. Eugene looked down at them before speaking in a cold voice, ¡°Mutts. Stop thinking so hard. Undo your transformation.¡± The beowulfs flinched before lifting their transformation one by one. The grey hairs scattered momentarily, their swollen muscles shrunk, and their canine heads also changed into human forms. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°How fascinating.¡± The faces of the beowulfs filled with shame as Eugene¡¯s group expressed wonder and shock. It was disgraceful for the beowulfs to display the process of their transformation to anyone outside of their race. They were a race born to battle, so the only time they reverted their transformation was when they had lost. And the majority of the time, such beowulfs ended up dead. Beowulfs considered dying in battle a warrior¡¯s honor. To be alive in front of their opponents in a devastated, defeated, naked form was nothing less than¡­ ¡°Uaggggggh! I would rather die! Uah! Argh! Arggggh!¡± One of the beowulfs jumped up while screaming, but then immediately fell to the ground with his hands covering his head. Thuck! Thuck! Thuck! Galfredik had approached the figure like lightning and started mercilessly pounding on his head with the handle of a mace. ¡°You scared me! You piece of shit! How dare you shake your hideous thing like that?!¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because they possess the blood of beasts, but their things are quite lively,¡± Lanslo said with wonder. ¡°T-that¡¯s true.¡± Partec nodded with an awkward expression. Although they had definitely won the battle, it felt like they had lost. ¡°Tsk. You shameless bastards.¡± Galfredik clapped his hands clean before taking his place behind Eugene once again. Eugene looked over the beowulfs that wore pathetic expressions. ¡°Hey. You. When you get held captive. What law do you follow?¡± ¡°We deal with it according to the laws of our race,¡± Wolfgan answered. ¡°I see. However, right now, you mutts are my prisoners. Then you should follow my law, right?¡± Eugene stated. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right,¡± Wolfgan answered with a worried expression. His eyes quivered as an unknown feeling of anxiety washed over him. Eugene grinned. ¡°I¡¯m going to your house. Ransom. I will need it.¡± *** Eugene left the village after receiving the sincere gratitude of the chief and the residents. Naturally, he didn¡¯t forget to instruct the villagers to notify the nearby lords of his deeds. Since Eugene had declined the rewards and even handed over the corpses of the wolves to the village at a cheap price, the chief groveled as if Eugene were his own lord. Eugene dressed the beowulfs in shabby clothes before having them lead him to their home. Proper roads were few and rare in Brantia, so the group ended up traveling through the woods and fields for two days, and whenever they came across rugged terrain, Eugene allowed the beowulfs to transform. Although the beowulfs had the chance of escaping when they were transformed, not a single one attempted to run away. In the first place, it would be impossible for all of them to escape unscathed, and Eugene had treated them better than they expected after leaving the village. Although vampires and beowulfs often had disputes and quarreled with each other, the two races stemmed from the same bloodline. The two races were like distant relatives. And after traveling with Eugene for a couple of days, the beowulfs began to see Eugene in a new light. Their bodies still ached when they recalled the harsh beating they had received from Eugene, but they had also never heard of a vampire treating beowulfs so well just as how Eugene was treating them. As such, by the time the group neared the beowulfs¡¯ residence, the Perseus Mountains, Wolfgan and the beowulfs had grown quite close to Eugene¡¯s party. However, they never imagined that the scheming, jet-black heart of the Origin Vampire was hidden underneath Eugene¡¯s kindness. ¡®It would be much better to make use of them compared to hiring Brantian mercenaries. In the first place, the mercenaries would be using shitty equipment and it would also be hard to communicate with them.¡¯ Of course, Eugene¡¯s decision was considerably influenced by an unexpected person. ¡°Hehehe. Leave it to me, Master. I¡¯m a natural when it comes to educating mutts, starting with the babies that Grandma Talula gave birth to.¡± ¡°Kieeeeekekeke! Oi, oi! Mutt master! I believe in you! Kiek! Kiek!¡± In many ways, it appeared that Eugene had made the right choice in taking Galfredik in as his vassal. CH 115 ¡°Your pack. Call it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°All right, Dark Lord,¡± Wolfgan answered before stretching his neck and uttering a long cry. During their trip together, he changed the way he addressed Eugene. Awwwoooooooooo~~!!! Vigor and strength could be felt in the resounding roar, and it echoed all the way through the wide fields and gentle hills to the Perseus Mountains in the distance. After uttering a few more cries that were calling his kind, Wolfgan turned his head. ¡°They will be here soon.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± However, soon passed, and no one came. Only a few beowulfs lived among humans and other races, and the majority of them lived in the wild. For them, ¡®soon¡¯ meant quite a long while. Eventually, after waiting for more than twenty minutes, Eugene could see a group of beowulfs coming toward them in the distance. They looked similar to Wolfgan in appearance. Gulp! Someone gulped without realizing it. There was nothing to be afraid of as long as Eugene was here. But the sight of about ten groups of beowulfs, each consisting of around seven to eight members, was definitely overwhelming and intimidating. It was a known fact that a group of two or three lycanthropes could hunt trolls without difficulties. A group of lycanthropes could kill an ogre. Moreover, lycanthropes were without intelligence, while beowulfs were capable of reason and thinking. It was only natural for ordinary humans to feel overwhelmed at the sight of more than a hundred of such monsters rushing toward them. ¡°Wolfgan! What¡¯s going on!? Are you out of your mind? Where do you think this is? You dare to bring a small fang?¡± ¡°Were you beaten up?¡± ¡°You fool! Are you asking for help after losing to a small fang?¡± ¡°If I were you, I would have died fighting! You¡¯re less than a mutt!¡± ¡°Have your teeth gone rotten? Why don¡¯t you just pull out your fangs?¡± Befitting their reputation as a battle-born race, the newly arrived beowulfs immediately poured out curses, reproach, and ridicule as soon as they saw Wolfgan¡¯s pack. ¡°Huh? You little rotten mutt, there you are!¡± ¡°Fucking little brat. You dare to seduce my sister when your tail hasn¡¯t even fully grown yet?¡± Some of the beowulfs, who were already on bad terms, suddenly started growling at each other before openly grabbing each other by the collar. It was truly a ridiculous scene. ¡°Kiehh¡­ What a mess. I guess you would expect a dogfight from mutts, anyway,¡± Mirian muttered. Eugene agreed wholeheartedly. ¡®Even if they are of the same race, it seems that there¡¯s no mercy when they become divided.¡¯ It was truly dumbfounding. The beowulfs completely shared the habit of living in small groups under a leader, just like regular wolves. Wolfgan appeared to be embarrassed, as well as angry at being cursed. He turned toward Eugene and spoke, ¡°Dark Lord. Like I said, our race is a bit¡­¡± ¡°I will take care of it,¡± Eugene responded. Even as the beowulfs scuffled among themselves, they continued to emit fierce killing intent toward Eugene¡¯s party. Eugene looked over them before raising his voice. ¡°Listen to me, beowulfs of Perseus.¡± The beowulfs started to murmur even before Eugene finished his first sentence. ¡°That cheeky little fang dares?¡± ¡°Does he have a death wish?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s let him talk. We should at least listen to what he has to say.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Wolfgan isn¡¯t some weak little mutt. Look at the way they¡¯ve been pummeled.¡± As members of a race capable of reason, the beowulfs were quick to recognize hints. A few were still ready to fight at a moment¡¯s notice, but the majority of beowulfs folded their arms or squatted in place to listen to Eugene¡¯s following words. ¡°There is a reason why Wolfgan, a member of the Perseus Beowulfs, has become like this¡­¡± Eugene calmly recounted the series of events. He didn¡¯t lie or exaggerate, and he only told nothing but the truth. Even Wolfgan¡¯s pack was surprised. ¡°¡­So, I¡¯m here to claim my ransom,¡± Eugene concluded. The beowulfs clamored once again. ¡°It was Wolfgan¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Yeah. We sent him because he gets along with the humans the best out of us.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it true that the hunting ground will be affected by such a large movement of roamers? The lords of humans may even blame us for it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They act all nice and good when we are helping them, but if anything happens, they will immediately push the blame onto us.¡± ¡®They¡¯re so simple.¡¯ Eugene came to a certain realization during the two days he had traveled with Wolfgan¡¯s pack and that was the fact that they were simple creatures. How could he put it? Although beowulfs were rough and loved fighting, to put it nicely, they were simple and na?ve. Their characteristic was made even clearer after they heard why Wolfgan had been chosen as a representative. He was the smartest of the Perseus Beowulfs, and he could communicate well with other races. ¡°I loved it when Lord Crawlmarine ruled! He knew how to properly treat a warrior. It was blazing hot back then.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like the eldest son who succeeded him, do you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t like? He¡¯s garbage!¡± ¡°We chased away those knights from the continent for him, but all he gave us was twenty cows. What a petty bastard!¡± The beowulfs busily chatted among themselves with no regard for the current situation, but thanks to their carelessness, Eugene obtained a very important piece of information. Boom! Eugene stamped his feet, and the beowulfs immediately turned their gazes towards him. ¡°The ransom. I am not done talking yet,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. But we have nothing to give, so what should we do?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just kill Wolfgan¡¯s pack? There¡¯s nothing else we can give for him.¡± ¡°Hey! He¡¯s still your cousin. We shouldn¡¯t just kill him off. Instead, let¡¯s help him, and maybe we can ask him to pull out one of his claws for us later.¡± The beowulfs started babbling. It was clear that they would never stop talking amongst themselves at this rate. As such, Eugene raised his voice. ¡°The ransom will be the equivalent of a knight for each beowulf. The price will be based on where I come from, though I will give you a huge bargain. There are nine altogether, and it will be 1,800 silver coins. 180,000 cellings. Give it to me.¡± ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± The beowulfs expressed their shock. Although they lived by themselves in the wild, it wasn¡¯t as if they were clueless about money. They would sometimes fight as mercenaries for human lords or head to human villages or cities to buy necessary goods. ¡°We don¡¯t have that much money. Just kill them.¡± ¡°What if we kill the little fangs instead? They look like they have a lot of money.¡± ¡°Since they were able to defeat Wolfgan, he must be at least a banneret. If we touch him, the clans will come in flocks and do all sorts of dirty, scummy things to us. Since we, the Perseus Beowulfs, are honorable. We should kill Wolfgan¡¯s group since they provoked them and lost.¡± The yellow eyes of Wolfgan¡¯s pack shook violently at the words of their kin. ¡°Brothers, relatives!¡± Wolfgan shouted with all his might. ¡°You were the ones who sent me to take care of the roamer problem, so you can¡¯t just tell me to die now! Although I made a mistake, all of you aren¡¯t free from responsibility either! The roamers are still out there! Someone will have to go out to take care of it!¡± Wolfgan continued. ¡°Khung! That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Then what should we do about this?¡± ¡°What else? Just let him pay with his life. We will pick someone else from the pack and¡­¡± ¡°I will take care of it!¡± Eugene interrupted the beowulfs with a shout mixed with a little bit of fear. The beowulfs jumped in surprise and observed him. Eugene quickly continued before anyone else could interrupt him. He felt as if he would stumble into insanity if he continued to converse with the crazy dogs any longer. ¡°The ransom of 180,000 cellings. Help me, instead. The Perseus Beowulfs. I will hire you.¡± ¡°Hoooh!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea!¡± The beowulfs showed interest. Eugene continued. ¡°Strong warriors. Give me about twenty of them. I will get rid of the ransom. I will treat them honorably like brothers. In addition...¡± Eugene paused for a moment. The beowulfs were staring at him as if they were possessed. Then, he continued and drove the final nail into the coffin. ¡°Crawlmarine. I will return it to normal. I am the Dark Lord. Jan Eugene!¡± *** The rest was history. The beowulfs became quite cooperative after hearing the title ¡°Dark Lord,¡± which was a title given to the high lords of vampires. Eugene didn¡¯t find it necessary to reveal his true identity as an Origin. Judging from the atmosphere, even if he revealed his status, it wouldn¡¯t cause a huge shock as it did with the vampires. Moreover, it was highly unlikely that the beowulfs would treat him any differently. Instead, the beowulfs were much more focused on Eugene¡¯s proposal rather than his status. - He would solve the problem with the roamers and clean up the mess on their hunting grounds. - He would eliminate the ransom of Wolfgan¡¯s pack and divide any spoils of the expedition fairly. - He would restore the harmonious, respectful relationship that the Perseus Beowulfs had with the Crawlmarine territory. - He would allow them to fight the strong figures of Brantia as much as they wanted. In particular, the last condition was decisive. Although the beowulfs liked to fight, they considered it dishonorable to pick a fight or harm others without reason. But that didn¡¯t mean they adhered to chivalry like human knights. They simply didn¡¯t fight without a ¡®price.¡¯ However, the territories around the Perseus Mountains were quite poor, so the only lord capable of hiring expensive mercenaries like the beowulfs had been the previous count of Crawlmarine. The beowulfs ended up fighting in the crusade, but once Count Crawlmarine died and his eldest son succeeded the territory, they were simply given twenty cows as compensation. The beowulf warriors ended up smashing the Crawlmarine territory up after the betrayal, and the relationship between the two groups significantly soured. Of course, the beowulfs had completely forgotten about the mess they caused in the Crawlmarine territory and only recalled the twenty cows. After the incident, the beowulfs had been suppressing their tempers by hunting at the edge of the mountain range, and as such, Eugene¡¯s proposal felt like the opportunity of their lifetime. The beowulfs chose to vote on the matter, and everyone came to a unanimous agreement. More than fifty members volunteered to go with Eugene. ¡°Each pack. Middle rank, come out,¡± Eugene spoke. Twelve beowulfs, male and female, stepped out like lightning. ¡°Galfredik,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kehehe! I¡¯ve been waiting.¡± Galfredik stepped forward with a grin. The beowulf warriors appeared a little puzzled. ¡°One small fang? What is he going to do?¡± ¡°What else? That man. If you win, I will take you,¡± Eugene responded. A murderous light appeared in the eyes of the beowulfs at Eugene¡¯s words. Galfredik picked up an iron mace in each hand. His physique was no less than the beowulfs. Then, he gave a vicious smile before speaking in Brantian. Although his words were clumsy, his meaning was clearly conveyed. ¡°Little mutts. One at a time, no. All together. Good.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°Come here, you little bastards. Woof, woof.¡± Galfredik continued. ¡°Puhahahahaha!¡± Lanslo burst into laughter, and the warriors of the Perseus Beowulfs rushed toward the Origin¡¯s vassal like rabid dogs. However, the beowulfs were simply too large for twelve of them to attack Galfredik all at once. Instead, three rushed at Galfredik from the front, and one jumped up into the air and swung his sharp claws at Galfredik. The claws of beowulfs were sharp enough to cut through chainmail, but Galfredik¡¯s mace was essentially a rod made from a pure block of iron. Kakakakang! Galfredik sidestepped in a beautiful motion and deflected the attacks of the beowulfs. Then, he directed his foot toward the scrotum of the one attacking from above. Thuck! Kakang! Galfredik ignored the desperate screams and brushed past the three warriors. He swung his mace toward the fighters who were standing at the back. The beowulf warriors instinctively sensed danger, but it was already too late. Galfredik wasn¡¯t an instinctive fighter like themselves, but instead, an engineer who had trained and studied how to effectively beat and kill his opponents, regardless of their race. With the addition of the power and the speed of a vampire, a one-sided beating was just a simple procedure for him. Dull thuds were accompanied by pained screams. Blood and grey hairs splashed and scattered. The warriors attempted to press him with force in desperation, but a real knight knew how to utilize their opponent¡¯s strength against them to skillfully counter. In the first place, Galfredik wasn¡¯t inferior to the beowulfs in strength as the vassal to an Origin. A blow after tripping them, a blow to the back of their head after pretending to block their claws, a blow to the abdomen after avoiding an attack. Three minutes later, twelve beowulf warriors whimpered on the ground with broken claws and fangs. They could recover fast, but they weren¡¯t immune to pain. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Galfredik took a big breath after taking off his helmet. He seemed quite exhausted, perhaps because he had fought without restraining himself. Clap! But Galfredik slapped himself hard to refresh himself, then gave a vicious smile toward the other beowulfs. The beowulfs were fixated in place, staring at the incredulous scene with disbelief. ¡°Disobedient mutts. Stick is the solution. I can beat you all day.¡± Wolfgan¡¯s pack and the other beowulfs shuddered after hearing Galfredik¡¯s words. The race born to battle had been overwhelmed in a battle. *** ¡°Wolfgan¡¯s pack. Thirty in all, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s right. Small fang. No, Dark Lord.¡± The oldest of the packs nodded. They had already reverted their transformation, and they were glancing at Eugene and Galfredik with unsettled gazes. ¡°Good. Then the basic contract will be for three months. Until then, no pay. Afterward, they will be treated as knights. We will share spoils. Objection?¡± Eugene stated. ¡°None.¡± ¡°Good. Then we will leave.¡± A total of thirty warriors, a mixture of male and female, followed behind Eugene, including some of the beowulfs who had been beaten like dogs by Galfredik, as well as some of the strongest warriors of each pack. Since their clothes would rip when they transformed, the beowulfs were dressed in ragged clothes. They looked quite pitiful. However, the remaining members of the Perseus Beowulfs could not say anything as they watched their siblings and children depart. ¡°No wonder Wolfgan¡¯s pack was destroyed. I have never seen a little fang that fights so well.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he stronger than the king?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve never seen the king.¡± ¡°At least they won¡¯t die with such strong little fangs by their sides.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s fine. Even if a warrior is killed in a battle, it¡¯s fate.¡± The strong would survive, and the weak would die. It was the fate of struggle carved into the souls of the beowulfs, so the remaining members of the packs waved goodbye after forgetting about the events from a little while ago. ¡°Have a good fight!¡± ¡°Make lots of money!¡± ¡°Bring beef when you return!¡± Ten days later, every large group of roamers between the Perseus Mountains and the Crawlmarine territories was destroyed and scattered. CH 116 ¡°Thank you, Sir Eugene. I feel relieved now.¡± The half-bald nobleman grinned while holding onto Eugene¡¯s hands. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Anyway. From now on, you will trade mana stones and monster by-products with Mungard,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°How could I say otherwise? It will be beneficial for me as well! Hahahaha!¡± The nobleman said with a hearty laugh. His name was Lord Rotner, and he was the lord of a territory with a small dungeon. Just like many other lords of Brantia, Rotner had neglected the suppression of the evil land in his territory due to the war and had been rather troubled because of the rapid increase in the number of roamers in his territory. However, Eugene and the group of beowulf warriors had annihilated the roamers, and he could now focus on the management of the dungeon in his territory. In addition, Eugene even subjugated the dungeon once on the condition of taking half of the mana stones and by-products obtained from the dungeon, which gave him some breathing room to set up a plan for the future. ¡°But you are certain that the road to Mungard is safe, right?¡± Lord Rotner asked. ¡°Of course. No roamers. Bandits. Most of them are dead. Take about 10 soldiers. You will get there safely. Mana stones, by-products, talk with the Mayor of Mungard and Lord Markus. Give them my name,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°I will do so. Thank you so much!¡± Lord Rotner nodded with a bright face. The only place he could sell the mana stones and monster by-products was Mungard anyway. Eugene and his group left the Rotner territory with a following of livestock¡ªthey had been paid one hundred sheep and pigs in return for subjugating the dungeon. *** ¡°This makes it two now, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad it worked out. Everything proceeded smoother than I expected. I had been worried that the lords would be stubborn and uncooperative, but it worked out surprisingly well,¡± Eugene responded. Although it was a pity that he did not encounter any high-ranking monsters to obtain red mana stones from, it was definitely good to have had success in subjugating evil lands with the support and cooperation of the lords. ¡°The war caused an increased number of bandits and robbers, which made it hard to even farm, let alone subjugate evil lands. I¡¯m sure they weren¡¯t in a position to reject our help.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The territories employed about fifty to seventy troops at most, and such force was insufficient to even properly defend the villages, let alone fight against bandits and roamers. However, it wasn¡¯t as if they could simply hire mercenaries either since Brantian mercenaries were lawless individuals who could turn into bandits at a moment¡¯s notice. As such, the lords had been forced to watch the situation worsen without being able to take action. However, Eugene and the beowulf warriors had solved both the problem of bandits and roamers at once, which ended this vicious, endless cycle. It allowed for normal activities to resume once again. For Lord Rotner, Eugene was like an angel sent from heaven. ¡°Please have a safe journey! I pray that you will be blessed with gold and silver that shines as bright as your honor!¡± Lord Ratner gave his farewell. ¡°Kiyaaah?! Such an angelic, invaluable advice! That man is extremely well-mannered and educated. Kihehe!¡± the spirit of desire shouted with a content smile. Eugene agreed with her as well. He very much preferred it than the way the nobles of the Caylor Kingdom spoke¡ªalways talking about God whenever they had the chance. In that sense, he was growing rather fond of Brantia. ¡°Hahaha. The more I see her, the more interesting she is,¡± Lanslo spoke with a chuckle while looking at Mirian. He continued. ¡°By the way, Sir Eugene. You will be earning money from the subjugations and from the purification of mana stones, as well as whenever ships come and go from Maren and Moffern.¡± Disposing of roamers and bandits in the nearby areas wasn¡¯t only to benefit the lords. Ultimately, Eugene was reaping the most out of his actions. In the first place, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered doing such cumbersome tasks without his own purpose. ¡°Kuhehehe! Don¡¯t forget about the spoils you¡¯ll get from flattening lords or nobles who try to pick a fight. That might be where the biggest profit will come from,¡± Galfredik spoke with a grin. Lanslo answered, ¡°Naturally. It¡¯s a knight¡¯s responsibility and destiny to prove his worth through combat. I believe in that path as well.¡± The two men laughed while sharing a gaze. Although the two were very different people, strangely enough, they were harmonious in this respect. No, perhaps they were just true to their foundation and essence as knights. Of course, Eugene was also a person who now considered himself a knight. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s head to the last territory. Was it called Pylon?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Hopefully the lord there will be as cooperative as the previous two,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°As long as they aren¡¯t stupid, they should notice that they haven¡¯t seen any bandits or roamers recently, right? If they won¡¯t acknowledge who they have to thank for that, we can just break their heads in,¡± Galfredik commented. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go so far. We can simply let them know that we won¡¯t allow them to purify any of their mana stones,¡± Lanslo replied. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Miss Romari is going to have more stress. Kuhahaha!¡± Galfredik chuckled once more. The beowulfs called out. Recently, they had been maintaining their transformed state. ¡°Dark Lord! We¡¯re hungry!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying¡ªFood first, Brantia second. Can¡¯t we eat before we go?¡± ¡°Ah! I want to eat meat!¡± ¡°Ehem! I don¡¯t really like salted meat, but it¡¯s still delicious when grilled.¡± Even Wolfgan, the most civil of the bunch, was sniffing the meat on the back of the warrior in front of him. Eugene sighed inwardly before nodding. ¡°Go ahead.¡± A meat party was held in the fields at midday, and unfortunately, this wasn¡¯t the last. *** ¡°How gluttonous,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°That¡¯s right! They aren¡¯t werewolves, they¡¯re just pigs!¡± Mirian agreed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s only natural. Both their physique and strength are the same as lycanthropes.¡± ¡°Even so, this is just¡­ The tail is wagging the dog.¡± Eugene and his companions had weary eyes as they watched the beowulfs eat. The beowulfs sat cramped in groups of five or six around campfires, ripping into morsels of meat that weren¡¯t even fully cooked. They were completely absorbed in eating, and they were devouring the food as if they were gluttonous pigs. Galfredik had a huge appetite before becoming a vampire and Partec¡¯s group had never been the ones to lose when it came to eating and drinking. However, the beowulfs¡¯ appetite was on an entirely different level. It was a relief that they only ate one meal a day, but each of their meals was three or four times the size that an adult male human would eat in an entire day. Moreover, the beowulfs insisted on eating only meat. ¡°What? Vegetables? Nah~ You can¡¯t use your strength if you eat that kind of crap!¡± ¡°If you tell the dark lord to suck a goblin¡¯s blood, would he? That¡¯s what eating vegetables is like for us.¡± Eugene didn¡¯t have much to say. He did suck on a goblin¡¯s blood in the past, but he had no intention of doing so now. ¡°Huh? They already ate more than half? Are they for real?¡± Galfredik exclaimed. Eugene¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®If I knew earlier that they would eat so much, I would have doubled, or even tripled their ransom.¡¯ Eugene regretted his complacency, but it was too late now. Luke, who had been glancing at Eugene, said cautiously, ¡°Excuse me, Master.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°We were able to make do with what we have received from Lord Rotner this time, but it¡¯s going to cost us a huge sum to feed them in the long run,¡± Luke said. ¡°This will be problematic since there will be even fewer farms with large numbers of livestock as we go further inland. And it¡¯s not like we can have them hunt freely as they did in the Perseus Mountains.¡± Lanslo chimed in. It was just as he said. The forest located at the end of the Perseus Mountains and the surrounding area was land given to the beowulfs by the preceding lord of Crawlmarine. It didn¡¯t matter what the beowulfs did in their own land. However, they couldn¡¯t hunt freely anymore. They would need about ten deer or wild boars every day to feed thirty beowulfs, but they could end up in a conflict with the owners of the lands if they hunted freely. ¡°Sir Eugene, don¡¯t you think we should hire a depot merchant?¡± Lanslo suggested. ¡°Mmhm.¡± Eugene nodded at Lanslo¡¯s suggestion. Even with a group of thirty to forty mercenaries, they would need to stop at a village at least once every three or four days to prevent any issues with supplies. Although there were only thirty of them, the beowulfs were equivalent to 100 mercenaries in terms of how much they ate. It would be better to travel with a merchant who could continue to supply them with necessities. ¡°Where is the largest town or city in the vicinity?¡± Eugene muttered while carefully looking over a map. Lanslo responded while pointing at a place. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just go straight to Crawlmarine? The castle-town should be fairly large since it¡¯s ruled by a count. There will be merchants who have direct dealings with the county as well.¡± ¡°Then what about the Pylon territory?¡± Galfredik asked. Eugene thought for a moment before answering, ¡°Even if Pylon¡¯s lord subjugates the evil land, he will have to take the mana stones and by-products to Mungard anyway. We could directly subjugate the evil land at any time, so it will be better to head to Crawlmarine for now as Lanslo said.¡± Eugene came to a decision before turning to the beowulfs. The pigs had finished eating half of the meat that they had received from Lord Rotner. ¡°If you¡¯re done inhaling your food, clean up. We will be departing straight away.¡± *** Wolves were known to follow their prey for days, and the beowulfs were similarly fast, resilient, and strong as well. Although Eugene and all of his companions were on horseback, the beowulfs were able to match their pace. The group traveled more than fifty kilometers in a single day, and they finally saw Crawlmarine, which was known as the land of rivers and lakes. ¡®When it comes to things like this, maybe they are worth their meals.¡¯ Eugene felt conflicted. Ordinary mercenaries could not possibly travel half of such a distance in a single day. In addition, he realized why not anyone could hire beowulfs as mercenaries. It was because although they were as efficient as knights, they were significantly more expensive. ¡°It¡¯s the land of Crawlmarine beyond the river, Master,¡± Luke said. He appeared a little excited, perhaps because he had never imagined that he would be able to return to his hometown ever again. ¡°Good. Can you lead the way from here on?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes! Leave it to me!¡± Luke answered. The geography wouldn¡¯t have changed significantly in just one or two years, so Luke took the lead and guided the group. About an hour after crossing the shallow river, Eugene¡¯s group climbed up a small hill and found about twenty troops traveling through the road under the hill. Most of them were regular infantry, but there were three knights wearing chainmail and riding horses. One of the knights had a red flag flying behind his saddle. ¡°Ah! Master! That¡¯s the flag of the Crawlmarine territory!¡± Luke shouted excitedly. He recognized the flag of the county he had served in the past. Just in time, the troops of the Crawlmarine territory spotted Eugene¡¯s group and started to talk among themselves. The beowulf arrived at Eugene¡¯s side belatedly, and the eyes of the Crawlmarine soldiers naturally headed toward the beowulfs. ¡°T-the creatures of destruction?!¡± ¡°The evil wolf bastards are here!¡± Uwaaaaaaah¡­! The soldiers fled like mad as soon as they saw the beowulfs. ¡°Huh? What the fuck are those idiots doing?¡± Galfredik said. Eugene was as dumbfounded as Galfredik. How could soldiers of a county choose to flee immediately when an unknown, armed force was entering their territory? ¡°Was it like this when you were here as well?¡± Eugene asked while looking at Luke. Luke responded with slight embarrassment, ¡°Yes. There were quite a few cowardly men.¡± Wolfgan and several of the beowulfs stepped forward without hiding their agitation. ¡°They¡¯re not just cowardly. They are trash who don¡¯t even know about a warrior''s pride!¡± ¡°Dark Lord, I told you, didn¡¯t I? We fought with our lives on the life for them, but they betrayed us and only gave us twenty cows!¡± ¡°But you made a mess in response, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I did, but we should have stomped on them even more back then. If it wasn¡¯t for the grace of the previous count, we would have just utterly destroyed everything,¡± Wolfgan answered. Eugene had a hunch after hearing the words of the beowulfs. In addition, judging by how Lanslo was sighing and shaking his head, it seemed that Lanslo was also thinking of something along the lines. Lanslo said, ¡°It probably wasn¡¯t a simple mess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking the same thing. Hey, Wolfgan,¡± Eugene answered before calling out. Wolfgan sauntered over, and Eugene asked him, ¡°The mess that the Perseus Beowulfs created. Tell me in detail.¡± Wolfgan shrugged before responding as if it were nothing. ¡°We smashed about half of the county¡¯s castle, and maybe about fifty of the soldiers and knights. Ah, and we killed all of the cows and sheep in the castle-town, but we only took twenty cows. We¡¯re not as cowardly and cheap as they are.¡± The beowulfs proudly raised their heads in response to Wolfgan¡¯s words. Certainly, their attitudes were far from cowardly and cheap. However¡­ Eugene finally understood why the soldiers had fled without hesitation as if they had seen the devil itself when they saw the beowulfs. Favorite NEXT CHAPTER CH 117 ¡°It might be harder to persuade them than I initially thought,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Could you possibly recover their relationship after they smashed apart the castle? Besides, they¡¯ve killed so many soldiers and knights. It seems irreversible to me,¡± Galfredik said. Wolfgan protested as if he had been falsely accused. ¡°We only destroyed half of the castle. We didn¡¯t even kill a single person. We simply broke a few bones and limbs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your excuse? And why did you kill the livestock?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s because the villagers were throwing a fit. We were angry,¡± Wolfgan responded. ¡°Fine. Then what about the villagers?¡± Eugene asked coldly. As if realizing that something was wrong, Wolfgan responded with a slightly timid expression. ¡°We did not hurt the villagers. Well, I have a feeling that a few buildings might have, maybe, could have been blown away in the chaos, but¡­¡± ¡°So, they destroyed the village as well,¡± Galfredik muttered. ¡°That¡¯s right. Besides, it¡¯s only been a few years, so it must still be fresh in everyone¡¯s minds,¡± Lanslo said while clicking his tongue. It was a complete mess. Eugene held back a sigh as he looked back at Wolfgan and the beowulfs. "From now on. You obey my orders. Whatever they say, whatever they do. Do nothing without my words.¡± ¡°Hmph. I understand.¡± ¡°First order. Turn into humans.¡± As soon as Eugene finished speaking, the beowulfs lifted their transformation. Since they had already transformed several times in front of Eugene¡¯s group, the beowulfs weren¡¯t very embarrassed even though they were almost naked. ¡°The count¡¯s castle. We will go,¡± Eugene declared. The warriors waddled behind Eugene¡¯s group in shabby, torn clothing. It was a very comical scene, but Eugene was unconcerned. His mind was full of worries about how to restore the relationship between the beowulfs and the Crawlmarine territory. ¡°What do you think? Do you have any ideas?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Eugene smacked his lips in response. ¡®They will have to make amends, but I don¡¯t think apologizing will solve anything. Those bastards won¡¯t apologize in the first place.¡¯ Then what about force? No, it was the worst method. Eugene¡¯s goal was to obtain the title of Batla¡¯s Duke. The Crawlmarine family was highly reputable and influential in the south of Brantia, so it would only cause harm if Eugene left the wrong impression on them. ¡°I¡¯ll have to see the count before I can do anything,¡± Eugene said while hurrying his horse. Simply thinking about it wasn¡¯t giving him any answers. *** ¡°Stop!¡± Eugene¡¯s group was interrupted at the entrance to the castle-town. A knight with chainmail covering his upper body and soldiers in crude, leather armor surrounded the group without hiding their anxiety and hostility. ¡°His Excellency Crawlmarine¡¯s village does not want a commotion! Especially those people! So go back to where you came from,¡± the guard captain shouted while glaring at the beowulfs. His hand rested on the pommel of his sword, ready to unsheathe the blade at a moment¡¯s notice. However, his hands were trembling ever-so-slightly, indicating his fear of the beowulfs. Eugene raised up his visor before speaking with the gentlest expression he could muster. ¡°I am Knight Jan Eugene. I have the support of the City of Mungard. Luke.¡± Luke quickly got off his horse and held out an object to the guard captain. It was an identification token that Mungard¡¯s mayor had created for Eugene. The mayor had boasted that it would be recognized mostly everywhere even by those who weren¡¯t literate since the crest of Mungard was quite famous. However, the captain took one look at the identification token before returning it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who you are supported by. Crawlmarine does not welcome outsiders, especially those who are armed. In particular, those people!¡± the guard captain shouted. ¡°Sir, sir. That man has said the same thing twice already,¡± Mirian whispered. Eugene felt regretful. He never expected it to be easy, but he couldn¡¯t believe that things would turn out like this from the get-go. Naturally, he could force the gate open. However, neither he nor Galfredik would be able to enter the village in that case. Vampires were forbidden from entering a village or buildings with walls and fences without explicit permission from a representative. An invisible force would repel them. And in this situation, the guard captain was sufficient to represent Crawlmarine. ¡®Hmm¡­ What should I do?¡¯ Eugene looked back at his group with a slight frown. One person caught his eye. ¡®Ah! That¡¯s right!¡¯ How could he have forgotten? Eugene was dumbfounded. He turned to the guard captain once again and spoke in a ¡®noble manner¡¯ as much as possible. ¡°I, Knight Jan Eugene. I have a deep connection with the honorable Crawlmarine family.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± the guard captain stuttered. Eugene continued while leading someone forward by the shoulders. ¡°This man. He knows the honor and the will of Crawlmarine. My aide. He is Luke Bosch.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°M-master?¡± Both the guard captain and Luke were surprised. No, rather, everyone was startled by Eugene¡¯s sudden words. ¡°Kieeeeeek! Using aide number two like this? Kyah! As expected, you always have a plan, don¡¯t you, sir?!¡± Mirian exclaimed. However, it wasn¡¯t a plan, but rather a hurried improvisation. ¡°Wow! I never even thought about this.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± However, judging by everyone¡¯s reaction, it seemed to be working rather well. Surely enough, the guard captain looked alternatingly at Eugene and Luke with a shocked expression. His eyes widened even further with surprise as he exclaimed. ¡°L-Luke Bosch?! Sir Bosch¡¯s illegitimate child? Weren¡¯t you dead?¡± ¡°Luke,¡± Eugene called out. Luke immediately came to his senses. He was very mature and intelligent compared to his peers, and he was able to recognize what Eugene wanted. He spoke in a calm, dignified manner. ¡°I fought bravely as a man of Crawlmarine, but I was captured by the knights of the central church. I was sold as a slave to a territory in the Kingdom of Caylor¡­¡± No one in Eugene¡¯s party had realized that Luke was so well-spoken until now. Luke recounted the story of how he was given to Eugene as a slave and how he came to return to Brantia as Eugene¡¯s aide. He dressed his words properly to add flavor to the story, and even the rest of the guards and the beowulfs crept up and started listening to his story. Even Partec and his men, as well as the spirit of desire, listened to Luke¡¯s story with great attention, even though they had been with Eugene together even before Luke joined. ¡°As such, Master lived out his chivalry and brilliant honor by taking me, a mere slave, as his aide. My master is a true knight, and he would like to give his greetings to Lord Crawlmarine since we happened to be in the vicinity. So, please show us your consideration.¡± Luke¡¯s long story came to an end. Eugene stole a glance at the guard captain¡¯s expression. Both his eyes and lips were quivering. It appeared that¡­ ¡°Crawlmarine welcomes the return of a proud son of the land! Sir Eugene, you are a true, chivalrous knight. And you all...¡± the guard captain said before turning his eyes toward the beowulfs. The beowulf warriors flinched. ¡°I will propose to the count an opportunity for you to apologize and to explain yourselves in honor of Sir Eugene¡¯s prestige. Open the gates! Welcome the return of the fellow of Crawlmarine and the honorable, merciful knight, as well as the others!¡± the guard captain shouted. Woaaaaah! The beowulf warriors had been watching with nervous expressions, and the guards had been sighing and shedding tears while listening to Luke¡¯s story. However, everyone cheered with one heart at the guard captain¡¯s shouts. *** ¡°Bosch? Sir Bosch¡¯s illegitimate son?¡± ¡°That is correct, my lord. Fortunately, he survived against the leaders of the central church, and he has now returned as the aide of a valiant, honorable knight who has the support of Mungard.¡± Ooohh¡­! The nobles of the county expressed their awe. The lingering scars of the war were still deeply etched in everyone¡¯s hearts. However, the son of Crawlmarine¡¯s knight had returned alive. Moreover, he had even become the aide of a skillful knight with a promising future. ¡°T-that is great! The holy spirits of Brantia and Crawlmarine must have been looking after him.¡± Count Lucas exclaimed. However, his thoughts were contrary to his bright expression and words. ¡®How did he come back alive? This is problematic.¡¯ ¡°Oh, there¡¯s just one more thing¡­¡± the guard captain said. ¡°What is it?¡± Count Lucas responded. ¡°Sir Jan Eugene brought the Perseus Beowulfs with him,¡± the guard captain answered. ¡°W-what!?¡± The count and the nobles jumped up in shock, and the guard captain hurriedly continued. ¡°I-I can explain¡­¡± The guard captain explained how the beowulfs had assisted Eugene in taking care of the bandits and roamers around the region in a desperate voice. In addition, he spoke of how they were here to give proper compensation and to apologize. ¡°Hmm! Since they are already here, there¡¯s no helping it,¡± Count Lucas said. ¡°Yes. And those rowdy bunch seemed to be very obedient to Sir Eugene¡¯s words. Why don¡¯t you give them a chance to explain themselves, my lord?¡± The guard captain suggested. ¡°Hmm.¡± Lucas frowned. ¡®Sir Bosch¡¯s son, and the beowulfs. Ah! Perhaps¡­¡¯ Count Lucas didn¡¯t think for too long. ¡°Bring them here. If it¡¯s a son of our land and a knight of honor, it will be worth meeting them even with those obscene creatures.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Lucas waited for a few minutes with a stern look on his face to hide his anxiousness. Eugene and the beowulfs walked into the hall in a straight line. Eugene carried his helmet on the side, and he gave his greetings on behalf of the group by placing his right hand on Wolfslaughter¡¯s guard and giving a light bow. ¡°I am Jan Eugene, the lord of the Eugene territory in the Carls Baggins Peninsula, a knight supported by Maren, Moffern, and Mungard, and an honorable friend of Marquis Archivold and Count Winslon,¡± Eugene said. His moderately-long obsidian hair and starry red eyes harmonized to create a very mysterious, elegant appearance. Moreover, his beauty was something that was uncommon amidst the rugged, thick men of Brantia, so the nobles couldn¡¯t help but express their admiration. ¡°What a beautiful knight.¡± ¡°How could such a handsome knight receive the support of three port cities? Exactly how skillful is he?¡± ¡°Look at the beautiful armor. I have never seen anything like it. He must be a considerably great knight to possess such an excellent piece of art.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Winslon one of the most prestigious nobles in the Kingdom of Caylor? Maybe the knight is his secret child or a lover?¡± It was common for nobles to have one or two lovers who were either men or women, so the nobles poured out compliments and envy regarding Eugene¡¯s appearance. ¡°And¡­¡± However, Eugene wasn¡¯t finished yet. The nobles stopped their murmuring and focused on Eugene once more. Paaaaa¡­ Eugene released a tiny bit of Fear and continued while revealing his fangs, ¡°I am a member of the Dark Clan from the continent.¡± Whoaaaaa! Even louder shouts of admiration filled the hall. The nobles weren¡¯t very surprised by the fact Eugene was a vampire since Brantia was a nation familiar with other races. However, the hall was currently filled with sunlight, and Eugene was revealing his face without any fear. It could only mean one thing. ¡°A daywalker?! He¡¯s a noble of the Dark Clan!¡± ¡°I have heard of them before, but this is the first time I¡¯m actually seeing one!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I knew it was weird that those dog-like thugs were being so obedient. A big shot has actually visited Crawlmarine!¡± Vampires capable of walking around in broad daylight were rare even in Brantia. Of course, that was why Eugene had revealed his identity. He had to solve the existing problems without resorting to force, and sometimes, status and identity could be just as effective as force. CH 118 ¡°Lord Crawlmarine?¡± ¡°Huh?! Ah, e-ehem!¡± Crawlmarine cleared his throat and came to his senses. He had been rather shocked by Eugene¡¯s true identity. ¡°I cannot believe that such a prestigious person has honored us by visiting my castle. I truly count it as a stroke of fortune for Crawlmarine. Sir Jan Eugene, welcome to Crawlmarine, the land of glory under the protection of the Spirit of the Lake,¡± Lucas said politely. Unlike the majority of nobles in Brantia, who were rather ignorant and rough, Lucas was rather well-spoken and noble-like. However, it was inevitable for him to be inferior to a high-ranking noble vampire with an outstanding appearance and was even armed with rare plate armor. Both Lucas and the other nobles of the castle felt this way. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Lucas mumbled inwardly. He maintained a dignified appearance on the outside while speaking, ¡°I have heard that you took in Sir Bosch¡¯s son as your aide. It¡¯s very fortunate, and I am grateful for it.¡± ¡°Luke Bosch knows the honor of Crawlmarine. He possesses the blood of a fine knight. I am also happy to have him as my aide,¡± Eugene responded. Although it was obviously flattery, the nobles continued nodding their heads with satisfaction as if they were the ones being complimented. ¡°Anyway, you stepped out for those uncivilized brutes?¡± Lucas said while turning his gaze to the beowulfs. ¡°...!¡± The eyebrows of the beowulfs wriggled in return. Boom! Eugene stomped on the floor before turning his head. ¡°Stay still.¡± The beowulfs was about to transform and cause a ruckus, but they immediately calmed down at Eugene¡¯s words. The nobles were both surprised and relieved. ¡®As expected, those beasts are helpless. It must be because they are distant relatives.¡¯ ¡®He has perfect control over the beowulfs. It will be easy to talk to him.¡¯ Eugene¡¯s following sentence was slow but it was spoken in a clear voice while receiving the expectant gazes of the nobles. ¡°Perseus Beowulfs. They will apologize to Crawlmarine. However, the money they were supposed to get. 300,000 cellings. I want it.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°How could you speak such nonsense!¡± As expected, the atmosphere immediately turned grim. Bang! Eugene once again stomped his foot, silencing the nobles before continuing. ¡°The damage they caused in the castle and the town. I will pay for it. Tell me.¡± ¡°Huh!¡± The nobles became startled and started to whisper among themselves. In other words, Eugene was asking for the money the beowulfs were supposed to receive for participating in the war, and that he would pay for all the damage caused by the beowulfs¡¯ rampage. ¡°I performed some calculations on my own regarding that matter.¡± A clear voice cut through the silence, and everyone¡¯s eyes shifted toward it. Lanslo stepped forward with his unique, charming smile. ¡°I have heard that the number of livestock that the beowulfs killed was about 200. Is that right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ that sounds about right.¡± The noble in charge of the castle¡¯s finances nodded after a short moment. ¡°In addition, I heard that three knights and forty soldiers were seriously injured. Is that correct?¡± Lanslo asked once again. ¡°That¡¯s right. 44 soldiers, to be exact,¡± the noble answered once more. ¡°The price of the livestock and the compensation for the injured should be about 320,000 cellings. I think that should be sufficient, would you not agree?¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°However, I heard that the fight caused some damage to the castle as well. As such, Sir Jan Eugene will pay a total of 400,000 cellings as compensation for all the damages, in addition to consolation money. If you subtract that 300,000 cellings owed to the beowulfs, that comes to exactly 100,000 cellings.¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°B-but¡­¡± The noble attempted to respond, but Partec took his chance and placed a small box on the ground. ¡°We have prepared it in Roman gold,¡± Partec said. Thuck! ¡°Kieeek!¡± ¡°Ohh¡­!¡± The eyes of the nobles were colored with greed when they saw the sparkling gold coins. Even the master of the castle, Lucas, forgot his dignity momentarily and jumped up with wide, shocked eyes. ¡®Gold is always better.¡¯ Even if they were equivalent in value, it was an unspoken fact that gold was much better than silver. In addition, judging by the reaction of the spirit of desire, who was the truest to her greed, the effect was guaranteed. Sure enough, the nobles reacted with enthusiasm. ¡°A-are gold coins supposed to shine like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen¡­ A-anyway, they are truly mesmerizing.¡± ¡°Kieeeek! It¡¯s definitely not a given! I¡­ I wiped them clean! All night long! I spat and I shat! To clean them to shine so brilliantly! Kieeeeek?! You bastard! Don¡¯t touch them with your filthy hands! You¡¯re going to stain them! Kieueeekhekuk! Back off!¡± Mirian threw a fit while rubbing herself against the gold coins, even though they would soon belong to someone else. Lanslo was the only one aside from Eugene, who was capable of properly seeing Mirian. He spoke while desperately holding back his laughter. ¡°What will you do? 100,000 cellings in the gold of the Roman Empire. Will you take it?¡± Lucas stared hard at the mound of coins with greedy eyes. Then, he shook himself awake and contemplated for a moment before looking at Eugene with a cautious expression. ¡°This may sound a little shameless, but if you do one thing for us, I will gladly agree to your suggestion, sir.¡± ¡°One thing?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I heard that you have encountered my soldiers earlier,¡± Lucas said. ¡°I have,¡± Eugene answered, not bothering to mention that they had run away with their tails between their legs. ¡°Ahem! They¡­ Their slightly dishonorable actions weren¡¯t only because they were afraid,¡± Lucas stated. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You must have seen it on your way here from Mungard. Brantia¡¯s security has deteriorated considerably. The fundamental reason for it is that we have not been able to properly subjugate our evil land for a long time. There are three or four times as many roamers as there were a few years ago.¡± Lucas explained. ¡°I understand. Crawlmarine. Same situation?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed to admit it, but yes. The vassals are having trouble mustering enough forces to protect even their own demesnes. There¡¯s even trouble going from village to village,¡± Lucas replied. ¡°By chance. Are you asking me to get rid of roamers?¡± Eugene asked with a frown. Until now, he had traveled along a set path from Mungard, so he only had to eliminate the roamers residing near the road. However, killing all the roamers on a territory as large as Crawlmarine was a completely different matter. It would take an enormous amount of time, and more importantly, it would be impossible with the troops he currently had. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to kill all the roamers in the territory. That is a problem for me, the Lord of Crawlmarine, to deal with. The only thing I dare to ask you is to take care of the most threatening of the roamers.¡± Lucas explained. ¡°Most threatening roamers?¡± Eugene asked. Lucas and the nobles of the castle all turned toward the Perseus Beowulfs at Eugene¡¯s question. ¡°Lycanthropes. My troops were only surprised to see your group because they mistook them for a group of lycanthropes.¡± *** Tap. Tap. It was early morning. Lucas and the nobles observed Eugene¡¯s group and the beowulfs as they left through the gate. ¡°My lord, are you sure it will be fine?¡± one of the nobles asked. Lucas responded with a bright smile, ¡°Hmm? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°The lycanthropes. Their numbers are one thing, but the place where they reside¡­¡± The noble continued. ¡°Ah, what are you so worried about? Sir Eugene is a high-ranking noble of the Dark Clan, right? Besides, there are thirty warriors of the Perseus Beowulfs. Such a force is enough to compete with hundreds of heavily armed cavalries, so there¡¯s no need to worry at all,¡± Lucas said reassuringly. ¡°That¡¯s true, but only when it¡¯s a battle in the open plains, right? However, the lycanthropes are hiding in Marine Forest, and Lake Crawl is also located in the forest,¡± the noble said. Another noble joined in as well. ¡°That¡¯s right. Shouldn¡¯t we at least explain to Sir Eugene what happened in that place?¡± ¡°And we should have let him know what happened to Sir Laplas of the Batla Duchy when he went to exterminate the lycanthropes¡­¡± ¡°Ehem! The brave warriors are departing to restore the honor of Crawlmarine! The least you could do is to pray for their victory!" Lucas rebuked the nobles. ¡°I-I made a mistake. Please forgive me.¡± ¡°I beg for your forgiveness, my lord.¡± The startled nobles hurriedly lowered their heads. ¡°Ehem! It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand your concerns, but we must fully trust in them. I believe that they will return to us with a victory,¡± Lucas said. ¡®I hope that they all die! No, at the very least, that man needs to die.¡¯ Contrary to his dignified expression, Lucas¡¯ eyes glistened with a nefarious light. His gaze was fixated on the back of a certain individual. It was Luke. ¡®You were very lucky, but it¡¯s over now. You must die for me, no, for the Bosch family. And take those filthy beasts with you to the afterlife.¡¯ Lucas had absolutely no intention of forgiving the beowulfs, although he was grateful for the gold coins. ¡®Those brainless scum! You forgot that I was one of the knights you attacked?!¡¯ The disgrace from the beating itself was one thing, but Lucas felt even more enraged knowing that the beowulfs had forgotten their blasphemous actions toward him. It hadn¡¯t even been five years or ten years, it had only been about a year! ¡®I would like to personally kill all of them, but the vampire nobleman and one or two of the knights might come back alive. Then I¡¯ll pretend to warmly comfort them. He will surely be touched by my generosity and swear himself to me. I will be killing two birds with one stone. Hahaha!¡¯ Lucas had to stop himself from laughing out loud when he imagined a rosy future of having such excellent knights under his command. Lucas, the Count of Crawlmarine, looked down at the fools leaving towards their death as his cheeks continued to quiver. *** ¡°Something was weird, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Definitely. He said that he would worry about us and he even thanked us, but his eyes were smiling,¡± Eugene answered with a cold expression while recalling the face of the young count from yesterday. ¡°I felt like he was up to something,¡± Lanslo commented. ¡°I agree with Sir Elf. Even I could tell that the runty count had other thoughts. His mouth was sticking out like a duck!¡± Mirian shouted excitedly. She had snuck inside Lucas Crawlmarine¡¯s room during the night under Eugene¡¯s orders. Unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t obtained any valuable information, but everyone¡¯s intuition was in harmony. ¡°Luke,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Luke answered. Since yesterday, the aide¡¯s eyes became confident along with his demeanor. Eugene asked, ¡±What do you know about Marine Forest, where the lycanthropes are located?¡± ¡°Not too much. As you know, the Crawlmarine territory is named after Marine Forest and Crawl Lake. The whole forest, including the lake, was bestowed to the ancestor of the county by the king at the time,¡± Luke answered. ¡°And since such a significant place was taken over by lycanthropes, we have to reclaim it. Is that right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. The county flourished over the years, and eventually, Crawl Forest was left alone as a hunting ground for the county. However, I heard that it still retained its significance because of history,¡± Luke answered. ¡°If it¡¯s such an important place, someone must have been protecting it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah, well. That¡¯s¡­ It was the Bosch family,¡± Luke responded. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Hooh?¡± Both Eugene and Lanslo expressed their surprise, and Luke continued in a calm voice, ¡°The Bosch family demesne is located fairly close to Crawl Forest. It is a small village with about forty households, and although they farm as well, the residents mainly rely on ranching and hunting to survive. The count would come to hunt two or three times a year, and Sir Bosch would personally guide him.¡± ¡°I see. So why did the count not mention anything about that? Would it not have been better to go to the Bosch family and ask for their cooperation?¡± Eugene asked. He simply couldn¡¯t understand why Lucas was handling things this way. But Luke seemed to have something in mind. ¡°I was actually wondering about that as well, but I stayed quiet yesterday since it wasn¡¯t my place to speak. Personally, I think¡­¡± Luke hesitated for a moment before continuing with a somber expression. ¡°I think something must have happened to the Bosch family. Crawl Forest is quite large and wide, but there are hundreds of roamers that are under the lycanthropes¡¯ control. It¡¯s likely that the Bosch family¡­¡± ¡°Kieeeeh. I feel bad for Aide Number Two,¡± Mirian whimpered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene could roughly guess the whole story. Although the forest was wide, the lycanthropes wouldn¡¯t simply stay in the forest. In the first place, he was certain that the count had only made the request to annihilate the lycanthropes because they were likely trying to expand their territory recently. ¡®Still, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more to it¡­¡¯ Eugene contemplated for a few moments before raising his head. It didn¡¯t matter. ¡®If there¡¯s a trap, I will crush it, and I will kill all who attack.¡¯ This was Brantia. He no longer had to care about his relationship with other lords and nobles. Therefore, if he had sufficient reason, Eugene was ready to strike to kill at any moment if it came to it, even if the opponent was a count or a king. Favorite CH 119 ¡°You guys,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the guides answered while groveling. They had been tasked by Count Lucas to lead Eugene¡¯s group to the forest. ¡°The way to Marine Forest. Right path. Are you sure?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°O-of course. This is the fastest and safest path to Marine Fores,¡± one of the guides answered. ¡°Hm.¡± Eugene gave a cold stare, and the guides quickly lowered their heads while trembling. ¡®There¡¯s something off about this.¡¯ At first glance, one could think of them as being nervous in front of a high-ranking noble, but Eugene noticed that something was different. The guides were simply too nervous and frightened. Moreover, their behavior had been persistent over the past two days. ¡°Quick and safe? Until now, we saw a group of roamers. Three times,¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-t-there are even more roamers on the other roads! I-I swear it, sir!¡± The guides bowed their heads while stuttering. Beads of sweat decorated their foreheads. Eugene looked down at them for a moment before turning his head. ¡°Luke.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Luke answered. Eugene purposefully spoke in the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s language, ¡°Are they guiding us properly?¡± ¡°It does feel as if we are taking a bit of a roundabout, but it is indeed the right path to Marine Forest,¡± Luke answered. ¡°Is that right? Did you see roamers this often when you used to live in the area?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No, not at all. Roamers never approached any armed forces to the point where they were visible,¡± Luke answered. However, Eugene¡¯s group had already encountered three groups of roamers during their journey. Each group of roamers had numbered around 40 to 50, and all of them had been low-ranking monsters. It was a force that would have been fatal to a group escorted by five or six ordinary mercenaries. ¡®It just doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯ Although their numbers weren¡¯t much, Eugene¡¯s group was a powerful unit that even an intermediate-ranking monster like a troll would avoid. Roamers would have learned to survive by adapting to the outside world, so it didn¡¯t make sense for Eugene to have encountered three groups of them until now. If this were the case, then there was only one possible answer. ¡®Are they purposely leading us to places that are teeming with monsters?¡¯ ¡°Oi,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, yes, sir,¡± the guides answered politely. They felt even more nervous after noticing that Eugene¡¯s tone had shifted. ¡°Stop. Get lost.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°What?¡± The guides were confused. ¡°From here. We will go on our own. Them too. Leave the food, get lost together. Now,¡± Eugene said coldly while pointing at the porters pulling carts filled with meat, and the guides became even more flustered. ¡°H-however, sir, the count instructed us to guide you to the vicinity of Marine Forest. If we return now, surely we would¡­¡± the guides hurriedly tried to explain. ¡°I said, get lost,¡± Eugene declared. Paaa! ¡°Hiek!¡± ¡°W-we¡¯re going! Let¡¯s go!¡± Eugene revealed a bit of his Fear, and the guides ran away in fear and confusion. The porters also realized the seriousness of the situation and threw away their luggage before running back the way they came from. ¡°What? Dark Lord, are you sending them away? What about the baggage?¡± Wolfgan said while approaching Eugene. ¡°Most of the food is meat. It¡¯s all for you beowulfs. So you will carry it,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah, right. Yeah, we will,¡± Wolfgan said with an awkward expression. Eugene turned around and spoke toward the group. ¡°Something was definitely strange. They sent us guides even though we have Luke and insisted that we go around because of the roamers.¡± ¡°Hmm. Should I pummel some of the guide bastards? I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll spill the beans if I break a few bones.¡± Galfredik snapped his knuckles while glaring at the guides hurrying back through the field. ¡°No. Leave them alone,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What if they return and say that you booted them, Master?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°They would think it even stranger if we came all this way without realizing that something was off.¡± Lanslo commented. ¡°Hmm. Well, I guess that¡¯s true as well.¡± Galfredik nodded before turning towards Eugene. ¡°So, what are you planning to do now?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°What else? We will have to leave it to the man who knows the area the best among us,¡± Eugene responded while turning his head. Everyone¡¯s gazes followed suit. ¡°Are you¡­ referring to me?¡± Luke said with a befuddled expression. ¡°Who else is there aside from you? And you should have often gone into the woods with your father, right? Don¡¯t tell me that you don¡¯t know the forest?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Not at all! I know it very well!¡± Luke replied vigorously. He had wandered through Marine Forest ever since he was young. It was no different from his own backyard. As such, it would not make sense for him to have lost his sense of direction after being absent for only a few years. ¡°Good. Take this,¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Luke politely held out his hands and received the object. It was the flag of the Black Dragon. ¡°Aide Luke Bosch. From here on, you will lead us,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°Master! I will defend the honor of your crest with all my heart, my body, and my soul!¡± Luke shouted with tears in his eyes. To be the flagbearer of one¡¯s lord was an extremely honorable role. ¡°Kieeek! Aide Number Two is advancing in life! What if he gets cocky? Hey! This flag? This crest? I made it! I did everything! Hmmm?!¡± the spirit of desire shouted with jealousy. Lanslo chuckled and Eugene hid his embarrassment as the group resumed their journey. *** Luke led the group using the shortest route while disregarding the presence of roamers. The group reached Marine Forest¡¯s entrance in less than half a day. As the western sky started to turn red, Eugene ordered the beowulfs to satisfy their hunger before entering the forest. However, Eugene insisted that they retained their human forms. ¡°Beowulfs. Even in human form. Will you have any problems at night?¡± Eugene asked. He knew that wolves were good hunters at night as well, but he asked just in case. Wolfgan responded with a blank expression. ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s not only the Dark Clan that is loved by the night. And did you forget what day it is today, Dark Lord?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Wolfgan grinned while pointing at the sky. ¡°It¡¯s a full moon tonight.¡± Craaaack! Crack! The muscles of the beowulf warriors started swelling with power and their overall physique grew slightly larger. In addition, a red energy began to swirl in their eyes, which were usually no different from humans. ¡°On a night with a full moon, we are stronger than the Dark Clan,¡± Wolfgan said proudly. ¡°Hoooh? Strong enough to fight me?¡± Galfredik asked in awkward Brantian. Wolfgan shook his head bitterly. ¡°Unfortunately, not to that degree.¡± ¡°Kekeke.¡± Galfredik giggled with a satisfied expression when he saw Wolfgan¡¯s look. Eugene stepped up. ¡°Hmm. Anyway. No need to worry, right? You won¡¯t be smelling like a wolf?¡± ¡°Naturally. But why are you having us enter like this? Would it not be better to be in our transformed state?¡± Wolfgan asked. ¡°Seven armed humans and thirty unarmed humans. Seven armed humans and thirty beowulfs. Which looks easier to handle?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go in,¡± Eugene said. Eugene¡¯s party and the beowulfs entered the forest. The cold moonlight leaked through the canopy of the forest, which exuded a damp, dreary atmosphere. Their destination was the center of the forest¡ªCrawl Lake, where many animals gathered for the lycanthropes to prey on. Luke possessed excellent night vision for a human, and he led the group through a path where their movements were unrestricted. Eugene expanded his Fear to detect any movement of life within a radius of 200 meters as he followed behind Luke. Less than ten minutes after entering the forest, Eugene muttered quietly, ¡°They are coming. It worked.¡± ¡°Oh. Lycanthropes? Are there any others?¡± ¡°How many are there?¡± Galfredik and Lanslo asked. Eugene unsheathed Wolfslaughter and clutched Madarazika with his other hand before giving a short answer. ¡°There¡¯s a shit ton.¡± Kyawwwwwooo! Kyawwoo! As soon as Eugene finished his words, malicious roars resonated throughout the forest. The sounds were slightly different from the beowulfs¡¯ strong, heavy roars. ¡°Galfredik!¡± Eugene shouted. Galfredik turned his head and shouted at the beowulfs, ¡°Mutts! What we practiced! Do it!¡± Kuwuuugh! The beowulf warriors instantly grew two or three times bigger and formed groups of three. Galfredik, who was the self-proclaimed best trainer of mutts, had trained the beowulfs over the past few days to form charge formations. Kuwuuuuuuuughhh! The cry of two vampires and beowulf fighters caused the entire forest to tremble. However¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Awooo?¡± Eugene, Galfredik, and the beowulfs paused at the same time. They were capable of detecting the presence of monsters by smell. ¡°Master?¡± ¡°Sirs! What¡¯s going on?¡± Luke and Partec asked with confusion. Eugene shared a dumbfounded gaze with the others before immediately striking the reins of his horse. ¡°The monsters are running away! Follow me!¡± The lycanthropes had reigned over Marine Forest for several years with hundreds of roamers under their command. Moreover, lycanthropes would gain enormous power during a full moon, just like the beowulfs. Even so, the roar of an Origin and the beowulfs had been so great that it caused the lycanthropes to freeze over. It had instilled great fear inside the lycanthropes. Kuwuuuuugh! Kyaaooooo! Kieeeeeeeeek! Uwaaaaaaah! The forest was filled with the spirited roars of various creatures, as well as a strange cry. A great chase took place in the moonlit forest. The vampires and beowulfs radiated their Fear as if they were competing with each other, and every creature of Marine Forest was filled with terror. Wherever the warm breaths and burning crimson eyes passed by, the branches would be broken, and the bushes fell flat as if to worship these demons. The eyes of the creatures were filled with the anticipation of slaughter. Meanwhile, Eugene¡¯s Fear continued to rake through large sections of the forest, and he eventually detected the fleeing lycanthropes. ¡°Krrr!¡± Eugene took a deep breath on top of the shaking saddle, then drew himself back to the fullest like a bowstring. Ziiing! Madarazika resonated in response to the fear of its master as if it were eager to taste blood, and Eugene released the object that would one day make its name known as the Demon Spear of Darkness. Kwarararararara! Madarazika shot through the dark, disorderly forest in a straight line, tearing apart anything that dared to stand in its path. The black meteor even exceeded the speed of arrows fired by elves, and it found its mark as it penetrated the back of a fleeing lycanthrope. Boom! No, rather, it detonated the creature. Only the lower half and the head of the creature were left as blood dyed the creature¡¯s surroundings like a waterfall. However, the Demon Spear of Darkness was still flying through the air. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boooooooom! Madarazika turned as many as ten lycanthropes into meat piles before eventually getting stuck in a giant tree. However, it hadn¡¯t finished its job yet. Tutututu! The master¡¯s stallion belatedly followed behind Madarazika¡¯s trajectory, and the spear gladly answered its master¡¯s call. Crack! Fwooosh! Eugene recovered the spear before quickly loading it in the spear-thrower once more. It was then¡­ Kuwuuuuuuuuuugh!!! Neighhh! Silion reared on his hind legs with shock as an intense cry ripped through the forest. ¡°¡­!?¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes. Silion had always fulfilled Eugene¡¯s orders regardless of the situation, except when he had been faced with griffons. The thundering roar was a problem. Eugene had only faced a single being that conveyed such an intense feeling with its roar in the past. Kuwwwwuuuuuuugh!!! The creature was openly denying Eugene¡¯s Fear and provoking him with its roar. It was very similar to that of the undead, twin-headed ogre. ¡®Was this why you sent us here?¡¯ Eugene came to understand why Lucas Crawlmarine¡¯s eyes had glowed with a devious light. A cold smile appeared around Eugene¡¯s lips. CH 120 ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Sir Bosch. I apologize for visiting you so suddenly,¡± Lucas Crawlmarine said. ¡°Not at all. I am simply disappointed that I could not have prepared a better reception for you, my lord.¡± A man in his 30s responded while bowing his head. His name was Calburn Bosch. He was a knight of the Crawlmarine family, and he had become the new lord of Bosch last year in his dead father¡¯s stead. ¡°Anyway, I have something urgent I need to discuss with you. Is that okay?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Calburn answered before glancing at the other members of the Bosch family. They gave a polite bow before leaving. As soon as the door closed, the dignified expression of the two figures disappeared. ¡°What brings you here, Your Excellency? Didn¡¯t you say a year ago that you would never come visiting?¡± Calburn said. ¡°Do you really think that I came here because I wanted to, Calburn? There was no other choice,¡± Lucas answered. On the afternoon of the day Eugene departed for Marine Forest, Lucas left for the Bosch territory along with about a dozen knights and soldiers, and instead of taking the same path as Eugene, he took a secured, direct path without any roamers. In the end, Count Lucas left later than Eugene, but arrived at the Bosch territory at around the same time. ¡°What do you mean you couldn¡¯t help it? What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± Calburn asked with a worried expression. ¡°He came back alive,¡± Lucas answered. ¡°What? Who are you talking about?¡± Calburn asked. ¡°Luke,¡± Lucas said. ¡°Lu¡­ke? Heup!¡± Calburn gasped and his eyes filled with shock. ¡°Moreover, he came back as an aide to a high-ranking vampire nobleman of the continent¡ªa knight who has territory in the Caylor Kingdom,¡± Lucas explained. ¡°Y-Your Excellency! T-then what should we¡­¡± Calburn stuttered without being able to hide his shock. Lucas responded with a grin, ¡°Who do you think I am? I¡¯ve already taken appropriate measures.¡± ¡°What? Appropriate measures¡­? Like¡­what?¡± Calburn asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± A crooked smile appeared on Lucas¡¯ face as he recounted the events from a few days ago. As he continued to explain, Calburn¡¯s expression gradually loosened. ¡°As I have expected from you, my lord. If it¡¯s the monster of Marine Forest, even a high-ranking vampire will be helpless.¡± ¡°Haha. He might survive since he¡¯s a bigshot of the Dark Clan, but the other knights and those bastards from the Perseus Mountains will likely die or be severely crippled in the aftermath,¡± Lucas muttered. ¡°And the same will go for that dirty bastard?¡± Calburn asked. ¡°Dirty? Isn¡¯t that too harsh? Whose blood flows in Luke¡¯s veins? Are you calling me dirty as well?¡± Luca said with a frown. ¡°Ah! T-that¡¯s not what I meant. I was referring to his mother¡­¡± Calburn hurriedly explained. ¡°Half of his blood came from my father. Did you really never suspect why he was the most talented of your siblings?¡± Lucas asked. Calburn¡¯s expression hardened in an instant, and he bowed his head while biting his lips. ¡°It was a slip of the tongue. I apologize,¡± Calburn said. Lucas glared at Calburn¡¯s crown for a moment, then grinned before slowly leaning against the back of his chair. ¡°Anyway, my plan will ensure that he won¡¯t survive Marine Forest, so don¡¯t worry. However, you must protect me as well if something similar happens, sir.¡± ¡°I understand, my lord. I appreciate your deep consideration,¡± Calburn responded while raising his head. Lucas offered a silver glass of wine before speaking, ¡°Remember. Our secret must be taken to the grave.¡± ¡°Of course. I will keep my mouth shut until the day I die. For both you, and for me,¡± Calburn answered. Clang. The two people bumped their glass before gulping down the wine with a smile. However, neither figure¡¯s eyes reflected their smiles. *** Kuwuuuuuuugh!!! The beowulfs roared loudly as they tore apart the lycanthropes. The unintelligent counterparts were only slightly smaller than the beowulfs. Originally, the two forces would have been on par with each other, and although both the beowulfs and the lycanthropes were strengthened under the full moon, a unilateral slaughter was taking place in Marine Forest. The reason behind the overwhelming disparity between the two groups was because of Galfredik, whom the beowulfs referred to as the ¡®dark knight.¡¯ ¡°Uwuuuugh!¡± Galfredik shouted while wielding a battleaxe. His eyes were dyed even redder than usual, and he was emanating fear without restraint. As a result, the monsters surrounding him were weakened. This made it easier for the beowulf warriors, as well as Luke and Partec¡¯s group, to deal with the monsters. It wasn¡¯t just Galfredik who provided great assistance to the four humans either. ¡°Everyone! Take one mana stone each!¡± Lanslo shouted while stabbing and swinging his long spear. The four humans started to feel exhausted after fighting for more than ten minutes at full force. Shuack! The tip of Lanslo¡¯s spear contained silver, and it painted strokes of silver under the moonlight as the lycanthropes fell with pained cries. An ordinary knight would have had trouble facing even a single lycanthrope. However, Lanslo had inherited the blood of an elf. He brilliantly employed various techniques of his family with agile, energetic movements. His eyes accurately grasped the vital points of the lycanthropes, even though the creatures moved faster than any beast. The spear techniques of his family, which had been honed over hundreds of years, also allowed him to strike the vital points of the monsters without failure. The long claws of the lycanthropes occasionally made contact with his body, but the solid defenses of his plate armor and his fast movements allowed him to nullify the blows to minimize the damage. While Lanslo fought splendidly and fiercely, the four men recovered by consuming superior-grade mana stones and promptly returned to battle. A few minutes later¡­ Hundreds of lycanthropes and roamers lay unmoving on the blood-soaked ground. It was hard to identify their original appearance from their disastrous shapes, and the surviving monsters started to flee in fear. However, the beowulf warriors were dominated by madness and murder, and they fiercely chased after the fleeing opponents while disregarding their own injuries. Kuwuuuugh¡­! At that time, a terrible roar embraced the forest and caused the very air to tremble. Kuwuugh!? ¡°Keugh!¡± ¡°Agh!¡± All creatures stopped in their tracks, regardless of whether they were humans, elves, monsters, or other races. The unidentified roar had contained a terrifying force capable of striking fear into the hearts of all creatures. ¡°Kuwuh? What is this?¡± However, the Origin¡¯s vassal was largely unaffected. He simply frowned while muttering. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards the quick, yet consistent rumble. It was growing louder. A large monster appeared through the thick trees and the bushes. The beowulf warriors were massive and reached about two meters tall. However, even they only reached the chest of the overwhelmingly large monster. It was a bipedal, two-horned monster with the head of a wolf. ¡°Lycanthrope king?!¡± Wolfgan shouted in disbelief. ¡°Phew¡­ Lycanthrope king? What is that?¡± Galfredik asked while breathing heavily. Lanslo quickly responded, ¡°It is the final evolution of the lycanthrope. It¡¯s rarely seen, even in evil lands. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s in a place like this.¡± ¡°Final evolution? Does that mean it¡¯s a high-ranking monster?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°It¡¯s a superior-ranking monster, also known as a champion monster,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°¡­!¡± Champion monster¡ªit was a term referring to the king of each race of monsters, and it was closer to a myth or a legend than anything else. There were stories of champion monsters, but living witnesses were far and few between. Kyawwwwwoooooo¡­!!! ¡°Kugh!¡± ¡°Agh!¡± The champion monster roared once again, and the majority of creatures stumbled or fell to one knee. Even Galfredik was forced to take a step back while clenching his teeth. However, one person stood proudly without faltering. The figure even advanced toward the lycanthrope king with bold steps amidst the terrifying roar, even though the monster was several times larger than him. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± Eugene left behind the surprised shouts of his comrades and pushed his Fear to the limit. Fwooooosh! The energy materialized and flamed over Eugene¡¯s blood-stained, flesh-soiled shoulder. ¡°¡­!¡± No one could hide their shock as the invisible Fear manifested into a vivid red color and soared like a living flame. Kuwuuuuuuuuuugh!!! The Origin¡¯s roar swirled like a storm amidst its malice and killing intent. All living creatures were affected by the roar of the lycanthrope king. However, an Origin¡¯s roar affected both the living and the dead. A Vampire Origin stood at the pinnacle of all undead. An Origin was the lord of lords¡ªan overlord. Kyaoo?! The lycanthrope king¡¯s large figure turned stiff for a moment, although it had appeared with arrogance and overconfidence just a moment ago. In the first place, it was impossible to compare the lycanthrope ruler of a mere forest to an overlord of all vampires. The authority of an overlord was incomparably greater. Crack! Eugene¡¯s fang punctured his lip, then he drew his mouth closer to the ogre-killing spear. Wooong! The demon spear uttered a cry of joy after absorbing its master¡¯s blood, and Eugene threw the spear with all his might. Madarazika burned with Eugene¡¯s Fear as it shot forth like a red meteor. The lycanthrope king panicked and attempted to deflect the projectile. Kwarararara! Kyaoooooo! However, Madarazika ripped apart the creature¡¯s skin and muscles without mercy. One of the monster¡¯s arms was instantly turned into a bloody rag, and the lycanthrope king retreated while crying in pain. Shuuuaccck! Eugene took the opportunity and pounced on the lycanthrope king as his fear burned crimson all around him. The sight was reminiscent of a large ball of flame scattering in the wind, or the wings of a bat spreading wide. Kwarararara! The wolf-slaughtering blade glowed with an eerie red light as it aimed for the heart of the lycanthrope king. However, the champion monster managed to barely twist its body by relying on its instincts and reflexes. Cracck! Kuwuuuuughh! The lycanthrope king burst into a terrifying scream as the blade pierced its left shoulder. Eugene pulled out the sword to pierce the monster¡¯s heart, but the monster struck down with all of its strength. Boom! Eugene was thrown against the ground. The lycanthrope king immediately turned around and began to flee without looking back. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± Eugene¡¯s companions ran toward him with worried shouts. Eugene jumped up without delay and started running while shouting, ¡°Galfredik! Lanslo! Follow me after you clean up the mess here! The rest of you, join up with the Perseus Beowulfs!¡± Eugene followed after the lycanthrope king like an enraged beast. ¡°Kieeeeeeek?! Sir! Wait for me! Wait! I¡¯m not scared or anything, but wait!¡± Mirian came out of hiding and hurriedly flew after Eugene. ¡°Kuhahaha! Now that¡¯s my master!¡± Galfredik cheered. ¡°We will take care of these as fast as possible!¡± Lanslo shouted. And the rest¡­ They were stunned speechless and could only stare blankly at Eugene¡¯s disappearing back. *** Kwaaaaaaaa! Eugene came to a 20-meter-high waterfall after chasing the lycanthrope king for several minutes through the dark forest. The monster was just about to enter the cave located behind the waterfall. Eugene jumped up without hesitation and cut through the waterfall to enter the cave. The wet, slippery cave was quite large and pitch-black. However, such an environment was rather comforting for the ¡®dark lord.¡¯ Tap. Tap. Eugene followed the trail of the lycanthrope king by relying on his fear and heightened senses. Eventually, he came to a stop. Krrrrr¡­ The monster was growling at the far end of the darkness. ¡°That¡¯s¡­?!¡± Eugene exclaimed with surprise. He had no reason to be surprised by the lycanthrope king, and instead, his eyes were fixated on a silver barrier that the creature was hiding behind. The long, pentagonal barrier of silver was about one meter wide and a little over two meters long. It was clearly a ¡®shield.¡¯ Moreover, the indescribably elaborate inscription on the shield¡¯s surface was¡­ ¡°The red dragon. Then¡­¡± It was the same crest that was etched on Wolfslaughter¡¯s pommel and Madarazika¡¯s spearhead. The lycanthrope was crawled up into a ball behind the shield of the Batla Duchy. CH 121 How to Live As the Vampire Lord CH 122 The interior of the manor house was even worse than how it appeared on the outside. The floor wasn¡¯t rock nor wood, but rather simple dirt. There weren¡¯t even any glass windows. Instead, there were wooden open-and-close windows. ¡°Something heavy. Is it there?¡± Eugene asked after looking around the interior, pointing at a specific place on the ground. ¡°Ah! His Excellency Crawlmarine has bestowed us a gift¡­¡± ¡°Nothing! It¡¯s nothing!¡± Calburn hurriedly cut off the words of a tactless family member. But it was too late... ¡°Gift? How curious. Lord Crawlmarine. He came so suddenly, gave a gift, then left?¡± Eugene turned toward the boy in his mid-teens and asked with a friendly smile. Eugene possessed a beautiful appearance as a vampire aristocrat, and he was armed in fancy, expensive armor. The boy¡¯s cheeks colored red, and he answered shyly. ¡°Yes, sir. The count gave us a box full of silver coins, as well as armor and clothing made from monster by-products. Of course, it¡¯s nothing close to your own armor, but it was very rare and luxurious¡­¡± ¡°Lloyd!¡± Calburn shouted his name, and Lloyd, jumped back in surprise and turned to his father. ¡°You¡­¡± Calburn attempted to continue, but Galfredik stepped forward between Calburn and his son. ¡°Hehe.¡± Galfredik chuckled with a mean glare in his eyes, and Calburn immediately shut his mouth. His instincts were warning him that the brutal knight wouldn¡¯t hesitate to slap him if he continued talking. Eugene placed his hand on Lloyd¡¯s shoulder and spoke in a gentle voice. ¡°Your father. He will have a good time with my knight. Anyway, Young Master Lloyd, is it? A wonderful name. Honor of a knight. I can clearly feel it. You will be a wonderful knight.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lloyd¡¯s expression became ecstatic after receiving the praise of a dreamy, honorable knight. Eugene continued. ¡°So, Young Master Lloyd. Lord Crawlmarine. Does he come often to give presents?¡± Lloyd replied, ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s the first time he came since around this time last year. He didn¡¯t come even when my father took over the land.¡± ¡°Hooh. But yesterday, he came so suddenly and even gave a gift?¡± Eugene asked once again. ¡°Yes,¡± Lloyd answered. ¡°Young Master Lloyd. Do you know why?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Um¡­ Well, I¡¯m not too sure¡­¡± Lloyd said while scratching his head. ¡°I see. Thank you,¡± Eugene said. Eugene stroked the boy¡¯s head once more before walking over to Calburn. He had already obtained all the information he needed. ¡°I think you might know the reason, sir. What do you think?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°...!¡± Calburn¡¯s expression had grown bleak along with his son¡¯s conversation with Eugene. His face had undergone a dramatic change, and anyone could see that his face was now filled with great shock and fear. ¡®A coward. He¡¯s not even a quarter of the man that Luke is.¡¯ Eugene laughed inwardly. From his experience, timid, cowardly humans were easy to overcome with power and strength. Moreover, it also meant that they were easy to manage and manipulate. Clack! ¡°Heup!¡± Eugene suddenly stretched his left arm, and Calburn stepped back with a gasp. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I-I¡­¡± Calburn stuttered, realizing that Eugene had simply raised his arm. ¡°The real surprise should start now,¡± Eugene said with a grin. He proceeded to slightly release his Fear. The energy immediately obeyed the Origin¡¯s will and accumulated in his left arm. Woooong! Clack! Clack! ¡°Heuk?!¡± ¡°W-what is that?¡± Everyone not belonging to Eugene¡¯s group became wide-eyed with surprise. Eugene¡¯s gauntlet, which was quite commonly worn by knights on the continent, started to emit a strange, metallic sound before transforming into a large shield. ¡°A magic shield?¡± ¡°Such a marvelous treasure¡­!¡± Everyone expressed awe and wonder after seeing the shield, which was inscribed with the crest of the red dragon. Eugene held out the shield toward Calburn and asked, ¡°Sir. The shield¡¯s crest. Do you know which family it belongs to?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t really¡­¡± Calburn started to respond. ¡°The Batla Duchy,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°...!¡± Calburn froze on the spot. Although he was only a lord of a small territory in the countryside, it was impossible for him to not know the Batla family. Apart from the dynasties that claimed legitimacy to the throne, the Batla Duchy was the most prominent family in all of Brantia. The Batla family¡¯s honor and reputation were tremendous, and there was even a saying that none could truly inherit the throne without the support of Batla. ¡°The shield of the Batla Duchy. Why was it in the lycanthrope king¡¯s cave?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°H-How could I know¡­ Hmm?!¡± Calburn started to feign ignorance without thinking, but then quickly stopped himself. The fear he felt almost suffocated him. ¡°That¡¯s right. I killed it. Marine Forest. Lycanthrope king.¡± Too much shock could cause a person to stiffen on the spot, and that was exactly how Calburn and his family reacted. Click! Clack! The shield of the Batla Duchy reverted into a gauntlet. ¡°And. There was this, too,¡± Eugene spoke while taking an object out of his pocket. Calburn remained motionless with a pale expression. The object was a shredded, bloodstained piece of parchment, and at the end of the parchment was¡­ ¡°The crest of the Bosch family, right?¡± Eugene asked in an icy voice. ¡°I-I¡­¡± Calburn stuttered before falling to his knees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± *** ¡°So, earlier this year, Sir Laplas Batla headed into Marine Forest and went missing?¡± Eugene asked. After sending away the others, Eugene was left alone with Calburn. Bosch¡¯s lord then proceeded to tell Eugene about the incident with Laplas Batla, a direct descendant of the Batla Duchy. ¡°Yes, yes. None of the knights who came to my castle returned. B-but I attempted to dissuade him! I told him that he must never enter Marine Forest and that there were demons inhabiting it!¡± Calburn desperately defended himself. Eugene stared at him coldly while responding, ¡°That¡¯s what you say. What is written here, is that you gave permission for them to enter the forest, sir.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°If the Batla Duchy finds out, you will not be free from responsibility. And the news regarding Sir Laplas. They haven¡¯t been notified yet, right?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Heuk.¡± Calburn shook with fear as he dropped his head. He looked as if he had lost the world, but Eugene¡¯s expression remained icy. This was just the beginning. ¡°That person,¡± Eugene said. ¡°...?¡± Calburn managed to raise his head with great effort, and he turned to where Eugene was pointing. ¡°Is that the late Lord Bosch?¡± Eugene asked. His finger was pointing at a hanging portrait of the late Lord Bosch and Lady Bosch. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Calburn nodded. He felt a sinister, cold feeling creeping up his spine. ¡°You look very similar to him,¡± Eugene stated. Why was he stating the obvious? It was natural for the father and the son to look similar in appearance. ¡°However. He looks nothing like Luke. Not even a little bit.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°...!¡± ¡°How intriguing,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°W-what do you mean by that?¡± Calburn responded in a trembling voice. Eugene stared directly into his eyes before speaking clearly. ¡°I saw the sculptures of the previous counts in Crawlmarine Castle. Lord Crawlmarine, he doesn¡¯t look similar to the previous counts.¡± Clack! Clack! Calburn¡¯s teeth started to clatter as well. ¡°Rather, Luke looked very similar to the previous count,¡± Eugene said. On the day Eugene met Count Lucas at the castle, he became suspicious of Lucas¡¯ strange gaze and behaviors. As such, he carefully examined all the other people in the castle, and Eugene realized something strange. Lucas Crawlmarine and his two younger sisters looked nothing alike. Strangely enough, he could see similarities in the facial features of Luke and the two girls. It turned out that Lucas took after his mother, while the two girls looked like the former count. So, the next day, Eugene carefully examined the sculptures of the previous counts as he walked through the hallways to leave the castle. Then he found it. The late Count Crawlmarine, who died last year, had a stubborn chin and serious eyes which were quite similar to Luke. Although Eugene had a hunch, such a simple resemblance couldn¡¯t serve as concrete proof. As such, he departed the castle without taking action. However, his suspicions were reinforced after he met Calburn Bosch and the rest of his family. No, rather, he became certain. At the least, Luke didn¡¯t inherit Lord Bosch¡¯s blood. As such, Eugene fished for it. Since Calburn Bosch was already incredibly frightened of him, he recognized that there was something to be gained. And his predictions hit the mark¡­ ¡°I-I¡­ I¡­ I really¡­ Don¡¯t know¡­¡± Calburn stuttered. Paa. ¡°Such cliched words. I don¡¯t want to hear it. Did you forget who I am, sir?¡± Eugene said while slightly expressing his Fear. His red eyes seemed to glow even darker than usual. Then, Eugene¡¯s pupils started contracting little by little, and soon, they turned into two thin vertical slits. ¡°I-I¡­ I¡­¡± Calburn muttered. ¡°What are you so afraid of?¡± Eugene whispered in a deep, soft voice. His tone was completely different from usual, and it felt as if he was reciting a poem with a sense of rhythm and dynamics. ¡°Humans. Everyone makes mistakes and commits shameful acts. Everyone does. So, let it out.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Saliva started to flow down the edge of Calburn¡¯s lips. His gaze was blank as he stared into Eugene¡¯s slithery eyes. ¡°Sir Calburn Bosch. Right now. What are you most afraid of? What is it?¡± Eugene asked in a soft voice. ¡°What I¡¯m¡­ afraid of¡­¡± Calburn repeated Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right. What is it that you are ashamed of? What is it that you cannot tell others? Your crime. Your sin. Those who you killed. Whatever it is, whatever you fear most. The stories that shouldn¡¯t be told. Why don¡¯t you tell me?¡± Eugene¡¯s quiet, enchanting voice slowly made its way inside Calburn¡¯s mind. It was a mournful request, or rather, an order to the soul, an irresistible instruction that simply could not be denied. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­ Oh my god!¡± Calburn¡¯s dazed eyes stopped moving for a moment. He was seeing something in Eugene¡¯s eyes. The images of the two people he killed were reflected in Eugene¡¯s eyes. ¡°Heuh, uaghhh¡­¡± Calburn groaned. ¡°What do you see?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°F-father, and¡­ the count,¡± Calburn answered. ¡°Yes. And what did you do? What did you do to them?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I had no other choice¡­ Lucas¡­ Lucas Crawlmarine ordered me to kill them¡­ Your Excellency, F-Father¡­ I-it wasn¡¯t my fault. I d-didn¡¯t do it. Lucas¡­ Lucas told me to¡­¡± Calburn moaned regretfully. ¡°Who did you kill? Lucas Crawlmarine. What did he do?¡± Eugene pried even further. ¡°I-I killed Lord Crawlmarine¡­ L-Lucas killed my father¡­ We killed each other¡¯s¡­ fathers,¡± Calburn admitted. The secret shared between the young count and Calburn was revealed. Both of them had taken over their fathers¡¯ positions at a similar time, and the reason behind the seemingly coincidental arrangement was revealed. Eugene had obtained the ¡®berserker¡¯ ability after consuming the red mana stone of the lycanthrope king. It was a fraudulent ability that temporarily boosted his physical abilities and senses manyfold, but it also had a fatal weakness of exhausting all of his energy once its duration was over. However, the ¡®berserker¡¯ wasn¡¯t the only ability Eugene gained. As the fragments of his hazy memories became clearer, another one of his vampiric powers had awakened. He had regained a unique ability of an Origin Vampire, the power to ¡®charm.¡¯ ¡®This is quite useful.¡¯ There were a couple conditions that needed to be satisfied before the ability could be activated. First, he needed to be alone with the individual, and second, the opponent was required to have a strong interest or fear toward Eugene. It was a powerful hypnotic ability capable of extracting the truth from an opponent, regardless of their race. Eugene had initially felt disappointed after gaining the ability since he could extract the truth from anyone by simply beating them up and threatening them, but it seemed to have its uses as well. ¡°What a bunch of immoral bastards,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°Uagh?!¡± Eugene¡¯s sudden shift to the language of the Caylor Kingdom jolted Calburn awake. His eyes were no longer dazed, although drool was still dripping down his face. Mirian slowly stuck her head out of her leather pocket. ¡°Kieh? Sir, are you done now?¡± The spirit had stayed true to Eugene¡¯s orders and remained in her pocket while the two men conversed. Eugene nodded in response. ¡°That¡¯s right. This bastard and Lucas Crawlmarine. They killed each other¡¯s fathers.¡± ¡°Kieeeeeeeeeeeh?!¡± Mirian exclaimed. That was how the two men had ascended to their respective seats at roughly the same time. ¡°Dirty, unfilial bastards,¡± Eugene muttered. Perhaps they had been unable to bring themselves to kill their own fathers and had opted to perform the dirty deed for each other. However, that didn¡¯t free them from the responsibility of their sacrilegious acts. ¡°S-sir? W-what happened just now¡­? And what did you just say?¡± Calburn asked while hurriedly wiping the saliva off his face. He couldn¡¯t understand the language of the Caylor Kingdom. Eugene responded with a cold smile, ¡°The fact, that you, sir. Killed Count Crawlmarine. And that Lucas Crawlmarine. Killed Sir Bosch?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Calburn shouted with a pale, stunned expression. Eugene grabbed Calburn¡¯s face and pulled him close before speaking in a voice lathed with killing intent. ¡°You¡¯re done for. Ill-bred bastard.¡± CH 123 Eugene took Calburn outside the room and exposed all of his crimes to his companions. However, he didn¡¯t mention that Luke was indeed the hidden son of the previous Count Crawlmarine. After all, he still didn¡¯t know why Lucas was motivated to murder his father, the previous count, and the finale of a show was best remembered when it ended in an ostentatious way. ¡°Even the word ¡®dishonorable¡¯ doesn¡¯t do justice to this bastard.¡± ¡°What an insane shithead.¡± Everyone was in shock after hearing the truth, but it couldn¡¯t be compared to how Luke was feeling. Luke stared at his half-brother with quivering eyes, then finally pulled out his dagger like lightning. ¡°I will have your head!¡± Luke shouted. However, his effort was quickly nullified. There was no way he would succeed in the presence of three incredible knights. ¡°Hold on, Aide Number Two,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Sir! Please let me go! I must kill that bastard! He¡¯s no better than a dog! I will grind his blood and flesh, sprinkle it on the field, and let the pigs gnaw on his bones!¡± Luke shouted with bloodshot eyes. He struggled to break his arm free of Galfredik¡¯s hold. He jerked around and shouted at Calburn, ¡°All the gods and spirits will curse you! Both your children and that bastard¡¯s children! You will be cursed to have your own son stab you!¡± Luke wasn¡¯t a wizard. He was simply an aide who dreamt of becoming a knight. However, words containing desperate emotions sometimes exerted even more power than real magic and curses. It was evident from how Calburn¡¯s eyes turned white and tears started to drop from his eyes. ¡°Heuk! Heuu¡­¡± ¡°You despicable creature! Do not attempt to cover up your evil deeds with those fake tears! Master! Let me kill that filthy creature! Please, let me kill him! Master!¡± Luke chanted with anger and desperation. His eyes were also filled with tears. However, Eugene responded in a cold, apathetic voice, ¡°Will it be over if you kill him?¡± ¡°What?¡± Luke was dumbfounded. ¡°Will you achieve true vengeance with just his death? Will you truly be satisfied with just that?¡± Eugene asked. Luke flinched. Galfredik stepped forward. ¡°Master, do you have some sort of a plan?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Eugene responded in a cold voice before approaching Calburn. Calburn was bawling with a stunned expression. ¡°Lord Calburn Bosch,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Heheuk! I-I¡¯m sorry! It¡¯s all my fault! I will hand over the land to Luke! So please spare my life¡­¡± Calburn wept. It was a pathetic sight to see him begging for his life even after the truth was revealed. Everyone was shaking their heads with contempt. The honor of a knight and the pride of a noble could not be found in him. ¡°This little demesne? Do you think that¡¯s nearly enough?¡± Eugene muttered in a cold voice after turning towards Calburn. ¡°Your dirty life. There¡¯s only one way to save it.¡± *** ¡°It¡¯s the count¡¯s procession! All residents of Cralmarine, pay your respects!¡± A knight carrying the flag of the Crawlmarine shouted, and all the residents in the street hurriedly took off their hats and bowed their heads. Lucas looked down at the people with a satisfied smile. ¡®Hoho. This is perfect. Now all I have left is to thrive.¡¯ His secret would be kept forever, and the rare, vampire nobleman would obviously come seeking his help. Moreover, someone who had a deep relationship with the port cities of the Caylor Kingdom and even possessed their own territory would obviously be a high roller. ¡®Whoever wants to climb the throne in the future, they will have no choice but to seek Crawlmarine¡¯s approval. Hahahaha!¡¯ Lucas forgot to hide his joy and started chuckling, then quickly managed his expression. He would soon regain the glory of the past as a great count, so he needed to always pay attention to maintain his dignity in the future. ¡°The count has returned! Lower the drawbridge!¡± The drawbridge came down, and Lucas started to cross with a proud expression. However¡­ ¡°Hmm?¡± Lucas frowned. It felt as if something was slightly off. The expressions of the servants who were rushing over were extremely stiff. ¡°What is it? Did something happen?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­¡± The servants hesitated. Lucas started to express his anger. ¡°How dare you¡­¡± However, the butler interrupted him while belatedly running towards him. ¡°My lord! My lord!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on?¡± Lucas asked. He wanted to flip out, but Lucas kept his temper in check to maintain his dignity. ¡°S-sir Jan Eugene is here. He has been waiting for your return, my lord,¡± the butler explained. ¡°What?!¡± Lucas shouted with a shocked expression. Then, he immediately took on a sympathetic look before continuing. ¡°Oh my¡­! Was he gravely injured by the lycanthropes of Marine Forest? Is he all right? What about the others that accompanied him? Ah! Don¡¯t tell me that Sir Jan Eugene returned alone¡­?¡± ¡°Well, t-that¡¯s¡­¡± the butler hesitated. Lucas became convinced by the butler¡¯s reaction. ¡°Huh! How come such an unfortunate event happened?! Although Sir Eugene is young and brave, it must have been insufficient to deal with the demons of Marine Forest. Let us go. I will console the knight who fought bravely and honorably. To comfort such a hero is also a responsibility of a lord. For his sake, I will¡­¡± The butler interrupted him, ¡°T-that¡¯s not it, my lord.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Lucas had been slowly walking forward with an expression of deep regret, but then he paused at the butler¡¯s words. ¡°Sir Eugene killed the monster king of Marine Forest. He had almost annihilated the lycanthropes and the roamers in the forest as well.¡± The butler explained. ¡°What did you say?!¡± Lucas shouted with disbelief. ¡°A-and¡­¡± The butler hesitated before continuing with a flustered expression. ¡°H-he is saying that he brought proof that the late count was actually murdered, instead of dying of natural causes.¡± Thump! It felt as if a huge weight had descended on Lucas¡¯ heart. He stuttered a response, ¡°W-what do you mean by that? F-father was murdered? Has he gone insane? Father consumed an unpurified mana stone and¡­¡± The butler interjected. ¡°Sir Bosch is here with Sir Eugene. Apparently, he has proof that the late count was murdered.¡± ¡°....!¡± Thump! Thump! Thump! Lucas¡¯s chest began to beat hard. He felt as if something sharp was skewering his head through to his spine. The two of them had renewed their oath of secrecy just two days ago, so why was this happening? No, more importantly, how did the two of them reach the castle before he could? ¡®S-something is wrong.¡¯ ¡°My lord? Are you not going to enter?¡± the butler asked. ¡°Heuk?!¡± Lucas jumped up in shock. He had been standing unmoving like a stone statue. His eyes slowly crept toward the castle¡¯s manor house. If he entered through the wide-open door, he would come face-to-face with a high-ranking member of the vampire nobility. They were known to be unrivaled in their craftiness and intelligence. Moreover, the vampire possessed an incredible force capable of eradicating the monsters of Marine Forest despite the countless knights and mercenaries who had already met their ends inside the forest. Such a figure was waiting for his return alongside Calburn Bosch and talking about his father¡¯s death. It could only mean one thing¡­ Lucas quickly came to a decision. ¡°C-come to think of it, I don¡¯t think that we have properly patrolled the village,¡± Lucas muttered. ¡°What?¡± the butler asked. ¡°Ah! And I was thinking of holding a feast for the villagers in commemoration of eradicating the monsters of Marine Forest. Now! Go to my quarters and bring everything from my safe.¡± Lucas continued before taking off the key necklace and handing it to the butler. The key was an object that was only given to the master of the Crawlmarine family. ¡°M-my lord, but¡­¡± the butler muttered. ¡°Quick! Hurry up!¡± Lucas shouted. ¡°Ah, yes!¡± the butler responded before hurriedly taking the key and running into the castle. Lucas looked at the butler¡¯s back with nervous eyes, then turned his head. ¡°Sirs. I must go and inspect the village, so prepare to depart!¡± Lucas shouted. The knights had been about to disarm themselves after dismounting their horses. They became confused at Lucas¡¯s sudden order. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry! Now, now!¡± Lucas rushed them. ¡°Ah, yes, Your Excellency,¡± The knights answered. Although they could not comprehend Lucas¡¯s thoughts, they obeyed his orders. Lucas had always been a good employer to them. Moreover, there were very few nobles who would call mercenaries like themselves ¡®sirs,¡¯ and take care of their housing, food, and horses. Soon, the butler returned with a few servants carrying a few boxes and bags filled with wealth. Lucas distributed the wealth among his own steed and the knights¡¯ horses before quickly leaving through the gate. ¡°Why is he acting like that when he has a visitor? That¡¯s discourteous.¡± ¡°I wonder¡­¡± The butler and the other servants muttered with confusion as Lucas disappeared into the distance. ¡°You wonder? What¡¯s there to wonder about? Kieeee. He¡¯s been scared off by Sir Eugene. Just as I always expect, Sir Eugene always has a plan. Kekekekeke!¡± A spying spirit was sprawled on the castle wall by their side. She buzzed before quickly flying away. *** ¡±My lord, where are we heading? DIdn¡¯t you say that we were going to inspect the village?¡± One of the knights asked after bringing his horse closer to Lucas. He had noticed Lucas pushing his horse and heading for the castletown¡¯s gate. But Lucas acted as if he didn¡¯t hear the knight¡¯s question. He was too busy worrying and thinking. ¡®W-what should I do? Where should I go? That¡¯s right! The Riwad barony! Let¡¯s head there. Surely my mother¡¯s family will welcome me.¡¯ Lucas had been adored by his mother¡¯s family since he was young because of his resemblance to her. Considering this, his expression brightened with hope. If he told them that his castle had been invaded by a devious knight from the continent, they would be happy to help him. Truth? Such a thing didn¡¯t matter. His greedy uncle would support him wholly as long as he was promised to be given a little bit of territory. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter as long as the truth is revealed in my absence. The whole world knows that vampires are deceitful and crafty. He has simply charmed and possessed the people of the castle. I can fix this after I take over the castle again. The spirits of the lake are protecting me!¡¯ Lucas dreamt of a rosy future. His ability to think rationally had been long compromised by these series of self-justifications. It was pitiful that he himself could no longer recognize his thoughts as being abnormal. However, Lucas wasn¡¯t solely to blame. He wasn¡¯t thinking irrationally just because he was an idiot. Brantia lagged significantly behind the continent in terms of technology as well as overall education. As such, most nobles were quite ignorant and believed in superstitions. ¡®Spirits of the lake! Protect me! Grant me the power to defeat the evil vampire and his minions¡­¡¯ ¡°Hmm?¡± Lucas squinted while praying in his heart. He couldn¡¯t see any of the usual guards protecting the castletown¡¯s gate. Instead, there was a knight and a group of about ten men and women standing in line, blocking the gate. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Lucas¡¯s eyes filled with shock when he saw the face of the knight. The young, handsome knight was one of the high-ranking vampire''s companions. He was the one who was fluent in Brantian. Neiiiiigh! The group of horses came to a halt. ¡°Where are you heading so busily, Your Excellency Crawlmarine?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Um, well... I-I have some urgent matters to attend to. Anyway, what are you doing here, sir? Sir Eugene is in the castle,¡± Lucas responded. ¡°I was waiting for someone,¡± Lanslo replied. ¡°Oh, really? Ehem! I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on, but I am very busy, so please step aside,¡± Lucas said. No matter what anyone said, this was his territory and his village. Therefore, Lucas had no doubt that the knight would obey his words and move out of the way. ¡°That might be a little difficult. I was actually waiting for you, Your Excellency,¡± Lanslo said with a gentle smile. ¡°W-what?¡± Lucas felt a chilling sensation on his spine. Nevertheless, he attempted to raise his voice with dignity. ¡°I have nothing to say to you, sir! Get out of my way! How dare you order me around in the land of Crawlmarine? Sir! Which family do you belong to? I must raise this issue with your family!¡± Most knights were weak against authority. Even if he was Eugene¡¯s subordinate, he could never disobey Lucas¡¯s words now that Lucas had brought up his family. Or at least, that was what Lucas believed. ¡°Are you talking about¡­ my family?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°That¡¯s right! From the looks of it, you were born in Brantia. I will definitely bring this matter up with your family in a formal complaint! Sir! Who are you, and which family are you from!?¡± As the knight¡¯s expression underwent a slight change, Lucas believed that his tactic was working and raised his voice with even more dignity. ¡°Drak. My name is Lanslo Drak.¡± ¡°Hmph! I will immediately head to the Drak family and¡­¡± Lucas started to shout, then trailed off. He belatedly realized that he had indirectly spoken about his intentions to run away. Moreover¡­ ¡°Drak?! Did you say Drak?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of any other families with that name in Brantia. So, will you go and file a formal complaint with my family?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°...!¡± It was only ¡®natural¡¯ for Lucas to know about the Drak family. They were one of the most famous families in Brantia. The Drak family continued the blood of the one known as the ¡®Knight of the Lake,¡¯ a legendary knight of the Aiden Dynasty, the first family to unify Brantia. The Drak family was a family of elven nobility. CH 124 ¡°Drak¡­¡± ¡°The Knight of the Lake?!¡± The mercenary ¡®knights¡¯ started buzzing with shock after hearing Lanslo¡¯s words, while Lucas froze in place with a blank expression. The Knight of the Lake was the right-hand man of the legendary knight king Aiden, who first unified Brantia. After the fall of the Aiden family, numerous families and dynasties gunning for Brantia¡¯s throne asked for the cooperation of the Drak family, but they were all rejected and the Drak family remained the best knight family of Brantia. The Drak family¡¯s reputation was so great that there was even a saying in Brantia that involved them¡ª¡°He who obtains the three knights of the lake qualifies to aim for the world.¡± ¡°A-are you really a knight of the Drak family? D-do you have proof¡­?¡± Lucas muttered. ¡°Would anyone dare to impersonate and tarnish the honor of the Drak family in Brantia? You jest, Your Excellency,¡± Lanslo responded with a chuckle before taking out his spear. Lucas and his knights became greatly surprised. Elves were usually known for their superior archery, but in Brantia, they were more famous for their excellent spearmanship thanks to the Drak family. ¡°What do you think you are doing?! Even if you are a knight of the Drak family, this is my territory! How dare you try to persecute me in the land of Crawlmarine and¡­¡± Lucas screamed. Lanslo interrupted him, ¡°Count Lucas Crawlmarine. You are charged with the murder of Lord Harrel Bosch and the murder of Lord Graham Crawlmarine. Do not resist and come with me.¡± ¡°...!¡± Lucas¡¯s face paled in an instant. In addition, the ¡®knights¡¯ took on blank expressions. They finally understood why Lucas had exited the castle like a cornered rat upon immediately arriving at the castle. ¡°Everyone,¡± Lucas said. Krrrrrrr! The beowulf warriors immediately transformed into their beast forms. ¡°I-I surrender!¡± ¡°Surrender! I will surrender!¡± ¡°A murder charge against the late count? I have nothing to do with it!¡± The ¡®knights¡¯ were all former mercenaries. As such, they had no sense of good faith and honor but were instead quick to grasp the situation. They put down their weapons without resisting. ¡°Keugh! Kuaaagh!¡± Lucas suddenly let out a devastated cry before unsheathing his longsword and charging forward amidst his fury. Thuck! ¡°Keugh!¡± However, he was immediately thrown off from his steed after taking a blow from Lanslo¡¯s spear to the face. ¡°Am I starting to take after Sir Eugene?¡± Lanslo muttered. He was way too calm for a man who had knocked out a count in broad daylight. *** ¡°...!¡± The nobles of Crawlmarine Castle could not hide their shock. It was an unprecedented incident in which the count and the territory¡¯s knight conspired to kill each other¡¯s father. The nobles couldn¡¯t think of how to respond in any other way than to simply stare with horrified eyes and with their jaws agape. Of course, some of them didn¡¯t believe the story and attempted to protest and refuted the facts. However, the killer, who was also the witness, was made to kneel in front of them while tightly bound by rope. ¡°He threatened to kill not only my father but also everyone in the Bosch family if I didn¡¯t comply with his demands! I had no choice but to do as I was told for the sake of my family¡­ Keugh! I¡¯m not asking for forgiveness! However! Please show mercy and spare my family!¡± Calburn Bosch shouted with a face drenched in tears and snot. It was hard to refute the testimony of a knight whose family had faithfully served the Crawlmarine family for generations. Moreover, it was made even worse by the presence of an ¡®outsider¡¯ witnessing the entire event. As long as the noble, vampire conqueror of Marine Forest¡¯s lycanthrope king and his subordinates were closely observing the matter, no one would dare to attempt any chicanery. ¡°T-then what should we do now?¡± ¡°What else is there to do? This is a grave incident regarding the murder of the previous count and one of his territorial knights. We must hold a trial.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We should hold a formal trial with honorable and distinguished nobles.¡± ¡°Sir! Are you suggesting that we reveal such a disgraceful incident to everyone?¡± ¡°Oh, then what? Should we hold a trial on our own and convict the count?¡± ¡°Well, no, but¡­¡± The nobles started to argue, all the while stealing glances at Eugene. Someone who had murdered their own father deserved the death penalty. However, it complicated things when the criminal was one¡¯s own lord. None of the nobles around wanted to take responsibility for giving the count the death penalty. As such, Eugene offered a good escape. Although he was a foreigner and of another race, he satisfied the conditions of being an ¡®honorable and distinguished¡¯ noble. In that, he was even overqualified. ¡°Sir Eugene! What do you think?!¡± ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right! Sir Eugene, you are the only one capable of giving a fair judgment in this situation.¡± ¡°Please give us your opinion, sir.¡± Although the nobles were somewhat ignorant, they had the wits to quickly flock with others once the silence was broken. ¡®Of course.¡¯ Eugene was ultimately an outsider. As such, he had been waiting for the nobles to initiate the conversation. He pretended to contemplate for a moment, then responded calmly, ¡°Hmm. Well, since all of you are asking, I will give my thoughts regarding this matter.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± the nobles responded with glistening eyes. It was as if they were baby birds eagerly waiting for their mother to feed them. Eugene continued. ¡°Firstly. Other nobles are not needed to judge this case.¡± ¡°What? W-well, why is that?¡± one of the nobles asked. ¡°The disgrace of Crawlmarine. It must be concluded by the honorable men of Crawlmarine. That is what I think,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ohhh!¡± The nobles exclaimed, ardently taking in Eugene¡¯s praise. ¡°You are absolutely right, Sir Eugene. However, with just us¡­¡± one of the nobles said. Eugene interrupted, ¡°If the new Count of Crawlmarine takes responsibility, there will be no problem. That is what I think.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean, a new count?¡± ¡°P-perhaps?! Are you saying that you will establish one of us here as the new count?¡± ¡°Hmm?!¡± The nobles felt conflicted. Their hearts were filled with greed, but also with the potential weight of the responsibility that would naturally accompany the seat. Eugene turned his head before speaking, ¡°The late count. A direct descendant remains.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The nobles shouted with shock and disbelief. Then, their eyes naturally followed Eugene¡¯s gaze. ¡°M-master?¡± Luke stuttered. ¡°Come this way,¡± Eugene called out. Eugene took Luke to his side and turned toward Calburn. The man was looking up at Eugene with a resigned expression. Eugene spoke coldly, ¡°Sir Calburn Bosch. Speak the truth.¡± ¡°...?!¡± The eyes of the nobles once again turned toward Calburn. Calburn bit his lips, took a long breath, then confessed the secret that only two people had known until now. ¡°Sir Eugene¡¯s aide, Luke Bosch. No, Young Master Luke Crawlmarine is¡­ not my father¡¯s son, but rather the son of the late Count Crawlmarine.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The truth was as shocking as Calburn¡¯s previous confession. ¡°As you all know, the late countess was known to be quite jealous. The late count could not reveal Luke¡¯s existence to the world. As such¡­¡± Calburn continued. ¡°The count entrusted Luke to his most trusted knight, Sir Harrel Bosch, and asked him to take Luke in as his illegitimate child instead. Sir Harrel Bosch was happy to comply with his lord¡¯s request. Since he lost his wife earlier on, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem even if he had an illegitimate child.¡± ¡°T-then! That man, or rather, Master Luke was sent to the battlefield because¡­¡± one of the smarter nobles muttered. Calburn nodded with a grim expression. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s just as you fear, sir. Count Lucas Crawlmarine found out that Young Master Luke was his half-brother. The late count must have informed him on his deathbed. And then¡­¡± Calburn hesitated. Eugene whispered, ¡°We¡¯re almost there. The only way that you might get to keep your life.¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± Calburn closed his eyes tightly before shouting, ¡°Lucas Crawlmarine is not the son of the former count! He is a child born to the countess and her own brother, Baron Riwad! She hastened her marriage with the late count to hide the truth regarding the incestual birth!¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°But Lucas Crawlmarine found out¡­ and he sent Young Master Luke to the battlefield because he felt threatened. Keugh!¡± Calburn shouted. ¡°H-how could that be¡­?¡± ¡°This is crazy. This is¡­¡± Some of the nobles even collapsed to the ground in shock. ¡°This is proof of Sir Calburn¡¯s words,¡± Eugene said before showing the letters sent from the previous count to Sir Bosch to the nobles. Calburn had started to conspire with Lucas after he discovered the letters that his father kept in secret. ¡®Although I never knew that Lucas Crawlmarine was born incestuously.¡¯ It provided Eugene with even more justification for ousting Lucas and appointing Luke as the next count. He had prepared to utilize a show of force if it came to it, but it was as if everything in the world was pushing Luke to become the new count. ¡°M-master? What¡¯s this all about?¡± Luke said. His eyes were trembling as he looked up at Eugene. ¡°What else?¡± Eugene said. He continued with a suspicious smile after putting his hand on Luke¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It means that you will be the new Count of Crawlmarine starting today. Sirs, would you not agree?¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes swept through the nobles. However, his gaze was completely different from when he looked at Luke. It was a completely icy, cruel, vampire-like look. ¡°...!¡± The nobles immediately came to their senses and surreptitiously gazed at each other. Simultaneously, they all kneeled and shouted, ¡°We greet our lord, the Count of Crawlmarine! Spirit of the Lake! Give your blessings to the new master of Crawlmarine!¡± The young man, who had been a slave and became a knight¡¯s aide through chance and luck, had finally reclaimed his true fate as the Count of Crawlmarine. ¡°Kieeeeeek! I can¡¯t accept this! A mere Aide Number 2 dares to become a count before Sir Eugene?! Everyone, did you know that all of this is a lie¡­ Kiek!¡± The spirit also reclaimed her fate and suffered a beating after muttering nonsense. *** Everything proceeded smoothly after that. It was the worst event in the history of the Crawlmarine county, and the nobles knew the condemnation they would be subject to if rumors ever spread. As such, they wanted to conclude the matter as swiftly as possible. It was extremely disgraceful for a son to have conspired to murder his own father, but for someone without the blood of Crawlmarine to have reigned for a period of time as the count was unthinkable. It wasn¡¯t simply a matter of disgrace. The nobles decided to hide the fact that Lucas was born from incest and to only publicize the fact that he conspired to murder his father. People went to extreme lengths to claim power, so as long as the involved parties were punished, the matter could be concluded. Of course, there was no helping the fact that it would be the talk of the town for a while. In the end, Lucas was sentenced to death, and within ten minutes of the sentencing, his decapitated head was hung on the gates of Crawlmarine Castle for all to see. Calburn¡¯s fate was also debated. Although the crime he had committed was great, he was judged to have kept his honor as a knight by confessing all of his sins. How he had been forced into cooperation was also taken into consideration. Therefore, his family was deprived of their status and made into serfs. Naturally, Luke became the Count of Crawlmarine. The knights and nobles of Crawlmarine vied for loyalty to the young, legitimate count. However, their actions stemmed largely from their fear of the high-ranking vampire standing behind Luke rather than hope and expectations toward their new lord. ¡®But Sir Eugene will be leaving the territory soon, right?¡¯ ¡®Then the new count will have no one but us to rely on.¡¯ But the plans of the nobles and knights were thwarted by Luke¡¯s declaration¡­ ¡°I have not mastered myself as a knight. As such, I will continue to follow my master, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The nobles were shocked. However, a figure stepped forward and quenched their worries with a smile. Out of everyone present, he possessed the highest rank, aside from Luke and Eugene, and perhaps, he even slightly surpassed the two in Brantia. ¡°His Excellency Crawlmarine has expressed his desire to be sworn in after fulfilling his duties as Sir Eugene¡¯s aide. When that time comes, I, Lanslo Drak, will gladly stand as a witness.¡± ¡°...!¡± The most prestigious family of knights in Brantia would stand witness to the ceremony! It was an honorable event that would go down in the history of the Crawlmarine family and was something that even royal families would be jealous of. After hearing Lanslo¡¯s declaration, a similar thought dominated the minds of the nobles. ¡®Maybe the Crawlmarine family will become one of Brantia¡¯s pillars after this.¡¯ ¡®To do that, we must win over Sir Eugene!¡¯ They may be ignorant, but they were incredibly quick-witted. CH 125 Brantia was a mess. Even the word ¡®devastated¡¯ could not do the country¡¯s current state justice, and the nation¡¯s security was nonexistent at best. Roamers and bandits were lurking everywhere, and there was almost no movement of people or goods except in areas ruled by powerful lords. However, the security in some territories located near the coast started to become stable some time ago, and as of late, a safe route had been established all the way to the Crawlmarine territory. A safe zone of nearly 80 kilometers was established for the largest granary in southeastern Brantia, including the middle and the lower areas of the Thames River. It was centered around the port city of Mungard. The trades of mana stones and monster materials resumed between the territories and the cities, and the merchants were overjoyed. Prior to the establishment of the safe routes, merchants needed to hire at least twenty people every time they traveled, but now, they would face no problems even with only ten guards. That was not to say that mercenaries were suffering losses. Rather, business boomed as the number of people and goods traveling to and forth from each territory increased exponentially. As such, the southeastern territories of Brantia underwent a major transformation in only a few months. However, the residents continued on and ventured further. A nation¡¯s faltered development did not necessarily reflect the will of the people. There were courageous and greedy people who ventured even deeper into the nation to seek wealth. Naturally, news from Mungard and other southeastern territories of Brantia started to spread inland as well. As it happened, the Riwad barony also received news regarding the current situation in the southeastern territories as well. Boom! ¡°What did you say?! Lucas?! My nephew was beheaded?!¡± Baron Riwad slammed down his fist on a table with an agitated expression. Although he was already over forty, he was still brimming with energy. Baron Riwad was a figure known as one of the ¡®sword masters¡¯ of Brantia, a knight who stood at the pinnacle of his practice. And just like many other Brantian nobles, he was ignorant, violent, and short-tempered. There were a few things in life that Baron Riwad valued, one of which was his ¡®bloodline.¡¯ Lucas was born to Baron Riwad and his beloved sister, and Baron Riwad considered him to be one of the most precious things in his life, though the truth had to be hidden at all costs. ¡°Keeeeuuuugh! You dare! You dare!!! Lucas... Kuaaaghhh! I will kill you!¡± Baron Riwad screamed with anger. His loud shouts contained a certain force that was quite similar to ¡®fear,¡¯ and the people of his castle stiffened at once upon hearing his voice. The Riwad barony was related to a royal family of orcs from the distant past. As such, a figure with the power and temperament of an orc warrior was born every two to three generations, and the current baron was an example. ¡°War! This is war! Bring me my armor! I will head to Crawlmarine and punish those traitors who have betrayed faith and honor!¡± Baron Riwad gave a fiery roar. The entire castle immediately fell into a frenzy at the baron¡¯s terrifying shouts. The Riwad barony had survived and thrived even after the horrifying war because of the baron¡¯s presence, and his influence within the territory was absolute. Even though the residents of his territory were extremely poor and barely avoided starving to death, the baron, a traditional knight, didn¡¯t care about all that. For him, the residents and serfs of his territory were no different from simple livestock. ¡°W-with all due respect, I would like to offer a word, my lord!¡± a noble exclaimed. ¡°What is it!?¡± the baron shouted while turning his furious gaze. The noble responded while respectfully bowing his head. ¡°There is a rumor that the guardian of the new count is a member of the Dark Clan.¡± ¡°A vampire?¡± The baron asked. ¡°Yes. And apparently, he is a noble. At least a bannaret¡­¡± The noble answered. ¡°Is that so?¡± the baron said after calming himself. Although he was very violent and short-tempered, as an outstanding knight, Baron Riwad was calculating and sober when it came to battles. He could not recklessly rush into battle against a bannaret-class vampire. The power of the individual vampire wasn¡¯t a problem, but rather the ¡®clan¡¯ that could be supporting the vampire. ¡°You don¡¯t know which family he is from?¡± Baron Riwad asked. ¡°No. I heard from a merchant that the vampires residing in Mungard have been quite cooperative with him. Ah! And also, the fact that he came from the continent across the sea¡­¡± Thuck! The noble was never given a chance to finish. ¡°Kuagh!¡± The baron¡¯s punch knocked him down to the ground. ¡°Hey, you little bastard! Doesn¡¯t that mean that I don¡¯t have to worry about his clan?! He was obviously forced off the continent and came crawling here to scrape together whatever he could to rejoin his clan!¡± the baron shouted. Baron Riwad had experience fighting with and against knights from other races such as vampires or orcs. As such, he was quite familiar with the characteristics and hierarchical systems of other races. The members of the Dark Clan rarely ventured outside of their own territories. As such, it could only mean one thing for a noble vampire from the continent to have come all the way to Brantia¡ªit meant that he was a loser who had been deprived of his land from a territorial war. ¡°Send a messenger to the Sage of Mount Robtimo,¡± Baron Riwad said. ¡°Are you referring to Master Pythamoras?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Relay to him, respectfully, that there will be an opportunity for him to study a vampire noble without any backing. He will immediately descend from the mountain,¡± Baron Riwad explained. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± It was not an easy feat to mobilize druids, the wizards of Brantia. They were priests, doctors, as well as scholars. As such, they could rarely be tempted by material goods. They only showed interest in things that could aid them in their studies or satisfy their curiosity. Pythamoras studied all kinds of creatures, including animals, monsters, and even humans, for the sake of ¡®medicine.¡¯ As such, he would be highly enticed by the opportunity to study a noble vampire. Aristocratic vampires with no affiliation to clans were extremely rare, and there would be no need to worry about backlash even if one captured them, dissected them, and experimented on them. ¡°Will you be setting off right away, my lord?¡± one of the nobles asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. Gather all the knights of the territory. I will head to Brighton to hire mercenaries,¡± Baron Riwad answered. The nobles started murmuring. Baron Riwad was planning to fight an all-out war with Crawlmarine. ¡°My lord! With all due respect, a war will cause quite a strain on the territory¡¯s finances.¡± one of the nobles spoke up. ¡°Finances? My nephew was beheaded by renegades, and you talk about finances?! Do you want your head off your shoulders as well?!¡± Baron Riwad shouted. ¡°Hiek!¡± The nobleman shrank back in the face of an orc warrior¡¯s Fear. Baron Riwad continued, ¡°And there will be no need to worry about money. Once I convict Crawlmarine, I will make sure to inherit everything in my sister and nephew¡¯s name.¡± ¡°...!¡± Baron Riwad wasn¡¯t simply planning revenge for his dead nephew. He was expressing his intention to completely subjugate the Crawlmarine territory under Riwad¡¯s flag. ¡®Then¡­¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s a conquest war!¡¯ Both mercenaries and merchants alike would obviously rush to take a piece of this massive pie. Other nobles and lords wouldn¡¯t object either, since Baron Riwad¡¯s decision was fully justified. ¡°Lucas! I will avenge you. I swear it in my honor. I will dedicate the heads of all the bastards of Crawlmarine to your glory! I swear it to all gods and spirits!¡± Baron Riwad declared. The anger of the father who had lost his child, the ambition of a lord for Brantia¡¯s hegemony, and the spirit of a knight in the face of an upcoming slaughter combined together and boiled. *** ¡°The Riwad barony?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think they will stay still after hearing about this,¡± Lanslo responded with a shrug. Among Eugene¡¯s companions, he was the most knowledgeable about Brantia. ¡°Baron Riwad is a knight known for his fiery personality. Although it would be detrimental if the truth about his relationship with Lucas was revealed, he is not the one to stand still either. And regardless of the truth, Lucas is still his nephew, officially. He has more than enough justification.¡± Lanslo continued. ¡°Even if he was responsible for killing a territorial knight and conspiring to kill his own father? Baron Riwad would pull out his blade for such a cowardly murderer? Do the knights of Brantia not know anything about honor?¡± Galfredik snickered. Lanslo responded with a smirk, ¡°There is no way that he would accept the outcome of a trial that was held locally in Crawlmarine. A territorial trial in Brantia is not exactly the standard of justice.¡± ¡°What if we threaten him about his relationship with his sister?¡± Galfredik suggested. ¡°The only thing we have is a letter, and all those involved in the matter are dead except Baron Riwad. It might have a huge impact on Crawlmarine, but it wouldn¡¯t act as a deadly weapon against Baron Riwad. Moreover¡­¡± Lanslo paused. He continued while tapping on his longsword with a cold smile. ¡°In the end, knights like us end up resolving the situation with this, right? As long as we win the war, no one will care about the truth.¡± ¡°Kuhehehe! That¡¯s right.¡± Galfredik laughed. Eugene, who had been listening in silence, asked, ¡°Where does the Riwad barony stand in Brantia?¡± ¡°First of all, the baron himself is considered one of the top ten knights in Brantia. His influence is quite large, and although it is only a barony, it could be considered superior to Crawlmarine in many ways.¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°I see. And what if I defeat him?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Then you will become famous throughout Brantia in a heartbeat. Even those who claim themselves to be kings will notice you, Sir Eugene. They will either be wary or they will try to win you over,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°There¡¯s our answer, then. The Crawlmarine county is ours to protect in the first place,¡± Eugene coldly answered. Lanslo grinned. ¡°I knew it. Then we will need to gather troops as well. We should head back to Mungard and¡­¡± Eugene interrupted, ¡°Why would we need to collect troops?¡± ¡°Hmm? Weren¡¯t you planning on going to war?¡± Lanslo asked. Eugene looked down at the men and women of Crawlmarine, who were having a meat party among themselves in the castle¡¯s courtyard, before responding, ¡°They fight well.¡± ¡°Well¡­ That may be true, but we would be outnumbered. Baron Riwad is a very skilled knight, and he is a capable tactician as well. I am sure that they will be well-prepared for war,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°But most of them will be mercenaries, right? And the baron will be coming here personally. How long will it take? A month at the earliest?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hmm. That seems likely,¡± Lanslo agreed. ¡°Then we will fight with mobility,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Tell them to stop shoveling food and to come up. And Lanslo, I¡¯ll need you to head to Mungard.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°To hire mercenaries?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°No. I¡¯m going to arm them properly,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah! Perhaps¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t worry about the price. However, I want it to be the best that you can get in Brantia,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Haha! I understand,¡± Lanslo responded with a chuckle. Technically, the beowulf warriors were also mercenaries, but Eugene was planning to equip them with proper armor. As expected, Eugene¡¯s generosity with spending could not be matched by any other nobles. *** Eugene revised his plan to immediately head to the Batla Duchy. Instead, he decided to stay in Crawlmarine Castle in the meantime. Although he had Mungard¡¯s cooperation, the Crawlmarine territory was his first true ally since Luke became the count. Moreover, Eugene was on an expedition. He welcomed those who were in a hurry to be killed by him, and it was even better if his enemies were rather famous and strong. ¡®But I shouldn¡¯t let my guard down. After all, he¡¯s called a sword master.¡¯ Eugene checked his plan one more time while washing himself. First, he needed to arm the beowulf warriors, even though they liked fighting in their birthday suits. Beowulf warriors had a tendency to be overconfident in their bodies. It was true that they wouldn¡¯t suffer injuries unless they were pitted against a skilled opponent, and that they would recover from most injuries thanks to their monstrous recovery speed, but the beowulf warriors had changed their minds after fighting against the Central Church¡¯s army. They had come to realize how threatening knights could be when they were armed with plate armor and weapons laced with silver. ¡®Although nobody ever tried to arm the beowulf warriors¡­¡¯ Who would be foolish enough to arm mercenaries for hire? Moreover, hiring beowulf warriors alone would increase the cost by several times. There weren¡¯t any nobles in Brantia who would attempt to do such a foolish thing. But Eugene was different¡­ He knew that a bigger prize was awaiting him when he fought, won, and conquered. He didn¡¯t even need to worry about the cost of properly arming the beowulf warriors. After all, if doing such a thing would elevate their overall power, it would make it easier for him to ¡®conquer¡¯ Brantia in the end. CH 126 ¡°Kieee~ Twinkle twinkle golden castle~ How I wonder what you are~ Best in the world that¡¯s what you are~ Castle filled with diamonds and rubies~ Our Sir Eugene is the greatest of all~ Kiek?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too noisy.¡± The spirit was humming a bizarre song while floating in the water-filled bathtub. Her tune was disturbed by a well-placed flick to her forehead, and she responded with a gloomy expression. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s the matter? I¡¯m going to hire a minstrel in the future to spread the legend of your lordship and myself.¡± ¡°Stop your nonsense and wash my back,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yeap.¡± Mirian fluttered up and started to thoroughly wash Eugene¡¯s back with her ¡®spits and shits.¡¯ It was a little unpleasant at first, but it felt rather refreshing except for the sounds she made. ¡°Ah, by the way, sir. These little itty tattoos. There¡¯s only seven of them left now,¡± Mirian commented. ¡°Is that so?¡± Eugene said. Five of the initial twelve tattoos had completely disappeared. Eugene would gain a new ability with the disappearance of each tattoo, and all of them had been greatly helpful. Black Scales, camouflage, transformation, language interpretation, and the most recent, berserker. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t use berserker if I can help it.¡¯ It was a tremendous ability that amplified all of his abilities for a few minutes, but the drawback of exhausting all of his energy afterward was too great. It was an ability best left reserved for desperate moments. ¡®But as the tattoos disappear, I¡¯m regaining a vampire¡¯s unique abilities.¡¯ At first, he gained the ability to handle Fear, and from then, he was becoming more and more capable. Most recently, he gained the ability to charm others. No, rather than gaining, he was awakening his original abilities. Eugene was certain that it had everything to do with the disappearing tattoos. ¡®The tattoos must be a kind of seal. And those who placed this seal on me¡­¡¯ The image of the three figures was becoming clearer with each red mana stone that Eugene consumed. Eugene was somewhat certain that the three figures had been the ones responsible for the seal. He had a good reason to believe so¡­ ¡®It wasn¡¯t that I saw them when I was young. No, I was looking up at them while I¡¯m on the ground.¡¯ Eugene recently realized that their ¡®smiles¡¯ had been definite sneers. ¡®I was most likely beaten by the three of them. But why?¡¯ It would have been easier for them to have killed him, so why did they leave him alive with a seal? Moreover, when and where had everything happened? ¡®The only thing I know for sure is that I need to get rid of all the tattoos.¡¯ There were still seven tattoos left, and fortunately, there were many evil lands in Brantia. Of course, monsters possessing red mana stones were extremely rare, but at this rate, he was certain that he could remove all the tattoos in one year at the earliest, and two to three years at the latest. ¡°Then we will have to continue conquering Brantia,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Of course, of course! You¡¯re going to be a real king now. The demon king! The emperor! Kihehehehehehe!¡± The spirit of desire laughed frivolously as if Eugene was already the king of Brantia. Eugene considered shattering her expectations but stopped himself from doing so. He didn¡¯t want to disappoint her this early, and his ultimate goal was something that was much greater than becoming the king of Brantia. *** ¡°Hmm? What is all this?¡± ¡°Your armor.¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± Wolfgan and the beowulf warriors exclaimed after receiving wolf-shaped helmets and sets of platecoats. Others might have rejected the armor out of pride, but the Perseus Beowulfs thought differently after facing the knights from the continent. They had experienced how difficult it was to fight against enemies clad in solid armor. ¡°It¡¯s not as good as our armor, but it will block most arrows, spears, and blades,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Thank you for this, Dark Lord!¡± ¡°Wow! I can¡¯t believe I am wearing such high-end armor!¡± The materials of the armor and their polish weren¡¯t very good, but they had been made with consideration to the size of the bewoulf warriors. The armors were very large, and the thickness of the iron plates used in them was almost double the size of regular armor, so they had been very expensive. ¡°You will have to make good use of them. I will charge you all later,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kuhehe! Of course. Ah, by the way, are we setting off soon? Who are we up against?¡± Wolfgan asked. ¡°The Riwad barony. Have you heard of it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°The half-orc sword master? I heard that he¡¯s quite strong,¡± Wolfgan answered. It appeared that the title of a ¡®sword master¡¯ wasn¡¯t just for show, since the name of their opponent was enough to cause the beowulfs to buzz. ¡°I heard he cut off the heads of the church knights from the continent, right?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I heard that he reaped quite a harvest from the armor and weapons of those knights.¡± ¡°He got himself a lot of slaves as well. Damn it, we should have made them into slaves instead of killing them all.¡± ¡°What would you have done with them when you can¡¯t even communicate with them? Besides, they would have done nothing but waste our food.¡± ¡°Food? I suddenly want to eat meat.¡± ¡°Me too. Should we go to Marine Forest and catch some deer?¡± ¡°Wait. Did you say slaves?¡± Eugene asked after stopping the beowulfs in their tracks. ¡°That¡¯s right. They say he took quite a few prisoners and made them into slaves. Well, it¡¯s not like the continental humans are going to come all this way to pay their ransoms,¡± Wolfgan responded. Eugene turned his head. ¡°Lanslo. If they managed to reach all the way to the Riwad barony during the crusade, wouldn¡¯t they have been quite skilled?¡± ¡°Most likely. There is a high chance that they were part of the first expedition. I heard that the first expedition force consisted of knights belonging to noble families of considerable status and reputation in each kingdom,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°So there must have been holy knights as well?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Probably, although they wouldn¡¯t have necessarily belonged to the Caylor Kingdom,¡± Lanslo replied. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene fell into contemplation. From his experiences during his current and previous life, Eugene came to the conclusion that among all the kingdoms, the Caylor Kingdom was the most hostile towards other races. Although other countries weren¡¯t necessarily accepting of other races, their treatment of the other races wasn¡¯t bad as the Caylor Kingdom. However, the Caylor Kingdom hadn¡¯t always been a place that was hostile toward other races. The current king and his backer, the church¡¯s cardinal, had manipulated things behind the scenes over time. ¡®In the first place, only the Central Church of the Caylor Kingdom serves Gahein as its sole god.¡¯ The churches of other nations recognized other gods besides Gahein. Even the Holy Empire, which was a theocracy, recognized Gahein and two other gods as the Three Supreme Deities. So what if Baron Riwad¡¯s slaves weren¡¯t from the Kingdom of Caylor? ¡°Galfredik, Lanslo,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the two knights responded. Eugene gave a meaningful smile before continuing. ¡°It seems that it won¡¯t just be the Riwad barony that we¡¯ll take from this war.¡± *** The next day¡­ Galfredik, Lanslo, and Partec¡¯s group quietly departed from Crawlmarine Castle. Galfredik was rather disappointed that he could not participate in a real battlefield, but he understood that successfully carrying out his mission was of utmost importance. As such, he followed Eugene¡¯s orders without saying anything. Fighting and killing weren¡¯t the only ways to win a battle. Strategies and tactics needed to be employed in a flexible manner according to each situation as well. Moreover, Galfredik¡¯s skills as a tactician were on par with his skills as a warrior. After the five people left, Luke ordered all the vassals of the Crawlmarine territory to rally. The nobles knew that Luke was being supported by a high-ranking noble vampire and a horde of beowulf warriors, so they quickly responded to his call. They knew that they would have to serve the new count for at least 20 more years, and the best way to show their loyalty was to quickly respond to his call. Five days later¡­ The eight knights, although it was a little embarrassing to call them as such, and more than two hundred soldiers stood tall under the flag of Crawlmarine. ¡°Marindolf of Patos, my lord!¡± ¡°Leadman of Penzil! I will dedicate my life to your lordship and Crawlmarine¡­¡± The vassals fought to introduce themselves and prove their undying loyalty to Luke. However, although their words were grand and their voices were loud, it was clear from their expressions that they were extremely anxious. They had gathered their troops to prove their loyalty, but they were well aware of Baron Riwad¡¯s strength and how many troops he had under his command. ¡®What happens to us if the count dies?¡¯ ¡®If it¡¯s that big, half-orc swordmaster, he wouldn¡¯t even consider taking us prisoner for ransom.¡¯ ¡®Surely, he wouldn¡¯t kill all of us, would he?¡¯ ¡®Maybe I should run when I have the chance¡­¡¯ Luke was furious when he saw the lamenting faces and anxious eyes of the vassals. However, he was now the Count of Crawlmarine. In addition, his celebrated master was watching right behind him. ¡°I would like to express my deepest appreciation for your honorable decisions,¡± Luke said. ¡°It¡¯s my greatest honor.¡± ¡°I am simply honoring a knight¡¯s duty, my lord!¡± The words of the nobles were completely contradictory to their expressions. Luke suppressed his boiling anger and responded, ¡°I am touched that all of you are so eager. If I could do as I wished, I would have placed all of you in the vanguard.¡± ¡°...!¡± His fury blazed even brighter after seeing the evident shock in the nobles¡¯ faces. ¡°However, I know that everyone has been suffering because of the recent, vicious war caused by the continent¡¯s church. As such, I decided on a siege defense,¡± Luke declared. Oooh! The expressions of the vassals finally loosened. It was an obvious decision since defending against a siege was much easier than a head-on battle on the plains. Moreover, the enemies would outnumber them by two or three times there. A negotiation was an option depending on the situation, and if the situation became extremely disadvantageous¡­ ¡®It will be easier to turn our backs.¡¯ The vassals shared similar thoughts, although they spoke of loyalty and bravery amidst the brightened atmosphere¡­ Eugene stepped up. ¡°Sirs, you don¡¯t have to fight. Just make sure to defend the castle.¡± ¡°What?¡± The vassals were baffled by the vampire noble¡¯s words. The vampire had been mostly responsible for the naming of the new count, and he possessed terrifying skills as well. They wondered what he was planning. ¡°Literally. Don¡¯t try to crawl out of the castle. Stay where you are. If you try anything else.¡± Eugene paused and glanced back. The vassals naturally followed his gaze as if they were bewitched. Krrrrrrrrrr. The beowulf warriors grinned, revealing their sharp fangs. They were armed with armor and wolf-shaped helmets. ¡°Hiek!¡± Some of the vassals fell onto their buttocks with frightened shouts, and Eugene inched closer to the vassals before continuing in a cold voice. ¡°Disobeying orders will result in immediate judgment. The death penalty. Make sure you don¡¯t forget.¡± ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡± The vassals finally realized the truth. It was meaningless for them to declare their loyalty to the young count. The real authority here was the noble vampire, who had the power to move the dirty, mean beowulf warriors with nothing but a wink. *** Uwaaaaaaahhh!!! The people of Crawlmarine cheered for the troops and the beowulf warriors. A new count had taken the place of their original lord after he was beheaded on the count of murdering his own father and a knight, but the residents of the territory didn¡¯t particularly care. It was all because the nobles had strongly emphasized the legitimacy of the new count and they were also too busy living their own lives and making ends meet to actually care. Moreover, the people were mostly simple and ignorant. They liked Luke, who looked much more reliable and handsome than the previous count. In particular, they were exhilarated that the mean, evil ¡®Dogs of Perseus¡¯ were marching behind the new count. ¡°Long live the lord!¡± ¡°Crawlmarine will win!¡± ¡°Hurray! Hurray for the handsome count!¡± Several beowulfs grumbled after hearing the residents¡¯ cheers. ¡°This makes it seem like we¡¯re subordinates of the count.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not exactly wrong, is it? The dark lord stands behind the count, and we were hired by the dark lord.¡± ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s true.¡± In fact, the beowulfs were quite satisfied with the current situation. It had been common for them to go on for days without food when they lived in the mountains, but ever since they were hired by Eugene, they had been able to hold a feast of meat every day. In addition, their employer was quite friendly toward them, and he even recently gifted them precious armor. Eugene, the dark lord, was the best employer they could ask for. ¡°But we¡¯re not going to Patos Castle?¡± ¡°Yes. Only Mister Wolfgan and a few of the boys are going. To escort the count.¡± ¡°Then what about us?¡± the beowulfs whispered. Despite all the cheering, Eugene heard the murmurs of the beowulfs and turned his head. ¡°You. No, us, we will do what we do best,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What we do best? And what is that?¡± one of the beowulfs asked. Vampires and beowulfs were originally of the same blood. One was known for their craftiness, and the other was known for their persistence. In a war where two races joined their forces without having to care about chivalry and honor, there was only one possible outcome. Eugene smiled coldly before voicing the answer. ¡°An ambush. A surprise attack.¡± CH 127 ¡°Baylin Forest?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, Master. Assuming that Baron Riwad¡¯s forces are trying to take over Patos, the route through Baylin Forest is the fastest,¡± Luke answered. The two were left alone after sending away the vassals. Luke continued and advised Eugene. ¡°The forest is deep and wide. It will be hard to tell where they will be coming from. However, I believe that we will be able to quickly identify and deal with them appropriately if we make use of your authority and the beowulfs¡¯ abilities.¡± ¡°I see. By the way, it seems like you¡¯ve changed. You are full of confidence now. You¡¯re finally starting to seem like a real count,¡± Eugene teased. ¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re acting kind of arrogant, aide number two! Hmph!¡± Mirian said after taking a seat on Luke¡¯s head. ¡°Y-you flatter me.¡± Luke jumped back with surprise before bowing. ¡°Do you know who I am?! Hmm? I was with your master when he killed the monstas! We took a bath together! I even crawled into the water dragon¡¯s asshole and¡­ Kiek!¡± Eugene gave a rare smile and pretended to stroke Luke¡¯s head while flicking the spirit with his finger. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing. A count should display at least that much confidence,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Luke answered with a blush. Even his ears were colored pink. Eugene patted Luke on the shoulder a few times before looking down at the map once again. ¡°Baylin Forest. Since he¡¯s supposed to be short-tempered, there is a high possibility that he might try to cross the forest. But just in case, we should send some warriors to the detour as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes. We can station some of the quick, persistent warriors to wait for a few days to observe the situation,¡± Luke responded. ¡°Good. Then lead the vassals to Patos. I will have Wolfgan and some of the warriors escort you, so don¡¯t worry. When I contact you, bring the vassals and join forces with me right away.¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Yes! I will follow your orders, Master,¡± Luke answered. ¡®Master is the truth; he is the light. I will do anything he asks of me.¡¯ Although he was now a count, Luke¡¯s eyes still glimmered with awe when he looked at Eugene. *** ¡°You dimwitted bastards!¡± Baron Riwad shouted in anger. The mercenary captains were gathered in his tent, and they shrank back in the face of his wrath. The baron roared with fury as if he was ready to pull out his blade at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°You can¡¯t even travel thirty kilometers in half a day?! Are you really warriors?! Even donkeys would be faster than you bastards!¡± ¡°I apologize, my lord.¡± ¡°Please forgive us. The road is very rough, and the men are exhausted.¡± ¡°It is much too difficult to keep up with your lordship and the other knights.¡± The mercenary captains busily made excuses while bowing. ¡°You!¡± Baron Riwad called out after turning his fiery gaze. ¡°Y-yes, my lord,¡± the leader of the military depot accompanying the army answered while shrinking back. ¡°Starting today, you will not sell alcohol and whores to the mercenaries. My orders will remain effective until we reach the Crawlmarine territory,¡± Baron Riwad said. ¡°A-as you wish,¡± the merchant answered. ¡°My lord! The men¡¯s morale will¡­¡± ¡°Then start walking more than a mere 30 kilometers in a day! At this pace, we will arrive after the new count dies of old age!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± The mercenary captains dropped their heads. ¡®Dammit. He still has that dogshit temper.¡¯ ¡°Fuck! That¡¯s why they said we would be treated like shit if we sided with Baron Half-Orc.¡¯ Even so, they could not resist the promise of silver from the continent and permission to loot freely. Moreover, if Baron Riwad successfully conquered the Crawlmarine territory, he would quickly emerge as the most powerful force in southeastern Brantia. He would come to play a pivotal role in one of the powers gunning for the nation¡¯s throne, or perhaps he could even aim for the throne himself. ¡®It would be great if the orc baron took control of the South.¡¯ ¡®He couldn¡¯t possibly manage all that land by himself. He might even entrust some land to us.¡¯ ¡®We might even make it all the way to Mungard.¡¯ The mercenary captains dreamt of their respective rosy futures while groveling in front of Baron Riwad. ¡°If you don¡¯t like my orders, then feel free to leave, or pelt those bastards under you. We will reach Deloton by tomorrow, no exceptions,¡± Baron Riwad shouted. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± the mercenary captains answered. ¡°Now, get out!¡± Baron Riwad hollered. ¡°Yes!¡± The mercenary captains answered before swarming out of the tent. Once they left, slaves rushed to Baron Riwad¡¯s side and removed his armor before carefully wiping his body with wet towels. Meanwhile, Baron Riwad observed the map laid out on a simple table. ¡°Sirs.¡± Baron Riwad called out. ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± The nobles and knights of the barony answered. ¡°Tell me. If you were knights of the Crawlmarine territory, where would you form a line of defense? Don¡¯t hesitate to voice your opinion,¡± Baron Riwad said. Baron Riwad was almost unparalleled in Brantia when it came to his skills with the blade, but he wasn¡¯t actually a good tactician. Nevertheless, he was known as a good tactician because he had always listened to the opinions of his knights. As a result, Baron Riwad had won several battles and became known as an outstanding tactician. ¡°If I were a knight of Crawlmarine, I would focus on Penzil or here, Patos Castle.¡± ¡°I agree with Sir Deverson.¡± ¡°Hmm. And what if you had to choose between the two?¡± Baron Riwad asked once more. ¡°I would have to say Patos. Of all the castles located in the Crawlmarine territory, Patos is located in the most strategic location and will be the most difficult to siege.¡± ¡°Patos¡­ Patos. Good. Then we will attack there first. We will overwhelm them with force if the enemy focuses their forces there, and if they don''t, we will use it as a supply base after we take it over,¡± Baron Riwad said. ¡°How wise!¡± ¡°As expected, you are the only knight worthy of taking control of Brantia, my lord. Hahaha!¡± It was a basic tactic that anyone with some experience could come up with, but the knights spared no praise for Baron Riwad. Baron Riwad was very pleased and laughed before raising his voice with satisfaction. ¡°Good! We will take the shortest route to Patos.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± The knights answered. They were excited at the thought of war. Although they occasionally participated in evil land subjugations and bandit suppressions, such things were no match for the thrill of war. One of the knights, a man who was born near Crawlmarine, carefully scrutinized the map before speaking carefully, ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Baron Riwad answered. ¡°The shortest route to Patos involves crossing Baylin Forest,¡± the knight said. ¡°And?¡± Baron Riwad answered. ¡°If the enemy sets up an ambush in the forest, we could suffer a serious blow. Why don¡¯t we take a detour?¡± The knight suggested. ¡°Is the forest huge?¡± Baron Riwad asked. ¡°Yes. It is quite large. It¡¯s been known to house quite a few roamers and predators since ancient times,¡± the knight answered. ¡°Then we will pass through it.¡± Baron Riwad gave his decision. ¡°What?¡± Baron Riwad clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk! Think about it. If the forest is as wide and as deep as you say, do you really think that the enemy could figure out exactly which path we are going to take to cross the forest? Moreover, he¡¯s a self-proclaimed knight from the continent. He would never even think of setting up an ambush. All those jackasses from the continent are obsessed with shit like honor and chivalry.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Just as the baron said, the knights from the continent had suffered many losses in the previous war, sometimes even when they had the advantage, because they had been consumed by ¡®honor and chivalry.¡¯ ¡°But since he is a member of the Dark Clan, we can¡¯t say things for sure. Master Pythamoras and a portion of the troops will take a detour along with the depot. It will be troublesome if we run into a problem with our supplies even before we take over Patos,¡± Baron Riwad declared. ¡°Yes!¡± the knights answered. Since it was a large army with nearly six hundred soldiers, it would be a struggle to feed them all for a day even if they looted a single village. As such, Baron Riwad made the right decision. He knew that the army would not last even ten days if he failed to protect the depot, which consisted of thirty carts and almost 100 workers. However, the problem was that even an exemplary decision was sometimes subject to failure. *** After parting ways with Luke and the soldiers of the Crawlmarine territory, Eugene sent some of the beowulf warriors to the detour and headed into Baylin Forest with the rest. Afterward, he arranged the warriors in pairs at intervals of several hundred meters. The beowulf warriors were extremely agile, and they possessed excellent eyesight and hearing. No matter where the enemy was spotted, they could easily gather at a set point in less than twenty minutes. ¡°Remember. As soon as you spot them, go deeper into the forest. Identify their route of travel. Then, when there are no more than 50 enemies, attack immediately. As for how?¡± Eugene asked them. ¡°As fast and as furious as possible!¡± Kurararararara! The beowulfs laughed with satisfaction. They were fully confident in acting according to such a tactic. Moreover, Baylin Forest had been without human presence for a long time and was filled to the brim with ¡®meat.¡¯ With permission from the forest¡¯s owner, Luke, they could hunt and eat as much as they wanted. ¡°The half-orc baron. I hope he comes a little later.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Salted meat is good, but freshly caught deer and wild boar are truly the best.¡± ¡°Shall we have a meal first? I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°You too? Hey, me too!¡± ¡°Kieek! Look at those dog-pig bastards! They¡¯re trying to eat again!¡± Mirian shouted. ¡°Hey. Eat the dried meat I gave you first. After the battle, I will treat you to a meat party.¡± Eugene commented. Kiieng. The beowulf warriors became sullen and returned to their respective positions. Three days soon passed¡­ *** Caw. Caw. The ominous cries of crows resonated as five hundred troops separated into about ten groups and walked through the unbroken forest. They couldn¡¯t exercise proper formations due to the dense, thick bushes, but they had formed long lines which allowed them to defend against attacks from predators or monsters without losing their way. ¡°Dammit! I can¡¯t believe how slow they are,¡± Baron Riwad turned his head irritably and shouted. He stood at the forefront of the army. ¡°What¡¯s the distance between us and the rear of the army? We must keep it less than five hundred meters,¡± Baron Riwad asked. ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Then go and find out!¡± Baron Riwad shouted. His path had been clear of any beasts or roamers, and there had been no signs of any human presence even now. However, Baron Riwad was never the type to let his guard down. Rather, it annoyed him that most of his troops were mercenaries with no military discipline. Most of them had experienced the crusade and were quite skilled, but they devolved into a mess when they were resting or traveling. ¡®I could at least beat them into obedience if they were serfs. Tsk, just what you might expect from mercenaries...¡¯ Serfs were easy to control, but they were quite useless in combat. By comparison, mercenaries were more skilled. As such, Baron Riwad forcefully suppressed his anger and glared at the group of mercenaries, who were trudging along in groups of dozens. It was then¡­ Ahhhhhhh~~ Kuaggh! A series of screams began to echo from the rear of the army. ¡°I-is it an ambush?¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± The mercenaries became disoriented by the sudden turn of events, but Baron Riwad quickly turned his horse toward the direction of the screams without hesitation. ¡°Uagh?!¡± ¡°Move! Get out of my way! Move, you dimwits!¡± Baron Riwad shouted. However, he couldn¡¯t easily navigate through the blockade of large trees and the disorganized mercenaries. Moreover, due to the uneven paths, it turned out that the line of troops was longer than he had expected. As he headed further back, he realized that the mercenaries were clumped together because of the unexpected, unidentified attack. ¡°Who is the enemy!?¡± ¡°Humans? No, monsters!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see them from here!¡± ¡°What are you doing!? Go help them!¡± Some were hurriedly looking around with their weapons, some were hurriedly climbing trees, and others were running toward the rear to help their comrades. It was a mess. ¡°You fucking fools!¡± In the end, Baron Riwad and his knights finally reached the rear of the army after traveling nearly a kilometer. But a few minutes had already passed since the beginning of the screams. ¡°¡­!¡± Around fifty mercenaries were found dead. They had been marching a little too far from the main army. However, Baron Riwad noted a peculiar fact. The mercenaries hadn¡¯t been killed by ordinary weapons such as spears and blades. Rather, some of them had their heads removed from their shoulders and vanished, some had their armors ripped to shreds, and some of them had their limbs torn off¡­ ¡°Monsters¡­?¡± ¡°Keugh! Only monsters would do such a thing.¡± The knights hurriedly looked around, and Baron Riwad spoke in a bloodthirsty voice. ¡°Monsters or not, they aren¡¯t ordinary. I don¡¯t see a single corpse belonging to the enemy.¡± ¡°Heut¡­!¡± The knights froze at his words. As the baron said, all of the corpses belonged to the hired mercenaries. ¡°Any sign of the attackers?¡± Baron Riwad asked. ¡°W-well¡­ They seem to have scattered in all directions,¡± one of the knights responded. ¡°What¡­?¡± Baron Riwad said. His voice and gaze contained the full force of orc royalty. The knight flinched before responding, ¡°About ten of them. Based on the traces they left behind, they seem to be intermediate-rank monsters. But they didn¡¯t flock. Instead, they fled individually. A-as such¡­ I think it is going to be quite difficult tracking them down.¡± ¡°Motherfucker!¡± Baron Riwad¡¯s furious shout resonated through the forest. But then¡­ Arrrrghhh! Kuagghh! Screams began to resound from the front of the army¡­ ¡°What the fuck!?¡± Baron Riwad roared before turning his horse once more. His copper face was red with shock and anger. Meanwhile, the Origin Vampire and the other beowulf fighters excitedly slaughtered the leading mercenaries during the knights¡¯ absence. ¡°Kuaagh! I will kill you all!¡± Baron Riwad burst into an unfathomable rage after discovering the bodies of the slaughtered mercenaries. It was then¡­ Uaaaghhh! ¡°It¡¯s the enemy!¡± The rear of the army was once again attacked by unidentified enemies. CH 128 ¡°Kuhaha! It seems like Baron half-orc is very angry.¡± ¡°He should¡¯ve known better than to crawl into the woods and move separately from the others. How stupid. It seems that even a swordmaster¡¯s army is no big deal.¡± About a dozen beowulf warriors chuckled all together. They had just stormed through the rear of Baron Riwad¡¯s army and killed heaps of mercenaries before making their escape, and now they were situated on treetops located hundreds of meters from the enemies. ¡°Anyway, thanks to the armor that the dark lord gave me, I¡¯m not injured at all. What about the rest of you?¡± ¡°This is definitely something, all right. It feels a bit clunky when I move, but it deflected all the spears, swords, and axes.¡± ¡°You allowed yourself to be hit by those weaklings? You mutt, I would cut off my tail in shame if I were you.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you suddenly have a craving for meat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. It must be because of how vigorously I was moving. I do feel hungry¡­ Ugh!¡± Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey! ¡°Kugh?!¡± The beowulf warriors took off their helmets and rubbed their eyes as the conversation started to veer off topic. They began hurriedly looking around with astonished expressions. ¡°He said that we would get water in our eyes if we messed around. It looks like he wasn¡¯t lying.¡± ¡°Can the dark lord use magic as well?¡± ¡°The little fangs have natural talent in magic, right?¡± The beowulfs expressed their astonishment after discovering another interesting fact about Eugene. However, they had never imagined that the ¡®water magic¡¯ was in fact the water spirit¡¯s sputum. The beowulfs started climbing down from the trees. ¡°Hmm? Looks like something¡¯s happening at the front of the army.¡± ¡°Perfect timing. Kuhaha!¡± The beowulf warriors revealed their fangs and laughed as the wind carried over human screams from afar. This was a forest, and a forest was an optimal battleground for beowulfs and vampires, who possessed superior senses compared to humans. It might have been a different story if hundreds of humans were moving as a group, but long lines of soldiers standing in dozens could never hope to best vampires or beowulfs in a forest. Moreover, it was even easier for ambushes to succeed when the enemies were without their knights. ¡°Now, everyone! Follow me and keep your senses sharp. We will attack once the knights get far enough.¡± ¡°Got it. The same thing as last time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. As fast and as furious as possible.¡± Krrrrrrrr! The beowulfs growled softly before silently dashing through the forest. *** ¡®Here they come!¡¯ Eugene felt the approach of figures exuding a Fear that was distinctly different from the beowulfs. He pulled out his claws from the chest of a mercenary before shouting. ¡°Break!¡± Kwoooo! The beowulf warriors began running in all directions after successfully ripping apart more than fifty mercenaries in less than a minute. Eugene also chose a direction and charged into the forest like a beast. He was without his plate armor and weapons, and was only equipped with Black Scales and his claws. ¡°Over there!¡± ¡°A beast! No, a monster!¡± Several enemies roared after spotting Eugene and some of the beowulfs retreating into the forest. However, none of the enemies were on horseback except the knights, and Eugene possessed the ability to camouflage as well as incredible speed. As such, they were unable to keep up with Eugene and the beowulfs. Eugene widened the distance between himself and the enemies to more than a few hundred meters, then climbed up a tall tree like a squirrel. His skin had perfectly assimilated with the bark of the tree, so it would be impossible for the mercenaries to discover his presence. Mirian flew toward Eugene¡¯s tree with labored flaps of her small wings. ¡°Kieee~ Kieeeee~ Oh, I¡¯m so tired. This is exhausting. Sir~!¡± Mirian shouted. ¡°What about the warriors at the rear?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°They were starting to spout nonsense again, so I spat on them a few times to keep them focused,¡± Mirian answered. ¡°I see. Good work,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kihehehe!¡± The spirit¡¯s mouth widened into a smile. Eugene turned his gaze away from her and focused on his five senses. ¡®They are finally gathering together.¡¯ He smacked his lips with regret. The remaining forces of Baron Riwad¡¯s army were gathering together. Although a forest was a very advantageous terrain for vampires and beowulfs, it would be difficult to attack when hundreds of enemies gathered into a single group. However, the operation could still be considered a great success since more than 100 people had been eliminated from the ambushes. Now, it was about time to retreat. ¡®But there¡¯s fewer troops than I was expecting. Hmm¡­ Huh?!¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyes filled with shock as he reviewed the battles until now. He came to a realization that all of the humans he had encountered in the forest had been ¡®armed.¡¯ Not a single one had been unarmed. ¡®The depot merchants aren¡¯t here? I didn¡¯t see any of their supplies either.¡¯ It made no sense that hundreds of troops had made it thus far without the accompaniment of any supplies. In other words, the army¡¯s supply corps or depot merchants must be moving separately from Baron Riwad¡¯s main army. Papat! Eugene leaped off the tree and ran toward the rendezvous. ¡°Kieh?! Sir! Wait for me~!¡± Mirian shouted. *** ¡°Dammit¡­¡± Baron Riwad¡¯s breath condensed in the cold night air. Hundreds of torches drove the darkness away, and the sound of the troops marching cluttered the quiet forest. Baron Riwad¡¯s army was currently crossing Baylin Forest. It had been over three hours since the last attack, and they had been marching without rest or food. The attacks had stopped, but their pace decreased significantly after they gathered into one large group to prevent further ambushes. They didn¡¯t have to worry about getting lost at night thanks to mercenaries with good eyes and knowledge of the constellations, but at this pace, they wouldn¡¯t exit the forest until sunrise tomorrow. ¡°Excuse me, my lord. With all due respect, the troops are exhausted. Why don¡¯t we take a small break and allow them to eat?¡± one of Baron Riwad¡¯s knights spoke. ¡°Hmm.¡± Baron Riwad fell into contemplation with a frown before nodding. ¡°Thirty minutes. No more, no less. Have them eat the dried jerkies to take care of their hunger.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Baron Riwad¡¯s orders were quickly delivered to each unit, and the troops dropped flat on their spots. However, none of them were able to rest comfortably. The fear and the shock from the ambushes earlier in the day still lingered in their minds and hearts. As such, they continued to be wary of the forest¡¯s seemingly endless darkness. ¡°Uagh?!¡± ¡°E-enemies?!¡± Even a small rustle forced them to stand up and prepare for battle. They were resting, but it was exhausting. However, it wasn¡¯t as if they could set up camp. The forest wasn¡¯t suitable for a camp, and there was always the possibility of an enemy ambush. ¡°Master, please have some water.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Baron Riwad soothed his bitter heart by quenching his thirst from the pouch handed over to him by his aide. ¡°Keugh! I can¡¯t believe that Crawlmarine hired beowulfs,¡± Baron Riwad muttered while gritting his teeth. After hearing the testimonies of the survivors and the witnesses, it became clear to Baron Riwad that the attackers had been the Perseus Beowulfs, who had ties to the Crawlmarine territory. ¡°It¡¯s definitely strange. How could they have afforded them? There were at least ten of them. It must have cost at least 100,000 cellings to hire them all,¡± one of the knights responded. ¡°That¡¯s true. Moreover, the beowulfs had a falling out with the Crawlmarine territory after a huge incident last year, right? This is quite strange.¡± Another knight chimed in. ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now. What¡¯s important is that even now, they must be watching us from somewhere.¡± ¡°But if they dare to show themselves again, they won¡¯t be able to escape.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we brought the silver arrows and the weapons we seized from the continental knights.¡± The knights spoke with confidence, and the basis of their confidence was exactly why the beowulfs were reluctant to face the knights of the Riwad territory. The knights were armed with the weapons they had seized from the continental knights during the crusade, and as native Brantians, they were knowledgeable in ways to effectively fight against other races. The beowulfs would have the advantage in small-scale skirmishes, but faced with a group of hundreds, they would become surrounded and annihilated. ¡°If I knew this would happen, I should have asked Master Pythamoras to accompany us,¡± Baron Riwad said. As the Sage of Mount Robtimo, Pythamoras was a druid with talent in controlling animals. Moreover, he knew how to use magic to see through the darkness to track down beings with mana stones. Most importantly, he had the ability to curse any living beings, including humans. Even if it lasted for only a short time, Pythamoras could transform a regular human into a mouse or toad. ¡°Things would have gone differently if Master Pythamoras had been with us. However, someone had to escort the supply depot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. As a respected druid, Master Pythamoras is the only other figure capable of managing the uncivilized mercenaries besides yourself, my lord,¡± the knights commented. ¡°Phew. It is as you say, sirs. We will exit the forest by tomorrow morning and meet with the supply¡­ Heuk?!¡± Baron Riwad sprang to his feet and gasped. ¡°...?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my lord?¡± The knights became puzzled. Baron Riwad gritted his teeth and raised his voice. ¡°Dammit!¡± ¡°M-my lord?¡± One of the knights called out. ¡°Get up! Get everyone ready to resume marching right now! We must exit this fucking forest as fast as possible! Get ready to run! Fuck the formation!¡± The baron roared, and the knights and mercenaries came rushing over with surprise. ¡°My lord! They haven¡¯t even rested for ten minutes yet!¡± ¡°What about the beowulfs? If we don¡¯t maintain proper formation at night, they could¡­¡± The knights and mercenary captains shouted. ¡°Do you have goblin dicks for brains, you fucking bastards?!¡± Baron Riwad roared while unleashing his Fear. ¡°Hiek?!¡± He continued to shout. ¡°Don¡¯t you see why those bastards aren¡¯t attacking us anymore?! They¡¯re already out of the forest! They must have realized that the merchants and the supply corps are moving separately from us!¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°W-we must hurry!¡± Chaos ensued in an instant, and the soldiers were forced into a race for their lives. *** ¡°Is there a bastard talking shit about me? Why are my ears so itchy?¡± One of the beowulf warriors following behind Silion muttered while scratching his ears with his sharp nails. ¡°It might be because we haven¡¯t had meat in a while,¡± one of the other beowulfs commented. ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Ah! I could kill for some meat right now.¡± The warriors exited the dim, moonlit forest while naturally returning to conversations about meat. Although they were similar to horses in speed, the beowulfs possessed better endurance. There was no possibility that Baron Riwad¡¯s army could catch up with them any time soon. ¡°Keep it up. We will arrive in just a few more hours,¡± Eugene said after looking back. ¡°Got it!¡± The beowulfs answered vigorously. As Baron Riwad suspected, Eugene had exited the forest immediately after their last attack and started heading toward Patos. To be exact, they were on their way to meet up with the other beowulf warriors who had been stationed at the detour. ¡®I instructed them to figure out the enemy¡¯s route and not to rush into an attack, but I have a bad feeling about this.¡¯ Having proper escorts for supply units was the basics of military tactics. Considering that Baron Riwad was fairly well known in Brantia for his might and strategies, there was no way that he would leave the supply units unguarded. But obviously, the guards would number less than the main force. Eugene was worried that the beowulfs would have attacked hastily to achieve glory. ¡°Huh? Dark Lord, over there!¡± one of the warriors shouted. Eugene¡¯s gaze penetrated into the darkness of a small forest located hundreds of meters away. The grove was located only a few dozen meters from the road, making it the perfect place to plan an ambush. Even Eugene would have chosen to hide there to observe the enemy¡¯s movements. ¡°It smells like blood!¡± ¡°Blood of our brothers and sisters!¡± The warriors shouted and shot past Silion as they neared the small forest. After a short while, Eugene also arrived in front of the forest. He frowned. There weren¡¯t any bodies, but blood, flesh, and fur were scattered all over the meadow. Anyone could see that a fierce battle had taken place. ¡°There¡¯s no one in the forest!¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± The beowulfs searched the forest before returning. They could not hide their anxiety and worries. ¡°Did our brothers and sisters die?¡± ¡°Wolfgan, you bastard! At least leave your nails behind if you¡¯re going to die.¡± ¡°Incompetent pieces of shit.¡± Eugene dismounted from Silion and carefully examined the scene of battle. Mirian flew over and exclaimed, ¡°Sir, sir! I can smell mana!¡± ¡°Smell mana?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right! The smell of magic! It¡¯s a little different from our raccoon, but it smells very similar!¡± Mirian shouted. Eugene finally understood. The beowulf warriors were strong enough to easily defeat a dozen mercenaries alone, but they were nowhere to be seen. The wizards of Brantia were famous for using mysterious magic unique from the continental wizards. They were known as druids. ¡°It appears that Baron Riwad hired a druid,¡± Eugene muttered. Things wouldn¡¯t always work out perfectly. CH 129 ¡°The more I look at it, the stranger it is. No, should I call it bold instead?¡± Druid Pythamoras muttered while closely examining a plate coat of the beowulfs, which were two or three times bigger than regular plate coats. He nodded. The outer leather was high-quality, and the iron plate fixed inside of the armor was adeptly smelted as well. In addition, the iron plates were twice or three times as thick as regular armor. It seemed unlikely that an ordinary weapon could possibly penetrate the sturdy armor. It was without doubt that an equivalent number of heavy cavalry would struggle against beowulf warriors equipped with such armor. ¡°So, the high-ranking member of the Dark Clan who gave you this is very rich?¡± Pythamoras asked. ¡°That¡¯s what we heard. Apparently, he has his own territory in the continent and a silver mine as well. And the port cities of the continent just gave him these things.¡± ¡°His armor was very nice as well. The mayor of one of the cities gave it to him as a present.¡± ¡°Excuse me, mister druid, but could you untie us? It hurts a little.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t run away, so release us. Please. I swear it on the honor of a big fang warrior,¡± The beowulfs turned their heads and responded before imploring him. They were walking beside Pythamora¡¯s steed. The beowulfs were in their human forms, and thin, silver wires were wrapped around their necks and wrists. The wire possessed terrifying magic that inflicted burning pain when the beowulfs were in their beastly forms, although it only stung slightly when they were human. ¡°I believe in your words, but the mercenaries will become nervous. Besides, you already killed more than ten of them during the attack. You should be grateful that I¡¯m showing mercy,¡± Pythamoras answered. The mercenaries were glaring at the beowulfs right behind them. They were poised to unsheathe their weapons and behead the beowulfs at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°If we knew that you were here, we would have never done such a thing. Ah, by the way, we¡¯ll receive a scolding from the dark lord.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be lucky if it ended with just a scolding. He might beat us up like last time. Dammit! He only hits where it hurts.¡± the beowulfs whispered to themselves. ¡°The one who hired you is that skilled?¡± Pythamoras asked. ¡°Oh, of course. We¡¯re going to be completely pummeled,¡± one of the warriors responded. The beowulfs proceeded to excitedly explain their history with Eugene, and Pythamoras listened with interest. The atmosphere wasn¡¯t befitting that of a captor and his prisoners, but it was due to the position that druids held in Brantia. Druids were faithful priests, scholars with great knowledge, and respected doctors who treated anyone regardless of race. As such, not only the nobility, but even the king could treat druids recklessly. ¡°Huh? How amazing. From what you¡¯ve been saying, it¡¯s as if the knight king has descended once more.¡± Pythamoras was sincerely impressed after hearing the beowulfs¡¯ stories about Eugene. ¡°I don¡¯t know about the knight king, but he is stupidly strong. But Mister Pythamoras, are you really going to fight against the dark lord?¡± one of the beowulfs asked. ¡°Well, I was asked by Lord Riwad. Hmm. But it would be such a waste to dissect such a great figure. Ah, since he¡¯s rich and strong, perhaps I could get him to bring me another vampire instead,¡± Pythamoras answered. ¡°Uh, it should be possible. Now that I think about it, the dark knight said that the dark lord has a hired wizard from the continent. I heard they¡¯ve been together for quite a while,¡± the beowulf warrior stated. ¡°Hooh, is that true? The wizards of the continent tend to be proud and solitary, so they rarely ever form relationships with lords,¡± Pythamoras responded. His gloomy eyes sparkled with curiosity. ¡°Well, I heard that the dark lord is really good at procuring monster by-products for the wizard. Griffons, a wyvern¡­ He even killed a water dragon not too long ago¡­¡± the beowulf warrior mumbled. ¡°What? A wyvern and a water dragon?!¡± Pythamoras shouted. He was shocked. He was also a wizard, and he was greedy for precious materials and monster by-products. The monsters that the beowulf mentioned were incredibly tough and difficult to kill, even if they were just roamers. Moreover, although a druid was knowledgeable and powerful, their physique was no different from ordinary people. As such, it was impossible for them to kill an intermediate-rank or a high-rank monster by themselves. ¡°Huh! Now, this makes him even more tempting,¡± Pythamoras whispered. There were plenty of skilled knights capable of defeating monsters and subjugating evil lands in Brantia as well, but most of the excellent knights were lords themselves or subordinates to powerful lords. In addition, powerful, outstanding knights tended to be more interested in wars rather than evil lands, so they rarely participated in hunting monsters. It was also possible to hire ordinary knights and mercenaries in large numbers, but druids lived in close harmony with nature, and as such, they couldn¡¯t afford the large sum of money necessary to hire them. However, Eugene often hunted monsters despite his status, and Pythamoras had no choice but to feel intrigued and attracted to him. ¡®Hmm. Should I neutralize him with magic and then make a request? In any case, Lord Riwad said he would leave the member of the Dark Clan to me.¡¯ A sudden curiosity struck Pythamoras as he planned ahead. ¡°By the way, what school does his hired wizard belong to? Do you know anything about it?¡± Pythamoras asked. ¡°Uhh~ What was it again? Ah, it was definitely the Blood Shadow School.¡± the beowulf warrior answered. ¡°Ohh!¡± Pythamoras¡¯ eyes widened. As an intellectual with a plethora of knowledge, he was also very informed about the different schools of magic on the continent. The Blood Shadow School consisted of experts in research regarding monsters and focus on creating chimeras. He was sure that they would possess knowledge that he didn¡¯t have. ¡°Good, good! I must suppress him and take him to Mount Robtimo with the wizard. Hahaha!¡± Pythamoras declared. He came to a conclusion. He would work the high-ranking noble vampire for a few years to procure materials that he needed. Baron Riwad¡¯s request had already disappeared from his mind. *** Eugene worked Silion until exhaustion before finally spotting a large group of people about two hours later. They were presumed to be the supply unit of Baron Riwad¡¯s army. The group had set up camp and formed a garrison around numerous carts as cover. The mercenaries were standing in pairs with torches in their hands. ¡°I can smell the stench of our brothers and sisters! Dark Lord, let¡¯s attack!¡± the beowulfs shouted. Despite being quite exhausted from the prolonged run, they were burning with desire. ¡°You said,[a] there was a druid. Can you guys handle the druid?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°Facing a druid might be¡­¡± The beowulfs awkwardly scratched their heads. They weren¡¯t necessarily afraid of druids. Of course, it would be difficult to face powerful spells and curses, but the point was that they were reluctant to turn their backs against a respected, admired species of Brantia. ¡°Druids. They don¡¯t fight if they get what they want?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. We need to figure out what Baron half-orc offered the druid. Since they approached the druid first, we can¡¯t offer the exact same thing. We will have to offer something more to turn them to our side,¡± a beowulf answered. ¡°This is becoming complicated,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. If the dark lord wants a place in Brantia, you can¡¯t turn against the druids. If you do so, people will turn their backs on you, regardless of their race or status,¡± the beowulf answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Sir. My seniors told me that druids can see spirits. I¡¯m a little scared. Kieee,¡± Even Mirian whispered with a frightened expression. ¡®Should I attempt to talk first? Or¡­ What if I just kill the druid and everyone else?¡¯ Eugene felt tempted to just handle things with brute force. However, he soon shook his head. In doing so, he would risk losing the hearts of the beowulf warriors. They would surely prove themselves useful in the future as well, so he could not afford to lose their trust in him. ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene sat in contemplation for a while before suddenly raising his head. He could feel a strange, but powerful wave radiating from the enemy¡¯s camp. ¡°Sir, sir! It¡¯s mana! The mana is trembling! Kieeeeeekk!¡± Mirian shouted with surprise before rushing into her leather pocket. Realizing that the druid had sensed their presence, Eugene clicked his tongue before taking Wolfslaughter and Madarazika into his hands. Right now, it didn¡¯t matter if the beowulfs respected druids. For now, he had to prepare for battle. The enemy¡¯s camp became quite noisy, and dozens of troops holding torches ran toward the place where Eugene and the beowulfs were hiding. ¡°Kuheul?! Our brothers and sisters are there too!¡± ¡°Dammit! Prepare for battle!¡± the beowulfs shouted after catching a whiff of their captured brethren. They lowered their posture and prepared themselves for battle. Soon, the mercenaries flocked near Eugene¡¯s group and raised their weapons. ¡°You damned mutts! Did you come here to get your ass beaten?!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll capture you like your comrades and¡­ Hmm?¡± The mercenaries started to shout. They felt reassured by the presence of a druid, but their voices quickly died down. They came to notice Eugene, who was armed in jet-black plate armor, as well as an unusual shortsword and a spear. ¡°Oh! As expected, you came! Now, now! Come on, everyone, move out of the way!¡± a grey-haired old man shouted while walking through the mercenaries. He was dressed in a ragged, brown leather robe. Eugene immediately recognized him as the druid that Baron half-orc had hired. The old man looked as healthy and strong as the mercenaries, and he wore a crown made of cow horns and a long, winding wooden staff. ¡°Are you the high-ranking member of the vampire nobility with your own territory and a silver mine in the Kingdom of Caylor? The one who has the support of two port cities?¡± Pythamoras asked in the language of the Caylor Kingdom. Eugene was inwardly surprised at the old man¡¯s eloquence. He nodded. ¡°That''s right. You know me very well. Where did you hear it from?¡± ¡°Haha! The Beowulfs of Perseus told me,¡± Pythamoras answered. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene felt completely disgruntled. Regardless of the druid¡¯s status, he couldn¡¯t believe that the beowulfs had given all of his information to a potential enemy. Pythamoras grinned before he continued as if reading Eugene¡¯s mind. ¡°They did worry after telling me that you might beat them up. However, don¡¯t be too harsh on them. Here in Brantia, everyone, regardless of race, must tell the truth in front of a druid.¡± It wasn¡¯t a proud boasting, but rather the truth. Eugene nodded gently. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. By the way, it seems that you have some business with me, since you came forward like this. Am I right?¡± He wasn¡¯t completely sure, but Eugene felt that the druid wasn¡¯t necessarily hostile toward him. ¡°As expected of the Tribe of the Darkness. You are quite wise. Oh, by the way, I am Pythamoras of Mount Robtimo. What might your name be, noble of the Dark Clan?¡± Pythamoras said. ¡°Eugene. Jan Eugene.¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hmm, it sounds like an alias, but since you aren¡¯t Brantian, let¡¯s move on.¡± Pythamoras nodded. He continued in Brantian. ¡°Jan Eugene, Member of the race loved by the night. I have a simple proposal. If I win in a one-on-one battle against you, you will go to Mount Robtimo with me and help me for the next three years.¡± ¡°And if I win?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Then I will do whatever you want,¡± Pythamoras answered. ¡°Let¡¯s do that, then.¡± Eugene agreed to the request without hesitation. It seemed that the gods were looking after him. However, the mercenaries and the beowulfs accompanying Pythamoras became flustered. ¡°M-master Pythamoras!?¡± ¡°T-then what about us? What if those damned mutts start attacking us¡­?¡± ¡°M-master Pythamoras? If you do this, Lord Riwad will become very angry.¡± The mercenaries begged Pythamoras with fear. However, Pythamoras was apathetic. ¡°That¡¯s none of my business. And if I deal with the member of the Dark Clan, Lord Riwad should somehow win the battle, right? If he can¡¯t even do that, then he isn¡¯t deserving of his title as a swordmaster.¡± ¡°E-even so¡­¡± On the other side, the beowulf warriors approached Eugene before speaking, ¡°Dark Lord. Don¡¯t you know the custom you must follow when fighting against a druid?¡± ¡°Custom? What¡¯s that?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Oh! I knew it!¡± ¡°This is driving me nuts! It¡¯s over, over!¡± The beowulfs started to beat their chests and sighed all together. Eugene frowned, and one of the warriors explained with another sigh. ¡°When facing a druid, you must allow them to strike the first blow in show of respect. But what kind of attack would a druid use? It would obviously be a spell or a curse!¡± ¡°What?¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°You can never attack first. If you break the custom and take the first blow, all Brantians will turn their backs on you. Obviously, we will as well.¡± The beowulf explained. ¡°Is he going to turn into a rat? A toad, perhaps?¡± ¡°Since he¡¯s the dark lord, maybe a cute bat?¡± ¡°You mean a snake, right? He¡¯s mean and sneaky.¡± ¡°Sneaky, maybe. But mean? He¡¯s the dark lord! You need to describe him with dignity. What about vile? Maybe vicious?¡± ¡°Wow~ I never expected you to know so many fancy words.¡± The beowulfs jumped from and to random topics in their conversations. Eugene felt dumbfounded. What in the world was this completely, utterly unreasonable ¡®custom?¡¯ ¡®Hmm? Wait a minute.¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered with light as a sudden thought crossed his mind. At that moment, Pythamoras raised his wooden staff and spoke, ¡°Well, here I go.¡± Paaaaa! His gaze deepened, and a dim light began curling around the bullhorn crown and the wooden staff. ¡°Uagh!¡± The beowulfs hurriedly withdrew in surprise. Eugene stood tall, proudly facing the druid in battle. ¡°Spirits of mana. Those who bend the sky and the sea, mountains and fields, rivers and lakes, manifest your will through my words¡­¡± the druid started muttering. The words were automatically deciphered to Eugene¡¯s understanding. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for the damned custom, he would¡¯ve been long dead by now. I would have slit his throat more than ten times during his incantation.¡¯ Everyone else was frightened by the druid¡¯s mantra, but Eugene felt bored as he waited for Pythamoras to finish his long chant. After about ten more seconds, the druid finally finished. ¡°So I command you! Transform into the closest thing to your essence!¡± Fwoosh! The winding mana shot forth from the druid¡¯s staff like wave. Eugene focused his Fear and raised his left arm to his chest. Clack! Claaack! The Batla Duchy¡¯s magic shield responded to Eugene¡¯s will and quickly transformed into a large barrier measuring one meter wide and two meters tall. Fwoooooosh! Clatter! The wave of mana collided with the shield, and a sound akin to glass breaking resounded. Simultaneously, the wave of mana transformed into a group of colorful lights before scattering around the shield and fading into nothingness. The magic shield was capable of blocking even the Fear of an Origin Vampire. As such, it was close to impossible for it to be susceptible to a druid¡¯s magic and spells. ¡°What?!¡± However, Pythamoras was completely oblivious to this fact. As he shouted in disbelief, Eugene rushed at him while scattering crimson Fear behind him. [a]In the final few sentences of the previous chapter, Eugene said ¡°It appears that Baron Riwad hired a druid,¡± Eugene muttered. So isn''t this "I said" instead of "You said"? CH 130 Shuuack! Wolfslaughter cut through the air and flew forward as if it wanted to mutilate everything in its path. Pythamoras came to see death for the first time in his life. Fwoosh! However, Wolfslaughter came to a stop right under his nose. ¡°...!¡± Pythamoras stared at the deadly blade with his mouth agape. ¡°I won,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°...¡± Pythamoras flinched, then stared into Eugene¡¯s red eyes before breathing a long sigh. ¡°I see. You won. I lost.¡± The druid declared his defeat. Kwwooooooo!! The faces of the mercenaries turned pale, and the beowulf warriors roared with joy. Eugene turned to the mercenaries. ¡°Surrender? Or will you fight?¡± he asked. The mercenaries looked alternatingly at Eugene and the beowulf warriors before simultaneously throwing away their weapons. ¡°S-surrender! We surrender!¡± ¡°Sir! Please have mercy!¡± the mercenaries shouted. ¡°Collect the weapons. Tie them all up. The supply depot. Take care of it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Got it,¡± the beowulfs answered. They had been anxious to beat and kill the mercenaries, so they felt disappointed at Eugene¡¯s orders. However, they faithfully followed the instructions of their employer. Baron Riwad¡¯s soldiers attempted to fight back, but eventually, the supply corps and the supply depot raised the white flag in less than thirty minutes. In the first place, it was impossible for regular soldiers to face the full force of heavily armed beowulf warriors without the assistance of magic. ¡°I trust that you will keep your promise,¡± Eugene said. Pythamoras was standing with a grim expression. The druid responded, ¡°I will. But what is it that you want from me?¡± ¡°The same thing you wanted from me. Work by my side for three years,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°...?!¡± Pythamoras¡¯s eyes filled with astonishment. He asked. ¡°By your side? Not under you, but by your side?¡± ¡°As far as I know, there is no one in Brantia who can force druids to serve under them,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Huh! That is true, but aren¡¯t you from the continent? Moreover, you are a high-ranking noble of the Dark Clan,¡± Pythamoras stated. ¡°I have a lot of work to do in Brantia,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hmm.¡± Pythamoras examined Eugene with calm eyes for a moment before nodding. ¡°You want to unify Brantia. Are you after the throne?¡± Pythamoras asked. The druid was quite perceptive, as expected of a wise sage. Eugene felt rather impressed that Pythamoras managed to almost see through his purpose in an instant. As such, he responded, ¡°Well, let¡¯s say it¡¯s something similar. Anyway, will you keep your promise?¡± ¡°I like to be respected, and the best way to continue garnering the people¡¯s respect is to always keep my word,¡± Pythamoras replied. He smacked his lips together regrettably, then continued solemnly. ¡°I swear before the spirits of mana who bend the heavens and the seas, mountains and fields, rivers and lakes. I, Pythamoras of Mount Robtimo, will stay by your side, Jan Eugene, for the next three years and support you with my wisdom and ability.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Eugene nodded. He felt even better than when he acquired Romari. Although both of them were wizards, druids held a unique position in Brantia. To gain Pythamoras¡¯s support was incomparable to simply hiring a wizard. Druids were beings that could bring more than just powerful magic and spells to the table. ¡°S-sir Eugene, and Master Pythamoras. What will happen to us?¡± the leader of the depot merchants asked with an awkward smile. He had surrendered long before the soldiers and mercenaries. Eugene turned his cold eyes toward the merchant. Then, he turned toward Pythamoras and asked, ¡°I would like to borrow your wisdom. What should I do?¡± Eugene already had a plan in mind, but he asked anyway. Eugene knew that he would save Pythamoras face and pride if he asked for advice as soon as they became allies. ¡°Hooh! To think you would trust me like this. I am thankful.¡± Pythamoras smiled satisfactorily as if he had understood Eugene¡¯s unspoken intentions. He turned toward the merchant and spoke, ¡°What are the terms and conditions of your contract with Lord Riwad?¡± ¡°Quite regular. W-would you like to see the contract?¡± the merchant responded. ¡°Sure.¡± Pythamoras closely scrutinized the contract before turning toward Eugene and speaking in the language of the Caylor Kingdom, ¡°There are two options here. First, you could exercise your right as the victor to seize all the goods from the depot. In addition, you could take all the personnel as prisoners and either release them for a ransom or enslave them. I¡¯m not sure about the mercenaries and the workers, but the leader of the depot will fetch you a good price.¡± ¡°Hmm. And what about the other option?¡± Eugene asked. The first option was what Eugene had originally planned to do. Pythamoras continued. ¡°Take the goods as trophies but sign a new contract with the mercenaries and the depot before releasing them.¡± ¡°And how would that benefit me?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°They will be moved by your mercy. Although they are driven by money, they know when to be grateful. After experiencing your incredible skills and boundless mercy, they will become more than simple mercenaries. They will move as your army.¡± Pythamoras explained. ¡°...!¡± Eugene showed surprise, and Pythamoras continued with a smile. ¡°In the past and even now, all those who took the throne had an army harmonized by money and loyalty. This is my advice.¡± Eugene was genuinely impressed. In addition, he finally understood why the powerful figures of Brantia didn¡¯t want to turn against the druids. Eugene asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious. Do the self-proclaimed kings of Brantia all have a druid like yourself by their sides?¡± ¡°Ehem! Of course not. The druids will accept requests as long as we get what we want, but we do not belong to anyone. Even if you unite this land, those who follow the spirits of mana are the people of this land, not your people,¡± Pythamoras responded. Druids belonged to Brantia, but not to any particular family or royalty. Pythamoras¡¯s explanation surprised Eugene, but at the same time, it also allowed him to better understand the identity of the druids. ¡°Merchant,¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°Yes, yes. Please speak, sir.¡± the merchant leader responded politely. He didn¡¯t know what the two figures had talked about, but judging from Pythamoras¡¯s smile, perhaps things weren¡¯t so bad. ¡°All the goods. I will take them. Victor¡¯s rights. Do you have any complaints?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°None.¡± the merchant leader responded almost immediately. He had always been prepared for such a situation as the leader of a military depot. ¡°And. I want to sign a new contract with you.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°What?¡± ¡°All of the people. Unconditional release. But sign a contract with me,¡± Eugene said. ¡°B-by contract, what could you mean¡­?¡± the merchant asked. ¡°Same thing as Baron Riwad. However, we need lots of meat,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°...?!¡± The merchant was surprised, but they also realized the reason behind Eugene¡¯s peculiar request. The beowulfs looked very proud after capturing the mercenaries and the soldiers. In addition, it was common knowledge that beowulfs had an extreme preference for meat. ¡®Is he planning to stay with the beowulfs all the way until the end? Huh? Then could that mean¡­?¡¯ The merchant had been rather puzzled at Eugene¡¯s decision to hire the beowulfs since they cost a fortune and other lords only employed them for short durations in emergencies. But he suddenly came to a realization... ¡®The throne! He is after the throne of Brantia!¡¯ ¡°I will do my best to support you, Sir Eugene! If you leave it to us, the Odd Company, I will make sure that¡­¡± the merchant declared. Eugene interrupted him. ¡°Enough. Are you going to sign the contract?¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± the merchant said with a bright smile, then searched his bag before taking out a parchment and drafting a contract. ¡°Hmm. There aren¡¯t any problems. You can go ahead with it,¡± Pythamoras said after reviewing the contract. Eugene and the merchant leader stamped their seals on the approved contract, and the merchant, Odd, broke into a wide grin. He may have lost the supplies he had for Baron Riwad¡¯s army, but it was nothing compared to the gains he would make in the future from following Eugene. ¡°Bring me the mercenary captain,¡± Eugene told the beowulfs after signing the contract. Soon, the beowulf warriors dragged two mercenary captains forward. ¡°Sir, if you spare our lives, I will gladly serve you as a faithful slave.¡± ¡°I will make sure to get you the ransom, so please¡­¡± The two begged while kowtowing. Eugene interrupted. ¡°Quiet.¡± Eugene continued in a solemn voice. ¡°Serve me. Fight for me for a year. I will get rid of the ransom.¡± ¡°...!¡± The mercenary captains displayed similar reactions to the merchant leader. They immediately knelt down before shouting. ¡°I will serve you with my life!¡± The mercenaries had surrendered themselves, unlike the rich merchants. After all, they saw no possibility of them being enslaved when there were almost a hundred of them. Feeding them alone would be an arduous task, and they knew that they wouldn¡¯t be useful even as a meat shield for fear of betrayal. Even so, Eugene was making a proposal for them. ¡®Material for the king.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m certain he will make his name known in all of Brantia.¡¯ The mercenary captains had encountered quite a few nobles and lords over the years since they led 40-50 men each. In other words, they had good pairs of eyes that could distinguish good lords and employers. The man they saw in Eugene was incomparably generous and remarkable compared to other lords, who were usually condescending and arrogant. Of course, this included their former employer, Baron Riwad. ¡°What!? Dark Lord! So we¡¯re just going to let them go?¡± ¡°Our brothers and sisters were beaten quite badly!¡± The beowulfs complained. Eugene responded with a cold gaze, ¡°Who were the ones that disobeyed my orders and attacked?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± The beowulfs promptly closed their lips. ¡°You broke your promise. However, I will keep mine. Regardless, we won,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?¡± the beowulfs responded with large eyes. Eugene turned and pointed toward the white flag of the supply depot and declared. ¡°Meat party. I will give it to you.¡± Kwuoooooooo!!! The dog-pigs, or rather, pig-dogs cheered in unison. ¡°Ehem. As expected of a figure fit to be king. By the way, Sir Eugene, could you spare me some monster materials as well?¡± Pythamoras asked. ¡°Consult with my wizard,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Oooh! Truly fit to be a king! A king!¡± Pythamoras exclaimed. The druid, who wasn¡¯t necessarily without greed, was satisfied. *** Eugene didn¡¯t immediately hold a meat party. He was still concerned about the pursuit of Baron Riwad¡¯s army. As such, he led the mercenaries and the supply depot to Patos. There was no need to worry about a pursuit with the presence of beowulfs. They were promised a meat party as soon as they arrived at the castle, and as such, they replaced the workers and pulled the carts as fast as they could. The mercenaries also pushed themselves and reduced their sleeping hours due to the threats and encouragement from their new employer, and eventually, the group successfully reduced the trip from five days to three days. As such, the distance between Eugene¡¯s group and Baron Riwad¡¯s army widened by a huge margin. Baron Riwad¡¯s troops were completely exhausted from crossing Baylin Forest without resting or sleeping, and they ran out of the emergency supplies which were only meant to last them three days. ¡°My lord, the mercenaries will desert at this rate before we even see the enemy. We will have to plunder any nearby villages,¡± one of the knights said. ¡°Keugh! There¡¯s no helping it,¡± Baron Riwad responded. He knew very well that he couldn¡¯t feed all the soldiers even with plundering, but he had no other choice. Baron Riwad ordered the knights and mercenaries to storm a nearby village. The troops had already starved for half a day. They squeezed the final vestiges of their strengths and entered through the wooden fence of a village. However¡­ ¡°Sirs! T-there¡¯s no one here!¡± a mercenary shouted after hurried running back. ¡°What?¡± a knight shouted in shock. The mercenary continued. ¡°I can¡¯t even see a single rat, let alone the residents!¡± ¡°There is no grain or livestock either! They must have taken it and escaped already!¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± Baron Riwad¡¯s knights were greatly flustered, but they understood what was going on. Count Crawlmarine had concentrated all his forces in Patos and had emptied the villages located near Patos to prevent any plundering. ¡®At this rate¡­¡¯ As knights, they knew what to fear the most in a war. A great army? An enraged monster? A skilled enemy general? No¡­ The most terrifying thing in a war was to have one¡¯s supplies severed. ¡®We might just starve to death before we could even fight.¡¯ And right now, that was exactly the situation they found themselves in. CH 131 Patos was a village centered around a manor protected by a 5-meter-tall wall. A 30-meter-wide, fast-flowing river was located right in front of the village wall. As such, it was almost impossible to invade Patos as long as the two bridges leading to the farms and pasture were properly defended. In addition, the 500 or so residents, the livestock, and important facilities such as mills were all located inside the village walls. As long as a proper defense was maintained, it was possible to endure an attack for more than a year. ¡°Master!¡± Luke shouted with surprise and joy when Eugene returned. He had departed with only the beowulf warriors but was now returning with numerous mercenaries, as well as a depot. ¡°What¡¯s all this about? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Luke asked. ¡°I am fine. By the way, give your greetings,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What?¡± Luke said with a puzzled expression. Pythamoras stepped forward and introduced himself with a smile. ¡°Are you the new Count of Crawlmarine? Let me introduce myself. I am a follower of mana from Mount Robtimo. My name is Pythamoras.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Luke expressed his shock. The other nobles of Crawlmarine also shouted with wonder. ¡°A druid!¡± ¡°What is a master druid doing here?!¡± It was puzzling enough that a man had returned with mercenaries and a military depot after setting off to observe the enemy¡¯s movements, let alone a druid. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Luke. I continue the legacy of Crawlmarine and serve Sir Eugene as my master,¡± Luke responded in a polite manner. Pythamoras took on a satisfied expression. ¡°Well. Your eyes are bright, and your posture is confident. A man fit to be king. Nice to meet you, Lord Crawlmarine.¡± ¡°Yes. Please, come inside. Master, please follow me,¡± Luke said. ¡°Yes,¡± Eugene responded. Although Luke was now a count, he didn¡¯t hesitate to grab Silion¡¯s bridle to lead Eugene inside. The nobles and soldiers of Crawlmarine were already used to such a sight, but the mercenaries and the members of the depot were greatly surprised by the sight. They were rather ignorant and weren¡¯t very knowledgeable regarding the status and history of the Crawlmarine County. However, it was still greatly shocking to see a count personally guide a man¡¯s horse by the bridle. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that we made the right choice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious. Look how courteous the count is. Besides, look at their soldiers. We were lucky,¡± In particular, the two mercenary captains whispered with content expressions while celebrating their sound judgment. ¡®The soldiers are in decent shape. Crawlmarine will definitely win if they mount a siege defense.¡¯ ¡®As long as their supply is severed, we have the advantage. We just need to persist.¡¯ The two mercenary captains even felt sorry for those who were still standing by Baron Riwad¡¯s side. However, soon after they entered the castle, the two mercenary captains became dumbfounded after hearing Eugene¡¯s orders. *** ¡°We¡¯re going to set off in a day?¡± ¡°S-sir Eugene. Won¡¯t you reconsider? Even if the enemy¡¯s morale has been significantly reduced due to your remarkable display of skills, they still possess twice or thrice as many troops compared to us.¡± It wasn¡¯t just the mercenary captains either. Even the nobles of Crawlmarine tried their best to dissuade Eugene. However, Eugene was adamant. ¡°It took three days to get here from Baylin Forest. Baron Riwad¡¯s army will take significantly longer.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°Both me and the warriors of Perseus came out of the forest in half a day. However, it would have taken Baron Riwad and his troops more than a day, even if they hurried. Do you know why?¡± Eugene asked. Luke exclaimed with a clap of his hands, ¡°Ah! Surely there¡¯s a limit to how fast they could travel on foot!¡± The mercenary captains and nobles jumped in response to Luke¡¯s words. ¡°Moreover, Baron Riwad¡¯s forces would have only been carrying enough food to last until they arrived at Patos. If they went searching for their depot after realizing their master¡¯s plan, they would have run out of food by now. Master, am I correct?¡± Luke continued. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Eugene nodded. ¡°In addition, the nearby villages and hamlets have been ordered to evacuate, so it will be even harder for the enemy to procure food,¡± Luke stated. ¡°Ohh!¡± ¡°Certainly!¡± The expressions of the nobles and mercenary captains brightened at once. ¡°Now, do you understand why we must leave tomorrow?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Everyone answered in unison. Eugene turned toward the bored, yawning beowulfs and spoke, ¡°Wolfgan.¡± ¡°Give us your orders, Dark Lord,¡± Wolfgan responded. ¡°The warriors who were escorting Count Crawlmarine. They will take care of reconnaissance,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Understood,¡± Wolfgan replied. ¡°Move in pairs and find Baron Riwad¡¯s army. Before sunrise tomorrow. Is it possible?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Krrrrrr! Possible, you ask? We crossed mountains in a day chasing after trolls. Shall we depart right now?¡± Wolfgan answered. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Krrr! Look forward to it,¡± Wolfgan said with a confident expression before departing with several beowulf warriors. The nobles and mercenary captains were once again struck with awe. They admired Eugene¡¯s resourcefulness. In the war, the Crawlmarine family had operated the beowulf warriors as combat units and nothing more. No one had thought of using them elsewhere, since their power was so overwhelming. But since the beowulfs were strong, persistent, and known to possess a good sense of smell, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for them to track down roamers that had encroached on their territory. In other words, it was possible for them to perform excellently as messengers and scouts as well as fighters. ¡°The rest of us will rest. No alcohol. Eat and sleep as much as you want,¡± Eugene stated. Wuooooooh! Kuwooooo! Kieeeeeeeek! As usual, a strange voice was mixed in with the cheers. *** ¡°My lord, more mercenaries have deserted.¡± ¡°What? How many of them this time?¡± ¡°Over thirty...¡± ¡°Keugh¡­¡± Baron Riwad gritted his teeth. His cheeks had sunken over the past few days. Even after attacking three villages and hamlets, they had failed to discover a single rat, let alone any food. At first, they searched the vicinity of the villages, thinking that the villages must have not gotten very far, but they discovered nothing. The only food they managed to procure was enough to feed dozens, but they had more than three hundred troops. Even if they made porridge from the ingredients, it couldn¡¯t even feed one hundred people. In addition, as numerous attempts continued to be in vain, the mercenaries started to not return after setting out to plunder. They were starting to desert. To prevent such incidents, Baron Riwad gathered all the troops in one place and no longer dispatched them to plunder, but quite a few of them still deserted every night. Nearly one hundred troops had left the army until today. Baron Riwad¡¯s army was now half in number compared to when it first embarked. ¡°Unbelievable! Those mercenaries are disloyal dogs! When this war is over, I will find and kill all of them!¡± Baron Riwad shouted. Perhaps due to the blood of the orcs flowing in his veins, he seemed to have more energy compared to others. Unfortunately, however, his streaks of misfortune weren¡¯t quite over yet. Neiiiiigh! ¡°What¡¯s going on?! Is it an ambush?!¡± The baron and his knights hurried out of their tents at the cries of a horse. Their jaws opened agape at the sight that awaited them. ¡°Oh, my!¡± ¡°Hey! Hold it properly! If it kicks you, you¡¯re done for in this world!¡± The aides of the knights were sprawled on the ground, and a group of mercenaries was busily taking off a horse¡¯s armor and cutting its throat. ¡°You bastards!¡± The baron¡¯s shout thundered. It was laced with Fear. ¡°Huagh!¡± The mercenaries shouted with shock and fell backward. Baron Riwad walked forward while exuding terrible energy and unsheathed his longsword. ¡°You dare to kill a knight¡¯s steed? You must have a death wish!¡± ¡°Uagh!¡± The frightened mercenaries scurried away. However, some held their positions and gripped their weapons before shouting courageously. ¡°Then you should be feeding us! I ate nothing but a single loaf of bread soaked in water during the last three days. What else do you want us to do?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! We need food, even if we have to eat a horse! You and the knights had at least one meal a day!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re not the only ones with a stomach to fill!¡± Boooooo~~!!! The mercenaries cried out. The eyes of the hungry were desperate and fierce. Even the knights were forced to take a step backward. ¡°W-what are they planning to do?¡± The knights and soldiers of the barony gathered around Baron Riwad with their weapons unsheathed. However, the mercenaries outnumbered them two-to-one, so they couldn¡¯t act rashly. Baron Riwad stepped forward. ¡°Listen up!¡± Everyone paused at his loud shout. The baron forcibly suppressed his killing intent and looked around at the mercenaries before continuing. ¡°Fine! I will allow you to kill the horses! However! You will need to provide compensation for the horses after the war! I will ensure it is paid back in full! Did I make myself clear?!¡± ¡°I-I understand!¡± ¡°Take it from our share!¡± The captains of the mercenaries hurriedly answered. They were very tired and starving, just like their men. ¡°M-my lord. What should we do if we don¡¯t have our horses?¡± ¡°Please reconsider, my lord!¡± ¡°Crawlmarine has recruited beowulfs! If we don¡¯t have our horses, how could we possibly fight against beowulfs?¡± The knights begged, and Baron Riwad vented his anger. ¡°Dammit! Do you think I¡¯m a fool? What other choice do we have?! So what if we stopped them from killing the horses? Do you really think that they will follow my orders when there¡¯s war?!¡± Baron Riwad¡¯s shouts left the knights speechless. Even though he was ferocious and short-tempered, the baron was always looking at the big picture. He was a true knight. ¡°For now, we have no choice but to comply with their demands. Make sure you eat when they kill the horses. I will slaughter my horse as well,¡± Baron Riwad stated. His expression was grim as he slowly approached his companion of tens of years. His steed had accompanied him through countless battles. The knights bit their lips as they watched. It was then¡­ ¡°Enemies! Enemy ambush!¡± ¡°Crawlmarine¡¯s army has appeared!¡± Baron Riwad¡¯s patrolling troops shouted while rushing back into the camp. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°You bastards! We were just about to cook!¡± ¡°Uwaaah!¡± The mercenaries went wild. Most of them were busy looking for their weapons, but there were a number of mercenaries who started stuffing themselves with the morsels of meat, which were still dripping with fresh blood. ¡°You fools! Get ready to fight! If you win here, you can eat all you want!¡± ¡°You fucking beggars!¡± The knights ran around while desperately shouting at the mercenaries, but some were blinded and deafened due to hunger. Meanwhile, Crawlmarine¡¯s troops quickly approached, and Baron Riwad¡¯s forces had no choice but to face their enemies without proper formations. *** Eugene was dumbfounded when he examined the enemy¡¯s camp. Although the two forces were still more than 300 meters apart, Eugene was able to see far with his heightened vision. ¡°What a mess,¡± Eugene muttered. It was just as he heard from Galfredik and Lanslo. An army without supplies was miserable. Even though the two forces were coming to a face-off, some of the enemies were still stuffing themselves with meat, some were running away while holding disgusting pieces of meat on bones, while others barely managed to drag themselves to join the formation with others. It was a pitiful sight, but they were the enemy. ¡°Wolfgan.¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Give me your orders!¡± Wolfgan responded. ¡°You will join me to crush the enemy¡¯s formation. And Luke¡­¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Yes, master!¡± Luke responded. ¡°Once the enemy¡¯s formation collapses, lead the troops, surround their forces, and destroy them,¡± Eugene said. ¡°As you wish!¡± Luke shouted. ¡°Mercenaries. I will leave the right wing to you. Don¡¯t run. You¡¯ll get tired,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Everyone prepared for a battle after Eugene gave his orders. Unlike the starved, tired soldiers of Baron Riwad, everyone was well rested and in high spirits. However, an army led by a ¡®swordmaster¡¯ was still not to be taken lightly. ¡°Pythamoras. I would like to ask you something,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Must the leaders of each army greet each other and fight while considering chivalry, honor, and such things?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Perhaps with any other nobles. But you won¡¯t have to worry about that with Lord Riwad,¡± Pythamoras answered. ¡°I see. Then what if a knight belonging to other races uses their unique powers in combat? Would that be considered a dishonorable act?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Aha. You are wondering if it would be held in contempt,¡± Pythamoras said. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. Likewise, no one would say anything since your opponent is Lord Riwad.¡± Pythamoras continued. ¡°Hmm? Ah.¡± Baron Riwad was a knight with the blood of an orc royalty. All of his enemies would have had to face the might of his Orc Fear until now. However, he still managed to obtain the title of a swordmaster after winning many battles, which meant that there was nothing for Eugene to worry about. Well, there was nothing to worry about as long as Eugene won. ¡°I¡¯m starting to like Brantia more and more,¡± Eugene muttered softly before immediately descending from SIlion. He started to take off his armor. ¡°Hmmm? What are you doing?¡± ¡°Master?¡± ¡°Dark Lord! Have you gone insane?¡± It was a ridiculous sight. Eugene was taking off his armor just before a decisive battle. However, Eugene ignored the startled cries of his comrades and took off all of his armor except the magic shield. He turned toward Pythamoras and spoke, ¡°Let me ask you a favor.¡± ¡°Anything but asking me to use magic and sorcery against them,¡± Pythamoras answered. Pythamoras had decided to refrain from using magic against Baron Riwad and his army, and Eugene intended to respect it. Of course, it wasn¡¯t what Eugene wanted to ask from him. ¡°You won¡¯t be participating in the battle anyway, so please take care of this,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Haha! Playing the role of a porter. Fine. But if you die, am I free to dispose of this as I please, sir? It appears quite precious,¡± Pythamoras answered. ¡°As you wish,¡± Eugene responded with a grin. He turned to Silion and whispered into the horse¡¯s ear, ¡°Come with Mirian when I call for you later. You must come quickly.¡± Neiigh! Silion whined as if it had understood Eugene¡¯s words. The beowulf warriors approached Eugene with dumbfounded expressions. ¡°Dark Lord. What are you planning to do? How is a knight going to fight without his horse and armor?¡± ¡°How? Like this.¡± Eugene responded. Fwooosh! A translucent Fear began to burn over Eugene¡¯s frame like a flame. The fire began to blaze brighter, and Eugene¡¯s body began to grow larger in the dark, red glow. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes filled with shock. Paaaaaa¡­ The creature¡¯s blood-red mane fluttered in the wind. The lycanthrope king opened its large jaws and thundered. ¡°The enemy. Little runts who had been starving for the last few days! If you lose, I won¡¯t treat you like humans!¡± Kuwuuuuuuughh!!! The roar of the Origin Vampire that had morphed into a champion monster marked the beginning of the battle. CH 132 ¡°Charge!¡± Kyaaaoooo~!!! The beowulf warriors let loose a long cry while running forward. Their widespread formation was centered around Eugene, who had transformed into the lycanthrope king. They were around 300 meters away from the enemies. Considering the strength of a lycanthrope, it would take about 30 seconds to reach the enemies. Eugene¡¯s eyes glowed crimson like blood as he fixed his gaze upon the only knight with plate armor on horseback. A brown orc was patterned on the knight¡¯s chest plate, and those gathered around him were wearing chainmail and plate mail with the same crest. ¡°Aim! Baron half-orc and the other knights! The other bastards! Hit them and keep going!¡± Eugene shouted. Kuwuoooooo!! The beowulfs erupted their Fear while speeding up. Then, they switched into a triangular formation with Eugene at its vertex. Their formation was very similar to the ¡®lance charging¡¯ formation of the heavy cavalry, which was also known as the flower of the battlefield. Kwaaaa! The pressure and Fear radiated by a group of thirty lycanthropes were intense. In addition, they were being headed by an Origin Vampire that had transformed into a lycanthrope king. The overwhelming presence they emitted washed over the enemy soldiers like a wave, even though there was still a distance of about 100 meters between the two groups. Foot soldiers would feel tremendous pressure even when faced with the charge of heavily armed knights, not to mention the charge of a lycanthrope king and beowulf warriors clad in thick armor. ¡°Uahh¡­!¡± ¡°Gods, spirits¡­¡± ¡°N-no! I don¡¯t want to die!¡± In the end, once the distance shortened to dozens of meters, the first line of mercenaries crumbled under pressure and scattered to the sides before fleeing in a hurry. They were pushed down and trampled. Their formation was immediately turned into a mess even before Eugene and the beowulf warriors could arrive. Immediately afterward, Eugene and the beowulfs crashed into the scrambled mess like a storm. Kuwuuuuugh! Booom! A series of roars were accompanied by dull thuds. The charge attack was much more destructive than the lance charge of heavy cavalry, and dozens of mercenaries were thrown into the air with their limbs bent in weird positions at the initial collision. The mercenaries were equipped with poor weapons and armor. Faced with the ferocious charge, they were no different from simple ragdolls. Terrible screams and pained wailings immediately followed suit, and the ranks of Baron Riwad¡¯s army completely collapsed in the blink of an eye. Eugene and the beowulfs continued to attack without slowing down. Although they were many, they were one. They were a storm of destruction. Baron Riwad¡¯s troops couldn¡¯t overcome the heavy charge, and a clear path was eventually laid out in front of Eugene. Within ten seconds from the initial contact, Eugene came to face Baron Riwad and his knights. ¡°¡­!¡± The baron''s eyes contained countless emotions. Shock, regret, anger, fear, killing intent. Eugene realized that the baron felt conflicted inside. Kuwuuuuuugh! Eugene jumped forward while emitting a red glow from his eyes, and the baron¡¯s lips parted almost simultaneously. ¡°Surrend¡­¡± However, Baron Riwad stopped himself midway and drew his longsword. His conflicting thoughts emerged as a contradiction of his words and actions. ¡®Surrender? Bullshit!¡¯ Eugene blocked the strike with his magic shield and struck the Baron¡¯s head with his hand, which was several times bigger compared to a regular lycanthrope¡¯s hand. Crunch! Baron Riwad possessed thick, firm muscles and bones thanks to the orc blood in his veins, but his head was ripped off in a single blow. The headless body of the baron slowly fell from his saddle. One blow! A swordmaster had been killed in a single blow. ¡°¡­!¡± An unspeakable shock and fear filled the knights, and they came to a quick, unanimous decision. ¡°I s-surrender!¡± ¡°We surrender!¡± ¡°Surrender!¡± ¡°Mercy!¡± The knights threw their weapons to the ground and begged for their lives. ¡°Kuwugh?¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± the beowulfs shouted in fury and stopped themselves from ripping apart the knights. It was a warrior¡¯s honor and a long-standing custom to not kill a surrendered opponent. ¡°Look at these bastards! They don¡¯t even have an ounce of honor!¡± ¡°Hey, you despicable cowards! Don¡¯t you dare call yourselves men! Cut off your balls, right now!¡± Wolgan and the other beowulfs jeered. The miserable faces of the knights flushed red. Of course, they were ashamed. However, the overwhelming presence and destruction that they had witnessed were sufficient for them to forget their honor and loyalty for a moment. It was hard to guarantee a victory against beowulfs even if they were on horseback. Moreover, they didn¡¯t even have their steeds, while the beowulfs were fully armed with thick armor and helmets. In other words, it would have been a futile struggle if they fought. ¡°Hmph! Trash!¡± Wolfgan spat on the ground before approaching Eugene. ¡°By the way, Dark Lord. What was the orc baron trying to say?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe he was trying to leave a will¡­¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hmm. I was sure he was trying to surrender¡­¡± Fwoosh! Eugene jerked his head around. ¡°N-never mind. I must have misheard. Kuhaha.¡± Wolfgan slipped away with an awkward laugh. ¡®The lord was trying to surrender!¡¯ ¡®He did it intentionally. That monster killed the lord knowing that he was trying to surrender.¡¯ ¡®He is unlike those chivalry-crazed knights from the continent!¡¯ Baron Riwad¡¯s knights stole glances at Eugene while breaking into cold sweat. *** The battle came to a prompt conclusion once the army¡¯s commander was killed and his knights surrendered. The mercenaries were also freed from their obligations when their employer was killed, so they gave up trying to flee and calmly laid down their weapons. Now, they had no choice but to kneel in hopes that the victor would be lenient to them. Crawlmarine¡¯s forces and mercenaries were greatly shocked at the outcome. As soon as Eugene and the beowulfs broke the enemy¡¯s ranks, they had started their charge as well, but the enemy surrendered not long after. However, a victory was a victory regardless. It wasn¡¯t a simple victory either, but a great victory with no casualties. The soldiers and mercenaries of the Crawlmarine County excitedly picked up the weapons and equipment of the enemy knights and mercenaries. ¡°Kekeke! Sir, sir. The weapons and armors alone will bring us a hefty profit. Kiek? Some of those knights are wearing plate mail.¡± As Mirian said, some of Baron Riwad¡¯s knights were armed with plate mail; they must be the spoils of war from the continental knights during the crusade. Baron Riwad¡¯s armor was also made by re-assembling the armors of high-ranking noble knights from the continent. ¡°Master. What shall we do now?¡± Luke asked. He appeared flustered after having achieved a flawless victory. Eugene had already planned for the aftermath of the battle. He looked around the knights and mercenaries on the ground before speaking, ¡°We will absorb the mercenaries and drag the knights back to the Riwad territory. We need to get their ransom.¡± The baron was dead, but his children were still alive. Eugene planned to receive ransoms for the knights, as well as other various things. ¡°Do you mean to invade the Riwad territory?¡± Luke asked. ¡°They were the first to draw their blades, so we must have them pay,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°As expected! You must be planning on unifying Brantia, Master!¡± Luke shouted excitedly as if Eugene was already the king of Brantia. Eugene stared at Luke for a moment before shrugging. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about being king, but that¡¯s what I intend to do.¡± ¡°Yes! I will follow you until the end, Master!¡± Luke shouted without consideration of his status, then excitedly guided his horse to the nobles and soldiers of Crawlmarine. ¡°Pythamoras. Please direct me to the Riwad territory,¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°Sure. But are you really planning on taking in all the mercenaries? You might disappoint the ones you have taken in earlier,¡± Pythamoras responded. The druid¡¯s question was intended to test Eugene. Eugene turned his head and calmly spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t think that there will be any problem.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Pythamoras turned his gaze as well. The two mercenary captains, who had already sworn allegiance to Eugene, were busily talking to the other mercenary captain employed by Baron Riwad. ¡°The dead are dead. If you want to live, swear loyalty to Sir Eugene! He will give you a seat by his side.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­.¡± ¡°The half-orc baron tried to surrender, but Sir Eugene just pulled out his head, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°How frustrating. Look, it¡¯s obvious that he needed to kill your employer to get you to surrender peacefully. What would have happened if he took the baron as a prisoner? Who would be in charge? Do you really think that the baron would have taken care of you?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°He would have gotten himself released for ransom and left us dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to swear allegiance to Sir Eugene! He said that we would only need to fight for a year without pay to repay our ransom. But he said that he would share the spoils of battles with us.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I-is that really true?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s true! Why else would those expensive, tricky beowulfs follow Sir Eugene? Moreover, vampires and beowulfs are infamous for not getting along well with each other. And did you know? Master Pythamoras also joined Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The captured mercenary captains stole glances at Eugene and Pythamoras with their jaws agape. Fear and awe filled their eyes, but a glimmer of desire began to take form as well. ¡°Are they selling me out?¡± Pythamoras muttered. ¡°That¡¯s why I decided to keep you by my side. You had no idea? Anyway, bring me my armor,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­¡± Pythamoras had no choice but to hand over Eugene¡¯s armor and weapons with a look of regret. *** After killing Baron Riwad and crushing his army, Eugene immediately set course for the Riwad territory. On the other hand, the vassals of the Crawlmarine County and their troops returned to their respective territories. They weren¡¯t particularly strong or useful anyway, and they also had to protect the county while Luke was away. Of the mercenaries employed by Baron Riwad, about 200 members joined Eugene, excluding those who died or had been injured. The rest of the mercenaries were taken to the city where Odd, a fairly skilled merchant, had initially contracted with the baron. They were sold as slaves along with the weapons that were collected from the battlefield. Baron Riwad had been a renowned knight and lord, and as such, the news of his death and his army¡¯s defeat was enough to shock the people of Brantia. In the end, the city chased Odd and his group out before locking the gate shut. ¡°How could they possibly treat us like this? We¡¯ve traded with them quite a few times in the past, so how could they do this to us? What an unscrupulous bunch!¡± Odd shouted in fury. ¡°What about the money and supplies?¡± Eugene asked. Odd responded with a big smile as if he had never been angry. ¡°Sir, with all due respect, who do you think I am? The first thing I did after selling the slaves was to get food. This is the remaining money.¡± Odd gestured, and the workers of his company carefully lowered boxes filled with coins. There had been quite a few troops in Baron Riwad¡¯s army, so the profits from disposing of the spoils were quite hefty. In addition, Baron Riwad¡¯s armor and the armor of his knights had been obtained from the continental knights during the crusade, so they still fetched a good price even though they were urgently disposed of. ¡°Anyway, is Brighton hostile toward me?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. If that were true, they would have incapacitated me and confiscated my wealth. I think they are simply afraid of you, sir,¡± Odd answered. It was certainly possible. He was a high-ranking vampire noble with more than 200 mercenaries and beowulfs under his command. Moreover, he had killed a swordmaster. They would certainly feel afraid of him. ¡°Ehem. Sir, will you take Brighton?¡± Pythamoras asked. Eugene shook his head. ¡°I heard that Riwad is not far from here. Let¡¯s take care of that first.¡± ¡°Brighton always had a harmonious relationship with Baron Riwad. There is a possibility that they will value their loyalty to Baron Riwad and attack us from behind. And the Riwad territory¡¯s castle had never been conquered before. It will take quite some time to lay siege. Wouldn¡¯t it place us at a disadvantage if we were faced with enemies from both sides?¡± A druid was fit to be called a sage. His eyes were sharp and his advice was appropriate. In normal circumstances, Eugene would have happily accepted his advice. However¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s going to be a siege,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡± Pythamoras asked. Eugene grinned and revealed his long fangs. ¡°As far as I know, some knights should already be there, and they could only be weaker than me.¡± CH 133 Brantia¡¯s security and public order were essentially nonexistent. Even so, no one was stupid enough to pick a fight against an army of more than 200 mercenaries and 30 beowulf warriors. As such, Eugene¡¯s army traveled from Brighton to the Riwad territory without any disturbances. Rather, they even liberated several villages that were occupied by bandits on their journey. There weren¡¯t any grand battles, since most situations were resolved within ten minutes by 40 to 50 mercenaries accompanied by five or six beowulfs. The bandits and thieves of Brantia had no bounties on their heads, so Eugene had them killed on the spot after reoccupying the villages. The residents of the village praised Eugene after their liberation and wanted to swear allegiance to him, but Eugene declined. To be precise, he redirected their allegiance to someone else. *** ¡°What? Me?¡± Luke asked with an astonished expression. Eugene nodded.¡± That¡¯s right. It will be better for you, Count Crawlmarine, to rule over them rather than me. In that way, the other nobles won¡¯t be able to find any fault with the situation.¡± ¡°B-but Master, I would be taking credit for your great deeds¡­¡± Luke muttered in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This is my decision, so you just need to follow my orders,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, Master,¡± Luke said. He had no choice but to accept his benefactor¡¯s orders. ¡®He¡¯s not wrong about this. And I¡¯m certain that he has a plan¡­¡¯ ¡°Then go get their seals,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes,¡± Luke answered vigorously before heading toward the residents with a few of the mercenaries. Pythamoras was watching Eugene with a meaningful gaze. Once Luke left Eugene¡¯s side, Pythamoras approached Eugene and spoke, ¡°Sir, I sense something strange. But do you think that it¡¯s a misunderstanding?¡± Eugene responded, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you might be referring to. And whatever it might be, it¡¯s a misunderstanding...¡± ¡°Hmm. Is that so?¡± Pythamoras spoke with a smirk. He then continued with a bitter expression. ¡°I only wish that the lords of this land would be half, no, even a quarter of a man that you are. Even those who claim themselves to be king only wish for domination. Even if any of them succeeds in taking the throne, they will soon be faced with another division.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t the druids help them by staying by their sides?¡± Eugene asked. He was genuinely curious. The lords and nobles of Brantia were dying to have the support of druids, and the same went for the self-proclaimed kings. If the druids were truly concerned about the future of Brantia, couldn¡¯t they find a good candidate and help them to the throne? ¡°Haha! Sir, you really don¡¯t know anything about kings and nobles,¡± Pythamoras responded. ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene was puzzled, but he waited for Pythamoras to continue. ¡°There were many who were fit to be king, but all of them simply wanted to use our power to rule. Moreover, they wanted to monopolize the respect and reverence of the people and didn¡¯t want to share their glory with anyone else. Such was even truer for those who possessed higher status and purer blood.¡± Pythamoras explained bitterly. Eugene nodded. ¡°Hmm. So they only wanted to use the druid¡¯s powers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. What do you think they would do to the wise ones after taking the throne?¡± Pythamoras asked. ¡°Cut them off,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Well, yes. But it somehow sounds even more insulting when you say it, sir. Anyway, do you understand now? This is why druids want to remain the people of the land rather than the people of the king.¡± Pythamoras said. ¡°I understand. You have your own concerns and difficulties as well. By the way, Pythamoras, won¡¯t the other druids criticize you for being by my side?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Not at all. If they don¡¯t like it, there¡¯s no one stopping them from finding their own lord to help. But I don¡¯t think that such a thing would ever happen.¡± Pythamoras chuckled before lowering his voice and whispering, ¡°Anyway, whatever it is that you are up to. I will feign ignorance until you make it known yourself.¡± ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah, should I say it now?¡± Pythamoras asked. ¡°You have to wait for people to finish their words. I have no idea what you are talking about, but I think it would be better for you to keep your mouth shut,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Since it¡¯s your request, I shall honor it. Hmm~¡± the druid said. Eugene found the druid¡¯s grin annoying, but he ignored it. ¡°Kiek? Sir, even you are helpless in front of that druid? That¡¯s why you should have just done as I said. My seniors told me that all druids are black-hearted and shrewd.¡± Mirian poked her head out of her pocket and chattered. ¡°Even if you call me insidious, how could I compare to your companion, undine?¡± Pythamoras responded. ¡°Kieeeeek!¡± Mirian shouted and retreated into her pocket at the speed of light. ¡°What a cute little fellow. From the scent of mana, she must have left the spirit world about twenty or thirty years ago. Good things will happen soon,¡± Pythamoras commented. ¡°Good things?¡± Eugene asked while narrowing his eyes. Pythamoras¡¯s eyes widened, then he responded with a mischievous smile, ¡°Well, it seems like you don¡¯t know it yet, sir. It won¡¯t be a bad thing for you to know either, so should I tell you, or not?¡± ¡°¡­¡± How could someone be so annoying at such an old age? Eugene contemplated kicking out the old druid for a moment. ¡°Haha! Don¡¯t glare at me like that. Anyway, it will be a good thing for you, so you can look forward to it. Ehem. Is it a good thing? I¡¯m sure it will be!¡± Pythamoras exclaimed. He was annoying to the end. Eugene turned his head away. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve received the signature.¡± ¡°Yes. Take it with you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luke carefully packed the parchment with the village representative¡¯s signature inside his bag. Over the next three days. Eugene reoccupied four more villages and hamlets and received their loyalty in a similar fashion. Crawlmarine¡¯s land was expanding little by little. *** Eugene¡¯s troops traveled for half a day before finally coming to face the Riwad territory¡¯s castle town. ¡°Dark Lord. Are we finally going to fight a proper battle?¡± ¡°I was itching all over. Fighting against bandits is so boring.¡± ¡°Kehe! It¡¯s my first siege, so I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± The beowulfs burned with spirit as they peered at the long, high walls surrounding the castle. The mercenaries got into formation with their respective captains, and the workers of the military depot also busily prepared ladders and battering rams. It was certainly encouraging to see the troops preparing on their own without receiving any instructions. However, Eugene raised his hand and shouted, ¡°Everyone, stop! Stop!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± His words garnered everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Luke. Stop them from doing anything and keep them safe. Give me a flag,¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Luke answered. After handing over control of the troops to Luke, Eugene placed his flag behind his own saddle and slowly headed toward the castle town. ¡°Huh? What is he doing?¡± ¡°What if they fire at him? No, never mind. Arrows wouldn¡¯t be effective anyway.¡± After a moment of thought, they realized that there was essentially nothing to worry about. Since it was Eugene he would be completely fine even if he charged at the enemies by himself. As such, the troops watched Eugene with interest as he slowly approached the castle town. Suddenly, the gates started to open¡­ ¡°What?¡± ¡°Huh? W-what¡¯s going on?!¡± The eyes of the troops widened in shock. A figure exited the door on a horse, then started making their way toward Eugene. ¡°Kuhh?! That¡¯s¡­¡± The beowulfs exclaimed. They had recognized the figure¡¯s identity earlier than the humans due to their enhanced visions. ¡°It¡¯s the dark knight!¡± ¡°Why is that fellow coming out from there?¡± The warriors shouted with astonishment and started chattering with each other. Although they knew that Galfredik had been dispatched elsewhere, they had never guessed that it was to the Riwad territory. Pythamoras gazed at Eugene with profound eyes, then approached the beowulf warriors before asking, ¡°Ehem. Do you know who that knight is?¡± ¡°Ah, of course. It¡¯s the dark knight. He serves the dark lord. He¡¯s incredibly strong as well,¡± one of the beowulfs responded. ¡°Dark knight? Why didn¡¯t you mention him before?¡± Pythamoras asked. ¡°What? That¡¯s obviously because you only asked about the dark lord.¡± the beowulf responded. ¡°¡­That¡¯s true. But that man, the dark knight. Is that knight a vampire as well?¡± Pythamoras asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the beowulf answered. ¡°I see¡­. Hmm?!¡± Pythamoras started nodding before suddenly gasping. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± the beowulfs asked. Pythamoras stared at Eugene and Galfredik with a blank daze, then opened his trembling lips. ¡°Even his knight is capable of walking around during the day? That means Sir Eugene is¡­¡± ¡®An Origin!¡¯ Pythamoras¡¯s hands started to tremble as he finally realized Eugene¡¯s true identity. He knew that Eugene was a vampire with great status, but he never dreamt, even in his wildest imaginations, that Eugene would be an Origin. ¡°I must have been out of my mind. I was actually trying to dissect an Origin,¡± Pythamoras muttered. ¡°What? Did you say something?¡± one of the beowulfs asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Pythamoras responded while shaking his head. From now on, he would make sure to visit a druid capable of divining the future before descending from his mountain. Of course, he couldn¡¯t worry about such a thing for the next three years. *** ¡°Hooh? So you were welcomed?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Kuhahaha! That¡¯s what I¡¯m telling you. It seems the Lanslo family¡¯s quite famous in Brantia. At first, I intended to stay in the village, just like you told me. But when the nobles and knights heard the name Lanslo, they started dying with happiness. As a result, I was invited to the castle.¡± Galfredik explained. ¡°I see¡­ Knight of the Lake,¡± Eugene muttered while riding his horse by Galfredik¡¯s side. The title was rather suitable for Lanslo. ¡°Kieek! Now I know why the elf knight can see me. It was all because he had inherited the blood of elves living on the lake!¡± Mirian shouted. ¡°I guess so. By the way, you seem quite lively when Pythamoras is not here,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°Kieeee¡­ Druids are a bit scary. I know a few seniors who were tricked into slaving away for free by druids. Anyway, I don¡¯t like that old man,¡± Mirian replied. Eugene wondered if there was anything that the spirit liked besides gold and silver, but he didn¡¯t voice out his thoughts. He felt a little sorry for the spirit, who had been staying in the leather pocket for the past few days because of Pythamoras. ¡°Anyway, what then? What happened after?¡± Eugene asked. Galfredik revealed his fangs and responded with a grin, ¡°Hehehe. It¡¯s a surprise. You¡¯ll find out when we enter the castle.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene¡¯s curiosity was resolved before he entered the castle. The nobles of Riwad territory had come out of the gate with the few remaining soldiers of the castle to greet him and Galfredik. A white flag was hanging next to the banner of the Riwad family. ¡°A-as the acting lord of Riwad, I, Pmerarian declare that all of Riwad¡¯s nobles will surrender unconditionally to Sir Jan Eugene and Sir Luke Crawlmarine!¡± ¡°We surrender!¡± Eugene was taken aback. He was sure that they weren¡¯t yet aware of the fact that Baron Riwad was dead, and that his troops had been defeated. So how could they surrender when their lord was still waging a war with all of the territory¡¯s troops? ¡°W-we will surrender unconditionally, sir, so please return the lord¡¯s children.¡± ¡°Sir! Please have honor and mercy!¡± The nobles shouted and kowtowed. Eugene had a hunch. ¡®It seems as if¡­¡¯ ¡°Ah! Sir Eugene! You¡¯re finally here!¡± Lanslo¡¯s clear voice resonated, and Eugene raised his head. ¡°Haha! I¡¯ve been waiting for you. So, it appears that you¡¯ve managed the war just fine without us.¡± Lanslo continued while smiling brightly and waving his hand. There were four trembling children with pale expressions by his side. Partec and his men bowed toward Eugene. They were holding shortswords and daggers against the throats of the children. ¡°Hostages?¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°Hehe! We told them that whenever anyone leaves the castle without my permission, we would cut off a corresponding number of ears and fingers. And before you say anything else, this wasn¡¯t my idea. It was purely that man¡¯s plan, and I was just keeping pace.¡± Galfredik explained. ¡°Lanslo?¡± Eugene was surprised. Lanslo was a righteous and honorable knight. He had never imagined that Lanslo would resort to taking young children hostage. As if reading Eugene¡¯s thoughts, Galfredik spoke with a grin, ¡°Surprised, right? I was surprised too. But it¡¯s understandable since it turns out that the orc blood flowing in Baron Riwad¡¯s veins belongs to an old enemy of Lanslo¡¯s family. He had just discovered this as well.¡± ¡°Is that true? Well, then it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Eugene nodded. He recalled the blurry memory of the three vampires jeering at him and Jung Dircht. ¡°But Baron Riwad died at my hands, so Lanslo can take that as revenge. We can let the children go.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°What?¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene stared at Galfredik. It wasn¡¯t a reaction he had been expecting. All of a sudden, Galfredik burst into laughter and shouted, ¡°Kuhahahahahaha! Hey, Sir Drak! It seems that your wish has come true!¡± ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Master has sliced up the baron! Just as you wished, it seems that we¡¯re going to have a scuffle with the Bayman Orcs!¡± Galfredik shouted. ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°Huagh?!¡± Lanslo rejoiced while Riwad¡¯s nobles shouted in horror. ¡°Bayman¡­ Orcs?¡± The Bayman Orcs were one of the superpowers of Brantia. They had once ruled northern Brantia and were now seeking her throne. Eugene had unknowingly severed any hope of peace with them with the death of the half-orc baron. CH 134 ¡°Ehem. A long time ago¡­ No, not that long ago, about 100 years ago, Brantia was divided into four kingdoms. The Bayman Orcs were a tribe of orcs who once ruled the northern part of Brantia,¡± Pythamoras explained. As a druid, he was knowledgeable regarding the Bayman Orcs as well. ¡°I see. So Baron Riwad supposedly has the blood of the Bayman Orcs flowing in his veins. Did you know about this?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Of course. But I did not know that he carried the blood of the royal family of Tolo. Ah, the house of Tolo is¡­¡± Like humans, there were several royal families within the Bayman Orcs. One of them was the royal family of Tolo. However, the Tolo family was the most combative and cruel of the Bayman Orcs, and they had caused various problems for the orcs. In the end, the last king of Tolo was defeated and driven out by a challenger, and the ancestor of the Riwad family was the last, expelled king of the Tolo family. ¡°Hmm? That¡¯s a little strange. I killed the descendant of a king who was disgracefully evicted, so why would the Bayman Orcs get angry? And you said it was a long time ago as well, right?¡± Eugene questioned. ¡°The king was expelled, but the clan still remains with the Bayman Orcs. As far as I know, the Tolos are a part of the Bayman Orcs¡¯ elders. It means that they have quite an influence within the Bayman Orcs,¡± Pythamoras replied. ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite understand. The Bayman Orcs are one of the forces that claim themselves to be the king of Brantia, right? So the one who is the king among them belongs to the Tolo family?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°The Bayman Orcs have not decided on a king yet. The candidates are currently competing for the spot. Lord Riwad was one of the potential candidates,¡± Pythamoras responded. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Eugene nodded. He finally understood the whole story. The Tolo family still had a say within the society of the Bayman Orcs, and with no clear leader, they had been planning to support Baron Riwad as a candidate to be the new king. But since Baron Riwad died at his hands, their plans would now be for naught. ¡°What strange people,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°Haha! Isn''t it no wonder that the unification of Brantia is so difficult? There are many strange folks living in this land. That¡¯s why no one except the knight king has ever successfully unified Brantia,¡± Pythamoras commented. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene nodded. It was a good thing that different races could get along without discrimination and live together, but there were certain unexpected disadvantages as well. But why would the world be handed over to him on a silver plate? He would have no choice but to clash with the Bayman Orcs if he wanted to take Brantia. ¡°Lanslo,¡± Eugene called out. Lanslo had been silently listening to the conversation. He responded, ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°From what I heard, it doesn¡¯t seem like your family is hostile toward the entirety of the Bayman Orcs, correct?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. To be exact, it¡¯s the Tolo family. And this doesn¡¯t have anything to do with the main branch of the Drak family. It¡¯s my family¡¯s business,¡± Lanslo responded. The Drak family was technically a pure-blooded family of elves. But Lanslo was only a quarter-elf. In other words, his family was a side branch of the Drak family. Of course, even though his family didn¡¯t belong to the main branch of the Drak family, they were allowed to keep the surname. That in itself proved that Lanslo¡¯s family was quite extraordinary. ¡°Then, we only need to crush the Tolo family, and not the Bayman Orcs, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s true. However, though the orcs may abandon or expel a particular individual, they wouldn¡¯t do such a thing with an entire family. If we create trouble with the Tolo family, they will definitely attempt to retaliate,¡± Lanslo replied. ¡°I see¡­¡± Eugene pondered. Pythamoras, Lanslo, and Galfredik silently observed his expression. After about ten seconds or so, Eugene raised his head and shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not even happening right now, so there¡¯s no use for us to worry about it now. If we have to fight them, we¡¯ll fight them. If not, we¡¯ll find another way. Let¡¯s leave it for the future,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kuhahaha! As expected from my master. I agree!¡± Galfredik hollered. ¡°Ehem. A wise choice. I don¡¯t know much about the internal affairs of the Bayman Orcs, so it will be best to figure things out first. Moreover, it will take some time for the news regarding Lord Riwad to reach the Bayman Orcs and for them to respond,¡± Pythamoras commented. ¡°Pythamoras, how long do you think it will take?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Three or four months at the earliest, and at least half a year for them to send an army if they decide to retaliate. As you know, very few people travel to the north,¡± Pythamoras answered. Eugene turned toward Lanslo. Lanslo silently returned Eugene¡¯s gaze before slowly parting his lips. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what happened between my family and the Tolo family? Are you not curious?¡± ¡°Hmm? Why would I ask that? If it¡¯s something that would force you to act unlike your usual self, I¡¯m sure there must be a good reason. Anyway, we will take measures against the Bayman Orcs and the Tolo family when it comes to that. Is that all right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes. Of course,¡± Lanslo responded with a smile. Lanslo Drak was glad that he chose Eugene. ¡°Now then, we only have this place to worry about. Pythamoras, do you have any advice for me?¡± Eugene asked. Pythamoras felt satisfied that Eugene continued to seek his opinion. The druid answered with a smile, ¡°The best solution would be to establish one of Lord Riwad¡¯s children as the new baron and for Count Crawlmarine to step forward as a guardian. The two families share blood ties. Neither the nobles of Riwad nor the nobles of the surrounding areas will be able to protest against it.¡± ¡°I see. But wouldn¡¯t they take issue with how I killed Baron Riwad? Luke is my aide after all,¡± Eugene asked. ¡°You were the one responsible for killing Baron Riwad, not Count Crawlmarine. Furthermore, Lord Riwad was killed in a war he started, so who could possibly complain? It would be akin to bringing disgrace to Baron Riwad¡¯s title as a swordmaster,¡± Pythamoras responded. ¡°Hooh! Old man, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Galfredik uttered. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Pythamoras responded with a smile. Eugene was also content with the druid¡¯s wisdom. He asked once again, ¡°I understand. What about when the new baron becomes an adult? What then?¡± Pythamoras responded, ¡°It will not matter. By then, Lord Crawlmarine would have already grown and matured as a count. Moreover, the Crawlmarine family¡¯s status would obviously be elevated in the future. Well, if it bothers you, you can simply have Lord Crawlmarine take one of Baron Riwad¡¯s daughters.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s a little¡­¡± Eugene hesitated. He knew that marriage was the best way to secure relationships in the noble world. However, he felt that it was a bit wasteful to use Luke at this point in time. ¡°Ah, then what about this?¡± Eugene continued after a moment of contemplation. ¡°Later on, we will take one of Baron Riwad¡¯s children as Luke¡¯s aide.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°Hmm. Good. It¡¯s a very good solution.¡± Galfredik, Lanslo, and Pythamoras all voiced their agreement. The relationship between a knight and his aide was considered as important as the relationship between a parent and their child. Although there were many cultural differences between Brantia and the continental kingdoms, they were similar in that aspect. In fact, the bond between a knight and his aide was even stronger in Brantia. ¡°A marriage can be terminated through a divorce, but a master-student relationship will last until death. It¡¯s a great plan. As expected, in terms of being crafty, you are one step ahead of me,¡± Pythamoras commented. ¡°Kuhaha! This old man sure knows what he¡¯s talking about!¡± Galfredik exclaimed. ¡°I agree. When it comes to these matters, Sir Eugene¡¯s brain works in wondrous, devilish ways,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°¡­¡± Although they were obviously complimenting him, Eugene felt rather annoyed. He quickly changed the subject. ¡°Anyway, first of all, we will follow Master Pythamoras¡¯s advice regarding the Riwad territory and¡­¡± All of a sudden, the door burst open. Partec and Wolfgan hurried inside before speaking, ¡°My apologies, Sir Eugene! There¡¯s something urgent you should know about!¡± ¡°Something urgent?¡± Eugene asked. Wolfgan quickly answered, ¡°An army. Some of my brothers saw an army coming from the South on reconnaissance.¡± The first thing Eugene did after occupying Castle Riwad was to have the beowulfs patrol nearby areas in pairs every six hours. Beowulfs were fast and strong enough to travel more than 100 kilometers a day, and they could rival many intermediate-rank monsters. As such, they were the perfect scouts. ¡°Army? From where? How many troops?¡± Eugene asked in a cold voice. Wolfgan answered while scratching his head. ¡°There were around three or four hundred of them. The largest flag was red with a drawing of a longbow and a shield¡­¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s the crest of Brighton.¡± Pythamoras explained. ¡°Brighton?¡± Eugene muttered while narrowing his eyes. Pythamoras stepped up. ¡°It seems my predictions were correct. Brighton was on fairly good terms with the late baron. They must be trying to get revenge¡­ No, never mind.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Pythamoras stopped himself, then fell silent with a frown. In a moment, he raised his head and continued. ¡°I don¡¯t think they are trying to keep their allegiance and faith to Baron Riwad.¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean by that?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°The existence of a swordmaster made up more than half of Riwad territory¡¯s power. But now he¡¯s dead. The Riwad territory is large, and a single evil land is located inside the territory as well. It¡¯s no wonder that the City of Brighton, or at least, one of its nobles, is coveting the ownerless treasure.¡± Pythamoras explained. In the end, they weren¡¯t trying to protect their honor or loyalty. They were simply greedy. Eugene thought for a moment before speaking to Partec, ¡°Call the merchant, Odd.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Partec responded before immediately heading out. In a few minutes, he returned with Odd. *** ¡°Did you call for me, Sir Eugene?¡± Odd said in a nervous tone. It had been overwhelming enough to stand in front of Eugene and Pythamoras. But now, there was another vampire with a terrifying face and even an elf knight. Eugene asked in Brantian, ¡°Story about me in Brighton. What did you say?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ it was very brief. I spoke about how Lord Riwad¡¯s army was defeated by Sir Eugene. I told them that I wasn¡¯t certain about the details, but that it seemed that Sir Eugene won a duel against Lord Riwad as an honorable knight,¡± Odd responded. ¡°Anything else? My status, my abilities. Did you reveal everything?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Oh, my! I pride myself on being somewhat smart and sensible. I didn¡¯t reveal anything important. All I said was that you were a high-ranking vampire noble and an outstanding knight from the continent! That¡¯s all I said.¡± Odd explained. It was only natural for a merchant to boast about the nobleman or lord he worked with. It seemed Odd had only blabbered to the point where it was perfectly acceptable. ¡°Excuse me¡­ sir. Did I make a mistake?¡± Odd asked cautiously. He noticed that the atmosphere was rather unusual. Eugene shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing like that. But let me ask you this. You must be truthful.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Odd felt nervous as he gulped. Eugene¡¯s cold, red eyes were gazing directly at him. ¡°What is your credibility in Brighton? Not money, but your words. The people there. Your words. Do they trust everything you say?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Odd hesitated. He wasn¡¯t sure whether to gloss himself over but decided not to. ¡°To be honest, my nickname is Rubbish Odd. Ah, of course, it doesn¡¯t mean that I always lie and speak rubbish. As you know very well, sir, a merchant must sometimes exaggerate things from time to time in order to¡­¡± Odd hurriedly explained. ¡°That¡¯s good. Very good,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°What?¡± Odd mumbled in confusion. He had made an arduous decision to confess his disgrace, but Eugene seemed satisfied. Eugene spoke with a grin, ¡°The words of Rubbish Odd. The people of Brighton. Will they believe even half of it?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Probably not?¡± Odd responded. ¡°That¡¯s good. You can go now,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah¡­ yes. Please call me anytime.¡± Odd bowed before leaving in a daze. Eugene revealed his fang while looking around. ¡°It seems that a bunch of idiots has come to meet their end.¡± ¡°Kuhehehe! It¡¯s all thanks to the liar. It¡¯s a bit disappointing though. I would have gotten to enjoy myself a little if they were stronger,¡± Galfredik said. Pythamoras stepped forward. ¡°Not necessarily. I don¡¯t think it should be a disappointment. Rather, this is a big opportunity for Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°An opportunity?¡± All three knights turned toward the druid with curious expressions. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it might be, but they are using the flag of Brighton. In other words, it gives us a reason to hold Brighton responsible,¡± Pythamoras explained. ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene¡¯s face brightened with understanding. Pythamoras added with a big smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. Sir, you have the justification to attack Brighton.¡± Favorite CH 135 ¡°Excuse me, Master. With all due respect, could you reconsider it one more time?¡± Luke asked. ¡°No. You will stay behind and clean up,¡± Eugene answered curtly. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Luke answered with disappointment. Although he was Eugene¡¯s aide, it felt as if he was spending less and less time with his master ever since he became a count. ¡°Then, I will leave it to you, Pythamoras,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Well, I will do my best to assist Lord Crawlmarine.¡± Pythamoras nodded. He would remain at Castle Riwad with Luke. Mount Robtimo, where Pythamoras resided, was located in the Riwad territory, and he was a druid who was respected by all citizens of the Riwad territory, regardless of their age or gender. As long as he was by Luke¡¯s side, Riwad¡¯s nobles would not dare to have any scummy thoughts. In addition, Eugene had extra safety devices in place. ¡°Partec, I will leave it to you,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, sir. We will protect Lord Crawlmarine with our lives,¡± Partec answered. He would remain behind with Glade and Lavan. The three had been through numerous battles since they first met Eugene, and they had received training from Lanslo and Galfredik in their spare time. As such, their skills were incomparable to the past. In particular, Partec was not inferior to ordinary knights. Considering his age, it was a testament to how much effort he had put in when it came to training. ¡°Dammit. Why us¡­¡± ¡°Drawing straws is complete luck. This is unfair. Let¡¯s try one more time with rock-paper-scissors.¡± Four beowulf warriors grumbled next to Partec¡¯s group. Wolfgan stepped forward and spoke with an embarrassed expression, ¡°It won¡¯t take long, so make sure you do your job and keep him safe. You will be served meat every day.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± one of the beowulfs asked. ¡°The dark lord promised. It won¡¯t even take a month, so guard Count Crawlmarine well.¡± Wolfgan continued. ¡°Got it. Hehe.¡± They were disappointed that they couldn¡¯t fight alongside their brothers, but they broke out into wide grins after hearing about the meat. Luke couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment either. Eugene turned toward his aide and spoke, ¡°As you know, it¡¯s about time we received news from Mungard. You may open any letters except for those from Delmondo. In particular, if you hear from Romari or Markus, Lord of Mungard, check the contents of the letter personally to determine the weight of the message and send messengers accordingly. You can use the beowulf warriors as messengers.¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Luke answered with determination. He felt a much greater sense of responsibility now that he was a count. He swore that he would surely fulfill his responsibilities without fail. Pythamoras grinned while observing the scene and gazed at Eugene with a meaningful look. Eugene turned a blind eye to Pythamoras and turned toward Galfredik and Lanslo. It would be war once again. *** Eugene joined with the forces waiting outside Castle Riwad, then immediately set course for Brighton. The troops were well-rested and in high spirits. When they were initially subjugated, they had many worries, but it quickly became clear that Eugene was the ideal commander and employer. In a sense, the troops were no different from slaves, which meant that they had to comply with every order and demand. However, Eugene did not forcibly reorganize the structure of the troops and only gave reasonable instructions. He allowed groups of mercenaries to stick together, and he guaranteed independent command for the captains of the mercenary groups. Of course, Eugene didn¡¯t make such a decision because he adored the troops. Rather, he was heeding Galfredik¡¯s advice. ¡°If we fight a large-scale battle, it¡¯s not like they¡¯re going to maintain formation. Master and I will draw the big picture, and when we actually fight, it will be best to let them do what they are familiar with. When to attack and to retreat¡ªas long as they abide by these two commands, there won¡¯t be any problems,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Hmm. I understand. It will be difficult to pass down orders on a battlefield filled with hundreds of troops after all,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Exactly. It will be even worse with thousands of troops. That¡¯s why we only need to focus on leading the elite troops. The outcome of the battle will depend heavily on how the elite troops demolish the enemy camp.¡± Galfredik continued. ¡°In the end, a battle is ultimately about which side retains their elite forces. In our case, the beowulfs could be considered the main players. Sir Eugene or Sir Galfredik must lead them.¡± Lanslo chimed in as well. Eugene nodded. Educated knights were indeed thoughtful and competent. ¡°It¡¯s better if it¡¯s Galfredik rather than me,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kuhehe! I would love to!¡± Galfredik answered with delight. Lanslo appeared rather confused. ¡°It will be much more destructive if you lead them, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Eugene answered, ¡°I realized something after fighting a few battles. The elite troops of an army are important, but it seemed even easier to just take care of their commander. The battle ends earlier.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The two knights flinched, and Eugene recalled his own experiences as he continued. ¡°Galfredik and the beowulfs will face the enemy¡¯s elite troops. According to what Pythamoras said, it will be a force of around one hundred heavy cavalries or a little stronger. A gap would eventually be opened, right? At the least, the enemy¡¯s elite forces will certainly be occupied by then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So I thought I would take that chance and strike the enemy¡¯s commander down. I heard that they are mostly weaker than their subordinates, except in special cases like Baron Riwad, am I right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. However, some people will be hiding an ace up their sleeves. Brantia¡¯s lords are more familiar and open to magic than the people of the continent,¡± Lanslo remarked. ¡°That¡¯s true. However¡­¡± Eugene answered. Clack! Clack! ¡°I have this.¡± He smiled coldly while raising his left gauntlet. *** Eugene¡¯s troops came to face Brighton¡¯s army two days later. The beowulfs had already scouted ahead, and the two forces had always been moving toward each other. As such, it was inevitable that they would encounter each other. After a brief confrontation, three horses slowly emerged from the midst of Brighton¡¯s troops. ¡®Knights. One is a woman?¡¯ Eugene narrowed his eyes. Two of the knights were armed with plate mail, which was rare in Brantia, and the other figure was a female knight dressed in decorative, impractical armor. The two male knights each took to the female knight¡¯s sides. One held a flag of Brighton, while the other held the flag of a lion on its hind legs. The three figures came to a stop at a distance of about 50 meters from Eugene¡¯s army. They whispered amongst themselves for a while, then the man holding the lion flag raised his voice. ¡°Is this Sir Jan Eugene¡¯s army?! We are representatives of the royal family of Fransil!¡± ¡°The royal family of Fransil?¡± Eugene muttered. It was an unfamiliar name. Lanslo whispered, ¡°They are one of the forces claiming themselves to be the rightful king. A great noble family that united the western coastal territories. They used to proclaim themselves as the Fransil duchy before, but it seems that they have made it all the way here now.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Eugene said. He looked at the three knights with interest. It had been rather strange that they were equipped with good armor, which was quite rare in Brantia. As such, it made sense that they stemmed from a prestigious family. ¡®Those seeking the throne in Brantia should roughly be equivalent to the great nobles of the Caylor Kingdom.¡¯ The knight holding the lion flag raised his voice once again. ¡°Listen up! The City of Brighton is overlooked by the gracious spirits, and they are an ally of ours! In addition! His Excellency Duke Fransil shared a brotherly bond with the Riwad territory! As such, we will¡­¡± ¡°Oi!¡± Eugene¡¯s loud shout interrupted the noisy knight. The other two knights also looked startled by Eugene¡¯s shout. Eugene continued. ¡°Baron Riwad was like a brother to the Fransil family? Can you take responsibility for your words?¡± ¡°O-of course! However, His Excellency Fransil is willing to show grace and give you a chance to redeem your mistakes! Make the honorable choice! If you come under the flag of the Great Lion! He will graciously overlook your sins toward Lord Riwad¡­¡± The knight continued to babble nonsense. Eugene turned toward Galfredik and Lanslo. ¡°He¡¯s asking us to surrender, right?¡± ¡°Kiekkk! I can¡¯t forgive him! How dare he say that to the demon king!¡± Mirian huffed. Galfredik spoke with a cruel smile, ¡°He¡¯s crazy. He¡¯s trying to win master over rather than asking for complete surrender. He wants master to serve under Prancer or Francer, whatever it is that they¡¯re called.¡± ¡°They mean to take the Riwad territory and Sir Eugene as well.¡± Lanslo chimed in. Eugene conversed with the two knights. It seemed their response had hurt the opposing knight¡¯s pride. He raised his voice to the point where his face turned red. ¡°In the name of the royal family of Fransil! Get over here! Ask for forgiveness before you are convicted!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene, Galfredik, and Lanslo closed their lips at the same time. They turned toward the three opposing knights. ¡°Kieeeeeek! Sir! We have to rip that bear to shreds! We have to beat that ugly girl to death as well!¡± Mirian shouted. Only the simpleton spirit seemed to have fallen for the provocation. ¡®She doesn¡¯t seem that ugly...¡¯ Eugene observed the woman before whispering. She had a confident, arrogant expression. ¡°That woman. She must have a pretty high position in the Fransil family, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Mmhm. She is likely one of the duke¡¯s children. A real knight would never think to wear such gaudy decorative armor,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get her. If we get lucky, we won¡¯t need to employ any strategies or tactics,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°What?¡± Lanslo was puzzled. Eugene moved a little forward before shouting at the three knights. ¡°Your story! I heard it! I will make a suggestion as well!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The three knights were bewildered by Eugene¡¯s words. Eugene continued in the most insolent and arrogant manner possible. ¡°I! Don¡¯t listen to the words! Of anyone weaker than me! Knights of Fransil! Come out! If anyone manages to beat me! I will agree to your conditions!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Even though they were some distance away, Eugene could see the eyes of the three figures widening in shock. ¡°However! If no one beats me! Your commander! My prisoner! They must crawl under my crotch!¡± Eugene shouted. ¡°You lunatic!¡± the woman shouted in fury. ¡°Sir Carlisle! Sir Zoraf! Get that madman to kneel in front of me right now!¡± she shrieked. ¡°Lady Lorraine, you must not fall for the enemy¡¯s provocation,¡± one of the knights answered. ¡°You heard what he said as well! How dare¡­ How dare he!¡± Eugene shrugged. Although they were far away, he could hear their conversation. Eugene spoke, ¡°Her name is Lorraine. It seems that she is indeed the commander. The other two are at a loss in front of her.¡± ¡°I see. However, I don¡¯t think they will fall for the provocation. No matter how stupid they are, surely¡­¡± Lanslo started to speak. The conversation between the woman named Lorraine and the two knights continued. ¡°For now, we just need to figure out the approximate strength of that man¡¯s army. If we make a hasty judgment, it could lead to unwanted outcomes.¡± ¡°My lady. Please remember that our primary objective is Brighton.¡± The two knights attempted to dissuade her. However, she remained adamant. ¡°Fine! Fine! If you two are not up to the task, I will call the other knights!¡± She was filled with anger as she jerked around. ¡°Are there any brave knights who will drop that dishonorable savage from his horse?! I will give you a large reward!¡± ¡°I will teach that man a lesson!¡± ¡°Lady Lorraine! Please give me a chance. I, Kemble of Atmon will defend your honor!¡± ¡°I, as well!¡± Five or six knights shouted while hurriedly riding forward. ¡°I think it worked,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°The knights are desperate to prove themselves. That stupid woman must be a direct descendant of the Fransil family,¡± Lanslo commented with a bitter smile while shaking his head. The two knights at Lorraine¡¯s side hurriedly shouted after failing to dissuade her. ¡°If you have any chivalry and honor! Fight as a knight, and not as a member of the Dark Clan!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be cowardly enough to use the powers of the Tribe of Darkness, hmm?!¡± Eugene was dumbfounded. They wanted him to restrict his own abilities in a fight for his life? Were they out of their minds? No, in the first place, did they really think that he would be an easy pick without his vampiric powers? ¡°Keke! They might be skeptical about the words of Rubbish Odd, but it seems that they had obtained some decent information,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°They must have heard from the mercenaries who had been sold as slaves. Sir Eugene, what will you do?¡± Lanslo commented. ¡°It won¡¯t do for Master to deal with those idiots. I will take care of them,¡± Galfredik said. However, Eugene shook his head.¡± No. I will go. It¡¯s enough for just one person¡¯s reputation to be dirtied in Brantia.¡± A conquest was inevitably accompanied by the resentment and the curses of many people, and Eugene was determined to focus it all on just one person¡ªhimself. The reason? Deepening resentment and curses were proportional to fear toward Eugene. ¡°I will be back.¡± Eugene lowered his visor before grabbing his reins. ¡®Fight as a knight?¡¯ Clack! The Demon Spear, Madarazika, lay in his hand. ¡®Do you really think that will let you defeat me?¡¯ Eugene smiled coldly. Madarazika trembled with joy at its master¡¯s touch. Eugene rode forward while equipping the spear on the spear thrower. Favorite CH 136 Tututututututu! ¡°Kieeeeeek~! Go, sir, go!¡± Mirian shouted excitedly while sticking her head out of her pocket as Silion began to run through the wind. Clack! Clack! Eugene hung Madarazika on the spear thrower before deploying the magic shield. The enemy knights took an offensive posture when they saw Eugene charging toward them. ¡°Without any proper, customary introductions? I¡¯ve never seen such an uncultured man!¡± ¡°He knows not of honor and chivalry. Is he truly from the continent?¡± ¡°That scoundrel¡¯s head will be mine!¡± The knights shouted with fury. However, they were inwardly overwhelmed with joy. ¡®A member of the Dark Clan foregoing the use of his powers? I¡¯m in luck today.¡¯ ¡®I will be victorious. A weak continent knight who relies solely on his equipment is no match for me.¡¯ Three knights charged forward with such thoughts. A loss was unimaginable. The vampire was said to have defeated Baron Riwad with the mysterious powers of his race. As such, they judged that they could win unconditionally if the vampire was restricting his unique powers. ¡°I will win! I will take all the glory!¡± ¡°What are you talking about!? His horse and armor are mine!¡± ¡°Stop your chattering and let me handle this!¡± The knights competed to get ahead of each other while drawing their swords and spears. At that moment, Eugene drew himself back fully before whipping his arm like lightning. The Demon Spear tore through the air and shot forward. Kwaaaaah! The knight at the forefront held up his shield with shock. Although it was a wooden shield, it was durable and reliable. However, the knight didn¡¯t know anything about Madarazika or how powerful its master truly was. Boom! The spear shattered the shield into a million pieces before piercing through the knight¡¯s chest and exiting out his back. The knight¡¯s body could not overcome the tremendous force of the spear. He was thrown off the saddle and thrown far away. Once he landed on the ground, he lay unmoving. He had been killed with one shot. ¡°¡­!¡± Lorraine Fransil and the other knights at her side hardened like statues after witnessing the unbelievable scene. The two remaining knights were appalled as their comrade fell lifeless. ¡°Spear! He doesn¡¯t have his spear anymore!¡± ¡°Take this!¡± At their current pace, they would reach him in about 4 or 5 seconds. As such, they didn¡¯t slow down or stop. His throwing technique was great, but if it came to fighting with swords and spears on horseback, surely they were¡­ Thuck! However, Madarazika immediately returned to Eugene upon his call and pierced the head of one of the remaining knights. Although he had been wearing a helmet, Brantia¡¯s knights didn¡¯t use high-quality steel in their armor, which caused the spear to burst through his head without much effort. ¡°You bastard!¡± the last remaining knight shouted angrily before stabbing with his spear. Kwararark! Clang! However, Eugene¡¯s shield wasn¡¯t only effective against magic attacks. In fact, it provided overwhelming defense against regular, physical attacks as well. He deflected the knight¡¯s attack without much effort. In fact, the knight¡¯s spearhead broke into two upon colliding with the shield. It was the result of an Origin¡¯s power combined with Eugene¡¯s superb technique, which he gained from Galfredik. ¡°What?!¡± the knight shouted in disbelief, and Madarazika whipped forward like a black snake. Shuuack! It wasn¡¯t strictly a spear technique. It was closer to a simple slap on the opponent¡¯s collarbone. The knight noticed the attack and attempted to defend using a small, round shield attached to his left gauntlet. Boom! ¡°Kuaagh!¡± However, Madarazika was tens of times heavier than a regular spear, and Eugene possessed enormous strength as an Origin. The impact caused the knight¡¯s left arm to shatter¡ªit was torn to pieces from the elbow down. And that wasn¡¯t the end¡­ The spear produced an unbelievably sharp shockwave and struck the knight¡¯s chest, and the knight was thrown back like a kite with its strings broken. Boom! ¡°Hiek?!¡± Lorraine moaned with shock, which caused the two knights at her side to come to their senses. Tututututututu! Silion started to storm toward them. ¡°Heuk?!¡± The knights realized Eugene¡¯s intentions when they saw him charge toward them like the devil. ¡°You coward!¡± They felt flustered, but they had no time to criticize their opponent. ¡°My lady! Hurry, you must fall back!¡± ¡°Attack! Everyone, attack!¡± One of the knights hastily urged Lorraine to retreat, while the other shouted at the troops to advance. However, Eugene¡¯s troops had been prepared to attack since he killed the last knight. They were even faster than Lorraine¡¯s troops. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Galfredik shouted. Kwuooooooo!! The beowulfs were the first to kick off the earth with deafening roars. Their blood was boiling violently from having watched Eugene¡¯s battles. Their eyes burned brilliantly with the flames of fighting spirit and fear. The beowulf warriors charged toward the enemy along with the Origin¡¯s vassal. Tutututututututu! Eugene continued toward Lorraine and the escaping knight as the earth started to tremble behind him. ¡°You bastard!¡± The remaining knight threw his flagged spear towards Eugene. However, Eugene maintained his speed and simply willed his magic shield to grow bigger. Clang! The spear bounced off the shield and fell to the ground. ¡°N-no!¡± the knight shouted. ¡°No, my ass, you punk!¡± Galfredik roared before throwing a javelin at the knight, who was attempting to chase after Eugene. Thuck! ¡°Argh!¡± The knight fell off his saddle with a scream as the projectile pierced through his shoulder. Tututututututu! Galfredik and the beowulf warriors ignored the sprawled knight and continued forward. ¡°Keugh!¡± The knight managed to raise his body and hurriedly turned toward his soldiers. ¡°Ugh?!¡± His eyes were immediately filled with despair. Lorraine had been captured by the black knight, and the beowulfs were clawing their way through the army like a herd of demons. *** As expected, the battle ended in less than ten minutes. This was rather normal in a battle between armies of such sizes. It wasn¡¯t easy to turn the tides of a battle involving hundreds of soldiers once the momentum was lost. In addition, the Fransil family¡¯s army had lost four knights and even their commander, Lorraine, before the actual battle began. Around thirty cavalries under Lorraine fought hard, but in the end, they weren¡¯t as strong as knights. In the first place, the cavalrymen were only armed with simple chainmail and their horses were unarmed. They never stood a chance against the charge of beowulfs armed in solid armor, which was even sturdier than plate mail. And once the cavalry was swept away in a single collision, most of the foot soldiers gave up on the battle. Although the mercenaries were following Lorraine Fransil out of vain expectations and greed, they weren¡¯t cowards without courage. However, they weren¡¯t idiots either. They would fight if they saw a chance, but there was nothing for them to do since their allied knights fell like autumn leaves during the first clash and the cavalry was completely smashed apart. In addition, Eugene¡¯s army wasn¡¯t much smaller than their own, and most importantly, Eugene had engaged in the duel as a ¡®knight.¡¯ He had battled against Fransil¡¯s knights as an honorable knight. However, no one was na?ve enough to believe that the same kind of respect would be shown toward the mercenaries as well. In fact, although most knights practiced chivalry against their fellow knights, they did not show the same kind of tolerance and mercy to mercenaries and conscripted soldiers. Therefore, it was better to flee as quickly as possible in a losing battle or beg for their lives, even if they would become slaves. If they were really lucky, perhaps they would be taken in. As it turned out, the mercenaries made the right choice when they surrendered amidst their vain expectations and desperation. ¡°Tell them. Same terms as you. One year of unpaid work. Loot and spoils will be divided fairly. One year later, I will give the choice to stay or fight,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the mercenary captains responded before rushing over to the prisoners. They were the first ones to have sworn allegiance to Eugene. Eugene was quite satisfied that they had fulfilled their roles during the battle. Of course, he was most satisfied that he had captured several very valuable figures who were worth a lot of money. ¡°Hieek!¡± Lorraine faltered back with a stifled scream when she met Eugene¡¯s gaze. ¡°Sniff! This lady has pissed herself...¡± ¡°She was hissin¡¯~ but now she be pissin¡¯~¡± ¡°Oh? How did you come up with that, peabrain?¡± The beowulfs started to giggle, and Lorraine¡¯s face dyed with shame and humiliation. ¡°Stop it. She¡¯s still the direct descendant of a duke,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The beowulfs awkwardly scratched their heads. Eugene had been like the devil in battle, but it seemed like he was taking Lorraine¡¯s side. She mustered up the courage and spoke, ¡°Excuse me, sir, but are you really going to make me crawl beneath your crotch? I beg of you, please treat me honorably.¡± ¡°Crazy bastard,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Dishonorable savage. Madman. That¡¯s what you and your knights referred to me as.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lorraine¡¯s expression turned pale. Eugene spoke with a frigid expression, ¡°It¡¯s all true. I don¡¯t know any honor. I am wicked.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Crawl.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Her face turned red, then a shade of brown then finally bleached white. Eugene glared at Lorraine before speaking again. ¡°If you won¡¯t crawl, I will strip you naked. I will take you back to Brighton naked.¡± ¡°Uah¡­¡± Lorraine¡¯s eyes trembled and soon became damp. ¡°Uah¡­. Waaaahh!¡± The mature lady finally burst into tears. ¡°L-lady Lorraine!¡± ¡°Sir! Show mercy! Show us your honor!¡± ¡°I will! I will crawl in her stead!¡± The knights of Fransil begged Eugene. They were being kept alive for ransom. Eugene responded coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t need it. You, crawl right now.¡± He turned his gaze slightly. Noticing Eugene¡¯s gaze, Lanslo quickly wiped the smile off his face and stepped out with a mournful look. ¡°Sir! Please give me face and show them mercy.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°I beg of you! I am Lanslo Drak! I¡¯m afraid that this will damage your reputation, Sir Eugene! Please reconsider!¡± Lanslo shouted. ¡°D-drak?¡± ¡°A-a knight of the lake? What is he doing here?¡± Fransil¡¯s knights were startled. As expected, the Drak family¡¯s reputation in Brantia was great. Even Lorraine looked surprised. ¡°Sir Drak. I keep my word. That¡¯s my honor,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Yes, I know! But please, just this once, show me some face, and please reconsider!¡± Lanslo shouted. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Eugene frowned and fell into contemplation. Soon, he uttered coldly before turning away, ¡°Just this once.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Eugene!¡± Lanslo shouted in a desperate, pleading voice before turning to face Lorraine and her knights. They rushed to express their gratitude. ¡°T-thank you, Sir Drak.¡± ¡°What a merciful knight¡­¡± ¡°I have witnessed the true honor of the Drak family today!¡± The knights looked as if they would burst into tears as they shouted. Lanslo spoke with a mournful expression, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve all seen it, you understand, right?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Sir Eugene has no mercy on those who stand against him. However, he will always listen to the words of those who follow him. Please don¡¯t get on his nerves before the negotiations. In particular, Lady Lorraine,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Y-yes?¡± she stuttered. ¡°Please remember. After Sir Eugene arrived in Brantia, you are the only survivor among the nobles who fought him. Both the previous Count of Crawlmarine and Baron Riwad lost their lives under his blade.¡± Lanslo continued. ¡°¡­!¡± Lorraine trembled. Lanslo sighed deeply before slowly turning around. ¡°Phew! If negotiations don¡¯t take place as soon as possible, I¡¯m sure Sir Eugene will become furious again. What should I do about this?¡± Although Lanslo was muttering under his breath, everyone could hear his words. ¡®E-even a knight of the lake can¡¯t do anything about it?¡¯ ¡®Is he the devil?¡¯ ¡®T-that man is the devil. He is a great demon.¡¯ ¡®I should have believed it when they said that he had mercilessly slaughtered the Half-Orc Baron without accepting his surrender¡­¡¯ It was at this moment that the viciousness of the knight Jan Eugene was deeply imprinted in the minds and hearts of those who would soon be returned to their families for ransom. ¡°Ki-ki-hehehehehe! Even Sir Elf is being tainted by Sir Eugene. How insidious. Kukekekekeke!¡± Mirian gave an evil laugh. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®good knight, bad knight.¡¯ It¡¯s working better than I thought. But it¡¯s a shame. I was hoping to play the role of the good knight,¡± Galfredik explained. ¡°Gal, have you ever looked in the mirror? I admit, maybe that might work if the plan is ¡®bad knight, vicious knight.¡¯ If a completely vicious knight shows up after the bad knight, everyone might get scared and become obedient,¡± Mirian responded. ¡°Hooh. You¡¯re pretty insidious as well, aren¡¯t you? Well, I guess that¡¯s what I should expect from my master¡¯s spirit. Hehe.¡± Galfredik chuckled. ¡°Do you finally see it? Sir Eugene and I are perfect for each other. Kehehehe,¡± Mirian responded with the same cackle. The frivolous spirit and the Origin¡¯s vassal conversed and laughed together while watching the scene play out from beginning to end. CH 137 The battle with the Fransil family, or to be exact, with Lorraine Fransil¡¯s forces, resulted in a big profit for Eugene. First, about half of the mercenaries she hired had been absorbed into Eugene''s army, and the majority of her cavalrymen were killed or left gravely injured. In addition, as a direct descendant of a prestigious family, Lorraine brought many workers and slaves with her in this campaign. Their ownership was transferred over to Eugene after the battle. Although an increase in the number of people came with some of its own problems, mainly regarding supplies, there was no need to worry about paying them wages. In addition, Eugene could simply sell them off as slaves at any time. Finally, Lorraine and her knights had been riding on horses and were quite wealthy as well. All of it was Eugene¡¯s for the taking, and among the spoils, there were expensive silver weapons made to target vampires. Moreover, their horses were also very distinguished and possessed their own pedigree, although they weren¡¯t quite as good as Silion. In conclusion, Eugene obtained a lot after this battle. ¡®There¡¯s a lot to be gained from a single victory compared to five or even six rounds of evil land subjugations. No wonder knights are so crazy about wars.¡¯ Eugene nodded with understanding and satisfaction. Odd approached while rubbing his hands and spoke, ¡°And so! Assuming you will be maintaining the same number of troops that you have now, you will be fine to operate them for a couple of months without any problems, sir.¡± Odd smiled to reveal his yellow teeth. In this regard, he was an outstanding merchant. Eugene responded, ¡°And that¡¯s excluding the amount we can receive as ransom?¡± ¡°Yes. Even without it, there is still a huge amount of money and goods. Silver weapons and warhorses are very expensive after all. Um, with all due respect, could I offer a suggestion?¡± Odd asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Eugene nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t sell the horses; take them with you when you negotiate a ransom with the Fransil family. Nobles, especially knights, tend to be quite fond and value their personal horses. Even more so if they have had their horses for a long time. I¡¯m sure you could get more money compared to selling them off.¡± Odd suggested. ¡°That¡¯s a very good idea. Excellent. Feel free to offer similar suggestions at any time,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hehe. Thank you,¡± Odd said while bowing. Although Eugene was like a demon on the battlefield, he was unexpectedly bold and highly flexible regarding such matters. Odd could only hope that all of his noble employers in the future would be similar to Eugene. ¡°You may leave. Have the prisoners of the Fransil family come here.¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Odd left after bowing. Soon, a knight from the Fransil family and Lorraine entered with haggard faces. The knight¡¯s name was Bonmer. He was the one whose shoulders had been pierced by Galfredik¡¯s javelin. ¡°Your shoulder. Is it better?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Feeling better, thanks to the mana stone,¡± Bonmer replied in a cold voice. ¡°Feeling better?¡± Eugene asked with a cold gaze. ¡°Y-yes, much better. Thank you.¡± The knight quickly lowered his gaze and changed his tone. Lanslo spoke after watching the interaction from the side, ¡°Sir Eugene is a respected knight in the two port cities of Maren and Moffern, as well as a lord with his own territory in the Kingdom of Caylor. He is also highly favored by the Marquis of Archivald and the Count of Winslon. Please show respect for his honor.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The two became wide-eyed. They had never heard of Maren, Moffern, the marquis, or the count, but they immediately recognized that the vampire in front of them possessed tremendous status. At the same time, they also realized that they had arrogantly demanded such a figure to come under their service and that they had dared to insult him. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s a lie¡­¡¯ Lorraine hoped although everyone knew that there was no reason for a knight from the Drak family to tell such a lie. She barely muttered, ¡°I-I¡¯ve heard that the kingdoms of the continent are hostile toward members of the Tribe of the Darkness.¡± Lanslo turned his stern gaze toward her and responded, ¡°It depends on the person. All the figures that Sir Eugene has established relationships with are free from the influence of the Central Church. They aren¡¯t very friendly with the cardinal who had initiated the war against Brantia. In other words, they trust Sir Eugene to be someone worth sharing a deep friendship with.¡± ¡°Wow. Even I thought he was telling the truth for a second. Such a skilled liar,¡± Mirian whispered while stealing a glance at Eugene. However, Lanslo¡¯s explanation was technically true. Although it was a little exaggerated, there was no falsehood at all. ¡°Sir Eugene was greatly disappointed and angered by the disgraceful behavior of the Fransil family. Sir Eugene.¡± Lanslo stepped back. Eugene spoke while gazing at the two people, ¡°I am not hostile to the Fransil family. However, you provoked me and declared war against me. I will hold Lord Fransil accountable.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Bonmer¡¯s expression turned pale, and Lorraine¡¯s eyes started quivering. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Eugene became suspicious of the two people¡¯s reactions. However, he was a vampire, and he was crafty and sneaky above anyone else. He wasn¡¯t about to reveal his guesses to his opponents. Eugene chose his next action as his instincts indicated. ¡°¡­¡± He simply stood still and quietly stared at Lorraine, who was already extremely flustered. In most cases, people who had already caused a major accident or were on a knife¡¯s edge would¡­ ¡°I-I would like to implore you not to inform His Excellency about my mistake. Please, Sir Eugene,¡± Lorraine said. ¡®As expected...¡¯ ¡°And why should I? So, I¡¯m the one who attacked you first then?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Well¡­¡± Lorraine started. Bonmer interrupted her, ¡°Phew. Let¡¯s just tell him the truth, Lady Lorraine.¡± ¡°Sir Bonmer!¡± Lorraine squealed, but Bonmer ignored her and sighed deeply before continuing. ¡°Lady Lorraine is currently on her quest to knighthood.¡± ¡°Quest?¡± Eugene already knew what it was, but he asked anyway. Bonmer continued bitterly. ¡°Yes. The direct descendants of the Fransil family, regardless of their gender, must prove their worth as knights after serving as aides. Lady Lorraine¡­¡± Lorraine began her quest about a month ago along with the knights and soldiers from her family. A traditional, true quest to knighthood would have her be accompanied by only one or two of her aides, but there was no way her father, a self-proclaimed king of Brantia, would allow her to suffer such an arduous journey. Moreover, all of her older brothers and sisters had been accompanied by dozens to hundreds of troops for their own quests. In a sense, she had been very brave to only take two territorial knights and thirty cavalrymen with her. The Fransil family¡¯s direct descendants would accomplish their quests to knighthood by eradicating roamers and bandits, as well as subjugating evil lands in places where their family had influence. This way, they would be able to build up their reputation as a knight. However, Lorraine had been getting desperate. She had accomplished very little compared to her siblings, and she paled in comparison to her siblings as a knight. If she didn''t have real results, she would be married off to her fianc¨¦¡¯s family in two years. Then, she would live the rest of her life as a prisoner. Even if she were to get married, she wanted to live within the Fransil family¡¯s territory with her own land. As such, getting married off somewhere was absolutely unacceptable for Lorraine. That was why Lorraine had started to get greedy. She decided to venture out beyond the Fransil family¡¯s territory to a city or a large village and make her name known by accomplishing great things there. ¡°¡­And so we arrived in Brighton five days ago. We had been planning to take up a request to eradicate a large group of roamers or notorious bandits.¡± Bonmer concluded. ¡°And did you happen to hear about Sir Eugene in Brighton?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Bonmer nodded after a moment of hesitation. Eugene¡¯s eyes turned toward Lorraine. ¡°There, you hired knights and mercenaries. To attack me?¡± Eugene asked while recalling the three knights who had been killed after challenging him. Lorraine jumped with surprise and hurriedly made an excuse. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean to target you from the beginning, sir! The City of Brighton also made a request, but I thought it would be too difficult¡­ And it¡¯s also true that Lord Riwad has a connection to our family, although it was three generations ago¡­¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes before continuing softly. ¡°In the end. You thought I would be easier than the city¡¯s request?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lorraine closed her mouth with a grim expression. Bonmer stepped out in her stead. ¡°Sir, you may think of this as an excuse, but we were against Lady Lorraine¡¯s judgment. We weren¡¯t stupid enough to think that a battle against a knight capable of taking down Lord Riwad, who was called a swordmaster, would be easy.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is that why you begged me to not use my abilities?¡± Eugene asked. His expression was a bit extreme due to his ineptitude in Brantian, but he wasn¡¯t technically wrong. Bonmer lowered his head. ¡°Yes. I assumed that the odds would be fifty-fifty if a member of the Dark Clan wasn¡¯t using their abilities. Now that I think about it, it had been a foolish decision.¡± Bonmer seemed intelligent, as would one would expect from a territorial knight. ¡°That woman. Why didn¡¯t you stop her?¡± Eugene asked. Lorraine trembled at his words, and Bonmer responded after a long sigh. ¡°From the moment you embark on your quest to knighthood, you are responsible for making all decisions. We can give advice, but we cannot argue against Lady Lorraine''s decision.¡± Eugene responded, ¡°In other words, she had been inflexible and stubborn.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s conclusion was simple and crude, but it was completely true. The inflexible woman and her knight had nothing to say. ¡°Kieeee! What a silly, stupid girl. The ugly ones are always so shtoooopid. Sir, I think it would be best to hand her over to her family for a box of gold and treasures!¡± Mirian whispered a suggestion befitting her status as the spirit of desire. Eugene contemplated without responding. Eugene¡¯s ability to infer and reason had vastly improved. He noticed something in Lorraine and Bonmer¡¯s story. Eugene spoke, ¡°I think the City of Brighton used you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°W-what did you say?¡± The two people were startled by the unexpected words. Even Lanslo looked at Eugene with considerable surprise. Eugene resolved the three people¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Brighton. They must have been planning to attack me. But you showed up¡ªa stubborn, inflexible woman hell-bent on accomplishments with a father who proclaims himself to be king. The City of Brighton. What would they think?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­!¡± ¡°Hooh! I see.¡± Lorraine didn¡¯t seem to understand, but the two knights exclaimed with understanding. ¡°The flag of Brighton. That¡¯s proof. If you win, Brighton can take a share of the pie. If you lose, they can turtle themselves against a siege. And this is just my idea, but Brighton must have something in their hands that can stop me. At least, they are certain that something is capable of stopping me,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Now that you explained it, I think your judgment is correct. Those vile, disgusting creatures!¡± ¡°I-I won¡¯t forgive them!¡± Bonmer shouted in fury, and Lorraine belatedly jumped to her feet. Eugene responded coldly, ¡°Prisoners should act like prisoners.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°I-I apologize.¡± The two hurriedly took their seats. ¡°Hmm. Something to stop Sir Eugene? What could it be?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Eugene shrugged. However, he was curious rather than anxious or afraid. The City of Brighton didn¡¯t know that he was an Origin. They only considered him to be a high-ranking vampire noble. In all likelihood, they possessed some power or a weapon that would be effective against a lord or a banneret, or perhaps a high lord at best. ¡°We can head over there and ask them directly. We have the justification now,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true,¡± Lanslo said with a smirk. Then, he turned his head as if he had suddenly remembered something. ¡°By the way, Lady Lorraine, Sir Bonmer.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What was the initial request from the City of Brighton? If you considered it more difficult than facing Sir Eugene, it must have been something quite challenging,¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Oh, about that.¡± Bonmer lowered his posture. Then, he continued in a whisper. ¡°A death knight. Apparently, it was cursed by a vampire banneret who resided in Brighton. Even his soul was corrupted. It would have been impossible for us to defeat it. And above all else¡­¡± Bonmer trailed off before turning his gaze. Lorraine hesitated before stuttering a whimper, ¡°G-ghosts are scary.¡± She found ghosts scary, but not high-ranking vampires. Eugene stared at her with pathetic eyes. Suddenly, the spirit flew forward and tightly embraced Eugene. ¡°S-sir. E-even I¡¯m scared of ghosts. Kieeee¡­ It¡¯s scarier than the water dragon¡¯s asshole. Protect me, sir.¡± the spirit muttered before rubbing her face against Eugene. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene didn¡¯t know what a death knight was, but he was certain that for them, this experience had been much more terrible than encountering a ghost. ¡°Hahaha!¡± In the end, Lanslo burst into laughter. Eugene was embarrassed, and the other two were puzzled. CH 138 The number of combatants alone was about 500. Eugene¡¯s forces had finally grown to a number that could be acknowledged as a true army. And it wasn¡¯t only in Brantia either. Such a number of troops could be considered an overwhelming force in any kingdom of the continent, including the Caylor Kingdom. In addition, the elite force of thirty beowulf warriors possessed a destructive power greater than even one hundred heavy cavalrymen. In other words, Eugene had finally met the minimum requirements to become a ruler. When such a powerful force arrived in front of Brighton, the city immediately fell into chaos. All of the city¡¯s guards and mercenaries were deployed to the walls, and the mayor, as well as the guild leaders of the city, looked down at Eugene¡¯s army with fear and shock. ¡°How could they have lost already? How many days has it even been since they left our walls?¡± ¡°I thought that the Fransil family was powerful. But it seems like they weren¡¯t such a big deal, after all, were they?¡± ¡°Oh, this isn¡¯t the time to be worrying about the Fransil family. That vampire is after our city!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we shouldn¡¯t have given them our city¡¯s flag. Why didn¡¯t you listen to me?!¡± ¡°What? You were the one who said it would be good to establish a harmonious relationship with the Fransil family!¡± ¡°What did you say? You little punk!¡± Even though they were guild leaders, they were simply ordinary humans who possessed a little more money and power compared to others. They were simple and ignorant. The bickering between the guild leaders quickly escalated, and soon, they were about to leap at each other. ¡°Everyone, be quiet! An army targeting our city is at our front doors! What do you plan to achieve by blaming each other!?!¡± the mayor shouted, unable to bear the chaos any longer. The guild leaders finally stopped their bickering. The mayor continued. ¡°What¡¯s the use of arguing about spilled milk?! We¡¯re already behind in coming up with a plan to deal with that army and the vampire Jan Eugene.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to plan? Let¡¯s just grit our teeth and hold on. It must be expensive to feed such a large army. If we manage to resist for fifteen days, they will starve and go away on their own.¡± The one who spoke was a guild leader who possessed the blood of an orc. ¡°Garlish. Can¡¯t you even count? Look at them. Even at a glance, they have more than twice the number of our troops,¡± a guild leader responded with a sigh. ¡°Defending a siege is much easier than mounting one. And if we don¡¯t have enough soldiers, we can mobilize the slaves,¡± Garlish said. ¡°We¡¯ll be lucky if the slaves don¡¯t stab us in the back. And it¡¯s not like we have extra food lying around. Even if they block the gates for ten days, we will be in trouble. How do you suppose we ¡®hang on?¡¯¡± the mayor said bitterly. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Garlish was left speechless. Brighton was a fairly large city, and the rich folks of the city, including the guild leaders and the mayor, all possessed their own manors. The problem, however, was that all of their manors were located out of the city. They themselves wouldn¡¯t starve, since they had their accumulated wealth and food, but the citizens of the city would surely face a crisis after about ten days. A lack of food would likely lead to a riot. If that happened, then they would be faced with enemies on both sides. ¡°We must find a solution as soon as possible. We need to decide whether to fight or not. If we fight, we fight, and if we don¡¯t, how will we appease the member of the Dark Clan?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Hrmm¡­¡± The guild leaders groaned as they fell into contemplation. ¡°Why don¡¯t we listen to their demands first? We won¡¯t get anywhere by simply putting our heads together,¡± one of the guild leaders commented. The mayor thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± The mayor and the guild leaders agreed to figure out the opponent¡¯s demands first. They waited on the walls while looking down at Eugene¡¯s army. However, the day turned into night and not a single soul left Eugene¡¯s camp, which was located only a few hundred meters from the city. *** ¡°How comical, that a city like that doesn¡¯t have much food,¡± Eugene said. He decided to set up camp close to the city and stand by. As it turned out, the City of Brighton would face an issue with food long before his army would. After all, there were more than 5,000 residents in the City of Brighton. Moreover, Eugene possessed a huge advantage in the number of troops and their quality. ¡°This is the result of two armies mobilizing one after another. Both Lord Riwad and Lady Lorraine,¡± Lanslo said. Galfredik laughed. ¡°Kuhaha! There were more than 600 mercenaries split among the two armies, so they must have taken absolutely everything in terms of supplies. They must have been in bliss when selling the goods, though they¡¯re probably regretting it now.¡± The two knights laughed while sharing gazes. Eugene was also pleased with the unexpected stroke of fortune. But rather than luck, it was a chain reaction caused by Baron Riwad and Lorraine. It was extremely rare for a city to provide mercenaries and supplies to multiple armies within a month. But Brighton had supplied the food and supplies for both Baron Riwad and Lorraine¡¯s troops to consume for a month and fifteen days, respectively. ¡°You can¡¯t start a war without silver, but you can¡¯t continue it if you only have silver,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh! That sounds like a proverb, Master,¡± Galfredik commented. ¡°A perfect description that gets straight to the heart of the strategy,¡± Lanslo chimed in. Both knights had no doubts about Eugene¡¯s strength and power, but they had been slightly anxious regarding his competency in tactics and strategy. But now, the two knights were truly impressed. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s wait them out for a few days,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Good. Well, why don¡¯t we send mercenaries to a nearby village to get some food?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Send the beowulfs. Mercenaries might cause accidents,¡± Lanslo said. Eugene responded, ¡°I will send one beowulf to a unit of mercenaries.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Hehe! Got it.¡± Eugene¡¯s orders were quickly disseminated through Galfredik and Lanslo. Soon, more than one hundred mercenaries and four beowulfs went on their way. However, even with their absence, Eugene¡¯s army still numbered more than 400. It was absurd for Brighton¡¯s army to even think about opening their gates and attacking since they had less than 200 troops. However¡­ That night, five or six figures crawled down Brighton¡¯s walls in a quick, stealthy manner. The shadows then ran toward Eugene¡¯s camp. They were much quicker than ordinary humans. *** ¡°Master,¡± Galfredik called out after silently entering Eugene¡¯s tent like a shadow. Eugene¡¯s eyes glinted coldly as he nodded. ¡°Yes. We have some uninvited guests.¡± Although he was capable of using his vampiric powers during the day, their powers during the day could not be compared during the night. Galfredik had noticed the presence of invaders a moment earlier, while Eugene had recognized them a few minutes ago. They were quickly approaching the camp from Brighton. The two had been in their armor since it was wartime. They quickly picked up their weapons and headed in the direction of the uninvited guests. The two pairs of red eyes saw through the thick darkness and observed the five shadows. As if noticing Eugene¡¯s presence, the shadows slowed down and continued approaching with their hands raised to the sky. One of them was holding a white flag. ¡°With all due respect, please don¡¯t attack. We would like to speak with you,¡± one of the shadows said. ¡°Talking?¡± Galfrdik growled. The shadows cautiously approached and revealed themselves using the light of their torches. They bowed in unison. ¡°Knight Clay of the Rivoles Clan gives his greetings to the esteemed members of the family from afar,¡± a female vampire spoke politely. She was dressed in a surcoat with the crest of a crescent moon atop chainmail. The five vampires knelt down on one knee following the knight¡¯s words. ¡°Kieh? They¡¯re all members of the Night¡¯s Tribe,¡± Mirian fussed. It was Eugene¡¯s third encounter with vampires since arriving in Brantia. However, his voice was as cold as ice despite their polite greetings. ¡°Rivoles Clan. Do you happen to know who the lord of Mungard is? ¡°Ah! If you are referring to Lord Markus of Mungard, we have heard about him from time to time from the one we serve. With all due respect, what is the relationship between the two of you and Lord Markus?¡± Clay asked in a slightly brighter voice. But the faces of the five vampires paled after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. ¡°He came at me, and I smashed him.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Now, he is obedient. We cooperate.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°I-I see.¡± ¡°Why? Do you want to get revenge since you¡¯re from the same clan?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. Although we are from the same clan, as long as they didn¡¯t send a blood request, we will not meddle in the affairs of other families. I-I¡¯m sure your esteemed selves had valid reasons.¡± Clay hastily denied Eugene¡¯s words. Galfredik smirked. ¡°They¡¯re easier to talk to than those punks from Mungard, Master.¡± ¡°It seems so,¡± Eugene responded. The two had changed to speaking in the language of the Caylor Kingdom. Clay cautiously spoke, ¡°It seems that the two of you are from the Kingdom of Caylor. If it¡¯s more comfortable for you, please feel free to speak in that language.¡± ¡°Hoooh.¡± Vampires were crafty creatures. However, being crafty wasn¡¯t the same as being intelligent. Eugene felt rather impressed with Clay¡¯s proficiency in the language of the Caylor Kingdom. ¡°Ah! The one I served knew the languages of several kingdoms. I learned the language of the Caylor Kingdom from them as well,¡± Clay hurriedly explained. ¡°Hmm. I see. But what is it that you want to speak about?¡± Eugene asked. The five vampires quickly bowed once again before speaking. ¡°Please help our master, Banneret Randolph!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± *** The attitude of the vampires remained unchanged even after they entered Eugene¡¯s tent. Although Eugene hadn¡¯t revealed his identity as an Origin, the vampires were extremely polite toward Eugene and Galfredik. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that the one named Randolph was transformed into a death knight?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s right. However, we have no idea how they cursed Sir Randolph,¡± the vampires responded. A banneret was of a considerably high status in the vampire society. The five vampires appeared very surprised at how casually Eugene referred to their master. Even if they belonged to a different family and clan, it was natural to acknowledge the position and titles of other vampires. There was only one possible explanation for Eugene¡¯s nonchalant attitude. ¡®High lord. Maybe even higher.¡¯ Clay lowered her posture even further. Although vampires didn¡¯t sweat, she felt as if her back was drenched. ¡°So where is this Randolph now?¡± Eugene asked. Clay responded, ¡°Since the day he turned into a death knight, he has been roaming the catacombs and sewers of Brighton.¡± ¡°Have you searched for him?¡± Galfredik asked. Clay¡¯s expression darkened in an instant. ¡°Naturally, we attempted to search for him. But Brighton is a very old city¡ªthe underground of the city is like a labyrinth. Eventually, we told the mayor the truth. A large search party was dispatched. However¡­¡± Clay paused for a moment. She bit her lips and lowered her head before continuing. ¡°No one returned. There were even three knights like me with the search party¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene was slightly surprised. Although vampire knights were no match for him, a single vampire knight was still capable of rivalling two holy knights. Moreover, their abilities would be amplified in the darkness of the underground. Nevertheless, three of such knights weren¡¯t able to return from their search. It meant that the death knight was quite formidable. Eugene fell into thought and stroked his chin. Clay¡¯s expression turned even darker. ¡®Even a high lord is contemplating. Ha¡­¡¯ Clay was disappointed. And although she didn¡¯t know, an annoying, frightened insect was buzzing around Eugene¡¯s ear and shrieking with fear. ¡°S-sir. Pwease, just tell them to get lost. I¡¯m scared of ghosts. Kieeeeek!¡± Eugene disregarded Mirian¡¯s poor attempt at acting cute and shoved her into his leather pocket. He turned toward the vampires. ¡°If you get, you should give, right?¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°What?¡± Clay raised her face. Eugene revealed his fangs in a cold smile and continued. ¡°If I take care of this Randolph, you will help me take Brighton.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The vampires were surprised by Eugene¡¯s request. Galfredik laughed loudly. ¡°Kuhaha! You guys are lucky. Markus was only given such a chance after he was clobbered like a dog. Kuhehe!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The eyes of the vampires grew bigger with shock after hearing Galfredik¡¯s wild, violent laugh. They were filled with hope of saving their master, but at the same time, they were worried that they might have made the biggest mistake of their lives. CH 139 ¡°¡­This is the plan. Can you do it?¡± Lanslo nodded after hearing the details from Eugene and Galfredik. ¡°That¡¯s simple. I will pass it on to the mercenary captains. Will you be heading right away?¡± ¡°Yes. I will send you a signal before sunrise.¡± Eugene responded. ¡°I understand,¡± Lanslo answered before turning around. He smiled while glancing at Clay and the four vampires, who were standing around with awkward expressions. ¡°You guys are lucky. Lord Markus of Mungard had been beaten like a dog by Sir Eugene.¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Both Galfredik and Lanslo were saying the same thing. The expressions of Clay and the four vampires turned even bleaker. Simultaneously, their curiosity regarding Eugene¡¯s true identity deepened. ¡°But that¡¯s not the end of the story.¡± Lanslo continued with a deeper smile, noticing their curiosity. ¡°All but one of the knights belonging to the Markus family were killed, and all members belonging to another clan were wiped out, including the lord and the knights. That was the price they paid for trying to act against Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The vampires¡¯ faces rapidly paled. ¡°But that¡¯s simply what happened, so don¡¯t be too scared. Sir Eugene won¡¯t rip off your entire head, pull out your spine while you are alive, or literally burst your head unless you try anything against him. Then, please excuse me.¡± Lanslo finished his threatening words with a bright smile before slowly leaving the tent. The vampires didn¡¯t even dare to glance at Eugene. They would also kill when it was necessary, but they preferred to do things neatly since vampires pursued beautiful things. As such, Lanslo¡¯s vivid descriptions instilled a sense of shock and fear into their hearts. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes,¡± the vampires answered at the speed of light before quickly leaving the tent. *** ¡°A siege, right?¡± ¡°Naturally. Did you ever see city bastards fight outside their walls? It¡¯s definitely going to be a siege.¡± The mercenary captains conversed while huddled together around a bonfire. Their gazes were headed towards Brighton¡¯s walls. ¡°Then, Sir Eugene won¡¯t be fighting, will he? He won¡¯t be able to climb the walls since he¡¯s a vampire. Those city scums won¡¯t invite him in unless they¡¯re completely out of their minds.¡± ¡°Hnng. Does that mean we¡¯re on our own? Well, at least we have those mutts, but¡­¡± ¡°Many of us will die. It¡¯s true that things will be much more difficult without Sir Eugene.¡± The mercenaries were disappointed that Eugene could not participate in the siege. After all, they had experienced Eugene¡¯s prowess first-hand. Vampires could not enter any buildings unless they were invited by the owner. This was the most crucial reason why vampires rarely left their own residences and participated in wars, even though they possessed greater power than humans. They were always faced with the possibility of being left out to dry. ¡°Sir Eugene might have a bit of a headache this time around.¡± ¡°Well, Sir Drak can take command and win the battle before inviting him in.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± the mercenary captains shouted with surprise as a clear voice resonated from behind them. ¡°S-sir Drak!¡± ¡°You surprised us, sir.¡± The mercenary captains greeted him with startled expressions, and Lanslo responded with a gentle smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your break, but everyone should start preparing for battle.¡± ¡°What? During the night?¡± one of the mercenary captains asked. ¡°Sir Eugene¡¯s orders,¡± Lanslo responded. The attitude of the mercenary captains underwent an immediate change. ¡°O-of course. I will wake up my men and have them get ready.¡± ¡°I will talk to Odd and have the ladders and battering rams prepared.¡± ¡°For the torches¡­¡± Lanslo interrupted them, ¡°No. There will be no siege.¡± ¡°What?¡± The mercenary captains expressed their puzzlement at Lanslo¡¯s words. But the latter simply smiled and turned toward Brighton¡¯s walls. ¡°Sir Eugene will take care of it. Ah, I think it¡¯s starting,¡± Lanslo commented. ¡°¡­?!¡± The mercenary captains turned their gaze altogether as if they had agreed beforehand, and their eyes soon widened with shock. The torches illuminating the walls of Brighton, which were placed at regular intervals, were being extinguished one by one. *** ¡°What should we do? We can¡¯t possibly do anything if they¡¯re blocking the way.¡± ¡°Shall we have some men secretly sneak through the back?¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? Do you really think that Odd wouldn¡¯t have informed them about the back passage?¡± ¡°An idiot? Sir, rescind your words immediately! That¡¯s extremely offensive!¡± The guild leaders of Brighton were once again squabbling and shouting. The mayor observed them with pathetic eyes. He silenced them by banging his fist against a table. ¡°Silence! Please be quiet! The citizens are looking to us for guidance! This isn¡¯t the time to be fighting like this.¡± ¡°Ehem.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Some of the guild leaders quickly released their grasp on the opponent¡¯s collar and sat down while tidying their shirts. The mayor sighed before continuing with a grim expression. ¡°Since we¡¯re talking about Odd, it seems like he informed them of our current situation.¡± ¡°That little rascal is really asking for it¡­¡± ¡°We should have killed him instead of driving him out of our city.¡± ¡°Ha?! Are you stupid? Do you really think that other merchants would have continued to visit our city if we had done such a thing? Thanks to the improved security around Mungard, travel has finally become less restricted. Are you trying to drive our city into a bust?¡± ¡°No, what I¡¯m trying to say is¡­¡± The guild leaders started to argue once more. ¡°Oh, please! Are we going to have a meeting, or not?!¡± the mayor shouted, no longer able to suppress his anger. The guild leaders shut their mouths, and the mayor glared at them with irritated, tired eyes before continuing. ¡°Anyway, if the enemy knows our current situation, enduring things without doing anything isn¡¯t a viable option. As such, I will make a suggestion. Let¡¯s call for outside help.¡± ¡°Outside help? Where are you talking about?¡± one of the guild leaders asked. ¡°I have a place in mind. It¡¯s¡­¡± The mayor attempted to continue, but he was interrupted as the door burst open. ¡°There¡¯s an emergency!¡± a guard shouted urgently while sweating profusely. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± the mayor asked. ¡°Enemies! The enemies have climbed the walls!¡± the guard shouted. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°How many of them are there?! How could you not have spotted them?¡± The mayor and the guild leaders burst out of their seats and asked. The guard stuttered a response, W-well, there are¡­ t-two. There are two of them.¡± ¡°What? Only two?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Just kill them or capture them.¡± ¡°I thought¡­ hmph!¡± ¡°I was surprised for nothing.¡± The mayor and the guild leaders spoke with relieved expressions, but the guard continued with a tearful expression. ¡°Vampire knights! Both of them are way too strong! More than 30 mercenaries have died by their hands already! I¡¯m certain more would have died by now!¡± ¡°Heuk?!¡± The mayor and the guild leaders finally realized the urgency of the situation. A short moment of tense silence followed, and they exchanged glances before rushing outside. ¡°I¡¯m quite busy, so please excuse me!¡± ¡°I have urgent business at home, so I must get going!¡± ¡°What? Who will take command of the army if you leave, mister mayor?!¡± ¡°We have Sir Golman and Sir Tornara! We pay them expensive wages to stay in the city to take care of issues like this!¡± the mayor shouted. His demeanor was truly undignified and no different from the guild leaders from earlier. The guard shouted back, ¡°Sir Golman is dead! Sir Tornara also had one of his arms cut off!¡± ¡°Hiek?!¡± The faces of the mayor and the guild leaders started to turn blue out of fear and shock. They paused for a moment, then began bolting as fast as they could. ¡°Home! I must hurry home!¡± ¡°Carriage! No, a horse! Bring me a horse!¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± They had been holding their meeting at the watchtower located just above the gate. As such, they shouted desperately, calling for their manservants. They were well-informed about other races as Brantians, so they were trying to take advantage of the fact that vampires could not enter buildings and homes without invitations. Ahhhhhhh¡­ Uagghh¡­ The horrible screams began to grow louder and louder, and their sense of urgency dramatically increased as they ran down the narrow stairs. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°This way!¡± Their expressions loosened slightly once they spotted their manservants waiting for them with horses and carriages. Now, all they had to do was return home and lock their doors¡­ Boom! ¡°Huaagh!¡± ¡°W-what is it?¡± Something fell down from the wall with a heavy roar, and the mayor and the guild leaders screamed. The object, or rather, the figure slowly stretched its legs and raised itself. They were adorned in a black cloak. ¡°¡­!¡± Those who saw the mysterious, crimson eyes glimmering from inside the figure¡¯s helmet felt their hairs stand on end. ¡°Where are you going in such a hurry?¡± the figure asked. ¡°Kihehehe! That¡¯s right! Where are you going in such a hurry?¡± Mirian echoed Eugene¡¯s words with a giggle. ¡°P-protect me! Protect me!¡± ¡°What are you all doing?!¡± The mayor and the guild leaders faltered while shouting with extreme fear. ¡°Uaaah!¡± Some of their loyal, brave slaves rushed forward with shortswords and daggers. However, they needed but a moment to discover that it wasn¡¯t courage, but rather reckless bravado. Shiing! Shing! Wolfslaughter painted an eerie glow through the air, and the heads of the slaves were decapitated and split. It was an obvious outcome since the slaves had no skills with blades and they were without any armor at all. ¡°Uaaaaaghh!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± The other slaves threw away their weapons and fled. In an instant, six people had been turned into corpses. The mayor and the guild leaders attempted to flee as well. Kuwuuuuuuughh! Eugene unleashed all the fear he had been suppressing thus far along with his roar. ¡°Uagh!¡± ¡°Hieeeek!¡± All different types of fear only worked when the user looked directly into the eyes of their target. However, an Origin¡¯s fear could terrorize ¡®all creatures¡¯ within a certain radius with its sound alone. ¡°Uaghhh... Huaahhhh¡­¡± It was the first time they were experiencing such overwhelming fear. They could only crawl on the ground in a pathetic attempt to escape. Eugene ignored the slaves and grabbed the ones dressed in nice clothes before throwing them by the gate. ¡°Uagh!¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± They could only shiver with fear and pain as they crumpled to the ground like luggage. Their minds were consumed by Eugene¡¯s fear. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, stay still,¡± Eugene spoke in a voice filled with killing intent before raising his head. ¡°Kuhahahaha! How lame! But I had fun for the first time in a while! Hahahaha!¡± Galfredik burst into maniacal laughter from the walls. He had mercilessly slaughtered countless enemies. Then, he picked up two torches before drawing large circles in the air. Tap. Tap. Eugene confirmed Galfredik¡¯s actions before slowly moving forward. ¡°Hiek! Hiek!¡± ¡°S-s-save me!¡± ¡°P-please. Please¡­¡± The mayor and the guild leaders pissed their pants as Eugene slowly approached. Not even an ounce of the pride and honor belonging to the leaders of a city could be found in their appearances. Eugene walked past them indifferently. He stopped in front of the gate, then took a big breath. ¡°¡­?¡± Although they were still filled with fear, the mayor and the guild leaders became slightly puzzled at Eugene¡¯s actions. Suddenly¡­ Booooooooooooooom! ¡°Huaaagh!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± A single, fully powered punch from Eugene left a large hole in the castle gate. It was as wide as two opened palms. Uwaaahhhhh¡­ The cry of Eugene¡¯s army could be heard through the hole, and despair began to bloom on the faces of the mayor and the guild leaders. *** Eugene succeeded in capturing all of Brighton¡¯s key figures within thirty minutes of crossing the walls. He gathered them in a single location. In the meantime, the mercenaries roamed the city and visited the homes of the city¡¯s influencers to detain their families. With even their families in Eugene¡¯s hands, the mayor and the guild leaders were left with no choice but to give up. A unanimous decision was made to surrender. They signed a document that indicated all their properties would now belong to Eugene. ¡°Kieeeeeek! Sir, you finally took a city! Hurray! Hurray! Hep hep horray! You losers! Give me all the gold-silver-jewels-deeds-clothes-everything! Everything! Kieeee! Kieeeehhhhh!¡± Mirian flew around like a deranged insect while scattering an aura of greed as if she was the one who had become the city¡¯s master. Eugene ignored her and turned his gaze toward the mayor and the guild leaders. He scanned them with his eyes and spoke, ¡°From this moment on, Brighton will swear loyalty to the Count of Crawlmarine.¡± ¡°What?¡±¡¯ ¡°Kiehh?¡± ¡°Hooh?¡± Eugene¡¯s unexpected declaration surprised everyone in the room. ¡®What belongs to Luke belongs to me anyway. Who cares about who actually owns it?¡¯ Regardless of the truth, it would cause fewer troubles in the future if it seemed like a Brantian was trying to unify Brantia. CH 140 ¡°The mayor and the guild leaders. You will maintain your positions,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°T-thank you, sir!¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions brightened at once at Eugene¡¯s generosity. However, their faces immediately stiffened after hearing Eugene¡¯s following words. ¡°However, I will confiscate half of your property and wealth.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? Is there a problem?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°O-of course not.¡± ¡°You are truly merciful, sir!¡± The mayor and the guild leaders revealed awkward smiles. Although they would lose half of their wealth, they were glad to keep their positions. As if suddenly recalling something, the mayor carefully spoke. ¡°Umm¡­ Excuse me, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°With all due respect, I have one question,¡± the mayor said. Eugene nodded for him to continue, and the mayor hesitated for a moment before speaking, ¡°Well¡­ Isn¡¯t it impossible for members of the Dark Clan to enter a building or a castle unless they were invited? So how did you manage to enter the castle¡­?¡± The guild leaders carefully turned their gazes toward Eugene after hearing the mayor¡¯s question. They were also extremely curious about the issue but hadn¡¯t dared to ask. Eugene¡¯s lips slowly parted. ¡°Brighton¡¯s members of the Dark Clan. They invited me.¡± ¡°Traitors! I knew that they would¡­¡± one of the guild leaders suddenly sprang to his feet and shouted in fury. However, Eugene¡¯s cold gaze immediately caused his expression to pale. The man shut up and immediately sat down. Eugene spoke, ¡°I hope there are no misunderstandings.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene looked at the stiff faces of the mayor and the guild leaders before he continued. ¡°The vampires here. They wanted me to solve the problem of the banneret death knight. That¡¯s why they invited me.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Different clan, but we are of the same race. I could not ignore their plea. If they betrayed Brighton, they would have fought with me.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°¡­¡± The mayor and the guild leaders remained silent. Obviously, Brighton¡¯s vampires were the traitors who had invited Eugene to climb the city¡¯s walls. However, they had the perfect justification. They had simply requested a high-ranking member of their clan, who had coincidentally been just outside the city, to help them with the issue regarding the death knight. If the vampires had really betrayed Brighton, they would have helped Eugene and Galfredik as the two rampaged on the ramparts. However, the vampires of the Rivoles Clan, including Clay, had done nothing. ¡°I only entered the city to help them deal with the death knight. However, the guards here attacked me and my knight first. It was self-defense, was it not?¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!¡± How could he be audacious enough to call it self-defense after slaughtering dozens of guards? How could he lie so shamelessly without batting an eye? ¡®A god. The god of craftiness.¡¯ ¡®His hands, head, tongue, all of it. He must be the devil himself!¡¯ ¡°O-of course¡­¡± ¡°How could we suggest otherwise?¡± However, the mayor and the guild leaders had been completely bested. They had no choice but to agree with Eugene¡¯s words, although they were fuming with shock and fury inside. *** Eugene¡¯s army was able to occupy the city with ease before sunrise. It went without a hitch since all of the city¡¯s leaders had been captured and their soldiers and servants had also been overpowered. The remaining nobles and affluent citizens cooperated with Eugene after quickly grasping the situation. They knew well that it would be much better to cooperate with Eugene than to try and gamble their lives by asking for outside help. Moreover, they weren¡¯t being officially subjugated to an unknown member of the Tribe of the Darkness from the continent. Rather, they would be subjected to the Crawlmarine family, which was relatively influential and well-known in Brantia. Such a fact helped suppress any opposition from the city¡¯s leadership. Ordinary citizens didn¡¯t seem reluctant to the change either. No, rather, they watched the situation with interest and looked up to Eugene. Eugene allowed his troops to plunder only the mansions of the mayor and guild leaders. He gave his orders that ordinary citizens would be left untouched. However, it was impossible to expect all the mercenaries to be obedient to his words, especially after grasping such an easy victory. In addition, the battle had been won during the night. Some of the mercenaries foolishly thought that their deeds would go unnoticed. They broke into the houses of random citizens, assaulted, and plundered. However, Eugene captured all of those who were responsible for such deeds after completely occupying the city. Then, he gathered them at the square and had them beheaded in front of the city¡¯s people. ¡°I swear it on my honor. I, Jan Eugene, do not intend to rule Brighton with force. Offenders will be punished, even if they are a part of my army,¡± Eugene declared. A high-ranking noble of the vampires with an exotic appearance expressed his sentiment in a rather clumsy Brantian after executing his own soldiers without hesitation. The scene was rather favorable for the people of Brighton. In addition, Eugene immediately opened the gates of the city upon completing the occupation, allowing all residents freedom of movement. The residents cheered, and the remaining hope of the city¡¯s leadership was utterly crushed. Even if they could call for outside reinforcements and spark another war, the public sentiment would obviously be against them. Naturally, the leaders were also fearful of Eugene¡¯s slyness. It became clear to them that the current situation had been craftily designed by him beforehand. However, Eugene didn¡¯t make these moves with such a grand purpose. Instead, he had been thinking that it would be best for the gates to be open to prepare for when Mungard, Crawlmarine, and Brighton would be connected once again. The leaders had simply misunderstood his intentions. After taking control of Brighton with ease, Eugene immediately moved on to the next issue. It was time to take care of the death knight, which should be roaming the catacombs and the undergrounds of Brighton right now. *** ¡°It will be strong. Rumor has it that one can¡¯t even become a death knight unless they were strong while they were still alive,¡± Lanslo explained. Eugene nodded. ¡°Hmm. So someone who was already strong will become even stronger when they become a death knight?¡± ¡°Exactly. And since they were a vampire banneret, it would be safe to assume that they would be around the level of a high lord.¡± Lanslo continued. Even though he was born in Brantia, he didn¡¯t have too much information about death knights. Perhaps Eugene could obtain more information with Pythamoras, but he couldn¡¯t waste several days making the trip. Eugene came to an immediate decision. ¡°Only Galfredik and I will go in.¡± ¡°Hehe! Good, good!¡± Galfredik¡¯s expression brightened. Wolfgan and the beowulfs immediately protested. ¡°Dark Lord! Let us have some fun as well!¡± ¡°The two of you hogged all the fun during the siege. Let us join in this time.¡± The beowulfs expressed their belligerence. Eugene turned his gaze toward them. ¡°Time. It may take a while. And the Fransil family. We don¡¯t know if they will send an army or only a messenger. In the former case, it will be better for beowulfs to be here rather than Lanslo to command the troops by himself,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Hmmm. That¡¯s true as well.¡± ¡°While I take care of the death knight, Lanslo¡¯s words are my words. Don¡¯t cause any trouble,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Got it,¡± Wolfgan answered. Eugene turned toward Clay, who stood stiff. ¡°You are coming with me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Clay was acting much more polite compared to his initial meeting with Eugene. It was only natural since the vampires of the Rivoles Clan had directly witnessed Eugene and Galfredik fighting on Brighton¡¯s walls. At first, they planned on fighting alongside the two vampires since they already knew that the city¡¯s leaders would eventually call them traitors. However, Eugene gave strict orders for them to not intervene. Although they had been rather curious, they had obeyed his words and simply watched the battle unfold from a distance. They were shocked in many different ways. Aside from the overwhelming power displayed by the two vampires, they were also surprised that Eugene used their absence from the battle to forcibly nullify their act of betrayal. Moreover, he vowed to deal with the death knight as soon as he had taken over the city, so the mayor and the guild leaders were helpless to speak against him. ¡®And since the city technically came under the rule of the Crawlmarine county rather than Sir Eugene himself, even the noble members of the clan won¡¯t be able to protest against it. He is indeed a master of craftiness.¡¯ Clay was wholly captivated by Eugene in just a few days. She placed her fist on her left chest and spoke in an excited voice, ¡°I will do my best to guide you, sir!¡± *** Brighton was once an incredibly prosperous city. And like most other cities in Brantia, Brighton¡¯s past glory wasn¡¯t actually achieved by native Brantians. Long before the unification of the nation by the knight king in the distant past, the Roman Empire and the Holy Empire used their advanced culture and technologies to develop Brantia. In particular, Brighton was designed on a flat piece of land bordering a river. As such, the city¡¯s waterways and sewage system were connected like spider webs. However, a problem emerged resulting from the lack of maintenance personnel to properly manage the complicated system underneath. When the city flourished back then, there were enough people to manage the system, but after its decline of many years, the waterways and sewers were left untouched. To make matters worse, the map of the city¡¯s underground was lost. As a result, only a small portion of the city¡¯s wide catacombs and waterways had been properly identified, which was one of the key contributors to why the first search party had gone missing. ¡°How far can vampire knights see?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Personally, I can see up to a distance of 30 meters in the dark without moonlight. Of course, it¡¯s pathetic compared to Sir Eugene, but I am hoping to be of some help in¡­¡± Clay answered. Eugene interrupted her. ¡°What about your fear?¡± ¡°Huh? My¡­ fear?¡± Clay asked with confusion. For her, fear was simply used to intimidate the enemy. It was quite useful in combat, but not very helpful in a search. ¡°Hmm, well, since you¡¯re a low-rank vampire, it makes sense. Galfredik, what about you? Can you utilize your fear?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well, I think I could use it to sense things in a radius of about 30 meters,¡± Galfredik answered with a shrug. Clay¡¯s eyes grew large with shock. ¡°Are you saying that you can use your fear as a method of detection?¡± She asked. ¡°It¡¯s not that hard,¡± Galfredik answered nonchalantly. ¡°¡­¡± Clay was so surprised that she couldn¡¯t close her jaws. Of course, a high lord or a banneret could radiate fear to shake the opponent¡¯s spirit or predict their enemy¡¯s behavior. However, was it really possible to spread it out tens of meters to sense things as if it was their eyes and ears? ¡®Is that really possible?¡¯ Clay was shocked, but she couldn¡¯t help but believe it. Eugene and Galfredik¡¯s tone implied that they had been using their fear in such a way long before. ¡°You stand behind me,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-yes.¡± Clay answered. ¡°Galfredik, take the rear.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Leave it to me,¡± the burly knight answered. Eugene passed Clay and stepped down the stairs leading to the catacombs. The large underground space was quite bleak. It was dark, damp, and only the sounds of strange wind and dripping water filled its empty presence. Any living being would surely be afraid just by being inside its chambers. But the three were vampires. Clay felt a little uneasy, but only because her colleagues had failed to return. Eugene and Galfredik calmly walked through the catacombs as if they were on a picnic. Squeak. The rusty bars leading to the city¡¯s waterways opened with an unpleasant sound. Gulp. Clay was anxious. At that moment¡­ ¡°¡­?!¡± She witnessed a clear, crimson haze rising over Eugene¡¯s shoulder. ¡®How could that be?!¡¯ It was common for high-ranking vampires to emit their fear during combat. However, it was the first time in her life to witness someone¡¯s fear materialize and move like a living creature. Shhhhh¡­ Hundreds of crimson threads started creeping and dominating the dark space. Once the group walked for about another minute, Eugene whispered, ¡°The road diverges into four paths that are about one hundred meters in length. There are no living creatures. However, I detect some who are dead.¡± Clay couldn¡¯t hide her astonishment as her hair stood on end. However, Eugene¡¯s following words drove her to even greater shock. ¡°And I feel lifeless beings moving¡­¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Things moving in a lifeless place meant only one thing¡­ Those who had been killed by the cursed death knight¡ªghouls or skeletons were waiting for them up ahead in the darkness. CH 141 There were many different types of monsters and races under the term undead. Vampires were technically undead as well. However, vampires weren¡¯t treated as monsters because they had intelligence and reason. Instead, they were considered a race or high-ranking nobles belonging to the undead. And the biggest reason why vampires were considered a ¡®race¡¯ was because most undead possessed no threat to vampires. As such, whenever undead monsters were discovered in a place, vampires often took care of the issue instead of humans, orcs, or elves. When faced with the same enemy, other races might suffer a damage of 10, while vampires would only take 1 or 2 damage to wipe out the undead monsters. However, it was a different story if the enemy was a lich or a death knight. Liches and death knights differed from regular undead. They were born from an artificial power of magic containing evil energy, while regular undead was usually born from naturally formed deposits of death energy due to wars or diseases. As such, vampires didn¡¯t possess a natural advantage against ghouls or skeletons, which were created by a death knight. Vampires had no choice but to deal with them with their strength alone. In the case of ghouls, they possessed physical power and abilities rivaling vampires, although they were without reason. ¡°What should we do?¡± Clay asked. She was flustered. Although she had lived for decades as a vampire, she had never faced undead like ghouls or skeletons. ¡°What do you mean? Put your sword away. You won¡¯t need it,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What?¡± she mumbled, dumbfounded. Her hands were tightly gripping the pommel of her sword. Galfredik looked at her with pathetic eyes and asked, ¡°Your sword. Does it have silver?¡± Clay responded, ¡°N-no. I can¡¯t use silver weapons.¡± One needed to be a lord at the minimum to even touch silver coins, and they wouldn¡¯t feel much intimidated by silver weapons unless they were stabbed or cut. On the other hand, lower-ranking vampires, which made up the majority, would shrink in mind and body by simply looking at silver, unless it was at night. ¡°Tsk, tsk! This wench is even more useless than Selena. But I¡¯m also a tiny bit afraid of ghosts, so sayonara! Kieeee¡­¡± The spirit clicked her tongue before diving into her pocket with a strange wail. Eugene and Galfredik ignored her words. If anything, the spirit could be considered the most useless of them all right now. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have silver, so what are you planning to do with it? Do you have a mace?¡± Galfredik spoke. ¡°Ah, I do,¡± Clay answered before quickly sheathing her longsword and pulling out a small shield and mace from her back. As a vampire knight, she was capable of handling various weapons like her human counterparts. ¡°Don¡¯t think about killing them. Think about smashing them apart instead. It will be best to crush their limbs, but you can also aim right here. If you blow away their heads, they won¡¯t be able to move for a while.¡± Galfredik continued while also taking out two, large steel maces from his back. Clay¡¯s eyes quivered when she saw the hideous weapons, which were several times larger than her own and riddled with dozens of blunt bumps. ¡®Will Sir Eugene use something similar as well?¡¯ Her gaze turned toward Eugene. ¡°Heup!¡± Clay gasped when she saw Wolfslaughter glimmering with a sharp light in the dark. Silver weapons would have similar effects on vampires as regular weapons had on humans. In addition, silver weapons would inflict enormous pain and would weaken a vampire¡¯s regenerative abilities. A critical injury from silver weapons could easily kill a vampire, and even lighter blows wouldn¡¯t heal so easily. Her vampiric instincts were warning her as soon as Clay saw Wolflsaughter. The sword wasn¡¯t just a simple silver weapon. It was ¡®something else.¡¯ And as if to prove it, she felt suffocatingly dizzy and stiff just by looking at the weapon. However, it appeared both Eugene and Galfredik were unaffected. ¡°Excuse me¡­ Sir Galfredik, are you feeling fine?¡± Clay asked. Galfredik responded, ¡°I¡¯m fine, but I did notice that inferior vampires get stiff just by looking at it.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I-I see.¡± Clay wasn¡¯t even surprised anymore. Moreover, she felt courage and pride blooming within her heart. She was accompanied by true great figures who had surpassed the intrinsic limits of their race. However, her newly found emotions disappeared only a few minutes later. Guooooooo¡­ The damp winds of the sewers carried a strange cry towards them. Twap. Twap. Twap. The deep, dirty water reached their ankles, and the rhythmic, yet chaotic sounds of splashing slowly neared them. Clay¡¯s anxiety peaked. She tightened her grip on her mace. Although she was a vampire with cold blood, an encounter with an unknown, undead monster was sufficient to make her feel a strong pressure. In contrast, Eugene and Galfredik were relaxed. ¡°Master. I think they¡¯re coming from behind as well,¡± Galfredik said. Eugene responded, ¡°They are trying to surround us. I tried challenging them with my Fear, but they¡¯re not backing down. They¡¯re definitely undead monsters.¡± Eugene had realized a simple truth after participating in numerous subjugations. Monsters would either become frightened or stimulated by Eugene¡¯s Fear, but undead monsters would remain unaffected. Of course, Eugene didn¡¯t really care. He had learned something after his fight with the twin-headed ogre. ¡®The undead are useless as long as I can get rid of their master.¡¯ Eugene reduced his Fear to a minimum, just enough to detect the movements of their enemies, and raised Wolfslaughter. Guooooooo! Guwauuuuk! After a while, monsters started appearing from around the corners of the two split paths. They were dressed and armed as they had been when they were still alive. The blue-skinned monsters were ghouls. ¡°P-Philine? Even Matio¡­!¡± Clay exclaimed when she saw the leading ghouls armed in longswords and chainmails. It was clear from their jutting fangs that they were, in fact, the missing vampire knights from the search party. The two vampire knights, or rather, the ghoul knights walked through the narrow path while widening their grotesque, strangely torn mouths. Guoooooooooo! An unfamiliar wave of energy washed over Eugene¡¯s party, and Eugene reflexively raised his magic shield to block it. ¡°Huaagh!¡± Clay screamed. Eugene flinched. It wasn¡¯t because he was afraid, but because it was unexpected. ¡°Hooh?¡± It wasn¡¯t Fear, but Clay was floundering. It appeared there was a strange, magical power at work. Eugene was certain that the power originated from the master of these ghouls, the death knight. Guoooooooo! The ghouls once again let out a terrible roar and rushed forward. Similar sounds resonated from the back as well, but Eugene didn¡¯t care. ¡°Kuhahahahaha! Know your place! There are different ranks even within the undead! You pathetic bastards!¡± Thuck! Bang! Galfredik would smash everything in the back. Eugene released the magic shield and swung Wolfslaughter. Clang! Kkang! The ghouls were outstanding knights during their lives, and their attacks were quite threatening. However, their swords shattered into pieces as soon as they made contact with Wolfslaughter. Regardless of how polished their swordsmanship was, there was nothing they could do once their weapons were destroyed. After destroying the weapons of the ghouls, Wolfslaughter continued and separated the heads of its enemies from their bodies. Black smoke soared instead of blood from the stumps, and the ghoul knights collapsed. ¡°They¡¯re nothing much,¡± Eugene muttered. The mercenary ghouls met the same fate. Though they had gained tremendous power after turning into terrible cannibals, they were no more than moving morsels of meat in front of the famed blade, which was smithed by mixing pure silver and meteoric iron. Shing! Shiing! Black smoke soared with each sharp swing of the blade. The ghouls shattered and scattered into pieces without so much as a scream, perhaps because they were already dead. Clay¡¯s lips trembled as she witnessed the otherworldly sight. She jerked her head around. Booom! Bang! The rear also looked like a mess. Galfredik was literally crushing, mowing, and pulverizing the ghouls. So what if they were cannibals with exceptional regenerative powers? So what if they couldn¡¯t be killed with normal weapons? Such things didn¡¯t matter when two large, horrible maces were mincing them into mere molecules at a speed invisible to the naked eye. What use was regeneration when their bones were shattered, their skins were peeled, and their muscles were chopped up into million pieces? There had been around 10 ghouls. Galfredik finally turned around after transforming every ghoul in front of him into unrecognizable chunks of meat. ¡°Kehehe.¡± He laughed. Clay felt all her hair stand on edge when she saw the crimson eyes glistening with murderous intent. It was strange that a vampire would feel such an emotion, but it was certainly a type of Fear she had never felt from any lord or banneret. ¡°Here they come again. A little bit stronger this time,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-yes.¡± Clay hurriedly nodded, although she had done nothing but watch until now. She soon came to realize that the one who was only ¡®a little bit stronger¡¯ was in fact banneret Randolph, who had been turned into a death knight. Wuoooooooo¡­! A low, heavy cry resounded throughout the sewer. Clack! Clack! The sound of metal rattling grew closer, and a dark figure appeared at the end of the corridor. Ominous energy wavered like a haze through the gaps in the creature¡¯s armor. The creature¡¯s original color had been drained, and its black figure was even darker than the surrounding darkness. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The dark, evil essence of mana contained in the creature was enough to cause even a knight of the Dark Clan to shrink back. ¡°Black magic?¡± Eugene immediately recognized the source. He had previous experience dealing with a black wizard who controlled the undead, twin-headed ogre. ¡°Hmmm. No wonder all of them were done for, including the vampire knights.¡± Eugene could guess how much evil mana was contained in the creature from how it penetrated his armor and caused his skin to tingle. Ordinary mercenaries would have fainted immediately, and even experienced knights would have been struck with fear. ¡°This feels a little strange. Ptooey!¡± Galfredik spat. His fighting will was still burning intensely, though. Eugene took a step back before speaking, ¡°Do you want to take care of it?¡± ¡°What?! Really?¡± Galfredik was delighted. Even as Eugene¡¯s vassal, Galfredik was a knight in essence, and it was the fate of a true knight to live and die in battle. As such, they always had the desire to face the strong in battle. ¡°Judging from that thing¡¯s Fear, no, its evil energy, it won¡¯t be easy. So¡­¡± Eugene paused. He held out Wolfslaughter toward Galfredik before continuing, ¡°I command you as your master. Subdue that damned creature with all your strength.¡± Galfredik¡¯s eyes glittered when he saw Wolfslaughter¡¯s brilliant edge. He bowed his head and received the treasured blade in the most polite and respectful manner. ¡°As the master wishes.¡± Boom! A mace fell to the floor. Galfreidk slowly raised his head. Wolfslaughter lay in his right hand and a mace in his left. Woooooooo¡­! The death knight came closer while continuously emitting clouds of evil energy. Galfredik¡¯s mouth ripped into a grin. ¡°Kuwuuuuuuuughh!¡± The vassal of an Origin¡ªa being to be considered ¡®royalty¡¯ of the vampire society, a presence that even the clan¡¯s high lords would show awe and reverence toward. The vassal unleashed all of his powers and rushed toward the death knight with his master¡¯s permission. Kwarararararara! ¡°Hiieeek!¡± Clay sank on the spot as Galfredik¡¯s unleashed Fear surrounded the latter¡¯s figure like an extreme gust of wind. ¡°Hiiiek! Hiek!¡± Every member of the Dark Clan was capable of measuring the approximate power and position of another member when that member expressed their Fear. And as such, Clay had finally discovered the truth, as did Delmondo and the other vampires of Mungard did. The Covenant of Blood imprinted on her very soul was screaming at her. ¡°D-d-du-duke! A vampire duke¡­¡± Clay¡¯s eyes quivered crazily without focus as she stuttered. It slowly moved away from Galfredik and headed toward Eugene. A vampire duke stood at the peak of the vampire society. There was only one class of vampires capable of commanding a duke. They stood at the apex. They were the beginning and the end of the Dark Clan. They were monarchs capable of ruling all of the Dark Clan under their feet. ¡°A great Origin!¡± Kuwuuuuugh! Clay¡¯s cry was filled with indescribable emotion and awe. It overlapped with the roar of the vampire duke. CH 142 Rumble! As the vassal¡¯s Fear collided with the evil energy, a thunderous roar occupied the narrow corridor. As the obsidian energy and the crimson aura merged and scattered in the darkness, a thin light tore through it. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Clay was dumbfounded by the sight of the spectacular swordwork cutting and separating the evil energy. Vampires were called the Tribe of the Darkness, and she never imagined that a creature belonging to the night could tear apart the darkness with such a cold, beautiful light. On the other hand, Eugene¡¯s gaze penetrated through the darkness and keenly observed Galfredik¡¯s swordsmanship. ¡®Amazing. He has improved even further.¡¯ Eugene had first acquired Galfredik¡¯s swordsmanship when he took the burly knight as his vassal. However, Galfredik¡¯s current skills had vastly improved compared to their initial meeting. The death knight¡¯s evil aura was capable of affecting not only living creatures but the spirit of vampires as well. However, Galfredik was easily cutting through the evil energy with a single sword. Simultaneously, he continued to deal blows to the death knight with the mace in his left hand and restricted the monster¡¯s movements. The enemy would have screamed with pain and faltered if they were capable of sensation. However, the death knight didn¡¯t back down or collapse even though it was being continuously pummeled and stabbed. ¡®Amazing...¡¯ Eugene was amazed at the death knight, but he wasn¡¯t worried about Galfredik at all, neither did he think Galfredik would lose. His vassal was currently enjoying a confrontation with a rare, skilled ¡®knight,¡¯ who was also a death knight. It was evident by the fact that Galfredik didn¡¯t take several opportunities to cut the death knight¡¯s head and end the battle outright. But it seemed Galfredik became bored quite quickly. After a while, he thrust Wolfslaughter under the death knight¡¯s helmet while blocking the monster¡¯s attack with his mace. Guoooo¡­ Black smoke started to spew from the stab wound along with a terrible cry. Galfredik pulled out the sword and then drew it horizontally from the left side. Slice! The death knight¡¯s head, which had been half severed and dangling, fell to the floor rather pathetically. ¡°Is it over? Hmm?¡± ¡°Kuwugh?¡± Both Eugene and Galfredik paused. It had seemed as if the death knight would collapse after being decapitated. However, the monster staggered for a moment before suddenly bending down and picking up its lost head. Eugene was at a loss for words after witnessing the horrible, bizarre, yet comical sight. Galfredik seemed to be just as dumbfounded. He simply stared as the monster picked up its fallen head. After scrounging around, the death knight successfully picked up its head, placed it on the stump of his neck, then spun his head a few times as if reassembling it. Then, the death knight was made whole once again. It roared vigorously. Wuoooooo¡­! It was quite dispiriting. ¡°Master, do I have to keep fighting this thing?¡± Galfredik asked. Eugene responded, ¡°It seems like I will have to find the culprit who turned him into a death knight. Keep it company for a while.¡± ¡°Got it. I will have to test how many times it¡¯ll attach its head,¡± Galfredik said before pouncing on the creature once again. Eugene turned his head. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°What? Ah! Y-y-yes! I will obey your orders!¡± Clay shouted. Banneret Randolph had been a powerful knight who was unrivaled by anyone near Brighton except Baron Riwad. In addition, his power had been elevated significantly after turning into a death knight. However, Galfredik was regarding him as mere practice. Clay felt shocked as she hurriedly followed behind Eugene. Shuack! Slice! Clang! She had only taken a few steps when Clay heard the sound of the monster¡¯s head falling to the ground along with its helmet. Then, it sounded as if the death knight was fumbling around¡­ Wuoooooo¡­ ¡°How strange. Will you put your arms or legs back together if I cut them as well?¡± Shuuack! Slice! Thuck! Huooo¡­. ¡°Wow. Then¡­ what about your dick?¡± ¡®Keugh! Banneret Randolph! Please wait a little longer! I¡¯m sorry!¡¯ Clay felt hugely apologetic and sympathetic. The banneret had met an unfortunate fate and had now become the plaything of a vampire duke. *** After traveling for about 30 minutes, Eugene and Clay arrived at an empty chamber about 10 meters high and five to six times as wide. They fought three battles during their trip, but ghouls, zombies, and skeletons posed no threat to Eugene. Rather, they provided Eugene with an unexpected bonus. ¡°Did you grab everything?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, oh great one!¡± Clay bowed with a polite reply. She had been degraded to a mere porter before she realized it. She was carrying a large bag, which had belonged to a certain ghoul. It was filled with treasures and coins. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anyone to have used this place as an escape route,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°N-neither did I. I never imagined anyone would have entered this place after the map was lost,¡± Clay responded. The members of the search party for banneret Randolph weren¡¯t the only transformed undead roaming the sewer and underground waterways of Brighton. Judging by their conditions and clothes, it appeared there were quite a few who had been wealthy nobles and their servants. It was presumed that they had escaped underground during wars and conflicts. Each of them possessed quite a bit of coin and wealth on their bodies, and as such, Eugene made an unexpected income. ¡°Hmm. I might be able to recover some more if I roam around a little bit more,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°Kieeee¡­ I¡¯m scared, but if that¡¯s what you want¡­ N-no. Ghosts are scary after all. No! Money comes first! We have to scrape together more money, even if it¡¯s a single coin. Kieehehrk?! M-my inner money dragon is about to awaken. Ah! S-sir, s-stop me¡­ Kieeeehhk!¡± The spirit eventually lost her mind and fell into a deranged state as greed and fear tugged at her heart from either side. Eugene shoved her into the leather pocket. His gaze happened to meet with Clay''s. Eugene felt the slightest bit of guilt when he saw her expression, which was a mixture of fear, awe, and anxiety. ¡°We can take care of the rest later,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-your humble servant will simply obey the will of the great monarch,¡± Clay responded. Even though she had served Bannaret Randolph for decades, he couldn¡¯t be compared to someone who stood at the apex of their race. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t forego my promise. It just so happens that there is a culmination of evil energy on the other side. The person or object responsible for cursing your master should be located over there,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I am truly grateful.¡± And indeed, Clay was thrilled. He was so merciful! He was truly a great man who looked after all the members of their race. There was a round, dome-shaped sinkhole located in the middle of the chamber, which was closed by a large stone gate. It appeared as if it was a dam to collect river water or rainwater. Eugene started to cross its center before suddenly coming to a stop and whispering, ¡°You, get down immediately.¡± ¡°I obey your orders!¡± Clay quickly fell flat without daring to ask why. A moment later, the cries of hundreds of undead could be heard from her surroundings. Guoooooooo¡­.! Huooooooo¡­! ¡°Cover your ears, too,¡± Eugene added. Clay quickly covered her ears even before Eugene finished. Nevertheless, the terrible cries of the undead still penetrated her ears. Even the very ground trembled at the vibration generated by the cries of hundreds of undead. ¡°Uah¡­¡¯ Clay began to tremble. However, she was able to muster up the courage to slightly raise her head. As expected, hundreds of undead were rushing toward her and Eugene from all sides. The hundreds of undead belonged to different races, but all of them had damaged bodies and terrible appearances. ¡°¡­!¡± Clay froze with shock. Kuwuuuuuughh!! The Origin¡¯s roar merged with the Fear emitting from his figure, then became a translucent wave rushing in all directions. Kwararararara! The waves spread in a hemispherical shape around Eugene and washed over the waves of undead like a tsunami. Fufufufufufufu¡­! Clay could not believe her eyes. Every undead swept by the translucent waves of crimson subsequently burst in place. Most of the monsters exploded above their knees, leaving behind only dark gray grains, but the fresher ones erupted into red mists as their bodies exploded. The mist of blood was absorbed by the Origin, who was the lord of blood and the ruler of darkness. Guooooooooo. The sight of hundreds of slender, crimson threads gathering toward the center where Eugene was located was a truly spectacular sight. The blood of various creatures engulfed Eugene¡¯s entire figure and seeped into his Black Scales. Although they had already died once, the total amount of blood Eugene had absorbed was tremendous. His eyes became filled with a glint as he took it all in. Eugene¡¯s eyes glowed even deeper than before and shone like rubies. His gaze was directed at the end of the pit. A figure was standing there. The figure was wearing a robe made of animal skin and a goat¡¯s head. They faltered after seeing Eugene¡¯s gaze. They were the one responsible for turning Randolph into a death knight and creating the undead. ¡°******* *******?!¡± The figure shouted. Clay couldn¡¯t understand, but Eugene was capable of understanding all languages due to the ability he had gained from consuming the drake¡¯s red mana stone. He responded to the figure, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to know from where my esteemed self came from. Die.¡± Pew! Eugene¡¯s spear shot forward even before he finished his words. And just as he finished, Madarazika was already piercing the figure¡¯s goat head, who was likely a black wizard. Bang! Whoooosh! The figure¡¯s body dispersed like smoke as soon as Madarazika penetrated the goat head. ¡®Magic?!¡¯ Eugene instinctively recognized it as magic. A long, murderous flame filled with magic shot toward him from the left. Boooom! Eugene¡¯s body was covered in evil energy along with a loud roar. ¡°******! *****! ********! Kukakakakaka!¡± A sputum of laughter was followed by the figure¡¯s unknown shouts. And as the bizarre laughter and the evil energy dispersed¡­ ¡°This is that magic shield, you little bastard,¡± Eugene shouted. Before he finished his sentence, Madarazika left behind a trail of red light and pierced the source of the laugh. Thuack! ¡°Kuaaaaagghhhhhhhhhhh!!!¡± A long, terrible howl filled the chamber. It was distinctly different from regular screams, and it sounded as if the figure¡¯s very soul was being extinguished. Fwoooooosh! ¡°***! *****, ** ****¡­¡± Even as their body was engulfed in flames, the mysterious figure uttered a few more words before falling flat on the spot. Then, they disappeared completely with a crimson smoke, leaving behind only their clothes and belongings. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Eugene took a breath before turning his head. Clay was still shivering, sprawled on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s over. Get up,¡± he said. ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± Clay jumped to her feet. However, she staggered, unable to overcome the remnants of Eugene¡¯s massive fear and the evil energy. ¡°Everything good?¡± Eugene asked. Clay checked all over her body before shouting in a touched voice, ¡°I-I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°Yup! Yup! The backpack is fine! The money, jewelry, everything is fine! Kiehekhehehehehe!¡± Clay and Mirian answered almost simultaneously. ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kihehehehehe! Hooray!¡± ¡°Ah! Ahhh¡­!!!¡± The spirit of desire was happy that their treasures were safe, and the vampire knight was touched that Eugene was worried for her. Although the vampire knight was gravely mistaken, both her and the spirit of desire were filled with joy. *** ¡°Clay!¡± ¡°Banneret Randolph!¡± Clay exclaimed in joy. Randolph had recovered to his former state as a vampire. ¡°I¡¯m so glad! I¡¯m so glad!¡± Clay shouted. Vampires didn¡¯t shed tears. However, Clay bowed her head with reddened eyes, as if she were about to shed tears of blood. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you. Your loyalty brought me back. And the two of you!¡± Randolph exclaimed before turning toward Eugene and Galfredik. ¡°No words could ever repay you for helping me. However, in the name of the Rivoles Clan, I am willing to provide a fortune to compensate you. It won¡¯t leave much more to be¡­¡± Clay interrupted him, ¡°Banneret!¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Randolph asked. ¡°T-these people are¡­¡± Clay attempted to dissuade Randolph from offering mere treasure to a duke and an Origin with a pale expression. However¡­ ¡°Money? How much can you offer?¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°Hahaha! Two boxes of gold coins! No, I will pay three boxes of gold coins!¡± Randolph shouted. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Eugene grinned before glaring at Clay, who was trembling with fear. Clay understood the great monarch¡¯s intentions perfectly. She bowed her head with a look of exaltation. ¡®The monarch is currently hiding his identity. I can¡¯t give it away!¡¯ ¡°Ah, by the way, my body feels rather sore and squeaky. Is it because of the curse¡¯s remnants?¡± Banneret Randolph muttered while rubbing his neck and limbs. ¡°¡­!¡± Clay flinched. The scene of his battle as a death knight flashed by Clay¡¯s head. She glanced at Galfredik. ¡®He¡¯s feigning ignorance!¡¯ Clay quickly commented, ¡°T-that¡¯s probably why. I believe it¡¯s the aftermath of being subjected to a terrible curse.¡± ¡°Is that so? But¡­ hmmm.¡± Randolph stopped himself from touching the place where it was most sore, then smiled awkwardly. ¡°Ahaha. That must be why.¡± Why was his genitalia so sore? Randolph remained rather suspicious, but Galfredik coughed and interrupted his thoughts, ¡°Ehem! Isn¡¯t that better than going bald? I know someone who went bald because of a curse.¡± ¡°Ah! That¡¯s true.¡± Randolph trembled as he instinctively stroked his rich hair. Vampires could regenerate any parts of their bodies unless they were struck with silver weapons. However, even they couldn¡¯t regenerate their hair. ¡°Kieeehhehe! Some of my seniors were bald as well. They would always get teased. Even magic can¡¯t fix baldness!¡± Eugene thought that perhaps, among all kinds of magic and the mysterious, the curse of baldness might be the scariest of them all. CH 143 ¡°I can¡¯t believe he took care of it so quickly¡­¡± ¡°And we have no choice but to believe it.¡± The leaders of Brighton were struck with a massive headache. When Eugene announced that he would take care of the city¡¯s death knight after fully occupying the city, they had been filled with impure expectations. Death knights were considered to be as dangerous and strong as high-ranking monsters. There were even rumors that a single death knight and hundreds of ghouls and skeletons under its command had devastated a great territory. As such, the guild leaders naturally assumed that even if Eugene managed to take care of the death knight, it would take a long time. And perhaps he might even fail and perish in the waterways. But their expectations were ruined when Eugene solved the issue within a single day. ¡°And there was a black wizard involved?¡± ¡°I saw the items that belonged to the black wizard. I¡¯m certain. There¡¯s no way it was possible to make such items in a single day.¡± ¡°More than anything else, Banneret Randolph and Knight Clay are testifying. There¡¯s no doubt about it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Pathetic. How pathetic! This isn¡¯t a matter of trust,¡± the mayor said. ¡°What?¡± The guild leaders turned towards the mayor. The mayor continued with a mixed expression. ¡°As long as there¡¯s clear evidence that a black wizard was involved in this issue with the death knight, Sir Eugene¡¯s no longer simply the head of the army that has occupied our city.¡± ¡°Huh? What does that mean?¡± The guild leaders had no clue as to what the mayor was talking about. The mayor responded with a deep sigh, ¡°Sir Eugene is no longer an invader. He¡¯s a hero who saved Brighton from an impending crisis. Public sentiment has completely turned toward Sir Eugene, you frustrating people.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There had been a black wizard, a death knight, and hundreds of undead right underneath the city. Do you all really believe that they were there for no reason? Do you really think that they would have stayed there forever? I¡¯m certain they would have surfaced one day. So what do you think would have happened to our city if that happened in the future?¡± the mayor asked. ¡°¡­!¡± The expressions of the guild leaders paled instantly. A terrible fate would have befallen Brighton. ¡°Do you all understand now? Sir Eugene has prevented such a future. Tsk, tsk.¡± the mayor said, clicking his tongue. ¡°B-but the citizens don¡¯t know that yet, do they?¡± one of the guild leaders asked. ¡°Haha.¡± The mayor laughed vainly, then stood up before opening the window. He continued. ¡°Look outside. Those people over there. What could they be talking about?¡± The guild leaders got up from their seats and approached the window. There were hundreds of citizens gathered in the square located just outside the city hall. A person wearing chainmail and covering their face with a black hood was shouting at the crowd. ¡°¡­Sir¡­ did! And so¡­ defeated the¡­!¡± The guild leaders couldn¡¯t make out exactly what the figure was saying, but the crowd was responding to their shouts with cheers and loud claps. ¡°Huh? Mister mayor, who is that person?¡± ¡°Are they inciting the crowd?¡± The guild leaders asked. The mayor responded, ¡°Incitement my ass. That¡¯s Knight Clay. She is testifying to the people about what happened in the city¡¯s underground.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°By tomorrow, everyone in the city will know what happened in the underground waterways. So now¡­¡± The mayor was helpless. He looked around at the guild leaders with stiff expressions and continued bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s all over. We¡¯re now part of the Crawlmarine county. There¡¯s nothing to do except to prepare ourselves for change.¡± The guild leaders finally came to recognize it at the mayor¡¯s words. The City of Brighton had existed as a free city due to the long chaos and war, but after today, its fate had turned in another direction. *** ¡°Please forgive my insolence.¡± Banneret Randolph spoke in the most cordial voice possible while kneeling on one knee. When he met them initially, right after he was freed from his curse, Randolph had assumed that both Eugene and Galfredik were similar or slightly above him in status. However, he retracted his judgment immediately after hearing Clay¡¯s careful words and seeing the two figures walk around in broad daylight. They were clearly above a high lord in status based on the fact that they could walk around in daylight. Moreover, the two of them were his benefactors and saviors of the city. As such, as a member of the Dark Clan and a knight, it was only appropriate for him to show unconditional respect and worship. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It wasn¡¯t intentional anyway. You were quite formidable when you had been a death knight, and it seems like you are an honorable man as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I¡¯m flattered,¡± Randolph responded with a humble bow. Clay was right by his side, acting with utmost politeness and modesty. ¡®They¡¯re quite alright.¡¯ Eugene felt satisfied with the two. They gave off better impressions than Delmondo and the vampires of Mungard. Moreover, they were quick-witted and polite. Of course, there was something else as well. ¡°Kieeeehh! Gold! Kihehehehehe! S-sir, sir! They¡¯re quite good folks, aren¡¯t they? They¡¯re so nice! WHOooo! Whoooo! Kiekekekekekeke!¡± Mirian shouted while cackling to herself. Seeing the spirit joyfully swimming in a box filled with gold coins brought a smile to Eugene¡¯s face. ¡®Good.¡¯ It was only natural to give after receiving. As such, Eugene decided to give Randolph and Clay a chance. ¡°So, Randolph, I assume you¡¯ve heard a bit from Clay?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. I have heard that Sir Eugene occupied the City of Brighton and had it incorporated into the Crawlmarine county,¡± Randolph responded. ¡°Well, the city¡¯s leadership will be maintained for the time being. However, sooner or later, there will be changes,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Rightly said, sir. I¡¯ve heard before that there is a saying in the Roman Empire. ¡®New wine must be contained in a new oak barrel.¡¯ Since you had taken over Brighton as your own with Count Crawlmarine, Sir Eugene, the ones to lead the city should be the ones you propose,¡± Randolph said. ¡°Well said.¡± Eugene nodded satisfactorily. Afterward, he asked in a nonchalant way. ¡°But we can¡¯t switch them out immediately. Why do you think that is? Don¡¯t feel pressured and be honest with me.¡± Randolph contemplated for a moment before answering, ¡°Although I am lacking, I will offer you a meager piece of insight. I dare to assume that you have made that decision because you know that drastic changes can lead to confusion and discontent among the citizens of the city. So, it is my humble opinion that you will maintain the current leadership for the time being and bring about changes after you achieve whatever it is that you are aiming for. That¡¯s what I think.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Eugene was a little surprised. Randolph¡¯s words were almost in line with the plan Eugene had come up with Pythamoras. ¡°I thought you were only skilled as a knight since you are a banneret, but it seems you have a good head as well.¡± Eugene praised Randolph. ¡°Not at all. I am naught but dust to pale in your brilliance, sir. Not anyone can capture a direct descendant and the knights belonging to the Fransil family,¡± Randolph responded. Now that he mentioned it, Eugene had forgotten about Lorraine and the other captives. But he wasn¡¯t too worried. Lanslo and the beowulf warriors should be keeping them safe. Eugene asked, ¡°Do you know a lot about the Fransil family?¡± Eugene had Pythamoras, but the druid¡¯s knowledge was mainly regarding the island¡¯s history. As such, he wasn¡¯t quite up to date with the current situation of Brantia and the various forces trying to claim the throne. In addition, Lanslo had left Brantia quite a long time ago. He was in the dark about the recent events and situations. ¡°He claims to be a duke, but I see him as a powerful warlord. He was only a powerful baron before the crusade. On the contrary, in terms of lineage, the late Lord Riwad would have a better claim to the throne compared to him. The Fransil family¡­¡± Randolph explained everything he knew about the Fransil family. ¡®He¡¯s definitely quite useful. Good.¡¯ Eugene came to this decision after hearing Randolph¡¯s explanation. ¡°Banneret Randolph,¡± he called out. ¡±Yes, please speak,¡± Randolph responded. ¡°Do you want to be the mayor of Brighton?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What?!¡± Randolph¡¯s eyes grew wide with shock. Eugene smiled. ¡°Not right now, but within a year at the latest. And it doesn¡¯t mean that you have to become a vassal of the Crawlmarine family. Of course, you won¡¯t need to betray the Rivoles Clan either.¡± ¡°T-that means¡­¡± Randolph muttered. ¡°You will become a loyal servant of the king. Banneret of the Rivoles Clan and an honorable nobleman appointed by the King of Brantia. How about it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­!¡± Randolph was stunned. A banneret could only be considered a nobleman in the vampire world. He could not be considered a nobleman in the entirety of Brantia. The only ¡®true nobles¡¯ were families, regardless of race, that survived the generations after being bestowed a title by a king. As such, there were only a few among the members of the Dark Clan in Brantia who could be considered true nobles. But now, Randolph had a chance to become a real noble. A noble from a clan with a higher status than that of a high lord was personally offering him a chance. There was no need to contemplate it. ¡°I will follow you, sir!¡± Randolph shouted in a voice filled with joy. ¡°Kieeee! Subordinate number 3? Hey, you punk! My esteemed self knew Sir Eugene even before Gal! Hmm?! So, make sure you send tributes of gold coins every month, and a gold castle should also be in order¡­¡± Boom. ¡°Kieeehh¡­?¡± The spirit was boxed in with her favorite gold coins. *** ¡°If anyone comes from the Fransil family, tell them to come to Castle Riwad. If they try anything, let them know that the lives of the captives lay in my palms,¡± Eugene said. ¡°As you wish,¡± the city¡¯s mayor responded politely. Eugene left Brighton after placing the flag of the black dragon on the city hall and the city¡¯s gates. He contemplated leaving behind some troops but changed his mind at the advice of his three knights, especially Randolph. ¡°You have already occupied the city once, so you can enter Brighton whenever you want. The mayor of Brighton is quite tactful and quick-witted as well. He will not cooperate with anyone unless they possess an army capable of overwhelming your esteemed self and your army. Moreover, Brighton has already seen and experienced your power and bravery. If anything happens, they will ask for your help. They will never betray you,¡± Randolph said this to Eugene before the latter left Brighton. Eugene was glad to have taken in Randolph. It was a little disappointing that the banneret couldn¡¯t walk around during the day with his skin exposed, but he could simply wear his armor. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t that much of an issue since vampires rarely felt the effects of extreme temperatures. Moreover, there were many more cloudy and rainy days than sunny days in Brantia. There was a good reason why it was the second most populated country for vampires after the Roman Empire. ¡°But what can we do? Please give us your orders,¡± Randolph said. Eugene looked at Randolph and Clay before responding, ¡°I thought it might be a little difficult for Lanslo to manage all the mercenaries by himself. Since you are a banneret, you know a bit of tactics and strategies, right?¡± ¡°Naturally. I was a knight before I was taken in by my father,¡± Randolph said, nodding. ¡°Good. Split the troops with Lanslo and take command.¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Haha. I¡¯ll be much relieved from now on. Please take good care of me, Sir Randolph,¡± Lanslo said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m honored. Please guide me well, sir. I have always deeply admired the Knight of the Lake, sir,¡± Randolph responded. He had shown awe and respect for Lanslo immediately after hearing the knight¡¯s surname. Of course, it didn¡¯t hurt that Lanslo played a similar position to Galfredik in Eugene¡¯s army. ¡°Then, I will go and meet with the mercenary captains,¡± Randolph said. ¡°As you¡¯d like.¡± Randolph and Clay turned their horses toward the mercenaries. Lanslo spoke with a grin while observing the two people, ¡°They¡¯re quick-witted and it seems that they¡¯re quite useful as well. And at least in Brantia, no mercenary would complain about being under the command of a vampire banneret.¡± It meant that a banneret could be considered an equivalent of the most outstanding knight in a prestigious family of nobles in the Caylor Kingdom, such as the Archivald or the Winslon family. It was why Brighton¡¯s mayor and leaders formed a search party when Randolph fell under a curse and transformed into a death knight. A vampire banneret could be considered both the strongest knight and the most capable commander in any city of Brantia. ¡°By the way, Sir Eugene. The high lord that he serves¡­ Ah! Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Lanslo paused and scratched his head. It was a needless worry. Even a vampire high lord would have no choice but to obey Eugene¡¯s orders and words. ¡°Ehehe! We can thank him later for lending us the banneret. A little flattery and compliments. If he complains, I¡¯ll just fix him up,¡± Galfredik commented. ¡°Kehehehehe! I will lend you my hand as well,¡± Mirian added with laughter. ¡°Yeah. Spit some phlegm into their eyes!¡± Galfredik nodded. ¡°You know what it is, Gal. Ptooey! Ptooey! Pto-ptopto! Hehe! I¡¯ve never missed a single shot in my life. I call it perfect spits-manship!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°Whoa! It sounds like a lethal move!¡± Galfredik shouted in admiration. ¡°Kehehehehehehehe!¡± Mirian giggled. The two seemed rather close. Lanslo managed to hold back his laughter and drew closer to Eugene before speaking, ¡°By the way, sir. What did that black wizard say right before he died?¡± ¡°I was just thinking about that. He seemed to know about the Batla Duchy¡¯s three armaments. He seemed shocked that I possessed two of them,¡± Eugene responded. In fact, Eugene possessed three of the four armaments, but at the time, Galfredik had been holding Wolfslaughter. The black wizard had mistakenly assumed that Eugene only possessed two of the four armaments. However, the black wizard had been in disbelief, saying ¡®unbelievable¡¯ in the strange language he knew before perishing. Eugene noticed something by then. ¡°It seems that someone had deliberately scattered the Batla Duchy¡¯s armaments,¡± Eugene commented. Eugene speculated that the black wizard responsible for creating the twin-headed ogre and the one he had recently killed belonged to the same organization. CH 144 ¡°I¡¯m back, sir!¡± Randolph shouted after returning with 40 beowulf warriors and two units of 100 soldiers. He continued. ¡°There were about 40 bandits, and all of them were eliminated. Two of our soldiers suffered minor injuries. And here...¡± Randolph held out a pledge of loyalty printed with the signature of the village head from the village he had just occupied. Eugene responded, ¡°Well done. This makes seven so far.¡± ¡°Yes, the population was rather small, but with this, we have completely stabilized the route leading from Brighton to the Riwad territory. Congratulations, sir!¡± Randolph exclaimed. ¡°Yes. ¡° Eugene smiled with satisfaction as he wrapped up the pledge of loyalty. He had left the villages untouched before since he was heading to Brighton for war, but now that he had occupied the city, there was no longer any reason to leave them unoccupied. As such, Eugene sent troops to all villages in the vicinity to wipe out all the bandits and roamers in their surrounding areas to promote security, and he obtained pledges of loyalty from the village chiefs and landowners. The village chiefs wouldn¡¯t have expected such a thing, but this was simply the world they were living in. Someone else would have occupied the villages in the future even if it wasn¡¯t Eugene. ¡°Did they have any complaints?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°They were initially as quiet as a mouse, but they appeared to be curious about the situation. As such, I followed your orders and hinted to the village leaders that a new king of Brantia might appear shortly¡ªsomeone who holds the right to the nation¡¯s legacy. They seemed to be happy when I mentioned that they could very well be promoted to administrators in the future,¡± Randolph answered. His face was filled with awe. At first, he simply assumed that Eugene was trying to occupy the village to rob it or to plunder supplies. Asking for a pledge of loyalty was simply a formality. Most nobles and lords used it as an excuse to use the villages¡¯ resources to maintain their armies. However, Randolph had been mistaken. Eugene offered a carrot to the village leaders and heads¡ªthat they might be able to live a life as loyal servants of Brantia¡¯s future king. It was an offer that no one could resist. You ¡®might¡¯ be promoted to serve under the new king, but ¡®perhaps¡¯ someone more loyal would take that position from you. The words were quite ambiguous, implicit, subtle, and left a lot to the imagination. As a result, the village chiefs and landlords willingly offered up their wealth and supplies to Eugene¡¯s army. They were grateful, yet fearful toward Eugene and Count Crawlmarine. But of course, they were also expectant and greedy. ¡°Good work. Distribute the goods you obtained from the bandits to the troops,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes!¡± Although the mercenaries had to fight for a year without any pay as a result of losing to Eugene, it was impossible for them to have rid themselves of greed and be truly loyal to Eugene. As such, Eugene distributed the loot gained from battles and a portion of wealth and supplies gained from the villages to the mercenaries. Although they would be getting less compared to officially signing an employment contract with Eugene, the troops were enamored by Eugene¡¯s grace and mercy. Even though they were technically prisoners, Eugene was treating them so well. Thanks to this, they started to have high expectations for their futures. In other words, Eugene had acquired the hearts and support of both the mercenaries and landlords by occupying the villages. ¡°You may go and rest,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Randolph bowed politely before turning and walking toward Clay. He whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t he amazing? I wouldn¡¯t be exaggerating to call him a master of craftiness.¡± ¡°Yes, banneret.¡± Clay nodded in agreement. She wanted to tell him that it was only natural since Eugene was an Origin, but she knew that she couldn¡¯t do such a thing so she only nodded. ¡°There was a reason why the Sage of Mount Robtimo aligned himself with Sir Eugene. If it¡¯s Sir Eugene, I¡¯m certain he will be able to unite Brantia.¡± Randolph continued. ¡°And you will become the mayor of Brighton, banneret,¡± Clay remarked. ¡°Haha! Then, you will be a knight of Brighton. The captain of the guards. No, what about being the mercenary guild leader and the city¡¯s recruiter?¡± Randolph exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s an honor!¡± Clay responded excitedly, then turned her head before whispering. ¡°By the way, Banneret Randolph. How do you think the Fransil family will react?¡± she asked. Randolph followed her gaze and looked at Lorraine and the knights of the Fransil family before speaking with a bitter smile, ¡°The Fransil family¡¯s currently facing a complicated issues regarding the family¡¯s succession. The eldest son and the eldest daughter are the most likely candidates, but it won¡¯t matter which of them succeeds the family. It will be over for Lady Lorraine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not saying that¡­ that they won¡¯t save Lady Lorraine?¡± Clay asked. ¡°They have their family¡¯s reputation to worry about, so I¡¯m sure they will pay her ransom. However, they won¡¯t stand still after they suffered losses and their family¡¯s name was humiliated. They also won¡¯t sit still after seeing what Sir Eugene¡¯s had accomplished thus far,¡± Randolph explained. ¡°Hmm.¡± Clay took on a worried expression. Randolph said with a grin, ¡°I have already told Sir Eugene everything I know about the Fransil family, so there is nothing for you to worry about. Are you worried that Sir Eugene will be done in by a warlord?¡± ¡°Huh? Well, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± Clay muttered. ¡°Hmm? Then what?¡± Randolph asked. ¡°I¡¯m just wondering if Sir Eugene would completely wipe out the Fransil family,¡± Clay answered. ¡°¡­¡± Randolph was speechless. Clay wasn¡¯t worried about Eugene, but rather the Fransil family. However, upon reflection, Randolph realized that something like that was entirely possible if it was Eugene. *** Eugene arrived at Castle Riwad after a few more days of travel. His return was expected, thanks to the scouting beowulfs, and Luke personally greeted Eugene with his troops. ¡°Master! We sincerely welcome your safe return!¡± Luke shouted. He didn¡¯t simply greet Eugene either. As soon as the young count saw his master, he dismounted his horse, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head. Some people were shocked upon seeing such a scene. Although they heard the stories, they had been skeptical about them. But it appeared that Count Crawlmarine was indeed extremely devoted to Eugene. ¡®It was real?!¡¯ In particular, Lorraine and the knights of the Fransil family were extremely shocked. But the surprise hadn¡¯t ended just yet. Naturally, Luke fulfilled his duties as Eugene¡¯s aide. After dismounting his horse, kneeling, and bowing, Luke personally took Silion¡¯s reins and guided the horse. ¡°W-what a surprise,¡± one of the Fransil family¡¯s knights muttered with an incredulous look. He then whispered to Lorraine in a very grim voice, ¡°My lady. It¡¯s not just a cooperative relationship or a slightly favored relationship. It¡¯s a true relationship between a lord and his vassal, a master, and his servant.¡± ¡°I-I can see that. But why did Sir Eugene incorporate Brighton into the Crawlmarine county?¡± Lorraine asked. ¡°I¡¯m curious about that as well. Not being greedy is one thing, but anyone can see that Sir Eugene is far superior in terms of authority and power¡­¡± Bonmer muttered while looking at the backs of the two in question. The young count also appeared to be a remarkable talent, but he was no match for Eugene. Bonmer was also certain that the two of them were well aware of that fact as well, but the two, as well as all the people around them, didn¡¯t seem to think that it was weird for Crawlmarine to become the new master of Brighton and the surrounding areas. On the contrary, they were looking at the two with satisfaction and¡­ ¡°Lady Lorraine?¡± Bonmer called out. ¡°Yes¡­ Ah! Yes?¡± Lorraine jumped up and surprise. She had been staring someplace with dim, hazy eyes. ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. Her cheeks were dyed red. Lorraine was extremely scared of Eugene. She couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with the latter, and whenever Eugene called her out, she would become soaked in cold sweat and tremble. It was impossible for her to have fallen for Eugene. So why was she suddenly acting like this? ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Count Crawlmarine?¡¯ Bonmer felt his heart sink. A certain spirit was closely observing the two figures with only her head sticking out from her leather pocket. ¡°Kiehhh? So-so-something interesting is about to happen~ I can feel it in the air. Ah! That¡¯s right. If I do well, maybe I¡¯ll have an excuse to rip off aide number 2. Kieee-hoo.¡± The spirit¡¯s eyes twinkled as she looked alternatingly at Lorraine and Luke. She had always been faithful to her own desires. Mirian began to make a plan as insidious and evil as her own greed without considering the opinions of the two involved figures. *** ¡°Ehem. Occupation, of course, was expected, but you succeeded so quickly. You have performed way beyond my expectations,¡± Pythamoras said. ¡°Not only that, but he occupied and cleaned up all the villages and hamlets on his way. As expected from my master.¡± Luke shrugged while bragging to Pythamoras. Pythamoras responded with a mysterious smile, ¡°You will become even busier from now on.¡± ¡°Huh? I will?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Sir Eugene will have to go to war, right? Who will rule in his stead? No one else but you, a count and his aide, is more suitable for that role,¡± Pythamoras answered. ¡°Ah¡­ Is that so?¡± Luke said while cautiously turning his gaze toward Eugene. It was clear that Luke wanted to serve Eugene by fighting by his side. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Eugene contemplated. He had workers and slaves taking care of him, but he felt a little uncomfortable. First of all, Luke would do everything without being told to, but the workers and slaves were too conscious. Above all else, they had never encountered a plate armor. He didn¡¯t like how they polished and took care of his armor. ¡®But it¡¯s not like I can have a count doing chores¡­¡¯ Eugene fell into deep thought. Luke suddenly spoke as if he had remembered something, ¡°Ah! Master, regarding the orders you gave before leaving for Brighton.¡± ¡°Hmm? What was it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°About the prisoners from the continent who Lord Riwad captured during the crusade,¡± Luke said. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Did you pick them out?¡± Eugene asked. Befitting his reputation, Baron Riwad had defeated many knights from the continent during the crusade and captured them and their troops as prisoners. Soldiers and mercenaries were either enslaved or sold, but the knights and nobles had been taken prisoner and kept in the dungeon. Eugene had instructed Luke to interview the prisoners one by one before leaving for Brighton. He could return them to their respective families for generous rewards, and if they proved useful, he could put them to work under him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t make an accurate judgment since I¡¯m ignorant regarding the politics and families belonging to other kingdoms. But one thing is for sure¡ªmost of them are middle and low-class nobles,¡± Luke said. Eugene responded, ¡°Hooh, is that so? Good work finding that out.¡± Luke¡¯s expression brightened after receiving Eugene¡¯s compliment. He continued to explain, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I followed Master Pythamoras¡¯s advice and served them food and alcohol. They started to spill the beans on their own after receiving good treatment. Moreover¡­¡± As Lanslo had explained earlier, knights and nobles who had advanced further into Brantia during the crusade were mostly without connections and of lower status. They were brave and innocent challengers who crossed the sea with their own goals for success rather than faith in the Central Church¡¯s cause. However, their courage was broken and their faith in the church was lost during their long captivity. They had been left with only persistence and despair, but the appearance of a young count who was fluent in the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s language was enough to plant small seeds of hope in the midst of their doubts. Moreover, Luke had also faithfully followed Eugene¡¯s instructions and Pythamoras¡¯s advice to treat them with great hospitality, which contrasted sharply against the cruel, fierce treatment from Baron Riwad. There had been some who even sobbed with sorrow and gratitude. ¡°Did you talk about me?¡± Eugene asked. Luke responded, ¡°Yes. I told them all about how I returned to Brantia and succeeded the Crawlmarine county.¡± ¡°Their reaction?¡± Eugene asked. Luke responded with a big smile, ¡°Even those who were initially reluctant after hearing your identity as a member of the Dark Clan were moved after hearing my story. They paid their respects to master, saying that you are a true knight. Even the holy knights of the Caylor Kingdom thought the same.¡± ¡°What? There¡¯s a holy knight from the Caylor Kingdom among them?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes. Do you remember the armor that Baron Riwad wore? They said that it was made by crafting different parts from the armor belonging to that holy knight. He said he would swear his loyalty if the armor was returned to him,¡± Luke said. ¡°Ehem. The count¡¯s words are true. I confronted him myself, and there was no lie. He also swore on his honor as a knight and in the name of the god he believed it.¡± Pythamoras stepped up as well. ¡°Hooh,¡± Eugene muttered. It was surprising enough that a holy knight from the Caylor Kingdom would come all the way here, but it was even more surprising that he would respect and pledge his loyalty to a vampire. ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene¡¯s brain started to work in devilish ways. Soon¡­ ¡°Bring all of the prisoners to me. Perhaps we can deliver a blow to the Central Church and acquire some new talents at the same time.¡± CH 145 Baron Riwad had seven prisoners. ¡°There were originally about 20 people, but more than ten of them died because they couldn¡¯t handle living in captivity. Only these people are left,¡± Luke reported. ¡°I see. Good work,¡± Eugene responded before looking over the prisoners. They were thin and their skin was rough, but their expressions were hopeful, likely due to how Luke treated them. ¡°Nice to meet you all. I am Jan of the Eugene family,¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Eredoa from the Volvaran family.¡± ¡°Gote of Paramon. I am indebted to you and Count Crawlmarine after a long time spent in darkness¡­¡± The prisoners returned Eugene¡¯s greeting in Brantian as well. All of them were able to speak the language after living in captivity for so long. ¡°You should know from what you heard from Count Crawlmarine. The Riwad territory is now under the jurisdiction of the Crawlmarine family. In other words, the same is true of all of your dispositions. As such¡­¡± The faces of the prisoners gradually brightened as Eugene continued. ¡°¡­With those relationships, the ships from the continent will soon arrive in Mungard. Perhaps they have already arrived. Both Maren and Moffern are strong supporters of mine,¡± Eugene concluded. ¡°Is that true?¡± A knight from the Volvaran family, which Eugene had never heard of, asked. Luke stepped out with a hardened expression. ¡°Sir Volvaran. I warn you. Do not doubt my master¡¯s words again.¡± ¡°I-I apologize, Your Excellency. I made a mistake. Sir Eugene, I¡¯m sorry.¡± The knight hastily apologized. ¡°¡­!¡± The expressions of the other prisoners changed rapidly. They had been dubious even after hearing about the relationship between Luke and Eugene, but now, they could see it clearly. Eugene had full authority. In this place, his words were both the law and order. ¡°What do I stand to gain from lying to you sirs? And to be honest.¡± Eugene¡¯s voice lowered and became cold. The prisoners became rather nervous upon noticing this change. Eugene continued. ¡°From my point of view, I will be better off without you sirs. What if you spread strange stories about me after I send you back to your families?¡± The prisoners became wide-eyed at the subtle threat. ¡°A-are you¡­ saying that you¡¯re going to kill us all?¡± ¡°Please contact my family. I¡¯m certain they will pay sufficient ransom!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± The prisoners shouted urgently. Eugene continued in a low voice. ¡°However, there is another way.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mungard, the Crawlmarine County, the Riwad territory, the City of Brighton. All came to serve me and Count Crawlmarine. What the members of the crusade never managed to achieve, I achieved. And my ultimate goal¡­ is all of Brantia.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°¡­!¡± The prisoners were made speechless. Eugene uttered a single word, ¡°Consumables.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± He continued. ¡°The church and the leaders of the expeditionary force, even your families. All of them treated you as mere consumables. Even though you were brave and honorable knights.¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The prisoners clenched their fists and teeth after hearing the uncomfortable truth. But this was something they already knew. Eugene¡¯s voice resonated once again. ¡°However, I saved you sirs without expecting anything. Also, I have no intention of treating you as consumables.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The prisoners raised their heads. Eugene¡¯s voice was no longer cold, but instead quiet and powerful. ¡°Sirs, although defeated, all of you were brave and valiant enough to challenge Brantia¡¯s swordmaster. Those who cannot respect that do not deserve to be called nobles. So, sirs. Why don¡¯t you come to me?¡± Eugene said. ¡°S-sir¡­¡± The shoulders of the prisoners quivered as they looked at Eugene with shock. Despite the lack of expression, Eugene¡¯s eyes shone with a captivating light. Both his appearance and voice instilled a sense of deep trust in the prisoners. ¡°I swear on my honor, and in the name of Count Crawlmarine. Sirs¡­ I will grant you life as vassals of Brantia¡¯s king.¡± ¡®Naturally, without pay for the time being...¡¯ ¡°Just as my master says! I swear it on my name!¡± Luke solemnly declared. The prisoners shared gazes as if they were possessed. If they accepted this proposal, they could perhaps live lives as vassals of Brantia¡¯s king. At the least, they would be vassals of a lord possessing a large portion of Brantia. On the other hand, what would happen to them when they returned to their hometown? Would they ever get another opportunity like this? In the first place, why did they even cross the sea? There wasn''t even a need to contemplate. ¡°We will follow your wishes!¡± The prisoners kneeled simultaneously. They had lost hope long ago, but now, a miracle had occurred. ¡°Good. I look forward to working with you all,¡± Eugene said with a grin. Using appropriate threats and sweet suggestions, he had successfully acquired seven, unpaid, highly-skilled workers. Baron Riwad had truly been stupid. Eugene couldn¡¯t believe that he had stuffed so many skilled workers inside of a cell instead of using them for his benefit. ¡°Then all of you will have to work starting tomorrow. Oh, for the time being, you will be taking orders from Master Pythamoras. He is a druid who is highly respected in the area. For now, you all should go and get some rest. Come and take care of these sirs.¡± Eugene gestured, and slaves immediately headed to the prisoners¡¯ sides. The slaves were Brantian, and they had been thoroughly educated by Pythamoras. They would be monitoring and reporting the prisoners¡¯ every move out of their fear for the druid. However, the prisoners knew nothing about it. They were simply grateful that Eugene was taking good care of them, even though they were prisoners before. ¡°Then, gentlemen, follow me,¡± Luke said. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Even Luke, a count, was personally guiding them. Their suspicions finally disappeared. ¡°Ah, Sir Edmund, right? Stay behind for a while,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± A young man with a sturdy build stopped at Eugene¡¯s word. Mossin Edmund. He was the holy knight from the Caylor Kingdom who had crossed the sea during the crusade. *** ¡°Sir, first, take that,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What? Ah, t-this is¡­¡± Edmund¡¯s eyes widened. He had initially been nervous about being separated from the others. Two slaves carefully carried over a plate mail armor. ¡°It was originally yours, right? It¡¯s probably a little different from what you used to wear, but it should have been reinforced since Baron Riwad had it worked on. Try it on. Hey, help him out,¡± Eugene said. The slaves immediately assisted Edmund with the armor. Soon, a proud knight stood in his place. Edmund knelt on one knee. He was deeply moved. ¡°How can I ever repay you for the boundless you have shown me¡­?¡± Eugene responded, ¡°Do you really want to pay me back?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not an ungrateful beast who doesn¡¯t know grace,¡± Edmund spoke confidently. Eugene asked with a curious expression, ¡°As you know, I am a vampire, and you are a holy knight. And yet, you are going to repay me?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Edmund flinched, then spoke with a sigh, ¡°That¡¯s right. I am a holy knight of the Caylor Kingdom. But before that, I was an aide to a knight of the Roman Empire.¡± ¡°Hooh?¡± Eugene was surprised by Edmund¡¯s unexpected story. The knight continued. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Mossin Edmund had been captured after participating in a border dispute as an aide to the Roman Empire¡¯s knight. Usually, knights never betrayed their aides, but his master left him behind and ran away. As a result, his loyalty toward his previous master completely disappeared. ¡°I defected in order to survive. Fortunately, my sword skills were quite useful, and my family name was well-known. I was given the opportunity to serve as a knight of the kingdom or become a holy knight.¡± Edmund continued. Defected descendants of foreign nobles were highly valuable in many ways. Edmund had decided to become a holy knight to fulfill his grand ambitions. ¡°I was educated as a holy knight at a late age. At first, I intended to work hard. However, the priest who taught me faith and the master who trained me as a knight¡­ Even the other holy knights had no trust in me,¡± Edmund said. ¡°Kieeeh? A loner. Sir, he was a loner,¡± Mirian flew over and whispered in Eugene¡¯s ear. She had been plopped down as if she was bored. Edmund kept talking in a grave voice, unaware that a spirit was talking about him. ¡°In the end, joining the expeditionary force as a holy knight was the only option left for me as a defector.¡± Edmund dropped his head, and Eugene silently observed him. Edmund¡¯s heart rate was normal, and he wasn¡¯t displaying any typical signs of lying in humans. There was a good chance that he was telling the truth. ¡®Hmm. A defector. How can I use him?¡¯ Eugene agonized since Edmund¡¯s identity was completely different from what he initially expected. Most importantly, it was still too early to completely trust the holy knight. ¡®What should I do? It would be a waste to just kill him.¡¯ While Eugene contemplated, Luke returned and walked through the door. ¡°Master! Please excuse me. A message came from Mungard and Maren,¡± Luke said. ¡°Is that so?¡± Eugene responded. He was pleased since he had been a little concerned that nothing had arrived until now. ¡°Hmm?¡± There were two letters. One, as expected, was from Romari, but the other was from an unexpected figure. ¡°Vice Executive?¡± Eugene said curiously as he opened the letter from Priscilla. ¡°Hmm.¡± He narrowed his eyes as he read the letter. Priscilla¡¯s letter was riddled with all sorts of apologies, and its content was quite serious and unexpected. Then, Eugene opened Romari¡¯s letter and read it. If Priscilla¡¯s letter could be summarized as ¡°I¡¯ve committed a grave sin!¡± then this was¡­ - Please save me! Waaaah! ¡®What? What is¡­ Ah, right.¡¯ Eugene agonized while rubbing his chin, then suddenly raised his head. ¡°Sir Edmund. I would like to offer you a chance,¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Whatever the case, you are a holy knight of the Caylor Kingdom. That won¡¯t change, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true,¡± Edmund answered. ¡°And a holy knight is a figure who gives trust to knights and mercenaries from the Caylor Kingdom. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°That¡¯s also¡­ true,¡± Edmund said. ¡°Then I must ask you to immediately head to Mungard. Ah, Sir Galfredik will accompany you,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°What?¡± Edmund said with a puzzled expression. Eugene gave a meaningful smile. ¡°It looks like uninvited guests have crossed the sea. Take care of it with Sir Galfredik. How you are treated in the future will change depending on how well you resolve this matter.¡± *** ¡°This is driving me nuts.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there any good solutions?¡± Markus, the revered vampire of Mungard, said to the figure sitting idly like a stone statue. The woman, who had bags like the shadows of hell below her eyes, irked a response, ¡°Can you stop talking to me? I¡¯m dying over here.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? As a helper to his great presence, you should be more responsible and¡­¡± ¡°In the first place!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Markus jerked. Romari started to jabber away with her tiny lips. Her face was so thin that it seemed as if her very soul had been sucked out of her. ¡°You gave me too much work. I have a lot of research to do, but I¡¯m the only wizard here. And when I asked you to find some druids to help me out, you failed miserably.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because druids aren¡¯t just simple laborers you can hire¡­¡± Markus responded. Romari interrupted him. ¡°Ha?! Does that mean I¡¯m a simple laborer? Oh my~ Please excuse my rudeness. It¡¯s all my fault. A mere pathetic laborer dared to complain, hmm~? Is that right~?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, isn¡¯t it? Yeah. It was me who was too stupid. Like a squirrel running on a hamster wheel. No, I¡¯m a raccoon, aren¡¯t I? That¡¯s right. I¡¯m-just-a-stupid-raccoon-to-be-used-like-a-tool. Chimera? Nah-I¡¯ll-just-run-up-a-random-mountain-and-start-harvesting-some-roots-and-herbs-or-maybe-I¡¯ll-just-grab-any-vampire-I-see-and-just-have-thempayformysacrificeandmylaborwithtortureandintidmationmethodsofmyschool. Maybethentheywillfinallyrealizewhat¡­¡± The wizard started to speak faster and faster until it sounded as if she was murmuring a curse. Markus became flustered. ¡°I-I made a mistake. You can continue to focus on purifying mana stones. I will take care of this issue on my own.¡± The wizard of the Blood Shadow School purified more than one hundred mana stones each day, which was directly linked to the Markus family¡¯s income. Of course, more than half of the profits belonged to the great monarch, but even twenty percent of the profits was an enormous sum that Markus couldn¡¯t simply ignore. And if the female wizard, who was currently rapidly descending down the abyss of her mind and emanating a cursed aura, was absent, then the process would immediately halt. ¡®But what should I do? The knights of the kingdom won¡¯t stand still when they find out that he is a member of the Tribe of the Darkness.¡¯ ¡°Phew.¡± Markus walked to the window with a deep sigh. He could see the azure sea underneath the window. A little distance away from the harbor, there were more than 20 large galley ships floating in the waters, even though they had been rarely spotted in recent years. Initially, he planned to load the ballista to sink the unknown invaders, but he had to allow the opening of the port once a messenger came with a white flag and the flag of the black dragon. More than 1,000 mercenaries and knights aboard the galleys were claiming themselves to be Sir Jan Eugene¡¯s ¡®loyal army.¡¯ CH 146 Galfredik, Edmund, Partec¡¯s group, and four Beowulf warriors hurried to Mungard. ¡°Oi! Monotheistic knight! Let¡¯s go hunting and scouting together!¡± ¡°How many times have I told you to call me by my name?¡± ¡°Oh, right. Sorry. I forgot again. Anyway, you¡¯re coming, right?¡± ¡°Right. Sir Galfredik, I will be right back.¡± ¡°Yes. Hurry back.¡± With Galfredik¡¯s permission, Edmund and two Beowulf warriors quickly left the ranks. ¡°Bring back some deer meat!¡± ¡°Boar for me!¡± The remaining two beowulfs waved their hands, and Partec¡¯s team conversed while laughing. ¡°At first, they were at each other like mortal enemies, but it seems that they¡¯ve grown closer recently.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because they¡¯re real warriors, not fake ones. And kids are supposed to fight a little as they grow up. Hehe.¡± As a holy knight, Edmund could not hide his disapproval when he first met the beowulf warriors. It was because he had experienced a devastating defeat against the beowulfs when he first arrived in Brantia. Transformed Beowulf warriors were identical in appearance to lycanthropes, but they were much stronger. Unlike lycanthropes, beowulf warriors were able to fight systematically. Nearly half of the ten holy knights had been killed by beowulf warriors after arriving in Brantia, so it was no wonder Edmund harbored hostility toward the beowulfs. However, the beowulfs were different. Similarly, the Perseus beowulfs had also lost a good number of their members to the silver weapons of the holy knights, but they didn¡¯t really care. It was a great honor for beowulfs to meet their end fighting against the strong. And after accompanying the beowulfs for several days and learning of their honor and pride, Edmund had a change of heart. Just as Galfredik said, the beowulfs were ¡®real warriors.¡¯ ¡°Anyway, I hope the new arrivals didn¡¯t cause any trouble in Mungard.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen unless they¡¯re eager to meet their deaths. And supposedly there are quite a few knights from Carls Baggins, so they¡¯ll keep everyone under control. They¡¯ve already experienced how my master can be,¡± Galfredik responded and grinned. ¡°That¡¯s certainly true.¡± Partec¡¯s team agreed. A good portion of the 1,000-or-so troops from Moffern and Maren were said to have been previously employed by Essandra and Eugene on the Carls Baggins Peninsula. And among the knights, many of them had been mercilessly beaten up by Eugene in duels. Since they were claiming themselves to be Eugene¡¯s army, they shouldn¡¯t do anything to tarnish his name. ¡°But why do you think they came over? And it¡¯s not like there¡¯s just one or two of them, but over a thousand,¡± Lavan asked with a curious expression. Although he could now be considered a fairly experienced mercenary, he was somewhat ignorant of people¡¯s intentions. Glade clicked his tongue and responded with scorn, ¡°Oh, you punk. Are you really a mercenary? What do you mean why? They¡¯re here to score big.¡± ¡°To score big? But there are quite a few evil lands in the Carls Baggins Peninsula and in Maren¡¯s vicinity. Why would they¡­¡± Lavan responded. Partec interrupted him. ¡°Do you know how much we earned in expeditions before we came under Sir Eugene? It was ten or fifteen silver coins at most. Besides, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s an evil land expedition happening every second day. It was usually only a couple of times a month.¡± ¡°Was it like that?¡± Lavan asked. Partec replied, ¡°It was almost impossible to earn more than fifty silver coins even on the luckiest of days. But how much did you make in a single battle? After we started following Sir Eugene, how much have you been earning every month?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lavan came to a realization. Partec nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. At least double, and as much as triple or quadruple compared to what we were making before. Moreover, Maren and Moffern must have recruited troops in Sir Eugene¡¯s name.¡± ¡°All the Carls and Joes from every cranny of the country must have applied,¡± Lavan said. ¡°Most likely,¡± Partec said. Galfredik stepped in. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. They would have screened the applicants quite thoroughly.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Maren and Moffern know exactly how hot-tempered my master is, don¡¯t they? They wouldn¡¯t risk being cursed out after sending any random dog they picked off the street. Hehe. And you know what? I don¡¯t know about Maren, but those guys from Moffern shouldn¡¯t be those who responded to the recruitment,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Even Partec, who was a veteran with a plethora of experience, smacked his lips as if he were lost. Galfredik continued with a grin. ¡°Hundreds of mercenaries departed Carls Baggins for Brantia at the same time. It doesn¡¯t really make sense unless it¡¯s part of someone¡¯s plan. And there¡¯s only one person on the Carls Baggins Peninsula capable of such a thing, right?¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­ Are you referring to Lady Essandra?¡± Partec asked. ¡°Her Excellency Archivold would be a more suitable term now. She must have sent the mercenaries as a gift to the master after cleaning up the entirety of the peninsula. Well, I guess you could say that she was ridding herself of a problem as well,¡± Galfredik explained. ¡°Ridding herself of a problem¡­ Ah!¡± Partec muttered with a frown, then shouted as if he had come to a realization. ¡°Her Excellency Archivold must have been almost done with clearing up the disputes in the Carls Baggins Peninsula. Which means¡­ she wouldn¡¯t have needed the hired mercenaries any longer?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She sent the mercenaries to master quickly before someone took the liberty of hiring them with exterior motives. Since they¡¯re a bunch of experienced veterans, they would serve as a valuable power for us even though they would be a potential headache on the peninsula,¡± Galfredik explained. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°What an amazing person.¡± ¡°Phew! That¡¯s right. As expected, not just anyone can become a marquis or a margrave.¡± Partec¡¯s team was truly impressed. They had mistakenly assumed that the newcomers were nobodies trying to leech off of Eugene¡¯s achievements and reputation. ¡°Ah! Then Sir Eugene sent Sir Galfredik and Sir Edmund to Mungard because¡­?¡± Partec said. As a leader, he was quite intelligent, and it appeared that he had come to a realization. Galfredik nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve been fighting exciting battles until they crossed the sea, and we don¡¯t know yet if they¡¯re shit or cheese. Who else could keep them under control, knowing that they¡¯ll probably abuse master¡¯s name and cause a ruckus in Mungard?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Partec and his men nodded in understanding. Galfredik¡¯s reputation for having a bad temper was above Eugene¡¯s, and he was also a well-known, strong knight in his own right. In addition, anyone from the Caylor Kingdom would show respect to a holy knight. Although the combination of a vampire and a holy knight was quite unusual and unbecoming, the two of them would be more than sufficient to keep wild knights and mercenaries under control. Naturally, knowing Galfredik¡¯s personality, he would most likely be using ¡®physical force¡¯ as a means of control than honor or status. ¡°Hehe! My master is so sneaky and gracious, and I¡¯m not saying this just because he¡¯s my master. I wonder how he knew that I am the perfect fit for the job? Hehehehe!¡± Craack! Galfredik laughed insidiously while cracking his neck. ¡®There will be a bloodbath in Mungard.¡¯ ¡®I wonder how many of them will come to regret their lives.¡¯ ¡®Poor bastards. They should have just led a comfortable life back home.¡¯ Partec and his men could only silently pay their respects to the newcomers. *** ¡°Sir Galfredik is here!¡± ¡°Greetings, sir!¡± The guards of Mungard saluted and greeted Galfredik and the rest of the group as soon as they saw the document with Eugene¡¯s stamp. They appeared quite nervous. It seemed that the group¡¯s arrival had been expected since, upon their arrival, they were immediately guided to the largest building in the port¡ªthe sailor guild¡¯s headquarters. The mayor of Mungard, several of the city¡¯s guild leaders, and Markus rushed in about half an hour later. ¡°W-welcome back, Sir Galfredik. It has been a long time.¡± Although Galfredik¡¯s appearance had improved after becoming Eugene¡¯s vassal, he still left a rough and threatening impression. Furthermore, it was commonly known that he was Eugene¡¯s right-hand man. The mayor could not hide his anxiety while politely greeting Galfredik. On the other hand, Markus had directly witnessed Galfredik crushing a vampire family. He knelt down in front of Galfredik and shouted as if he were receiving an apostle of god, ¡°Oh, great, exalted one! The cold, noble blood of¡­¡± Galfredik interrupted him. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Just tell me what¡¯s been going on.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Markus bowed immediately and explained, ¡°Ten days ago, a group of troops carrying a document bearing the seals of the Archivold marquisate and the mayors of Maren and Moffern¡­¡± ¡°Not that. Tell me what¡¯s going on with the guys on board,¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Yes. At first, they attempted to land all at once, but Miss Romari dissuaded them. They have been sending two hundred men to the port at a time. There weren¡¯t any problems for the first few days but since then¡­¡± According to Markus, the mercenaries remained relatively quiet for the first few days. But they began to show their true colors little by little as they became bored of sightseeing and drinking. Frustration caused by the language barrier led to various fights, and the cultural difference regarding the acceptance of other races even caused some to unsheathe their weapons. Fortunately, the knights had apologized and provided compensation due to Romari¡¯s presence. However, the knights also started to lose their patience after having to wait without any updates, and they began to cause accidents as well. As a result, the relationship between Mungard¡¯s residents and the self-proclaimed ¡°Sir Eugene¡¯s Loyal Army¡± began to deteriorate rapidly. Now, they were walking on thin ice. ¡°They really are eager to see hell. Did those bastards lose their minds after shoving anti-mana stones up their asses?¡± Galfredik spoke while grinding his fangs. His red eyes were filled with fierce energy. ¡°Tell all those knight bastards to get over here right now,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°A-all of them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well¡­ There¡¯s quite a few of them¡­¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°A little over fifty.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Galfredik was slightly surprised. Knights lived and died by their pride and honor. For so many of them to have crossed the sea meant that Eugene¡¯s reputation in the Caylor Kingdom had become even greater than before. ¡°Um, I¡¯m wondering if it might be a better idea to have five or six of them come in as representatives.¡± Markus carefully suggested. However, Galfredik shook his head while grinning. ¡°No, bring them all. Little brats, babies, gusty little munts. I¡¯ll take care of the whole lot all at once.¡± Galfredik gripped hideous maces in his hands while speaking in a low, raw voice. *** Less than an hour later, boats from the large galleys arrived at the port. A group of knights armed with chainmail and plate mail rushed up to the pier and flocked over to Galfredik, who had been waiting for their arrival. ¡°Oh! Sir Galfredik!¡± ¡°Hahaha! Long time no see! Have you been well?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that we¡¯ve been reunited in a faraway, foreign land!¡± Some of the knights shouted excitedly. They were the ones who fought with Galfredik on the Carls Baggins Peninsula or knew Galfredik when the latter was still residing near Maren. ¡°I¡¯ve been well. Unfortunately, however, I¡¯ve been hearing that the people of the port haven¡¯t been doing very great,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Galfredik gestured, and the knights turned their gazes to the leaders of Mungard. They took on awkward expressions. They were quick to realize what Galfredik was referring to. ¡°So...¡± Galfredik placed the two maces on his shoulder in a cross, then continued with an extremely arrogant look. ¡°You dared to hang Sir Eugene¡¯s flag and claim to be his army, just to make a scene here?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Those who knew Galfredik turned pale. Unfortunately, however, the majority of the knights didn¡¯t really know who Galfredik was. ¡°Sir! That¡¯s a little too much! Aren¡¯t minor conflicts to be expected when attempting to establish true chivalry in a pagan land like this?¡± ¡°I never officially joined Sir Eugene¡¯s army. I came here only because I heard there was a good opportunity in Brantia.¡± ¡°The same goes for me. Sirs! We have been patient for long enough, so isn¡¯t it time to let our ambitions loose?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± About twenty knights gathered together. Given their behavior, they had obviously already formed some kind of plan among themselves. And the rest of the knights, except for those who knew Galfredik, stood still as if to spectate. ¡°Ha! Look at these bastards. You never had any intentions to come under my master in the first place, did you?¡± Galfredik shouted. ¡°Hmph! I might have considered it if Sir Eugene came to greet us personally. But how could we bow our heads in front of a knight like yourself? You simply fawned your way over to Sir Eugene¡¯s side!¡± ¡°Oh! You have spoken my heart, sir. Hey, where is Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°I want to talk to Sir Eugene in person!¡± The knights were in high spirits. Galfredik was convinced. These bastards were here to take advantage of Eugene¡¯s reputation and fame. They weren¡¯t here because they were impressed and wanted to serve under him. Sssh. Galfredik slowly lowered his maces from his shoulders. ¡°The master is busy. He¡¯s on his way to take care of the Fransil Duchy and become the Duke of Batla. He doesn¡¯t have time to play knight with babies like you.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Clack! Galfredik spoke in a bloodthirsty voice before lowering his visor. He suddenly charged forward like a spring. ¡°So you can talk to me instead! Let¡¯s have a long conversation between men! A conversation with our steels! Kuhahahahahahah!¡± CH 147 Galfredik had always been a strong knight. Anyone who knew him was certain that he would have made a name for himself within two to three years in the Caylor Kingdom even if he hadn¡¯t met Eugene. And such a knight gained physical abilities surpassing normal humans after becoming an Origin¡¯s vassal. In addition, he was armed to the teeth with expensive equipment costing hundreds of silver coins. It was safe to assume that a good match for Galfredik would be a rare find. He was truly a monster-like knight. However, Eugene¡¯s troops didn¡¯t call Galfredik a ¡®monster knight¡¯ simply because of his terrifying physical abilities and excellent equipment. It was all because Galfredik would always take the lead in battles and fought the fiercest among them all. In addition, he never skipped out on training. He was a talented monster who worked many times harder than others. The enormous, intensive training that Galfredik underwent was the decisive factor that separated him from others, and there was a simple reason as to why he was training so hard. ¡°If I fight as a vampire, people just get scared. But if I fight as a knight and win, they will be both scared and respectful.¡± Shuuuack! Boom! Boooom! A loud roar accompanied every swing of his maces. Heads were crushed along with helmets, and shoulders crumpled along with steel under the weight of Galfredik¡¯s strikes. Regardless of which location the maces struck, steel and bones were crushed, and the knights screamed in pain. In just ten seconds, six people collapsed as minced meat. ¡°¡­!¡± The knights were stunned into silence. The same was true of those who already knew Galfredik, and of those who were seeing him for the first time. It was a sight that could not be described as simply ¡®strong¡¯ or ¡®excellent.¡¯ What they had just witnessed was a force beyond human capabilities. ¡°L-Let''s attack together!¡± ¡°Uwaaah!¡± Although knights always blabbered about honor and chivalry, they didn¡¯t always live true to their words. As if to prove that they were willing to go to any length to defeat a strong enemy, the remaining knights surrounded Galfredik in groups of three or four. No, rather, they attempted to surround Galfredik. Galfredik didn¡¯t miss their moment of shock and quickly seized the initiative which provided him with the most advantage, just as his experience and instincts dictated. He moved in a swift, predator-like fashion unbefitting his large size, and swung his maces while escaping the yet unformed blockade. Boom! Booom! ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Three knights fell to the ground in an instant after having the relatively weak joints in their armors smashed apart. ¡°Shield! Use your shields! Block his attacks and drive him to a corner!¡± The knights were desperate. As if to prove their formidability, they raised their shields and gritted their teeth while attempting to push Galfredik back. Three knights armed with kite shields pressed Galfredik by swinging their thorny flails and maces. ¡°Die!¡± Shiiing! Two flails approached Galfredik from both sides, carrying loud shockwaves. Booom! ¡®It worked!¡¯ The knights rejoiced as the flails made contact with Galfredik¡¯s helmet and the plate on his shoulder. They were certain that he would collapse after such an attack, but¡­ Fwoosh! ¡°What!?¡± Boom! Contrary to their expectations, Galfredik advanced despite the blows and struck the jaws of two knights. The two figures were thrown back several meters like broken kites and wriggled helplessly on the ground. ¡°Push him! Just push him back!¡± someone screamed, and the knights attempted to tackle Galfredik with their shields. No matter how skilled he was, he would be useless if his movements were restricted. They could simply stab their daggers through the gaps in his armor after restraining him. ¡°Crush him!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll flatten you!¡± All of the knights were burlier and stronger than ordinary humans. Several of them banded together and attempted to weigh down Galfredik. But something surprising happened¡­ ¡°Kuaaaaaghhh!¡± With a loud roar, Galfredik began to overpower the four knights. He began to push them back while tripping one of the knights. ¡°Uaagh?!¡± ¡°Agh?!¡± One of the knights initially fell down with a loud grunt, and their colleagues followed suit. Immediately after, Galfredik¡¯s ugly maces delivered decisive blows one by one. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Y-you monster.¡± Of the knights who stood against Galfredik, only seven remained unscathed. Each of the knights was an experienced soldier who spent long years on battlefields and evil lands. However, their skills and experiences were being denied in the face of overwhelming power and techniques that rejected common sense. In addition, the knights were still alive not only because of their skills and experiences, but it was also because¡­ Thud. ¡°I-I surrender!¡± ¡°Me too! I will pay my ransom, so give me an honorable treatment!¡± ¡°I will return by boat! Please show honor and mercy!¡± The seven knights laid down their weapons and surrendered simultaneously. It was a vain ending, but all the witnesses of the short, intense battle empathized with the seven knights. In the first place, the knights had no reason to fight, and their opponent was a monster beyond their imagination. There was nothing for them to be ashamed of even if they disregarded their honor and pride as knights for a moment. ¡°Hehe! And I thought I would get a chance to warm up. I guess babies will be babies,¡± Galfredik uttered. It was a grossly offensive remark, but no one dared to retort. They were simply praying that Galfreidik would accept their surrender. ¡°Leave your weapons and money behind. Don¡¯t ever step on Brantia ever again. If I ever see any of you on the battlefield, I will kill you,¡± Galfredik threatened. ¡°T-thank you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t forget your mercy!¡± The survivors left their weapons and money on the ground before slowly inching toward their boats. Galfredik turned his head. He spoke to the mercenaries, who had gathered to watch the fight. ¡°If any of you are having any other ideas, go back while you still have the chance. From this moment on, you better not expect mercy from me.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The mercenaries flinched. After sharing gazes with each other, a considerable number of them crept off toward the pier. ¡°Sir! Congratulations on your victory!¡± ¡°As I expected! Sir Galfredik, you have improved significantly since I last saw you!¡± ¡°I have witnessed new heights in today¡¯s battle!¡± ¡°Sir Galfredik!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The knights who knew Galfredik rushed over and praised the knight. As an ally, Galfredik was more reliable than anyone else. To have someone like Galfredik accompanying one on a battlefield was like a guarantee of victory. ¡°But Sir Galfredik, are you sure you want to let them off?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They might return right now because they are afraid, but once they get back to the mainland, they might spread false rumors about you and Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Hmph! That¡¯s entirely possible since they are cowards without honor.¡± Galfredik smirked while putting away his maces. ¡°Do you really think Sir Eugene and I will be shaken by something like that? It¡¯s just the cries of the losers, anyway. If I ever get back to the mainland and see them again, I can simply crush them once more. And do you know what?¡± Galfredik looked around the countless observers and raised his voice. ¡°Sir Eugene, whom I, Galfredik, serve! Has ordered those who do not sincerely follow him to return! Sir Eugene isn¡¯t forceful! Sir Eugene is generous! He knows that a man cannot be forced to be loyal! This is Sir Eugene¡¯s message!¡± Ohhhhhh¡­! The men felt their blood boil as they cheered. Regardless of their status, their lives had been rough and thorny, and they had constantly crossed life and death to come to where they were today. They were shocked by Galfredik¡¯s display of mercy, especially after witnessing how brutal he could be. But it turned out that it was due to Sir Eugene¡¯s orders! ¡°I was a little worried after finding out that he was a vampire, but it seems Sir Eugene is a true knight! Don¡¯t you think so?¡± someone shouted, and the other knights voiced their agreement. ¡°Exactly! He is much more honorable than the arrogant knights of the kingdom.¡± ¡°Haha! I¡¯ve already experienced his greatness when I saw him at the Winslon county¡¯s knight competition! I knew my eyes hadn¡¯t deceived me back then!¡± ¡°Vampire or orc, if they know honor, then they are a true knight!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! No wonder Her Excellency Archivold and His Excellency Winslon are supporting him!¡± Quite a few people raised their voices, though it wasn¡¯t certain whether they meant their words or if they were simply going with the flow. Of course, not all of the supporters were actually from the mainland. The first to raise their voice was Partec, and Lavan, Glade, and the members of Markus¡¯ family had shouted agreements in between. In any case, public opinion naturally leaned toward favoring Eugene, and countless people gathered at the pier busily praised Galfredik and Eugene. Galfredik watched the scene play out with satisfaction, then sneaked up on Markus, who was looking at him with eyes filled with awe and respect. ¡°Markus,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Yes, please give me your orders,¡± Markus replied with a slight bow. ¡°Prepare the fastest ship in this place,¡± Galfredik ordered. ¡°I understand,¡± Markus answered without any questions. Galfredik felt satisfied with Markus¡¯ response as he continued in a low, but quick voice. ¡°Send a messenger to the Rhodes Island. Tell the lord, Lord Ortos Rhodes, that Sir Eugene gave his order.¡± Markus licked his lips while shivering at the sudden chill, and Galfredik continued with a cruel smile. ¡°Tell him to sink those bastards¡¯ ships at all costs. None of those bastards should arrive at the continent alive. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± Markus answered in a hurry. He trembled. A display of boundless mercy, but a thorough and merciless retribution behind the scenes! This was the highest level of manipulation carefully webbed by a great monarch of the vampires! ¡°To follow Sir Galfredik and the great monarch is the greatest honor of my life,¡± Markus stated. ¡°Hehehe. As long as you know it. Hurry up. And bring me my aide, Selena. I have to make her do something,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°Yes!¡± Markus pressed his hood before disappearing into the busy crowd. *** ¡°Hmmm? Sir, what¡¯s wrong? Does it itch somewhere? Do you want me to wipe it with my spit?¡± Mirian asked, concerned. ¡°No thanks,¡± Eugene coldly responded while digging his ears. Mirian became sullen. ¡°You¡¯ve changed recently, sir.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who has been acting weirdly these days. Why do you keep hanging around that girl? I never even asked you to,¡± Eugene said while gesturing toward Lorraine. The pouting spirit hesitated before answering with a serious face, ¡°W-w-when did I do something like that? You must have seen wrongly.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been hanging around that girl several times a day,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°W-well, isn¡¯t it suspicious? She could just wait in the castle for her people to come to retrieve her, so why is she following us? Isn¡¯t that weird?¡± Mirian responded. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Eugene nodded while looking at Lorraine, who was sitting on her saddle with a coy expression. Eugene had intended to wait for a messenger from the Fransil family to come to Castle Riwad. But after thinking about it, he realized that he had no reason to be considerate toward the circumstances of the Fransil family. After all, this was their problem, not his. As such, he decided to entrust Pythamoras to negotiate the ransom and exchange prisoners. He would head for the Batla Duchy. However, an unexpected turn of events took place. Lorraine Fransil, the most important prisoner, suddenly asked for permission to join Eugene¡¯s journey. Eugene became dumbfounded and intended to reject it, but he had to reconsider after hearing Pythamoras and Lanslo¡¯s words. ¡°Ehem. Things will be more smooth sailing for you if you have prestigious nobles of Brantia there as witnesses when you succeed the Batla Duchy. If a direct descendant of the Fransil family plays the role, the effect will be even greater,¡± Pythamoras said. ¡°That¡¯s true. In addition, if we leave Lady Lorraine in the castle, their emissary will come to know of our current situation.¡± Lanslo chimed in. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°If they realize that our army is absent, they could mobilize their forces. But as long as we have Lady Lorraine with us, they won¡¯t be able to act hastily,¡± Lanslo added. ¡°Their army¡­ Then should I leave you behind, Lanslo?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No. Rather, it would be better for everyone to head to the Batla Duchy except Master Pythamoras,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Why?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ehem. That¡¯s because the Fransil family is after Brantia¡¯s throne,¡± Pythamoras answered. ¡°It¡¯s just as Master Pythamoras says. There¡¯s nothing more cowardly than attacking a territory when its master is absent. And since they haven¡¯t declared war on us, they don¡¯t have any justification for attacking us,¡± Lanslo commented. And even if they decided to attack the castle in the meantime, Galfredik would eventually return from Mungard with his troops. After only a moment of contemplation, Eugene saw the logic in their advice and decided to comply. However¡­ ¡°But it¡¯s strange. The girl had always been trembling in fear every time I looked at her, so why does she suddenly want to follow me? And as soon as it was decided that Luke would accompany me as well?¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes as he stared at Lorraine. Lorraine hadn¡¯t departed from Luke¡¯s side ever since they left the castle yesterday. CH 148 ¡°Your Excellency, Your Excellency. When you rest in a while, will you help me with my swordplay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t consider myself skilled enough to teach anyone¡­¡± ¡°Shall we play a game of chess, then? I want to make up for yesterday¡¯s defeat.¡± ¡°My lady, I apologize, but we¡¯re not on a leisure trip right now. And I¡­ I think you¡¯re a little too close to me. Would you mind moving away from me a little?¡± ¡°Yes. Tsk. I wish we could¡¯ve just shared a horse¡­¡± ¡°What? Did you say something?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Lorraine smiled brightly before moving her horse an inch from Luke¡¯s steed. ¡°Wonderful, how wonderful. Look at those two, sticking together like a twin-headed ogre. Look at that little fox. She¡¯s so straightforward. Kieeeh? Look, look! Look at her trying to flirt by flipping her hair back,¡± Mirian murmured while hovering around the two figures. Then, she landed on the mane of Lorraine¡¯s horse with an insidious smile. She snuck a look at Eugene and Luke, who were in right front of Lorraine. ¡°Ptooey!¡± Neiiiiiiiiighhh! Lorraine¡¯s horse reared with surprise after a sudden baptism of spirit phlegm. ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°Hmm?!¡± Lorraine shouted with shock, and Luke jumped out from his saddle like lightning. Fwoosh! He then caught Lorraine just as she was about to hit the ground in a ¡®princess carry.¡¯ ¡°Kehehe! Aide number two! You¡¯re pretty good, hmm? You should be grateful, you little fox. You are, aren¡¯t you? If things go well, make sure to repay me in gold, silver, and treasures. Since there are two of you, pay me double! Kiheheheheheheheh!¡± The spirit giggled insidiously while gazing at the pair of cockroaches with interest. Luke could not hide his concern as he supported Lorraine¡¯s back and thighs with his muscular arms. ¡°My lady! Are you all right?¡± ¡°Ah! Ah¡­ Yes.¡± Lorraine¡¯s heart began to pound crazily, and her cheeks flushed red. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t because she was thrown off her horse. The young, handsome count¡¯s eyes were filled with sincere concern, and the warm breath that grazed her with his every word showed no mercy to her tender heart. ¡°L-Lady Lorraine! Are you okay?¡± Bonmer shouted with worry while belatedly rushing toward her. ¡°Her horse seems to have been spooked. Fortunately, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s hurt. Please take good care of her, sir,¡± Luke spoke up. ¡°Ohh! Thank you, sir!¡± Bonmer shouted with gratitude. Luke ticked all the boxes¡ªskills as a knight, manners, and an attitude befitting a noble, as well as deep consideration even for prisoners and treating them with honor. The young count was a rare talent that even Bonmer coveted. Most others his age would be ignorant and blinded by their desire for merit and accomplishments. ¡®But they might one day clash with our family¡­ What should I do?¡¯ Bonmer¡¯s gaze naturally headed toward Eugene at the front of the group. Judging by the fact that Eugene¡¯s face was filled with irritation and annoyance, it appeared that the young count¡¯s master was rather disdainful toward Lorraine. And it was true¡­ ¡°She¡¯s a pain in so many different ways,¡± Eugene muttered. Lanslo responded with a laugh. ¡°Haha. Isn¡¯t that what relationships between men and women are all about? Well, of course, it¡¯s natural that you don¡¯t see her in a favorable light.¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes after seeing Lanslo¡¯s mysterious smile. ¡°Relationships between men and women? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Huh? Are you saying you didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene frowned instead of answering. Lanslo burst out laughing. ¡°Hahaha! I don¡¯t know what to say. I thought you gave Lady Lorraine the permission to accompany you because you already knew.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Lady Lorraine has Count Crawlmarine in her heart,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°¡­What?¡± Eugene was dumbfounded. Was she in her right mind? She had a thing for Luke after she was taken prisoner for doing something stupid? ¡°She joined us on our journey to appeal to Count Crawlmarine. If she returned after paying her ransom, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to see him anymore,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°You aren¡¯t joking, are you?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No. Although I like jokes, I wouldn¡¯t joke around when talking about something like the future of the Fransil family and the Crawmarine family,¡± Lanslo responded with a serious expression. Eugene muttered in disbelief, ¡°This is crazy¡­¡± However, he soon raised his head and took a glance backward. Lorraine was following Luke like a lost puppy, and Luke was constantly glancing back as if he were worried about her. Eugene asked, ¡°And what did you mean when you said I allowed her to accompany us because I already knew?¡± ¡°Because Lady Lorraine is from the Fransil family. Regardless of the whole issue with them proclaiming to be a duchy, they are still a recognized family in Brantia capable of aiming for the throne, right? So I assumed that you were going to tie the knot between Count Crawlmarine and Lady Lorraine to swallow the Fransil family,¡± Lanslo answered. ¡°Hooh.¡± The irritation disappeared from Eugene¡¯s face at once. Wasn¡¯t this actually a plausible plan? ¡°What should I do now, then?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re asking me? Even with your devilish brain?¡± Lanslo was dumbfounded. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene licked his lips without answering. To be honest, he was confident in handling most issues and problems, but matters relating to relationships were an exception. How could he plan around something that he didn¡¯t know about? ¡°Well, I guess¡­¡± Lanslo nodded with apparent understanding. It wasn¡¯t a huge secret that Eugene lived a life disconnected from any romance. Even Odd, the merchant, seriously considered whether he should get a particularly beautiful prostitute for Eugene. ¡°You guess? What does that mean?¡± Eugene asked. He felt slightly offended by Lanslo¡¯s behavior. However, the knight simply grinned in response. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Anyway. You should just let it be.¡± ¡°Let it be?¡± Lanslo glanced at Lorraine, who was slowly creeping her way closer to Luke once again, then explained quietly, ¡°If you tell Count Crawlmarine to get along with Lady Lorraine, he will surely follow your orders faithfully. However, that would simply be obeying your orders and not following his heart.¡± He pointed at his heart before continuing. ¡°The problem is that women can notice such things almost perfectly. In particular, Lady Lorraine must have been courted by many nobles and knights as a direct descendant of the Fransil family. To distinguish between a man¡¯s true feelings and lies will be as easy as eating cake for her.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s for sure.¡± In truth, Eugene knew nothing, but he nodded for now. Lanslo had to hold back his laughter at Eugene¡¯s audacious act. ¡°That¡¯s why we have to let it be for now. Lady Lorraine obviously has Count Crawlmarine in her heart. And although Count Crawlmarine seems to be slightly annoyed, he doesn¡¯t really hate her. Lady Lorraine¡¯s feelings for Count Crawlmarine will eventually deepen as time goes by,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene was still confused. However, Lanslo was popular with women anywhere he went regardless of their status and age. As such, he found Lanslo¡¯s words to be quite trustworthy in that department. ¡°Anyway, if everything goes well between those twin-headed ogres, then¡­? Then the Fransil family¡­ Ah! That will do,¡± Eugene muttered. Although he was completely oblivious to matters between men and women, he was extraordinarily sly when it came to other issues. He had a rough idea about how to take care of the Fransil family once Luke and Lorraine paired up with each other. ¡°Did you come up with any good ideas?¡± Lanslo asked with expectation. Eugene nodded. ¡°I¡¯m planning to use the ¡®good knight, bad knight¡¯ once more.¡± ¡°Kieeeh! Sir Eugene may be no good when it comes to dating, but for other things, he¡¯s¡­ Kuagh!¡± ¡°Pffft!¡± The spirit was immediately flattened after her attempt to attack Eugene with the truth, which made Lanslo immediately burst out into laughter. *** ¡°Master Reyma. Messengers have returned from the Riwad family.¡± ¡°Hmm. Come on in.¡± A well-dressed aristocrat and a knight entered the large, luxurious military barracks. The structure¡¯s floor was covered with many rugs, and it resembled a luxury inn. ¡°How did it go? How much does Count Crawlmarine want for ransom?¡± ¡°Well¡­ there have been some issues.¡± ¡°Issues? What is it?¡± Reyma, the eldest son of Viort Fransil, asked with a frown. Were they perhaps demanding an impossible amount of money as ransom? ¡°Lady Lorraine isn¡¯t in Castle Riwad.¡± ¡°What did you say? D-don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Reyma stuttered. His expression became fierce as the thought of execution came into mind. The noble quickly shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s not what you think it is.¡± ¡°Then what is going on? Why are you saying there are issues?¡± Reyma asked. ¡°The druid who is staying in the castle¡­¡± The noble briefly conveyed what he heard from Pythamoras. ¡°So, you are saying that Lorraine voluntarily followed that vampire noble, is that right?¡± Reyma asked. ¡°According to what I¡¯ve heard. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a lie, since the druid said so personally,¡± the noble responded. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± ¡°And Sir Stein says Sir Bonmer accompanied Lady Lorraine to take care of her.¡± The noble continued. ¡°I don¡¯t care if that man dies or lives. No, rather, it might be better if he dies. Then we will be able to hold that vampire, Eugene, accountable. It would be better for that girl to do one more favor for the family before she goes,¡± Reyma said. It was a cruel thing to say to a member of one¡¯s family, but the nobles and knights gathered in the tent appeared unaffected. They all knew how much Reyma actually cared about Lorraine, although his words appeared to be cold and ruthless. He simply had difficulties expressing his love directly. His love for the youngest sibling was undeniable since he was personally participating in negotiations even as an heir to the Fransil family. ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to worry too much about her safety. Sir Jan Eugene, as well as Count Crawlmarine, has accompanied her with troops.¡± The noble pointed out. ¡°Hmm. Is that so? Their castle must be quite empty, then,¡± Reyma answered. ¡°It seems that way, but I can¡¯t say for sure since I didn¡¯t enter the castle. There were Beowulf warriors escorting the druid, and all of them were armed with special armor. Master Reyma, I think the stories we heard in Brighton are true,¡± the noble said. ¡°Hmm.¡± They had hidden their identities and stopped by the City of Brighton to gather information after arriving in this place. They were initially surprised by the fact that Brighton was incorporated into the Crawlmarine county, and they were once again surprised that the Crawlmarine county possessed an army much stronger and more numerous than they expected. In particular, it was extremely difficult to believe that two vampire knights had supposedly wiped out a death knight, ghouls, and other monsters from the city¡¯s underground. ¡°Anyhow, where did this knight Eugene and Count Crawlmarine go? Have they gone to occupy another territory?¡± Reyma asked. ¡°Well¡­ Apparently, they went to the Batla Duchy. He wants to succeed the duchy,¡± the noble answered. ¡°What?!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes widened. The Batla Duchy was one of the most famous families in Brantia, along with the Drak family, which was known as the family of the knights of the lake. ¡°A member of the Tribe of the Darkness inheriting the Batla Duchy? How does that make any sense?¡± Reyma muttered as if finding it absurd. The nobles responded cautiously, ¡°It¡¯s not entirely impossible. Hundreds of years have passed, and who knows where the blood of the first duke might have gone? There¡¯s already an elf duke, so there¡¯s no law that a vampire can¡¯t be a duke.¡± ¡°If he can prove his legitimacy, the duchy might acknowledge Sir Jan Eugene as the duke. Sir Laplas was the most likely candidate, but he has gone missing after embarking on his quest to knighthood, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve heard that the duchy¡¯s heirloom was lost alongside his disappearance. It might be possible if Sir Eugene has located it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Reyma tapped his finger against the round table with a serious expression, then suddenly raised his head. ¡°Perhaps¡­ Did Lorraine follow Sir Jan Eugene because she thought he was going to become the Duke of Batla?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The startled nobles exchanged glances, then nodded their heads. ¡°That seems plausible. If Lady Lorraine becomes a duke¡¯s wife, then wouldn¡¯t Your Excellency naturally gain the legitimacy to climb Brantia¡¯s throne?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t any precedents for vampires to get together with humans. Rather, it could be even better since it¡¯s so rare.¡± ¡°I agree. It seems Lady Lorraine has found a way to help the family and empower Master Reyma.¡± ¡°Haha! Master Reyma! Lady Lorraine has certainly matured!¡± The atmosphere quickly turned amicable. Reyma spoke solemnly, trying to stop the corners of his mouth from curling into a smile. ¡°Ehem! She certainly deserves to be praised if that was her intent, but nothing is certain yet. Let¡¯s contact the family and stand by for now. Ah, just in case, we should avoid anything that might cause conflict with the Riwad territory.¡± ¡°We hear your orders!¡± the nobles and knights answered with bright expressions, knowing that Reyma cared about his family¡¯s interests as much as he cared for his sister. However, they were completely unaware that the true benefits were aligned to the favor of a man who was completely ignorant of romantic relationships. CH 149 After traveling for four more days without knowing that Reyma Fransil was near the Riwad territory, Eugene finally laid his eyes on the Batla Duchy¡¯s territory. ¡°I expected it, but isn¡¯t this too small?¡± Eugene spoke with disappointment as he looked down at the territory from a small hill. The Batla duchy¡¯s territory was smaller than the Tywin territory. There was only a single village centered around the duchy¡¯s castle and a small piece of arable land. Although they were a duchy, the size of the territory was less than that of an unimportant lord¡¯s territory from the Caylor Kingdom. It was commonly known that no one had invaded the Batla duchy¡¯s territory because of its extraordinary symbolism. However, after seeing the land first-hand, Eugene wondered if it remained untouched because of how useless it was. ¡°The dukes were incredibly incompetent for the past hundred years. The duchy¡¯s vassals became independent because of the duchy¡¯s debt and sold their land, which is how it ended up in its current state. Now, all that remains is the faded honor of the duchy¡¯s past,¡± Lanslo explained. Eugene responded, ¡°Look at how small it is. A decent-sized group of bandits could easily tear everything down.¡± ¡°Haha. Bandits wouldn¡¯t attack the duchy even if they were out of their minds since the families seeking Brantia¡¯s throne would immediately come to the duchy¡¯s aide,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Really? Because it looks like there¡¯s a group of such crazy bastards right over there,¡± Eugene said while pointing in a direction. ¡°What?!¡± Lanslo was startled and hurriedly turned his head. ¡°Huh?¡± A group of horsemen and foot soldiers could be seen at the edge of the duchy¡¯s arable land, which bordered a forest. They were approaching the duchy¡¯s village, and there appeared to be around 200-300 of them. Eugene used his excellent vision to closely examine the group of soldiers. ¡°There¡¯s no flag, and about ten of them are on horseback. Fewer than ten of them are wearing chainmail. It¡¯s not a formal army, and I don¡¯t think they have good intentions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure. What will you do, sir?¡± Lanslo asked. Eugene turned around with a cold smile and replied, ¡°What will I do? Sooner or later, I¡¯ll be the Duke of Batla, won¡¯t I?¡± On his journey thus far, he had taken possession of eight villages and dispatched two lords without losing even ten of his men. His valiant, strong army was awaiting orders from him. They were burning with fervor. Eugene gave his orders. ¡°Wolfgan. The Beowulf warriors will take the lead along my side. Lanslo, take charge of the infantry and cut off the enemy¡¯s tail. Don¡¯t let a single one get away.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°Please leave it to me.¡± ¡°Sir Bonmer,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene,¡± the knight answered. ¡°Stay here with Lady Lorraine and the depot. If the enemy approaches you, take care of them,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh! All right, sir! Thank you!¡± Bonmer was both surprised and moved. Even though the two of them had become quite familiar with each other, Bonmer was still technically a prisoner. As such, he couldn¡¯t believe that Eugene would entrust him with such a task. However, Eugene had other intentions. Rather than trusting in Bonmer, Eugene wanted to keep Lorraine in check. She was an important prisoner and was also rather prone to doing unexpected things. ¡°My lord, please be careful. Don¡¯t let yourself get hurt,¡± Lorraine said. ¡°I appreciate your words, but a true knight should not be afraid of sustaining an injury,¡± Luke responded. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Please stay here and take care of yourself. If you get hurt, then¡­¡± Luke started to respond. ¡°Luke,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, Master! I¡¯m on my way!¡± Luke turned his horse and headed toward Eugene. He never managed to finish saying that ¡®we won¡¯t be able to receive proper ransom from the Fransil family.¡¯ However, Lorraine didn¡¯t know the truth, and she looked at the young count¡¯s dignified back with hazy eyes and tightly clasped hands. ¡°How could he be so considerate? To think that he would place my safety before his own. Ha¡­¡± Lorraine muttered. ¡°Lady Lorraine. Come this way, please,¡± Bonmer said. ¡°Yes,¡± she answered. Bonmer felt devastated whenever he saw Lorraine¡¯s hazy expression. He felt worried sick that the youngest daughter of the Fransil family was falling even deeper in love with the Count Crawlmarine as the days went by. Twenty beowulf warriors started charging down the hill alongside Eugene and Luke. *** There were only a few trees on the hill, so the unidentified bandits quickly discovered the approach of two horsemen and the beowulf warriors. The confused bandits hurriedly changed their targets and started toward Eugene and the Beowulf warriors. ¡°Huh? They¡¯re not just bandits.¡± ¡°Yeah. It looks like they received proper training.¡± The beowulf warriors started whispering while jogging to keep pace with Silion. Eugene was also slightly surprised as well. The ¡®bandits¡¯ had reacted to their presence by raising their wooden shields and organizing themselves into a relatively plausible formation. And that wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­ Eugene could see one of the horsemen giving orders, which caused the soldiers in the rear to raise their longbows and crossbows. Shuuuack! Once the distance between the two groups narrowed to about 150 meters, the group of bandits released their arrows. In addition, the projectiles were shot to cover a wide area so that the barrage would be unavoidable. ¡°These bastards have some skill!¡± Wolfgan and the beowulf warriors slightly lowered their postures and crossed their arms. Simultaneously, Eugene and Luke raised their shields. Thud! Thud! Thud! The arrows fell like heavy rain. However, they could not penetrate the beowulfs¡¯ armors. Even the few that managed to find the gaps in their armor had no effect. The beowulfs simply ripped them out of their bodies while continuing their charge. ¡°Straight ahead! Charge!¡± Kuwooooo! Once the distance narrowed to about 100 meters, the beowulfs started to accelerate. Silion also sped up as well. Tutututututututu! The distance was narrowed to 50 meters in an instant. In the meantime, additional arrows rained down from the sky, but the beowulf warriors ignored the projectiles while continuing forward. Soon, the line of shields was only a few seconds away. ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Kieeeeh! Let¡¯s goo!¡± Silion began to gallop at full speed as Eugene and Mirian shouted. Kuwuuuuuugh! The Fear of an Origin and beowulfs harmonized with the strong roar and the invisible wave washed over the enemies. It was a force that could not be overcome by ordinary humans. Gaps appeared in various places along the line of shields, which immediately invalidated the formation. At that moment, the giant hedgehogs of beowulfs crashed into the line of shields. Boooom! Boom! BOoooom! Dozens of bandits were thrown into the air amidst the screams and explosions. In the first place, the bandits were only armed with leather armor and wooden shields. It was impossible for them to withstand the charge of the beowulf warriors, who boasted more power than even heavy cavalry. Kuwuooooo! Kuwuugh! Uwwwghh! The enemy¡¯s ranks were disturbed from the initial collision, and the beowulfs started rampaging in pairs of two or groups of three. They were as fast as predators and as strong as trolls and were even armed to the teeth with sturdy armor¡ªthey were an unstoppable force. Meanwhile, Lanslo descended the hill with mercenaries after Eugene and began to suppress the confused group of bandits. The mercenaries possessed the advantage in terms of numbers and equipment. As such, they easily disposed of the bandits. And instead of fighting recklessly like before, the mercenaries grouped into formations of 40 to 50 before engaging with the enemy. They were now no different from a well-organized, well-trained group of soldiers. ¡°Luther! Take care of the ones fleeing to the left!¡± ¡°Croul! Step back and join with Bowma¡¯s unit to surround the enemy!¡± In addition, Lanslo made timely judgments and made his way around the battlefield while giving instructions. The mercenaries became more effective at wiping out the enemies. Lanslo¡¯s commanding abilities were excellent and lived up to the reputation of his family name. While the beowulf warriors and the mercenaries wreaked havoc, Eugene and Luke pierced through the enemy ranks. Their target was those who were on horseback and chainmail. Shuack! Eugene threw Madarazika before immediately unsheathing Wolfslaughter. The spear pierced the chest of one of the enemy knights and penetrated the throat of another standing behind. Two knights had collapsed with a single attack, and their troops were getting absolutely slaughtered. The majority of the survivors began to promptly flee. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± Luke pulled out his longbow while on horseback. Having enjoyed hunting in Marine Forest since childhood, he was quite skilled with the bow. Ping! The arrow left the strings and embedded itself in one of the fleeing knight¡¯s helmet. It hadn¡¯t completely penetrated the metal, but the shock was sufficient for the knight to collapse in his saddle. Madarazika returned to Eugene¡¯s hand before immediately overtaking another one of the fleeing knights. Kyaaaahhhhh! The demon spear seemed to cry in joy while ripping through the air. Madarazika flew slightly to the right of the escaping knights, then bent left like a boomerang. The demon spear pierced the chests and necks of the escaping knights before returning to its master¡¯s hand. ¡°That works?¡± ¡°Kieeeeh? What? Sir, how did you do that?¡± Mirian excitedly exclaimed. Until now, Eugene had only willed the spear to return after throwing it. But he ended up discovering that he could manipulate its directions mid-flight with his will. ¡°I manipulated it with my Fear,¡± Eugene explained. Although he had succeeded in killing multiple enemies with a single strike due to their poor armor, he had a hunch that his newly-acquired technique would also be quite useful in the future. ¡°Master! What should we do with the rest of them?¡± Luke called out. ¡°Our steeds are tired, so we will leave it to the beowulfs. Wolfgan!¡± Eugene shouted. Wolfgan immediately ran forward with two other beowulfs. ¡°Capture those bastards and bring them back,¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Wuooooo!¡± The beowulfs kicked off the ground using all of their limbs. Soon after, cries of horses resonated, and the beowulfs returned while dragging back knights with bloodied faces. Once again, the battle ended in a huge victory with only about twenty allied casualties. *** The duchy¡¯s knights and soldiers witnessed the bloody battle. They immediately opened their gates and warmly welcomed Eugene and his army. ¡°Even so, it doesn¡¯t make sense that they¡¯re opening their doors so unhesitatingly for someone they¡¯re seeing for the first time, does it?¡± Eugene couldn¡¯t help but mutter. However, his curiosity was resolved when he met Sir Vyort, a knight of the duchy and the captain of the guards. ¡°Thank you very much, sir! You have helped us defeat the bandits who were constantly after the duchy! This is truly a blessing from the great spirit!¡± the knight shouted. His tone was rather¡­ curious, and Eugene couldn¡¯t even begin to point out the oddities in the knight¡¯s words. Eugene had ¡®helped¡¯ them defeat the enemies when they did nothing to contribute to the battle? And the great spirit had ¡®blessed¡¯ them when Eugene was the one who fought with his life on the line? Regardless, one thing was made clear. The enemies had been no ordinary bandits. Most bandits were impatient, so they wouldn¡¯t keep attacking a place after failing once or twice. Luke suddenly burst into a rage. ¡°Sir! Keep your words and actions straight!¡± ¡°Hmm? How dare a mere aide¡­¡± Vyort glared at Luke as if he were dumbfounded. He had clearly seen Luke assisting Eugene out of Silion. Lanslo, who was smiling next to him, stepped out. ¡°Sir Vyort, was it? This young fellow is indeed Sir Eugene¡¯s aide, but he is also the Count of Crawlmarine. You should speak and act properly.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Vyort exclaimed. Luke spoke while expressing his displeasure, ¡°Luke Crawlmarine. And this is Sir Jan Eugene, a nobleman of the Dark Clan and my master.¡± ¡°I-I apologize! I dared to not recognize the honorable nobles and made a big mistake!¡± Vyort shouted with a quick change in attitude. It appeared that he possessed some common sense. ¡°Thanks to your heroic performance, we were able to eradicate the vicious group who dared to target the Batla duchy! I will report this to the duchy¡¯s elders, so please come inside!¡± Vyort shouted. Eugene ordered Odd to clean up the battlefield and entered the castle alongside Luke and Lanslo, following after Vyort and the guards. Lorraine whined about wanting to accompany them, but she was instantly silenced by Eugene¡¯s gaze. ¡°Kieeeeh. I¡¯m disappointed. I was looking forward to seeing a duchy¡¯s castle, but what is this?¡± Mirian muttered. Eugene strongly agreed with her words. The castle wasn¡¯t tiny, but it was too small to be called a duchy¡¯s stronghold. Still, it gave off a very antique and quiet atmosphere. The historic nature of an ancient family could be felt from the castle¡¯s walls. To be honest, Eugene felt the fondest of the Batla duchy¡¯s castle compared to any other castles he had visited until now, although he couldn¡¯t say why. That was until the old-men-elders of the duchy crawled out of their holes and ruined his mood. ¡°Sir Eugene, right? I know of the Crawlmarine County, but I¡¯ve never heard of the Eugene family before. It must be a lowly family of vampires from the continent.¡± ¡°Thank you for helping the great duchy of Balta. However, I¡¯m certain that your accomplishments in helping our family will allow your honor to reach new heights. I believe you won¡¯t be seeking any other compensation.¡± ¡°I should commend you for being righteous and valiant, unbefitting your identity as a member of the Dark Clan. But I would appreciate it if you understood the duchy¡¯s current state and be on your way.¡± ¡°Kieeeeeeek?! What are those crazy, old, bald men talking about? We should confiscate all of their wigs and fake teeth for a month!¡± The spirit of desire burst into a rage as soon as the elders were done speaking. Although the old men were using all sorts of rhetoric, their message was simple. They were telling Eugene to get lost. CH 150 Eugene stared at the elders without any expression, and Lanslo quickly whispered, ¡°As I said before, the Batla Duchy holds a very special place in Brantia. The elders are acting like that because they are afraid that you will ask for their cooperation in taking Brantia¡¯s throne.¡± Still, they were being too shameless. Eugene looked at the elders with a cold gaze before speaking, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you become brazen once you grow older, and it seems there¡¯s no exception even within the Batla Duchy.¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± one of the elders shouted. ¡°You don¡¯t even have a grasp on reality. My army is just outside the walls. What do you think will happen if I give my orders?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­!¡± The expression of the elders underwent a rapid change after hearing a direct threat. ¡°S-sir! Are you going to betray your sense of honor? Such a devious tactic is unbefitting a true knight¡¯s¡­¡± Vyort hurriedly stepped out. Eugene turned his head and interrupted him in an arrogant voice. ¡°Sir, before I am a knight, I am a member of the Tribe of the Darkness. Don¡¯t you know how our kind usually are? Ah, and don¡¯t call it devious. ¡®Calculating¡¯ sounds more dignified.¡± ¡°What?¡± Vyort said, dumbfounded. One of the elders screamed, ¡°What are you all doing? Capture that crazy man right this instant! How dare you threaten the great duchy of Batla?!¡± Troops swarmed at the elder¡¯s shout. They weren¡¯t just armed with weapons either. Quite a few of them were holding shields in the form of a mirror made of silver and copper. It was a so-called anti-vampire weapon. Shing! Luke and Lanslo unsheathed their respective weapons in response. ¡°Hmph! What do you plan on doing with just the three of you? Apologize immediately if you don¡¯t want to lose your lives!¡± The elders and their troops were in high spirits. Even though Eugene was a vampire nobleman, his entire figure was covered with his armor. In addition, his back was against the sun, and his visor was up. Of course, it was only coincidental, but it was enough for the elders to assume that Eugene was a vampire vulnerable to the sun. ¡°Apologize right this instant! If you apologize and pay reasonable compensation, we will let you leave peacefully!¡± ¡°What a completely insane bunch of bastards,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°You¡­¡± The enraged elders started to shout once more, but Eugene raised his left arm. Wooong! Clack! His gauntlet transformed into the magical shield. ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°Paracletus! The Dragon Guardian!¡± Everyone was stunned at the shield¡¯s appearance, including the elders, the soldiers, and all those who had come to see what the commotion was about. They couldn¡¯t easily come to their senses. The family heirloom had gone missing along with Laplas¡¯s disappearance, but now it was suddenly in front of their eyes. ¡°You, you¡­ No, sir, how could you be in possession of the Dragon Guardian¡­¡± ¡°Paracletus is a precious heirloom of the Batla duchy! Hand it over immediately!¡± ¡°Did you kill him? You dared to kill Sir Laplas?!¡± It appeared that the elders still hadn¡¯t regained their grip on reality. Eugene spoke with a disdainful smirk, ¡°Stop talking nonsense. If you apologize now and pay reasonable compensation, I will let you off peacefully.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± He was repeating the elders¡¯ words from just a moment ago. Everyone¡¯s eyes widened with disbelief. The situation was rather unsuitable for his words, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Did you not hear me? Apologize and provide compensation. Then I won¡¯t kill you.¡± Eugene repeated himself. ¡°What are you talking about!? Hand that over immediately! The Dragon Guardian is a treasure of our family and¡­¡± ¡°Whoever possesses the shield has the right to assert a claim to the duchy, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°H-how did you¡­¡± The elders started trembling at Eugene¡¯s icy voice. Vyort, who was at a loss, hurriedly spoke to the elders, ¡°My lords! The knight accompanying Sir Eugene is a knight from the Drak family.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Lanslo of the Drak family.¡± Lanslo stepped forward with a smile. ¡°Drak! A family of the Knight of the Lake?¡± The elders were unable to come to their senses. The appearance of a missing family heirloom was shocking enough, but now, a knight from the Drak family had even revealed his identity. The Drak family was one of the only families in Brantia capable of rivaling the Batla duchy in status. In the meantime, they also discovered how Eugene came to know about the opportunity provided to the owner of the Dragon Guardian. ¡°Oi.¡± Thud. Vyort¡¯s eyes trembled as he received an object from Eugene. It was a sealed parchment. After opening the parchment and examining the contents, Vyort spoke to the elders with a grim expression. ¡°My lords. This is Sir Laplas¡¯s handwriting and seal. He was attempting to take down the monster of Marine Forest and¡­¡± The parchment was a memorandum written by Laplas just before he entered Marine Forest with his troops. It mentioned that he would not hold the Bosch family and the Crawlmarine County accountable regardless of what fate he suffered in the forest. ¡°Laplas, knight of the Batla duchy. He was killed by the monster of Marine Forest. I avenged him and obtained this shield. Will you still claim ownership of it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Keugh¡­¡± The expressions of the elders crumpled. If what Eugene said was true, then he was a benefactor of the duchy and they owed him a great deal. Moreover, there were no issues with him taking ownership of the artifact since he had taken revenge for the fallen knight, even if it was a family treasure. On the contrary, it would only be natural for the family to seek mercy and grace from Eugene, asking him to return the object in exchange for compensation. The elders quickly shared gazes. Eugene immediately recognized from their expressions how the situation would turn. But he also knew that he himself would be limited in his choices if he were standing in their shoes. However, the dead wouldn¡¯t talk¡­ ¡°Oi, seniors, make the right choice,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°This is your last warning and opportunity. Make, the right, choice.¡± Eugene continued. Tsssss¡­ Strange energy contrasting with Eugene¡¯s icy voice began to rise above Eugene¡¯s shoulders. It wasn¡¯t visible to the naked eye, but everyone could feel its presence. Simultaneously, Eugene slowly took off his helmet. His obsidian hair and crimson eyes were revealed under the shedding light of the sun. His actions were sufficient to leave a bigger impact than Lanslo¡¯s identity and the appearance of Paracletus. The elders stood still without uttering a word for quite some time. ¡°D-daywalker¡­¡± Someone¡¯s whisper broke the magic of the silence, and the elders trembled. Daywalker. They were the highest nobles of the Dark Clan, and even in Brantia, which was home to many vampires, only a few Daywalkers had ever made their appearance throughout its history. And such a figure had appeared in the Batla duchy¡¯s castle. Moreover, he was in possession of the duchy¡¯s treasure and had a knight from the Drak family as his subordinate. ¡°S-s-sir. We made a mistake. P-please return it. The treasure is indispensable to the great Batla duchy.¡± ¡°We will apologize, so please return the Dragon Guardian.¡± The attitudes of the elders changed immediately. Vampires tended to be stationary creatures because they couldn¡¯t enter spaces uninvited. As such, villages and castles were safe from vampire attacks as long as vampires weren¡¯t explicitly invited inside. And even if they were invited, there was no difficulty dealing with vampires as long as there were mirrors to reflect sunlight and silver weapons. However, such facts were only viable under the assumption that the opponent was a regular vampire. It was a completely different story if the opponent was one of the noblest vampires¡ªa Daywalker. It would be impossible to retaliate or fight the instant that such an existence set foot inside. ¡°Sir! Please!¡± ¡°Please show mercy!¡± The attitudes of the elders had dampened considerably. However, it was still far from what Eugene desired. ¡°You¡¯re begging me, right. But is this how you treat all your guests?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What are you¡­?¡± one of the elders muttered. ¡°My neck is hurting. You¡¯ve got a precious guest like myself, yet you continue to look down on me. Is that how the great Batla duchy operates?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Ah!¡± The elders flinched before slowly coming down the stairs. Although they were well-dressed, they were still small, frail seniors in front of Eugene. The five of them stood in front of Eugene and were forced to look slightly up at Eugene. Click. Eugene willed the magic shield, Paracletus, to turn back into a gauntlet as he looked down at the elders and spoke, ¡°I will ask you. The master of this shield can challenge the duchy. Is that correct?¡± ¡°T-that¡­. Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The elders urgently nodded their heads. They could think of no more ways to deceive or control the vampire, especially when they had no means of dealing with him either. ¡°If you want, sir, I will formally declare that you are challenging the duchy. We will prepare the quest,¡± one of the elders said. ¡°The Dragon Guardian will¡­¡± ¡°What happens if I have two?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­?¡± The elders seemed confused by the seemingly random question. Eugene spoke once again, ¡°The Batla family¡¯s treasures. This isn¡¯t the only one, is it?¡± ¡°H-how did you know¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. Anyway, what happens if I have two?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± The elders seemed hesitant. They exchanged a quick glance before answering. ¡°You can skip the quest and exercise your authority as the duchy¡¯s representative.¡± ¡°A representative?¡± Eugene asked. The elders became frightened by Eugene¡¯s question and hurriedly added. ¡°Naturally, they would possess the same authority as the official duke.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And although this is not well known to the public, the last three generations of dukes were actually just representatives. Anyway, first of all, Paracletus¡­¡± Shing! ¡°Hieeek!¡± ¡°S-s-s-sir! What are you doing!?¡± The elders shouted with horror and took several steps back when Eugene unsheathed his sword. Vyort and his troops raised their weapons in response, although they knew they were no match for him. ¡°Look closely,¡± Eugene said before slowly waving Wolfslaughter. The sword emitted a brilliant, mysterious aura under the sunlight. ¡°There¡¯s two, so from this moment on, I¡¯m the duchy¡¯s representative. Is that right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Wolfslaughter! How do you possess the¡­!?¡± The questions kept coming¡ªhow could he possess two of the treasures, how could a vampire hold a sword made from silver and meteoric iron, et cetra¡­ However, some of their questions were quickly made self-evident. A Daywalker wasn¡¯t afraid of the sun. As such, he could utilize weapons that were deadly against monsters and undead. ¡°So what do you say? Am I, Jan Eugene, the representative of the Batla Duchy now?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The eyes of the elders quivered relentlessly. They couldn¡¯t deny it now. They had already said too many things. If they denied it here, they would be ripping the family¡¯s honor to shreds. Although they were arrogant and somewhat brazen, the elders of the Batla Duchy weren¡¯t so inflexible as to deny their family¡¯s honor. ¡°T-that¡¯s correct. As elders, we¡­ declare that¡­¡± Woong! A sudden resonance disrupted their words and everyone¡¯s gaze turned to its origin. Woooooooooong! The demon spear rose into the air while crying with joy, then drew a circle before settling in Eugene¡¯s hand like a living creature. ¡°¡­!¡± The elders stiffened like stone statues. An impossible sight was displayed before them. Eugene¡¯s voice cut through their shock. ¡°I have Madarazika as well. That¡¯s three in total. Am I still just the representative?¡± ¡°M-Madarazika! The Orc Slayer as well?!¡± Paracletus, Wolfslaughter, and Madarazika. It was an unprecedented sight where three of the Batla family¡¯s four treasures were gathered in one place. The elders were in sheer disbelief. The Dragon Guardian and Wolfslaughter were family heirlooms that were rather well known to the elders. However, Madarazika had gone missing more than fifty years ago, and the youngest of the elders was seeing the spear for the first time. - Whoever gathers all the heirlooms by his own might is the monarch of Batla, the greatest knight, and the guardian of glory. The departing words of the first duke resonated in the heads of the elders. ¡°A-ah!¡± ¡°Great gods, spirits of Batla¡­¡± The five elders gawked at the three artifacts with awe, then slowly began to fold their old, squeaky knees. Then, they shouted in a unified, emotional voice, ¡°We greet the new duke of the great family of Batla!¡± Their words and actions were akin to a signal. Everyone in the duchy followed suit and bowed their heads, kneeling on one knee toward their new monarch. ¡°We greet Your Excellency the Duke!¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± A huge wave appeared to fluctuate with Eugene at its very center, and the sight seemed to be hinting at the future of the Batla Duchy. CH 151 Once the elders recognized Eugene as Batla¡¯s duke, he entered the castle¡¯s palace along with Lanslo and Luke. The direct descendants of the previous duke had either died in the war or from various diseases. Laplas, the last remaining heir, had also been killed by the lycanthrope king. The elders were left to handle the internal and external matters of the duchy, and Eugene¡¯s succession was completed in a swift manner. However, the succession ceremony proved to be a bit of a headache. The succession of a ¡®true duke'' simply couldn¡¯t be performed behind closed doors. ¡°Please, call in all the nobles and lords in the duchy¡¯s vicinity.¡± ¡°Once upon a time, they were all loyal vassals of the duchy. You must summon them here and show them that you have become the master of the duchy. You must let them know that the great duchy of Batla still stands strong and tall.¡± The elders shared their opinions. They had been acting proper and thoroughly treating Eugene as the duke immediately after recognizing him as the duke. They were respectful. However, they appeared a little too determined when it came to matters relating to the succession, and Eugene quickly realized the reason behind their attitudes. ¡°The nobles near the duchy. They must have been acting ill-mannered recently, hmm?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah, yes. Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The elders were taken aback by Eugene¡¯s straightforwardness. They responded with awkward expressions. However, some of the nobles gathered in the hall looked cheerful. It was clear that they had quite a bit of pent-up emotions. Unlike their older counterparts, the young nobles liked that the new duke was brave and outspoken. ¡°Mmhm.¡± Eugene nodded after a moment of consideration. He continued. ¡°Good. As soon as the date of the succession is confirmed, summon all the nobles.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions brightened. They all believed that Eugene was following the elders¡¯ advice to publicize the duchy¡¯s ascent to prominence once again while spreading his own fame. However, Eugene possessed different intentions. ¡°Those who do not answer the summons. Those who do not attend personally and send their agents instead. I will personally go and find them,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?¡± the elders responded. Sure enough, their eyes were filled with confusion and shock. ¡°Why are you all acting so surprised? Isn¡¯t this a good opportunity to determine who is loyal and who is not?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°With all due respect, may I ask what you intend to do after personally going to see them?¡± one of the elders asked. ¡°I will discipline them. By force, if necessary,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°¡­!¡± The faces of the elders quickly turned stiff. ¡°What a sound judgment, Your Excellency!¡± ¡°They must be severely reprimanded for their contemptuous behaviors toward Your Excellency and the Great Duchy of Batla!¡± On the other hand, the young nobles raised their voices with great excitement. Eugene calmed the young nobles by raising his hand, then he turned toward the elders. The duchy¡¯s elders looked rather forlorn. Eugene spoke, ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Well¡­ With all due respect, I believe it might be better to be more lenient with them for now.¡± ¡°If you are too harsh with them, the nobles might become anxious and make inappropriate judgements, Your Excellency,¡± one of the elders responded. ¡°Inappropriate judgements? What would that be?¡± Eugene asked. The elder hesitated for a moment before bowing his head and giving a response, ¡°Well¡­ They¡­ might dare to challenge the duchy or¡­¡± ¡°This inappropriate judgement you talk about. I think it has already been made,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°W-what do you mean by that!?¡± The nobles started whispering among themselves. Eugene turned his eyes toward Luke. ¡°Bring the prisoners we captured earlier. Their equipment as well.¡± Eugene commanded. Luke responded, ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Soon, the mercenaries and beowulf warriors brought the prisoners they captured in the earlier battle into the great hall. ¡°Keugh!¡± Some grunted when they were thrown to the floor like luggage. These prisoners were those who had been wearing chainmail during the battle. Eugene was convinced that they weren¡¯t ordinary bandits. He descended from the throne and stood before the prisoners while the people of the duchy silently observed. The prisoners trembled with fear and turned their heads away as soon as they met Eugene¡¯s gaze. It seemed that the memory of their crushing defeat was still fresh in their minds. ¡°You all. Are you mercenaries?¡± Eugene asked. The majority of the prisoners flinched at Eugene¡¯s question. However, one remained steadfast and answered Eugene¡¯s question with a determined expression. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I see. Where did you get that armor?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I looted it by winning a battle against a nameless knight,¡± the man answered. ¡°When?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It has been about a month,¡± the man answered in a confident manner. However, Eugene noticed that his gaze and voice were quivering ever so slightly. ¡°One month...¡± Eugene murmured softly before turning to Vyort. ¡°Sir. These men. How many times have they attacked the duchy thus far?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What? Ah, four times, including today,¡± Vyort answered. ¡°Four times. Some of those battles must have been quite fierce, correct?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Vyort answered. Eugene once again turned his gaze to the prisoners and smiled while revealing his fangs. ¡°Four battles in a month, and you are a mercenary who never wore chainmail until a month ago. Considering that, your armor seemed to be in pristine condition.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Bring their equipment,¡± Eugene spoke up. The mercenaries stepped forward and laid down the prisoners¡¯ weapons and armor as if they had been waiting. Eugene raised a chainmail and a longsword and made it visible to everyone. ¡°An ordinary mercenary could never take care of their armor like this. It would be difficult even on the continent, so it seems to me that it would be even harder for a Brantian mercenary. The condition of the armor seems irregular, especially considering that you have been wearing it continuously for a month¡¯s worth of battles,¡± Eugene said. The prisoner¡¯s proud expression slowly dissipated along with Eugene¡¯s words. Thud! Eugene tossed the armor in front of the prisoner before continuing coldly. ¡°Answer me properly when I have given you the chance to receive a knight¡¯s treatment, sir. Who are you?¡± Droplets started forming on the man¡¯s forehead and his eyes started to quiver noticeably. It was enough to confirm Eugene¡¯s suspicions in front of everyone else. The prisoners in front of them weren¡¯t mere bandits nor mercenaries. ¡°I-I¡­¡± The prisoner stuttered with trembling eyes. Eugene spoke while slightly enabling his fear, ¡°On your honor, and on your family¡¯s name. Swear it first. Swear that you will only tell the truth. Or else...¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The prisoner¡¯s expression distorted, and he bit his lips. Blood started to drip down his chin, and he finally bowed his head after tightly closing his eyes. ¡°I am Roberi, a knight of Baron Mondelio. Keugh!¡± ¡°H-how could that be?!¡± ¡°Baron Mondelio?!¡± The nobles shouted with disbelief. Soon, however, their shock transformed into anger. ¡°How dare that man?!¡± ¡°I knew there was something going on! He was the only one to turn down the duchy¡¯s request for support during the last war, wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Regardless of how long it had been since they separated from the duchy, how could he forego the vows of our predecessors?!¡± The nobles shouted angrily with fierce eyes and condemned Barno Mondelio. Then, they turned their gazes onto the prisoners. ¡°You dishonorable bunch! He who knows no grace is no better than a mere beast!¡± ¡°And you dare to call yourselves knight?! Do you feel no shame to stand before the gods and the spirits?!¡± ¡°Your Excellency! Please allow me to slit the throats of these beasts!¡± ¡°We must cut their heads and storm the Mondelio Barony immediately! The justice and honor of the Great Batla Duchy must be exercised!¡± The prisoners could only drop their heads and quietly tremble in front of the enraged nobles. Boom! ¡°Quiet.¡± The hall immediately fell into silence once Eugene stamped his foot. Eugene continued while looking around at the nobles, who were huffing and puffing with anger and impatience. ¡°We will send out invitations for the succession ceremony first. Send one to Baron Mondelio as well.¡± ¡°With all due respect, Your Excellency, I wonder if it will be necessary to send an invitation to such a crooked, dishonorable man,¡± one of the elders said with extreme anger. Eugene turned his gaze towards the elder and responded, ¡°Let me ask you a question. Does the Mondelio Barony stand tall?¡± ¡°What?¡± the elder asked. ¡°Are their forces strong? The land, is it large and plentiful?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°No, not quite. There are only two villages and a few hamlets contained within the barony,¡± the elder responded. It was as Eugene expected. The Mondelio Barony was comparable to the Tywin territory at best. ¡°Then, Baron Mondelio would possess, at most, fifty men. Sir Vyort, am I correct?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hmm. Although it¡¯s hard to say for sure since we haven¡¯t had contact with them for a long time, there should be slightly more than that including the serfs,¡± Vyort replied. ¡°I see. However, the ones I defeated today weren¡¯t serfs. They were professional, skilled, and organized.¡± Eugene pointed out. ¡°¡­Hmm?! A-are you saying that¡­¡± Vyort shouted after a moment of contemplation. Eugene answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. About two hundred skilled mercenaries. Do you think Mondelio was capable of hiring and maintaining such a large force?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Vyort came to a realization, and the other nobles followed suit. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is, but there¡¯s someone else standing behind Baron Mondelio. They either instigated the entire incident or provided the funds. Either way¡­¡± Eugene confirmed their suspicions, then turned to Roberi and the other prisoners before continuing. ¡°Let¡¯s go ahead and identify them before the succession.¡± Eugene¡¯s crimson eyes seemed to burn alone in the distant abyss. The prisoners felt a chill run down their backs as they met the vampire¡¯s gaze. ¡°Kieeeeh. Sir, are you finished? Can I come out now? Oh, never mind.¡± The spirit slowly poked her head out of her leather pocket before quickly returning inside. ¡®That¡¯s right!¡¯ A sudden idea came to Eugene¡¯s head as he looked down at the spirit with haughty eyes. *** The next day¡­ Messengers departed to previous vassals of the duchy and noble families with close ties to the Batla family. The messengers were accompanied by one beowulf warrior each, and they carried Eugene¡¯s handwritten letter. Six days later, they all returned to the duchy¡¯s castle. The messengers briefed Eugene on the reactions and the movements of the noble families. As expected, all of them seemed very surprised after hearing the news, and some reacted rather strangely. ¡°They were asking many questions about Your Excellency. They were persistent.¡± ¡°Sir Nosvolta continued to ask questions regarding your army. He also asked how many beowulf warriors were present.¡± ¡°Was it Sithame? The one I met asked me about your status, Dark Lord. They asked me which clan you belonged to and where you stand among your kind. They didn¡¯t even give me any meat.¡± ¡°The one I visited kicked me out! He accused me of lying! If it weren¡¯t for what you said, I would have totally bashed his head in! Oh, and he didn¡¯t even give me any meat!¡± To sum up the words of the messengers and the beowulfs: half of the nobles showed curiosity and favorability even though they were surprised, while the other half were overly enthusiastic, almost maniacal about obtaining information. Baron Mondelio stood out from the rest of them. ¡°Mondelio. That beast seemed to have been expecting someone from the duchy.¡± ¡°Hooh? Is that so? Wolfgan, what did you think?¡± Eugene asked. He had assigned one of the elders to relay his message to the Mondelio Barony due to the situation, as well as the brightest and the quickest of the beowulfs, Wolfgan. ¡°It¡¯s just as the old man says. He was acting very pompous in the beginning, but when he heard that you became Duke Batla, he seemed very surprised and flustered. It was very strange,¡± Wolfgan responded. ¡°No, it¡¯s not strange. His reaction was expected.¡± Eugene pointed out. ¡°Hmm? How so?¡± Everyone appeared rather curious. Suddenly, Mirian started to laugh insidiously from atop Eugene¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Kehehehehehehe! My precious self extracted some top-secret information from those prisoner bastards. Ehem!¡± Eugene smirked. However, Mirian was telling the truth. Initially, he thought about meeting with the prisoners one by one and using his charm ability to dig up information, but he came up with an easier, simpler method. He chose to lock the prisoners in a room without any guards and observers, except for one invisible spirit. As expected, the prisoners started to discuss things that they would never voluntarily reveal and came to decisions, which was relayed to Eugene by Mirian. ¡°Sir, sir. Now, you know exactly how valuable I am, right? The raccoon or aide number two, those busybodies don¡¯t know anything, do they?! Vassal Gal is basically nothing without his strength! All brawn, no brain! I¡¯m the best! I¡¯m undoubtedly your right-hand spirit! Kihehehehehehehe!¡± Mirian exclaimed. Eugene had been about to compliment Mirian but stopped himself after hearing her egoistic holler. He was repulsed by the sight of the spirit arrogantly raising her head. As such, he simply ignored her and spoke to the nobles, ¡°I don¡¯t know who stands behind Baron Mondelio, and the prisoners do not know either. However, I have an idea as to why Barno Mondelio hired mercenaries to attack the duchy repeatedly.¡± ¡°Ohh! Is that true!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. According to Roberi, the baron commanded them to attack the duchy but to never occupy it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Huh?! Why?¡± ¡°Why would he do such a thing?¡± The nobles expressed their confusion, and Eugene voiced his suspicion. No, he was almost completely certain that his suspicion was the truth. It was the result of combining the information he had obtained from the prisoners and the reports from the messengers. ¡°What would you have done after being attacked multiple times? When the duchy continues to lose its troops?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well, we would have likely asked for reinforcements from the neighboring nobles and lords,¡± one of the nobles answered. ¡°That¡¯s right. So what if someone offered to help the duchy? What if they offered to clean up the bandits once and for all?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°We would have accepted it gladly. But the neighboring lords would have needed to work together to completely annihilate the¡­ Ah!¡± ¡°P-perhaps?¡± The nobles seemed to arrive at the same conclusion. Eugene nodded. ¡°Yes. A family powerful enough to guarantee the duchy¡¯s safety. A family rich enough to provide Baron Mondelio with enough money to hire hundreds of mercenaries. A family that wants the cooperation of the duchy rather than its demise. As far as I know, there are few such noble families in Brantia. And all of them have one thing in common¡­¡± ¡°T-those who are after the throne?!¡± Finally, the answer came to light. CH 152 ¡°Oh! Lord Nosvolta. What a coincidence!¡± ¡°If it isn¡¯t Lord Sithame? It has been a long time...¡± The two lords greeted each other warmly after meeting near the Batla Duchy. Both nobles belonged to families that were once subordinate to the duchy, though they became independent for various reasons at different times. The two nobles shared their respective greetings before sneaking a gaze at each other¡¯s entourage. ¡°Is that a slave? I¡¯m guessing it must be a gift for the new duke.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing extravagant. I don¡¯t think he would like anything flashy since he¡¯s a member of the Dark Clan. He should be satisfied with four healthy slaves to feed off of. And you? Did you prepare anything?¡± ¡°Just this,¡± the lord of Nosvolta responded before tapping his waist and taking out a shiny silver coin. ¡°Ahahahahaha! Sir, you¡¯re too mischievous. What if the new duke stumbles and falls to the ground as soon as he opens it?¡± Sithame responded. ¡°Oh, you jest. I have no such intentions. And even if he is a member of the Dark Clan, surely the duke of the Great Batla family would never act so shamefully, right? Hahaha.¡± Lord Nosvolta chuckled with an exaggerated wave of his hands. However, in truth, he had been expecting such a reaction from Lord Sithame when he prepared the silver coin. Both lords no longer had much loyalty toward the Batla Duchy. They didn¡¯t dare to directly oppose the duchy because of its status and long history, but they had no respect for the duchy anymore. ¡°Anyway, Lord Sithame, are you trying to frighten the new duke?¡± Lord Nosvolta asked. ¡°Hmm? What do you mean by that?¡± Lord Sithame said with a puzzled expression. Lord Nosvolta laughed while looking at the two soldiers and the large group of soldiers standing behind Sithame. There appeared to be about thirty soldiers. ¡°Haha, otherwise, there¡¯s no reason to bring so many soldiers with you, is there?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what you¡¯re talking about? I never had any intention to do such a thing,¡± Lord Sithame responded. ¡°So why?¡± Nosvolta asked. ¡°Well, the messenger who came to my castle brought a beowulf as an escort! Hmph! I guess they wanted to brag about hiring a wandering mercenary from who knows where. I felt absolutely disgusted and horrified. I had no other choice but to do this,¡± Sithame said. His eyes were filled with pride as he looked back at his knights and soldiers. The two knights of Sithame were equipped with longswords and chainmail, and the soldiers were wearing high-quality leather armor as well. Their appearance was rather dignified, although their equipment wouldn¡¯t necessarily reflect their skills. Lord Sithame still deserved to be proud. However, Nosvolta¡¯s expression was rather grim. Sithame asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you perhaps jealous of my knights and soldiers?¡± ¡°Did you just say that the messenger who came to your castle from the duchy was accompanied by a beowulf warrior?¡± Nosvolta asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. Why?¡± Sithame asked. ¡°The one who came to my castle was also accompanied by a beowulf,¡± Nosvolta stated. ¡°Huh?¡± Lord Sithame was surprised. The beowulfs were small in number and extremely expensive to hire. One could hire two free knights for the price of hiring a single beowulf warrior. The two lords knew how poor the duchy was, so how could they have managed to hire two of such warriors? ¡°By chance, what tribe did the beowulf say he belonged to? Was it¡­ Perseus?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Lord Sithame¡¯s expression hardened. However, he soon shrugged and smirked. ¡°Well, the new duke must have spent a fortune to save his face. Regardless, he¡¯ll be stunned speechless once he sees our troops. I¡¯m certain he will ask us for help or for an agreement, so¡­ Hmm?!¡± Lord Sithame¡¯s eyes filled with shock as he turned the corner of the forest located near the duchy. Lord Nosvolta and the troops following the two lords also stopped at once with shocked expressions. ¡°W-what in the¡­¡± Dozens of small and large tents stood erect inside a long wall of tall wooden fences, and countless people were busily moving about. Moreover, everyone, including those inside the wooden fences and those outside, was armed with spears and swords. ¡°Sir! Someone is coming!¡± A knight holding a flag was approaching the two lords from the large camp along with a group of soldiers. The forces of the two lords instinctively surrounded their masters and placed their hands on their weapons, as if to protect their lords. Sithame and Nosvolta also felt very nervous, but they felt relieved after recognizing the flag that the approaching knight was holding. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s the crest of the Batla Duchy¡­ Huh?!¡± the lords shouted with disbelief. Among the rapidly approaching group of soldiers, there were four figures visibly larger than the others. They were beowulf warriors. ¡°Whoa, whoa! I am Croul, a squad captain serving under Sir Eugene¡­ No, His Excellency the Duke, Lord Eugene Batla. Who are you sirs, and where are you from?¡± the bearded man on horseback asked while looking at the group. ¡®Squad captain?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s not a knight?¡¯ The lords were surprised. A knight would have introduced himself differently¡ªby revealing his name and family. ¡°Ehem. I am Philio of Nosvolta.¡± ¡°My name is Dren, the lord of Sithame.¡± ¡°Aha. You must be here because of the succession.¡± Croul pointed out. The beowulf warriors raised their helmets and frowned after hearing his words. He then said to the others, ¡°Huh? They aren¡¯t here to fight? Why did they bring so many soldiers, then?¡± ¡°Probably because it¡¯s still not that safe around these parts.¡± ¡°Tsk. That¡¯s lame. I¡¯m going to hunt.¡± ¡°Whatever...¡± The beowulfs stretched their limbs and waddled away after losing interest in the two lords. They looked bored. ¡°¡­¡± The two lords would have stopped anyone else if they had spoken in such a way, but they couldn¡¯t say anything, let alone get angry. The four beowulf warriors were different from ordinary warriors in that they were armed with plate coats that came down from their shoulders all the way to their knees. Moreover, even at a glance, the beowulfs¡¯ armor seemed to be twice as thick and durable compared to their own armor. Ordinary swords, spears, and arrows would fail to penetrate such a thick layer of steel. Even if a skilled swordsman succeeded in striking through the gaps of the armor, the beowulfs possessed incredible regenerative abilities and excellent physiques. It would be hard to inflict any significant damage on those beowulfs. ¡®They have four of such warriors? No, including the two that came to my territory and Lord Nosvolta¡¯s territory, there are six!¡¯ ¡®Why weren¡¯t the escorts wearing those armors when they brought the invitations? Was it done on purpose to deceive us?¡¯ The two lords licked their lips vainly while glancing at the beowulf warriors. Croul smirked as if he could tell what they were thinking. ¡°Please follow me, sirs.¡± ¡°A-alright¡­¡± The two lords passed through the campground inhabited by hundreds of troops and the workers of the depot. Rugged soldiers freely roamed the grounds as if to prove their identity as mercenaries. However, some discipline could be seen in the soldiers as well. Those devoting themselves to training followed the commands of those wearing chainmail, and no one started fights or got drunk during the breaks, unlike ordinary mercenaries. In other words, they were organized and well-trained. They were an army. ¡®And why are there so many beowulf warriors?¡¯ ¡®At least three hundred troops and over ten beowulf warriors. Unbelievable¡­!¡¯ The two lords suddenly felt ashamed of their knights and soldiers, even though they had been so proud just ten minutes ago. ¡®Damn it! If I knew this would happen, I would have brought twenty slaves.¡¯ ¡®Maybe I should have brought more gold coins. Keugh! I¡¯ll send someone back as soon as I arrive at the castle.¡¯ The lords never even dreamt that the new duke would possess such a massive army. They felt a sense of urgency in their hearts. *** ¡°Lord Philio of Nosvolta and Lord Dren of Sithame have arrived!¡± Vyort¡¯s piercing voice resonated throughout the hall. Eugene gestured at the group while sitting on his throne. ¡°Come closer.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency!¡± the two lords immediately shouted before hurrying forward and kneeling in front of Eugene. Luke and Lanslo stood on either side of Eugene, and all three figures exuded extraordinary auras, which caused the lords to feel nervous. ¡°Good to meet you. Was there any trouble on your ways here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes! It¡¯s all thanks to Your Excellency¡¯s boundless grace and the generosity of the spirits. We did not encounter any bandits or monsters on our way here!¡± the lords responded. ¡°I see. It is indeed thanks to my grace since my army has wiped out all the bandits and roamers in the vicinity,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­!¡± The lords had only spoken in formality, but their eyes filled with shock after hearing Eugen¡¯s response. ¡°Why are you both acting so surprised? Didn¡¯t you see my army on the way here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s right. I thought it to be an incredibly brave and disciplined army.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you think I got rid of the bandits out of charity?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The two quick-witted lords quickly noticed the meaning hidden behind Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Although it¡¯s no match for the duke¡¯s shining glory, I have prepared a small gift for you.¡± Lord Nosvolta was the first to speak. He politely offered the small sum he originally prepared on top of the emergency fund he had brought with him. ¡°This isn¡¯t all. Other gifts will arrive in time for the succession to offer our congratulation for your succession. So please wait for a few more days¡­¡± Nosvolta continued. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°Yes. Y-yes?¡± Nosvolta started to feel relieved, but he flinched after hearing Eugene¡¯s question. Eugene intentionally revealed his fear slightly and spoke in a cold voice, ¡°Nosvolta. I heard it was Batla¡¯s vassal in the past. The reason it declared independence was due to how weak the duchy¡¯s army had gotten and the insecurity in the lands. But now, that¡¯s no longer an issue. Nosvolta, if you are ever under attack, I can offer you my help.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lord Nosvolta felt sweat starting to drench his back. Anyone could understand what Eugen was saying unless they were a fool. The young, ambitious vampire duke was urging Nosvolta to once again serve under the Batla Duchy. ¡°I am a Daywalker.¡± ¡°Heup!¡± ¡°What?!¡± The two lords gasped with shock. ¡°You sirs are lucky,¡± Eugene spoke while taking off his helmet. He slowly rose from his throne and continued. ¡°The lords who return to the duchy¡¯s service will be welcomed with joyous hearts. However, the lords who reject¡­¡± With his bare face exposed to the direct sunlight from the windows, Eugene continued in an icy voice. ¡°I, the duke, and my army will go to them personally. I will discipline them, by force if necessary. So you sirs, the lucky ones, you should decide now. They were unlucky and weren¡¯t even given a choice.¡± Eugene turned his head, and the gaze of the lords followed suit as if they were hypnotized. ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene¡¯s presence was overwhelming, and the lords had been focused on him all this time. However, they finally noticed a group of pale-faced, trembling people after following Eugene¡¯s gaze. The two lords were familiar with most of them. Like themselves, they belonged to the previous vassals of the Batla Duchy. However, they were either the direct descendants of the lords or nobles with sufficient status to act as agents of the lords. ¡®It¡¯s over for the families that sent representatives instead.¡¯ ¡®They¡¯re doomed.¡¯ The two lords finally understood why Eugene called them lucky. ¡°I, Philio of Nosvolta, will accept Your Excellency¡¯s suggestion with g-great joy!¡± ¡°Only the flag of the Great Batla Duchy will stand above the flag of Sithame!¡± Their contemplation was short and their decision was quick. *** ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Seven, Your Excellency.¡± The nobles of the castle could not hide their delight. It was only natural since all the nobles who came to attend the succession ceremony ended up swearing themselves as vassals of the duchy. The reason was simple. Eugene was a Daywalker, and he possessed an army strong enough to easily occupy a medium-sized territory. Although the nobles smiled and laughed outwardly after swearing allegiance to Eugene, they were disheartened. Even so, there was one thing that they could all agree on. ¡®We were lucky!¡¯ The army situated outside the castle walls alone could easily and thoroughly trample on their territories, but the young knight from the Drak family told the nobles a shocking truth. - His Excellency¡¯s right-hand man is currently in Mungard. Soon, an army consisting of even greater numbers will be joining us. There will be knights and soldiers from the continent. And their first opponents will be those who didn¡¯t personally participate in the succession ceremony. The nobles felt truly sorry for those who didn¡¯t come in person. However, it could not be considered unfair treatment. The duke had the justification, after all. The Batla Duchy was one of the greatest families in Brantia, and they were originally vassals of the duchy. It was justified for the duke to become enraged at their lack of respect, and they had no right to complain even if their families were destroyed. ¡°Your Excellency! At this rate, all the invited nobles will come to serve you and the duchy once again. This can only be called the greatest of blessings.¡± ¡°As expected, it¡¯s best to come and see the succession in person. This is all thanks to Your Excellency¡¯s righteousness and honor. Hahaha!¡± The nobles shouted with delight. Eugene smiled coldly. ¡°Is that so? But wouldn¡¯t you agree that it¡¯s better to experience it in person than to see it?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The nobles became startled and instantly became quiet. ¡°The succession is tomorrow. Anyone who doesn¡¯t arrive until tonight, My army and I will have them pay with blood. Perhaps Mondelio. Oh, and did I mention Mondelio?¡± Whatever the case, it seemed that Baron Mondelio was facing certain doom. CH 153 The succession ceremony was held in a grand manner. Eugene didn¡¯t care for how it was held, but the elders of the duchy strongly insisted that it had to be grand. The elders strongly recommended that the duchy¡¯s succession ceremony needed to be carried out in a proper, befitting manner, even if it caused them to go into debt. Naturally, Eugene criticized them for already being poor beggars without any money, and the elders¡¯ faces became dyed red with shame. As such, it was originally decided that the succession ceremony would be simple and frugal as Eugene intended. However, an unexpected ¡®hero¡¯ appeared to save the day. It was Odd, the depot merchant, and his fellow merchants. ¡°If you give us permission, we will provide the funds for the ceremony.¡± ¡°We have made massive profits thanks to Your Excellency. Please give us a chance to repay your kindness.¡± The nobles of the duchy were almost brought to tears by the apparent altruistic acts of the merchants. However, Eugene was reluctant. He was different from the nobles of the duchy, who were still soaking in the duchy¡¯s past glory and ignorant of the real world. He knew exactly why the merchants were making such suggestions. ¡°I can¡¯t give you all exclusive rights to the goods that will come from the continent. However, I will consult Mungard¡¯s merchant guild and allow you all to take advantage to a certain extent,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°We will never forget your kindness. If there¡¯s anything you would like done, please let us know.¡± The merchants responded with joy. Eugene spoke, ¡°However, you will cut the price of supplies once my army grows bigger.¡± ¡°Well¡­ how much bigger? What do you have in mind?¡± Odd asked. ¡°Once it grows over 1,000, a twenty percent reduction in prices,¡± Eugene said. ¡°We will gladly follow your suggestion.¡± The merchants were satisfied. Eugene¡¯s army needed to triple in size for it to reach 1,000 troops, and it was impossible to achieve such a number even if Eugene hired all the mercenaries in the area. It was possible if Eugene held the entirety of Brantia¡¯s southwest in his grasp, but it wouldn¡¯t happen in the near future. ¡®Even if that¡¯s possible, we¡¯ll take advantage as much as possible until that happens¡­¡¯ ¡°We will follow Your Excellency until the end! With the highest quality goods and our loyalty! We will do our best!¡± ¡°Good. I feel reassured,¡± Eugene said, nodding. ¡°Hehe! I¡¯m honored.¡± Odd and the merchants grinned after receiving Eugene¡¯s praise. However, their joy disappeared without a trace three days after the splendid, luxurious succession ceremony. Galfredik had returned to the duchy from Mungard with a whopping 800 troops. ¡°W-what t¡­¡± Odd¡¯s face turned deathly pale when he saw the large army. The army easily exceeded 1,000 troops in total. ¡°You promised, right? A twenty percent cut in prices.¡± Eugene pointed out. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Odd came to the unfortunate realization that there would always be a vampire ahead of you. *** ¡°This is amazing! Don¡¯t you think so, Sir Drak?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I have never seen such a large army before¡­¡± Luke and Lanslo couldn¡¯t hide their shock and admiration. Dozens of flags flapped against the wind, and more than a thousand troops were lined up in an organized, awe-inspiring manner. It was truly an awesome sight. ¡°Hehe! There are about 40 knights and 200 heavy infantrymen,¡± Galfredik said while pointing. ¡°Really?¡± Eugene responded before turning his head. The majority of knights were from Maren and the Carls Baggins Peninsula. Eugene was acquainted with most of them. ¡°All of the knights have plate mail, and all the mercenaries from Maren either have chainmail or plate coats. It seems that the City of Maren and the vice executive didn¡¯t spare anything.¡± Priscilla and the Palin Association were investing a humongous sum of money to assist Eugene¡¯s expedition to Brantia. The City of Maren was home to some of the best armament workshops in the Caylor Kingdom, and they had provided high-quality, durable armor for a cheap price to the knights and mercenaries departing on the Brantia expedition. Even though they made such decisions hoping to benefit from Brantia in the future, what they had done was still a great help. ¡°What did you do with the organization?¡± Eugene asked. Galfredik responded, ¡°I took care of it on my way here.¡± ¡°Were there any complaints?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Kuha! All those disobedient bastards left long ago. The rest of them are head over heels with your reputation, Master. Ah, of course, this guy has also been a big help. A holy knight really does live up to his name,¡± Galfredik replied. ¡°You flatter me. You took care of it all, Sir Galfredik,¡± Edmund smiled shyly and responded when Galfredik patted him on the shoulder. Still, Eugene was convinced that Edmund had been a big help just as he expected. No matter how famous Eugene was in Maren and the Carls Baggins Peninsula, many people could turn their backs on him after discovering his true identity as a vampire. But it was different with the support of a brave, faithful holy knight, especially if he was someone who had participated in the crusade. There was no better assurance than him. ¡°Galfredik,¡± Eugene called out in a low voice, and Galfredik moved in closer. ¡°You sent the message to Ortos of the Rhodes Islands for sure, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hehehe. I sent the fastest ship. I told them that they could put the pocas to work and sink all the ships. Well, I said that if there were any survivors, they could enslave them or whatever,¡± Galfredik responded. Those who had initially crossed the sea with the wrong intentions would meet their end in Rhode¡¯s waters. If they safely returned to the Caylor Kingdom after suffering a beating from Galfredik, it was obvious what types of rumors they might spread. The rumors would morph and change as they spread, and eventually, they could even lead to trouble with Eugene¡¯s strong supporters, including the two port cities, the Winslon County, and the Archivold Marquisate. ¡°It¡¯s always better to uproot impure sprouts before they grow. There¡¯s no need to even let them take root in the first place,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kuhaha! This is why I like you, master,¡± Galfredik responded with a laugh. ¡°As expected, Sir Eugene is thorough! Mercy? Forgiveness? There¡¯s no way that Sir Eugene would hold such cheesy feelings, right? Kihehehehehehehe!¡± ¡°Uhehehehehehe!¡± ¡°Heuheuheu!¡± The shoulders of the spirit and the two vampires shook as they laughed insidiously. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Galfredik grinned and turned around. He overlooked the 1,200-strong army. There were around 1,000 troops and 200 workers from the depot. ¡°We depart!¡± Galfredik shouted. ¡°Uwaaaahhhhhh!!!¡± A thunderous roar resounded over Batla¡¯s sky. *** ¡°Excuse me, Lord Sithame.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lord Nosvolta called out, and Lord Sithame turned his head. Nosvolta continued. ¡°We will be arriving at your territory soon, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. What is it?¡± Sithame responded. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m just wondering how much you are going to prepare. Have you already decided on who to send?¡± Nosvolta asked. ¡°Hmm.¡± Lord Sithame smacked his lips together. The nobles who had participated in the four-day succession ceremony were accompanying the army of the new duke. And as was said, the duke visited the territories of each noble. Naturally, Eugene cracked down on those who didn¡¯t personally attend the ceremony and sent representatives instead. None of the families raised any objections nor attempted to resist. The duke held the perfect justification, and there was no one who would act pridefully in front of a humongous army consisting of heavily armed knights and ferocious warriors. In the end, the nobles and their direct descendants were forced to come out of their gates, kneel in front of the duke¡¯s horse, and kiss his feet. Goods and coins equivalent to the one-year income of each territory were loaded onto carts, and dozens of slaves and the first sons of the noble families were collected as a token of their loyalty. Although their families hadn¡¯t been completely ruined, they suffered a huge blow that would last for several years. On the other hand, the nobles who had directly attended Eugene¡¯s ceremony, like Nosvolta or Sithame, received Eugene¡¯s mercy and deep consideration. He decided to only receive a moderate amount of wealth and to take the direct descendants only if the lords wanted it. - You sirs are lucky. The two lords trembled as they recalled the cold smile of Duke Jan Eugene Batla and his promise. ¡°For now, I am planning to yield half a year¡¯s income of my territory and my second son,¡± Lord Sithame answered. ¡°Your second son? Money is one thing, but your second son was chosen to become Sir Minros¡¯s aide, wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Huh! Surely that¡¯s not the problem right now. It¡¯s Drak. Drak! Moreover, Count Crawlmarine basically worships the duke. If my son can become the aide of either one of them, then that would bring honor to the family, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Lord Sithame explained. ¡°Well. I guess¡­¡± Nosvolta muttered ¡°So sir, seriously think about it. Although His Excellency gave us a choice, I think he¡¯s very likely to consider this a test of loyalty,¡± Sithame said. ¡°Hmm. Is that so¡­?¡± Nosvolta muttered and fell into contemplation while looking at Eugene¡¯s back from afar. Then, he spoke in a low voice after glancing elsewhere, ¡°By the way, who is that lady? Every time I see her, she¡¯s by Count Crawlmarine¡¯s side. Is she his fianc¨¦e? She might be an aide as well since she¡¯s always wearing armor.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. I wasn¡¯t very interested.¡± There were already so many people, so it was hard to keep track. Moreover, Lord Sithame was more interested in saving his own hide, so he had no time to care about such trivial things. ¡°Hmm. Hey, come here for a second.¡± Nosvolta called out to a Brantian mercenary who was marching just behind him. ¡°Yes, did you call for me, sir?¡± the mercenary asked. ¡°That lady by Count Crawlmarine¡¯s side. Do you know who that is? Is she the count¡¯s aide?¡± Nosvolta asked. "Oh, that lady? She¡¯s a prisoner of His Excellency Eugene,¡± the mercenary answered. ¡°What? A prisoner?¡± Nosvolta asked. ¡°Yes. The knight next to her is also a prisoner,¡± the mercenary said. Nosvolta looked at the knight with wide eyes, then spoke dumbfoundedly, ¡°How could a prisoner be left to be so free? And why is the count so close to the prisoner?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s because she is a direct descendant of the Fransil family,¡± the mercenary explained. ¡°Fransil¡­? What?¡± ¡°Monarch of the East. The family that faces the Sun?¡± Even Sithame interrupted the conversation with disbelief. The mercenary nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about those titles, but she is indeed Lord Fransil¡¯s youngest daughter, Lady Lorraine. She was on her quest to knighthood, but she challenged His Excellency the Duke and was defeated. So, she became a prisoner and accompanied him all the way here. If you don¡¯t have any further questions, sirs, I will be on my way.¡± ¡°Y-yes, go ahead.¡± The mercenary retreated with a bow, and the two vacantly stared at Luke and Lorraine with incredulous eyes. They had been half-forced into swearing allegiance to the duke. But it seemed their lord was a man beyond their imaginations. It was shocking enough that he possessed such a great army, but he had also captured a direct descendant of Fransil, one of the most powerful families challenging the Brantian throne. What more would they discover about this man¡­? ¡°Ah!¡± Lord Nosvolta gasped as if coming to a sudden realization. Then, he turned his head with a determined expression. ¡°Lord Sithame. I have come to a decision.¡± ¡°A-about what?¡± Sithame asked. ¡°I will send my second son and my youngest daughter to His Excellency. I will have my son become one of their aides, and my daughter as Count Crawlmarine¡¯s concubine,¡± Nosvolta stated. ¡°What? Sir, do you mean it?¡± Sithame asked. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m dead serious,¡± Nosvolta answered with burning determination. Sithame looked at Nosvolta with ridicule before eventually responding, ¡°Your youngest daughter. She¡¯s eight years old this year, right? Are you crazy?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything? She will be at a suitable age to become engaged in four or five years,¡± Nosvolta retorted. ¡°No, that¡¯s not how things work!¡± ¡°Ha! Lord Sithame, you told me you were planning to send your second son, but are you actually going to send one of your daughters as well? Are you worried because my daughter is younger? You¡¯re worried that you might lose your spot?¡± Nosvolta questioned. ¡°Have you truly gone mad? How can you even say that to me?!¡± Sithame shouted. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s not the case, then why¡­¡± The two lords raised their voices and criticized each other, although they had a rather harmonious relationship until now. As the competition for loyalty began in earnest among the duchy¡¯s vassals, Mirian excitedly buzzed over. She had been snooping around in search of anything interesting. ¡°Kihehehehe! It¡¯s me~ Number one~ Sir Eugene¡¯s most loyal servant is here~ Ten gold coins~! Just ten gold coins and I will hook you up with Aide number two~! Now, now~! This isn¡¯t an everyday opportunity~ Ten gold coins~¡± She was fully aware that they couldn¡¯t see or hear her. However, she continued to shout excitedly like a crazed merchant, drooling at the sight of their coin pouches. However¡­ ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The two lords suddenly stopped arguing and looked around. ¡°D-did you hear something just now?¡± ¡°Huh? You as well? I did hear something. It sounded like a very wicked, insidious voice¡­¡± the two lords muttered. ¡°Kieeeeeeeeeeekkk?!¡± Mirian screamed with shock. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°W-what is it?!¡± The lords jumped back with surprise, and the ¡®wicked, insidious spirit¡¯ quickly flew away from above their heads. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on? Did those humans hear my voice just now? How? Why?¡± Mirian shouted with shock and confusion. Lanslo, who had been watching from the very beginning, explained while holding back his laughter. ¡°You might call it a manifestation of an overwhelming yearning. A creature of mana like yourself is capable of manifesting their will when their yearning is deep and strong. You are evolving alongside the one you are contracted with.¡± ¡°Kieeeeek?! Is that true?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Of course. Normally, it tends to be a manifestation of pure love and honest faith toward the one you are contracted to, but you¡¯re just a little different in that you express strong will for money and wealth. Pffft!¡± Lanslo explained before bursting out into laughter. ¡°Kieeeek?!¡± The spirit¡¯s wings trembled in shock. ¡°D-does that mean that my words could be conveyed to those humans in the future?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Perhaps, depending on the situation,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Kieeehhh.¡± She appeared rather embarrassed. ¡°I like it! That means I can strip them of all their silver and gold, all their treasures! Kiek! Kieehhh!¡± ¡­Or perhaps she wasn¡¯t. CH 154 ¡°What? Those nobles heard your voice?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yeap!¡± Mirian answered. ¡°How?¡± Eugene was bewildered. Mirian clasped her hands together as if she was praying, and answered with innocent, sparkling eyes. ¡°Treasure¡­ No! My burning love for you has moved the heavens. True love has allowed¡­¡± Eugene interjected. ¡°Stop talking nonsense and tell the truth.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Mirian¡¯s expression immediately turned villainous, and she took a seat on Silion¡¯s mane before speaking arrogantly. ¡°Sir Lanslo said that I¡¯m evolving along with you. So if I think really hard about what I want and say it, even ordinary humans can hear my voice.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene frowned. He wasn¡¯t sure whether this was a good thing or not. However, a brilliant idea soon came to mind. ¡°I have an idea,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What is it? What is it?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°From now on, you are my messenger,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°A messenger?¡± Mirian said. ¡°You will relay my instructions to others during battles,¡± Eugene explained. Mirian was small, but she was very fast. Moreover, she was invisible to ordinary humans, which meant she could roam the battlefield undisturbed and deliver messages. She would prove useful not only on the battlefield but also on evil lands as well. ¡°Kieeehh. That sounds kinda annoying. And how can I become so desperate every single time? You¡¯re so insidious, like the demon king or the devil.¡± Mirian pouted while looking at Eugene. Eugene contemplated smacking the spirit on the head, but stopped himself and spoke in a gentle voice, ¡°You can do it. I guarantee it.¡± ¡°Hiing, but still...¡± Fwoosh! Eugene¡¯s hand moved like lightning. ¡°Kieeeeek! Sir, I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯ll be obedient!¡± Mirian screamed while burying herself deeper into Silion¡¯s mane. Eugene held out his hand and asked, ¡°What does this look like?¡± ¡°A-a silver coin!¡± The spirit¡¯s attitude changed in an instant. ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s silver. What thoughts come to your mind when you see this?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I want it! I want to rub my body all over it!¡± Mirian shouted excitedly. ¡°Right? What about this?¡± Eugene stashed the silver coin before pulling out a gold coin. ¡°Kihehe!¡± The spirit¡¯s gaze transformed when she saw the shiny gold coin. She was greed itself. Her eyes burned even brighter than a beowulf going three or four days without any food. The spirit even started to drool as if she was hypnotized by the brilliance of the golden circle. Eugene spoke to the spirit in a quiet, gentle voice, ¡°You want it, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I-I want it. I want to rub my body, no, I want to become one with it. Kuweeeeehh!¡± Mirian said while breathing heavily. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the spirit. If you become my messenger, I will give you one every month. What do you think?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, sir! Yes! Yes!¡± Mirian answered. ¡°Good. Then I will give you this as a down payment.¡± Eugene said before placing the coin in a small wooden box. ¡°I will give you one every month. And since it will be hard for you to carry it around, I will keep it safe for you. Think of it like a safe. I¡¯ll give it all to you when you grow up; no, when you evolve even further. Of course, the golden castle as well.¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Yeah! Yeah! I love you, sir! Kieee! Kieeeehh!¡± The spirit grinned and rubbed herself against Eugene¡¯s cheek. Eugene had a desire to grab her and throw her to the ground, but he endured it. ¡®It¡¯s a guardian¡¯s privilege to keep a child¡¯s allowance safe.¡¯ And it was quite unlikely that the spirit would remember exactly how many gold coins she had since she wasn¡¯t even smart enough to fully understand the world¡¯s written language until now. ¡°You must remember. What are you going to think of when you deliver my instructions?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Gold coins!¡± Mirian shouted. ¡°That¡¯s right. Think about how a gold coin will be deposited into your safe every month. One day, it will grow to be hundreds, no, thousands. Think of your gold coins.¡± ¡°M-my gold coins. Mine. My precious¡­¡± The aura of desire, or rather, the spirit¡¯s passion, began to soar. As expected, money could really make ghosts dance or in this instance, spirits. *** ¡°What should I do about this? What am I supposed to do?!¡± Baron Mondelio could not hide his anxiety as he continued to wipe off the cold sweat flowing down his wide forehead. When a messenger first arrived from the Batla Duchy telling him to attend the succession ceremony of a new duke, it felt as if the very sky was collapsing on him. He had been expecting the messenger to ask for help in combating the bandits that continued to plague the duchy. He would have accepted their request with pride before reporting back to the mastermind of all these. ¡°Why haven¡¯t we heard back from Sir Roberi yet? D-did he betray me? Did he turn himself over to the new duke? Is that it?!¡± Baron Mondelio shouted. ¡°There¡¯s no way Sir Roberi would do that, my lord. Please regain your composure.¡± ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s possible?! The entire plan is about to collapse, so what could I possibly say to that man?!¡± Mondelio burst into a rage, and the nobles gathered in the office were silent as they exchanged glances. After a moment, one of the nobles made a cautious suggestion. ¡°My lord, wouldn¡¯t it be best to be honest and ask for help?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Baron Mondelio raged. ¡°We have already missed the new duke¡¯s succession ceremony. It might not be that difficult for now, but they will obviously criticize us later. It will be better for us to switch horses now than to make excuses later.¡± The noble continued. ¡°Switch¡­ horses?¡± Baron Mondelio asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s best to switch horses as soon as possible so that you¡¯ll become accustomed to the steed. You can take your time to find out the horse¡¯s personality, what it likes, and how fast it can gallop. Besides, we have someone who¡¯s directly involved in our castle right now, right?¡± the nobleman said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Baron Mondelio stroked his chin with a serious expression. Then, he raised his head. ¡°All right! Let¡¯s do that!¡± He looked around the nobles with a brighter expression. ¡°I will follow Sir Boro¡¯s advice. Hey, you there, bring the guest over,¡± Baron Mondelio said, giving his orders. ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± the butler answered before leaving the room. A few minutes later, he returned with a figure with him. The new arrival was a young, elven knight wearing chainmail and a white surcoat, even though they were indoors. ¡°Lord Mondelio. Were you looking for me?¡± the elf asked. His beardless face was smooth, and he looked to be in his mid to late 20s. ¡°Sir Pranbow. Welcome.¡± Baron Mondelio¡¯s attitude was polite. It was only natural since Pranbow was older than all the nobles gathered in the office. Moreover, he was a respected knight of high standing from where he originated. ¡°Hmm? Is there something wrong? Everyone¡¯s expression seems rather sour,¡± Pranbow asked while looking around the stiff-faced nobles. Baron Mondelio responded with a forced smile, ¡°Things went slightly awry, but it¡¯s not enough for you to be concerned about, sir. By the way, regarding the offer you proposed.¡± ¡°Ah, have you finally made up your mind?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°Yes. Your suggestion, No, I will accept the suggestion of His Excellency Rosamerin.¡± ¡°Haha. You made the right choice. His Excellency will surely treat Lord Mondelio with respect and honor,¡± Pranbow said. He had already been expecting such an answer when Baron Mondelio called for him. In the first place, it made no sense for Baron Mondelio to refuse the offer after not attending the succession ceremony of the Batla Duchy. ¡°I will entrust you with it, Sir Pranbow. I look forward to it,¡± Baron Mondelio said with sincerity. He had already made his decision. Pranbow, the archduke¡¯s cousin, was the only connection he had with Archduke Rosamerin, who sought the throne of Brantia. ¡°Haha! Of course, I will do my best. Then¡­ I will contact my nation and ask them to send some troops. Would 500 be enough?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°Oh! 500 elite soldiers from the Northern Elf Kingdom would be very reassuring indeed,¡± Baron Mondelio exclaimed as if he was touched, but he felt rather sour. The presence of other people¡¯s troops in his territory signified that he was becoming their subordinate. ¡®Even so, once the Northern Elf Kingdom unites Brantia, I can proudly stand as one of their vassals.¡¯ He would be the first to subject himself to Archduke Rosamerin in Brantia. Archduke Rosamerin was the leader of the elves who ruled over the island of Eland, which was located north of Brantia, and he would certainly give appropriate treatment to his vassals. Although Mondelio had never seen the archduke in person, he knew from rumors that the archduke was a very generous man. ¡°One hundred cavalry, one hundred archers, and the rest will be light infantry. Of course, we will be covering all the expenses for the troops as well. Would you rather have gold or silver bars than the Brantian currency? If you want, we could also pay you in mana stones.¡± ¡°Well, I know you will handle it well, Sir Pranbow. I will leave it to you,¡± Mondelio responded. ¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re very straightforward.¡± Pranbow laughed boisterously. With this, he was the first among his colleagues dispatched to Brantia to have established a bridgehead into the country. Moreover, he had done so near the Batla Duchy, which was one of the two most important families in the vicinity. Of course, he could have occupied it with force if he wanted to, but there was a high chance that the various contenders for the throne would join forces and retaliate if he had done so. ¡®But now, I have the justification and I¡¯ve also established a bridgehead. All I have to do now is to pressure the Batla family and make them cooperate¡­¡¯ And that was an extremely simple problem to handle... He would win their trust by fighting off the bandits, then give the Batla Duchy what they wanted the most. ¡®I will have to request it when the archduke sends his messenger. It needs to be dramatic and climactic.¡¯ Pranbow started to create his perfect plan. Crash! ¡°W-what is it?!¡± Baron Mondelio shouted while turning his head as the door burst open with a loud racket. Pranbow turned his head and glared at the guard responsible for opening the door with a frown. ¡°I apologize! But there¡¯s an urgent, pressing matter!¡± the guard yelled. ¡°What is it? What¡¯s going on?¡± Baron Mondelio asked. ¡°An army! There¡¯s an army, my lord!¡± the guard shouted. ¡°An army? What do you mean by that? Speak clearly!¡± Baron Mondelio demanded. ¡°A-an army! Hundreds of troops are advancing our way!¡± the guard hollered. ¡°What?!¡± Baron Mondelio¡¯s face turned pale, and the startled nobles began to whisper among themselves. Pranbow hurriedly approached the guard and asked, ¡°Where is the army from? Did you check their flag or crest?¡± ¡°The mercenaries who discovered their presence are quite ignorant, they don¡¯t know which family the army belongs to. However, they reported seeing the crest of a dark, crimson dragon,¡± the guard said. ¡°Dragon?¡± Pranbow frowned. Baron Mondelio rushed over and begged. ¡°S-sir, what should I do? The knights and soldiers of my territory number less than a hundred. Sir, you must help me!¡± ¡°Naturally. It seems they¡¯re trying their luck with faith in their numbers. I will destroy the enemies along with the knights of the Northern Elf Kingdom,¡± Pranbow answered. ¡°Ohh!¡± Baron Mondelio¡¯s expression brightened at once. A total of 10 knights had accompanied Pranbow. They were excellent riders and elven knights with incomparable skills with the bow. They would easily defeat a group of mercenaries with more than tenfold their numbers. Most importantly, Pranbow was a swordmaster and one of the strongest knights of the Northern Elf Kingdom. The number of orc warriors he had defeated in the past when the Island of Eland had been engulfed in war couldn¡¯t be counted anymore. Not only that, but it was Pranbow who had ¡®perfectly¡¯ subjugated all three evil lands in Eland. ¡°This is rather good. Let me show you the skills of us knights belonging to the Northern Elf Kingdom. I will validate for you that joining hands with our kingdom was the best choice,¡± Pranbow said. Paaaa¡­ An aura engulfed Pranbow¡¯s figure. It was a refreshing energy of mana, unlike the Fears of vampires and orcs. It was an elven knight¡¯s unique ability that protected them from evil energies and Fear while improving their physical abilities. ¡°I trust you! I trust you, Sir Pranbow!¡± Baron Mondelio shouted fervently. His expression became bright as he witnessed the mysterious energy surrounding the elven knight. *** ¡°Dark lord! Dark Lord!¡± the scouting beowulfs shouted while rushing over. Eugene responded, ¡°What is it? Did Baron Mondelio dispatch any troops? Eugene didn¡¯t bother hiding his anticipation. If Baron Mondelio¡¯s troops met him in battle on flat land, he would basically be gifted with a free win. Face-to-face battles were always easier than laying siege. ¡°It¡¯s not that. Elves. There are elven knights,¡± one of the beowulfs said. ¡°Elves?¡± Eugene frowned at the unexpected answer. ¡°Those bastards looked so damn strong. They were wearing the same armor.¡± ¡°They must have seen us since they have good vision. But they didn¡¯t run away despite seeing us from afar¡­¡± The beowulfs busily chatted. Lanslo joined in the conversation. ¡°They are no ordinary elves if they are armed with metal armor and aren¡¯t surprised to see beowulf warriors.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s highly likely that they are knights from Eland. Eland is the only elven land that possesses its own smelting technology,¡± Lanslo answered. Eland¡ªthe Northern Elf Kingdom. They were the only contender for Brantia¡¯s throne that wasn¡¯t based on Brantia¡¯s mainland. And although humans and elves lived in harmony in Eland, most of the nobles there were said to be elves. Pure-blooded elven knights were known to use mana as their source of strength, and those above a certain level could use an ordinary sword with the unrivaled sharpness of a famed blade. ¡®Wait. What if I could have that power?¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyes glistened wickedly. CH 155 ¡°Sir Pranbow, take a look over there.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Pranbow stopped his horse and raised his visor. His expression immediately darkened when he saw an army in the distance. He assumed it to be the main army of the beowulfs he saw earlier. They were like storm clouds in the far distance. ¡°I assumed there would be 200 or 300 at most¡­¡± ¡°Those idiotic mercenaries! Do they have goblin eyes? In what world does that look like a few hundred soldiers?¡± one of Pranbow¡¯s fellow elf knights said with worry after seeing the massive army. Elven knights were strong. Each one of them had the skills to wipe out dozens of bandits without trouble. In addition, when ten of them were fighting together, even well-trained soldiers or several units consisting of well-trained mercenaries couldn¡¯t be their opponents. However, there was nothing they could possibly do against such a large army. Even so, turning back wasn¡¯t an option, especially not after they had proudly boasted of their own skills. ¡°Sir Pranbow. Let¡¯s first find out which family they belong to. Very few nobles would have the resources to possess such a large army.¡± ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s go have a conversation first,¡± Pranbow responded. The head of such a massive army would certainly be a noble, and even if they weren¡¯t one, they wouldn¡¯t act inhospitably to an elven knight in consideration of displaying their honor and dignity to their men. ¡®Is it one of the forces seeking the throne? If so, it would be good to take this chance to find out what kind of person he is and how skilled his troops are.¡¯ Pranbow hung a handkerchief at his spear''s end and started forward again. As the distance between the two groups narrowed little by little, Pranbow could see the size and the equipment of the troops more clearly. ¡°Hmm!¡± The expressions of Pranbow and the elven knights turned stiff. From what they could see, the army of unknown origins wasn¡¯t simply a large group of beggars. They seemed to be quite disciplined, and their equipment was excellent. ¡®Heavy infantrymen? And how do they have so many knights in heavy armor?¡¯ They could see hundreds of heavy infantrymen clattered in chainmail armed with spears, swords, and shields, but what was even more surprising was the presence of nearly fifty knights on horseback armed with plate mail. But that wasn¡¯t all¡­ There were even dozens of beowulf warriors wearing the same armor. And there was only one explanation for their appearance¡­ ¡®They¡¯re not participating as regular mercenaries. The beowulfs are officially working under someone else¡­¡¯ It made no sense, considering their prideful nature as warriors and high self-esteem. Pranbow¡¯s heart grew heavier as he drew closer to the army. ¡°Whoa, whoa.¡± Finally, once the distance between the two groups drew close to less than fifty meters, Pranbow and the elven knights came to a stop. Four knights on horseback started toward them from the army. ¡°Laruma tino buroru balin eland emashia?¡± one of the knights asked in Elandish. Pranbow responded with a surprised expression, ¡°Ja. Lalano Ballin?¡± ¡°Ja. Drak es Lanslo.¡± Lanslo grinned while raising his visor. Pranbow nodded. ¡°Ah, a knight from the Drak family. You still haven¡¯t forgotten where your roots are. I commend you.¡± ¡°Haha. We aren¡¯t given a choice in the matter of learning the language of Eland as long as we are born into the Drak family,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Even that is an honorable tradition that stands to prove that the Drak family has its roots in Eland. Anyway, nice to meet you, Sir Lanslo. I am Pranbow of Eland,¡± Pranbow said. ¡°Aha, so it was Sir Pranbow,¡± Lanslo responded with recognition. Pranbow said with a grin, ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°How could I not know the swordmaster of Eland? Anyway, it¡¯s nice to meet you as well. However, considering the circumstances, I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m all too glad about this meeting,¡± Lanslo said, shaking his head. ¡°¡­¡± Pranbow¡¯s expression stiffened. So it appeared that the knight from the Drak family had heard of him. However, for the young knight to act like this meant that he was either confident in himself or in his army. But regardless of the reason, Pranbow was unfamiliar and uncomfortable with such a response. Of course, this also applied to Pranbow¡¯s fellow knights, who weren¡¯t as disciplined as Pranbow¡­ ¡°Sir! Where are your manners?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a knight of the Drak family? Don¡¯t you have the blood of elves flowing in your veins? The least you could do is to be respectful, even if you can¡¯t join our side.¡± ¡°Have some manners! Knight of Drak!¡± Most of Pranbow¡¯s fellow knights were in their 40s and 50s, which was considered quite young for elves. As such, they couldn¡¯t suppress their temper and burning spirits. In addition, most of them were visiting Brantia¡¯s mainland for the first time, and all of the people they encountered until now had been extremely respectful and reverent toward them, like Baron Mondelio. In other words, it was their first time meeting a person of ¡®equal status¡¯ like Lanslo. ¡°It sounds to me like these elf bastards are cursing at you. Am I right?¡± Galfredik asked. Lanslo responded with a shrug, ¡°Not quite curses, but nothing nice either.¡± Banneret Randolph said cautiously, ¡°They are pointing out Sir Drak¡¯s attitude and warning him to be polite. The knight who spoke with Sir Drak is a swordmaster of Eland, and he seems to be a noble of very high status. They¡¯re complaining of Sir Drak¡¯s attitude.¡± ¡°Motherfuckers, these elf bastards are pulling shit out of their mouths. Lanslo, forget everything else. Ask that swordmaster if he¡¯s the one responsible for instigating Baron Mondelio,¡± Galfredik cursed. Pranbow couldn¡¯t understand the language of the Caylor Kingdom, but his eyes turned toward Galfredik due to the burly knight¡¯s aggressive tone and extraordinary aura. Pranbow recognized that Galfredik, Randolph, and Clay were vampires from their relatively pale faces and unusual auras. ¡°A knight of the Dark Clan. Are you the head of this army?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°He is asking if you are the commander of this army, Sir Galfredik.¡± Randolph interpreted Pranbow¡¯s words. ¡°And what does that matter to you? Just tell him what I was saying before,¡± Galfredik casually said. ¡°Yes.¡± Randolph nodded before turning towards Pranbow. ¡°This is Sir Galfredik, an exalted noble of our clan and the knight commander of our forces. Sir Galfredik is asking if you are with Baron Mondelio.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Pranbow managed to remain calm even after the sudden, sharp question. However, the other elven knights weren¡¯t as disciplined as Pranbow, and they couldn¡¯t hide their agitation after hearing Randolph¡¯s question. ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I? Bastards, I can tell just by looking at your faces. You scruffy elves are the ones behind Mondelio,¡± Galfredik said with a grin. Pranbow couldn¡¯t understand his words, but he recognized Galfredik¡¯s comprehension from the smile. However, Pranbow remained proud. ¡°And what if we are? That¡¯s right, Sir Mondelio has decided to align his will with Eland. So listen carefully¡­ As soon as you and your army decide to invade Lord Mondelio¡¯s territory, you will be declaring war on Eland. Eland¡¯s elite soldiers are protected by the great spirit. They will destroy and slaughter the troops of your army. So have your soldiers retreat and get out of this land this instant,¡± Pranbow spoke before tapping on his longsword. It was a fine blade nestled inside an elaborate silver sheathe. He wasn¡¯t afraid at all, even if he was facing a high-ranking noble of the Dark Clan. Pranbow¡¯s words were accurately interpreted over to Galfredik. ¡°Uhahahahahahaha!¡± Galfredik burst into laughter, which caused the elves to become flustered. ¡°I was worried that you would cut the tail and run off. I never expected you to ask for a battle straight up,¡± Galfredik remarked. ¡°Exactly. It hasn¡¯t been too long since they left Eland, so they must be ignorant of the world,¡± Lanslo replied to Galfredik¡¯s words. Although they were talking in their own language, the elves felt offended by the attitude and the tone of the two knights. ¡°How dare you! Aren¡¯t you afraid of angering Eland?¡± ¡°Apologize immediately and walk away! I won¡¯t tolerate any more disrespect!¡± The elves shouted angrily. Lanslo gave a meaningful smile. ¡°Ah, come to think of you, you don¡¯t even know who we are yet.¡± ¡°Hmph! The Drak family might be famous, but I have never even heard of the Galfredik family. I don¡¯t know which kingdom you are from, but if you show any more disrespect, after Eland unites Brantia¡­¡± Pranbow shouted. ¡°I think there¡¯s a big misunderstanding here.¡± Lanslo interrupted. He continued. ¡°Our army¡¯s master and supreme commander is over there.¡± Pranbow and the elven knights turned their gazes toward where Lanslo was pointing. A knight clad in black armor was observing them from a distance under the fluttering flag of the black dragon. Pranbow narrowed his eyes. He could feel an extraordinary pressure emitting from the knight. Lanslo continued. ¡°If I may introduce him¡ªHis Excellency Duke Jan Eugene Batla.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± Pranbow shouted with shock while almost throwing reins. Lanslo spoke with a mysterious smile, ¡°So Lord Mondelio is with Eland? Good. We were on our way to ask that question anyway.¡± ¡°W-well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Well, well. The Mondelio Barony was a vassal of the Batla Duchy for a long time. Since the Batla Duchy bestowed the duchy its status, the Batla Duchy will be the one to revoke it,¡± Lanslo stated. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. His Excellency Eugene Batla will incriminate Lord Mondelio for betraying the duchy. Well, since a swordmaster of Eland has testified that Baron Mondelio is with Eland, any further conversation will be meaningless,¡± Lanslo added. ¡°Keugh!¡± Pranbow bit his lips. He had made a mistake¡ªa huge mistake. The right move would have been to continue the conversation after discovering the opponent¡¯s attitude, but he had been caught off guard by the opponent¡¯s disrespectful attitude. Moreover, he had become quite accustomed to being revered and worshiped during his stay in Baron Mondelio¡¯s castle, which resulted in him committing such a blunder. Pranbow started to explain, ¡°But if you raise your sword against the Mondelio territory, Eland will¡­¡± ¡°Huh? You were the one who coerced the duchy¡¯s vassal into a betrayal, right?¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Ha! And what evidence are you basing your nonsense¡­¡± ¡°Sir Roberi. We captured one of Baron Mondelio¡¯s knights. He confessed that someone gave Lord Mondelio lots of silver coins to hire mercenaries and to have them pretend to be bandits,¡± Lanslo casually said. ¡°¡­!¡± It appeared that even Pranbow¡¯s retreat was blocked. ¡°What will you do? Will you dare to stop Duke Batla¡¯s righteous rebuke and rage in the name of Eland? Just know that you will be responsible if the relationship between the Batla Duchy and Eland sours due to this matter.¡± Lanslo¡¯s voice remained light and his tone clear, but his eyes were now cold. Galfredik, Randolph, and Clay glared at the elves. They were prepared to draw their blades at a moment¡¯s notice. Pranbow gritted his teeth faced with the dilemma. It would be extremely painful to lose their bridgehead in Brantia over such a matter. The opponents weren¡¯t afraid of Eland, and they held the political justification in condemning Baron Mondelio. ¡°I¡­¡± Pranbow parted his lips with the intention of retreating. However¡­ ¡°We are the knights of Eland! The great land of Eland will not bow to anyone!¡± ¡°Uwaaaah!¡± The enraged elven knights shouted while unsheathing their weapons. ¡®You idiots!¡¯ Pranbow attempted to dissuade the knights, but it was already too late. ¡°Great! Not too shabby for little elves! I¡¯ll acknowledge your spirits! Hahahaha!¡± Galfredik burst into laughter before raising his spear. Lanslo and the two vampires raised their longswords as well. ¡°No¡­!¡± Pranbow tried to speak, but he wasn¡¯t given a chance to finish. His eyes filled with shock. Kuwuuuuuuugh!!! The beowulfs were already charging toward them like starving beasts. However, Pranbow wasn¡¯t surprised by the beowulfs. Fwooooosh! A beam of light creating shockwaves could be seen flying toward him at unbelievable speeds. ¡°From that distance?!¡± Pranbow¡¯s eyes were filled with disbelief after recognizing the object as a black spear. CH 156 Paaaaa! Pranbow reflexively ignited his own mana and coated his longsword with it. He predicted the spear¡¯s straight trajectory and struck down with all his might. Shhhhk! However, as his blade fell in a cascade of light, the spear turned sharply to the right as if it were alive. ¡°¡­?!¡± Pranbow couldn¡¯t hide his shock. The spear continued and pierced the shoulder of an elf knight standing behind him. ¡°Keugh!¡± ¡°Ledel!¡± the elf knights shouted with disbelief after witnessing the spear rip through the tough chain mail as if it was made of paper. Shuacck! ¡°What?!¡± However, it was too early for the elves to be surprised. They were left speechless as the spear flew back to where it came from after leaving a hole in their colleague¡¯s shoulder. ¡°A magic spear!¡± Pranbow shouted. The spear returned to the hands of its master. At the same time, the black-armored knight charged toward them on his obsidian steed. Kwaaaaa¡­! Vampiric Fear soared from Eugene¡¯s figure as he took hold of Madarazika. The distance between Eugene and Pranbow narrowed to about 10 meters. Tututututututu! Eugene closed the distance in the blink of an eye, then released Silion¡¯s reins before striking down with Madarazika. Kwarara! The spear contained the momentum of Silion¡¯s charge as it descended with ferocity toward Pranbow¡¯s helmet. Even though he was a swordmaster, Pranbow still felt a chill rush down his back as he faced the fierce attack. However, Pranbow remained calm and raised his longsword at an angle. A swordmaster was not easily defeated. Block, deflect, sidestep, and stab. Such were the basics of swordsmanship, but it was extremely difficult to time it just right. But for a swordmaster like Pranbow, accurately performing the technique was easier than eating cake, and he had defeated dozens of knights and warriors in the past utilizing the same technique. ¡®Aim for the gap in his armpit!¡¯ Pranbow visualized the battle as the longsword and the spear drew close. The elven swordmaster was fully confident in his plan. He had never even imagined that his plan would go awry. Boom! The clash between the spear and the longsword resulted in a tremendous explosion. Even a swordmaster¡¯s masterful techniques and the natural mana of a pure-blooded elf were nullified in front of absolute power. Clang! Pranbow¡¯s longsword was shattered into dozens of pieces, and the coating of mana also scattered into the air. Madarazika fell through the blossom of metal and mana and struck Pranbow¡¯s helmet. Bang! Pranbow immediately lost consciousness and fell flat on his saddle as intense pain radiated from his skull. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Sir Pranbow¡­?!¡± The elven knights froze immediately when the proud swordmaster of Eland was defeated in a single blow. ¡°Kuwuuuugh!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s play, herbivores!¡± Despite Pranbow¡¯s defeat, the beowulfs did not stop their charge. Unfortunately, the elves had already lost their will to fight after witnessing the complete defeat of their swordmaster. ¡°Disarm and capture them. Feel free to pummel them if they resist,¡± Eugene commanded. The beowulfs couldn¡¯t hide their disappointment while dragging the elves off their horses. Justification, profit, honor¡ªthe elves failed at obtaining even a single one as the battle concluded. *** ¡°Ugh¡­¡± After half a day, Pranbow opened his eyes with a grunt. ¡°Keugh!¡± He groaned and clenched his teeth as extreme pain surged from the top of his head. It felt as if a nail had been driven deep into his skull. ¡°Sir, sir! The old man elf woke up!¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± Pranbow turned his head toward the two voices. One was rather frivolous, while the other was cold. ¡°¡­?!¡± He came to face a young man with crimson eyes and long dark hair, as well as a spirit who looked as frivolous as her voice. A spirit and a vampire. Pranbow briefly forgot his pain and looked at the unimaginable combination with dazed eyes. The spirit began to laugh wickedly. ¡°Kihehehehehe! I guess he¡¯s a unicorn now, rather than an old elf! He has a horn on his head! Kekekeke!¡± Pranbow was filled with an immense desire to smack the spirit in the head, wanting to ignore his identity as an elf. ¡°Well. It¡¯s definitely an eyesore. I¡¯m glad he looks fine though,¡± the vampire said. Although Pranbow could understand his words, strangely enough, he felt irritated by the vampire. Pranbow spoke in a dignified voice, ¡°And who are you, sir? By the looks of it, you¡¯re a knight of a prestigious family. If you are indeed an honorable knight, you ought to show some courtesy¡­¡± ¡°A load of crap. Are you not fully awake yet? Will you come to your senses if I hit you some more?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°W-what?¡± Pranbow stammered. ¡°I am Jan Eugene Batla. Manners, courtesy. Who do you think should be showing respect here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah.¡± Pranbow became wide-eyed after learning of Eugene¡¯s identity. He immediately placed his right palm on his chest and said politely, ¡°I have shown you great disrespect due to my ignorance. I am¡­¡± ¡°I know. Sir Pranbow, swordmaster of Eland.¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°¡­¡± Pranbow bit his lips after hesitation. He couldn¡¯t believe that he was being referred to as a swordmaster by someone who had defeated him in a single blow. He had never felt more ashamed of his title than now. However, Pranbow was a noble of Eland and its representative before he became a swordmaster. As such, he was aware of his responsibilities. ¡°Your Excellency Batla. With all due respect, what happened to the other knights with me?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°They are all fine. I am treating them with honor as prisoners. Ah, one is in poor condition. The one I pierced with my spear. We fed him a mana stone to ensure he doesn¡¯t die,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°A mana stone? Your Excellency! Pure-blooded members of our race should not consume mana stones. If there were any impurities in the stone, then the mana in their bodies¡­¡± Pranbow shouted with alarm. ¡°It was pure. My wizard manufactured it.¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°Your wizard¡­?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I have someone, a woman. Anyway, the one with the hole in his shoulder is breathing and alive,¡± Eugene said with a shrug. ¡°Phew. I am grateful for your mercy, Your Excellency. You are a man of true honor. I am thoroughly impressed.¡± Pranbow bowed politely with sincerity. He felt as if the prejudice that had been fabricated after meeting human nobles like Baron Mondelio was completely crumbling apart. Although the vampire wasn¡¯t Brantian, such an honorable knight was an extremely rare find, regardless of race and nationality. But he only thought of this because he had no idea who Eugene was at all¡­ ¡®Hmm. I only saved his life since I would benefit from the ransom, but it seems like I¡¯ve made a big profit using only two mana stones. Anyway, considering that he was secretly plotting against the duchy, it seems like he¡¯s got some manners.¡¯ According to the other captured elves, Pranbow was a high-ranking nobleman in Eland. His status was enough to be counted within the top 10, and he was popular with other elves because of his excellent swordsmanship and unyielding spirit. ¡®I¡¯ll be at a loss if I start a squabble with the elves since they don¡¯t even have any power in Brantia¡¯s mainland. I¡¯ll have to treat him nicely until I get his ransom. Beating up Mondelio should be enough to satisfy me for the time being.¡¯ Eugene made up his mind. He asked while slightly softening his eyes, ¡°Sir Pranbow, let me ask you a few questions.¡± ¡°I have already suffered defeat at our hands. I will faithfully answer any questions that don''t cause me to betray Eland,¡± Pranbow responded. ¡°Good. Having the mercenaries pretend to be bandits. Was that Eland¡¯s will?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°We supported Lord Mondelio financially and condoned his actions, so I can¡¯t deny the responsibility,¡± Pranbow answered. ¡°Hmm. Are you saying that you were trying to drive the Batla Duchy into a dead end?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. However¡­ although it may sound like an excuse, I had them know not to occupy the duchy. Eland needed the cooperation of the duchy, we weren¡¯t trying to take it over,¡± Pranbow explained. ¡°Hmm.¡± The elf¡¯s words lined up with Roberi¡¯s words. It certainly appeared true. But there were still questions that needed answers. ¡°Even if your plan succeeded, the duchy would not have cooperated. The old men of the duchy are incredibly arrogant and snobbish. Of course, they have gotten a lot better now,¡± Eugene said while tapping on Wolfslaughter. Pranbow could guess the situation. Even the elders of the duchy would¡¯ve been helpless in front of the vampire¡¯s overwhelming might. ¡°We were not expecting the duchy to bend over and cooperate with Eland just by rescuing them from danger. So we were going to prepare a gift that would leave the duchy with no other choice,¡± Pranbow said. ¡°Gift? What was it?¡± Eugene asked ¡°Well¡­¡± Pranbow hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath. Then, he continued. ¡°Phew! You have already succeeded the duchy as its new master, so there¡¯s no point in hiding it. The gift that Eland prepared¡­ is one of four treasures originally belonging to the Batla Duchy.¡± ¡°What? The armor?¡± Eugene exclaimed in shock. ¡°Huh?! Your Excellency, how do you know of Armis?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°Armis?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Pranbow seemed rather confused when Eugene exclaimed in shock. Eugene showed him Wolfslaughter, Madarazika, and Paracletus one after another. ¡°I have three of the treasures, so the remaining one would obviously be the armor,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°By the gods!¡± Pranbow was shocked and speechless. It felt as if his very soul had left his body. He finally realized how a member of the Dark Clan managed to succeed the Batla Duchy and how he knew the identity of the treasure belonging to Eland¡¯s royal family. ¡°Fate. Could this be fate? Ha¡­!¡± Pranbow let out a long sigh, then he spoke in a stern voice after straightening his posture. ¡°We were going to demand the Batla Duchy¡¯s support for Eland on the condition that we returned one of its four treasures, Armis. But we assumed that the duchy wouldn¡¯t agree from the very beginning or would have other ideas, so we joined with Baron Mondelio.¡± ¡°Hmm. Maybe; no, I¡¯m sure that would have done exactly that,¡± Eugene hesitated for a moment before responding. Judging by the brazen attitude of the duchy¡¯s elders from before, Eugene felt that Pranbow¡¯s rationale was justified. ¡°But that armor¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it have been a waste to hand it over so simply? They are quite extraordinary,¡± Eugene said. Even Wolfslaughter, which was the least extraordinary of the three treasures in his possession, was an unrivaled sword. In the first place, there were only a few swords in the world that had been crafted with meteoric iron. Pranbow responded, ¡°If by ¡®extraordinary,¡¯ you are referring to Armis¡¯s defensive function, then yes, it is indeed extraordinary. However, the problem is that it¡¯s not suitable for any of us. It¡¯s practically useless.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Armis is a demon armor that sucks the blood of the wearer. That¡¯s why all the previous dukes had been short-lived,¡± Pranbow explained. ¡°¡­?!¡± Eugene was surprised. Neither the elders of the duchy nor Pymathoras, who could be called a living history book, had told him about this. ¡°When Armis was in the duchy, the dukes only wore Armis in desperate circumstances. It provides the strongest of effects, and not even a mana sword could leave a dent on its surface. In addition, it nullifies all kinds of curses and spells. However, a regular human would have all of their blood sucked dry with a single wear.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they die then?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Humans have mana stones. They can persist by continuing to take superior-grade mana stones. However, mana stones aren¡¯t as effective for elves. As such, no one was suitable to become its master,¡± Pranbow explained. ¡°Hooh. I see.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Excellency is a member of the Dark Clan, so you have significantly less blood in your body than other races. I dare say that the armor¡­¡± ¡°I think I will be fine.¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. There¡¯s no need to worry about me.¡± Eugene smiled confidently. He couldn¡¯t wear it since he didn¡¯t have enough blood? Eugene had developed several abilities through multiple awakenings. Among them was the ability to absorb blood from nearby sources. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about running out of blood while using the ability. ¡®If I¡¯m in a hurry, I can suck blood from whoever is nearby.¡¯ A battlefield was filled to the brim with enemies to devour blood from, so what was the use of worrying? Eugene was glad he was a vampire. CH 157 ¡°What about the armor? When will you have them bring it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Please send two of my colleagues back to Eland. I will have them bring back the ransom and the armor. They will be back in a month at the latest,¡± Pranbow responded. ¡°I see. By any chance, your king and his nobles. They wouldn¡¯t have any other thoughts, would they?¡± Eugene asked. Pranbow smiled sadly. ¡°The size and power of your army will be accurately relayed. I can tell you as a knight of Eland that our country will feel quite burdened by the army you possess, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Eugene answered calmly. He knew that his army would have grown even larger when the time came. Pranbow felt impressed by Eugene¡¯s demeanor. ¡°Moreover, as I have already mentioned, our nation only wants the help of the Batla Duchy. We have no intention of going against the duchy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± Eugene nodded with satisfaction. Pranbow fell into thought for a moment before asking cautiously. ¡°With all due respect¡­ Does Your Excellency have the thought of unification in your mind?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say yes for now,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Pranbow sighed as if he had been expecting Eugene¡¯s answer. However, Eugene¡¯s following words caused him to immediately raise his head. ¡°If you want, I will grant Eland its independence. And I will cede the islands in its vicinity as Eland¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Pranbow¡¯s eyes filled with disbelief. Eugene continued while looking into the elf¡¯s eyes. ¡°My druid told me that even if someone succeeded in unifying Brantia, even greater strife and war might be awaiting them and that regardless of who unifies Brantia, it won¡¯t even last for three generations.¡± ¡°Mmhm¡­¡± Pranbow felt dejected. He had heard similar words from the druids several times when he was in Eland. Even his cousin, the Elf King, knew the story. As such, although the Elf King was attempting to unify Brantia, he was pursuing it through a plan that hadn¡¯t been attempted by the previous dynasties. Several high-ranking nobles of Eland, led by Pranbow, had arrived on the mainland for that very reason. They had attempted to persuade and win over allies instead of conquering by force. ¡°Did Your Excellency¡¯s druid give you any advice¡­?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°A united kingdom. My druid advised me to form the United Kingdom of Brantia,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°As I thought!¡± Pranbow exclaimed with a clap. It appeared that the elves of Eland were pursuing a similar plan. ¡®This makes it much easier to talk...¡¯ Eugene put his devilish brain to work as he continued. ¡°Brantia was invaded by the kingdoms of the continent, which caused the destruction of the dynasties after the Knight King. My druid thinks that the heart of the problem is Brantia¡¯s architecture. He said that it is difficult to unite a nation that houses many different races, and that it would be difficult for a strong royal family to be born. Do you agree, sir?¡± Although he was a prisoner, Pranbow possessed sufficient status to represent Eland. He answered without hesitation, ¡°I agree. My king would agree to that as well. However¡­¡± Pranbow couldn¡¯t bring himself to continue, to say that Eland needed to stand at Brantia¡¯s center. Eugene nodded as if he understood Pranbow¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I understand, sir. You are an honorable knight of Eland. You have no choice but to stand for Eland in these matters.¡± ¡°Thank you for your deep consideration, Your Excellency,¡± Pranbow responded. He was truly touched by Eugene¡¯s understanding and consideration. After coming to the mainland, he only encountered naive and ignorant nobles. After finally getting to speak with a wise and dignified individual like Eugene, his mind and heart felt liberated. ¡®Isn¡¯t he the ideal knight? Force, resourcefulness, and he¡¯s even magnanimous. He¡¯s fit to be a king. A king!¡¯ ¡°S-sir. The old elf¡¯s eyes are weird and perverted. It reminds me of those humans who had taken off their clothes in my pond and started to lick and¡­ Kiek!¡± The spirit started to chatter about the fond memories of her past. However, her words were interrupted by a smack and she turned into mushy liquid as he collided with the wall. Pranbow felt elated at the sight, and he felt even fonder of Eugene. ¡°Anyway, Sir Pranbow, what if I told you that there was a way to guarantee Eland¡¯s independence while allowing it to set foot on Brantia¡¯s mainland?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hmm? Is there such a way?¡± Pranbow asked curiously. Eugene responded with a meaningful smile, ¡°Does the king of Eland have any daughters or granddaughters who aren¡¯t yet married? Ah, someone who is over the age of 15.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If he does, I will turn her into the Queen of Brantia. I swear it on my honor,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°¡­!¡± Pranbow¡¯s eyes became filled with shock. However, he immediately came to realize what Eugene was saying, and he responded with a voice full of excitement, ¡°Oh! What a brilliant idea! Your wisdom must have reached the skies! Hahahaha!¡± Pranbow burst into bright laughter. If the head of the Batla Duchy, which stood as one of the most influential and powerful families of Brantia, took the throne and had a direct descendant of Eland¡¯s royal family as his mate, it would greatly benefit both parties. Pure-blooded elves lived as long as vampires. Excluding marriages within the same race, it could be said to be the most ideal combination among the many different races. In addition, there had been previous cases of marriages between vampires and elves. The vampire in front of him possessed an even fairer appearance than most elves, and he was a Daywalker as well. He could enjoy minor pleasures such as walking in the forest or bathing in the sunlight without any problems. ¡°I will make sure to include that in the letter I send back to my homeland. Haha! Your Excellency! Let us build a proper, united kingdom together!¡± Pranbow laughed as he thought of several candidates to pair Eugene with. However¡­ ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you are so willing. Let¡¯s do our best.¡± Eugene wasn¡¯t talking about himself, but about someone else. He was simply playing the matchmaker. Pranbow was under a complete misconception. ¡®Everything is proceeding so smoothly...¡¯ ¡®It seems to me that coaxing Mondelio had been a blessing in disguise!¡¯ ¡°Hahahaha!¡± ¡°Hohoho!¡± The Origin Vampire and the elven swordmaster laughed joyously, not realizing that the two of them were dreaming in completely different directions. *** ¡°P-p-please forgive me! This foolish, lowly man was out of his mind¡­ N-no! I was possessed by an evil spirit and forced to act as such! C-curse! It was a curse! Your Excellency!¡± Baron Mondelio begged after running out barefooted and kowtowing repeatedly. ¡°Please forgive us!¡± The nobles of the Mondelio territory followed suit and groveled. ¡°Kieeee! How pathetic! What are these dogs saying?¡± Mirian shook her head while clicking her tongue. It wasn¡¯t just her either. Everyone in Eugene¡¯s army stared at Baron Mondelio and his nobles with pitiful, pathetic eyes. It was only natural, however, since Baron Mondelio had led all of his family and the nobles of the territory to the castle town to surrender as soon as he spotted Eugene¡¯s flag in the distance. ¡°These bastards have no honor and no backbone either. I don¡¯t know why they even plotted to betray the duchy when they¡¯re so weak. You guys are pathetic for buying them off too,¡± Galfredik said mockingly with his gaze on Pranbow and the elven knights. Although they couldn¡¯t understand Galfredik¡¯s words, Pranbow came to a rough understanding based on Galfredik¡¯s tone and attitude. Pranbow avoided the burly knight¡¯s gaze while coughing awkwardly. ¡°A wicked spirit? A curse? That¡¯s an excuse I haven¡¯t heard before¡­¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene looked down at Baron Mondelio atop Silion. Baron Mondelio and the nobles quivered at Eugene¡¯s icy voice. The one looking down at them was Duke Batla, and he was powerful enough to defeat and capture a swordmaster of Eland. There was nothing else they could do aside from prostrating and begging for mercy. ¡°From this moment on, the Mondelio territory will be incorporated into the Batla Duchy. After that, I will assign an administrator to take care of the land in my stead. Baron Mondelio and his family will be stripped of their title. Any objections?¡± Eugene declared. ¡°N-none at all! Your mercy is like the boundless sea! The spirits will surely bless you, Your Excellency!¡± ¡°You will be blessed!¡± Baron Mondelio praised Eugene. Even though his lordship disappeared in a day, he was relieved to keep his life. ¡°And two of your direct lines. Send them to the duchy as servants. Do you understand?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Y-yes, my lord.¡± Baron Mondelio¡¯s heart sank when he heard that they would be servants rather than aides, but he had no choice but to agree. He was thankful that they weren¡¯t taken as slaves instead. ¡®Surely that¡¯s the end, right?¡¯ ¡°The duchy¡¯s troops, and my troops. Quite a few of them were hurt. You¡¯re going to pay for that and the ransom of the knights, right?¡± It wasn¡¯t over¡­ Baron Mondelio asked cautiously as he felt his heart drop even further, ¡°Um¡­ How much will suffice?¡± ¡°I would like to see a reflection of your sincerity and apology,¡± Eugene replied. One of the scariest things in the world was to abstain from providing a clear standard. Moreover, it was even scarier when the opponent was holding a sword that could decapitate heads at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Baron Mondelio looked up at Eugene from the ground with a pale expression. Eugene¡¯s lips twitched slightly. All of Baron Mondelio¡¯s nobles had their heads held against the ground, and Eugene¡¯s back was to everyone else. As such, only Baron Mondelio saw what Eugene mouthed. Every¡ªthing. Baron Mondelio flinched and bowed his head with a mournful expression. ¡°I-I will offer up¡­ my entire fortune.¡± ¡°Mmhm! Your sincerity. I accept it,¡± Eugene responded. It was true that Baron Mondelio had made a huge mistake. However, technically speaking, he was still a lord independent from the Batla Duchy. As such, Eugene couldn¡¯t impose any other restrictions except to reclaim Mondelio¡¯s title. In addition, the direct lineages of other vassals, who were brought over as ¡®hostages disguised as aides,¡¯ were watching, including Pranbow. ¡®Damn this common law. It¡¯s annoying, but I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ Even so, Eugene succeeded in taking Baron Mondelio¡¯s entire fortune. It would be better to wrap it up. He was certain that the other vassals and the direct lineages were deeply moved by his generosity. However, Eugene stood alone in his thoughts¡­ ¡®A-all of his wealth? Is he trying to bury them alive?¡¯ ¡®How could he endure this kind of humiliation after living his entire life as a lord? And what about his family? It would¡¯ve been better to just cut off the baron¡¯s head.¡¯ ¡®He no longer has any authority as the head of a household, not to mention as a lord. His Excellency is extremely thorough and unforgiving.¡¯ They knew better than anyone that a noble¡¯s power came from his territory and money. Instead of deeply etching the duke¡¯s generosity in their hearts, the vassals and the direct descendants trembled at the thorough, terrible retaliation. The duke was making sure that the Mondelio Barony would never, ever stand again. *** ¡°Then I will be back, Master.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to be leaving you behind. I have nothing to say for myself.¡± One of the elven knights bowed their heads after receiving Pranbow¡¯s handwritten letter. ¡°No, your duties take precedence. Make sure you don¡¯t go astray. Deliver the message to His Majesty as soon as possible,¡± Pranbow said. ¡°We will keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Master, Your Excellency Batla. Until I see you again, may the spirits bless you.¡± The elven knights bowed politely before riding away. Bonmer slowly approached Lorraine, who was standing extremely close to Luke, and whispered, ¡°Lady Lorraine. We must also take care of our ransom as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Hmm? Why? What¡¯s the rush? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re uncomfortable or anything.¡± The immature girl continued to surreptitiously gaze at Luke even whilst responding. Bonmer suppressed a sigh and added, ¡°Sir Eugene, or rather, His Excellency Eugene and Count Crawlmarine are treating us honorably. But think of the lord and your siblings. In particular, Master Reyma, your eldest brother. He must be worried sick about you.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lorraine¡¯s eyes shook violently at the mention of her eldest brother. She was certain that her current situation would have reached her brother by now. She didn¡¯t know how her brother would act once he was enraged. ¡®As long as I explain it well in a letter¡­¡¯ She imagined her brother¡¯s enraged face while peeping at Luke¡¯s reliable, handsome face. After a moment of contemplation, she nodded with a sigh. ¡°Then let us send another messenger. Ah! Perhaps you can go, Sir Bonmer.¡± ¡°I cannot,¡± Bonmer responded. ¡°Why?¡± ¡®Who knows what you¡¯re going to do with Count Crawlmarine if I leave the scene?!¡¯ ¡®You thought I wouldn¡¯t know what you were up to?!¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t possibly utter such words... Bonmer was forced to be as patient as possible. ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± ¡°Gold coins¡­ treasures¡­ offer it¡­ you can¡­ mate with the¡­ count¡­¡± ¡°Uwagh?!¡± Bonmer jumped with fright and reached for his sword as an insidious, evil whisper resonated from seemingly out of nowhere. CH 158 ¡°What was that!? Sir Bonmer. That sound just now¡­¡± Lorraine was scared. ¡°Hmph!¡± Bonmer quickly stepped in front of her and looked around. Despite clearly hearing the chilling, insidious voice, no one was present in the vicinity except himself and Lorraine. Moreover, he could no longer hear the voice. It was as if the two of them had hallucinated. ¡®C-could it be?¡¯ Bonmer flinched as he recalled a rumor that recently started to circulate. ¡°Let¡¯s go in for now, Lady Lorraine. I will talk to His Excellency Crawlmarine,¡± Bonmer said. ¡°Y-yes.¡± Lorraine hurried inside with a deathly pale expression. She was extremely afraid of ghosts. Bonmer inspected the surroundings once more with an anxious heart, then quickly started toward a certain place. ¡°Sir Bonmer.¡± ¡°Hello there, sir!¡± Several well-dressed young men greeted Bonmer politely. All of them were direct descendants of the Batla Duchy¡¯s vassals. They were the ones who had been taken hostage due to their parents not attending the succession ceremony. ¡°Sirs, could I talk with you all for a moment?¡± Bonmer asked. ¡°Ah, of course.¡± ¡°Of course...¡± The young men immediately nodded with great delight. Although all of them were prisoners, Lorraine and Bonmer were in a vastly different position compared to themselves. Everyone was afraid of the duke and they also found it quite difficult to talk to Count Crawlmarine. In addition, Lorraine was always by the count¡¯s side. As such, the young noblemen knew exactly what Lorraine¡¯s actions represented. ¡°What would you like to discuss?¡± the young noblemen asked courteously. Bonmer once again looked around his surroundings with a stiff expression. Then, he drew closer to the young men and spoke in a low voice, ¡°I heard it as well.¡± ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± the young men asked. ¡°The evil gold spirit,¡± Bonmer said. ¡°Huah!¡± the young men shouted with fear. The evil gold spirit. A strange rumor started circulating among Eugene¡¯s army¡ªan insidious, evil voice would suddenly call out from nowhere. The whispering voice would always ask for offerings to be put in certain places. Apparently, the evil spirit would accept gold coins, silver coins, jewels, and even house and land deeds. It was a wicked spirit that coveted gold. As such, it was given the name ¡®evil gold spirit.¡¯ Strangely, all those who heard the evil spirit¡¯s voice were nobles or people of some status. The brave ignored the voice, but others became frightened and followed the spirit¡¯s instructions to offer it coins and other forms of wealth. Most of the time, jewels and coins were offered. This was because many of the young noblemen weren¡¯t in possession of any deeds. What was surprising was that the offerings would disappear in a few hours after being placed in the locations directed by the spirit. Then, the voice of the evil spirit would no longer haunt them. ¡°W-what did the evil gold spirit want?¡± one of the noblemen asked. ¡°I can¡¯t remember too clearly because I was shocked, but I definitely heard mentions of gold and silver, as many of you have heard as well. And the spirit said something else as well¡­¡± Bonmer hesitated. He recalled the spirit mentioning a count, but he wasn¡¯t entirely sure. ¡°W-what will you do?¡± one of the nobles asked. ¡°Well, I think I will ignore it for now,¡± Bonmer responded. ¡°Y-you might receive a curse. Why don¡¯t you just give the evil gold spirit what it wants?¡± a young noble suggested. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Bonmer shook his head after a moment of contemplation. He was a knight of the Fransil family. It was dishonorable and shameful to give in to an evil spirit who threatened people! ¡°But no one has actually been cursed yet, right? For now, I will watch and wait. Worst case scenario, I¡­¡± ¡°Sir Bonmer! Sir Bonmer!¡± Bonmer was interrupted by someone¡¯s shouts. He turned around to see a servant running up with a shocked expression. The servant bowed politely before continuing. ¡°Sir, I think you should come quickly.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Bonmer asked. ¡°Lady Fransil is asking for you, sir. I don¡¯t know what happened exactly, but she was very scared. I- I think she was crying,¡± the servant stated. ¡°What?! Who dares?!¡± Bonmer shouted furiously. ¡°Hiek!¡± The servant quickly waved their hands and explained. ¡°No! That¡¯s not it! We didn¡¯t do anything at all! T-The lady was alone in her room!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Bonmer shouted before hurrying away. *** ¡°Lady Lorraine! I¡¯m coming in!¡± Bonmer shouted before bursting open the bedroom door. Lorraine, who was trembling inside her blanket, hurriedly ran forward. ¡°Sir Bonmer, Sir Bonmer! I-It was here! It was here!¡± Lorraine shouted tearfully. Bonmer felt his heart sink when he saw the tear marks on her face. ¡°It was here? What are you talking about?¡± Bonmer asked. ¡°T-t-the ghost! The ghost followed me inside! I-It asked me for gold coins, silver coins, jewels, all kinds of relics, land deeds, and house deeds! I-I-It told me to place the offerings tonight at the well behind the castle. T-The spirit said it would help me get together with His Excellency Crawlmarine. Sir Bonmer, what should I do? I should do as the ghost says, right?¡± Lorraine asked, desperate. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Lorraine seemed to be distraught. It was only natural. She was originally terribly afraid of ghosts, and she had been alone when the evil gold spirit spoke to her. Moreover, the spirit had even mentioned the object of her affection. There was no way she could have maintained her sanity. ¡°W-what if the spirit¡¯s trying to help me?¡± Lorraine muttered. ¡°You must not jump to conclusions. We don¡¯t know for sure yet if the spirit is noble or evil,¡± Bonmer responded. ¡°But¡­ don¡¯t you know the stories? The stories where a spirit of a lake or a mountain acts as a bridge between two lovers,¡± Lorraine said. ¡°Phew. Lady Lorraine, only elves are able to see spirits. Of course, there are special knights who enter into contracts with spirits. However, such spirits are always good and noble. They help people.¡± Bonmer said. And even if the evil gold spirit was indeed a spirit, there was no way that a good spirit would rob people of their gold. It would definitely be a wicked, vicious fellow. ¡°E-Even so, it said that it could help me get together with Count Crawlmarine. So maybe it wants to help me out, right?¡± Lorraine said with hope. It seemed she was having trouble grasping reality due to both fear and hope. Bonmer suppressed a sigh as he shook his head. ¡°You must not fall for an evil spirit¡¯s suggestion. Moreover, you are a direct descendant of the Fransil family, my lady. You must think about the family¡¯s honor.¡± ¡°B-buuut¡­¡± ¡°Please leave this matter to me,¡± Bonmer said. ¡°How? Sir Bonmer may be strong, but we¡¯re up against an invisible spirit¡­¡± Lorraine muttered. ¡°I will report this matter to the duke,¡± Bonmer replied. ¡°¡­¡± Lorraine remained silent. She was scared of ghosts, but Eugene was scarier. *** ¡°What? There¡¯s an evil spirit?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± Eugene¡¯s forehead creased after hearing Bonmer¡¯s words. He was already extremely occupied with this and that, so what nonsense was this? However, he couldn¡¯t simply ignore it. Lorraine and Bonmer were valuable hostages. If they were to come into any harm at all, it would lead to problems with the Fransil family which would affect the ransom as well. ¡°Keep talking,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency. It¡¯s a long story, but there¡¯s been a rumor circulating around some people lately. So¡­¡± Bonmer explained with a stiff expression. However, for some reason, Eugene¡¯s expression turned rather strange as Bonmer continued with the story. Simultaneously, Lanslo, who was standing next to Eugene, turned his head after covering his mouth with his hand. ¡®Why is Sir Drak acting like that?¡¯ Bonmer felt that something was out of place, but nevertheless, he finished his story and bowed. ¡°¡­and that is all. Your Excellency, if it is indeed an evil spirit, I dare say that we must take care of it as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Pffft!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, my apologies. I think I have something in my throat. Pffft!¡± Lanslo explained and pretended to drink water in a hurry after receiving Bonmer¡¯s gaze. ¡°I see. I will take care of this matter,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah! Are you thinking of assigning the wizard under your command or the druid to this case?¡± Bonmer asked with a brighter expression. Although Eugene¡¯s power was beyond comprehension, Bonmer assumed that either the wizard or the druid would take care of the matter since they specialized in the mystic arts. However, Eugene shook his head. ¡°No, I can handle it...¡± ¡°What? But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Sir Bonmer, go outside and make an announcement,¡± Eugene said. ¡°About¡­ what?¡± Bonmer asked. ¡°Nobles, knights, soldiers, mercenaries. Regardless of their status, if they have some money, have them report to me.¡± ¡°What? Ah, yes, of course. I will take my leave, then.¡± It was hard to understand the reasoning behind Eugene¡¯s command, but Bonmer hurriedly answered before leaving since the atmosphere around the duke seemed rather chilly. Thud. Puhahahahahahaha! Bonmer felt even more confused. A clear laughter had resounded from inside the room as soon as he closed the door. ¡®A vicious spirit that covets gold, the duke, and his knights¡­ Everyone here is shrouded in mysteries.¡¯ Bonmer gave a deep sigh. He simply wanted to return to the Fransil family as soon as possible. *** ¡°Puhahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene felt his rage simmering as Lanslo continued to roar with laughter. ¡®No wonder I haven¡¯t seen her much lately. What the hell is that crazy spirit doing? Is she out of her mind?¡¯ Eugene was dumbfounded. Mirian had barely been around him since a few days ago. He inquired into the matter out of curiosity, but Mirian had responded to him by saying that she was collecting information. He let the matter go since as she said, the number of troops under his command had recently just increased exponentially. Moreover, he felt rather cautious with the increased number of prisoners and hostages since they could very well be plotting something behind his back. However¡­ ¡°An evil gold spirit? What the¡­¡± ¡°Puhahahaha!¡± Lanslo had finally managed to calm down, but he burst into laughter once again after hearing Eugene¡¯s murmur. ¡°Stop laughing, will you?¡± Eugene said with a frown. ¡°Pffft! But isn¡¯t this so funny? How ironic! An Undine is a spirit of clarity and elegance, but now she has become known as a gold-starving, evil spirit. Puhahaha!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Why was it that Eugene had always been alone to embrace the embarrassment? Why did he have to get paired with such a kooky spirit? Why did he have to feel such shame? Now was the time for him to make a decision¡­ ¡°But why did you call for all the rich people?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Eugene casually replied. ¡°Oh? I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Lanslo responded with a smile. Eugene felt rather annoyed to see Lanslo genuinely enjoying himself, but he urged himself to be patient. After about thirty minutes, a group of people rushed into the office. ¡°Did you call for us, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°We are here to respond to your summons, my lord.¡± The group consisted of Odd, his colleagues, direct descendants of noble families and two squad captains from noble families. ¡®There¡¯s a lot of them.¡¯ Eugene felt an oncoming headache just imagining that most of them, or maybe all, had been victims of the greedy spirit. ¡°I have called all of you here because I have something to ask,¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± The victims looked rather puzzled. Eugene continued in a low voice. ¡°Have any of you heard a strange voice recently? That¡­ the one¡­ known as the evil gold spirit. Anyone?¡± Eugene had to glance sideways at Lanslo to ensure that the knight wouldn¡¯t burst into laughter. Lanslo managed to hold back, though his face turned crimson red in the process. ¡°Ah!¡± The majority of the people raised their hands. Eight people. Eugene held back his sigh and asked once again, ¡°I heard that you had been robbed by the spirit. How much was it for everyone?¡± ¡°Five gold coins for me.¡± ¡°I-I offered a ring and 2,000 cellings¡­.¡± ¡°I gave ten silver coins¡­¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Eugene was forced to suppress his killing intent as the victims answered his question. He replied, ¡°For now, I will reimburse, no, compensate you. Since all of you are my subordinates or serving me, the damage you have incurred is my responsibility.¡± ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± The ignorant victims were moved by Eugene¡¯s generosity. ¡°And that spirit¡­ no, the evil spirit. I will take care of it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ohhh! I understand!¡± ¡°No evil spirit would dare raise its head in the face of your courageous, incredible spirit!¡± ¡°If you do so, then a good and righteous spirit will stay with you and bless you, instead of an insidious, evil spirit!¡± The victims bowed repeatedly and praised Eugene. ¡°Pfff! Kff! Keugh!¡± Lanslo¡¯s vain attempt at suppressing his laughter led to him having trouble with breathing. Eugene glared at him with annoyance. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Something came into his vision. ¡°Hmm...¡± Eugene stood up from his seat and walked toward it. Everyone¡¯s gaze remained on him. Eugene stopped in front of his desk and picked up a small box. It was the safe that he had decided to deposit Mirian¡¯s salary in exchange for her work. Although it was rather conspicuous on top of the desk, no one dared to touch anything in his office without permission so it remained untouched. ¡®Except for just one¡­¡¯ Eugene opened the box. All kinds of glittering gold, silver, and jewels greeted him. Although the spirit was greedy, she was stupid. She had stored all of the stored goods in her box. Suddenly, a clear, resonant voice could be heard from the slightly-opened window. It sounded similar to a chattering bird. ¡°Kiee~ Kiee~ I done-did one today, yeah~ I¡¯m rich now, yeah~ Just wait, golden castle~ If he doesn¡¯t buy it for me, then I will go clack, clack¡­¡± Mirian flew in through the crack while singing a horrible, nonsensical song. Then, she met Eugene¡¯s gaze. Her eyes slowly turned toward the fraud victims in the office, then turned toward Eugene once more. ¡®I-I have to run!¡¯ Thud. Eugene reached out to close the window, then turned toward the victims. ¡°The evil spirit. I think I can take care of it. You may all leave now.¡± ¡°Oh! Yes, Your Excellency!¡± The victims left with relieved expressions, and Eugene brought the captured spirit close to him before whispering, ¡°You will be in charge of purifying drinking water from now on. Clean up the water for the army to drink. I don¡¯t care if you have to spit it or poop it. Make 10 oak barrels every single day.¡± ¡°Kieeeek?!¡± It was meant as a punishment, but Eugene had been pondering it for some time now as well. There was no problem procuring food and supplies from the depot, but drinking water was an entirely different matter. Fortunately, Eugene had a spirit who could purify even dung water into clean, drinkable water. ¡°S-sir. I was wrong. J-just forgive me this once, and I will always be loyal¡­¡± Mirian begged. ¡°Shut up. If you don¡¯t meet your quota, don¡¯t even dream about the golden castle. I¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯ll live in a monster¡¯s anus for the rest of your life. I¡¯ll shove you up the anuses of all the monsters I kill from now on,¡± Eugene said with a growl. ¡°Kieeeeh!¡± The lazy, greedy, evil gold spirit finally received the divine punishment she was due to receive. Justice was still alive... CH 159 Gulp, gulp! ¡°Kyah! This water tastes great!¡± A mercenary exclaimed with admiration after taking a swig of water contained in an oak barrel. He wiped off his chin while taking a deep breath in. Several of his colleagues started to chime in. ¡°Right? It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? The taste of water seems to have gotten better lately.¡± ¡°That''s right. Before, it didn¡¯t taste fresh at all even if we boiled it, but nowadays, it tastes extremely refreshing.¡± ¡°It feels like all the oil stains in my stomach are being washed away, right?¡± ¡°Exactly! I can even poop better.¡± ¡°Look at this bastard¡¯s skin. It¡¯s practically glowing. Are you shedding or something?¡± In addition to the improvement in taste, the water was even providing a relieving effect for those who struggled with constipation as well. It was to the extent that the sales of simple bars operated by the depot experienced a drastic decrease in their sales. In the first place, mercenaries often drank ale because good, fresh water was unavailable. But now that the water tasted so good, there was no reason for them to drink as much ale as before. ¡°Hoho! What? Why is the water tasting so much better you ask? I know the reason.¡± one of the knights declared proudly, and the soldiers gathered around him with round eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Did they add something to the water? Maybe the spit of beautiful noble ladies?¡± ¡°You dirty bastard!¡± ¡°That would be considered a reward in our industry.¡± ¡°Puhahahahaha!¡± ¡°You crazy bastards. That¡¯s not it.¡± The knight grinned before taking a serious expression. Afterward, he continued. ¡°Are you guys aware? Rumors are circulating among the nobles that Sir Eugene, no, His Excellency the Duke captured an evil spirit and led it to enlightenment.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A-an evil spirit? Sir, is that really true?¡± The expressions of the mercenaries underwent rapid change. They were highly superstitious. It was no different from a foregone conclusion among the mercenaries that an army possessed by an evil spirit would lose their battles. ¡°That¡¯s right. However, His Excellency captured the insidious spirit and purified it himself,¡± the knight said. ¡°Ohhh! Just what I would expect!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s His Excellency Eugene, I¡¯m certain he¡¯s capable of doing something like that.¡± The expressions of the mercenaries brightened. Strictly speaking, vampires weren¡¯t that much different from evil spirits, but from their experience thus far, Eugene was completely different from the evil vampires that the church condemned. Eugene was no different from a reaper to the enemy, but to his subordinates, he was the most reliable commander and the fairest monarch. Moreover, he was even capable of walking around during the day. There was even a rumor among the mercenaries. - His Excellency Eugene is a vampire loved by god. It was common sense that vampires were afraid of sunlight, so there were no other possible explanations for the extraordinary phenomenon. As such, it was completely reasonable for Eugene to possess the ability to purify evil spirits. ¡°But what does that have to do with the taste of water?¡± one of the mercenaries asked. The knight responded, ¡°Hoho! Well, it turns out that His Excellency showed mercy to the evil spirit. On the condition of sparing its life, His Excellency Eugene commanded the spirit to purify the water using its powers. Now that it¡¯s been purified, it¡¯s not an evil spirit anymore, but a noble spirit instead.¡± Ooooh!!! The mercenaries exclaimed after discovering the true reason behind the improved taste of water. ¡°Isn¡¯t he such an amazing man? His Excellency made that decision, not for himself, but for all of us,¡± the knight said with a deep sigh of respect. The mercenaries nodded with understanding. They were moved by the duke¡¯s thoughtfulness. He was a commander who prioritized his men before himself! They had always imagined that such an ideal hero could only be found in stories. However, they realized that they were already serving such a great, benevolent man. Of course, in truth, their hero wasn¡¯t nearly as generous or as ideal as they thought him to be. *** ¡°The loyalty and the morale of the troops have increased significantly since the water changed.¡± ¡°Good. Great work.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Partec, who had been assigned as one of the squad captains of the army, saluted before leaving. Eugene smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Hoho! With this, the soldiers won¡¯t be getting any more stomach aches. Their fighting power will increase as well, right?¡± ¡°Naturally. They will be fighting for us for a long time. Even if just one or two people get sick, it takes no time for the disease to spread to countless others,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°Before, a lot of them were having a hard time because of the water. I¡¯m glad I became a vampire. I don¡¯t have to worry about those things. Hehe.¡± Galfredik grinned. Vampires were mostly immune to poisons and diseases that were otherwise fatal to humans. ¡°Anyway, at this rate, you won¡¯t have to worry about the morale of the troops.¡± Lanslo¡¯s advice had been spot on. He had a good grasp of many details and knowledge pertaining to the problems that an army would face in Brantia. Eugene¡¯s army consisted of 300 mercenaries from Brantia and soldiers from the Caylor Kingdom. Change in food was tolerable, but a person would usually be greatly affected by any changes in their drinking water. As such, quite a few soldiers in Eugene¡¯s army had been suffering from the change in water. Eugene decided to prioritize the sick soldiers with Mirian¡¯s purified water, and as a result, their stomach troubles were completely eliminated and Partec even claimed that their loyalty had shot up as well. ¡°They¡¯ll fight better in the future if fewer of them are sick. Like a faithful steed.¡± Eugene didn¡¯t supply the troops with purified drinking water because he cared for them or because he felt pity. It was simply because he would benefit the most if his subordinates were at their best during battles. Eugene was simply trying to stick to that principle. ¡°It¡¯s a very calculating and cold judgment, but very few nobles ever manage to follow it through. Your Excellency is quite special. Hahaha.¡± Lanslo said with a chuckle. ¡°I am? Those who are ignorant of such simple facts and fail to abide by them are the ones who are truly special, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Eugene responded. It seemed as if he genuinely couldn¡¯t understand what Lanslo was talking about. Lanslo and Galfredik laughed while sharing a gaze. Perhaps their employer and master was even more special because of this. He could easily carry out tasks which were known to everyone but nearly impossible to accomplish because of their personal greed. Even if his purpose was for his own benefit, such things were difficult to pursue and accomplish. No, rather, he was even more special because he was always pursuing tasks that would further benefit him. ¡°Luke. The map,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Luke hurriedly laid out a map of Brantia. He looked extremely proud of his master. ¡°Hmmm. So with this, have we conquered about thirty percent of Brantia¡¯s mainland? Eugene asked. Lanslo responded while dragging his finger across the map, ¡°Yes. From here to here, most of Brantia¡¯s Southwest has become your territory.¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to tell from the map. How wide is it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s about twice the size of the Winslon County. It¡¯s even larger than the entirety of the Carls Baggins Peninsula,¡± Lanslo remarked. ¡°Hooh.¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered with a light. His territory had expanded quite dramatically. It could even be called a nation right now. ¡°There are more than twenty lords in the territory, and there are three large territories like the Riwad Barony. In fact, all the families that possessed this much land in the history of Brantia claimed themselves king and established dynasties,¡± Lanslo explained. ¡°I see. What if we compare it to the Kingdom of Caylor?¡± Eugene asked. Lanslo smiled awkwardly in response. ¡°The Caylor Kingdom can be counted as one of the five most powerful nations on the continent. We would need to unite Brantia for us to compare to them.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t quite think so.¡± Galfredik stepped forward while shaking his head. Then, he continued. ¡°As you know, Master, the royal family of the Caylor Kingdom has no control over the free cities, let alone the great nobles. Even Maren and Moffern have no respect for the royal family, right? On the other hand, you have already acquired two Brantian cities. In terms of true influence and strength, I think you have already surpassed the royal family of the Caylor Kingdom.¡± ¡°Hmmm. Sir Galfredik¡¯s words make sense as well,¡± Lanslo said, nodding. ¡°I see,¡± Eugene muttered. Only calm could be found on his face, even though he had managed to crawl his way up to greatness from nothing. Lanslo spoke in a rather serious tone, ¡°Why don¡¯t we stop here for now and strengthen our influence within the territory? We can establish clear boundaries and completely annihilate the bandits and the roamers in the territory. Oh, and I recommend subjugating the evil lands once as well.¡± ¡°Hmmm. Obviously, we have more land now, but it¡¯s not completely stable. I agree with Lanslo¡¯s words.¡± ¡°I think Sir Drak¡¯s opinion is valid, but I will follow your will, Master.¡± Galfredik and Luke seemed to agree with Lanslo¡¯s words. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene looked over the map of Brantia before raising his head. ¡°No, we won¡¯t stop here.¡± Eugene decided. ¡°What?¡± The three people were quite surprised. Eugene continued in a firm voice. ¡°What all of you were thinking just now, the ones who call themselves the king of Brantia would have similar thoughts, right?¡± ¡°Well, I guess¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s more the reason why we should not stop right now. What happens when a storm settles in one place? It subsides and weakens. The same applies to us as well. Resting here will only work to suppress our momentum,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Hooh!¡± ¡°As expected of my master!¡± The three men exclaimed while sharing glances. Eugene looked at each of them for a while before he continued. ¡°Galfredik, Lanslo, you will continue the conquest by my side. First, we will settle the ransom with the Fransil family and decide from their reaction whether to fight or to ally with them.¡± ¡°Kuhehe! As you wish, master!¡± Galfredik roared. ¡°I understand. And after that, I assume¡­¡± Lanslo said with a grin. Eugene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ll pay a visit to the Bayman Orcs.¡± There were other human forces claiming themselves to be king aside from the Fransil family, but they were weaker than the Bayman Orcs. Moreover, the human forces were more reliant on their cause and heritage as descendants of the past dynasties, while the orcs relied on their power. The Bayman Orcs were the true lords of Northern Brantia. ¡°Excuse me, Master, but what am I supposed to do?¡± Luke asked cautiously. As Eugene¡¯s aide, his desire was to stay and fight by his master¡¯s side. Eugene looked at him with a blank expression and answered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? You¡¯ll be in charge of stabilizing the territory and subjugating evil lands.¡± ¡°What? I-I will?¡± Luke asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re the only one to whom the Brantians can bow their heads without complaint, right? Your Excellency Crawlmarine,¡± Eugene teased. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Luke felt embarrassed, flustered, and disappointed as well. Eugene grinned. ¡°I will give you the Brantian troops and Randolph. Get some advice from Pythamoras and handle it on your own. You must rally the city leaders and all the lords. It won¡¯t be easy, but I¡­¡± Thud! Eugene placed his hand on Luke¡¯s shoulder and spoke with a solemn, serious expression, ¡°I believe in you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± I believe in you~ believe in you~ believe in you~ believe in you~ Eugene¡¯s voice echoed in Luke¡¯s head. Simultaneously, Luke¡¯s heart started to race and his eyes turned red. His loyalty toward his master burned bright like an unrelenting flame as he felt a surge of overwhelming emotions. Luke kneeled down in front of Eugene while rubbing his eyes to prevent tears from flowing. ¡°As your aide and the Count of Crawlmarine! I will dedicate my life and my soul to live up to your expectations, Master!¡± ¡°Yes. I believe in you.¡± Eugene nodded in a truly duke-like manner, with the utmost dignity and solemnity. But his heart was filled with insidious laughter¡­ ¡®With this, I¡¯ve taken care of the most cumbersome task. Well, you¡¯ll have to take care of these things in the future until you die, so consider it practice.¡¯ As expected, Eugene had never been the one to take a loss. ¡°Then let¡¯s depart right away.¡± Eugene said. The two knights left immediately and conveyed Eugene¡¯s orders to the squad captains. A little later, Eugene¡¯s army was divided into two. The Brantian troops followed Luke and Randolph, while the others were left under Eugene¡¯s command. ¡°You bastards! We¡¯re setting off!¡± Uwaaaah!!! The troops roared in response. They were filled with the determination to succeed in life and become rich. Everyone¡¯s morale was shooting through the roof. They were confident in successfully carrying out any tasks they were assigned. However¡­ ¡°Kieeeee¡­ Kihehuehuu! Please save me. My body is rotting. My body is deteriorating. I want to play. I want to rest. Sir, please. I beg of you.¡± The evil gold spirit, or rather, the water spirit begged while sobbing. After working hard twelve hours a day in dirty water, the spirit had finally become faithful to its original attribute. ¡°I will cut it down to eight depending on your attitude,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Kiheeeeeuu! Thank you. Sir, you are the only one for me. Please forgive this foolish spirit for being so dumb. Kieeewaaaahhhh!¡± It was slightly heart-wrenching to see the spirit kneeling and repenting after being served justice. ¡°Good. I will place two gold coins in your safe every month. If you are obedient to me until you grow up, I will give you possession of everything I deposited all at once,¡± Eugene said. ¡°S-sirrrrr!¡± The spirit rubbed her face against Eugene¡¯s bosom. Lanslo whispered to Galfredik while watching the scene play out, ¡°He certainly knows how to handle children, right?¡± Galfredik responded, ¡°Yeah. I feel bad for his future children. They will play in their father''s palm until they die.¡± *** A few days later, Eugene and his troops once again arrived near the Batla Duchy. He encountered a group of troops patrolling the territory. ¡°We report to the duke!¡± The reconnaissance captain hurriedly kneeled before Eugene. ¡°Hmm? Did something happen to the castle?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s not it. Actually, the one who came to negotiate the ransom for Lady Lorraine¡­¡± The reconnaissance captain continued his report, and Eugene¡¯s expression slowly changed. ¡°So, the eldest son of the Fransil family was taken by the Brodia royal family?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°And those people from the Brodia family¡­ they are telling me to surrender if I want to save my in-law?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Eugene was wondering if his hearing had gone bad. ¡®In-laws? The Fransil family? Then that girl¡­¡¯ Eugene''s eyes naturally turned toward Lorraine. Lorraine had been rather depressed after being forced away from Luke. But when she heard what the reconnaissance captain said, her face turned pale. ¡°M-m-me? Marry His Excellency the duke? M-me? W-why? Why me¡­ Waaaaahhh!¡± ¡°M-my lady.¡± Lorraine burst into tears and Bonmer attempted to comfort her. ¡°Your Excellency, what is going on? I cannot believe that you were going to marry someone from the Fransil family! What about our promise? How dare you weigh such a humble family against Eland?!¡± Pranbow complained with a stiff expression. ¡°What? Humble family? Master Pranbow! What did you just say?!¡± ¡°How dare you show such disrespect to Master Pranbow!¡± Even the elven knights of Eland and the Fransil family¡¯s knights became involved in the argument. Without realizing it, Eugene had become a pervert who was trying to dip his feet into two different families. As expected, CH 160 ¡°Be quiet.¡± The chaos subsided in an instant when a low, heavy voice laced with a hint of fear resonated. However, the gazes of those staring at Eugene were still filled with dissatisfaction and aggravation. ¡°There seems to have been quite a few misunderstandings. Let¡¯s go back to the castle. I will explain when we arrive,¡± Eugene said. ¡°However, Your Excellency¡­¡± ¡°Eland is¡­¡± Bonmer and Pranbow started to retort, but Eugene¡¯s eyes instantly turned toward them. ¡°You two sure talk a lot for prisoners,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!¡± The two flinched, and Eugene glared at them while growling. ¡°Don¡¯t overstep your boundaries while I¡¯m treating you with honor. My honor is just as valuable as yours.¡± ¡°Yes, yes...¡± ¡°I understand¡­¡± The two representatives nodded before closing their mouths, which caused their subordinates to follow suit. They had forgotten that they were prisoners because of the great treatment they had been receiving. Duke Batla was a wise, articulate noble, but he was also someone who preferred to cross blades instead of conversing. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Eugene declared after calming the chaos. *** The castle¡¯s atmosphere was quite solemn, perhaps due to the situation with the Brodia family and Reyma Fransil. Eugene received a short welcome from the nobles and the elders, then summoned the two representatives responsible for the earlier commotion. Eugene spoke while looking around at Pranbow, who was attempting to suppress his emotions, and Bonmer, who was stealing glances at him, ¡°First of all, I want to say that both of you are misunderstanding something.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± They wanted to respond but decided to abandon that thought after seeing Eugene¡¯s icy gaze. Eugene continued. ¡°I have no intention of marrying Lorraine, so I have no idea why Reyma Fransil would have said such a thing.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see,¡± Pranbow muttered with a slightly brighter expression. Eugene met his gaze and continued, ¡°In addition, I have no intention of marrying a direct descendant of Eland¡¯s king.¡± ¡°Your Excellency?!¡± Pranbow exclaimed in shock. ¡°I¡¯m not finished with my words yet,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Phew¡­ Please excuse me. Please continue.¡± Pranbow took a deep breath to quench his emotions. ¡°I made a promise to make a direct descendant of Eland¡¯s king into the Queen of Brantia, and I intend to keep it. However, that doesn¡¯t mean that they will be marrying me. I don¡¯t intend on becoming the King of Brantia,¡± Eugene declared ¡°W-What do you mean by that?¡± Bonmer said ¡°Huh? Who else will ascend the throne if not you, Your Excellency? Didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that you were going to unite Brantia? It doesn¡¯t add up,¡± Pranbow spoke with doubt. Eugene clicked his tongue. ¡°Uniting Brantia. Does it mean I have to become a king?¡± ¡°With all due respect, that¡¯s merely playing with words,¡± Pranbow said. ¡°Sir Pranbow. Do you really think that the honor of Duke Batla is to be taken lightly? And that I¡¯m wasting my time playing word games with a swordmaster?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Pranbow flinched at Eugene¡¯s stern eyes and voice. ¡°I will unite Brantia. However, someone else will be ascending the throne instead of me. And that man will possess more justification and legitimacy than any other person who claims themselves to be king in Brantia,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°And who could that person¡­¡± ¡°Count Crawlmarine.¡± Eugene declared. ¡°Hmm?!¡± The two were taken aback. They were filled with confusion and shock. Eugene spoke softly, ¡°The Crawlmarine County is lacking in comparison to the Drak family or the Batla family. However, its title was recognized by both families in the past. It¡¯s a noble family with an extensive history.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Although it was severely weakened after the crusade, the Crawlmarine County was still a well-recognized, prestigious family. It had long reigned in history as a monarch of Brantia¡¯s Southwest. ¡°Over the course of history, the blood of many different dynasties was introduced into the county as well. However, there is one decisive reason that will allow the Count Crawlmarine to ascend Brantia¡¯s throne,¡± Eugene said. The two people¡¯s expressions had become completely different from when they first entered the office. Eugene declared, ¡°I, Duke Batla, and Eland¡¯s King will give our support to Count Crawlmarine. Does he need any further justification to become the King of Brantia then?¡± ¡°Ohh!¡± Pranbow¡¯s expression brightened at once. Many families had sought the Batla Duchy¡¯s support in contesting Brantia¡¯s throne. As such, if one had the support of both the Batla Duchy and Eland, no one else could possibly compete against them in terms of justification and backing. It would be game over¡­ Moreover, Pranbow was a swordmaster and an outstanding knight. However, he suffered defeat at the hands of Eugene and his army. Duke Batla possessed both status, justification, and outstanding skills, as well as a powerful army under his command. Who could protest against a king with such a powerful backer? ¡°The direct descendant of Eland¡¯s king will become Count Crawlmarine¡¯s wife. Are you satisfied with that, Sir Pranbow?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Please forgive this foolish knight for my failure in comprehending your deep intentions, Your Excellency.¡± Pranbow bowed without hesitation. He was greatly satisfied. Although the anticipated husband of Eland¡¯s daughter went from a daywalker to a regular human being, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing at all. Rather, it was good. If the king died earlier than the queen, then the throne would eventually be handed over to the queen and her children. ¡°And Sir Bonmer,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Ye-yes!¡± Bonmer answered with a completely transformed attitude. From the very beginning, he found Eugene quite difficult to deal with, which was largely due to Eugene¡¯s incredible skills. However, the current conversation shocked him as much as Eugene¡¯s overwhelming skills. ¡®He wasn¡¯t simply strong. I never imagined that he had such a deep mind as well¡­¡¯ Bonmer gulped with awe and anxiety. Eugene spoke, ¡°If the Fransil family so desires, then you may send Loraine Fransil to Count Crawlmarine in marriage. There will be no evidence of trust greater than the joining of the two. However, she will be a concubine. If you accept, I will elevate the Fransil family¡¯s status to an independent lord after I unite Brantia with Count Crawlmarine. I will guarantee the independence of the eastern territories.¡± Bonmer fell into thought after hearing the unexpected proposal. After a moment, he looked up and responded cautiously, ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s my place to say this, but I think it¡¯s highly likely that my lord won¡¯t accept the proposal. He is an extremely proud man¡­¡± ¡°Even though I¡¯ll be saving the life of his eldest son?¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!¡± Bonmer¡¯s eyes shook violently. He had momentarily forgotten about Reyma¡¯s situation due to the magnanimity of the things they were discussing. ¡°If you refuse, I will do nothing in regard to the Fransil family¡¯s eldest son. I¡¯ll simply stand by and watch, regardless of whether they will kill him or not. And after I hand you and Lady Lorraine over to the Fransil family, I will declare war.¡± ¡°B-but¡­!¡± ¡°No buts. You were the ones who attacked me first. It¡¯s reasonable for me to simply hand you, sir, and Lady Lorraine over for ransom. In fact, handing over prisoners before declaring war is an extremely honorable act, is it not?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Bonmer¡¯s expression turned bleak. He could not find any faults with Eugene¡¯s logic. Even if the two families went to war, everyone would know that the Fransil family was the provoker. ¡®The problem is that we will have to go to war with the Brodia family as well.¡¯ Although he felt sorry for Lorraine, the reality was that Reyma¡¯s value was incomparably greater than hers. If the Brodia family demanded a ransom for Reyma, it would undoubtedly be dozens of times greater than Lorraine¡¯s ransom, and if anything happened to Reyma, the two families would immediately go to war. As such, what would happen if a grand army led by a dreadfully strong, frosty duke declared war on the Fransil family? ¡®I-it would all be over¡­¡¯ Bonmer made up his mind. As soon as he returned to the Fransil family, he would strongly advocate for maintaining a harmonious relationship with the newly appointed Duke of Batla. He stuttered a response while breaking a cold sweat, ¡°Y-your Excellency. I-I¡­¡± Eugene interrupted him. ¡°I know that this is not a matter for you to decide. Return to your family and relay my message to Lord Fransil.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Bonmer responded before immediately lowering his head. Eugene turned his gaze to Pranbow once more. ¡°Now, Sir Pranbow¡­¡± ¡°Please speak.¡± ¡°If you take my promise to be true, then from now on, we are sailing on the same boat. We are family, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Haha! Of course...¡± Pranbow responded. ¡°Then I ask this of you, not as my prisoner, but as a swordmaster of Eland. Will you join me in saving Reyma Fransil?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It would be my great honor to fight by your side, Your Excellency.¡± The eyes of Eland¡¯s swordmaster shone with a brilliant light. On the other hand, Bonmer¡¯s expression grew even darker. ¡®The Duke of Batla, and even a swordmaster of Eland¡­ Our family¡¯s debt is growing out of control.¡¯ *** ¡°Eat.¡± ¡°Hmph! Do you really think I would eat anything that the unworthy, cowardly, dishonorable hands of yours have touched? Get rid of it!¡± Although his armor and weapons had been confiscated and he was left with only his outerwear, Reyma remained confident and proud. The knight, who had brought the dry, black bread, and the strange-smelling bowl of stew, glared at Reyma. ¡°It won¡¯t be good for you if you keep acting like this. Be an obedient little sheep when we¡¯re treating you like a noble. All of your weak knights are already dead, so why are you talking so big? No wonder your knights died like that. Their master doesn¡¯t know his own place.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± The other knights laughed after hearing his words. They were eating a little away from Reyma and the knight. Reyma¡¯s face turned red like autumn leaves. ¡°How dare you ambush us like cowards? Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourselves? And you still call yourselves knights? Ah, I see! The Brodia family is just a band of bandits who ambush their opponents without declaring war!¡± Thud! ¡°Keugh!¡± Reyma stumbled backward as the knight struck his jaw. ¡°You were the ones to encroach on our family¡¯s territory without permission, so who¡¯s the bandit here? That¡¯s right, you are! Moreover, all of you were wimps weaker than the roamers roaming our front yard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. An immature young master who ran away from home will have to suffer a little to get his act straight, right?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s unlucky, he might even die, right? It¡¯s common.¡± ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± Reyma was both ashamed and angry as his captors attacked him with blatant ridicule. He bit his lips until blood started to flow. However, there was nothing he could do without any equipment. Moreover, his legs were restrained by steel chains. In addition, even if he had access to his weapons, there was no chance he could defeat eight knights by himself. ¡°Even so, he¡¯s the heir to the Fransil family. Treat him honorably, sirs.¡± ¡°Ah! Yes, Lord Helmond.¡± The knights immediately apologized and turned toward the voice. Tap. Tap. A figure approached Reyma with heavy footsteps. Reyma struggled to set himself upright. ¡°I apologize for their mistakes, Sir Reyma Fransil,¡± the figure said. ¡°Keugh¡­¡± Reyma wanted to dismiss the apology, but he had no choice but to raise his head. ¡°I accept your apology, sir, though I don¡¯t know why an honorable, noble man such as yourself is with the bandits of Brodia.¡± ¡°It is my duty as a native of this land to control that¡­ brethren of mine from the continent since he¡¯s running rampant in this great land without knowing his own place. And since your family¡¯s planning to tie knots with that hooligan, it¡¯s no longer someone else¡¯s business,¡± the figure spoke with a smile. He was a handsome man in his mid-20s with long, bright blonde hair. ¡°Lord Federique Helmond! Is the Helmond Clan truly going to go against the Fransil family?!¡± Reyma shouted. ¡°If necessary, of course¡­¡± Federique Helmond. He was a high lord of one of two representative vampire clans of Brantia. His large, pointed fangs glinted sharply. At that moment, two horses could be seen approaching the group from afar. ¡°Whoa, whoa!¡± Two knights wrapped in obsidian robes and helmets with a pointed, beak-like appearance quickly descended from their saddles and kowtowed. ¡°We report to the great high lord. The one who calls himself the Duke of Batla is leading his force northward after crossing the Riwad territory,¡± one of the two said. ¡°Hooh? Does that mean he doesn¡¯t care what happens to his brother-in-law?¡± ¡°I believe that to be the case. However, his forces seem less powerful than the rumors. In addition, I don¡¯t think Banneret Randolph and his knight are with the army.¡± ¡°Randolph? Hmm.¡± Federique stroked his smooth chin, then grinned. ¡°Well, that¡¯s even better. Destroying a single member of our kin is enough. And since he was kind enough to come out of his castle of his own volition, we won¡¯t have to go through the trouble of getting an invitation. This is a good sign.¡± Federique laughed silently while turning toward the dying sun. Despite facing the glittering sunset, his expression remained as calm as a placid ocean. CH 161 Eugene¡¯s army moved quite fast, traveling more than thirty kilometers each day. The mercenaries from the continent were in high spirits, and they were veterans with abundant experience in the field. The knights were in a similar situation as them. But in addition to their high spirits and experience, they also knew Eugene from the Carls Baggins Peninsula or Maren. As such, they were faithful in carrying out Eugene¡¯s commands. In other words, they were a group of elite soldiers loyal to their commander and eager to prove their worth. As such, they would naturally be fleet-footed. Even the beowulf warriors, famous for their stamina and quick speed, could not hide their astonishment. However, no one was more surprised than Eugene¡¯s hostages. ¡°Sir Bonmer? Is something the matter?¡± Lorraine asked with a curious face, and Bonmer flinched before turning his gaze. He had been deep in thought with a stiff expression. ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m a little surprised by His Excellency Eugene¡¯s army.¡± Bonmer responded with a stammer. ¡°Well, that¡¯s understandable. I heard that they are all mercenaries, but they are as disciplined and well-equipped as trained soldiers,¡± Lorraine remarked. Although she wasn¡¯t a knight, she had enough knowledge to embark on a knight¡¯s quest. She turned her head and nodded while looking back at the orderly ranks of the mercenaries. Bonmer continued. ¡°But that¡¯s not the only thing that I¡¯m surprised about.¡± ¡°What? What is it, then?¡± Lorraine asked. The descendants of the Batla Duchy¡¯s vassals slowly crept toward the two people after listening to their conversation. In reality, they were no different from hostages. As such, they felt a strange sense of kinship with Lorraine and Bonmer. Bonmer responded while looking around at the sons and daughters of the vassals with pity, ¡°They weren¡¯t originally His Excellency Batla¡¯s soldiers. All of them are mercenaries, and they come from all different backgrounds as well. In fact, quite a few of them are from areas or territories that are in conflict with each other.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ And?¡± Lorraine asked. Bonmer continued. ¡°And yet, they are moving and acting in perfect order under the duke¡¯s flag. They are absolutely obedient to the duke¡¯s knights, not to mention to the duke himself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite Bonmer¡¯s explanations, Lorraine and the other nobles appeared quite clueless. Most of them had little experience in commanding troops, and they weren¡¯t competent knights either. Moreover, they assumed that it was only natural for subordinates to be obedient to high-ranking nobles like themselves. Bonmer suppressed a sigh and explained, ¡°Mercenaries tend to abide by the terms of their contracts, but they rarely follow it through to this degree. One of the critical reasons for the continental church¡¯s retreat during the crusade was due to the poorly-constructed command structure, although there was the issue with supplies as well.¡± ¡°Command¡­ structure?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. The continent church had more than ten commanders in their army during the crusade. They achieved consecutive victories immediately after crossing over, but after a month, their army dispersed. As such, we were able to take care of them individually. Near the end of the war, they crumbled to the degree that they even had no idea where their allies were,¡± Bonmer said. ¡°R-really?¡± Lorraine asked, doubtful. ¡°Yes.¡± It was a hard story to believe, but it was the truth. And such instances were very common with armies formed from multiple different groups of soldiers. A commander capable of leading thousands of troops with authority was a rare find. ¡°But His Excellency Batla is leading all of these troops as if they are a part of his body. Even though the skills of the knights and the mercenaries are excellent, they aren¡¯t much different from the troops who had invaded Brantia during the crusade. In other words, the presence of Duke Batla has strengthened them significantly,¡± Bonmer stated. ¡°¡­!¡± Lorraine and the other nobles couldn¡¯t hide their astonishment. ¡°But His Excellency isn¡¯t dominating the army with fear. To be honest, I have never seen a nobleman who is as fair with rewards and punishments as the duke,¡± Bonmer commented. The listeners started to nod simultaneously. They had personally experienced the duke¡¯s generosity when they received the money and wealth they lost to the ¡®evil gold spirit.¡¯ Even Lorraine had felt great respect for Eugene at that time. ¡°And all of these knights and soldiers know this fact. That is why they are truly loyal to the duke. As such, I¡­¡± Bonmer hesitated before closing his mouth. As a knight of the Fransil family, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say that Duke Batla was likely to become the ruler of Brantia. ¡°We¡¯re setting off!¡± ¡°Break time is over! We¡¯re moving!¡± Galfredik¡¯s orders were relayed to each unit through the mercenary captains. The troops immediately responded and prepared to march in perfect order. It was an unbelievable sight where an army of nearly 1,000 troops, including the depot, began to move less than a minute after the command was delivered. Lorraine and the sons and daughters of the vassals felt amazed as well. Even though they had witnessed such a sight several times already, the scene looked even more amazing after hearing Bonmer¡¯s explanation. ¡®If it were me¡­¡¯ ¡®Could I do something like this?¡¯ They hid their sighs while remembering the troops belonging to their own families. Unlike the duke¡¯s army, which moved in unison like it had one body, the dozen-or-so troops of their own families had always squirmed in a disorderly fashion. *** ¡°Hmm. Something¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°I agree. It¡¯s as if they are practically begging us to follow their trail.¡± ¡°Sir, I think so too. I can smell a lot of water.¡± Eugene and Galfredik shared a gaze while Mirian buzzed around. They were standing in front of a bonfire¡¯s residue which looked to be about two days old. The beowulf scouts had discovered the remnant. ¡°If you look at the horses¡¯ trail, there seem to be about ten people. At most, there shouldn¡¯t be more than 15 people,¡± Galfredik stated after observing the ground with keen eyes. Lanslo responded, ¡°That¡¯s right. And given that all of them are knights, they should be at least twice as fast as us. Seeing as though they¡¯re deliberately leaving behind trails and traces, there may be a group of troops in hiding, waiting to ambush us.¡± ¡°Hehe! The royal family of Brodia? They don¡¯t know honor. They call themselves the knights of the royal family, but they resort to ambushes. Oi, Lanslo, has Brodia always been like this?¡± Galfredik asked with ridicule. Lanslo shrugged in response, ¡°The Brodia family and the Fransil family used to be very close. In fact, the Fransil family was a vassal of Brodia a long time ago. However, the Fransil family refused the royal family¡¯s summons during the crusade and took advantage of the confusion to occupy the largest farmland. Since then, their relationship soured until it reached the road of no return.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that they¡¯re all the same after all,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°Exactly.¡± Eugene fell into contemplation after hearing Lanslo¡¯s answer. It became even more obvious that the enemy was leading them on. ¡®Moreover, they¡¯re acting like this knowing the extent of our forces¡­¡¯ ¡°What are you planning to do? Most of our troops are foot soldiers, so at our current pace, we will have no choice but to react to their moves.¡± Lanslo broke the silence. Eugene raised his head. ¡°How could I let them do that?¡± Eugene said before turning toward the soldiers. The knights and the beowulfs were watching him with eager eyes. ¡®Ah! Sir Eugene looked at me!¡¯ ¡®Please send me!¡¯ Their eyes clearly reflected their desire for accomplishments. ¡°The chase¡­¡± Eugene slowly turned his gaze away from the hot, flaming, eager eyes of the beowulfs and the knights. He looked at Galfredik. ¡°Only Galfredik and I will go.¡± ¡°Yeaaaah! Kuhahahahahaha!¡± Galfredik roared victoriously, and the others flocked toward Eugene regardless of their nationality and race. ¡°This is unfair! Please give us a chance as well!¡± ¡°Your Excellency. We elves are quite skilled when it comes to tracking. Moreover, we are fast as well.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? We are the best in Brantia when it comes to tracking. Dark Lord, didn¡¯t you promise us a great fight?¡± ¡°Your Excellency. The sword of this holy knight has not rusted just yet.¡± Eugene felt as if he had stepped into a busy marketplace. He sighed, ¡°Listen up, everyone. The ones who took Reyma Fransil. I¡¯m certain they know quite a bit about our forces. Even so, they purposefully left a trail for us to follow. It means that they are preparing something.¡± ¡°Oh, well, still¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± No one seemed convinced by Eugene¡¯s words. Eugene became determined to crush them with power and authority once more, but a sudden thought crossed his mind. Eugene straightened his shoulder and looked around before raising his voice. ¡°It¡¯s important to rescue the Fransil family¡¯s successor! However! Don¡¯t you all have a more important mission!?¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°The mission to unite Brantia is more important than rescuing one person! All of you are my precious troops! I cannot allow you to waste your energy and strength on useless things! I cannot accept that as your commander!¡± Eugene shouted. Ooohhh¡­! Eugene¡¯s voice was filled with emotions, and everyone felt their blood starting to boil in response. ¡°I will give you orders! The Brodia family, attack them! Prisoners?! I don¡¯t need to take them as prisoners! The price of daring to threaten me! Let them pay! Conquer them! In the name of Jan Eugene Batla!¡± Clang! Wolfslaughter left its sheath and glowed viciously in the light. Ooooooooh!!!! Kieeeehhhh! There was a strange cry mixed in with the roar, but regardless, the humans, elves, and beowulfs became frenzied. In particular, Lorraine and Bonmer appeared to be very moved. They even had tears in their eyes. ¡®Ahh! I can¡¯t believe the duke cares so much about my brother. He¡¯s a little scary, but he¡¯s extremely cool as well.¡¯ ¡®How could I have thought such an honorable knight to be insidious? Ha! Bonmer! You silly, foolish knight!¡¯ From that moment, the two became Eugene¡¯s avid followers unbeknownst to others. *** ¡°Lord Helmond! We will be arriving at the Abbey of Edrail in a little bit.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see. By now, they must have been chasing us for half a day, right?¡± ¡°We maintained our pace, so that must be the case.¡± ¡°Hoho.¡± Federique chuckled with satisfaction at the response of Brodia¡¯s knight. Just as Eugene suspected, Federique had purposely left a trail to be followed. In addition, he already had measures prepared to deal with the pursuers that Eugene would undoubtedly send. ¡®Most of their soldiers are on foot, so they won¡¯t be able to send the entire army after us. At best, there will be beowulfs and members of the clan who are his vassals.¡¯ He would take his position inside the monastery and prevent the vampires from entering the building. Then, he could deal with the beowulfs without worrying about the others. The way to kill beowulfs was simple. He simply had to apply the juice of Wolfsbane on the tip of silver arrows. Silver was already fatal to beowulfs, and the juice of Wolfsbane, which was brewed through a special process, acted as poison to beowulfs. Unfortunately, the vampire knights serving under Federique could not handle silver weapons. As such, he gave 20 of the 30 silver arrows in his possession to the knights of the Brodia family. If they were skilled with the longbow, they would be able to cripple the beowulfs even if they weren¡¯t accurate all the time. Then, he could personally condemn the vassals of his brethren from the continent for acting out of place. ¡®They would be a banneret at best, right? Hmm. Perhaps I should have stopped in Brighton for more information.¡¯ Federique became lost in thought for a moment but shook his head. He would¡¯ve been starved for time if he had done so, and it was highly likely that he would have been pursued by both the Fransil family as well as the Duke of Batla. ¡®The plan is to eliminate the important figures of the Batla family and the Fransil family one by one and to alienate them from each other. Being too greedy will¡­ Hmm?¡¯ Federique turned his head. He could hear a faint sound from far away. Tudududu¡­ Soon, the sounds of galloping horses grew louder, and he saw the vampire knights returning from their reconnaissance mission. ¡°High Lord! Lord Helmond!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Federique asked. The vampire knight stopped in front of him and shouted urgently, ¡°Pursuers have reached the vicinity! I think they will be arriving soon!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Reyma raised his head after hearing the vampire knight¡¯s report. However, Federique was calm and nonchalant. ¡°Hooh? Those bastards are quite capable. Is the duke¡¯s vassal here? What about his knights?¡± ¡°N-no! Well¡­ it¡¯s just two nights.¡± the vampire knight responded. ¡°Huh?¡± Federique scoffed. Soon, a cold smile appeared on his face. ¡°They really don¡¯t know their place. What are they planning to do with just two? Anyway, Sir Reyma. It seems your brother-in-law has decided to abandon you, so what should we do?¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± Reyma¡¯s expression became distorted, and Federique turned away from him before speaking to the vampire knights and the knights of the Brodia family. ¡°Since it¡¯s just the two of them, they won¡¯t even serve as appetizers. Dispose of the plans to fight in the monastery. We¡¯ll kill them here.¡± Uwaawaah! A total of 13 knights shouted vigorously. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Suddenly, Federique¡¯s eyes filled with a strange light. He was sensing something that was¡­ something that was very familiar yet quite alien to him. CH 162 ¡®What¡¯s this? Did¡­ Duke Batla come personally?¡¯ Federique¡¯s eyes narrowed. He had already guessed that his brethren from the continent would be similar to himself in status as a high lord. However, the energy he felt was vastly different from the other vampire high lords he had met until now. It was strange. ¡®Perhaps¡­ Is he above me?¡¯ Federique¡¯s eyes glowed coldly. Even if they belonged to different clans, it was an ancient custom of the vampire society to show respect to anyone with greater status than oneself. However, customs were just customs. They weren¡¯t necessarily enforced. ¡®His Fear might be a little unique since he¡¯s from the continent. And¡­ his identity won¡¯t matter once I kill him.¡¯ Federique became determined as he aroused his Fear. ¡°It seems like Duke Batla is here in person. Sirs of Brodia, join me in taking care of Duke Batla. You all will deal with the one accompanying the duke,¡± Federique said. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Helmond!¡± The knights of Brodia and the vampire knights unsheathed their weapons. Soon, two armored horses stopped after coming within observable distance. The knights and the vampire knights became rather nervous once they saw that the two enemies were wearing armor that was distinctively different than their own. At the same time, however, their eyes sparkled with a desire for victory and greed toward their opponents¡¯ equipment. On the other hand, Federique¡¯s eyes were fixated on only one person. ¡°Duke Batla. I never expected you to come in person. I commend your courage, but you were foolish. How could you have possibly¡­¡± The one receiving Federique¡¯s attention tilted his head and turned toward his colleague before speaking, ¡°What did that bastard just say?¡± ¡°Hmm. I think he must be mistaking you as Duke Batla,¡± his colleague said. ¡°Kieeeh? Is he an idiot? Isn¡¯t it obvious that our sir is the great Duke of Batla? Vassal Gal is just a bandit boss without his shiny armor.¡± ¡°Oi, evil gold spirit. Watch your mouth.¡± ¡°Kieeeh! I could say the same to you!¡± ¡°Quiet. I think it must be because of the Fear you¡¯re emitting,¡± Eugene spoke before turning his eyes to the young vampire in silver-blue armor. He had realized not long ago that there were vampires among the group of Brodian knights who had taken Reyma Fransil hostage. It was only natural for Eugene to recognize them since he was openly radiating his Fear at a short distance. ¡®Anyway, he¡¯s fine in the sun?¡¯ Eugene looked at Federique with interest. ¡°Ha! As expected of a hooligan. You know not of the clan¡¯s laws and the honor of a knight. It¡¯s basic etiquette to learn the language of your kind once you arrive in another kingdom.¡± Unlike Eugene, Federique was furious at the two knights for daring to chat leisurely while facing him. Federique was born in Brantia and had never left the mainland. He could not understand the conversation that the two knights were having since they were conversing in the language of the Caylor Kingdom. In particular, he could not hide his disappointment at Duke Batla, who was clearly the burlier of the two knights. ¡°I cannot believe that such an ignorant man is a high lord of our clan and the Duke of Batla. Tsk! Anyway, since I can¡¯t understand their words, I won¡¯t get a chance to find out which clan they belong to and who they serve. No, this isn¡¯t too bad,¡± Federique said. If he was ever put in a sticky situation, he had an excuse for the one who transformed Duke Batla into a vampire. Shing. Federique drew his longsword without hesitation. The vampires standing behind him flinched. Unlike Federique, who was a high lord and a daywalker, they were vulnerable to silver weapons. ¡°Take care of the black one standing next to him. You lot and I will take care of Duke Batla. Even though he may be an ignorant wanderer, he has been blessed by a noble one. It is also our duty to let him pass with honor,¡± Federique stated. ¡°Yes!¡± The vampire knights raised their shields and shortswords. ¡°What the hell is that bastard talking about? Why¡¯s he trying to show off?¡± ¡°Kehehehe! Guys like him always receive a harsh beating from Sir Eugene.¡± Eugene ignored the giggling spirit and his scoffing vassal. He narrowed his eyes while observing the crests embedded on the shields of the vampire knights. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ He was certain. The vampire lord he had destroyed in Mungard had been wearing armor with the exact crest. ¡®The Helmond Clan, right?¡¯ Eugene¡¯s thoughts were disrupted as the vampires roared after mistaking Galfredik for Duke Batla. ¡°Kill him!¡± Kuwaaaaaghhh! Federique and the other vampire knights unleashed their Fears simultaneously. ¡®Hooh?¡¯ Although everything happened in a flash, Eugene noticed it. The opposing vampires¡¯ Fears had gathered together to separate himself and Galfredik. Naturally, Eugene was unaffected, but Galfredik¡¯s horse reared with shock and ran off. Neiiiigh! ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this horse?!¡± Galfredik became flustered and pulled on his reins, but it was useless. The horse hurried in the direction away from the Fear, which was toward the knights of Brodia and the vampire in silver-blue armor. ¡°You¡¯re ours! Kuwuuugh!¡± ¡°Kill that man and present his armor to Lord Helmond!¡± ¡°Your blade looks nice! Kuhahahaha!¡± Simultaneously, a group of vampire knights in chainmail charged at Eugene. A wave of dirt ruptured when more than ten horses began moving at once. Tududududu! Shuuack! Shiick! The dizzying sound of galloping horses resonated. Battleaxes and maces pierced through the obscuring dust toward Eugene. The vampire knights had no doubt that their attacks would connect. A pre-emptive strike would always gift them a victory. And no matter how durable the opponent¡¯s armor was, it would be useless in the face of their overwhelming numbers. Clang! Kakang! ¡°Keugh!?¡± ¡°Huh!?¡± The vampire knights were left bewildered at the intense impact that followed the clear, metallic sounds. However, they were vampires powerful enough to be direct subordinates of a high lord. They immediately adapted to the situation and attempted to ride past Eugene. It was the best judgment since their initial attacks had failed, and since their vision was impaired by the dust. Clang! ¡°Kuaagh!¡± However, a scream was immediately followed by a loud noise. It was impossible to differentiate whether the scream belonged to one of their allies or the black knight, but the vampires stuck to their original decision and passed by without panicking. The vampire knights had trained together and fought together for a long time. As such, they managed to turn their horses at the exact same time without any cues. At that moment¡­ Kwarararararara! ¡°Hmm!?¡± Their eyes became filled with confusion. A long, cylindrical path was being created through the curtain of dust along with the sound of strong wind. And as soon as they realized that there was a black object responsible for creating the phenomenon, the object flashed and curved before piercing the three of them. Terrible screams broke out from all directions. The vampire knights were greatly shocked, but as experienced veterans, they kept their composure and ran in the direction of the black flash. Tudududududu! Although their vision was still impaired, they were still riding toward the same place by each other¡¯s sides. Moreover, there was only one opponent. In other words, whoever was standing in their paths should be the enemy. The vampire knights glared straight ahead while keeping their concentration at its peak. Tudududu! ¡°There!¡± As soon as a horse¡¯s head appeared through the dirt, a vampire knight swung his battleaxe just above the horse¡¯s head. Shing! However, the axe struck nothing but air. There was no one on the horse¡¯s back. No, to be exact, the rider wasn¡¯t a human being. ¡°Kihehehhe! You¡¯re so stupid~ My subordinate number one~ Giddy up! Giddy up! Kiehhhh!¡± ¡°What?!¡± The vampire knight gasped as the insidious voice passed him by. His eyes filled with disbelief. Fwooooosh! Suddenly, a sound similar to the flapping of a large animal resonated, and the dust was pushed to the ground like a wave. ¡®Up!?¡¯ The vampire relied on his instincts and attempted to swing his battleaxe upwards. However¡­ Crack! His eyes captured a beam of silver light penetrating through his visor. ¡°Kuaaaaaagh!¡± Pssssssshhh! Black smoke and blood poured out from the vampire knight¡¯s face like a fountain, and the horse collapsed to the ground as the weight of the knight¡¯s killer bore down on it. ¡°W-what?!¡± one of the vampire knights let out a frightened shout. Eugene¡¯s glaring, crimson eyes immediately turned toward the shout. He had set Silion as bait before jumping up like a bird and taking care of the first knight. The vampire knights possessed considerable strength and physical abilities. However, although they possessed excellent night vision, it was useless when there were physical obscurities, such as dust, in their path. On the other hand, Eugene¡¯s five senses were incomparably superior to the vampire knights. He had used it to pinpoint the precise location of the knights. ¡®It¡¯s rather fun to fight without using my Fear. It¡¯s good training.¡¯ Eugene flung himself at the next target while licking the blood of the defeated knight¡¯s armor that flowed through the gap in his helmet. He was like an abyssal beast. *** Several silver-tipped arrows were released at once. Simultaneously, Galfredik¡¯s crimson eyes glowed a hue darker. His longsword blurred for a moment and left behind a trail of lights. Titititing! ¡°¡­!¡± Galfredik had only deflected the arrows aimed at the gaps in his plate armor with his longsword, but Federique became wide-eyed after witnessing the opponent¡¯s terrifying swordsmanship. He had heard rumors regarding Duke Batla¡¯s skills, but this was above his expectations. ¡°Even so! Kuwuuuuugh!¡± Federique unleashed all of his Fear at once. The Fear of a vampire high lord contained a powerful force capable of causing medium-sized monsters such as lycanthropes and trolls to hesitate momentarily. Even another high lord would surely¡­ Neiiiiigh! ¡°This damned horse!¡± Galfredik shouted angrily when his horse reared once again. He climbed onto his saddle. ¡°What?!¡± The knights of Brodia were taken aback by Galfredik¡¯s action as they prepared to fire their arrows once again. However, they were brilliant knights in their own right. Shiiiing! Several arrows left their bowstrings even in the midst of the chaos, and Galfredik slashed down from the air. Tititing! The arrows were deflected by his armor, and Galfredik¡¯s sword hacked the head of a horse belonging to one of the knights. Galfredik continued without hesitation and wielded his longsword while bathing in the fountain of blood. Craaack! Crack! Neiiig! Neiiiiiigh! The horses of the human knights collapsed with decapitated heads and broken legs. ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The knights grunted, but they managed to roll down from their steeds without any injuries. However, Galfredik¡¯s two maces were waiting for them as they straightened themselves out. Bang! Bang! Although quite shabby, the knights had been wearing plate armor. However, the armor proved ineffective against the maces. Their limbs were crushed, their heads blown, and their bodies were blown away. Galfredik was a knight who stood at the top. The knights couldn¡¯t handle the tremendous force behind Galfredik¡¯s attacks. ¡°Kuaagh!¡± ¡°Arggh!¡± Blood, broken blades, and unrecognizable pieces of flesh scattered in the air. ¡°M-monster!¡± In an instant, five knights were killed or disabled. The survivors shouted with fear. They turned to their only saving grace and begged. ¡°Lord Helmond! Help us!¡± ¡°Lord Helmond!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Federique had been watching the scene unfold with a blank expression. The knights¡¯ shouts brought him to his senses. Galfredik¡¯s entire figure was caked in blood. The burly knight grinned at Federique. ¡°Hey, you. The one who looks like a man-whore. Are you coming or not?¡± CH 163 Federique couldn¡¯t comprehend the words of the knight, but he could deduce the knight¡¯s intention. It was either a glaring mockery or an open provocation. He was a daywalker and the only child of Duke Helmond, the ruler of the Helmond Clan, who was allowed to carry the last name of Helmond. Even so, he couldn¡¯t even think to react with anger. The opponent was unaffected by his fear, which meant¡­ ¡°Wa¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the initiative! I¡¯ll shove my mace down your mouth and up your ass! Kuwuuuuugh!¡± Kwaaaaaah! Federique¡¯s eyes filled with shock. If his own fear could be compared to a river¡¯s torrent, the fear he was facing was like a tsunami of immeasurable size. ¡®I have to avoid it!¡¯ His instincts warned him, but Federique was rendered immobile by Galfredik¡¯s fear. He couldn¡¯t budge. However, he was able to incite his own fear thanks to his desire for survival. Boom! One of Galfredik¡¯s maces hurled through the air toward Federique¡¯s head with a shockwave. However, just before the terrible weapon was about to make contact with Federique¡¯s helmet, Federique¡¯s head suddenly transformed into black smoke. Tang! The ownerless helmet was crushed and tossed away. Federique¡¯s armor and clothes fell off the side of his saddle. ¡°Huh?¡± Galfredik muttered with surprise. His opponent had suddenly dissipated without warning. Federique attempted to escape from the fight after transforming into black smoke. Fwooosh! ¡°Uaagh?!¡± Reyma shouted as the black smoke brushed him by and tore his clothes. He had been quivering a little distance away from Federique. ¡°Is it magic? Damned bastard!¡± Galfredik shouted after belatedly coming to a realization. He threw his axe toward the black smoke. However, smoke couldn¡¯t be damaged by physical weapons. ¡°Hey! You cowardly vampire bastard! Stop right there!¡± Galfredik shouted. However, Federique ignored the furious shout and quickly widened the distance between himself and the burly knight. ¡®It worked!¡¯ He was overjoyed after barely managing to escape from certain death by using the mysterious power only high-ranking vampires could utilize. He had never imagined that Duke Batla was a duke-ranking vampire. Federique was simply relieved that the duke was unskilled with handling his fear, although he had no idea why. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Why would such a powerhouse come all the way to Brantia and cause trouble?¡¯ Federique thought so while maintaining his immaterial form to flee the battlefield. As he ran, something caught his eye. ¡®What?!¡¯ Duke Batla¡¯s subordinate knight was looking his way after slaughtering his vampire knights. ¡®What¡¯s that bastard doing?¡¯ The knight¡¯s face wasn¡¯t visible, but Federique could feel that the black knight wasn¡¯t surprised at all. Any human being would have been surprised to see a vampire¡¯s immaterial form, even if they were a knight. But the black knight appeared unfazed¡­ ¡®Arrogant bastard. I will kill you when I see you again.¡¯ However, Federique could only grit his teeth while running away. Suddenly, the black knight¡¯s crimson eyes emitted a glow from inside his helmet. Federique started to speed up as an ominous sensation washed over him. Kwaaaaaaa! His surroundings were suddenly colored crimson. ¡®T-this is¡­?!¡¯ Federique was eventually forced to a stop. A huge net composed of hundreds of crimson threads was blocking the direction where Federique was flying. ¡®Fear?! Fear?!!¡¯ Federique was shocked out of his soul. He almost wished that he was surrounded by a wall of silver instead as he was immediately struck with panic and confusion. Duke Batla had appeared to be inexperienced in utilizing fear, so how? Perhaps¡­ ¡°You. You have a rather fascinating skill, don¡¯t you?¡± a voice whispered from right behind him. ¡®Huak!¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t for his lack of physical body, Federique would have forgotten his dignity as a high lord and leaped with shock. Eugene¡¯s hand grabbed a hold of Federique¡¯s immaterial form. Kuaaaaaaghhh!!! A terrible scream resounded. The disturbing, piercing screech was enough to affect the very souls of ordinary humans. Fwoooosh! Kuwaaagh! Kuwaaaaaaghhh! ¡°Huh?¡± Eugene was taken aback. He had simply grabbed Federique to keep him from running away, but the black smoke in his hand was being swept away by a crimson flame. Simultaneously, a portion of Federique¡¯s knowledge began to permeate Eugene¡¯s mind. However, rather than learning something new, it felt as if he was recalling an old, forgotten memory. Fwoosh! And after the flame subsided, the black smoke fell apart like grains of sand and scattered in the wind. The vampire high lord was extinguished in such a vain manner after living a long life of nearly a hundred years. ¡°Dammit.¡± Eugene felt disappointed by the unexpected outcome. He assumed that the enemy would be special since they were a high lord. Who would have imagined that they would die so quickly? But this was a natural and obvious result¡­ Vampires were immune to physical attacks in their immaterial form, but they were extremely vulnerable to magic and mental attacks. Moreover, the hand that grabbed Federique¡¯s immaterial form contained the fear of the one who reigned over the vampires. A mere touch would have been enough to cause Federique to burst, so it was no wonder he died when Eugene snagged him with the full force of his fear. But, of course, Eugene wasn¡¯t aware of this fact. ¡°At least I found out how he transformed. This encounter was fruitful in its own way.¡± It didn¡¯t matter to him if the vampire high lord died or not. Although the transfer of knowledge was cut short due to how quickly Federique died, Eugene was still satisfied with learning how to utilize his immaterial form. He didn¡¯t care about the consequences of what he had done at all. *** ¡°I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Your Excellency,¡± Reyma Fransil declared in a passionate voice after kneeling on one knee. However, Eugene¡¯s gaze was somewhat disapproving. It was because Reyma was completely naked. His clothes had been torn to shreds when the vampire high lord¡¯s immaterial form passed him by. ¡°Stand up,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency,¡± Reyma answered before slowly rising. Eugene¡¯s frown deepened further. ¡°Hooh! Look at this pretty thang. It¡¯s solid. A horse, a horse!¡± ¡°Kieeeeeh?! I-impressive! However, Sir Eugene¡¯s big, beautiful c¡ªKuagh!¡± The spirit was struck down before she could reveal the Origin¡¯s deep, dark secret. ¡°Y-you¡¯re so mean¡­¡± the spirit muttered while slowly falling to the ground like a lonely falling leaf. ¡°Big and beautiful? Hooh! Hoooh¡­¡± Galfredik ignored the spirit and muttered while alternating his gaze between Eugene and Reyma¡¯s certain parts. He soon made eye contact with Eugene. Tuck! ¡°As expected from my master!¡± Galfredik shouted. ¡°That¡¯s right! As expected from our sir!¡± the spirit harmonized with Galfredik¡¯s comment. The two of them raised their thumbs at the same time. Ever since they gained the ability to communicate, the two of them had been getting along strangely well. Eugene ignored them and turned to Reyma. ¡°Put on some clothes.¡± ¡°What? But there aren¡¯t any clothes¡­¡± Reyma responded. ¡°Just get something from the dead bodies,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± It wasn¡¯t an act befitting a noble. However, Reyma could not disobey the command of his benefactor. As such, he searched the bodies of the dead knights for suitable clothing. Soon after, Reyma was fully clothed. He retrieved his armor and the weapons from the corpses of Brodia¡¯s knights, and once again expressed his gratitude with a polite bow. ¡°I really don¡¯t know how I could possibly repay this favor. I will make sure to inform my father of your valiant, honorable deeds, Your Excellency. Although we will soon become family through the noble ritual of marriage¡­¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°What?¡± Reyma was dumbfounded. ¡°You. What the hell were you thinking? Why did you go around saying that I was going to marry your sister?¡± Eugene asked in an icy voice. ¡°W-well, that¡¯s because¡­ Huh?¡± Reyma started to respond, then stopped himself. He could finally understand Eugene¡¯s reaction. Come to think of it, he had no evidence that Duke Batla and his youngest sister were going to get married. The only thing he knew was that Lorraine had been accompanying the duke ever since she was taken prisoner. He didn¡¯t even know why, or whether it was even voluntary or not. ¡°Uh¡­ T-then¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Your knights are dead, and you were taken prisoner because of your groundless imagination,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­!¡± Reyma¡¯s jaw dropped. He was responsible for the deaths of his valuable knights? Moreover, his sister was still a prisoner. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Me too?¡¯ Reyma naturally came to the conclusion after coming to his senses. Eugene spoke, ¡°You must have realized it now. You are my prisoner now as well.¡± ¡°Heuk¡­¡± Reyma felt his heart drop as his mind went blank. This was an unprecedented situation where two direct descendants of the Fransil family were captured by one person. Reyma was devastated. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­ ¡°Your mistake. Do you want a chance to atone for it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What?! W-what do you mean by that?¡± Reyma asked after raising his head. Eugene continued. ¡°Contact your father, Lord Fransil. The ransom I want is this¡­¡± As he continued, Reyma¡¯s expression gradually became more and more serious. ¡°Sir Reyma, I will let you go if you accept my offer, but if you refuse¡­¡± Eugene pointed at the pathetic, grotesque corpses of the dead knights. ¡°You will end up like them as well. And your family, in the end, will share the same fate.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Reyma trembled. Soon, he replied with a determined expression, ¡°My father will follow Your Excellency¡¯s suggestion. I will make sure of it.¡± ¡°Good. As expected, the eldest brother is better than his stupid sibling,¡± Eugene remarked. Reyma flinched after hearing Eugene¡¯s remark, he could not refute it. It was a known fact that everyone in the Fransil family acknowledged. ¡°Well, if I follow Your Excellency¡¯s suggestion, you will release Lorraine with me, right? Since you swore on your honor as a knight¡­¡± Reyma said, hesitating. ¡°What? When did I say that I would let your sister go?¡± Eugene replied with a frown. ¡°Huh? B-but you said that if I sent a letter to my father¡­¡± Reyma stammered. ¡°Your ransom is one thing, and your sister¡¯s ransom is another. Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Eugene stated. ¡°¡­¡± Reyma looked up at Eugene with disbelief. Duke Batla was an incredibly talented knight and one of the greatest nobles in Brantia. Moreover, all of his material possessions looked extremely valuable, including his horse, sword, spear, and others. However, for such a great man, he seemed rather petty and slightly greedy. However, Reyma wasn¡¯t stupid enough to voice his thoughts. ¡°N-naturally. Yes, you are right, Your Excellency,¡± Reyma said, compromising. ¡°I¡¯m glad you know. Well, let¡¯s go.¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Ah, yes!¡± Reyma attempted to climb on the back of his horse, but Eugene interrupted him. ¡°You¡¯re a prisoner. You have to work as such.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eugene gestured toward the bodies with his jaw and continued. ¡°Grab everything that¡¯s useful. You have to live frugally to live well.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Reyma¡¯s felt reaffirmed in his suspicions. It wasn¡¯t just a little either. Duke Batla, an unparalleled knight and a great noble, was genuinely greedy and petty. ¡°Sir, sir! Can I take their money? Hmm? Hmmmm?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Kieeeeehhh! This is exciting! Kieh! Silver~ Gold~ I like it, and our sir likes it~ Grab all the money~ And put it in my piggy bank~ Sir will think~ Oh, you nice little spirit~ Kieehhh~¡± It appeared that the greedy spirit was just meant to be with the duke. Reyma scavenged all the useful items from the dead knights and stored them on two horses before wiping off his sweat. ¡°Phew! I¡¯m done. So, will we be joining your army and returning home?¡± Reyma asked. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Eugene asked with a frown. ¡°Hmm? Then how will you send a letter to my father...?¡± ¡°I will send a messenger. We will be attacking the Brodia family immediately after this,¡± Eugene casually said. ¡°¡­!¡± Reyma¡¯s face turned pale as he suddenly thought of something. ¡°T-then! If our family is late in accepting your offer¡­¡± he muttered. Eugene revealed his fang in a grin and responded while drawing his thumb across his throat, ¡°You¡¯ll be damned.¡± ¡°I will write a letter immediately!¡± Reyma became flustered at the duke¡¯s words. Although the duke was truly greedy and petty, he was far more violent and brutal than he had ever imagined. CH 164 Eugene took Reyma to a nearby village and had him prepare a letter for Baron Fransil. After contemplation, Reyma wrote a letter containing his desperate feelings for the future rather than his own life. He then hired three mercenaries and commissioned them to deliver the letter to the Fransil family. ¡°It must be delivered as soon as possible. Remember, the sooner it arrives, the greater your compensation will be. If you can get there in three days, all of you will become owners of those horses, as well as the recipient of even greater wealth,¡± Reyma said. ¡°Please leave it to us,¡± the mercenaries responded before riding away with joy. However, Eugene didn¡¯t really care. He was feeling rather grumpy. ¡°Are you finished?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Will we be joining your army right away?¡± Reyma said. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Reyma¡¯s expression brightened up a little at Eugene¡¯s answer. However, Eugene¡¯s following words caused his gaze to shake violently. ¡°However, we have to dispose of that before we do so.¡± Eugene¡¯s gaze remained unmoving from the trophies collected from the dead knights. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Reyma asked. He could not help but doubt his eyes and ears. Eugene was the head of an army about to go to war with an ancient, powerful family. Moreover, he was a duke! He could not believe that Eugene was thinking about selling off the loot he gained from the previous battle. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m serious. Hurry up and take care of it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°M-me?¡± Reyma asked. Was the duke really ordering him, even though he had just written a desperate, determined letter stained with his own tears? ¡°Should I do it, then?¡± Eugene asked sarcastically. ¡°¡­¡± Reyma¡¯s blank gaze slowly crept toward a specific person. ¡°Why is this bastard looking at me?¡± Galfredik muttered with a ridiculous look, then pointed at himself and Reyma before speaking in Brantian, ¡°Me, duke¡¯s knight. You, prisoner.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Reyma could not deny the simple, yet irrefutable fact. His head dropped with disappointment. ¡°Kieeeeehk! I won¡¯t let you off the hook if you try to steal even a single coin! I¡¯m going to personally check every single coin! Hmm?! Do you understand?¡± Reyma felt suffocated after hearing the voice of the duke¡¯s invisible spirit, but he desperately calmed his anger and started to move. ¡°¡­I will be back.¡± He was the desperate one, not them. *** After disposing of the battle¡¯s spoils, Eugene finally left the village and headed toward his destination, Brodin City. Naturally, all the chores, including taking care of Eugene, were left to Reyma. Reyma was the eldest son of a prestigious family. Even when he served as a knight¡¯s aide, he had three slaves to take care of him, and even when he left on his quest to knighthood, he was taken care of by slaves and servants. However, he was nothing more than a prisoner¡ªan incompetent prisoner at that¡ªin his journey with Eugene. Galfredik was a master of scolding and pestering, and Reyma felt both his mind and body deteriorate each day. In addition, he was reduced to a mere bag of bones as the evil spirit constantly spewed nonsense at every chance in a grim voice. However, there was one decisive thing that drove him absolutely insane. ¡®Why are you so relaxed?! Come on, let¡¯s hurry it up!¡¯ Duke Batla acted as if he was on a vacation, which caused Reyma to burn up with frustration. However, Eugene didn¡¯t care about whatever Reyma felt. He was moving slowly on purpose. ¡°Hmm. I wonder if the main force would have arrived in Brodin City by now.¡± ¡°Maybe. I¡¯m sure Lanslo did well with controlling the march''s pace.¡± The conversation between Eugene and Galfredik caught Reyma¡¯s attention. In particular, he became alert to the word ¡®Brodin.¡¯ Unfortunately, however, he couldn¡¯t understand the language of the Caylor Kingdom. ¡°Anyhow, this is a brilliant ploy. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re going to have the Fransil family deal with Brodia¡¯s army outside Brodin City. Kuhehe,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Tsk, tsk! How dare you talk to Sir Eugene that way? Ploy? Be more dignified, won¡¯t you? Call it a tactic. Kehehehe!¡± Mirian commented. ¡°Oh! I didn¡¯t expect that from an ignorant, evil spirit,¡± Galfredik riposted. ¡°Kieeeeek! I¡¯m not ignorant! I¡¯m not an evil spirit either! Kieek! How dare you, mere vassal!¡± Mirian shouted. ¡°Be quiet, please. Before I smash your piggy bank into pieces,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yeap.¡± Eugene stopped Mirian from complaining once again, then turned to Galfredik. ¡°We don¡¯t have to deal with each and every single one of them, right? In the first place, the Fransil family doesn¡¯t get along very well with the Brodia family, right? Plus, the lives of their eldest son and youngest daughter are on the line. They¡¯ll fight tooth and nail.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And Bonmer¡¯s messenger should have arrived at the Fransil family a while ago. They¡¯ll get to save their eldest son and the daughter who could one day become the concubine of Brantia¡¯s king. Kuhehe!¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°Yes, but if they reject our proposal, they will be abandoning two of their children, and an opportunity to form a relationship with me and Luke, who are very likely to unite Brantia. Haha!¡± ¡°Kuhehehehe!¡± ¡°Kiehehehe!¡± The two vampires and the evil, greedy spirit chuckled in harmony. Eugene hadn¡¯t asked for money nor wealth as the ransom for Reyma Fransil¡¯s safe return. - I, Duke Batla, saved your eldest son from being taken captive by the Brodia family¡¯s knights. - So, if you want your eldest son¡¯s safe return, mobilize your army and invade the Brodia family¡¯s territory. My army will be working in tandem with you. The Fransil family had more than enough justification, and this was an opportunity for them to have their youngest daughter marry Luke, who could later take Brantia¡¯s throne. Unless they were fools, the Fransil family would follow the suggestion. In the past, the Fransil family was a vassal of the Brodia family. As such, their territories were extremely close. Considering that, the Fransil family¡¯s troops would obviously arrive earlier than Eugene¡¯s main army and begin their war against the Brodia family. This was the very definition of blowing one¡¯s nose without ever having to use their hand. ¡°Our army will arrive in Brodin City while Fransil fights for us. Kyah! If it works out, we might get to rob an empty house. In addition, neither Fransil nor Brodia will be able to avoid a massive loss,¡± Galfredik commented. As an excellent strategist, he quickly noticed the deeper meaning behind Eugene''s plan. ¡°Hohoho!¡± ¡°Kuhehe!¡± ¡°Kikekekeke!¡± Joyous, satisfied sounds of laughter could be heard once again. Naturally, Reyma couldn¡¯t understand what any of them were saying. As such, his heart felt rather troubled by the insidious noises. *** ¡°How come Helmond¡¯s high lord and the other sirs haven¡¯t returned yet?!¡± Garif Cameron Brodia, also known as Cameron the Third, vented his anger. The nobles gathered in the castle¡¯s great hall raised their voices in response to the young, 19-year-old king. ¡°Your Majesty. You must wait a little longer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Although he is a member of the Dark Clan, Lord Federique Helmond is also a noble knight. I am certain he will return with good news.¡± ¡°Once you have the support of the Batla Duchy, your kingdom will make even greater progress in uniting Brantia, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Cameron the Third frowned in frustration. When he first heard the rumor about a high-ranking member of the Tribe of the Darkness crossing over from the continent and conquering most of Brantia¡¯s Southeast, starting from Mungard, he had laughed with disbelief. However, when further rumors spread stating that the foreigner killed a swordmaster the Bayman Orcs were interested in, then went on to become the Duke of Batla, the rumors became harder to ignore. If the rumors were true, it meant that most of Brantia¡¯s South had fallen into the foreigner¡¯s hands. As such, Cameron the Third decided to send knights of the royal family to confirm the facts. At that time, vampire knights of the ¡®Helmond Clan¡¯ offered their help. Although the Brodia family had established a relationship with the Helmond Clan two generations ago, there hadn¡¯t been any exchanges between the two groups in recent years. Despite that, Cameron the Third chose to accept the proposal. After all, he had nothing to lose by gaining powerful vampire knights as allies. However, he had heard nothing from them even though a month had already passed since they departed. ¡®Surely nothing happened to them, right? At the very least, I hope my knights are safe.¡¯ Cameron the Third bit his lips in anxiety. The door to the great hall suddenly burst open. ¡°Y-your Majesty!¡± The captain of the guards came rushing in before kowtowing. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Cameron the Third could not hide his expectations. Perhaps there was news of the royal knights. ¡°A-an army! Fransil¡¯s army has crossed over Red Hill!¡± the guard captain exclaimed. ¡°W-what did you say?!¡± Cameron the Third stood stiff from his throne at the unexpected news. However, the shock only lasted for a brief moment. Anger began to erupt and it engulfed the young king¡¯s heart immediately afterward. ¡°Fransil! That despicable traitor finally dares!¡± Cameron the Third shouted. The nobles raised their voices in response as if on cue. ¡°Your Majesty! We must put an end to this foolish traitor at once!¡± ¡°Please call the knights and show those treasonous creatures the majesty of the royal family!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Quiet! All of you, quiet! If you¡¯re so desperate to make an example out of the traitor, why don¡¯t you be the first to donate your wealth? Shall we dig the ground to find money that will allow us to go to war?!¡± Cameron the Third shouted. ¡°¡­¡± The nobles immediately quietened down and coughed while avoiding Cameron the Third¡¯s gaze. ¡°Keugh!¡± Cameron the Third felt his heart boil with anger. The young king had been filled with burning ambition when he first ascended the throne. However, he was frustrated beyond belief after only a year. Lies¡­ He had been told nothing but lies as a prince. First of all, there was no indomitable knight in the royal family¡¯s service who had challenged and won wars against anyone who defiled Brodia¡¯s name. In addition, he was told a lie that half of Brantia belonged to the royal family of Brodia. In truth, only Brodin, their capital with a population of 40,000, and the nearby areas belonged to the royal family. Moreover, their largest, most fertile land had been taken over by the Fransil family during the crusade. As such, the ordinary residents of the land were barely scraping by without starving to death. ¡®There¡¯s not enough food. And even if we subjugate evil lands, where will we sell the mana stones? I would rather¡­ that¡¯s right. There¡¯s no other choice now!¡¯ Cameron the Third came to a decision. He stood up from his throne and raised his baton before shouting. ¡°Subjects of Brodia, hear my words!¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty!¡± the nobles exclaimed in response. ¡°Gather the knights and the soldiers! We will leave behind the minimum number of soldiers to defend the capital! The honorable knights and loyal soldiers of our land will march to defeat the traitor Fransil!¡± Cameron the Third declared. ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty!¡± the nobles shouted in response. ¡°Ohhh! The great spirits of the mountains and the fields of this holy land! Please watch over me and this land!¡± Cameron exclaimed a prayer. ¡°Watch over us!¡± the nobles echoed the king¡¯s words and rose from their seats. However¡­ ¡®Has the king gone mad?¡¯ ¡®We will have less than 500 troops without the guards. What can we possibly do with that?¡¯ ¡®Shouldn¡¯t you contribute your servants to the cause, sirs?¡¯ ¡®Are you crazy? What will I do when I have to run away, then? Why don¡¯t you contribute your personal guards to the war instead?!¡¯ Neither determination nor courage could be found on the nobles¡¯ faces, who were wearing extravagant, fancy clothes. *** The large gate opened, and troops carrying the flag of the Brodia family, a sword piercing arose, marched out. The soldiers were unorganized, and even their equipment vastly differed from each individual. Even the knights leading the soldiers were armed with old, rusted chainmail with holes on them. Uwawaaaaah! The residents were half-forced to cheer for the king¡¯s poor, weak army. ¡°Hmph! What a mess!¡± ¡°Goblin dung. They¡¯re not worth our time.¡± The beowulf warriors jeered at the sight. They were lying flat on a faraway hill, watching the Brodia¡¯s army procession. ¡°Let¡¯s return and report back.¡± ¡°Damn it. I¡¯m so tired. I haven¡¯t eaten meat in days.¡± ¡°Wolfgan told me to bring a boar when I come back.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t even see a single rat nearby. Where would we possibly find a boar?¡± ¡°Ah, rat meat is a delicacy too.¡± ¡°I like squirrels¡­.¡± ¡°Squirrels smell a bit funky, don¡¯t they? But I find that if you lightly boil them, they taste similar to raccoons. It¡¯s not too bad.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know the first thing about meat! Meat must always be grilled over fire.¡± As usual, the beowulfs argued over various topics as they disappeared into the distance. Two days later¡­ Dozens of flags bearing the crest of the black dragon fluttered in the wind, and an army composed of nearly one thousand troops surrounded the City of Brodin. The army displayed military discipline that could not be compared to Brodia¡¯s army, and the hundred-or-so guards remaining in the city fell into panic and despair. Tap. Tap. The guards of the castle hid behind the walls, and a knight armed with precious, expensive equipment slowly rode forward from the midst of the large army. At first glance, his equipment seemed even more valuable than the items that Cameron the Third owned. ¡°I am a knight of His Excellency Duke Jan Eugene Batla! Those who dared¡­!¡± Lanslo paused, then took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Those unruly, despicable men who dared to threaten Sir Reyma, brother of Lady Lorraine, who is our prisoner and also the potential companion of His Excellency Eugene¡¯s aide, Count Luke Crawlmarine, show yourselves! Come out of hiding!¡± ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?!¡± Cameron the Third was unable to understand the quarter-elf¡¯s roar. His words had been spoken way too fast and much too long. CH 165 It was an extremely complicated, troublesome story, but some things were clear. ¡°A knight of the Drak family is serving under the Duke of Batla?¡± Knights of the Drak family rarely ventured into the outside world, and even if they did, it was mostly to perform good deeds for others with chivalrous intentions. Knights of the Drak family never engaged in political strife. However, such a figure had stepped into the fray, which surely represented many things. "But what could this mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ But a girl who could become the wife of Count Crawlmarine, who is an aide of Duke Batla, which means¡­ Dammit!¡± One of the nobles burst into anger while slowly reiterating Lanslo¡¯s words from earlier on. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we try to talk to them first?¡± ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s do it.¡± Cameron the Third nodded with a grim expression at the words of the terrified nobles. They felt suffocated just from seeing the opposing army. If the enemy decided to attack, their walls would fall within an hour or even thirty minutes. ¡°Send a messenger. Tell them that the King of Brodia wants to see the Duke of Batla,¡± Cameron the Third stated. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. But who should we send?¡± one of the nobles asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Cameron the Third looked around at the nobles. The opponent was the Duke of Batla. Even a simple messenger had to be someone with sufficient status. However, the nobles hurriedly avoided the king¡¯s gaze. They were scared and none of them wanted to take responsibility. ¡°Ha¡­ Sir Roswell and Sir Avoran, please take care of it,¡± Cameron the Third said with a sigh. ¡°Uh¡­ I-I understand.¡± ¡°I-I will carry out your orders,¡± the two nobles answered with dissatisfied expressions before heading down from the wall. However, the two did not leave through the gates even after several minutes had passed. ¡°What are they doing?!¡± Cameron the Third¡¯s patience eventually reached its limit, but just in time, the castle gates finally opened and the two nobles departed. ¡°What¡­?¡± Cameron the Third felt dumbfounded as he looked down. The two nobles were heavily armed in chainmail, and they were accompanied by a dozen guards and servants as they headed toward the knight of the Drak family. ¡°Ha! Haha¡­¡± Cameron the Third¡¯s lips twisted upwards as he laughed bitterly. It was such an embarrassing, miserable sight to see the cowardly, weak nobles heading toward the opposing knight, who stood tall and proud even though he was alone. After a while, the two nobles hurried back into the gate as if they were running away. ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡± The two nobles called out. Even though Cameron the Third didn¡¯t feel like speaking with them, he suppressed his emotions and responded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What did the knight say?¡± ¡°What a wicked man! He told us not to be absurd and to send the king or a messenger who can represent the king¡¯s authority!¡± one of the two nobles exclaimed. ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not it! He told us that he would wait one hour and that if a messenger isn¡¯t sent by then, he would attack.¡± He continued. ¡°Keugh!¡± Cameron the Third felt his face reddening. He had never experienced such humiliation in his entire life. However, he was without any other choices. ¡°Phew! Then who should I send¡­?¡± Cameron the Third once again looked over the nobles before sighing. The nobles were trying their best to avoid his gaze, and their faces were stricken white with fear. There was only one option¡­ ¡°¡­I will go myself,¡± Cameron the Third stated. ¡°Ohhh! The people of the kingdom will bless and revere Your Majesty¡¯s brave and honorable actions!¡± ¡°Your Majesty is the true defender, the shield of this kingdom! History will forever remember your honorable decision!¡± The nobles immediately welcomed his decision with a unified voice. The young king was forced to clench his eyes shut. *** The gates of Brodin slowly opened once again. ¡°Hooh?¡± Lanslo had been waiting on his saddle for Brodia¡¯s answer. His eyes glimmered when he saw a figure exiting from the castle gate. There was only a single knight wearing shiny chainmail coming out from the castle. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t wearing a helmet like any other knight. Instead, he wore a gold crown embedded with jewels. ¡°Did the king come out personally? By himself?¡± Lanslo nodded with admiration. The nobles from earlier had failed to make eye contact with him during their entire trip. But unlike the nobles, the king appeared proud and dignified. The young king stopped once he was about five meters away from Lanslo, then spoke in a confident manner. ¡°Lanslo of Drak. My name is Garif Cameron Brodia, the ruler of the Kingdom of Brodia, and one who receives the blessings of the spirits and the gods to ascend the throne of Brantia.¡± The young king gave his grand introduction. Lanslo smiled and placed his hand on his left chest before giving a light bow. ¡°I am honored to meet you, oh, King of Brodia.¡± Cameron the Third¡¯s forehead creased slightly at the knight¡¯s curt response. He had made his resolution earlier, but he was still unfamiliar with receiving this kind of treatment. ¡°Lanslo of Drak. If you leave quietly, then I will forget the mistakes of yourself and the Drak family. Your bizarre story has¡­¡± Cameron the Third started to speak. ¡°Bizarre? No, I only spoke about strict facts.¡± Lanslo said, interrupting him. ¡°What?¡± Lanslo took out a piece of parchment and waved it before continuing. ¡°This is a written threat from Your Majesty¡¯s knights. It says that Sir Reyma Fransil is being held hostage, so if we want him back¡­¡± Lanslo calmly recounted the contents of the letter, and Cameron the Third¡¯s expression changed dramatically. ¡®Those crazy men! I told them to go figure out the situation, but they caused such a big accident instead?!¡¯ Cameron the Third felt like he was going insane, but he could also finally understand Laslo¡¯s mysterious words. ¡®Then that means¡­¡¯ Perhaps it wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad situation. Cameron the Third regained his composure and responded. ¡°Hmm. After hearing your story, I¡¯ve come up with an idea...¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If your words are true, then my knights had been persecuting the successor of the Fransil family, who is also the older brother of a lady who is going to marry Count Crawlmarine, right? Which means if you are persecuting me and my kingdom¡­¡± Cameron the Third explained. Lanslo interrupted with a chuckle. ¡°Haha. You are misunderstanding something, my king.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Lanslo continued with a shrewd smile. ¡°Lady Lorraine is still technically a prisoner. It has not yet been decided whether she will become Count Crawlmarine¡¯s companion or not. So, would it be necessary for the duke to care about the Fransil family right now?¡± ¡°W-well¡­¡± Cameron the Third lost his composure in an instant. However, he was a quick-witted man. He instantly came up with another idea and responded. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s even less of a reason to treat me and my kingdom like this, right? Brodia has nothing to do with Duke Batla, so if that was a misunderstanding, then why¡­¡± ¡°Regardless of whether Lady Lorraine marries Lord Crawlmarine or not, won¡¯t the Fransil family owe us if we rescue their successor in advance? And I don¡¯t know if I should be telling you this, but¡­¡± Lanslo pretended to look around, then lowered his voice. ¡°His Excellency the Duke has a slightly, no, very dirty personality. He is not benevolent enough to simply leave potential threats alone. The duke doesn¡¯t care at all what the threat might be, whether it is the Brodia family or something else¡­¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The young king¡¯s expression turned pale. Lanslo was telling him that the Brodia family could come under attack, regardless of the reason. ¡°My king, you should count yourself lucky for speaking with me. If it were the duke instead of me, then he would have taken you prisoner immediately,¡± Lanslo said. Cameron the Third responded furiously at Lanslo¡¯s threat, ¡°How dare you! If you dare to treat me like that, then my knights won¡¯t leave Duke Batla alone, as well as the Fransil family¡­¡± Lanslo interrupted once again. ¡°Please don¡¯t even think that you might be able to do something about the duke. He is a daywalker. Moreover, he has defeated two swordmasters of Brantia. The bottom line is¡­¡± Lanslo smiled, revealing his white teeth. ¡°There is nothing that you can do, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°However, since you came out personally, I will show you consideration and give you until sunrise tomorrow to decide. You can either come personally or send a messenger. I¡¯ll be seeing you then,¡± Having finished his words, Lanslo pulled his reins and turned around without hesitation. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Cameron the Third gritted his teeth with a red face at the humiliation. Lanslo stopped his horse after a few steps and turned around before speaking with pity. ¡°If you are planning to send messengers, please exclude the sirs who came earlier. I saw earlier that they were too scared to even speak properly. You must have many worries to have such people as your vassals. All right, I¡¯ll get going.¡± Lanslo turned around and left after driving the final nail in the coffin. ¡°Keugh!¡± Cameron the Third continued to bite on his lips with frustration. His lips eventually burst and started to bleed. *** ¡°Kihehehe! Sir, sir! Over there! There, there! Kieeeeeh~¡± Mirian shouted excitedly. Eugene turned and nodded after seeing the numerous, glaring torches. ¡°That must be Brodin¡­¡± Upon hearing the news that the Fransil family¡¯s troops had invaded Brodia¡¯s territory, Eugene picked up the pace and arrived near the City of Brodin in less than two days. ¡°Master, we should look for our army first, right? Where the hell are those bastards?¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Hmm. They might be on the other side,¡± Eugene answered. Since it was their first time in the vicinity, Eugene¡¯s group was having trouble finding their way. They had managed thus far by asking the robber and bandits they defeated on their way. Seeing as their main army wasn¡¯t anywhere in sight, it appeared that the army was on the other side of the city. ¡°Even if we fight, it will be tomorrow during the day. Let¡¯s take our time.¡± The three horses trotted leisurely. The only human, Reyma, was dozing off on his saddle. Twenty minutes later¡­ ¡°Hmm? Wait a minute. I see something.¡± Eugene pulled his reins while narrowing his eyes. ¡°What, what?! What¡¯s wrong? Are there monsters?¡± Reyma was jolted awake and shouted while wiping off his drool. Eugene ignored him and spoke while staring into the darkness. ¡°They¡¯re not moles, so why are they crawling out from underground?¡± ¡°Underground? Are they undead?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°No, they¡¯re humans. There are around thirty of them,¡± Eugene answered. Reyma became even more anxious when the two ignored him and started talking in the language of the Caylor Kingdom. "Galfredik, go get them all. It¡¯s suspicious.¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Galfredik answered with a grin, then rode into the darkness. Soon, sounds of things breaking and screams resonated from the distance. Galfredik returned with a group of people. ¡°What are these bastards?¡± Eugene frowned while looking at the fairly large group of humans. ¡°M-m-ercy!¡± ¡°Sir! W-wealth! I can give you as much as you want! Just please, pretend you didn¡¯t see us and let us go!¡± Three men rushed toward Eugene and begged after taking off their hoods. After seeing their faces, Eugene asked, ¡°Are you the nobles of Brodin?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right! Sir! Please!¡± one of them answered. ¡°Why did you crawl out from underground at this hour?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The nobles seemed hesitant to answer. Then, a man who appeared to have the highest status among them came forward and responded with a determined expression. ¡°Of course, you might misunderstand us, sir. However, I¡¯m telling you, we are no cowards. It¡¯s just that the army of an evil, dishonorable, insidious man is attacking our city. We are holding onto the city¡¯s hope and Brodia¡¯s future with sincere¡­¡± The nobles desperately explained themselves using all sorts of noble expressions, but in the end, it became clear that they were just running for their lives. ¡®Isn¡¯t this a great opportunity?¡¯ Eugene started to think. However, a particular term used by the noble continued to bother him. ¡°Evil, dishonorable, insidious man? Who is that?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Duke Batla! His army¡­¡± one of the younger nobles immediately answered after judging that he could talk his way out of the sticky situation. ¡°Sir Roswell!¡± One of the other nobles felt an ominous feeling and quickly dissuaded him, but it was already too late. ¡°You. Do you know me?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Huh? I think it¡¯s our first meeting¡­ Ah! Have we met somewhere before? This is great! Sir, what a great¡­¡± Roswell said excitedly. ¡°No. This is my first time seeing you as well. But how come you already know me so well, hmm?¡± Eugene said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°What¡­?¡± The expressions of the nobles stiffened after finally realizing the strangeness of the situation. Eugene grinned while looking at them. ¡°I¡¯m the evil, dishonorable, insidious Duke Jan Eugene Batla.¡± Eugene¡¯s fangs glinted coldly under the moonlight. At the same time, the nobles¡¯ expressions turned ghastly and white. CH 166 ¡°M-mercy! Please show mercy, Your Excellency!¡± The nobles immediately kneeled on the spot and began to beg with pale expressions. Their families and servants also followed suit and kowtowed while shivering with fear. ¡®Why are they so frightened?¡¯ Eugene thought it to be slightly odd. Even though they had made a slip of the tongue, he wouldn¡¯t kill the nobles of a royal family without hesitation, not when they would make great prisoners¡­ ¡®Ah, is it because I¡¯m a vampire?¡¯ It was a dark night, and the nobles had been sneaking out of the city to save their hides. He was the ruler of a powerful army, a high-ranking vampire, and a cold-blooded man who would devastate the City of Brodin by tomorrow. As such, the nobles naturally thought of him as a cold, merciless man. ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ ¡°Galfredik. It has been a while since you tasted human blood, right?¡± Eugene asked in Brantian. ¡°Huh?¡± Although Galfredik¡¯s comprehension of Brantia¡¯s language was worse than Eugene''s, he still understood Eugene¡¯s words. After a moment of confusion, Galfredik recognized Eugene¡¯s intentions and took off his helmet before smiling viciously. ¡°Kuhe! Come to think of it, you¡¯re right. The blood of nobles¡­ They must have been drinking high-quality liquor at feasts day after day¡­ The mere thought of it makes my mouth water. Hehehe!¡± Galfredik wiped off the saliva that dripped down his fangs and smiled insidiously while staring at the nobles under the moonlight. ¡°Hieek!¡± ¡°Mercy! Please, show us mercy!¡± ¡°Uah¡­ Huaahh¡­¡± Galfredik had spoken in the language of the Caylor Kingdom, so his words weren¡¯t fully understood, but despite that, his actions had a great effect. Three nobles and their families burst into tears and began begging for their lives. ¡°I was getting hungry after rushing over, so the feast will be even tastier and better. Now, whose blood shall I taste first?¡± Galfredik approached them step by step while licking his lips. ¡°Uaaaghhh!¡± ¡°Sir! P-Please, have mercy! Huaaaghh¡­¡± Some of the nobles even pissed themselves and fell backward. They slowly crawled away in fear. All of a sudden, Eugene spoke in a soft voice, ¡°Me and my knight. We are very hungry right now. If you want us to forget our hunger, show us a token of your appreciation. That might help.¡± ¡°Oh¡­?¡± ¡°Silver, gold, treasure, whatever it may be.¡± Eugene continued. The nobles flinched, then fought to raise their voices. ¡°Everything! We will give you everything!¡± ¡°H-Hey! Bring the box!¡± The nobles¡¯ servants hurriedly put down the various objects they were carrying. Click! A box the size of a human adult was opened to reveal money, jewelry, mana stones, and various relics under the moon. ¡°Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhh!¡± The greedy spirit¡¯s eyes lost their focus as she dove into the box, and Eugene turned his gaze to the trembling nobles. He spoke, ¡°Hmm. This is rather regrettable.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? Your lives, are they only worth this much?¡± Eugene asked. The nobles felt as if their very souls were being sucked away from their bodies. The money they were offering was more than enough to purchase a small territory, but even that wasn¡¯t enough? Unfortunately, those holding the sword would always be in the right. The nobles knew it better than anyone else since they had lived their lives as that kind of people until now. ¡®What should we do?¡¯ ¡®What do you mean?! If we want to live, we must give him more!¡¯ ¡®But we¡¯ve already emptied out everything we have. I don¡¯t know what else to offer¡­¡¯ Eugene immediately noticed the way the nobles glanced at each other. ¡°Hey, gentlemen,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡± ¡°You have more wealth in the city, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s right, but¡­¡± ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s head in together.¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!¡± The nobles became wide-eyed and asked carefully while looking at Eugene, ¡°You mean¡­ right now?¡± ¡°Why not? Since we¡¯re on the topic, let¡¯s head there right away,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°B-but¡­¡± The nobles were in a dilemma. There was no guarantee that the vicious vampire duke would keep his promise. Moreover, no one knew what would happen once Eugene was allowed into Brodin. ¡®Ah! That¡¯s right! Vampires can¡¯t enter cities unless they¡¯re invited, right?¡¯ The nobles had been frozen stiff with fear, but their brains started to work once again after being cornered. They were inwardly overjoyed. However¡­ ¡°Your families are in my hands. If you have any other ideas, you know what will happen, right?¡± Eugene immediately shattered their vain expectations. ¡°¡­!¡± It was unbelievable. A figure of high prestige, a duke, didn¡¯t hesitate to threaten them with their families? ¡°Now, let¡¯s go,¡± Eugene said. The nobles slowly lead the way as their hopes and dreams transformed into despair. *** Uahhh¡­ ¡°W-what is it?¡± Cameron the Third was jolted awake from his sleep. He had barely fallen asleep after a restless, troubled night. Ahhhh¡­! Kuaagh¡­! Help me¡­! Horrible screams continued to echo from the distance, and the young king quickly grabbed his longsword from behind his bed. ¡°Y-your Majesty? What¡¯s wrong?¡± The queen rubbed her eyes after being woken and asked in a fearful voice. Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open and four guards rushed in. ¡°Your Majesty! It¡¯s an enemy attack!¡± ¡°Please follow us! You must prepare to leave¡­!¡± ¡°You¡­ Lanslo of Drak! Have you forsaken your honor as a knight?!¡± Cameron the Third shouted in desperation after realizing the current situation. In the meanwhile, the screams grew louder and louder. The king and queen followed the guards wearing only their outer garments. The ancient, historical castle housed a secret passage for emergencies, and Cameron the Third rushed to the passage entrance. Only the kings and the captain of the guards were privy to its location. ¡°Please go ahead, Your Majesty! Sir Ridler and I will buy some time here!¡± ¡°Keugh! I will not forget your honor and loyalty,¡± Cameron the Third responded while clenching his teeth and pushing a brick to reveal a secret handle. Then, he pulled the handle to reveal the secret passage door. As he thrust a torch to illuminate the passage, a voice suddenly called out. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nice to meet you, King of Brodia.¡± ¡°Kyaaahk!¡± ¡°Huagh!¡± Cameron the Third and his queen retreated with surprise, and their escorting knights stepped forward like lightning and swung their swords into the darkness. Clang! Thuck! ¡°Uagh!¡± Clear, metallic rings were followed by dull thuds, and the knights collapsed one after another. Shuack! After overpowering the two knights in an instant, Eugene grabbed Cameron the Third and the queen. He held Wolfslaughter against their throats and spoke, ¡°Throw away your weapons. Otherwise, your king is dead.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The remaining knights fell into despair after witnessing Eugene¡¯s lightning-fast swordsmanship. Clang! Eventually, they tossed their weapons away, and Eugene turned his head before speaking, ¡°Good work, Sir Roswell.¡± ¡°N-not at all,¡± one of the nobles answered awkwardly before revealing himself from the darkness of the passage. He was one of the nobles who had been caught trying to escape from the city. Although it came as a huge shock to Cameron the Third, who had ascended the throne at a young age, most of the influential noble families in Brodin knew of the secret passage¡¯s existence. The passage was even connected to the mansions of the nobles who had been attempting to escape, and it led to the place where Eugene captured the nobles. ¡°Roswell? Y-you dare!? You vile traitor!¡± Cameron the Third shouted in disbelief and anger. ¡°What? What are you talking about? You were trying to run away as well!¡± Roswell cried out in response. ¡°Shut your mouth! Your grandsons will defile his mother and kill his father! The deepest, darkest evil land will become Roswell¡¯s grave!¡± The young king cursed his traitorous vassal with bloodshot eyes. However, his shouts were returned with derision. ¡°Hehe, at least I will leave a descendant. The Brodia family will disappear today. It means that a child like you will no longer be able to play king. Isn¡¯t that right, Your Excellency Batla?¡± ¡°D-Duke Batla?¡± Cameron the Third turned his gaze with surprise. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t see the face of the person holding him hostage. However¡­ Shuack! ¡°Kuagh?!¡± Silver reflected the glimmer of the torches, and a thin line of blood appeared on the throat of the traitorous noble. ¡°W-Why¡­ Kuaagh¡­¡± The man collapsed as blood started to gush from his throat. ¡°Ah! Ahh¡­¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The queen fainted at the noble¡¯s sudden death, and Cameron the Third¡¯s eyes became filled with shock. Afterward, a low, cold voice rang in his ear. ¡°Hey, King of Brodia. There are more bastards like this, right?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene continued to whisper softly after feeling the young king flinch. ¡°Those bastards who were acting impudent like this bastard I killed, I will kill all of them for you. In return, come under me. There¡¯s no other option.¡± The king¡¯s vassals fled less than a day after the castle became surrounded by the enemies. Since it was painfully obvious that the Brodia family was rife with strife, Eugene was certain that the young king would accept his offer. He even executed one of the traitors on the spot. ¡®Or I can just kill him¡­¡¯ Cameron the Third stopped breathing after hearing Eugene¡¯s suggestion. The cold whisper had been like the temptation of the devil himself. He suddenly recalled the words from earlier in the day. - His Excellency the duke has a slightly, no, a very dirty personality. He is not benevolent enough to leave potential threats alone. He doesn¡¯t care who he is up against. Lanslo¡¯s words overlapped with Eugene¡¯s whispers, and Cameron the Third¡¯s expression began to harden. In addition, fierce anger and hatred materialized in his eyes. ¡°Can you really¡­ take care of everyone I want?¡± he asked. ¡°Naturally.¡± Eugene responded. ¡°In that case, I will swear on the honor of the Brodia family¡­ I swear before the spirits of all the mountains and fields, the lakes and the seas. I will serve under you,¡± the young king declared. He was less than 20 years old, but he was already too tired. His decision today was fueled by nothing but his hatred and the taste of betrayal. ¡°Good.¡± Eugene grinned before removing Wolfslaughter from the two people¡¯s throats. ¡°Kieeeeek! Now, you¡¯ve taken a king as your servant! Since he¡¯s a king, he must possess a lot of treasure, right? All of that will belong to m¡ªto Sir Eugene! Kiehehehehe!¡± Mirian shouted with ecstasy. ¡°Uagh!¡± Cameron the Third cried out after hearing the insidious voice coming from the dark. His heart started to beat violently. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s just the evil spirit; no, the spirit in my service. You don¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°I-Is that so? Ah, however¡­¡± Cameron the Third pressed on his beating heart and looked at Eugene before continuing awkwardly. ¡°I apologize, but there won¡¯t be much gold, silver, and treasure. My subjects are about to starve to death, so there won¡¯t be much for the duke to take. No, there probably won¡¯t be anything for you to take.¡± ¡°Kieeehh?! N-noooo!!¡± The spirit screamed and fell to her knees in grief. ¡°...¡± The duke took on a similar expression as well. His plan to take the wealth of the nobles and the royal family had just been destroyed after all. *** ¡°Sir Drak! Sir Drak! Please wake up!¡± An urgent voice called out. ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± Lanslo stretched before exiting his tent. It was still dark outside. The squad captains and Partec were gathered in front of his tent. They couldn¡¯t hide their excitement as they responded. ¡°A white flag is hanging over the walls of Brodin. The gates are open as well.¡± ¡°The sun hasn¡¯t even come up yet. Are you saying that they have surrendered already?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Haha! That¡¯s right,¡± one of the captains said. ¡°Oh, my. The king must be quite impatient,¡± Lanslo said. He entered his tent and quickly put on his armor before running to see the sight for himself alongside the captains. ¡°Hooh!¡± Lanslo¡¯s eyes became filled with surprise when he saw a white flag hanging next to the Brodia family¡¯s flag. Pranbow and Wolfgan stepped forward next to him and voiced their regrets. ¡°Hmm. This had been a great opportunity to show the duke my skills. How regrettable.¡± ¡°When the hell do we get to fight properly? And the dark lord isn¡¯t even here, so why are they already surrendering? What¡¯s their problem?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Edmund didn¡¯t say much because of his quiet personality, but he was also disappointed. He continued to fidget with the pommel of his sword. ¡°They must have been pressured by the might of our army. Even if they resisted, they would have lost within a day. It was the better choice for them to surrender earlier to avoid bloodshed.¡± Lanslo grinned. Afterward, he turned around and shouted, ¡°Brodia has surrendered! Everyone, prepare to enter the city!¡± Uwaaaahhh! The soldiers roared. They had occupied one of the five biggest cities in Brantia without even doing anything. Ten minutes later¡­ Eugene¡¯s soldiers followed behind the knights in organized lines and arrived in front of Brodin¡¯s gate. Two knights came out triumphantly behind Cameron the Third, who looked strangely calm, and a group of men and women in fancy clothing. ¡°Oi!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the dark knight doing there?¡± Wolfgan muttered. The burly knight who called out was Galfredik. ¡°Ohhh! Lorraine! My precious jewel! My adorable lark! Uhah!¡± ¡°B-Brother¡­?!¡± The other knight was Reyma. He immediately cried out after spotting his sister, which resulted in a scene of a tearful reunion. CH 167 ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Huh? How could this be?¡± Everyone was dumbfounded by Galfredik¡¯s return. He had set out to rescue the Fransil family¡¯s heir but had returned with Brodia¡¯s king instead. ¡°Uhaha! Well, here¡¯s the thing¡­¡± Galfredik burst into laughter and recounted the events of the previous night. No one could hide their astonishment after hearing his story. ¡°His Excellency Eugene Batla is truly a knight loved by god,¡± Edmund said while drawing a holy symbol in the air. Pranbow and Wolfgan shook their heads in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s not only your god. Even the spirits of Brantia must be looking after His Excellency the Duke. Haha¡­¡± ¡°A lucky man will have meat shoved into his mouth even if he falls backward. This is just unbelievable.¡± The two muttered, and Galfredik responded with a shrug, ¡°Beats me. Anyway, Lanslo, Master, and I have already taken care of everything. Get the troops in there and crack down on the residents.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Lanslo responded before giving orders. The squad captains acted on his words and spread throughout the City of Brodin along with their troops. *** There was little resistance and opposition from the city¡¯s residents since Eugene and Galfredik had overpowered the king and the city¡¯s leaders so quickly. On the contrary, there was a strange, unexpected response from the city¡¯s residents. Almost all of the city¡¯s residents welcomed the fully armed foreigners from Eugene¡¯s army. ¡°Sirs! Sirs! Please, give us something to eat!¡± ¡°My child has been starving for two days now. Please, anything will do. I beg of you, sirs!¡± The residents of the city clutched the legs and arms of the soldiers and begged. Mercenaries belonging to Eugene¡¯s army were properly armed, which caused the residents to mistake them for knights. Although the mercenaries couldn¡¯t understand Brantia¡¯s language, it was quite simple for them to infer what the residents were saying from their desperate expressions and bony appearances. ¡°Uh¡­ What should we do? Hey, do you have anything to eat?¡± ¡°I have some emergency ration.¡± The mercenaries contemplated sharing food with the residents. Partec shouted at the mercenaries, ¡°Oi! Gather all the emergency ration you have! There¡¯s quite a few here who won¡¯t make it past the next few days!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± The mercenaries didn¡¯t hesitate to take out jerkies and black bread from the small packs hanging from their waists at their captain¡¯s orders. ¡°F-Food! It¡¯s food!¡± ¡°I was first! Over here! Give it to me first!¡± the residents screamed desperately and rushed toward the food like frenzied ghosts. ¡°Everyone, stop! Line up! Line!¡± ¡°There¡¯s more food here! More food! Line up!¡± Glade and Lavan roared while glaring at the people, and the frightened residents started forming long lines. ¡°Ah, by the way, Brother Partec. Are we allowed to do something like this?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t His Excellency the Duke say something?¡± the two men voiced their concerns. Partec responded with a grin, ¡°Say something? He¡¯ll probably praise us for doing this.¡± The best way for a foreign army to encounter minimal resistance from the natives was to distribute food or wealth. Moreover, considering Eugene¡¯s actions thus far, Partec was certain that the duke wouldn¡¯t give up a city for just a few coins, not when it had been occupied without shedding a single drop of blood. This was why Partec was confident in his actions this time. However, he had no idea that Eugene was extremely disappointed to find that the royal family of Brodia was basically a group of beggars on the verge of bankruptcy. ¡°I will go find Sir Edmund. You guys stay here and make sure everything¡¯s under control,¡± Partec said. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Partec hurried away, thinking that it would look better for a holy knight to provide relief for the starved residents. *** ¡°Nothing?¡± ¡°Kieee¡­ nothing.¡± ¡°Dammit.¡± ¡°Daaaammmmit!¡± Eugene and Mirian howled simultaneously. As soon as he overpowered all of Brodia¡¯s leaders with Galfredik, Eugene started scouring the royal castle for wealth and money. However, even after he mobilized a certain spirit who specialized in sniffing out treasure, he was met with nothing but disappointment. Cameron the Third didn¡¯t lie. The Brodia family had no hidden treasures. Instead, they were on the verge of bankruptcy. The only thing in their possession was a few sets of old, rusty armor, stone statues, and portraits, which had no worth selling. ¡°Kieek! What kind of a castle is this?! They¡¯re flat broke! Kieeee~ Sir, you should at least confiscate the king¡¯s crown!¡± Mirian shouted. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Eugene caught himself being swept by a strong temptation. ¡®Hmm?! What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ Eugene shook his head and quickly drove away the greed luring him to cross the line. ¡°You¡¯re so persistent. Cut the crap and look around the castle once more. Just in case,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll find something, even if it¡¯s a scrap of silver! Even if it¡¯s just gold dust, I¡¯ll find it!¡± the greedy spirit shouted with fiery determination before flying away. She just couldn¡¯t give up on the smallest possibility. ¡®Tsk. Should I be glad that the nobles had some wealth?¡¯ Eugene clicked his tongue before slumping into the throne. ¡°Hiek!¡± The few slaves squeaked before inching closer to the wall. They didn¡¯t dare to their heads out of fear for the vampire duke, who had seized the castle in a single night. ¡®Hmm. Should I sell them?¡¯ Eugene looked for ways to soothe his disappointment. A group of knights entered the great hall with Lanslo in the lead. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± The knights called out joyously. ¡°Yeah,¡± Eugene answered. The knights felt rather strange after witnessing Eugene¡¯s expression. For a person who achieved the impossible with only one other companion, Eugene¡¯s face was much too sullen. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m just a little disappointed,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Disappointed¡­?¡± one of the knights asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Eugene explained how he had searched every nook and cranny of the royal palace after hearing about the Brodia family¡¯s current financial situation from Cameron the Third. ¡°¡­So I¡¯ll have nothing left after I pay the soldiers¡¯ salaries with the money I took from the nobles. Nothing will be left.¡± Eugene concluded. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The knights took on strange expressions. It was difficult to tell whether they were laughing or crying. They simply couldn¡¯t believe that their commander, who was also a duke, had been wandering around the palace looking for gold, silver, and treasure alongside a demented spirit. ¡°Kuagh! Ahk! Kuagghh!¡± Lanslo had what seemed like a coughing fit, and the other knights shared awkward gazes. They didn¡¯t dare to laugh. Although it was a little ridiculous, they could also understand why Eugene felt so sad and disappointed. ¡°Your Excellency.¡± ¡°Your Excelllenncyy!¡± Two figures called out while entering the great hall. It was Edmund and Odd. ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene asked bluntly. He was annoyed. Even though he was about to make a loss even after defeating a royal family and occupying their city, the merchant was basically stealing a large sum of money from them every day. Odd¡¯s impish smile bothered him. ¡°We have successfully carried out your orders and have taken control of the residents and the major areas of the city. However, I have one thing to report,¡± Edmund said. ¡°Is that right? What is it?¡± Eugene asked. Edmund continued in a cautious voice. ¡°I have received reports that many residents are in critical condition because of malnutrition. I looked into it and found that quite a few residents have been starving for a very long time.¡± ¡°So?¡± Eugene asked. He had a bad premonition. ¡°We collected and distributed the emergency ration of the troops to resolve the immediate crisis, but it wasn¡¯t even enough to feed the hungry residents for a single meal. As such, I dare ask of you, why don¡¯t you feed the poor people of Brodin in a display of your great mercy, Your Excellency?¡± Edmund suggested. ¡°...¡± Eugene simply couldn¡¯t understand. The holy knight was born in the empire and naturalized into the Caylor Kingdom. So why was he speaking in Brantia only at times like these? ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a great idea. That way, the people will regard His Excellency and his army as saviors, not invaders. If you want the throne, this is only a natural course of action, wouldn¡¯t you agree, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°I agree with Sir Edmund as well. The inhabitants are innocent and not hostile to Your Excellency.¡± As if to prove his worries to be true, Pranbow and Lanslo immediately agreed with Edmund¡¯s words. ¡°What about our troops, then? Do we have enough?¡± Eugene asked, holding onto his last hope. ¡°Hehe! I¡¯m always prepared for emergencies like this. I have enough food to last the army for more than fifteen days. If you give the orders, I can procure enough food to feed all the residents in the city in less than four days, Your Excellencyyyy~¡± Odd answered while groveling as if he had been waiting for Eugene¡¯s question. Eugene felt the onset of a headache as he asked, ¡°Then¡­ how much will it be?¡± ¡°For how many months?¡± Odd responded. ¡°One month?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Well, surely that wouldn¡¯t be enough, right? Why don¡¯t you get a comfortable amount? What about two months¡¯ worth?¡± Odd suggested with a smile. ¡°¡­So, how much for two months?¡± Eugene asked. Odd answered almost immediately, ¡°16,000 silver coins in the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s currency.¡± ¡°Your answer, that was pretty fast. Did you calculate it beforehand?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Oh, no! Of course not. It was only possible because calculations are my only talent, Your Excelleeency~¡± 16,000 silver coins. It was a large sum of money that could be used to hire two or three skilled mercenary groups for an entire year. Eugene could not help but sigh. However¡­ ¡°Dark Lord! Dark Lord!¡± This time, Wolfgan rushed into the hall with other Beowulf warriors. ¡°What now? Did you cause an accident?¡± Eugene asked with an icy gaze. He was prepared to absolutely refuse anything that would cause him further losses. ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that. The soldiers of the Fransil family have arrived on the other side of the Medio River. They must have crossed the river by now,¡± Wolfgan answered. ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene frowned after hearing the unexpected news. The Medio River was the border of the Brodia family¡¯s territory. As such, for the Fransil family¡¯s troops to have arrived at the river meant¡­ ¡°It appears that the Fransil family¡¯s forces have defeated the Brodia family¡¯s soldiers. They must be stronger than I thought,¡± Lanslo commented. ¡°Fransil family¡¯s army. How many of them are there?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°About four hundred? Most of the infantry looked like mercenaries, and there were about 50 cavalries. All of them looked like knights,¡± Wolfgan answered. ¡°All of them should be knights. That¡¯s what the heir said,¡± Eugene stated. He had obtained quite a bit of information regarding the Fransil family from Reyma on his way to Brodin. Reyma spilled the beans without even being questioned in his desire to build favor with Eugene. ¡°However, Dark Lord, they seemed to be in pretty bad condition.¡± ¡°Right. It looked like they ran all the way here after a battle without a break. Many of them even looked like they had been stabbed.¡± ¡°Meat is the best medicine when you get stabbed.¡± ¡°Oh, I want to eat meat.¡± The beowulf warriors started diverting the topic of the conversation in the blink of an eye. Eugene quickly interrupted them. ¡°What about Brodia¡¯s soldiers?¡± he asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t see them. They probably lost and ran away, right? They looked like a bunch of weaklings who couldn¡¯t kill a single goblin when I saw them depart.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Their equipment was a mess.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene agreed with the beowulfs¡¯ judgment. With the royal family¡¯s vassals in such poor condition, he could extrapolate the status of its forces as well. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ A brilliant thought crossed Eugene¡¯s mind. ¡°Cameron, are you there? Someone bring him here,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Cameron? Are you talking about the King of Brodia? Why are you calling for him?¡± ¡°I think I might have an idea to turn our deficit into a profit,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°¡­?¡± Everyone simply blinked with confusion, but Eugene smiled. He couldn¡¯t be bested when it came to using his brain for such matters. CH 168 Less than a day after it became known that the Fransil family¡¯s army was at the banks of the Medio river, they arrived at the gates of Brodin. Both the knights and mercenaries were practically bathing in sweat from rushing over, and the army¡¯s depot couldn¡¯t even be seen. They must have been left behind as the troops hurried over to Brodin. ¡°They look pretty tired,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°I know. But they looked like they were in high spirits. Huh? Look at those bastards.¡± Eugene and his knights took on dumbfounded expressions as they looked down at the army from Brodin¡¯s walls. It looked as if Fransil¡¯s army was preparing for a siege. ¡°I think they might be getting ready to attack this place,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Without declaring war? Are they crazy? Don¡¯t they know that we have two direct descendants of the Fransil family?¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°Ah! Perhaps¡­¡± Eugene mumbled after coming to a realization. Afterward, he continued. ¡°They don¡¯t know that I¡¯ve occupied this place?¡± The knights nodded. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s definitely possible. The Fransil family would never even imagine that we would have already taken over the Brodia family.¡± The two territories were quite close, but it would take three or four days to travel from the Batla Duchy to the City of Brodin. It was definitely hard to imagine that a large army of 1,000 soldiers could have traveled such a far distance and successfully occupied the city in such a short period of time. ¡°Your Excellency, what will you do?¡± Pranbow asked. Everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards Eugene. Eugene fell into thought. ¡®Isn¡¯t this even better?¡¯ If the Fransil family attacked them first, it would bolster his ¡®deficit conversion plan.¡¯ But that was only the case if the Fransil family attacked them knowing they were facing Eugene¡¯s army. There was nothing to be done if they simply pleaded ignorance after attacking first. As such, Eugene needed to make sure that they couldn¡¯t make any excuses later even if they launched an attack. ¡®Good. Should I try baiting them?¡¯ Eugene turned around, then parted his lips while looking around at his knights'' determined, fearless eyes. ¡°We will open the gates and head out. We will try to negotiate first, and if it doesn¡¯t work out, we¡¯ll fight.¡± Uwwwwoooohhh! Kieeeeeek! The knights and the beowulf warriors cheered before stampeding down the wall. ¡°Tsk. It has been a while since I last fought as well¡­¡± Lanslo looked at the overjoyed men with regret. Cameron the Third, armed with chainmail and a longsword, walked up. A crown no longer decorated his head, and from today, he was unofficially the Marquis of Brodin. He asked Lanslo, ¡°Sir Drak, do you think it will really be all right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°His Excellency Batla. He¡¯s the supreme commander, right? For him to head out with only a few dozen knights and beowulfs¡­¡± Cameron The third continued. ¡°Huh? Have you not seen the duke¡¯s true abilities?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°True abilities¡­?¡± Cameron the Third muttered. Was he referring to how the duke quickly overpowered two knights in the secret passage? It was definitely a display of superior swordplay, but dealing with a small number of people in a narrow area was completely different from fighting a battle against hundreds in an open field. Cameron the Third didn¡¯t believe in exaggerated stories where one man rivaled one hundred men. He had heard enough lies from his vassals as a child. ¡°It would be better for you to see it in person than to hear it a hundred times. Of course, it would be best if it never came to it in the first place,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°Hmm. So you are worried about the duke, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cameron the Third responded. ¡°What? Why would I be worried about the duke?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Hmm?¡± Cameron the Third became puzzled at Lanslo¡¯s words. Lanslo continued with a mysterious smile. ¡°I think you must have misunderstood. I was worried about the Fransil family.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Cameron the Third muttered with disbelief. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t understand that Lanslo was completely sincere in his words. *** Creaaak! Boom! ¡°The gates opened!¡± ¡°Huh?! Those Brodia beggars are about to surrender!¡± ¡°What a bunch of babies! They must have been scared out of their wits!¡± Uwaaaaaah! The Fransil family¡¯s troops began to cheer loudly when the gates of Brodin opened wide. A smile appeared around the lips of the Fransil family¡¯s head. He was there as the commander behind all of the mercenaries. ¡°Haha! It seems that the child-king isn¡¯t a complete fool,¡± he spoke. He knew well that the Brodia family only had a few troops since his army had defeated their army before crossing the Medio River. As such, he was prepared to lay siege and pressure the Brodia family without giving them a chance to do anything else. But now, it appeared that the Brodia family was scared into surrendering. ¡°As soon as we receive their pledge to surrender, place some soldiers on the wall and subdue the enemy¡¯s vassals and procure their palace. We must fully seize Brodin before Duke Batla arrives!¡± the head of the Fransil family shouted. That way, he could gain the upper hand in the hostage negotiations and properly imprint Fransil¡¯s dignity on the cheeky vampire duke¡¯s mind. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± the knights answered vigorously. The Fransil family¡¯s head nodded satisfactorily before turning his gaze to the mercenaries. ¡°Hmm?¡± He frowned. The mercenaries had been busily preparing for a siege until just a moment ago. However, they were suddenly showing strange movements. ¡°Huh? Their ranks are quite disorganized. Sirs! Tell the mercenaries to keep themselves in line. Even if the enemy is surrendering, it¡¯s still an embarrassing sight,¡± the Fransil family¡¯s head shouted with annoyance, and the knights glared at the mercenaries while redirecting their horses. ¡°Hey! What are you all doing!? Keep your ranks!¡± ¡°Maintain your formations! Keep your positions!¡± However, the mercenaries continued to be restless. It looked as if they were getting ready to immediately charge the city¡¯s gates. In a way, it was only natural. The mercenaries employed by the Fransil family had signed a contract that would allow them to reap benefits through looting at the cost of receiving only a small fee upfront. However, the victory against Brodia¡¯s army had been quite fruitless in terms of loot. But now, the gates of Brodin were wide open as if they were being welcomed. Only one thought dominated the minds of the mercenaries... ¡®Looting!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s time!¡¯ Since the gates were already open, those who entered first would reap the most loot. Several figures made their appearance from inside the gates. They seemed to be envoys who had been sent over to convey the city¡¯s will to surrender. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± ¡°You bastards! Stop! Wait right there!¡± the knights shouted vigorously. They couldn¡¯t afford to display a shameful sight for the envoys from Brodia. However, the eyes of the mercenaries glistened with greed, and their gazes were fixated on the wide-open gates. ¡°Motherfucker! Negotiation or what, that¡¯s not our business! The nobles can take care of that!¡± ¡°We need to settle the balance!¡± ¡°Boys! Let¡¯s go! Not even a goblin¡¯s dick will be waiting for those who come late!¡± Uwaaaaah! In the end, one of the mercenary squads started running with frenzied shouts. ¡°Those viper snake bastards are taking the lead!¡± ¡°We have to go! Us Grizzly Bear Mercenaries must take the palace!¡± Uwaaaahhhh! The initial charge acted as a signal flare for the other mercenaries. One mercenary squad after another began charging at the city gates. Their hearts were filled with the desire to loot as much as possible. ¡°Hey! What are you all doing!? How vulgar! How disgraceful!¡± the Fransil family¡¯s head waved his baton and shouted angrily. ¡°T-Those crazy bastards!¡± Unfortunately, there was no way for the knights to stop the mercenaries. They had already gone half-mad with greed. However¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°W-Why are there so many of them?¡± The Fransil family¡¯s head and his knights became wide-eyed when they saw the group exiting Brodin¡¯s gates. At most, they had expected three or four knights to accompany the king to declare their surrender, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Moreover, they weren¡¯t only mistaken about their numbers either¡­ ¡°K-knights?¡± ¡°And armored monsters?!¡± The Fransil family¡¯s head and his knights could not hide their shock when they saw dozens of knights armed with plate mail and plate coats, as well as dozens of beowulf warriors. The biggest problem was that the black-armored knight leading the group was holding a white flag at the end of his spear. It meant that he wanted to surrender or negotiate. ¡°Stop! I ordered you to stop!¡± the Fransil family¡¯s head shouted desperately. However, his shouts were buried by the mercenaries¡¯ frenzied screams. ¡°D-Dammit!¡± His face distorted when he saw the flock of greedy dogs running toward the gate. Kuwuuuuuuuughhh!!! All of a sudden, a terrible roar reverberated, and the enemy¡¯s heavily-armed troops began their charge. *** ¡°They fell for it,¡± Eugene murmured with disbelief. ¡°They¡¯re completely insane. Oi, heir, is your father completely out of his mind?¡± Galfredik said while looking at Reyma. ¡°¡­!¡± However, Reyma couldn¡¯t understand Galfredik¡¯s words. He stared at the charging mercenaries with a ghastly expression. Reyna couldn¡¯t comprehend why this was happening. He wasn¡¯t alone in his shock either. Neither the knights of Maren and Carls Baggins, nor the beowulfs could understand what was happening. They were simply dumbfounded. ¡°Can¡¯t they see us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they can see us. But I guess the wide-open gates behind us are much more visible,¡± Galfredik commented. ¡°Aha!¡± The knights instantly came to an understanding. Even though they were knights, they had made a few blunders in the past when they were blinded by merit. For mercenaries who risked their lives for only a few coins, a defenseless city would be no different from an ownerless box of undiscovered treasures. ¡°I understand, but this feels rather damaging to my pride,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Sir Eugene! No, Your Excellency Eugene! Please give us your orders!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been honing my spear for this day!¡± ¡°Dark Lord! Let¡¯s get it done with!¡± ¡°Let us finally run wild!¡± The knights shouted while gripping their swords and spears, and the beowulfs growled while provoking their Fear. Clack. ¡°Hold for now,¡± Eugene commanded after lowering his visor. Then, he ripped the white flag hanging from Madarazika¡¯s tip. Paaaaa¡­! The crimson eyes began to swirl with a red light, and Madarazika began to glow with Fear. In the meantime, the mercenaries grew closer. Soon, they would be less than 50 meters away. Eugene shouted while slapping on his reins, ¡°Destroy them!¡± Tututututu! Silion shot forward like an arrow. The knights and the beowulfs followed right behind, and they produced a wedge-shaped formation centered around Eugene. The distance between the two groups narrowed to about 30 meters. ¡°Kuwuuuuuugh!¡± Eugene, Galfredik, and the beowulfs let loose a roar containing their Fear. The powerful, intangible energy shot forward like a wave, and the ankle-tall grass parted in one direction as if meeting a strong gust of wind. Kwarararararar! The combined roar of the vampires and the beowulfs washed over the mercenaries. Meanwhile, the Fransil family¡¯s mercenaries felt something strange as soon as they saw dozens of heavily-armed men and horses charging toward them. However, the mercenaries were united as one in their greed. There was no way for them to suppress their desires and turn back. Moreover, there were over 400 of them, while there were less than fifty enemies. Finally, most of these mercenaries had been active in the west, and thus, they had never experienced the powerful charge of continental knights during the crusade. As a result, the mercenaries judged that they stood at an advantage against the enemy troops. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± However, their momentum disappeared like snow in May as soon as they encountered the loud, Fear-containing roar. Their greed quickly melted, and their sense of reason quickly filled the vacancy in their hearts. The mercenaries finally saw the true force of their opponents as their foes rushed toward them at a terrifying speed. ¡°¡­!¡± Regret, surprise, and fear dominated their minds, but it was too late. Craaack! Booom! The continental knights charged with their lances to crush their opponents, while the beowulf warriors trampled their enemies. Instantly, a path emerged along with the charge of the heavily-armed knights and the beowulf warriors. It was a path of death decorated with blood, brain fluid, intestines, and pieces of flesh, as well as the disharmonious cries of those who barely survived the impact. The knights and beowulfs started slowing down after a series of collisions. They began to massacre the mercenaries with swords, spears, axes, maces, morning stars, and various other weapons. Kuaagh! Ahhhk! Arggggh! The mercenaries¡¯ screams were adorned even more splendidly by their gushing blood. The unbelievable scene was completely captured in the eyes of the Fransil family¡¯s master. He could only think of one thing. ¡®I-I¡¯m fucked.¡¯ And it was indeed an accurate, solid judgment¡­ CH 169 Pranbow¡¯s swings danced in sync with the wind, and a human head fell with each stroke of his sword. Galfredik used a spear, and he skewered two or three mercenaries with each stab. The enemies squealed as if they were pigs being slaughtered. Edmund and the other knights also rampaged like wolves in a pen, and the real wolves, the beowulfs, carried out a massacre. The head of the Fransil family shouted desperately while watching the bloody scene unfold from the back. ¡°Retreat! Retreat! Fall back and organize into formations¡­ Huh?!¡± His eyes filled with shock when he saw the black knight charging like a storm. The knight, who was clearly the commander of the soldiers, held a spear in one hand and a shortsword in the other. It was unorthodox for the commander of a group to lead a lone charge into dozens of knights. It either meant that he was absolutely confident in his abilities or¡­ ¡®He¡¯s overly excited! That means¡­¡¯ The head of the Fransil family was an experienced knight. He came to an immediate decision and relayed his orders. ¡°Catch that knight! Whoever brings that man down will be awarded a million cellings and his armor!¡± ¡°I, Felong will take care of it!¡± ¡°I swear it on the honor of Belle Harten!¡± The knights rushed to declare their intentions. Capturing or toppling the enemy commander would allow them to turn the tides of the battle. In addition, it would allow them to receive the spotlight. ¡°Sir Felong, I will allow you the chance. Do not let me down.¡± ¡°Uhahaha! Please trust in me!¡± A knight wearing a cone helmet laughed boisterously before raising his spear. His colleagues looked at him with envious eyes. The knight came forward before shouting, ¡°My name is Mark of Felong! If you know of honor, sir, face me in a fair¡­¡± Shiiiing! Thuck! ¡°Kuagh!¡± A spear pierced through Felong¡¯s spear, and he was thrown off his horse. Shuuack! The other knights¡¯ eyes widened when they saw the spear curve through the air and return to where it originated. ¡°A-A magical spear!?¡± Every knight coveted items imbued with the mysteries of magic. However, the knights had completely forgotten their greed as they saw their colleague fall in a single blow. The enemy had completely ignored the customs of a battle between knights. Moreover, Felong was also quite skilled, which meant the opponent possessed monstrous skills. ¡°W-what?! What a wicked man! Sirs! It doesn¡¯t matter which one of you does it! Get that man right now and bring him to me!¡± Uwwooooh! The knights responded to the shouts of the Fransil family¡¯s head and rode forward with loud shouts. The mercenaries were being subject to slaughter, which meant that their only saving grace would be to capture the enemy commander. Since the black knight was sent as a convoy to declare surrender, it meant that he possessed a great status. If they captured the knight, they could win the war even if they lost the battle¡­ ¡°I am Jan Eugene! Duke of Batla! You dishonorable men who dare to attack without declaring war! Who are you?!¡± ¡°¡­!?¡± The knights had been charging toward Eugene like a herd of angry bison. But they halted to a stop at Eugene¡¯s shout. ¡°D-Duke Batla?¡± ¡°Why is he in Brodin?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Fransil¡¯s knights shared confused gazes. At that time, Lanslo rushed out of the gates with a large group of mercenaries. ¡°What?!¡± the head of the Fransil family shouted with disbelief. It was confusing enough that the black knight was actually the Duke of Batla, but now, there were more than five hundred troops pouring out of the gates like flowing water. He was simply devastated. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­ ¡°Father! Father!¡± He felt dizzy when he spotted Reyma desperately shouting at him while being accompanied by several knights. It was at this moment that he knew¡ªhe fucked up. *** ¡°I, Duke Batla, am greatly disappointed in Fransil,¡± Eugene said with a sigh. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Both the daughter and the father attacked me. Is the Fransil family without honor and law?¡± Eugene continued in a stiff, acrimonious tone. ¡°¡­¡± The head of the Fransil family remained silent with his head bowed down. He couldn¡¯t think of any excuses, and more than half of his troops had been destroyed in the devastating defeat. Even if he had something to say, he had to remain silent. It was even fortunate that half of his troops had survived once Duke Batla, his knights, and the beowulfs stopped their onslaught. ¡°I have no words to excuse my behavior, but all of this stemmed from a small misunderstanding¡­¡± The Fransil family¡¯s head started to speak. But Eugene interrupted him. ¡°Attacking an emissary carrying a white flag was a small misunderstanding?¡± He continued. ¡°So I can make a little misunderstanding of my own and kill you and all of Fransil¡¯s knights?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± the Fransil family¡¯s head started to shout, then quickly stopped himself. He was about to call it a disgraceful, dishonorable act, but no matter how rude and dishonorable the opponent actually was, no one liked to hear such words to their face. ¡°I apologize again. However, this only happened because of the ignorant mercenaries breaking formation on their own.¡± ¡°The mercenaries acting out on their own. The commander must be lacking in ability, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Eugene asked. The head of the Fransil family felt his cheeks turning red at the harsh criticism. ¡°T-that¡¯s because I never imagined that the duke would be in Brodin¡­ Anyway, I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I will compensate you appropriately.¡± Eugene responded, ¡°Your ransom, your son¡¯s ransom, your daughter¡¯s ransom, your knights¡¯ ransom, and compensation for invading my territory without declaration.¡± ¡°W-what are you talking about?!¡± The Fransil family¡¯s head could understand the ransom since he had lost the battle. But what did Eugene mean by ¡®invading my territory without declaration?¡¯ ¡°Come to think of it, you still don¡¯t know. Marquis Cameron, this way, please,¡± Eugene suddenly said. ¡°M-Marquis?¡± The Fransil family¡¯s head muttered with disbelief as Cameron slowly walked toward the two men. ¡°As you can see, the royal family of Cameron has already surrendered to me. In other words, you and your army invaded the territory of the Batla Duchy, rather than Brodia.¡± Eugene declared. ¡°What nonsense¡­¡± Fransil shouted. ¡°And why is it nonsense?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Fransil was left unable to mutter any more words. On second thought, it wasn¡¯t nonsense, since results were all that mattered in these kinds of situations. ¡°I am Lanslo of Drak. I am also curious as to why this is nonsense.¡± ¡°I would like to hear your reasoning as well, as the knight representing Eland. I¡¯m very curious as to what you, who consolidated the territories of the Brodia family by force, are going to say.¡± Lanslo and Pranbow stood on either side of Eugene. The Fransil family¡¯s head felt as if the very sky was falling when he saw that a knight from the Drak family and a swordmaster of Eland was involved. And most importantly¡­ ¡°The family¡¯s head, heir, and daughter. I captured everyone. So explain to me how this is nonsense¡­¡± When he saw Eugene¡¯s crimson eyes, the Fransil family¡¯s head had no choice but to give in. Until now, he fought harder than everyone else to take Brantia¡¯s throne into his own hands, however, the tide had completely turned in the favor of the Duke of Batla. ¡°Do as you please...¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s talk about reparations, then.¡± Eugene held back a smile and turned his head with a stern expression. ¡°Provisional financial officer. Come here,¡± Eugene said. Odd came up while rubbing his palms with a sly grin. ¡°Hehe! It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Lord Fransil. I¡¯m Odd, the provisional financial officer of the Batla Duchy. Hehehe!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Lord Fransil felt a chill in his spine when he saw the glittering light of greed in the merchant¡¯s tiny, button-like eyes. He could instantly tell that the fat, financial officer was an extraordinary figure. ¡°First of all, for the ransom of your two children¡­¡± Odd started. ¡°Kihehehehe. You¡¯re in trouble, old man. As for that merchant, even I have to bow before him when it comes to these matters! Kieh~¡± Mirian giggled while circling the prisoner, but Lord Fransil maintained a blank expression. The demanded ransom for himself, his children, and the knights were equivalent to the Fransil family¡¯s budget for an entire year. But the nightmare had just begun¡­ ¡°Now, the price of reparations for the unauthorized invasion of the Batla Duchy. In proportion to the number of troops in your army, sir¡­¡± Lord Fransil felt his mind drifting farther and farther away as Odd continued. If he were to pay the reparations in full, the Fransil family would have to feed themselves on nothing but grass for at least three to four years. It would be no different from having his family and territory ripped apart to shreds. ¡°¡­And that is all,¡± Odd concluded. ¡°Y-Your Excellency. This is a little too much¡­ Of course, I will compensate you, but¡­¡± Lord Fransil stuttered with a pale expression. Eugene replied in a quiet, gentle voice, ¡°If you follow my suggestion, I am willing to cut it by half.¡± ¡°...!¡± Lord Fransil became wide-eyed. Even half of the total reparation would be an enormous sum of money, but he couldn¡¯t complain about it now. ¡°I will hear the duke¡¯s suggestion. Please tell me,¡± Lord Fransil said. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Come under Batla and Crawlmarine, just as Marquis Cameron had done,¡± Eugene casually said. ¡°¡­!¡± Lord Fransil flinched. Eugene continued with a gentle, compassionate expression. ¡°Sir, you call yourself Duke Fransil, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lord Fransil¡¯s face reddened once again. Eugene added. ¡°Even if you continue to shout it, you will remain a laughingstock. However, it would be different if you were bestowed a title by the one who¡¯ll take the throne. A count. What do you think?¡± ¡°A count¡­?¡± Lord Fransil muttered before gulping. Eugene was laughing insidiously inside. ¡®That heir. I¡¯m quite thankful at times like these.¡¯ Reyma had told Eugene quite a few stories about the Fransil family in his desire to brag and boast about his family. In his stories, Reyma had mentioned the circumstances regarding his father¡ªthe family¡¯s head. In reality, Lord Fransil wasn¡¯t a pure-blooded noble. He started off as a mercenary captain, became a knight of the Brodia family, and eventually went on to become a baron. However, he had been riddled with a clutching sense of inferiority. That was why he insisted on extremely formal, dignified ways of speaking from times long ago. As such, the Fransil family would naturally be on bad terms with other, pure-blooded nobles. This resulted in the Fransil family fighting numerous territorial battles, and they eventually claimed themselves to be a duchy after greatly expanding their territory. Of course, Reymad had been trying to brag about how capable and diligent his father was, but Eugene guessed that Lord Fransil was a character marked with bravado and an inferiority complex. And his assumption turned into conviction when he confronted Lord Fransil. The man¡¯s desire and complex had driven him to chase after ¡®true honor.¡¯ ¡°In the new kingdom of Brantia, there will not be more than five counts and marquises. The Fransil family could become one of the five noblest families in the kingdom, a family recognized by the royal family,¡± Eugene said with a smile. ¡°A great noble¡­ family¡­ recognized by the royal family¡­¡± Eugene wasn¡¯t even using his charm, but Lord Fransil¡¯s eyes had already turned hazy. ¡°After you pay the compensation, you only need to pay taxes every year. You can become a great nobility. One of the founding contributors of a new dynasty, Count Fransil,¡± Eugene said, emphasizing the words ¡®Count Fransil.¡¯ Lord Fransil¡¯s eyes turned sharp at Eugene¡¯s last words, and he raised his head. ¡°I will do it! Fransil will raise its sword for the kingdom that Your Excellency is planning to build!¡± ¡°An excellent choice,¡± Eugene responded with a nod. ¡°Kihehehehe! As expected, you are a vampire king of temptation. You¡¯re a king-god-emperor¡­¡± The spirit shook her head with disbelief, and Eugene smiled satisfactorily. There had been some unexpected bumps along the road, but he had ultimately achieved a perfect surplus through this journey. Moreover, he had also gained the allegiance of both the Brodia and the Fransil families. ¡®But this isn¡¯t enough...¡¯ Eugene took advantage of Fransil¡¯s greed to convince him, but that alone wasn¡¯t enough to fully trust Fransil. Therefore, Eugene decided to carry out his next plan. ¡°Bring the ones who are in the dungeon,¡± he ordered. ¡°Yes!¡± Partec answered vigorously before exiting with a group of mercenaries. Lord Fransil took on a confused expression, and Cameron¡¯s expression brightened at once. ¡°Your Excellency. At last¡­ are you doing it?¡± Cameron the Third asked. ¡°Yes. I told you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Eugene said. A cold, cruel smile appeared on Eugene¡¯s face. Eugene continued in an icy voice while looking at Lord Fransil, rather than Cameron the Third. ¡°I always keep my word. The nobles of Brodia who dared to commit sins against my vassal. All of them will die today.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Lord Fransil was awakened from his daydream. He flinched. ¡®I-I¡¯ll be fucked if I disobey him.¡¯ He trembled as he recalled the scene of Eugene brutally slaughtering the mercenaries. CH 170 ¡°My lord! Please, spare my life!¡± ¡°Y-Your Majesty! How could you do this to me? I¡¯m a loyal servant of the Brodia family!¡± Numerous nobles cried out for mercy. They were those who had often deceived Cameron the Third. They had been brought in, including those who were caught trying to escape. Truthfully, it was quite unfair on the part of the nobles. Although they had deceived their king quite often, the death penalty seemed a little too much. However, the blade lay in the hands of a brutally thorough vampire duke, rather than their tired, helpless, young king. ¡°...As such, Sir Lewite manipulated several documents and plundered the wealth and property of the royal family. Sir Sengo operated a gambling house and gave loans with a lofty interest rate of twenty percent¡­¡± Odd continued to display his specialty along with the other merchants on Eugene¡¯s orders. As masters of money, they investigated and discovered the illegal activities of Cameron¡¯s vassals who had previously possessed authority regarding wealth. And as a result, their sins against the royal family were found out, as well as various other misdeeds. ¡°Death penalty for all. The families and servants of the sinners will be enslaved.¡± Eugene declared. ¡°What is this injustice? Where is the law?!¡± ¡°Hold a formal trial for us! Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s illegal to hold trials for nobles without the presence of a druid?!¡± ¡°I curse you! All the evil spirits in the world will follow your family and slaughter all of your children!¡± ¡°Go to hell! You vampire bastard!¡± The nobles initially begged for their lives with tearful eyes, but they eventually cursed at Eugene with desperate screams. But Eugene didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid... ¡°I already have the evil gold spirit by my side,¡± Eugene casually said. ¡°Of course, of course¡­ That¡¯s me, the evil gold¡­ Kieh? Sir?¡± ¡°And even if I go to hell, I won¡¯t die. Execute them,¡± Eugene said with a gesture of his hand. After considering their status and honor, Eugene had high-ranking knights carry out the executions as a final act of respect. The nobles¡¯ heads rolled with each pristine swing of Galfredik and Edmund¡¯s axes. Uwaaahhh! Regardless of nation and race, executions were considered one of the best entertainment available. The residents of Brodin cheered as the decapitations continued. Many were gathered in the square today, and the majority of them were those who had been victimized by the crimes of the nobles. That was why the residents cheered even though foreign knights were cutting off the heads of their country¡¯s nobles. ¡°The evil germs eating away at Brodin have disappeared! We will host a grand feast to celebrate today!¡± Eugene exclaimed. Uwaaaaahhhh!!! The new ruler of their city, the vampire duke, was outspoken. Of course, it wasn¡¯t actually a grand feast but rather a distribution of simple food and cheap alcohol, but the residents praised Eugene, nevertheless. Eugene was satisfied as well. Most of the food and alcohol distributed to the city residents were those he had confiscated from the executed nobles. The nobles of the Brodia family had been piling alcohol and food in their warehouses without any consideration for their starving people. ¡°The food wasn¡¯t going to last long anyway. If I gain their hearts by giving them away, I¡¯ll be satisfied. It will help you as well, Marquis,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I won¡¯t forget your great consideration, Your Excellency,¡± Cameron the Third responded. He was grateful. Eugene had fulfilled his promise of exacting revenge on the corrupt nobles, and he had provided great help to Cameron the Third by ruling Brodin. ¡°What I have done isn¡¯t for free. Send the compensation within this year. Don¡¯t forget the taxes as well,¡± Eugene reminded. ¡°N-naturally¡­¡± Cameron the Third responded with a stutter. ¡°Good.¡± Eugene nodded. Everyone was satisfied with what was left of the small number of greedy and completely unreliable aristocrats. *** Lord Fransil and Lorraine were escorted away by their knights after leaving Reyma behind as proof of their covenant. Everything proceeded smoothly, other than Lorraine crying and begging for her to remain as a hostage. However, she had been immediately knocked unconscious by Eugene¡¯s Fear before being carried away. Naturally, everything was proceeding smoothly only from Eugene¡¯s point of view. Lord Fransil thought a little differently. ¡°If you don¡¯t send any reparations within a month, that will be your eldest son¡¯s outcome,¡± Eugene said while pointing at the decapitated heads of the executed nobles hanging from the castle walls. As such, Lord Fransil had to fully exert his horse-riding skills for the first in a long time. Once the people from the Fransil family left, Eugene called Galfredik and Lanslo to discuss his next plan. ¡°I was considering stepping back and taking a breather at this point. What do you two think?¡± Eugene asked. Lanslo stepped forward and responded while pointing at a map of Brantia, ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. Now that we have both the Brodia family and the Fransil family under our control, Your Excellency¡¯s influence has greatly increased. It¡¯s more than half of Brantia¡¯s territory. There is definitely a need to stabilize the territories we¡¯ve occupied thus far.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene was slightly surprised by Lanslo¡¯s response. He had been expecting Lanslo to disagree with him. ¡°I have to say I¡¯m a little surprised. Lanslo, I thought you would want to go get the Bayman Orcs,¡± Eugene remarked. In fact, he had been prepared to respond accordingly and had already come up with a plan. ¡°Revenge is important, but it¡¯s my personal business. And I know that you¡¯re not the one to ignore such issues,¡± Lanslo responded. ¡°I will unconditionally participate in your revenge. I swear it on my blood. Even if you ask me to immediately head north, I am willing to do so,¡± Eugene said. Lanslo looked touched. He replied with a grin, ¡°Yes, I believe in the duke. However, the Bayman Orcs haven¡¯t made a move just yet, and that¡¯s a problem. My revenge alone does not provide us enough justification to make the first move.¡± ¡°Justification¡­ Do you have any good ideas?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hoho. If they are not willing to make the first move, we just have to encourage them to make the first move,¡± Lanslo said with a chuckle. ¡°How?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Let us declare the founding of our nation,¡± Lanslo stated. ¡°¡­?!¡± Both Eugene and Galfredik became wide-eyed with surprise. Lanslo continued after once again pointing at the map of Brantia. ¡°From here to here is the land that Your Excellency has occupied. It¡¯s about sixty percent of Brantia, right? In the history of Brantia, there has never been anyone who didn¡¯t declare the founding of their nation after conquering this much territory.¡± ¡°Hmm. So¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes hardened and sparkled. He continued. ¡°If I declare the founding of a country, you¡¯re saying that the Bayman Orcs will respond in some way since they¡¯re aggressive by nature, right?¡± ¡°As expected, you¡¯re insightful. Yes, that¡¯s exactly right. They will never let it slide because of their pride and the sense of crisis it will bring upon them,¡± Lanslo replied, complimenting Eugene. ¡°I know all about the orcs¡¯ useless pride. But what¡¯s this about a sense of crisis?¡± Galfredik asked. Lanslo responded, ¡°Orcs have a shorter lifespan than humans. As such, most of the elders who preside over the Bayman Orcs are less than fifty years old. What does that mean?¡± Lanslo paused to draw a big circle around Eugene¡¯s territory on the map before continuing. ¡°All living Bayman Orcs would have never seen a monarch of another race occupying such a large territory.¡± ¡°Kiek?! Does that mean Sir Eugene is the first one?¡± Mirian asked. Lanslo gave a meaningful smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. Your lord, Sir Eugene, is the first lord powerful enough to threaten the current generation of Bayman Orcs,¡± he said before turning his gaze toward Eugene. ¡°Declare the founding of your country. Of course, you will have to take care of the internal affairs beforehand.¡± ¡°Internal affairs¡­¡± Eugene muttered before observing the map with keen eyes. He continued. ¡°You mean the disobedient lords, right?¡± Lanslo nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. We have to sort them out, one way or another. If we do that and declare the founding of our country, the Bayman Orcs will definitely make a move.¡± Galfredik came forward while pounding his chest after hearing Lanslo¡¯s conclusion. ¡°I¡¯m all for it! Putting aside the Bayman Orcs, there are quite a few lords who aren¡¯t devoted to you yet, right? Let¡¯s take care of them first.¡± ¡°I will unconditionally follow your orders, Your Excellency.¡± Edmund voiced his opinion. ¡°Kieeeek! I also agree! We have to confiscate their wealth, just like what we did this time. Kihehe!¡± Mirian exclaimed in excitement. Eugene nodded. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s do that. Call the knights and the mercenary captains.¡± Soon, the knights and mercenary captains under Eugene¡¯s command gathered in the great hall. ¡°First, let¡¯s proceed with the distribution of honors.¡± Eugene shared the properties of the dead nobles with the nobles and the mercenaries. ¡°Ooh! Thank you, Your Excellency!¡± ¡°You are so generous! Haha!¡± The knights were overjoyed at earning their first keep after arriving in Brantia, and the mercenary captains were beaming after paying their subordinates and being left with a considerable sum themselves. Everyone felt reassured in their decision to follow Eugene. The remaining doubts and concerns stemming from Eugene¡¯s identity scattered like dust in the wind. Eugene delved into the meat of the matter. ¡°As you all know, my territory has expanded considerably in Brantia. More than half of Brantia could be considered to be within my sphere of influence by now.¡± Ohhh¡­! The knights and mercenary captains exclaimed quietly before looking up at Eugene with eyes filled with tension and expectation. Eugene continued. ¡°As all of you may have noticed, there are still many lords who do not fully follow me. However, it will take a long time for me to visit them one by one, and it also wouldn¡¯t suit my current position.¡± Everyone nodded in understanding. Eugene¡¯s current status could be considered one of the greatest in Brantia. ¡°Therefore, I would like to make a suggestion to you sirs,¡± Eugene said before pausing. Galfredik, Lanslo, and Edmund stepped forward and stood side by side as Eugene gestured. Then, Eugene continued. ¡°These three men will serve as captains, and I will divide the army into three. The three armies will carry out full occupations in every direction except north.¡± ¡°I have a question!¡± one of the knights shouted. ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Do we suggest obedience? Or should we press them with force?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes glimmered at the knight¡¯s question. Many things would change depending on Eugene¡¯s answer. Eugene looked around at the knights and mercenary captains before answering. All of them were looking at him with anticipation. ¡°There is no time, so use force. Naturally, the conquered areas will be bestowed upon you as your territories.¡± Uwaaaaaahhhh!!! The knights and mercenary captains became frenzied at Eugene¡¯s answer. They had crossed the rough sea with one goal in mind, and that was to become a lord. Any man who lived and died by the blade strived to one day become masters of their own land. ¡°I will give you all a month. Bring everyone to their knees under the flag of the black dragon!¡± Eugene declared. ¡°As the duke wishes!¡± the knights and mercenary captains shouted in unison. They were unified with one emotion, and their eyes blazed like burning furnaces. They were eager to depart immediately. ¡°Kieeeek! Gold, silver, and treasure! Houses, land, castles! Bring everything to Sir Eugene¡¯s door!¡± Desire! It burned in all of their hearts, brighter than the scorching light of the midday sun. The three armies departed in different directions while carrying the flag of the black dragon. *** Five days later, Eugene returned to the Batla Duchy¡¯s castle along with the beowulf warriors and Partec. The castle¡¯s nobles were greatly surprised when only a hundred out of the countless troops returned. However, they rejoiced after hearing the news of Eugene¡¯s conquest. He had brought the Brodia family and the Fransil family to their knees and conquered various territories. There was something for Eugene to rejoice about as well. The elven knight dispatched to Eland had returned along with the elf king¡¯s personal letter and the final artifact of the Batla Duchy. The demon armor came as a great surprise to Eugene. ¡°Kieeeeek! W-What is this?¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene was greeted by a blood-red, crimson plate armor inside a large box. The armor was tinted in a color that symbolized vampires. However, that wasn¡¯t the only thing that surprised Eugene¡­ ¡°S-Sir! This¡­ This is¡­¡± Mirian muttered in disbelief while switching her gaze between Eugene and the demon armor. ¡°The strange paintings on this¡­ It¡¯s the same as the tattoos on your body, right?!¡± CH 171 Kim Hyungjun (???)12-16 minutes 22.07.2022 Eugene scrutinized the strange symbols and letters engraved on the armor before raising his head. ¡°I want to know more about Armis.¡± The elders had been staring captivated at Armis. They were startled awake from their trance by Eugene¡¯s words, then responded with awkward expressions. ¡°Well¡­ We don¡¯t really know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. There aren¡¯t any records of the family treasures. Moreover, Armis was such a long time ago¡­ It¡¯s all our fault,¡± the elders responded before bowing their heads in embarrassment. Eugene inwardly clicked his tongue. Although it was known as one of the greatest families in Brantia, the Batla Duchy was ultimately no different from any other noble family. It had been operated haphazardly relying on only its status and reputation, and the family¡¯s history had been passed down orally rather than recorded in formal documents. ¡®Well, there¡¯s nothing I can do about that. There are so many illiterate nobles as well.¡¯ The qualifications and the honor of becoming a noble were naturally granted by one¡¯s bloodline, everything else was insignificant for them. It was similar to the nobles in the kingdoms on the continent, but it was much worse for Brantia, which developed slower and was poorer compared to other nations. ¡°What about you? Do you know anything?¡± Eugene asked after turning his gaze to Pranbow. The elf shrugged. ¡°I know nothing else apart from what I have told you already. In the first place, Armis is a treasure belonging to another family. It just happened to end up in our kingdom¡¯s hands.¡± The elves of Eland seemed none too wiser. ¡®I will have to ask Pythamoras.¡¯ Eugene hoped that the druid might know better since he was well-versed in numerous topics. Eugene stretched out his hand. He wasn¡¯t sure why the engravings on the Batla Duchy¡¯s armor resembled the symbols and letters engraved on his own body. However, he was certain that it had something to do with his true identity and lost memories. ¡°Y-Your Excellency? ¡°Your Excellency, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± The elders and Pranbow attempted to dissuade Eugene. Armis was a demonic armor that drew its user¡¯s blood as nutrients, and vampires possessed significantly less blood in their bodies compared to other races. ¡°I¡¯m only going to take a look,¡± Eugene said before lifting the crimson armor and examining it carefully. The armor had a cold, smooth texture, and it was quite beautiful. In addition, there were twelve figures and letters that exactly matched the original tattoos on his body in appearance and numbers. However, he didn¡¯t receive a special, intense sensation just as he did when he first held Madarazika. Rather, he felt it was ominous for some reason. If he felt this way as a Vampire Origin, he was certain it would feel like a curse to others. ¡®It¡¯s not like I need it right away. I¡¯ll try it on after I show it to Pythamoras.¡¯ Eugene returned Armis to its box before turning to Pranbow. ¡°I owe the elf king one. Give him my gratitude.¡± ¡°The property of the Batla Duchy has only been returned to its original owner. Our king is happy with that alone. Ah, and about the queen candidate,¡± Pranbow said before gesturing. One of the other knights carefully unfolded a gold-plated document. ¡°Oohh¡­!¡± The eyes of the elders became filled with awe. The document was a finely drawn portrait. It felt as if the figure was about to come to life. Her mysterious green eyes shone like emeralds, and her straight, tall nose provided an elegant look. However, her plump, red lips added a sprinkle of seductive charm. She was a beauty. But that was only from the perspective of the duchy¡¯s elders. Eugene only saw a ¡®normal elf woman.¡¯ ¡°Princess Elgrena. She is the first daughter of our king and a knight of the royal family,¡± Pranbow said. ¡°Kieeek?! A-a princess knight? I¡¯ve only ever heard of them!¡± Mirian exclaimed. Eugene wasn¡¯t entirely sure what a princess knight was, but he was certainly unfamiliar with the term. Still, he felt that it was a rare combination. ¡°At first, the youngest princess was to be sent, but Princess Elgrena strongly insisted on it. As a knight, she has great respect and curiosity for the duke and Count Crawlmarine,¡± Pranbow explained. ¡°Hmm. I see. Does Princess Elgrena know how to use mana?¡± Eugene asked. Pranbow responded, ¡°That¡¯s right. She possesses extremely pure blood, so she is capable of handling very pure mana. She is strong and quite skilled with the blade. She¡¯s able to deal with intermediate-rank monsters by herself.¡± ¡°What?¡± That couldn¡¯t be classified as simply being strong. Galfredik had been capable of barely defeating a troll even before he became a vampire, and he had been considered a skilled knight among humans. ¡®She will respect me if she¡¯s my aide¡¯s wife, right?¡¯ Eugene had high expectations at the thought that he might be able to make use of a powerhouse free of charge. ¡°When is the princess set to come?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°She will arrive within a month as long as you give permission. She wanted to come as soon as possible after hearing your stories,¡± Pranbow answered. ¡°Hmm. She¡¯s a rather unusual princess, isn¡¯t she?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Well¡­ She is quite unusual.¡± Pranbow said with a bitter smile. There appeared to be more to it, but Eugene didn¡¯t ask any questions. Princess Elgrena would be Luke¡¯s partner anyway. Whatever the case was, Luke would have to deal with it. ¡°Kieee¡­ A princess knight should be very strong. Sir, aide number two¡­ He¡¯ll receive beatings quite often!¡± Mirian said, apparently concerned. ¡°That¡¯s none of my business,¡± Eugene murmured softly before turning to the elders. ¡°Call for Count Crawlmarine. Have the master druid come with him as well. Send someone to Mungard as well. Tell my wizard to come,¡± Eugene said, giving out his orders. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency!¡± Orders bearing the seal of the Batla Duchy left for their destinations. The messengers were able to reach their destinations relatively quickly and safely. It was something that would have been unimaginable only a year ago, but most of the territories had already been stabilized after being occupied. Fifteen days later, Romari and Luke arrived from Mungard and the Crawlmarine County. *** ¡°Uwaaaah! Sir Eugene!¡± Romari ran forward with teary eyes. She had transformed into a zombie since their last encounter. Eugene felt glad to see her, but not to the point of returning her hug. He sidestepped to avoid it. ¡°What?! Aren¡¯t you being too mean? I had such a hard time purifying the mana stones,¡± Romari complained. ¡°But you were able to funnel the money that came out of it into your research, right? I heard you spent quite a fortune on ingredients,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­You haven¡¯t changed.¡± It was only right for someone to change after earning a great position such as a duke. However, Eugene was still as stingy as before. However, Romari didn¡¯t bother voicing her opinion. She continued while looking around. ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°I sent them to take over other territories,¡± Eugene responded. He gave a quick summary of the current situation, then turned his gaze toward Selena. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? She doesn¡¯t look very good,¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. Ah, she did receive a letter from Marquis Archivald the other day. She¡¯s been a bit grim since then¡­¡± Romari responded. ¡°Hmm.¡± Selena was an important link between himself and Marquis Archivold. As such, Eugene felt a little uncomfortable leaving Selena alone since she appeared depressed for some reason. ¡°Oi, Galfredik¡¯s aide. Come over here.¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-yes!¡± Selena rushed over. ¡°Your aunt sent you a letter? Did something happen?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­¡± Selena hesitated, then breathed a deep sigh before continuing. ¡°The royalists finally caused an incident. The king labeled my family as rebels and gathered his army. As such¡­¡± Selena¡¯s story was surprising in many ways. After filtering out all the unnecessary information, the conclusion was that the King of Caylor and the central church were preparing to wage an all-out war against several cities, as well as the Carls Baggins Peninsula. Naturally, Maren and Moffern were included as well. ¡°He¡¯s out of his mind. Isn¡¯t that a civil war?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. My aunt said that she might be unable to contact me for a while,¡± Selena responded. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Eugene frowned. He had a good relationship with Marquis Archivold or Essandra. She was a loyal person who took care of Eugene¡¯s territory while he was away in Brantia, and she was quite good to him in many ways. ¡®But she didn¡¯t ask me for help? Well, it¡¯s not like I can afford to help her right now, but¡­¡¯ Furthermore, given that Delmondo hadn¡¯t sent him a letter, it appeared that the issue wasn¡¯t all too serious yet. If it had escalated to the point where Eugene¡¯s involvement was required, Delmondo would have sent him a letter. ¡®I¡¯ll have to find out. It¡¯s time to tell Count Winslon about the progress so far as well.¡¯ Count Winslon was another one of his strong supporters along with Essandra. He wasn¡¯t on good terms with the central church, so it was highly likely that he was involved with the current predicament. If the two figures stood opposite the royalists and the central church¡­ ¡®We have to fight together.¡¯ The central church of the Caylor Kingdom was an inconsolable enemy of Eugene. As such, Eugene was determined to help Essandra and Count Winslon in any way possible. ¡°If your aunt contacts you, let me know as well. I might be able to provide help somehow,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes! M-my aunt said that she is always thinking of Your Excellency¡¯s great honor and deep loyalty!¡± Selena exclaimed. She was forced into becoming Galfredik¡¯s aide, but she respected Eugene. How was it possible for any knight to gain such a large territory and exert great influence less than half a year after arriving in the country? Moreover, even though there was less discrimination in Brantia, Eugene was still a vampire. Selena could fully understand why her aunt wanted to continue her relationship with Eugene, even if it meant sending her niece as an aide. ¡°But why did you call for me, Sir Eugene?¡± Romari asked. Although she technically needed to address him with more formality, befitting his new status as a duke, she was still unaccustomed to it. Eugene didn¡¯t care much for formality for certain individuals including Romari and Galfredik. He responded nonchalantly, ¡°Just follow me first. I want to show you something.¡± ¡°What? Ah, yes¡­¡± Romari felt slightly puzzled at Eugene¡¯s attitude. Nevertheless, she followed behind him. Soon, Romari gasped with surprise after entering Eugene¡¯s residence deep inside the castle. ¡°Hiek! W-what is that?!¡± A bluish, luminescence was circling over the red armor where she pointed. ¡°Ptooey! Ptooey! Hmm? Oh, it¡¯s you, raccoon,¡± Mirian said. ¡°Hiek! A-a fly is¡­ talking? No, it¡¯s a spirit?!¡± Romari exclaimed. She couldn¡¯t hide her excitement as she approached Mirian. ¡°It¡¯s the spirit that you were talking about before! Ah! Is it finally visible to my eyes?¡± Romari wondered. ¡°Ehem! I have evolved. Of course, I can hide, but displaying my gorgeous figure will make sure that ignorant and foolish people will offer up their money to¡­ to Sir Eugene and respect him more¡­ Kieh?!¡± Mirian started. ¡°This little thing is so chatty. How fascinating. Spirits are usually shy and rarely show themselves in public.¡± Romari noted. She grabbed Mirian and poked the spirit¡¯s cheek. ¡°Kieeeek! Let me go! Let go of me! You raccoon!¡± Mirian roared. ¡°Ooh! I can¡¯t believe she has a material form and can feel physical touch. Ah! If I use a spirit in making a chimera¡­¡± Romari¡¯s sunken eyes glowed with a hint of insanity. ¡°Kie! Kieeehh?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I wanted to show you, wizard,¡± Eugene suddenly spoke up. ¡°Ehehe¡­. Huh?¡± Romari awakened from her trance. She raised her head. Eugene was pointing at the armor that the frightened, trembling spirit had been spitting on until a while ago. ¡°This is an armor with magical powers. Take a look,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­?!¡± Romari took a close look at the demonic armor. ¡°I can definitely feel the mysteries of magic. The material¡­ I¡¯m not sure,¡± she muttered. ¡°More importantly, do you know what the letters and shapes engraved on its surface are?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah, these? These are ancient scripts,¡± Romari answered. ¡°Ancient scripts?¡± Eugene asked. He decided to ask Romari just in case, and it seemed that a wizard was still a wizard. ¡°Yes, yes. Of course, I can¡¯t read this. Well, no, I should not read it.¡± Romari shook her head. ¡°Why?¡± Eugene asked. Romari¡¯s expression changed. Her usual dazed expression was no longer seen. She replied seriously, ¡°Even wizards do not use ancient scripts because they contain magic and curses.¡± ¡°Magic and curses?¡± ¡°Yes. The moment one reads it, it will trigger the power contained within. If you read it without knowing its meaning, you could get into trouble,¡± Romari explained. ¡°Hmm. Then what about this?¡± Eugene said. ¡°What? What are you¡­ Oh my gosh! Ahhh! Ahh!¡± Romari¡¯s face dyed red in an instant, and she started to make a fuss. ¡°What are you doing?! I-It¡¯s true that I like men¡¯s bodies¡­ No! I-I may be curious, but the relationship between me and Sir Eugene¡­ Huh?¡± Romari stopped while peeking through her fingers. The tattoos engraved on Eugene¡¯s wide back were the same as the ancient scripts engraved on the armor. CH 172 ¡°W-w-what is this¡­?¡± Romari muttered before running up to Eugene and stroking his back. She forgot her embarrassment in the heat of the moment. She continued. ¡°Why are there ancient scripts written on Sir Eugene¡¯s body? Oh, they are tattoos? You shouldn¡¯t engrave these things on a person¡¯s body.¡± ¡°How would I know? Anyway, if you engrave ancient scripts on a person¡¯s body, does it activate magic or curses?¡± Eugene asked. Romari hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡°Well¡­ normally, it would kill the person. Or you would engrave it on someone who is already dead. Ah! But Sir Eugene is a vampire.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, to expand on that, the undead are technically already dead, so it wouldn¡¯t be life-threatening. Even so, it must have placed a huge burden on your body to have had so many of them etched,¡± Romari said. Eugene responded after putting on his clothes, ¡°Wizard. I¡¯ll tell you something if you swear not to go around blabbering.¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± Romari licked her lips while nodding. She had never seen such a serious expression on Eugene¡¯s face before. ¡°I have no memories past a certain point. And ever since I came to see and recognize the world, these tattoos were already on my body,¡± Eugene explained his secrets, except for the fact that he had died and resurrected. Romari¡¯s eyes continued to quiver as Eugene continued with his story. Once he finished, she asked with a shaky voice, ¡°D-does that mean someone afflicted you with a curse?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know that yet. However, given that this armor has the same ancient scripts as those on my body, I¡¯m certain that it has something to do with my past,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Yes, that is for sure. Few people even know of ancient scripts, and there were almost no cases where ancient scripts were engraved on a living person, including vampires and humans,¡± Romari explained. ¡°Almost no cases? So that means there were past instances,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°Ah, well¡­ It¡¯s only something I heard from my master. A long time ago¡­ What would you call it¡­ Human sacrifice? Offerings? Anyway, it¡¯s said that ancient scripts were engraved on the bodies of humans and animals for such purposes. Of course, the scripts always killed the targets,¡± Romari explained. ¡°Kieh? Sir, were you an offering?!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°We don¡¯t know that yet. Hmm,¡± Eugene responded. However, it was certainly a possibility. Although nothing was clear yet, he felt glad to have shown Romari the demonic armor. He couldn¡¯t be completely sure of anything, but he had discovered that the ancient tattoos on his body hadn¡¯t been engraved on him with good intentions. Romari scrutinized Armis for a while before speaking, ¡°Excuse me, Sir Eugene. You said that the ancient scripts on the armor are identical to the ones on your body, right? You have the same number of them on your body as well? But when you consumed red mana stones, the source mana stones, five of them disappeared?¡± The proper terminology for the red mana stones was source mana stones, which were a rare type of mana stones seldom obtained from monsters ranked intermediate or higher. It was extremely difficult to purify source mana stones since the energy contained in them was very strong. A wizard of Romari¡¯s caliber had to work several days to possibly purify it. However, there was a problem with source mana stones. Even after undergoing a purification process, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed that source mana stones would become refined like regular mana stones. As such, source mana stones were treated like regular jewels, though they fetched an incredulous price because of their rarity. ¡°That¡¯s right. Five of them have been erased. There are seven left,¡± Eugene responded. Romari suggested, ¡°Oh, this is just my opinion, but I think it might be better for you to equip the armor only after you get rid of all the tattoos on your body.¡± ¡°Hmm. Really?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m no expert with armor by any means, but from a magical point of view, armors were used to seal things since ancient times, as well as to protect the user,¡± Romari responded. ¡°Seal things?¡± ¡°Yes. In particular, this armor even has ancient scripts engraved on it, which just happen to be identical to the ones tattooed on Sir Eugene¡¯s body. There¡¯s no way it¡¯s just a simple coincidence. It¡¯s just so suspicious. So, I think it would be better to equip it after you have removed all the tattoos on your body. In the meantime, let me research more into these ancient scripts,¡± Romari explained. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene lowered his hand and stroked the armor once again. He could certainly feel a strange, ominous sensation emanating from the armor, and it wasn¡¯t just because he had been influenced by Romari¡¯s advice. Eugene decided to trust in his intuition. ¡°Good. I will do that,¡± Eugene said before placing Armis back into its box. In any case, all four treasures of the Batla Duchy were finally in his hands. He was satisfied. In addition, his current plate armor could be considered a top-of-the-line product as well, so he had no need for anything else. He didn¡¯t need to equip Armis. ¡°Anyway, well done. I¡¯m glad I brought you here,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°Ah! As expected, right? I was a big help, wasn¡¯t I?¡± Romari asked. ¡°Well, I will admit it this time,¡± Eugene responded with a nod. ¡°Hehehe.¡± Romari grinned while scratching her nose. Mirian buzzed over her head while yammering, ¡°Kieeeek! Look how arrogant you¡¯re acting just because Sir Eugene complimented you once! You simple raccoon!¡± Romari suddenly interjected, ¡°How did you know my master¡¯s nickname for me? Is it because you¡¯re a spirit?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°The raccoon. My master always called me that. I¡¯m not sure why, but maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m as cute as a¡­¡± Romari mumbled shyly. Mirian laughed mockingly and interrupted her. ¡°Kihehehe! Are you a fool? That¡¯s because your eyes look exactly like a raccoon! Your teacher definitely had a knack for naming things. Ah, and right now, you look like a zombie. You¡¯re a zombie raccoon. Kihehehehehe!¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± The wizard¡¯s eyes quivered madly when she learned the truth behind her nickname after more than a decade of having received it. *** ¡°W-What?! M-Marriage? Me?!¡± Luke shouted with disbelief toward his beloved master. He had arrived at the duchy¡¯s castle one day after Romari. Eugene responded, ¡°That¡¯s right. The daughter of Eland¡¯s king will be your wife, and Lorraine Fransil will be your concubine.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The young count could not believe his ears. He had never even been in a relationship, so what was this talk about marriage? It wasn¡¯t just one woman either, but two? ¡°Ehem. Your Excellency. Were you perhaps talking about Lord Crawlmarine¡¯s marriage right now?¡± Pythamoras asked after entering. Eugene nodded, and the druid smiled. ¡°As expected of Your Excellency. It¡¯s a brilliant and wise choice. Moreover, it won¡¯t present any ethical problems or cause any trouble in terms of customs, so the count must absolutely agree with the decision,¡± Pythamoras stated. ¡°What?¡± Luke felt dumbfounded. He wasn¡¯t sure how to react to Pythamora¡¯s words. The druid continued in a solemn voice. ¡°The royal family of Eland and the Fransil family are two of the most powerful families in Brantia. If the two families give the duke their support and their daughters become members of Brantia¡¯s new dynasty, we could safely assume that we have unified more than seventy percent of Brantia.¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Yes. Moreover, the duke is your sole guardian and protector. It is customary for him to actively engage in the matter of the count¡¯s marriage. As such, you have to accept it,¡± Pythamoras added. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Luke became alert after hearing Pythamoras¡¯ words. After a moment of contemplation, he raised his head and met his master¡¯s gaze. ¡°If it will help the master achieve his goal, I will obey. Everything that I have belongs to you, Master. I will do as you say.¡± ¡°Kieh?! Those eyes¡­! I knew it looked familiar. It¡¯s the same as those humans who were in my pond biting and sucking¡­ Kiaugh!¡± Eugene quickly interrupted the spirit¡¯s nonsense, which he had almost memorized word for word. He had a bad feeling that the spirit had been about to introduce Luke as one of the romantic protagonists of the story, as well as himself. ¡°Good. I¡¯ve sent the elven knights, so Eland¡¯s princess should arrive within a month. We will hold a ceremony when she comes,¡± Eugene said, nodding. ¡°Uh¡­ With all due respect, that fast?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Of course. We must also hold a coronation ceremony after the wedding,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Finally! Are you finally going to take Brantia¡¯s throne, Master?! We must hurry and hold my wedding! Sirs!¡± Luke shouted, then continued to share the good news with the others gathered in the hall in Brantian. He was overjoyed that Eugene was finally about to take the throne. The responses were divided into two extremes. ¡°That cannot be! Batla is the guardian and the watchman of the throne! It would be a disgrace to Batla¡¯s long history and honor for the duke to ascend to the throne!¡± ¡°Please reconsider, Your Excellency! You must bring together all the candidates and establish a new royal family! The Batla family must not establish their own dynasty!¡± The elders of the Batla Duchy were fiercely opposed to the idea. ¡°Kuwoooo! Does that mean you¡¯re going to be king, Dark Lord? Meat! Are we going to have a big feast of meat?¡± ¡°We helped, so give us a few hunting grounds!¡± Meanwhile, the beouwlfs welcomed anything that might provide them with more meat. Luke shouted in a rare rage at the opposing voice of the elders,¡± What are you all talking about?! My master crossed the sea with the goal of unifying Brantia! Who else on this land is qualified to ascend the throne besides my master?!¡± ¡°Oi, Luke.¡± Eugene called out. Luke quickly lowered his head, ¡°Yes, Master! Please give me your orders! I will take care of those old men and¡­¡± ¡°When did I ever say that I was going to ascend the throne?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What? B-but you said that you were going to unify Brantia¡­¡± Luke answered with bewilderment. Eugene turned to the elders. The old men were looking at Eugene with perplexed eyes. Eugene then explained in Brantia, ¡°I¡¯m going to unify Brantia. However, I¡¯m not going to be king.¡± Ooh¡­! The elders let out a sigh of relief. Eugene turned toward Luke. ¡°M-Master¡­?¡± Luke muttered with trembling lips. He appeared surprised and disappointed. ¡°The new king of Brantia¡­¡± Eugene placed his hand on Luke¡¯s shoulder. He flinched. He had been enslaved on a battlefield in a trick of fate. But now, he stood as a proud count and an aide to a vampire knight. Eugene continued slowly after pulling Luke forward. ¡°It will be Count Luke Crawlmarine.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Luke was shocked into silence. The audience also gawked at Luke with astonishment. Eland¡¯s swordmaster and the druid were the first ones to break the silence. ¡°Ehem! It poses no problems in regard to law and custom. Why? It¡¯s because both the Duke of Batla and the Knight of Drak approve it.¡± ¡°In addition, Eland will also actively support Duke Batla¡¯s decision. Moreover, the Brodia family has already come under the duke¡¯s command.¡± Pranbow paused, then turned his gaze. Reyma, who had been standing dumbfounded with all the others, came to his senses and hastily nodded. ¡°I-I am also providing my strong support as a representative of the Fransil family! My father has already agreed to share his will with the duke!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Batla, Drak, Eland, Brodia, Fransil. All of them are supporting your ascension to the throne. So¡­¡± Eugene whispered. Luke¡¯s body was trembling like a leaf amidst tempestuous winds from the shock. ¡°Become the King of Brantia, aide number two,¡± Eugene concluded. Everyone, including the man mentioned, stood motionless with shock. ¡°Kieeeeeh?! A slave in Caylor and King in Brantia?! This is a scam! It¡¯s a scam! Sir Eugene needs to become the demon king! Everything belongs to him! Everything that belongs to him belongs to me! Kieeehhhhennng!¡± A single spirit threw a fit and flapped her limbs on the floor, but unsurprisingly, no one paid her any attention. *** ¡°Truly a wonderful trick befitting a member of the Dark Clan, Your Excellency. No, a strategy would be a classier word,¡± Pythamoras said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± Eugene feigned ignorance. The druid smiled meaningfully. ¡°Hoh. Count Crawlmarine, no, the King of Brantia will be eternally loyal to the duke until he breathes his last. And even after he has returned back to the soil, his children and their children will honor the duke as the guardian of their family,¡± Pythamoras stated. ¡°Hooh?! Doesn¡¯t that mean that no one in Brantia can oppose the duke as long as the Crawlmarine family exists?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene avoided the elf¡¯s gaze. Pythamoras grinned while speaking to Pranbow, ¡°A king reigns over his subjects, but he is not free from his heavy duties. In addition, running a kingdom is a difficult thing.¡± ¡°You are absolutely right. I also gave up my claim to the throne of Eland and chose to walk the path of the knight because of that. Huh? Does that mean¡­ the duke as well?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. However, the difference between the duke and yourself is that His Excellency stands above the King of Brantia. Who could possibly hold the duke accountable? They will be making an enemy out of the royal family and all of their associated families if they do so,¡± Pythamroas explained. ¡°Woah!¡± Pranbow exclaimed after finally realizing Eugene¡¯s intricate plan. Eugene felt a little embarrassed, but he straightened his back and spoke confidently, ¡°I worked incredibly hard until now to make my aide a king. I think I deserve to enjoy that much.¡± ¡°Ha! Hahaha¡­¡± Pranbow could only laugh in response. Eugene wasn¡¯t exactly wrong, although he was quite shameless. No one; not even himself, a swordmaster, could disparage the vampire duke¡¯s numerous exploits in Brantia. CH 173 ¡°Keep up the good work. My lord and I have high expectations.¡± ¡°Oh! Sir Eugene does?¡± ¡°Yes. No matter what anyone says, this is his rightful territory. Moreover, this is the first place he claimed as his own. It has a special place in his heart.¡± Delmondo proudly said. Even though he was in an office, he still wore his black hat. The other men gathered in the office smiled brightly before speaking. ¡°I heard that Sir Eugene has become a duke of Brantia.¡± ¡°Rumor has it that the expedition is proceeding quite smoothly.¡± Delmondo responded, ¡°That¡¯s right. Sooner or later, the lord will establish a kingdom there. In other words, our territory will become the territory of the Brantian royal family. I believe all of you understand fully what this means.¡± Ooh¡­! The men couldn¡¯t hide their expectations, and Delmondo gave a satisfied smile. ¡®That¡¯s right. It¡¯s all true, so work hard to spread the rumors. That way, his reputation will soar even higher, and the territory will develop much more rapidly.¡¯ The five men gathered in Delmondo¡¯s office were guild leaders of their respective fields. As the castle town of Eugene¡¯s territory grew bigger, the need for guilds popped up. As such, Delmondo found suitable candidates and pushed for the establishment of various guilds. Normally, guilds were established by a gathering of workers in various fields. However, Delmondo was well aware that such methods of formation brought along many problems and pains. He had experienced such problems during his time as an official in the empire. Once groups pursuing profits and self-interest grew powerful, they often created problems for the city or the nation in question. This was why Delmondo took the lead in establishing guilds with the support of Moffern when the territory grew significantly and many projects essential for its development were initiated. The guild leaders of Moffern were more than willing to let their members become the founding guild leaders of Eugene¡¯s territory. ¡°As you all know, the territory¡¯s development will greatly increase your profits as well. I believe you won¡¯t do anything to disappoint the lord,¡± Delmondo stated. ¡°Of course! Please leave it to us!¡± ¡°We will never disappoint Sir Eugene and Sir Delmondo.¡± The men immediately responded while bowing their heads. They knew all too well why Delmondo had turned them into guild leaders. There was a mine located in the Eugene territory. In addition, its lord received the strong support of the Carls Baggins Peninsula¡¯s margrave, who was no different from the peninsula¡¯s sole ruler. Finally, he was even a duke of a foreign nation. Becoming the founding guild leaders of a territory like that was tantamount to setting their foot on a golden road. They could only try their best to appease Delmondo. ¡°Administrator! Sir Delmondo!¡± Suddenly, it became noisy outside the room. A guard burst open the door and rushed in. ¡°Sir! I apologize, but there¡¯s an urgent situation.¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± Delmondo asked. ¡°There are unidentified troops camped right outside the village!¡± The guard continued. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°S-Soldiers?¡± Delmondo slightly raised his hat, and the guild leaders whispered among themselves. ¡°Who are they? Bandits?¡± Delmondo asked. Nearby lands had been stabilized after Essandra Archivold succeeded in unifying the Carls Baggins Peninsula. Of course, not all bandits and monsters had been completely eradicated, but all of the larger threats had been eliminated. It was practically heaven compared to the past. So why were there troops audacious enough to test their luck with a demonstration of force in front of Jan Eugene¡¯s territory? ¡°Their numbers appear to be a hundred. Both their momentum and their equipment seem rather extraordinary. They don¡¯t have a flag, so their origin is unknown, but they don¡¯t seem to be a group of nobodies either,¡± the guard explained. Most guards of the Eugene territory were veteran mercenaries with a plethora of experience. They were trustworthy. This was why Delmondo frowned after hearing the report. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look,¡± he said before leaving the office with the guild leaders. It was a cloudy day, so he only had his hat. He climbed the village¡¯s wall to get a better look. The guards saluted as Delmondo climbed the wall. They had been closely watching the unidentified group with anxious expressions. ¡°Hmm.¡± Delmondo¡¯s eyes glimmered coldly as he peered down the wall. According to the guard¡¯s report, there was a group of unidentified soldiers numbering slightly over a hundred. There were even knights armed with chainmail and plate mail among their midst. A knight riding on a black horse approached the gate and took off his helmet before shouting, ¡°I am Vermorf of Brickfell! I am a holy knight, and I¡¯m here to purify the territory of the evil pagan!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Delmondo was more surprised to hear the knight¡¯s identity than the nonsensical reason for his visit. ¡°A holy knight?¡± ¡°Why is a holy knight of the central church here?¡± ¡°No, rather, how did he get here? He couldn¡¯t have crossed the mountain range. Did he come through Moffern?¡± The guild leaders buzzed with agitation. The Kalo Mountains, which divided the peninsula and the mainland of the Caylor Kingdom, was immensely tall and rugged. Crossing the Kalo Mountains was impossible for humans except during a very short interval in midsummer. Even in the summer, all kinds of monsters and beasts would run amok, so in a way, it was even more dangerous compared to other seasons. It was currently autumn. As such, there were no other possible explanations for the appearance of this holy knight and his soldiers. It could only mean that they had entered through the port of Moffern. ¡°C-Could it be that Moffern has been occupied?¡± ¡°No way! With that many troops? Besides, if that happened, the guilds would have already contacted us.¡± ¡°Did they sneak in?¡± ¡°Maybe...¡± Delmondo nodded while listening in on the guild leaders¡¯ conversation. With the number of troops they had, if they spread their troops between several ships and disguised their weapons as cargo while entering the port, it was entirely possible that they could sneak their way through the port. Vermorf, the self-proclaimed holy knight, shouted once again, ¡°Controlling the monsters of evil lands with malevolent spells is a serious crime that directly violates the providence of God and the laws of the church! I, Vermorf Brickfell, have been delegated authority from the central church, and I demand that the monster controlled by the pagan leader be handed over immediately! Whoever is in charge, come out immediately on your knees and confess your sins before God and the church!¡± ¡°W-What a crazy bastard...¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain he¡¯s a holy knight of the central church. Otherwise, who would speak such nonsense in the Carls Baggins Peninsula!¡± The guild leaders were enraged by Vermorf¡¯s outrageous words. The guards were greatly flustered as well. It looked as though they were ready to pull the trigger of their crossbows at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Quiet. Everyone, calm down,¡± Delmondo said. Everyone was impressed by the administrator¡¯s calm, collected demeanor, but he was inwardly thrown off by the unexpected predicament. ¡®Dammit. Why are those bastards here at a time like this?¡¯ Similar to other territories, the Eugene territory didn¡¯t possess a large number of hired soldiers. Ever since Essandra unified the peninsula, there had been no need to maintain a large number of troops. It was only a waste of money to do so. Moreover, the knights who had been given manors in the Eugene territory and turned into village administrators had left for Brantia. Currently, there were only about ten knights under Delmondo¡¯s command. He couldn¡¯t come up with a definitive method to defeat the enemies. ¡®Should we wait until it¡¯s night before we attack? No¡­¡¯ Delmondo immediately shook away his initial thought. Although he was a vampire, it was impossible for him to kill so many troops. In addition, the risk was only made greater due to the presence of a holy knight. ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Delmondo glared at the enemies as his head filled with all sorts of profanity. It was then¡­ Fweeeeeeee! The long note of a long-horn bugle echoed from the far side of the hill in the distance, and a group of mounted troops began to quickly descend on the trail. ¡°It¡¯s Archivold! The marquis¡¯s knights are here!¡± Uwaaaaahhh! The guild leaders and the guards cheered when they spotted the flag of Marquis Archivold. Marquis Archivold was a strong supporter of their lord, Eugene, and as such, they were allies. Meanwhile, Vermorf and his troops were greatly flustered by the unexpected appearance of the troops. They hurriedly turned their formation to face the newcomers. Thanks to the long period of confusion on the Carls Baggins Peninsula, the Archivold family¡¯s troops had been refined in action. They possessed great momentum. In addition, they were furious since there were unknown invaders practically camped out in their front yards. The holy knight didn¡¯t have much experience in warfare so he made a crucial mistake. ¡°Fire! F-Fire! They are apostates who are in cahoots with the pagans! They are traitors who had turned their heads from our great and glorious God! Kill them all!¡± Vermorf immediately ordered an attack without confirming the identity and purpose of the newcomers. ¡°In the name of God!¡± Uwaaaahhhhh!!! Hundreds of people engaged in chaotic warfare before the peaceful Eugene territory. Thirty minutes later, Geko led his troops to victory under the flag of Essandra. *** ¡°What? A trap?¡± Geko muttered with surprise. He had traveled under Essandra¡¯s order to provide support to the Eugene territory. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Delmondo answered while plopping into a chair. He was an experienced torturer, and he reeked of blood. He continued. ¡°I found out that Vermorf Brickfell is just a rookie who became a holy knight only two months ago.¡± ¡°Even so, a holy knight is a holy knight, right?¡± Geko asked. ¡°Yes, but it doesn¡¯t make sense. Why would they send him on a grand mission to conquer pagans on the Carls Baggins Peninsula?¡± Delmondo asked him in return. ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s true. However, he still had about a hundred troops, right? Moreover, they had a solid plan that allowed them to sneak through Moffern while hiding their identities,¡± Geko commented. Geko could be considered one of the strongest knights serving under the margrave, but he was rather weak when it came to matters of politics and tactics. ¡°That¡¯s the trap. It¡¯s not a very large number, but it¡¯s nothing to scoff at either. But right now, we don¡¯t have many troops because of Sir Eugene¡¯s expedition. We had no choice but to receive the help of Marquis Archivold when faced with hundred-or-so troops,¡± Delmondo explained with a frown. ¡°Ah!¡± Geko¡¯s eyes lit up with understanding. ¡°Are you saying that¡­ that they chose to bring that many troops because they knew they could sneak past Moffern, but they would be discovered by us while they were moving? They did that on purpose?¡± Geko asked. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. Even if they could sneak into the port by spreading their numbers out on a number of ships, they couldn¡¯t avoid detection on their way here. They knew that the marquis¡¯s forces would intervene,¡± Delmondo said. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°But the commander is a young pup who isn¡¯t even twenty yet. It was never possible for him to make good judgments and command his troops skillfully. Even if he got lucky and successfully occupied our territory, he would have been destroyed as soon as the marquis made a move¡­¡± Delmondo continued. ¡°I-if that¡¯s the case, the royalists and the central church are planning to¡­¡± Geko muttered. ¡°Yes.¡± Delmondo nodded with a grim expression. He had been elated when Geko destroyed the holy knight¡¯s troops in battle. However, he quickly realized that he had fallen into a trap after interrogating Vermorf. ¡°They sacrificed 100 troops to¡­ acquire justification to attack Marquis Archivold and the Carls Baggins Peninsula,¡± Delmondo said. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Everyone knew that Essandra and Eugene had a relationship of trust. But the problem was that the alliance between the two was a relationship made without any ¡®laws and customs.¡¯ Technically speaking, the two were simply neighbors. They weren¡¯t vassals to one another, and they certainly weren¡¯t connected by blood. In other words, Essandra couldn¡¯t recklessly attack Vermorf¡¯s forces, who had come on a mission to annihilate pagans under the order of the king and the cardinal. Of course, Vermorf had been the one to initiate the attack. However, the important fact was that the battle had taken place. The sequence of events wasn¡¯t very important. ¡°Sir Geko, please return immediately and inform the marquis about this. I will report this to Sir Eugene right away,¡± Delmondo said. ¡°Well, I can definitely do that, but what about you? It will take ages before a message could be delivered to Sir Eugene, and I¡¯m certain that the royalists will be on the lookout. Moreover, Sir Eugene could be anywhere in Brantia,¡± Geko asked with worry. Delmondo responded softly while licking the blood of the holy knight on his glove, ¡°I will go myself. Please ask the marquis to take good care of our territory until my return.¡± *** ¡°Sir Edmund has returned!¡± The door to the duchy castle¡¯s hall burst open along with the butler¡¯s cry, and Edmund strode in with his subordinate squad captains. They were still soaked in sweat from their journey. ¡°Knight Edmund! I have fulfilled your orders, Your Excellency!¡± Edmund shouted. ¡°I have already heard about your contributions. Great work,¡± Eugene responded while looking down with satisfied eyes. He turned his gaze and slaves responded by quickly approaching and laying a large box in front of Edmund and his subordinates. ¡°You¡¯ve made great contributions, so a reward is in order. This is for the troops. For you, sirs, I will build manors in villages within the occupied territories,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oohh! Thank you!¡± ¡°God and the spirits will surely bless you, Your Excellency!¡± Edmund remained expressionless, but the squad captains couldn¡¯t hide their joy. They weren¡¯t officially sworn in, but they were receiving treatment equal to knights. ¡°Good! Now that all my knights are back, I will hold a feast!¡± Eugene declared after finally claiming all of Brantia¡¯s land, except the north. Uwaaaaaahhh!!!I Everyone cheered and praised Eugene with joy. Edmund carefully approached Eugene and whispered, ¡°Your Excellency. I¡¯ve received this. It¡¯s from the armed orcs¡­¡± Edmund proceeded to carefully reveal a parchment, and Eugene opened the message. ¡°Hooh. They are going to judge the shameless, unruly Duke of Batla in the honorable name of Bayman?¡± Eugene muttered. A cold smile hung around his mouth. His country''s founding hadn¡¯t even been announced yet, but it appeared that the Bayman Orcs were in a hurry to take his bait. CH 174 Kim Hyungjun (???)13-16 minutes 25.07.2022 The Bayman Orcs¡¯ direct challenge quickly became a hot topic among the knights. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go pay them a visit and put an end to their miserable lives? If we take the North, we will have united Brantia in name and reality,¡± Pranbow said. Galfredik responded, ¡°Ah! I¡¯m all for it. My body¡¯s itching after facing only weaklings for a while now. Swordmaster, I think we¡¯ll get along nicely.¡± ¡°I agree as well. It¡¯s only natural for honorable and valiant knights to recognize each other. I would have expected nothing less from you, Sir Galfredik,¡± Pranbow commented. The elven swordmaster couldn¡¯t be satisfied with the occasional bouts against Eugene, and Galfredik had returned unfulfilled after conquering weaker territories that even a dozen bandits could occupy. They gave each other a thumbs up with a smile. Galfredik¡¯s proficiency with the Brantian language grew to match Eugene¡¯s level during the time he spent occupying the leftover territories. He had grown much more intelligent after becoming an Origin¡¯s vassal, and he had spent quite a bit of time conversing with the locals as well. On the other hand, Eugene¡¯s ability to interpret language had also improved massively. His proficiency in the Brantian language had become almost indistinguishable from the natives. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we declare the founding of our nation first? We will have to build a royal family to give us a proper reason to invade,¡± Lanslo said. ¡°From what I heard during my time as a captive, even experienced hunters will not recklessly venture into the North. And please keep in mind that winter is about to begin, Your Excellency,¡± Edmund chimed in. The two knowledgeable knights provided useful insight into the possible invasion of the North. ¡°My brothers and sisters will do anything as long as we get meat.¡± As usual, the beowulfs cared only for food. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene sank into thought while stroking his chin. Soon, he raised his head and asked, ¡°Do orcs usually declare war like this? Or are the Bayman Orcs a little different from other orcs?¡± Eugene had never seen honorable orcs during his time in the Caylor Kingdom. In addition, orcs were extremely simple and ignorant. Even mercenaries paled in comparison to them. The same was true of the Orc mercenaries Eugene had seen in Brantia. Strength and battle meant honor for the orcs, and they always butted heads before attempting to communicate. ¡°They are warlike, but I¡¯m not entirely sure. I¡¯ve never fought against the Bayman Orcs either.¡± ¡°The same goes for me. I¡¯ve never had to go to the North.¡± Lanslo and Pranbow shook their heads. Eugene turned his gaze to Pythamoras. ¡°Do you know anything?¡± he asked. Pythamoras responded, ¡°Ehem. Well, as Sir Drak said, the Bayman Orcs are very belligerent. However, it is indeed very rare for them to send a messenger to officially declare war. Usually, they would declare war after bringing their army and making their stance in front of their enemy.¡± ¡°As I expected,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡± The knights expressed their curiosity. Eugene continued while looking around. ¡°I think the orcs are putting on a show. Perhaps a type of deception.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°Think about it. These guys know that I¡¯m the Duke of Batla, and they even think that I¡¯m about to ascend the throne, right? Doesn¡¯t that mean they have pretty good information about me and my army?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Oh! Come to think of it, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Right? Moreover, they are hot-headed orcs, and they are looking to unify Brantia. As Master Pythamoras said, it would be normal for them to bring their army before declaring war, instead of having a few of their warriors pass such a senseless declaration to Edmund before running away,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Aha!¡± ¡°Certainly¡­¡± The knights nodded with astonishment at Eugene¡¯s plausible reasoning. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m right or wrong. So, why don¡¯t we play a page from their book? What if we deceive them as well?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Deceive them?¡± The knights asked. ¡°We will declare the founding of our nation and find out what they are trying to do at the same time,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is the plan¡­¡± Eugene began to calmly lay out his thoughts, and the expressions of the knights underwent numerous changes. When Eugene finally finished his words, the knights couldn¡¯t help but express their awe and wonder. ¡°Even the legendary demon king would have to give way after hearing your insidious plan, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°No wonder the spirit always called him the demon king. I never thought it would be real, hahahahaha!¡± ¡°Notify the nobles to prepare for the announcement of our country.¡± Eugene turned a deaf ear to their comments. He couldn¡¯t tell if they were complimenting or cursing him. *** The specific plans regarding the founding of their new country were drawn up by the elders of the Batla Duchy. They were unrivaled when it came to the matter of traditions and customs. Eugene considered such things trivial and useless, but the elders quickly plowed through their work. There were also fierce debates between the nobles of Crawlmarine, who were thrilled that their lord would become king and the elders of the Batla Duchy. However, with Eugene holding the fort, neither side ever crossed the line. ¡°Ehem. Your Excellency,¡± Pythamoras called out after sneaking up to Eugene. He had been watching the discussions of the nobles with bored eyes. He continued. ¡°Who are you planning to send up North?¡± ¡°Why? Does the druid want to go there?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It goes without saying. Moreover, if you want to deal with the orc sorcerers, even you will need my knowledge, Your Excellency,¡± Pythamoras answered. ¡°Maybe so. But wouldn¡¯t you agree that your presence is paramount to a royal family that¡¯s just starting to lay down its foundation? Rather than spending hours waiting for incompetent, stubborn people to make decisions, shouldn¡¯t the wise druid lend his wisdom and lead them down the right path? For the sake of the king,¡± Eugene countered. He was basically shoving all of the difficult, troublesome work to the druid. ¡°Were you really a demon king in your past life?¡± Pythamoras asked with a serious face. Eugene responded while turning his gaze and gesturing with his chin, ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. First, teach him everything you know about the Bayman Orcs and the orc sorcerers.¡± ¡°Huh? To your wizard? You¡¯re going to take her?¡± Pythamoras frowned as he turned his gaze to Romari. The wizard was currently interrogating the greedy spirit, who appeared quite annoyed, with countless questions in a shady corner. The wizard and the druid had greeted each other, due to their conflicting identities, they were quite awkward and cold toward each other. Eugene whispered, ¡°No matter what anyone says, she is my wizard. And you are the druid of the Brantian King.¡± He was certain that Romari would have been touched to hear his words. ¡°And I have heard that druids are not stingy in bestowing their knowledge upon others. If you do me the favor, I will tell my aide; no, the king to actively support your research,¡± Eugene suggested. ¡°Hmm.¡± Pythamoras narrowed his brows with a serious expression. It was a promise made by the king¡¯s guardian. It wasn¡¯t necessarily a dilemma to lose sleep on, and as such, he came to a decision. ¡°Well, let¡¯s do that. However, you must keep your promise,¡± Pythamoras said. ¡°Naturally,¡± Eugene responded. Pythamoras swaggered over to Romari after receiving a definitive answer. The two figures conversed for a brief moment, then Romari rushed over to Eugene with a pale expression. ¡°Sir Eugene, Sir Eugene. You¡¯re taking me up North?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°What? Why me?¡± Romari asked. ¡°Would you rather return to Mungard and resume purifying mana stones?¡± Eugene said. Romari immediately had a change in attitude. ¡°Come to think of it, I really love snow and ice. Moreover, seeing and experiencing the ecology of the orc tribes there will be a great help to my research. A good wizard must experience many things.¡± Eugene nodded with satisfaction after hearing her answer. *** A few days later, many nobles of the Crawlmarine County and the Batla Duchy left with dozens of envoys as messengers to various parts of Brantia. They were escorted by mercenaries, and their goal was to inform and threaten the nobles of Brantia of the coronation and founding ceremony that would take place in a month. Batla, Eland, Brodia, Crawlmarine, and Fransil. No one would be daring enough to ignore messengers carrying the flag with the crests of these five families. Hundreds of nobles would surely flock to attend the ceremony. Eugene and Pythamoras decided that Brighton would become the royal capital of the new country. Banneret Randolph was set to become the new mayor of Brighton, and the city wasn¡¯t too far from Mungard, which was the only port city connected to the continent. In addition, there were various other factors that made the city suitable as the royal capital. In any case, the envoys roamed almost the entirety of Brantia while only spreading stories about Eugene. After all, they had been ordered to do so by Eugene. ¡°Speak only of the date and time of the ceremonies and about me. There¡¯s no need to mention who is going to become king. In any case, if you continue talking about me, no one will ask such a thing,¡± Eugene told them so. The nobles were fearful and in awe of the vampire duke, and as such, they faithfully carried out his orders. They recounted their personal experiences with Eugene to all the nobles they encountered and invited them to the coronation ceremony. Naturally, they spoke of the enormous group of mercenaries from the continent and the two incredibly skilled knights leading them, Lanslo and Galfredik. Eventually, all of the invited nobles came to realize how vicious and cruel Duke Batla was, and how powerful his army was. All too naturally, they also came to a conclusion regarding the person who would take the crown in a month. - He¡¯s strong enough to kill two swordmasters, so insidious as to take the daughters of two honorable families at the same time, and so greedy as to screw over all of the merchants of Mungard, Brighton, and Brodin. The vampire duke is taking the crown of Brantia! The terrible introduction seemed to refer to the supreme ruler of hell rather than anyone else, and the rumors reached the far north in only fifteen days. *** Boom! ¡°That arrogant, small fang is calling himself king?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it anymore. He¡¯s going to establish a country. And there are less than fifteen days left.¡± The orcs could not hide their anger. They wore clothes made of animal fur and had dyed their long molars in various colors. They were the Bayman Orcs¡ªseven orc tribes gathered under the name of Bayman, the greatest orc warrior, and the first Orc King. ¡°We must gather the warriors right now and attack that arrogant duke!¡± ¡°Tolo is for it! That little fang killed the final blood relative of Tolo¡¯s last king. If it weren¡¯t for him, we would have already united Brantia under our true kin¡­¡± ¡°Stop your rambling. All I hear is the sound of kobolds crawling out of a goblin¡¯s ass.¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± ¡°He was just one of many candidates imitating a swordmaster. Moreover, he was a halfie, right? Even if he had entered the race, he would have been the first one to fail.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just an old man with mold growing on your dick! Are you done with your yammering?¡± ¡°You were born thanks to this moldy dick.¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± A fierce fistfight broke out between the two giant creatures. But they did not use weapons, and they quickly calmed down as the other orcs rushed in to stop them. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for us to be doing this. If you have enough strength to fight among yourselves, save it for when we meet the little fang¡¯s army.¡± The speaker was an orc who had decorated his molars with the most colorful colors. He continued while looking around at the tribe leaders. ¡°The problem is that the Duke of Batla ignored our warning. Even worse, we haven¡¯t established our king just yet. We can¡¯t bring our warriors together like this.¡± The Bayman Orcs was a union of several tribes. As a result, they were quite slow and inefficient in handling various issues. This continued for a long time, and it had become almost a tradition. As such, the orcs weren¡¯t complaining anymore. However, their perception of war was quite different. Every orc was a warrior, and a warrior wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone weaker than them. In addition, in an army where numerous warriors gathered, the commander had to be unconditionally acknowledged by all orcs as the ¡®strongest.¡¯ In other words, the king was a being who led and represented the warriors in the Bayman Orc society. However, they had been without a king for nearly a year now. Although it wouldn¡¯t have posed a problem in regular times, the tribal leaders were starting to be in a rush since a vampire was about to become the king of Brantia. However¡­ ¡°If we cannot bring the warriors together, couldn¡¯t we simply attack separately? Us Tolo will take the lead, so everyone else can just follow behind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s tradition for the king¡¯s tribe to stand at the vanguard, you stupid orc. The last king was a member of the Caman family, so we should stand at the front.¡± ¡°Oh, the guy who got squashed by a troll?¡± ¡°What did you say, punk?!¡± The sense of crisis was one thing, but the pride of each tribe was another matter. Therefore, the Bayman Orcs thought of giving themselves more time to make a decision by sending a declaration of war over to the vampire duke. However, they failed to make any progress afterward. They had never imagined in their wildest dreams that the vampire duke had already entered the northern lands. CH 175 Awwooooooo¡­ ¡°Gosh! Those wolf bastards never give it a rest, do they?¡± a hunter muttered while adding more wood to his fireplace. He lived in a small hut in a village located near a snowy mountain. Wolves of the snowy mountains were strong and persistent enough to cross three or four mountain peaks even in the middle of winter. However, even they weren¡¯t expected to be found in the wild on harsh days like these. After all, a blizzard had been persisting over the last few days. ¡°It has already been three days, so the wolves must be getting frustrated about being stuck in their caves. Anyway, when do you think the weather will improve?¡± ¡°It should be fine by tomorrow morning, sir,¡± the hunter answered while groveling at a young man wrapped in a cloak made from animal fur. He wasn¡¯t acting timid because he was afraid of the skinny half-orc. The hunter was certain he would not lose out to anyone when it came to a battle of strength, though he wasn¡¯t confident in his swordsmanship. Rather, it was because of the mercenaries glaring at him. ¡®Just what I would expect from a noble. He must be completely out of his mind. He came here at a time like this to hunt monsters?¡¯ The young half-orc was the son of a prestigious family, and he was visiting the snowy mountains to improve his reputation. This place was the most famous and was considered the most rugged in the North, and the half-orc was here, accompanied by mercenaries, to complete his quest to knighthood. However, just like the majority of young knights who visited the snowy mountains for the same reason, the half-orc rushed in recklessly without any consideration for the ever-changing weather and the rough environment of the mountains. As such, they had been doing nothing but resting and eating in the hunter¡¯s cabin for the last three days. ¡®Well, I have nothing to lose anyway. I''ve already received the advance payment. He¡¯ll get tired and leave on his own if I work him for half a day tomorrow.¡¯ The hunter was inwardly grinning as he stole a glance at the mercenaries. Such an immature knight was an easy pick, a great source of income for the hunter at this time of the year. Awwooooooo¡­! The hunter gave his thoughts a rest and raised his head as the wolves¡¯ cry resonated once again. ¡°Hmm? Oi, hunter. Don¡¯t you think that sounded a little louder than before?¡± one of the mercenaries commented. ¡°Uh¡­ right. No, that can¡¯t be right.¡± The hunter expressed his confusion. The mercenaries had been drinking to overcome the cold. They shouted ferociously with dissatisfied expressions, ¡°We have ears too, you crook.¡± ¡°C-Crook?¡± the hunter asked, astonished. ¡°You said that even monsters don¡¯t move around in this weather, right? So what¡¯s up with that cry?¡± one of the mercenaries asked. ¡°Well, t-that¡¯s¡­¡± The mercenaries snorted at the frightened hunter, then turned toward the half-orc. ¡°Sir Maxenne, it seems as though the wolves have descended nearby. Why don¡¯t we have this swindler lead us and go out to get ¡®em?¡± ¡°Hmm, shall we?¡± the half-orc mumbled. ¡°Is there a need to waste our time? There¡¯s a bit of a blizzard, but we still have a long way to go before the sun sets. We¡¯ll have plenty of time to kill them,¡± one of the other mercenaries commented. ¡°Sir Maxenne. We must get at least a few roamers to join the army against Duke Batla. What if Tolo¡¯s warriors are left to stand at the army¡¯s vanguard tomorrow? You must join the vanguard for your family¡¯s honor.¡± ¡°It will be an honorable crusade against the evil vampire king! You must join the vanguard and show off your skills.¡± The mercenaries implored. ¡°Hmm! All of you are right!¡± Maxenne stroked his blunt molars for a while, then burst from his seat with a valiant shout. The mercenaries were overjoyed. The southern parts of the country were richer than the North, and if they could join the army¡¯s vanguard along with a member of the Tolo family, they could certainly gain both wealth and fame. Bang! Bang! ¡°Excuse me! Can I come in?¡± Suddenly, a voice was heard along with a knock from outside the door. The mercenaries simultaneously drew their weapons. ¡°W-who is it?¡± the hunter stuttered. ¡°I came to hunt in the mountains and lost my way. If you open the door for me, I will share some of the game I caught. I¡¯m only asking for some alcohol and warmth,¡± the voice continued. The hunter stole a glance at the mercenaries. Maxenned gave a nod, and the hunter opened the door. Squeeeeeak! ¡°Thank you...¡± Six figures rushed into the cabin, leaving behind the bite of the icy wind. Maxenne and the mercenaries held onto their weapons as they carefully observed the guests. Their eyes became filled with surprise, however, when they laid their eyes on the two large corpses of wolves the figures brought in. ¡°Hmm? So there were others. Nice to meet you, friends.¡± The first figure to enter through the door gave his greetings while taking off his wet hood. His face was covered nose-down with a hood, but otherwise, he appeared to be an impressive young man with pale skin and ruby-red eyes. However, Maxenne and the mercenaries were unable to take their eyes off the two large wolves that the man¡¯s colleagues had placed on the floor. ¡°Oh, yes, nice to meet you. Did you catch that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Hey, give one to these people as we promised,¡± the pale-skinned man commanded. ¡°Got it, dark L¡ªTooth.¡± one of the other figures answered. ¡°Dark Tooth?¡± Maxenne asked. ¡°My molars were quite black when I was younger. That¡¯s why my family¡¯s servants still make mistakes every now and then,¡± the pale man answered. ¡°Aha! I see. So, which family are you from? I am from the Maxenne family. My name is Volka Tolo Maxenne,¡± Maxenne said. In the North, nobles traveling with servants and possessing nicknames related to their molars always belonged to families closely related to the seven great orc families. As such, Maxenne made sure to emphasize the ¡®Tolo¡¯ in his introduction while asking in a friendly voice. ¡°Ah, so it was Sir Maxenne. It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± the pale man appeared to be a little surprised as he answered. He continued after lowering the hood that covered his mouth. ¡°I am Eugene from the Jan family. Eugene Tolo Jan.¡± Eugene grinned after giving an impromptu alias and an improvised nickname. *** ¡°Aha. So you embarked on your quest to knighthood in this weather,¡± Eugene said. ¡°That¡¯s right. Anyway, it seems you and I are on the same boat, Sir Dark Tooth Eugene. Although my side is a bit closer to the Tolo lineage. Hahaha!¡± Maxenne laughed boisterously while clinking his glass with Eugene. It was as if he was meeting an old friend. However, it seemed only natural, since the two had quite a few things in common. First, both men were from distant branches of the Tolo family, and both their families were in rather poor states. It was up to the two of them to lead their families to success. As such, their desire was to join the vanguard of the Tolo family after proving their worth by killing a worthy monster or a beast. And after coming to recognize that Maxenne was in a similar predicament, the young man named Eugene was willing to give up a gray wolf. After all, both of them were ¡®Tolo.¡¯ Maxenne was overjoyed and grateful to ¡®Dark Tooth.¡¯ In addition, according to Eugene, although he was a half-orc, his appearance barely reflected the fact due to his father being an elf, and he was unhappy with it. The Tolo family was very picky when it came to matters with their lineage, so they didn¡¯t treat Eugene, a half-elf, as a warrior. In other words, Dark Tooth was faced with an innate limitation that prevented him from becoming Maxenne¡¯s rival in taking a spot with the vanguard. ¡°We¡¯re stuck in similar situations, so we should help each other out, right? Come on, drink up, Sir Maxenne,¡± Euegne said. ¡°Hahaha! Let¡¯s do that!¡± Maxenne answered. He loved how the half-elf could laugh so stupidly without knowing the gravity of his own situation. ¡°No need to be self-conscious. Drink as much as you want. We will all be colleagues soon anyway, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ooh! Thank you, Sir Dark Tooth!¡± ¡°I will remember the honorable Eugene family! Uhahaha!¡± Maxenne¡¯s hired mercenaries grinned with red faces. The servants drinking with them hurriedly spoke while stealing a gaze at Sir Dark Tooth. ¡°Hey, our lord doesn¡¯t like his childhood nickname very much. Call him by his official title.¡± ¡°Why? Dark Tooth. It¡¯s very catchy, haha!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But now, his teeth are so white.¡± The mercenaries started to become more vulgar with their jokes as they continued to drink. It also helped that the opponent¡¯s family seemed to be nobodies. ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± The servants could not hide their restlessness. Eugene gazed at the group for a while, then finally spoke, ¡°My teeth returned to normal once I quit eating meat. Ever since then, my servants have stopped eating meat as well.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The servants developed expressions of absolute despair as if the very world was collapsing on them. ¡°What? Is that true? These men really don¡¯t eat meat? Not even a little bit?¡± one of the mercenaries asked. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m only joking,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­!¡± The servants instantly relaxed and their faces became filled with relief and joy. ¡°However, they might not be able to eat meat for a month or so. My family¡¯s in a bit of a tight situation regarding finances,¡± Eugene said. He was awakening the beowulfs, who were disguised as humans, to the harshness of the real world. He continued after turning to Maxenne. ¡°Anyway, sir, my family is so far removed from the Tolo family, and it¡¯s located in the countryside, so I don¡¯t have much information. Could you tell me something more about the Tolo family? I want to avoid being humiliated if I join the vanguard.¡± ¡°Aha! If that¡¯s the case, leave it to me. How could I just stand by and watch as a knight as honorable as you be humiliated just because of your family? Hahaha!¡± Maxenne responded condescendingly before raving about the information he had regarding the Tolo family. For him, Eugene would obviously never make it into the vanguard, so there was no harm sharing some information with him. ¡°Oh! I see. Well, right. Right. Aha, so that¡¯s what it was. Oho.¡± Eugene continued to respond to Tolo¡¯s words. A satisfactory smile appeared on his face. He had gained useful information in exchange for a few silver coins and a wolf the beowulfs caught to eat. *** ¡°Then take care! Let¡¯s meet again in the vanguard! Thank you once again, Sir Jan!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it. You take care.¡± Eugene waved at Maxenne who was proudly leaving with a wolf¡¯s corpse and the mercenaries before turning around. Romari and Galfredik, who had been concealing their identities in the meantime, finally revealed their faces. ¡°Oh my! I almost suffocated to death,¡± Romari exclaimed. ¡°Hmm? Miss Romari, weren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°What? W-What do you mean by that? When did I do that?¡± Romari stuttered. ¡°Kieh? You were snoring away without a care in the world. Look at her lie!¡± Mirian commented after poking her head out of her leather pocket. ¡°Silence, you evil spirit!¡± Romari shouted with a blush. ¡°Quiet.¡± Eugene silenced the wizard, his vassal, and the spirit with one word. He continued while looking around at them. ¡°We obtained quite a bit of useful information from that half-orc. Let¡¯s move.¡± ¡°Right. If Maxenne¡¯s words are true, we can smash them apart, and if it¡¯s not true, we can leave them be.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If less than fifty of them come rushing in, even Randolph and Edmund could take care of them.¡± ¡°Well, personally, I doubt they can even get that far.¡± Eugene was surprised in many ways after hearing Maxenne¡¯s story. First, he was shocked that the Bayman Orcs had yet to establish a proper command system even though they had issued such a bold declaration of war. Second, he was flabbergasted that the Tolo family, which could be considered the most warlike and powerful of the seven tribes, possessed less than fifty warriors. In other words, even if the seven tribes gathered all their pure-blood orc warriors, half-orcs, and hired mercenaries with them, they would still number less than half of Eugene¡¯s army. The most surprising of all was the ridiculous fact that none of the living orc warriors had ever crossed the snowy mountains. ¡°Those orc bastards. Maybe they¡¯re planning to cross by receiving their sorcerer¡¯s help?¡± Galfredik made a sharp point. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene pondered for a moment before turning to Romari. ¡°Romari, what do you think would have happened to us on the snowy mountains without the beowulfs?¡± he asked. ¡°We would have probably frozen to death,¡± she answered. ¡°Right? But what if you used magic?¡± he asked. ¡°It might be possible if a wizard belonging to a flame-based school risked their life. Of course, assuming they were only responsible for keeping themselves safe,¡± Romari answered. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s nearly impossible for anyone to cross. It was only possible because Sir Eugene and Sir Galfredik can¡¯t feel cold as vampires. You would need fur coats about the size of beowulfs to keep your body warm in this environment,¡± Romari explained. In the first place, Eugene had excluded the mercenaries and knights, replacing them with Galfredik and a few strong, furry beowulfs for that very reason. In addition, he had barely passed through a particular path mapped by an experienced hunter¡¯s family through several generations by paying the man a few gold coins to show Eugene the way. However, even the hunter who led them through the path stated that it would be impossible for anyone to cross the snowy mountain in this weather. In other words, it was currently impossible for anyone to even attempt to cross the mountain unless they were an undead like a vampire, or a powerful, cold-acclimated creature like a beowulf. ¡°Those orcs are going to freeze to death while crossing the mountain.¡± Eugene could almost see how the orcs were going to meet their ridiculous ends. ¡°Kieeeek?! Frozen pig? Come to think of it, one of my seniors said frozen pork belly is a delicacy!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°Frozen¡­ what? What kind of a place do spirits live in? Well, pork is definitely the way to go.¡± ¡°Ah, but orc meat is a bit¡­¡± But it was even more ridiculous that some creatures could only think about food even in this situation. CH 176 ¡°Oi, hunter,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Y-yes,¡± the hunter answered while hurrying forward. As soon as the idiot half-orc left, Eugene and the others revealed their true colors. ¡°How long have you lived here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It has been a little over ten years,¡± the hunter answered. ¡°Were you always a hunter? You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re from this area,¡± Eugene asked. It seemed a little odd that a man who appeared to be over thirty had only lived here for a little over ten years. ¡°Y-Yes. My father was a hunter for Sir Rotun. He was caught hunting in secret, and we ended up here after wandering,¡± the hunter said while bowing. The snowy mountain wasn¡¯t anybody¡¯s territory, so there were several other hunters in a similar situation as him. It wasn¡¯t illegal, and it wasn¡¯t wrong either. Even so, the hunter was afraid of the knight who managed to kill two gray wolves during a blizzard. His keen instincts had been sharpened over the years of hunting, and it was warning him that the red-eyed knight was dangerous. ¡°I see. That means you are not a proper resident of any territory, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he answered. ¡°And you are familiar with the geography of the nearby areas?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Of course...¡± ¡°Good. I will hire you as a guide,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°What?¡± the hunter mumbled as Eugene threw him a silver coin. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-That¡¯s not it. But how far will you be going¡­¡± the hunter stuttered. ¡°The largest town closest to here with a lord or an administrator,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What? But aren¡¯t you a distant relative of the Tolo family? If it¡¯s the biggest town in the vicinity, it¡¯s naturally¡­¡± the hunter asked with confusion. How could someone related to the Tolo family be ignorant about it? ¡°So what? You don¡¯t want to do it?¡± Eugene asked while jerking his icy eyes toward the hunter. He had been preparing to depart while straightening his collar. The hunter froze over. ¡°It¡¯s only three or four days away. Yes, yes. I will get ready right away. Please leave it to me,¡± the hunter could only agree before rushing to pack his luggage. Somehow, Eugene¡¯s eyes felt much more daunting compared to true orc warriors. *** ¡°This is the biggest village around here?¡± Eugene asked. The hunter answered, ¡°Yes, sir. Sir Kunderima, a direct descendant of the Tolo family, serves as the administrator here.¡± He had long realized that Eugene wasn¡¯t from the region. The village, which they reached after three days, was so large that it even contained a market. It was considered an extremely important location¡ªimportant enough for the Tolo family to send the eldest son of the tribal leader to manage it. However, the look on Eugene¡¯s face as he looked around the village was¡­ ¡®Is he disappointed?¡¯ Even if he was a distant relative of the Tolo family and wasn¡¯t from the area, how could he act so indifferent after seeing such a large village? The hunter simply couldn¡¯t understand, but it was only natural for Eugene. ¡°Sir, is this really big? Isn¡¯t it similar to the village where you sold the wolf hides?¡± Mirian whispered after sticking her head out of Eugene¡¯s cloak. Eugene silently agreed with her. There were only unshapen, muddy roads in the village along with orcs, humans, and half-orcs dressed in rags. It was quite similar to a village belonging to the Tywin territory. It was unbelievable since it was considered a large, strategic location by the Tolo family, known to be the strongest among the orc tribes. Eugene couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Hunter. How many of such villages does the Tolo family have in its possession?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure, but I know there aren¡¯t more than three or four,¡± the hunter answered. ¡°And they call themselves a royal family? That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Eugene brushed off the hunter¡¯s word. He felt both disappointed and relieved. The Tolo family was considered the greatest of the seven tribes, and if an important village belonging to them was only this much, the other tribes had to be even worse. The Bayman Orcs were known as the ruler of the North. But it turned out that they were less powerful than even a great noble of the Caylor Kingdom. ¡®I think I know why the orcs united.¡¯ They must have joined forces since they knew the grim truth of their reality. ¡°Oi, you there!¡± A few burly orc knights called out while tramping toward Eugene¡¯s group. Rings decorated their large fangs, and they wore leather armor roughly woven from animal and monster skins. ¡°Are you mercenaries? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Is that a sword? Do you know how to fight?¡± The group quickly surrounded Eugene¡¯s party before bombarding them with questions. The orc warriors possessed fierce, rugged appearances. It was even difficult to tell whether they were males or females. ¡®Tsk, did they find out? How unlucky.¡¯ Eugene couldn¡¯t believe his good luck had disappeared at a time like this. He pondered luring the warriors to a secluded place outside the village. However¡­ ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering? Did you come here because you want to be in the vanguard? That wolf, you guys killed it, right?¡± ¡°You and that big friend look like you¡¯re pretty good fighters,¡± an orc warrior said while gesturing at Galfredik wearing his hood and a wolf corpse in tow before pointing at Eugene. Eugene immediately grasped the situation. ¡°Indeed, we killed it. We¡¯re here to dispose of it. I was also thinking of figuring out the current situation and joining the war,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°But even so, although our pockets are running a little light, I can¡¯t side with just anyone, right? Since it¡¯s a war, it¡¯ll be better for me to serve under a rich, talented, generous lord, right?¡± Eugene said while recalling the actions of the talented mercenaries he had seen so far. He was taking a slightly flippant, confident attitude. The orc warriors were delighted to hear Eugene¡¯s words. His acting had been so perfect that even Partec would have applauded and mistaken Eugene as the perfect mercenary. ¡°Hey, where¡¯s the need for that? Why don¡¯t you just come and serve under the administrator, Sir Kunderima? Ah, my name is Gattudo, and I serve Sir Kunderima. A total of seven people, is that right? One looks quite small, so a servant. No, a slave? Anyway, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re treated right,¡± one of the orcs said. ¡°So I wasn¡¯t unlucky after all¡­¡¯ Eugene was here with a plan to evaluate the current situation of the Bayman Orcs. He had never imagined that someone would try to actively recruit him. ¡°Hey, Sir Kunderima is generous to humans, too. If you fight well, he won¡¯t discriminate between big fangs and small fangs. Well, since you¡¯re not a big fang, you won¡¯t be able to command any troops, but you will definitely get your share of the spoil,¡± Gattudo explained. ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s quite tempting.¡± Eugene pretended to contemplate. The orcs became convinced that they were on the brink of convincing Eugene, so they took an even friendlier attitude. ¡°Of course, of course¡­ The other tribes haven¡¯t even decided on their captain yet. On the other hand, we¡¯ve already formed a vanguard around Sir Kunderima. Oh, yes, in addition, Sir Kunderima even recruited a druid from the snowy mountain!¡± Gattudo exclaimed. ¡°A druid?¡± Eugene asked with astonishment. The orc warriors boasted with even more pride. ¡°That¡¯s right! His spells are amazing! Apparently, he¡¯s even read the fortune, and the results came out great.¡± ¡°Hooh? What were the results?¡± Eugene asked. Romari slowly snuck to Eugene¡¯s side with interest. ¡°He said that a red flower would bloom at the end of the White Fang Mountain! What do you think? Isn¡¯t it a good sign? It means that we¡¯re going to cross the mountain and kill all the little fangs. It¡¯s not every day you hear such a great fortune,¡± Gattudo explained. Eugene wasn¡¯t entirely sure what the fortune meant, but the orc¡¯s reasoning sounded plausible. ¡®Hmm. But that¡¯s not good for me, is it?¡¯ Mercenaries were very vulnerable to magic, sorcery, and superstition regardless of whether they were orcs or humans. If a druid had truly made such a prediction, the morale of the vanguard would shoot through the sky. ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ Eugene came to a quick decision and spoke while looking around at the orc warriors. ¡°Good. Since even a druid had said so, then there¡¯s no need to worry any further.¡± ¡°Kuhaha! You made the right decision. Now, let¡¯s go, friends!¡± the orc warriors exclaimed while patting Eugene¡¯s back with his enormous hand. *** The orcs led Eugene¡¯s group to an old, worn-down manor house and assigned them a room with a quaint smell. The building was covered with moss all over the place, and it looked in dire need of repairs. ¡°Ugh. It smells like orcs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s literally a pigsty! Anyone with a nose could tell from a mile away! Kieeeekk!¡± Romari and Mirian voiced their discontent, while Eugene and Galfredik were indifferent. After all, they were used to spending nights in subpar environments. ¡°Meat¡­ I smell pork.¡± ¡°Sniff! The smell of pork oil is making me hungry.¡± The beowulfs disguised as servants were still as hungry as ever. ¡°Excuse me¡­ sir knight? Why am I here with you?¡± the hunter asked. He had unexpectedly accompanied Eugene to the building. Eugene remained silent and handed over a shiny gold coin. ¡°I will be with you until the end, sir!¡± The hunter immediately bowed and declared. ¡°Good.¡± Eugene patted the hunter¡¯s shoulder. He could still use the hunter. ¡°Romari,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes.¡± Romari answered while approaching. She was pinching her nose to prevent the stink from assaulting her nose. ¡°Can wizards tell the future?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Not everyone can. But it¡¯s possible for wizards who are specialized in the field. I¡¯m not too sure about the druids here, but even if they can, they¡¯ll try to avoid it as much as possible. It¡¯s quite taxing on the mind, after all,¡± Romari responded. ¡°I see,¡± Eugene said, nodding. ¡°Are you worried about what you heard earlier?¡± Romari asked. Eugene couldn¡¯t deny it. ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t have to worry too much about that. Even wizards aren¡¯t always accurate in their divination. If that were true, then all nobles would have long scrambled to win over a wizard or a sorcerer,¡± Romari explained. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s also the reason why wizards and sorcerers avoid completely subordinating themselves to nobles. They¡¯re always asking for ridiculous things like divination, and those people would even throw tantrums if it happens to be wrong,¡± Romari added. ¡°So, I don¡¯t have to worry too much about it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Eugene was convinced. Romari was generally unreliable, but she was quite competent when it came to magic. About ten minutes later¡­ The orc warriors returned. Eugene and his group followed them to meet the village administrator, Kunderima. The manor¡¯s restaurant, which wasn¡¯t very spacious, was crowded with mercenaries and warriors. Loud shouts could be heard from all over the place, and even several fistfights were taking place. ¡®It¡¯s a mess¡­¡¯ Even the administrator, the direct descendant of the Tolo family, was intoxicated and was groping a whore even in broad daylight. No one was attempting to take control of the situation. Eugene felt a little strange because most of the warriors were orcs, as well as the administrator and the whore, but on the other hand, he could clearly see that this land was ruled by orcs. He was simply unaccustomed to being in the presence of so many orcs. ¡°Sir Kunderima. These are the mercenaries I brought. They are skilled enough to kill a gray wolf,¡± Gattudo said ¡°Oh~ Is that so?¡± the orc noble responded while turning his gaze toward Eugene. His fangs, which were the size of a human finger, were dyed black. Eugene slightly bowed his head. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be able to fight under your command.¡± ¡°Kukul! How reliable. Are you not from the area by chance? Your accent is a bit strong,¡± Kunderima asked. Although Eugene¡¯s proficiency in the Brantian language had vastly improved, his way of speech was a little different. ¡°Yes. My family is from the central part of the country. We crossed over in my grandfather¡¯s time, but we still speak the dialect at home,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Hooh. I see.¡± Kunderima believed Eugene¡¯s excuse. It was only natural since the current generation of orcs had never crossed the snowy mountain. ¡°So, you killed a gray wolf? Did you happen to catch it in the White Fang Mountain?¡± Kunderima asked. ¡°Yes, sir. My family is located there,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°I see. Then do you know a path to cross the mountain?¡± Kunderima asked. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Tsk.¡± Kunderima clicked his tongue. Eugene quickly pointed at the hunter before speaking, ¡°However, this man has been hunting and digging herbs for my family for a long time. He is very knowledgeable about the White Fang Mountain.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Kunderima asked with interest. A light glimmered in his eyes. The hunter revealed a pale look as he looked alternatingly between Eugene and Kunderima. Eugene continued. ¡°Of course. How else could I have killed a gray wolf in this weather? It¡¯s all thanks to this man. He knows the White Fang Mountain like the back of his hand. He¡¯s a very capable man.¡± ¡°Kuhaha! It¡¯s worth looking forward to. Hey! Nice to meet you,¡± Kunderima boisterously laughed before greeting the hunter. ¡°Y-Yes!¡± The hunter had no choice but to nod instinctively. He had been overwhelmed by Eugene¡¯s icy eyes and Kunderima¡¯s large fangs. He knew that either man could kill him if he disobeyed any of them. Still, he decided that it would be better for him to act in the interest of the one who paid him a gold coin. ¡°Then I will hire him as a guard for the vanguard,¡± Kunderima declared. ¡°...?!¡± The hunter¡¯s expression turned even more ghastly, but Eugene remained nonchalant as he suggested, ¡°What about hiring all of us? I heard that you hired a druid. Since we¡¯ve already hunted gray wolves in the White Fang Mountain, I think we would be of great help to the druid.¡± ¡°Kuhuh! That''s a good idea.¡± Kunderima was convinced by the mercenary¡¯s words. He could see the proof of the mercenary¡¯s skills in front of him in the form of a dead gray wolf. Eugene was also satisfied. He had gained the power to lead the vanguard of the Bayman Orcs and a sorcerer to wherever he desired. ¡®I don¡¯t see Maxenne. Did he fail to make it into the vanguard?¡¯ Eugene wondered where the high-spirited half-orc was. Fortunately, his curiosity was soon answered. TL¡¯s notes: It seems like the author is choosing to use the terms wizards & sorcerers interchangeably (??? & ???). From what I gather, druids are classified as unique beings within the umbrella that is wizards & sorcerers. CH 177 Eugene settled down in a suitable corner afterward. Eugene, Romari, and the hunter sat with their backs to the wall. Galfredik and the beowulfs, who were much larger in size, sat at the edges and prevented anyone from approaching them. ¡°Not here, right?¡± ¡°Not here¡­¡± Even after taking another look through the restaurant, Eugene couldn¡¯t find Maxenne and his group among the warriors and mercenaries having a feast. ¡°That¡¯s strange. He should know the area quite well,¡± Eugene muttered. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for Maxenne, who was actually related to the Tolo family, to not know of this town. Moreover, there was no way he would have had an accident or encountered a robber or a thief on his way either. If that were the case, Eugene would have encountered Maxenne¡¯s group on the way. In that case, there was only one conclusion to be made. ¡®Did he go somewhere else?¡¯ But that would be strange as well. Maxenne had declared his firm intention to join the vanguard of the Tolo family, which meant that he would have known that Kunderima was leading the vanguard as a direct descendant of the Tolo family. ¡®Well, it¡¯s none of my business.¡¯ It would bring too much unwanted attention if Maxenne recognized him and made a fuss anyway, which could lead to Eugene¡¯s true identity being discovered. It was better this way. ¡°Master, isn¡¯t this weird? There¡¯s too few of them,¡± Galfredik commented with a frown. He wasn¡¯t seeing what he had expected. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene nodded in agreement. According to Maxenne, the Tolo family had around fifty figures who could be called ¡®warriors.¡¯ However, among the orcs gathered in the restaurant, Eugene could only see around ten who were fit to be called warriors. In fact, it was rather easy to distinguish them since they were dressed similarly and had rings around their fangs. The remaining thirty were likely mercenaries. There were a few orcs among the thirty mercenaries, but they didn¡¯t have any rings on their fangs and their equipment paled in comparison to the Tolo family¡¯s warriors. ¡®This is the Tolo family¡¯s full force? No, that can¡¯t be it. Something¡¯s not right.¡¯ Maxenne had been a bit frivolous, but he didn¡¯t appear like a man who would make up a story. However, Eugene could only see a quarter of what Maxenne described as being the Tolo family¡¯s full force. ¡°Now! Everyone, raise your glasses!¡± Uwaah!!! The warriors and mercenaries raised their mugs at Kunderima¡¯s husky voice. Eugene¡¯s group followed along, and Kunderima stood up from his seat. He raised his voice while looking around the restaurant, ¡°I know, you know, and all the spirits under the mountains know that little fangs are weak! It¡¯s a fact! We will pave a way of blood together, with all of you and me, Kunderima! When we open the way, the warriors of Tolo will follow! And the other big, lazy fangs will follow behind them as well!¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Eugene and Galfredik immediately noticed something strange in Kunderima¡¯s speech as they shared gazes. ¡°Let us fill our stomachs with the blood of the little fangs! Kill and loot as much as you want! Finders, keepers! I will take the credit and honor, so take all the gold, silver, and treasures. Take as much as you want! Now! Drink!¡± Kunderima shouted. Uwaaaaahhhh! Kunderima¡¯s speech was truly extraordinary. It was a speech befitting a Tolo, the most militant of the seven orc tribes. The warriors and mercenaries took a hearty gulp of alcohol at his husky shouts while cheering. Even the beowulf warriors, who wouldn¡¯t lose to anyone when it came to being belligerent, roared with bloodshot eyes. However, Eugene and Galfredik were completely unaffected by the traces of Orc Fear contained in Kunderima¡¯s words. They nodded while looking at each other. ¡®That Kunderima. He¡¯s as greedy as he looks.¡¯ It became evident that Kunderima had been impatient. It appeared he had been blinded by his desire to make contributions that he formed a vanguard without consulting his family. The reason why Maxenne couldn¡¯t be found anywhere was that the half-orc had gone elsewhere to join the Tolo family¡¯s main army. ¡®I¡¯m glad the orcs are so ignorant. Anyway, where¡¯s the sorcerer?¡¯ Eugene couldn¡¯t find anyone who looked like a sorcerer among the disheveled, unorganized bunch. ¡°Romari. Do you see anyone who could be a sorcerer?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone. I can¡¯t feel any flow of mana either,¡± Romari answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene found it strange. If they were setting out tomorrow, it would have made sense for Kunderima to show off the sorcerer to everyone for the sake of boosting morale. Orcs loved to boast, and if he had a sorcerer who had even predicted their good fortune, Eugene was certain that the orc would have shown it off¡­ ¡®Is it some sort of a secret weapon?¡¯ Eugene felt rather disappointed. Still, he remembered Pythamoras¡¯s warning about orc druids. It would have been helpful to observe the sorcerer beforehand, but unfortunately, he would simply have to wait until tomorrow. *** Dum! Dum! Dum! Dum! Dum! Clang! Chaeng! Chaechaeng! Clang! The sound of leather drums resounded, and the sound of clashing iron made by spears and swords filled the gaps. The march was centered around the Tolo family¡¯s orc warriors. Half-orcs and human mercenaries were around them as the group advanced. Although it was rather inappropriate to call it an army, the morale of the rough, northern warriors was sky-high. Eugene stared at the backs of the orc warriors, who were swagging along with battle axes and spears slung over their shoulders. ¡®The mercenaries are pretty good, and each one of the orc warriors should be as strong as a knight. Well, the orcs I faced in Maren were quite decent as well.¡¯ He remembered facing orc warriors to save the talkative knight, Sir Madrica, back in Maren. He could understand where the Bayman Orcs¡¯ confidence stemmed from. Moreover, the Tolo family¡¯s warriors looked stronger than the orcs he had faced in Maren. ¡°Hey,¡± An old orc with dim eyes approached Eugene and asked, ¡°I heard from Sir Kunderima. You folks know the way to cross the snowy mountain?¡± ¡®The orc sorcerer!¡¯ The old creature held a curved cane that had a goblin skull for a handle. Eugene quickly nodded and responded, ¡°That¡¯s right. I will show you the way along with this man.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± The orc sorcerer examined Eugene and the hunter while stroking his colorful fangs. For some reason, he looked rather dissatisfied. ¡°Are you sure?¡± the orc sorcerer asked. ¡°I-I¡¯m certain,¡± the hunter responded while bowing. ¡°Tsk. I see. Anyway, I got it,¡± The orc sorcerer clicked his tongue before turning around, seemingly annoyed. Eugene felt rather confused. He turned his gaze away from the sorcerer and spoke to Galfredik, ¡°It¡¯s weird. Shouldn¡¯t he be happy that we know the way? Why is he acting like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. He even performed a divination, right? The fortune¡¯s supposed to be good,¡± Galfredik responded with a nod. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene glared at the orc sorcerer¡¯s back as he walked haughtily by Kunderima¡¯s side. Eugene had seen and experienced his share of wizards until now. He had Romari and Pythamoras on his side, and he had killed two black wizards responsible for turning monsters into undead. However, all of them had been distinctly different in appearance and aura from the orc sorcerer. He couldn¡¯t feel any special energy emanating from the orc sorcerer as well. ¡°Romari, did you feel anything just now?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No, nothing. It¡¯s strange. I didn¡¯t feel any flow of mana, as well as the mysteries of spells,¡± Romari answered. ¡°Mirian. What about you?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°He didn¡¯t smell anything like other spirits. I could only smell pork,¡± Mirian responded. Eugene¡¯s frown deepened. It was truly strange that Romari, a real wizard, and a spirit couldn¡¯t feel anything special from the orc sorcerer just now. The hunter cautiously called out. ¡°Excuse me, sir?¡± Eugene responded, ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± The hunter continued in a low voice after looking around. ¡°Well, I think I might know that orc.¡± ¡°You might know that orc? Who?¡± Eugen asked. The hunter replied, ¡°That orc sorcerer...¡± ¡°What?¡± Eugene barely held himself back from exclaiming as he moved closer to the hunter. ¡°What do you mean by that? Tell me exactly what you are talking about,¡± Eugene asked. The hunter responded, ¡°My cabin, the one which you saw, that place is not the only area that I¡¯m active in.¡± It made sense. A hunter¡¯s area of activity would be very wide, and even more so in a mountain full of wild animals and monsters. ¡°So?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I often cross about two peaks and stop by a small village located at the foot of the snowy mountain. I think I might have¡­ No, I¡¯m certain I¡¯ve seen that orc in that village,¡± the hunter explained. ¡°Hooh. Continue,¡± Eugene said while pressing a gold coin into the hunter¡¯s palm. The hunter explained, ¡°Yes, yes. Well, so¡­¡± He was thoroughly touched and impressed by the knight who had always awarded him with gold coins instead of useless compliments. As such, he was excited to spill everything he knew. ¡°Kieeh. Gold coins truly work on everybody. Humans, vampires, orcs, everybody,¡± Mirian commented. It was certainly true since money was capable of bewitching even spirits. *** Three days later, Kunderima¡¯s forces came to rest their eyes on the snowy mountain, which stood erect in front of them like a giant barrier. ¡°Oi, little fang!¡± Kunderima called out. ¡°Yes,¡± Eugene stepped forward with his group in response. He took the lead without hesitation as if he really knew the way through the mountain. In truth, the hunter was walking a couple of steps ahead of him, but no one was vigilant enough to notice the small anomaly. The warriors were much too excited to cross the mountain. ¡°Ohh! As expected, you have to leave these things to a professional guide.¡± ¡°The weather is nice, too. The spirits of the mountains must be watching over us.¡± Indeed, the weather was clear. The mercenaries and warriors followed behind Eugene without any doubt. They themselves had been here several times in the past to hunt monsters and beasts. However, they had only visited areas where the hunters operated, so they had no idea about the snowy mountain¡¯s true appearance. They had never imagined even in their wildest dreams that a white hell would be awaiting them near the summit of the mountain even though the sky was incredibly blue and clear. They had never imagined that a terrible blizzard was waiting past one peak, which would render them near-blind to anything past 10 meters. As such, Kunderima and his troops followed behind Eugene¡¯s group without any worries. However, one figure became increasingly anxious as Eugene¡¯s party climbed the mountain without hesitation. ¡®Do they really know the way?¡¯ It was the orc sorcerer. He had initially assumed that a bunch of nobodies had become drunk at the thought of leading the vanguard and bluffed about knowing the path. However, that did not seem to be the case. He could tell just by watching how they chose their paths without hesitation that they were guides with extraordinary abilities. ¡®Ah, this is no good¡­¡¯ The orc sorcerer pondered for a long while, then he finally came to a decision. ¡°Everyone, wait a minute!¡± he shouted. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kunderima stopped, then turned around at the voice of the orc sorcerer. The orc sorcerer took on an extremely serious expression, then strode forward. He spoke while pointing at the snowy mountain with his goblin-skull cane, ¡°Sir Kunderima. Just now, I felt the spirit of the White Fang Mountain.¡± ¡°Huh? All of a sudden?¡± Kunderima asked, dumbfounded. The orc sorcerer responded, ¡°That¡¯s right. I am quite taken aback as well, but it must be because we are getting closer to the mountain. Hmm? This is¡­?!¡± ¡°Hooo!¡± Kunderima exclaimed with surprise. The mercenaries and warriors seemed shocked as well. An orc sorcerer was a being who deserved their awe and wonder even more so than the seven tribal chiefs. As such, they were struck with sudden anxiety when the sorcerer started trembling with a glimmer in his eyes. ¡°Omnac Mororak. Vidas Aribu Lekka! Dun-hamil, Zuzunak¡­¡± Gulp! The sorcerer waved his goblin-skull wand toward the snowy mountain in the distance. Kunderima waited with an anxious heart. ¡°¡­Kashua!¡± The orc sorcerer completed his chanting while shaking his cane, then suddenly turned around before directing his cane at Eugene. "The spirits of the White Fang Mountain have whispered to me! This man is an unclean creature! He is a false prophet who will lead us all to death!¡± the orc sorcerer shouted. Everyone became wide-eyed at the sorcerer¡¯s words. It was strange since the orc sorcerer had basically ignored Eugene¡¯s group after the first day. Eugene looked at the sorcerer as if finding him ridiculous, then he turned toward the hunter. ¡°Hey, you said he¡¯s a fake sorcerer¡­¡± The hunter responded, ¡°Yes, yes. That¡¯s right. He¡¯s a liar and a swindler who doesn¡¯t know anything about sorcery. He cheats ignorant villagers of their money. Just look at him! Isn¡¯t it obvious that he¡¯s a fraud, talking this and that about how you¡¯re going to bring them to death?¡± The hunter couldn¡¯t hide his agitation. He had seen the orc sorcerer; rather, the con artist, on several occasions during his ten years of living in the area. He had even purchased a defense charm from the fraudster in the past, yet he tripped and broke his leg in the forest the next day. ¡°Well, from what he said just now, I think he¡¯s not just a simple fraudster,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?¡± the hunter mumbled in confusion. The orc sorcerer raised his voice once again, ¡°Sir Kunderima! You must put an end to that liar as quickly as possible! That way, the spirits of the mountain will be appeased and¡­¡± Kwaaaaaaaa¡­ The orc sorcerer stopped his words as a sudden vibration erupted through the cold air. Everyone¡¯s gazes turned toward the source of the commotion. ¡°¡­?!¡± Waves of translucent energy fluctuated like a haze above a fluttering, black cloak. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­ Three servants had thrown off their long, thick fur robes to reveal thick leather armor, completely covering their limbs. Krrrrr¡­ The servants¡¯ bodies began to slowly grow larger as they growled. The orc warriors burst into exclamations when they saw the long, thickened, gray, and furry limbs of the servants and their beastly faces. ¡°Beowulfs!?¡± Shhh. Eugene threw off his cloak and looked at the hunter. Crack! His body started to swell until it burst through his cheap, leather armor. He became twice as large as the beowulfs after transforming into a lycanthrope. Eugene opened his lips. ¡°He¡¯s too accurate to be a con artist, right? He¡¯s correct. They¡¯re all going to die here today.¡± The hunter immediately fainted as the champion monster¡¯s breath inundated his face. CH 178 Orc warriors were strong. It wasn¡¯t only their physical strength either. Their stamina and reflexes were far superior to humans as well. They could achieve the same level of power by simply breathing and eating while human knights had to train their bodies day and night with tremendous hard work. Unfortunately, their natural talents and physical abilities made orcs extremely arrogant. Furthermore, they hadn¡¯t faced any real knights in a long time, since the knights from the continent failed to make it over the snowy mountains before losing. And now, the orc warriors of the Tolo tribe were facing a ¡®real knight¡¯ for the first time in their lives. Moreover, he was a vampire knight with weapons and armor unparalleled from those made in Brantia. Clang! ¡°Kuhahahahaha!¡± Galfredik burst out laughing after bashing the head of an orc warrior with his mace. The mercenaries shuddered when they saw his blood-stained eyes colored with madness. However, they had no time to hesitate. The big knight had defeated three orc warriors in less than ten seconds. However, he wasn¡¯t their only opponent. Kuwuuuuugh! Kyaoo! The beowulf warriors roared while slashing at random with their long claws. They could truly be called a disaster. Brantia¡¯s level of civilization could be considered lower than that of the continental kingdoms. However, the northern part of the country was even more primitive compared to the rest of Brantia. Even though the mercenaries wielded metal spears, swords, and axes, their weapons were quite crude. In addition, most of them only wore simple leather or cloth armor. This was because it was impossible to produce metal armor, which required highly precise, meticulous work, with the smelting and crafting technology that the orcs possessed. It was impossible for such shabby armor to block the claws and fangs of the beowulf warriors, which could even easily slice through chainmail. Meanwhile, the beowulf warriors were equipped with specially made plate coats. Their armor would prove effective even against the fearsome attacks of knights. As such, it was only natural that the mercenaries couldn¡¯t even leave a scratch on the beowulfs with their crude weapons. All in all, it resulted in a one-sided slaughter. But the most terrifying of all was Eugene who had transformed into the champion monster, ¡®Lycanthrope King.¡¯ Kuwuuuuuughhhh!!! Several orc warriors were forced to their knees when they were met with an overwhelming roar. Although orcs were courageous, it was impossible for them to stand up to an Origin¡¯s Fear. The orc warriors were instantly crushed by Eugene¡¯s roar. They trembled in place while the large claws of the Lycanthrope King sliced toward them, tearing them into pieces. ¡°Retreat! We¡¯re retreating! Kweeeugh!¡± Kunderima shouted with a squeal. He felt utter desperation and absolute shock at the current situation. His ambition was to first lead the vanguard of his tribe to establish great achievements, then to go on to become the king of the Bayman Orcs. However, his hopes and dreams were completely torn to shreds. In fact, Kunderima was a tough, ferocious, strong warrior. He had defeated several monsters in evil lands, and famous warriors of other tribes had their fangs broken by the blade of his axe. However, neither the pride he had as a member of the royal family nor the courage he had as a pure-blooded warrior could be found in face of the Origin, who had transformed into the Lycanthrope King. ¡°W-wait¡­ Please wait for me! Ah! Kuwegh?!¡± The orc sorcerer, or rather, the con-orc, shouted desperately while hurriedly running after Kunderima. However, he tripped and fell on the spot. ¡°Kuweh?! Kuee¡­¡± He crawled backward while leaving a trail of yellow on the white field of snow. The horrors of a massacre filled his eyes with fear. The white of the snow became spoiled with the orc warriors and mercenaries¡¯ blood, looking as if red flowers were in full bloom. He recalled the phony prophecy he had made earlier. - Red flowers will bloom near the foot of the White Fang Mountain. ¡°I¡¯ve never accurately predicted the future before, so¡­ so how could I get the last one right?1¡± He felt wronged. These were his final words before the swindler¡¯s upper body was separated into two. ¡°Kuwegh! Kuwegh!¡± Kunderima breathed heavily while running away. He did not care whether the fraudster and the warriors died or not. However, even though he possessed good stamina, running fast in such deep snow was impossible. Meanwhile, a lycanthrope could run on all four to quickly cross the snowy field. As such, Eugene caught up with Kunderima in no time. Fwooosh! Thud! ¡°Kuweggh?!¡± Eugene caused a flurry of snow as he landed near Kunderima. The orc warrior¡¯s eyes filled with shock, but he reflexively grabbed the handle of his axe. His battleaxe had split the heads of numerous warriors with its wide blade until now, and Kunderima was very proud of his weapon. However, each of the Lycanthrope King¡¯s claws were as long as the blade of his axe, which was longer than two palms. For the first time in his life, Kunderima found his battleaxe, an unappealing weapon in his eyes. ¡°Y-Tou Who are you?! Do you really think you can possibly live after leading a member of the Tolo family into a trap? This is the North! The warriors of the tribe will find you and kill you!¡± Kunderima raised his voice, although both his hands and feet were trembling. Eugene responded, ¡°They will find me? How? All of you will die here anyway.¡± ¡°Kuhugh!¡± Kunderima was taken aback. In the heat of the moment, it occurred to him that someone had referred to the lycanthrope as ¡®sir¡¯ before he transformed. He shouted in desperation, ¡°A-are you not a knight!? Right! Chivalry! Honor! Do you not value such things? If you are truly a knight, then raise your blade! If you are a true warrior, let us speak with steel!¡± Kunderima¡¯s strategy was quite good even though it was improvised. Although he had never crossed the snowy mountain before, he had heard stories about the breed of knights ever since he was but a child. He knew exactly the type of people they were. Knights were hypocritical creatures who surrounded themselves with the strange and useless pretense of honor and chivalry. Kunderima could not understand why knights would try to find meaning in murder when murder was murder all the same. However, if the monster in front of him was a knight, it would probably react to his words. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡®I-it worked!¡¯ Kunderima cheered inwardly when he saw the monster scratching its chin with one of its long claws. If he could fight a duel in the monster¡¯s original form, then he could¡­ ¡°Why should I treat an ignorant little orc as a knight?¡± the Lycanthrope King asked. ¡°...?!¡± ¡°You said that you would slaughter everyone once you crossed the mountain, regardless of whether they were nobles or knights, right? You said you would moisten your throat with their blood and chew on their hearts,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°No, that was an¡­¡± Unfortunately, Kunderima was an ignorant orc, and he couldn¡¯t explain himself because he couldn¡¯t remember the word ¡®idiom.¡¯ Eugene smiled while revealing fangs much longer and larger than an orc¡¯s, ¡°Besides, you said you would kill me in a single blow, right?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Kunderima said. ¡°I¡¯m the little fang you talked about, Duke Batla,¡± Eugene revealed. ¡°¡­!¡± Kunderima¡¯s eyes filled with shock, and a snowstorm appeared before his eyes. Thuck! His words came to fruition, as a single blow laid him to rest. Unfortunately, the roles were reversed, and he died under Eugene¡¯s blow instead. *** Eugene¡¯s group finished off Kunderima and all of his troops. They collected about fifty corpses and all their belongings as well. Then, they tossed everything into a valley that was almost impossible for anyone to climb out of unless they were monsters or beasts. Knowing that the rest would be handled by the wild animals and monsters of the snowy mountains, Eugene and his group returned from where they had come. Eugene entered the hunter¡¯s cabin, then smacked his cheek to wake him up. ¡°Hueek?!¡± The hunter opened his eyes with a strange squeal, then looked around before making eye contact with Eugene. ¡°M-m¡­¡± Thuck! He started begging for his life, but he reflexively caught the gold coin that Eugene had tossed at him. He immediately lay flat on his face before changing his words. ¡°M-My greatest achievement in life is to have met someone as generous as you, sir!¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve never seen a hunter who is as quick on their feet as you,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Uh, well, t-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t give you that money to shut you up,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°What? Then¡­¡± The hunter responded. ¡°You¡¯ll help me with a task,¡± Eugene said. The hunter gulped when he met Eugene¡¯s crimson eyes. *** ¡°What? What did Kunderima do?¡± ¡°Yes. Five days ago, he led the warriors and the mercenaries to Balmund.¡± ¡°I ought to pull all of his fangs out!¡± the chief of the Tolo tribe exclaimed in fury as he jumped from his throne, laden with an ogre¡¯s hide. ¡°No matter how blinded he is by his desire for achievements, there are things you shouldn¡¯t do! How dare he crawl out of here without my permission?!¡± ¡°Chief, please calm down. Sir Kunderima must have been overcome by the heat of his youth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now that Riwad¡¯s half-fang is dead, Sir Kunderima is the one most suitable to represent our tribe as a candidate to become king. He must have been a little impatient to take the lead in the competition by making accomplishments.¡± ¡°Moreover, I hear he¡¯s got the support of a sorcerer and a seasoned guide. Just think of it as if you sent him ahead as the vanguard.¡± The elders of the tribe provided reasonable arguments to appease his anger, and the chief could only return to his seat. ¡°Ehem!¡± His expression remained dissatisfied. He was unhappy with the fact that Kunderima had taken as many as fifty soldiers of the tribe without permission. ¡°Although Sir Kunderima is a bit short-tempered, he is not a warrior who would recklessly rush into things. If he does cross the mountain safely, then we will be procuring a safe passageway. We won¡¯t have to sail on boats like the other tribes,¡± one of the elders said. ¡°Hmm.¡± The chief nodded while stroking his fang. Unlike other races, orcs could not swim at all. As such, they were very afraid of deep rivers, lakes, and seas. This was why traveling by boat was a life-threatening gamble for orcs. In addition, orcs weren¡¯t in possession of any fancy boats. They only had small galleys which required twenty to thirty people to row. However, since orcs were inexperienced seamen, they were easily frightened by slightly taller waves and other small changes while sailing. Nevertheless, some of the seven tribes had decided to travel south by boat. It was due to their desire to invade the south before the Tolo family. ¡®But what if that disobedient fang really does open up a path?¡¯ The other tribes would take at least fifteen days, but if everything went according to plan, the Tolo family would get there much faster than them. ¡°Good! Once we have gathered all the soldiers, we¡¯ll depart for the village that Kunderima was in charge of¡­¡± ¡°Chief! Chief!¡± A group of warriors rushed in and interrupted the chief¡¯s command. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± the chief asked with a frown. ¡°The messenger is here. Sir Kunderima has sent a message!¡± the soldiers continued. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The tribal chief and the elders reacted with delight. ¡°It¡¯s this man.¡± An orc standing among the warriors quickly rushed out and bowed deeply. ¡°I greet the magnificent fang of Tolo. I am but a humble orc who had been hunting near Balmund. I was hired by Sir Kunderima as a guide a few days ago,¡± the orc said. ¡°Hooh? So you are the experienced guide my eldest son hired?¡± the chief asked. ¡°Yes, yes. My humble self and a few companions guided Sir Kunderima safely over the White Fang Mountain. So¡­¡± The hunter recited the words he memorized. The attention of the chief, the elders, and the burly warriors caused his back to become drenched with sweat, but he suppressed his fear and focused on only one thing. ¡®Gold coins! Think about gold coins!¡¯ ¡°¡­And that is why I am here to report to the magnificent fang under Sir Kunderima¡¯s orders,¡± the hunter concluded. Kuwoooo¡­! The orcs of Tolo appeared delighted at the hunter¡¯s words. However, the chief glared at the hunter with suspicious eyes before asking, ¡°It has only been five days since my son departed. Are you sure you¡¯re a messenger from Kunderima?¡± Kwaaaaa! A fierce fear erupted from the chief¡¯s eyes. ¡®G-Gold coins! Gold...¡¯ The hunter thought of the ecstatic glow of gold coins and desperately suppressed his fears. He kowtowed before shouting, ¡°I-it¡¯s true! My humble fang has been hunting for ten years in Balmund! I-I can prove it to you!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± the chief asked. ¡°Yes! There must be a half-blooded sir named Sir Maxenne here. He knows me. H-He wanted to prove his bravery by hunting a gray wolf, so he hired me as a guide!¡± ¡°Maxenne? Is there a fang with such a name?¡± the chief asked. ¡°Uwweh? T-That¡¯s me,¡± A half-orc raised his hand. He had been watching the situation with curious eyes at the end of the chief¡¯s entourage. CH 179 ¡°Is that right? You, do you know this orc?¡± the chief asked. Maxenne felt embarrassed to have suddenly become the center of attention. He answered while bowing, ¡°Y-yes. I do know him.¡± ¡°As expected, he really is Sir Kunderima¡¯s messenger.¡± ¡°Chief, is there anything else to prove?¡± The elders were overjoyed when the hunter¡¯s identity was confirmed. However, the chief looked rather dissatisfied as he looked alternatingly between the hunter and Maxenne before asking, ¡°Hmm. So you killed a gray wolf with the help of this man? Is that true?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± Maxenne flinched before meeting the hunter¡¯s gaze. ¡®Dammit¡­!¡¯ Maxenne realized that he had dug himself into a hole when he saw the hunter slightly nodding. If he denied the hunter¡¯s words, he would be questioned about how he caught the gray wolf. His lies would then be discovered, and he might be kicked out of the vanguard. Even if they were simple and ignorant, Bayman Orcs valued a warrior¡¯s pride above all else. ¡°That is correct. We were able to catch the gray wolf due to his guidance. He is a very capable orc who knows his way around the White Fang Mountain, oh, magnificent fang!¡± In the end, Maxenne was forced to cover up the truth to retain his position in the vanguard. ¡®As expected, Sir red-eyes had a plan!¡¯ The hunter was finally relieved. He had recalled Eugene¡¯s order to sell out Maxenne if anyone from the Tolo family didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Hmm. I see. Good. Then go ahead,¡± the chief said, nodding. ¡°Yes. Sir Kunderima¡­¡± The hunter was fully armed with faith in Eugene¡¯s gold coins and his words. He sold out Kunderima with confidence and without hesitation. All the Tolo orcs, including the chief, had no choice but to take his words at face value. *** ¡°Roamers are gathering?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. I think it must be because of the corpses of those orcs,¡± one of the beowulfs responded. They were giving their report after returning from scouting. Eugene frowned. He had deliberately disposed of the body in an accessible place, but he had never imagined that it would actually cause problems. ¡°Hmm. Will the orcs avoid this place if there are a lot of monsters?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I think so. It¡¯s already a difficult mountain to cross, so they will have no choice but to avoid it if monsters are flocking to the mountain. I think we might need to take care of them. Do you want me to head over and get it done?¡± Galfredik asked. Eugene started to nod. A few beowulf warriors and Galfredik would be more than sufficient to take care of some roamers. However, he stopped mid-way. ¡°No, wait a minute.¡± A thought crossed his mind, so Eugene stopped Galfredik and the beowulf warriors from standing up. ¡°Let¡¯s leave them alone for now,¡± he said. ¡°Hmm? But even more of them are going to gather since there are so many bodies. It could get annoying real fast with both orcs and roamers to worry about,¡± Galfredik responded with a frown. Their plan was to lure the orcs of the Tolo family by sending the hunter. However, their plan was in danger of being disrupted if roamers gathered due to the corpses. ¡°Probably. And although there are only weaker ones now, the larger monsters will make their appearance later,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Isn¡¯t that even more of a problem? What if the orcs won¡¯t come here?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°I have a plan. For now, let¡¯s go to the place where we dumped the bodies,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Hmm.¡± Galfredik and the beowulfs stood from their seats despite their confusion. ¡°Hey, wizard.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Eugene called out just as he was about to leave the cabin, and Romari flinched before turning her head. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you following?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What? Me? Why?¡± Romari said. ¡°What do you mean why? Because there¡¯s something for you to do. Come here quick,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Yes¡­¡± The cold-hater wizard eventually put on a thick, fur robe before following along. Eugene¡¯s group left the cabin and headed for the valley where they tossed the bodies. The snow was knee-deep, and the slope was close to a right angle. Moreover, the cliffs looked as if they could collapse at a moment¡¯s notice. However, vampires and beowulfs possessed even greater physiques and senses than beasts. They climbed the mountain without much difficulty. Whooooooosh! Eugene stood at the edge of a cliff, and the ghastly cry of the wind echoed from all sides. He stared down at the valley located hundreds of meters below. The visibility was poor due to strong winds and snowstorms, but Eugene had no issues penetrating through the whiteness with his excellent vision. ¡°Sir. Can you see anything?¡± Mirian asked. Eugene responded, ¡°There are goblins, kobolds, harpies, and even trolls.¡± ¡°Kiehh? Are you saying all of them are gathered together?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°It must be because they are starving. Similar to how herbivores and carnivores gather around pools and drink water together when there¡¯s a drought,¡± Romari answered. As a wizard, Romari was quite knowledgeable, and Mirian was fascinated by her answer. ¡°Kieh! Well, I¡¯ve seen similar things in my pond. Sometimes, this guy, that guy, dogs, cows, boys, and girls would come to drink water. Wow! Raccoon, you¡¯re so shmmaart!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°Hehe.¡± Romari grinned, although Eugene wasn¡¯t sure why she was so happy receiving a compliment from a freeloader spirit. She turned toward Eugene before speaking, ¡°But that will only be for a short while. They¡¯re content for now since there are so many bodies, but once more monsters gather, it¡¯ll quickly turn into a mess. Monsters covet slaughter by nature, and sooner or later, it¡¯ll show.¡± ¡°I suppose so. Besides, bigger monsters will be coming soon as well,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°Bigger ones? By that, do you mean¡­¡± ¡°There must be a master of the mountain, right? It would be weird if none of the monsters here played house. For example, an ogre,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene¡¯s words startled everyone. However, he had a point. Even in a little forest, beasts, and monsters engaged in fierce competition. The snowy mountain, which served as Brantia¡¯s northern border, would be no exception. Moreover, human presence was rare in the snowy mountains. Although the terrible weather would have forced even roamers to hide deep in the mountains, in normal times, it would literally be a paradise for roamers. An ogre, which could be called the king of all monsters, would definitely not leave such an oasis without a master. ¡°Wizard. Is it possible to control monsters at this distance?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Maybe? Why are you asking? Controlling a few monsters won¡¯t be useful, and it won¡¯t work for a powerful monster like an ogre,¡± Romari responded. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to do it right now, and I¡¯m not asking you to control an ogre either,¡± Eugene answered before observing the valley for a few more moments before turning around and speaking, ¡°We¡¯re going back. Take turns watching over this place. If anything happens, come report it right away. Don¡¯t grill any meat.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± the beowulfs answered with an awkward smile, and Eugene proceeded to descend the cliff. After a while, Eugene arrived at the forest where he had slaughtered Kunderima and his troops. Eugene turned to Galfredik. ¡°Galfredik. Find a suitable place and hide. Once you see the hunter bringing Tolo¡¯s army here, come to me immediately.¡± Galfredik responded, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll do as I¡¯m told, but the orcs have a good nose. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll discover me right away. Besides, they might have a real sorcerer if it¡¯s their main army right?¡± Eugene turned his gaze when Galfredik asked. ¡°W-What is it? Why are you looking at me?¡± Romari flinched and asked nervously as soon as she met Eugene¡¯s gaze. Eugene replied, ¡°You stay here with Galferdik.¡± ¡°What? Me? Why?¡± Eugene felt a strange sense of deja vu at Romari¡¯s response. He spoke with a frown, ¡°You¡¯re quite chatty today. You know how to use magic to conceal your presence right? If the orcs appear suspicious, use your magic and stay hidden. Both of you. And when the orcs are passing by¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The bags under Romari¡¯s eyes appeared to grow even darker as Eugene continued explaining the plan. By the time he was done, she looked as if her soul had been taken out of her. ¡°Ahahahaha! I don¡¯t know how long we will have to stay here, but let¡¯s get hot and get along, Miss Romari!¡± Galfredik patted Romari¡¯s shoulder with a grin She backed away in horror while screeching, ¡°G-get hot!? Get what hot? Hot? What do you mean by that?!¡± She trembled while clasping her robe tightly around her body. Galfredik responded with confusion, ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t like being in the cold, do you? I¡¯m just saying we should stay warm together. You know it gets extremely cold when the sun sets, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Phew! I thought you were¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll keep warm by rubbing our bodies together.¡± ¡°Hiek?!¡± Romari jumped back, sliding backward on the snow. Galfredik burst into laughter upon seeing her reaction. ¡°Stop talking nonsense and make sure you do your job properly,¡± Eugene said, interrupting them. ¡°That¡¯s right! Do your job properly!¡± Mirian chimed in. ¡°You stay here with them,¡± Eugene suddenly declared. ¡°Kieeee?! Why me?¡± Mirian squealed with panic. Eugene responded, ¡°You are the only one who can come and go without being seen by the orcs. You said it¡¯s fine for you to be a few kilometers away from me now, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but this shy little spirit would like to stay and share true love buried in your warm chest, sir,¡± Mirian spoke in a shy voice while fluttering her eyelashes. The spirit¡¯s abominable act led Eugene to act according to his instinct. Thuck! ¡°Kiekk!¡± He flicked the spirit toward Galfredik before jerking around coldly. Mirian exclaimed mournfully from Galfredik¡¯s grasp, ¡°Sir! Sirrrr!¡± ¡°Kehehe! Evil spirit, you¡¯re going to spend a hot time with me, too,¡± Galfredik said with an insidious laugh. ¡°Kieh?!¡± ¡°Now! Let us overcome this cold with our hot companionship!¡± Galfredik declared. ¡°No, wait. Wait a minute!¡± ¡°Kieeeeh¡­¡± The vassal grabbed the spirit and the wizard with a slick smile before slowly moving toward the foot of the mountain. *** The main army of the Tolo family moved at high speeds, befitting their nickname of ¡®Stormfang.¡¯ In just three days, they arrived at Balmund, which could be called the entrance to the snowy mountain. Their group consisted of forty orc warriors and three hundred mercenaries. They gathered supplies from nearby villages and hamlets and wrapped themselves with thick, furry clothes and snowshoes before setting out first thing in the morning. Naturally, the hunter was the one leading the army. ¡®Gold coins! Only gold coins¡­¡¯ The hunter knew that he would be torn apart to shreds by angry warriors if anything went wrong. As such, he inwardly chanted for his sole grace and continued leading the burly warriors. After a couple of hours, the Tolo family¡¯s army arrived near the site of Kunderima¡¯s miserable death. ¡°Sniff, sniff! It smells like blood.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The hunter stiffened at the comment of the warrior following right behind him. It was standard for orcs to place warriors with the best eyesight and nose at the front of their army. The one who recognized the smell of blood was an orc warrior capable of distinguishing types of monsters from the smell of their feces, and he seemed to have picked up on the remnants of the slaughter. ¡°It¡¯s not just one or two types of blood either¡­ Fangs, mixed-bloods¡­ sniff!¡± ¡®Is he for real?¡¯ The hunter was proud of his sense of smell, as his work heavily relied on his senses. However, even he was at a loss faced with the orc warrior¡¯s frightening sense of smell. ¡°I¡¯m going to go report this to the chief. Wait here,¡± the orc warrior spoke. ¡°Ah, I understand,¡± the hunter responded. ¡°Got it. Hurry up¡­ huh?¡± The orc warrior with the best eyesight suddenly frowned as his comrade turned around to leave. ¡°What is it? Do you see something?¡± his comrade asked. ¡°Over there. Halfway up the cliff. There¡¯s something there,¡± the orc warrior responded. ¡°What is it?¡± his comrade asked. ¡°It¡¯s big. It just moved! It¡¯s¡­¡± The warrior with the excellent vision hesitated, then his eyes widened before shouting, ¡°It¡¯s a griffon! There¡¯s a griffon!¡± ¡°Keuh?!¡± The dark green faces of the orc warriors turned crimson. Among flying monsters, griffons were known to enjoy all types of meat, especially horse meat. And although griffons weren¡¯t fond of meat belonging to two-legged creatures, orcs were the sole exception. Orcs tasted quite similar to pigs for griffons. ¡°Kuweeeegh! I-It¡¯s a griffon!¡± the orc warrior exclaimed after spotting the orcs¡¯ natural enemy. Of course, he wasn¡¯t afraid. It was all because orcs hated griffons because far more of their brethren had been killed by those flying creatures compared to other monsters, like trolls or ogres. ¡°What?! A griffon?¡± the chief shouted in shock. ¡°Chief! We must kill that devilish white beak immediately!¡± ¡°We must take revenge for the other fangs!¡± Hatred aimed at the griffon immediately spread throughout the entire army. Amidst the intense anger etched into their very blood and soul, the orc warriors and mercenaries roared while waving their weapons. They looked as if they were ready to bolt up the mountain. Kuwuoooooooo!!! The Fears of the orc warriors bloomed like wildfire. Griffons were high-ranking monsters with excellent eyesight and senses befitting their status. They would naturally detect the hostility coming from these orcs. But for some reason, the griffon continued flapping its wings near the middle of the snowy mountain. It didn¡¯t run away, and it neither revealed any hostility nor was it preparing to attack. The reason for the creature¡¯s abnormal behavior was soon made evident. Kuuuuuuuwuuuuuuughhhh~!!! An overwhelming roar threatened to collapse the high peaks and the boulders of the mountains. ¡°¡­?!¡± The orcs stiffened at the roar as a gray creature climbed onto a boulder while holding the griffon¡¯s leg. The snow ogre, which was also known as the Yeti in the North, turned its red eyes to the invaders who dared to enter its territory. CH 180 ¡°Kiek? It really exists!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°Right. But doesn¡¯t he look more like a monkey than an ogre?¡± Galfredik remarked. ¡°It¡¯s different from a regular ogre. Different. It¡¯s known as a snow ogre, but its official name is Yeti. It¡¯s also known as the snowman, and it¡¯s an ice-type high-ranking monster. They¡¯re quite rare,¡± Romari explained. The spirit, vampire, and wizard whispered while huddled together in a makeshift cover made from putting branches together. They were stationed at the foot of the mountain, and their position overlooked the forest. ¡°Really? Is it stronger than an ogre?¡± Galfredik asked. He felt his blood boil with excitement at the appearance of a brand-new monster. It would be a great achievement for him as a knight to kill the monster. ¡°They¡¯re probably similar in strength, but I think a yeti is much stronger in a cold environment since the source of its life is the cold itself. That¡¯s why it¡¯s said to be difficult to even approach a yeti. Its breath will cause metal to get frosty and all living creatures to slow down,¡± Romari responded. ¡°Hooh. That¡¯s amazing,¡± Galfredik exclaimed. Contrary to his words, however, his eyes shone with fighting spirit as he glared at the yeti. All of a sudden, the yeti threw the griffon against a large cliff, then thumped its chest with its long arms while roaring. Kuwuuuuugh! Kuwuuuuuuughh-!! ¡°Kieeeeek!¡± ¡°Hiek!¡± Mirian and Romari shriveled at the monster¡¯s roar. This yeti was the reigning king of the snowy mountains, and its roar contained a powerful Fear that could even affect a spirit and a wizard. Understandably, it was much worse for the orc warriors and mercenaries as they faced the full brunt of the Fear-containing roar. Almost all the troops; except a handful of skilled warriors, fell on their asses or dropped to their knees, while those who managed to remain standing were shaking in fear. ¡°Both of you, get it together,¡± Galfredik said. He was the only one mostly unaffected by the yeti¡¯s Fear. The two came to their senses. ¡°Kiek?! He¡¯s coming down!¡± Mirian yelled. The yeti was over three meters tall, but it began to run down the steep slope at breakneck speeds unbefitting its stature. Although the three figures were quite distant from the yeti, they could see how the boulders and rocks standing in the monster¡¯s way were easily demolished. The yeti¡¯s momentum was overwhelming. ¡°Kuweeeegh! Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± the chief orc shouted. The orc warriors of the Tolo family finally managed to overcome the fear and hurriedly began moving into formations while raising their weapons. Simultaneously, the mercenaries unsheathed their own weapons and formed a semi-circular formation. ¡°Evil spirit, you go tell the master what¡¯s going on,¡± Galfredik ordered. ¡°Got it!¡± Mirian saluted before quickly flapping away. ¡°Miss Romari. You and I will go to those dogs,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Ah, yes. Huh? What are you doing?¡± Romari freaked out when she saw Galferdik squatting like a duck with his back toward her. Galfredik replied, ¡°What do you mean? Aren¡¯t you going to climb on?¡± ¡°What? Me? Why?¡± she asked. ¡°How else are you going to get there? Will you be fine running up by yourself?¡± Galfredik asked with a frown. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Romari gazed at the sheer slope, then she eventually climbed on Galfredik¡¯s wide back. ¡°Hold on tight to my neck,¡± Galfredik advised. ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Romari answered. However, she only barely grasped Galfredik¡¯s cape. She had no experience with the opposite sex, and she had absolutely no intention of gving her first hug to a vampire who kept on teasing her every day. However, she immediately regretted her actions... Papapapapa! Galfredik unleashed all of his vampiric power and started dashing through the snow. ¡°Hueeeeek?!¡± A strange scream broke through Romari¡¯s lips. However, the roar of the yeti and the shouts of the Tolo warriors buried her scream. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The yeti quickly arrived in front of the Tolo warriors after running down at a formidable speed. ¡°Fuck! Fire!¡± Kuweeegh! The hot-tempered warriors and mercenaries let loose their wooden spears. Most of them were either orcs or half-orcs, so they possessed immense strength. Dozens of wooden spears flew at the yeti with incredible momentum. Kuwuuuuuugh-!!! The yeti responded by letting loose a piercing roar containing a Fear, powerful enough to create a small blizzard. At the same time, the monster swung a wooden stick the size of its body. Most of the wooden spears and the following arrows were either sent flying or fell vainly on the snowy ground. Several spears managed to avoid the yeti¡¯s wooden stick and the powerful wind it created, but it couldn¡¯t penetrate through the monster¡¯s tough skin, let alone its fur. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Hey, you fangless bastards! Why are you just staring at it? There¡¯s only one! I will award three gold coins and three horses to the one who deals a fatal injury to that furball!¡± the orc chief exclaimed. It was an offer that the warriors and mercenaries would have died for, but right now, they remained frozen stiff. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to move; rather, they physically couldn¡¯t move. The Fear and pressure emanating from the monster were much too overwhelming. Moreover, the yeti initiated the charge. The yeti had already been nervous for quite some time now due to the uninvited guests entering its territory without permission. It was made even worse because some of the creatures possessed extraordinary spirits. The yeti¡¯s pride was hurt and it felt instinctively repulsed by the strong auras. But that wasn¡¯t all¡­ Its patience wore thin and eventually reached its limit due to the influx of low-ranking and intermediate-ranking monsters, and now, even orcs emanating terrible stenches were crawling up its mountain. Kuwuuuuuugh-!!! Yetis were naturally bad-tempered, but it was no wonder that this particular yeti erupted with so much anger. ¡°Kuwuug!¡± ¡°Kuwegh!¡± Three or four mercenaries were thrown back with every swing of the yeti¡¯s wooden stick. Unfortunately, most of the mercenaries had only brought simple knives, axes, and javelins since they were only planning to climb a mountain. As such, most of the mercenaries couldn¡¯t even get close to the yeti with its three-meter-long stick. Nevertheless, the orcs took full advantage of their numbers. Eventually, they succeeded in surrounding the yeti and had a few warriors approach it from the back. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Kuwuugh!¡± Crack! Two orc warriors thrust their knives into the yeti¡¯s broad back. However, their knives were made from poor-quality iron, and the weapons failed to penetrate even half of the yeti¡¯s thick skin. The yeti grew enraged at the pain and roared while turning its head. Kuwuuuuuugh-!! It revealed its black teeth as it shot out a white, frosty breath toward the orc warriors. ¡°Kuwuuuugh!¡± The orc warriors clutched their faces before collapsing on the spot. Fwoosh! Crack! The yeti stomped on the fallen warriors with its feet, then advanced once again while swinging its wooden stick. Kwakwakwakwa! The surroundings became filled with roars and screams, and orcs continued to be thrown back by the yeti¡¯s wooden stick. ¡°D-Dammit¡­!¡± The expressions of the elders turned pale as they witnessed the one-sided massacre being done to them by the snowy mountains¡¯ king. Just then, something happened that shoved them even deeper into their despair. Kuweeeeeee! Kyaaahk! Kyaahk! The orcs spotted a group of monsters at the foot of the mountain. They were letting out screams which were distinctively different from that of the yeti. ¡°What?!¡± Various monsters, including goblins, kobolds, harpies, and gnolls began to rush madly toward the site of the yeti¡¯s slaughter. ¡°R-Retreat! Everyone, run down the mountain!¡± Facing one yeti was already too much, so when a large number of roamers started rushing toward the orcs, the chief had no choice but to order a retreat. However, their formation had already collapsed due to the yeti¡¯s attack, so the troops couldn¡¯t easily pull themselves out. Orcs were able to display their abilities to the fullest in plains, however, they were currently fighting in an icy, snowy mountain. The various monsters had adapted to the environment over many years, and they quickly managed to catch up with the fleeing troops. Chaos ensued soon after¡­ Kuwuuugh! Kyaaaahk! Kuwegh! Kuahk! Kuhahaha! There was a strange laugh mixed with the roar of monsters, but no one noticed it among the bloody frenzy. Naturally, the laugh belonged to Galfredik. He had succeeded in driving the monsters toward the orcs with the help of Romari¡¯s magic, as well as the help of the transformed beowulf warriors. As a result, the troops of the Tolo family were attacked by more than a hundred monsters, including a high-ranking monster. Their ranks were completely dismantled, and they frantically ran back the way they came from. ¡°Kugh! Kuahh!¡± The orc chief and the elders led the retreat, and they continued running while huffing heavily. Screams and shouts continued to resound, and less than 100 troops were following behind them. Unfortunately, most of the survivors were mercenaries. The warriors of the family had failed to escape since they were occupied with the yeti. Dozens of monsters herded by Galfredik and the beowulfs chased after the fleeing soldiers. ¡®I-I have to return! I have to go back and gather more troops! If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll ask other fangs for their help¡­¡¯ The orc chief started to panic, and he couldn¡¯t think of turning his back to fight against the monster. He had never even imagined that his troops were certainly more than capable of dealing with the horde of monsters. In addition, he couldn¡¯t even remember that his eldest son had already crossed this devilish mountain. Kuweeegh! Kuwegh! The orc chief knew that the halting screams belonged to the warriors and mercenaries who wouldn¡¯t survive for much longer in this world. Even so, he ran with the sole desire to escape from the cursed snowy mountains as soon as possible. Eventually, once the group finally managed to reach the end of the slope, there were fewer than fifty troops left following behind the orc chief and the elders. ¡°Kwuuu¡­ Kuwegh!¡± The tribe chief came to a stop and took a moment to catch his breath once flat land became visible. The other orcs were utterly exhausted as well, and they sprawled on the spot. Their strength left their bodies as relief washed over them. But unfortunately, their nightmare was still ongoing. Fwish! ¡°Kuweh¡­?¡± The orc chief became wide-eyed when he saw a blurry, gray figure jumping off a rock located on the slope with a whistle. Chwararara! A sound similar to a trembling rattlesnake resounded, and the gray figure suddenly changed color to glossy black. ¡°!!!¡± The unidentified creature was covered from head to toe in jet-black scales. Only a pair of eyes as red as lava identified the creature as a human being. ¡°W-w-who is it!?¡± ¡°Kuwegh?!¡± The orcs jumped off the ground in shock. Eugene removed only the black scales covering the lower half of his face before responding with a chilling grin. ¡°Duke Batla.¡± ¡°Kuwegh?!¡± The Tolo orcs squealed with surprise, and Eugene rushed at the creatures after completely revealing his vampiric abilities after a long time. *** The battle against the Tolo orcs ended before it even started. Fifty exhausted orcs were rendered helpless when Eugene attacked them from the front and Galfredik rushed their backline with the beowulfs. Normally, the orcs would have fought to the death while arming themselves with their Fear, which would have resulted in the death of one or two beowulf warriors. However, they had already expended their energy from the hectic escape, so they naturally failed to put up a good fight. ¡°Kyah! I knew you had a plan, Dark Lord!¡± ¡°Kuhehehehe! Of course, there¡¯s a reason why he¡¯s my master. If it were just us, most of them would have escaped with their lives,¡± Galfredik added with a boisterous laugh. He wasn¡¯t wrong. Eugene¡¯s original plan had been to lure the Tolo family¡¯s army to the summit of the snowy mountains. However, there were too many unexpected variables. First of all, it was unknown whether the orcs could endure the bitter cold and actually make it to the summit before turning back. In addition, it was unlikely that Eugene¡¯s small group could annihilate them all. As such, Eugene modified his plan to make use of the monsters. The yeti¡¯s appearance only served to bolster his purpose. ¡°Let¡¯s go and get rid of the snow ogre and the rest of the monsters then. By the way, you took care of the wizard, right?¡± Eugene asked. Galfredik responded, ¡°I left her with the evil spirit and one of the beowulfs. It¡¯s not like monsters are going to climb up the mountain again after descending.¡± ¡°Good. Ah!¡± Eugene started toward the mountain, then hesitated. ¡°What is it?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve forgotten something¡­¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°Huh? What do you mean? Forget what?¡± Galfredik said. Eugene frowned and fell into deep thought. After a moment, he raised his head. ¡°The hunter...¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Galfredik nodded. Eugene felt a little disappointed. He couldn¡¯t possibly imagine that the hunter had lived through the chaos. It wasn¡¯t as if Eugene had gotten attached to him, but the hunter had been quite capable so far. However, Eugene¡¯s thoughts disappeared as soon as he arrived near the bloody forest. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re still alive? Moreover, those two¡­¡± The yeti and the monsters had disappeared, and in their place was Romari, a beowulf warrior, the hunter, and Maxenne. CH 181 Apparently, the hunter fled to the forest as soon as the yeti appeared. He couldn¡¯t compare with the orc warriors when it came to battles, but the hunter possessed superior knowledge when it came to survival skills and the habits of beasts and monsters. As such, he was able to preserve his life. ¡°You¡¯re lucky. What about you?¡± Eugene asked. Although Eugene¡¯s tone had changed drastically from their first encounter, Maxenne could only bow his head while trembling. Eugene had appeared from where the orc chief escaped, and it only meant one thing. ¡°W-well¡­ I was hiding among the dead warriors¡­¡± Maxenne answered. Galfredik commented with a grin, ¡°Kyah~ You¡¯re quite skilled. You outdid yourself even in that mess.¡± Maxenne¡¯s face glowed even redder. They were calling the hunter lucky, but himself skilled. Anyone could see that the man was being sarcastic. However, Maxenne had already abandoned his pride as a warrior. There was nothing he could say. Eugene turned his gaze away from Maxenne and spoke, ¡°And what about the snow ogre and the other monsters? You couldn¡¯t have killed them all, right?¡± Romari answered with trembling legs. She had exhausted herself by using magic to charm a huge group of monsters. ¡°Well, it¡¯s quite strange, actually. They killed all the mercenaries, started fighting among themselves, then started running away. It looked as if they were extremely surprised by something.¡± ¡°Just now?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. The yeti, so the snow ogre, was the first one to run away,¡± Romari answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene stroked his chin. Romari carefully spoke, ¡°Sir Eugene. This is only a hypothesis, but monsters who¡¯ve lived a long time on a special mountain, just like this one, can develop some semblance of consciousness. In particular, I heard that stronger and higher ranked monsters evolve even further due to the spiritual nature of the mountains.¡± ¡°Like that wicked creature?¡± Eugene pointed to the greedy spirit, who was busy searching through the pockets of the dead mercenaries and warriors ¡°Kiee¡­ they¡¯re all beggars,¡± Mirian said dejectedly with a pout. A spirit of water searching for wealth in the middle of a bloody mess¡­ It was an unexpected sight. Romari¡¯s expression turned very complicated and pitying as she observed Mirian. She explained, ¡°Yes, yes. Well, it would be different from her, but it¡¯s still similar in a way. In the case of the yeti, it would be more fitting to label it a mythical creature.¡± ¡°Hmm, anyway. You¡¯re saying that the monster gained consciousness?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Probably. That¡¯s likely why it ran away as soon as you used your Fear. It judged that it couldn¡¯t handle Sir Eugene as an opponent,¡± Romari responded. ¡°You make it sound so complicated, but you¡¯re just saying that the monster ran away because it was scared of Master, right?¡± Galfredik came to a simple, clear conclusion. Romari nodded. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°No wonder it didn¡¯t show itself when we were crossing the mountain. It¡¯s smart for being such a big guy. Roamers these days¡­ They have no spirit,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°And how many monsters do you think could possibly even think to show off their spirit in front of an Origin?¡± Indeed, even monsters residing in evil lands fled when they came to face Eugene¡¯s Fear, despite having been consumed by the evil, chaotic energy of the evil lands. It was no wonder that roamers had fled as soon as they sensed Eugene¡¯s Fear. ¡°Anyway, is there no chance that the yeti will attack us first?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Romari answered. ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s a little disappointing¡­¡± Eugene licked his lips. He had been unable to participate in any subjugations recently due to the Brantian expedition. In addition, it was highly likely that a monster of the yeti¡¯s caliber would possess a red mana stone. As if noticing Eugene¡¯s thoughts, Romari asked without hiding her expectations, ¡°Sir Eugene. Are you going to kill it? Yetis are quite rare and precious.¡± Eugene answered, ¡°No. It¡¯s a shame, but we¡¯ll have to put it on hold. We have something more important to do.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Romari was dejected at Eugene¡¯s answer, but there was nothing she could do. In the first place, they weren¡¯t here to kill monsters. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Y-yes!¡± Maxenne hurriedly responded while raising his head. He had been stealing glances at Eugene¡¯s party with mixed emotions as they conversed in a foreign language. ¡°Let me ask you a few things,¡± Eugene started. ¡°Anything! Please ask me! I will tell you everything I know!¡± Maxenne answered. ¡°How many troops are there remaining in the Tolo family?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-There shouldn¡¯t be more than a few dozen guards. The orc chief had called for all of the orc warriors and the mercenaries,¡± Maxenne responded. ¡°Hooh, is that so? So if someone attacks them now, they won¡¯t be able to put up a fight, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°P-Probably,¡± Maxenne answered with a pale expression. He wasn¡¯t an idiot, and there was no way he was oblivious to the identity of the ¡®someone¡¯ Eugene had mentioned. The knight had utilized monsters to completely wipe out hundreds of troops. Maxenne was certain they could handle a small group of guards. ¡°Are you going to take care of them right away?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Hmm. I¡¯m thinking about it¡­¡± Eugene answered. He became lost in thought for a moment before turning toward Maxenne and asking, ¡°How many direct descendants of the Tolo family are there remaining?¡± ¡°B-by that¡­ are you referring to the sons and daughters of the chief?¡± Maxenne asked. ¡°Whatever. How many can represent the Tolo family?¡± Eugene clarified. ¡°Oh, well, there aren¡¯t any,¡± Maxenne said. ¡°What?¡± Eugene asked with a frown, and Maxenne came to realize that the scary knight wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about the northern orcs. ¡®Should I lie?¡¯ He was tempted to do it, but he quickly shook away his thoughts. Eugene¡¯s group would invade the home of the Tolo family anyway. If he lied, it would be discovered sooner rather than later. ¡°B-Both the tribal chief and his immediate family from a noble family have to participate in wars. Orc warriors cannot represent their tribes if they do not participate in wars. It was the same this time around,¡± Maxenne explained. ¡°Really? Then the direct descendants of the Tolo family¡­¡± Eugene muttered while looking around at the bloody aftermath of the battle. Maxenne nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes. All of them had been here, except the orcs who were too old or young.¡± ¡°Huh?! No matter how simple and ignorant orcs are, that¡¯s just unbelievable. So he dragged all of his grown-up sons and daughters to the battlefield?¡± Eugene asked. Maxenne responded, ¡°Uh, well. It¡¯s only natural for us.¡± Even the stoic and seemingly unfazed Galredik looked to be in disbelief¡­ ¡°So that¡¯s why most orcs are short-lived. They¡¯re real men who live their lives without regret,¡± Galfredik commented. Perhaps such an extreme way of life was natural for the orc rulers of the North. However, it was still quite difficult for humans to understand such actions, as they valued the preservation of their lineage. ¡°So it¡¯s just the old and the young? Hmm,¡± Eugene said before falling into deep contemplation. When he first crossed the snowy mountains, his goal had been to identify the movements of the Bayman Orcs and to deal a small blow if an opportunity arose. However, various circumstances had led him to his current situation, leading to the collapse of the Tolo family. And since the Tolo family played a major role within the Bayman Orcs, their demise was a huge blow to the entirety of the Bayman Orcs as well. Eugene had already well exceeded his original goal. However¡­ ¡®Something more¡­ Couldn¡¯t we make this into an even better opportunity?¡¯ Even if the Tolo family, the strongest, collapsed, there were still six other families remaining in the Bayman Orcs. Although luck had been on his side this time around, he couldn¡¯t guarantee that it would be the same in the future as he dealt with the other families. ¡®They say it¡¯s a union, but all of them are motivated by self-interests. That¡¯s why they were competing to be the first to invade. If that¡¯s the case¡­.¡¯ Eugen stroked his chin out of habit, and as he contemplated, he noticed Maxenne stealing a glance at him with nervous eyes. ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ A brilliant idea came to mind. ¡°Oi, Sir Maxenne,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Y-Yes!¡± ¡°You, do you know who I am?¡± Eugene asked. ¡®I don¡¯t want to know! Don¡¯t tell me, please!¡¯ That was how he truly felt, but he didn¡¯t dare to voice his thoughts. He shook his head with an awkward smile. ¡°I-I apologize. I am quite short-sighted.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Duke Batla,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Hiek!¡± Maxenne¡¯s face turned ashen at Eugene¡¯s immediate answer. He had been skeptical, but it turned out that the one responsible for everything was the vampire duke himself. As expected, it would have been better if he was ignorant. ¡°Please spare my life! I only wanted to make accomplishments in the war! I didn¡¯t join the vanguard out of my hate for the duke. I swear¡­¡± Maxenne pleaded. ¡°Oh, I know. Why would I blame you? If there¡¯s any fault, it would be with the chiefs of the Bayman Orcs¡¯ tribes,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°You¡¯re so generous! You are so fair! It¡¯s only fitting that someone like you should rule Brantia, Your Excellency! Of course!¡± Maxenne immediately fell to the ground and began praising Eugene. Eugene became certain that his eyesight hadn¡¯t failed him. He had predicted exactly the type of person Maxenne was. He was a man of honor, but he was a coward. He was faithful to his desires rather than his honor, probably due to his heritage as a half-orc. ¡°Sir, you joined the vanguard because you wanted to get ahead, right? You believed that you might have even gotten your hands on a piece of land south of the snowy mountain,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah, yes. Yes, yes. However, I promise with all my heart that I am not against the duke¡­¡± Maxenne started. ¡°Oh, yes, yes. I know. Anyway, your desire for accomplishments. Is it still valid?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What?¡± Maxenne asked in return, dumbfounded. ¡°I¡¯m asking you if you want to get ahead. Do you want to become a lord?¡± Eugene asked in a soft voice. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Maxenne eventually nodded. ¡°Yes. If it wouldn¡¯t harm your interests, Your Excellency, then I would like to¡­ get ahead,¡± Maxenne confessed. ¡°Then do it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?¡± Maxenne became wide-eyed, and Eugene turned his gaze away from him with a mysterious smile. He spoke while looking over the bodies of the fallen orcs, ¡°Chief, elders, strong warriors. Moreover, I heard that all the sons and daughters of the Tolo family died, right? Won¡¯t they need someone to lead the Tolo tribe then?¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Although Maxenne was a coward, he also possessed a keen sense. His eyes widened at Eugene¡¯s suggestion, and Eugene turned to look at him again with a cold smile. ¡°You can lead the Tolo family. However, when you become the tribal chief¡­ You know, right?¡± Gulp! Maxenne¡¯s expression flitted between fear and desire for a moment. Soon, he nodded. *** ¡°Huh? Hey, look over there,¡± an orc guard said while tapping his colleague. ¡°Huh?¡± The other orc guard turned his gaze toward where his colleague was pointing. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the messenger that Sir Kunderima sent?¡± the orc guard said. ¡°And the other one is the halfie who left with the chief,¡± his colleague added. The two guards were startled to see Maxenne and the hunter. In the meantime, Maxenne straightened his back and shouted in a confident voice after arriving in front of the wooden fence. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the tribal chief¡¯s message! Open the gates!¡± The gates had been sealed tight after the departure of the warriors. However, they opened at Maxenne¡¯s bold words. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What about the chief?!¡±. ¡°The chief and the warriors have safely crossed the snowy mountain. We were ambushed by a group of roamers during our journey, but I fought them off with the other brave warriors,¡± Maxenne said before gesturing at the hunter. The hunter stepped forward and opened the bag he was holding. All kinds of materials gained from the corpses of monsters fell from the bag. Oohhh¡­! The eyes of the guards sparkled after seeing definite proof, and Maxenne shared a gaze with the hunter before continuing, ¡°There are even more that we killed. Anyway, there is a lot of news to deliver. Let¡¯s start with disposing of the monster corpses. Ah, right, who is in charge now?¡± ¡°Lord Karuton. The chief¡¯s uncle,¡± one of the orc guards answered. Orcs burned as bright as the sun in their youth. However, they weakened as if their youth had been a lie as soon as they passed into their 40s. The dead chief and most of the elders were in their forties, which meant that the chief¡¯s uncle was an old, feeble orc. ¡°I see. Will you show me to him?¡± Maxenne asked. ¡°Naturally¡­¡± Monster byproducts were essential resources for the orcs, as they were always in need of supplies. The guards answered with a grin and let the two orcs through. ¡°Ah, wait a minute,¡± Maxenne spoke after coming to a stop. The orc guards stared at him with curiosity. Maxenne continued with an awkward smile, ¡°Ah, well¡­ B-back home, there¡¯s a return ceremony to be performed after successfully killing monsters. C-call it a roar of victory. It¡¯s like an offering of thanks to the spirits of the earth.¡± ¡°Kuhaha! Well, then. Sir half-orc has all sorts of weird things to do. Well, this is certainly enough to brag about and to give thanks, so do as you would like,¡± one of the guards said with a boisterous laugh. Even if they were mere guards, they were still warriors of the Tolo family. They found the half-orc¡¯s actions rather cute, though it was quite ridiculous. ¡®I¡¯ll pull out all of your fangs raw, you bastards. I¡¯ll see you later.¡¯ ¡°Haha. Thank you for your understanding.¡± Maxenne calmed himself and smiled before climbing up a wooden post. ¡°Haaa¡­ Wheeew¡­¡± After taking a breath, Maxenne took a large gulp of the North¡¯s cold air, then shouted like thunder. ¡°Max-enn-e of T-o-o-o-o-olo! Invites! S-i-i-ir Eugene insideeeeee---!!!¡± A voice filled with anger, fear, and ambition resonated to the far depths of the desolate fields. After a moment, Duke Jan Eugene Batla appeared with his group. He was equipped with all the equipment he had hidden in the depths of the snowy mountains. CH 182 Ten minutes later¡­ Eugene entered through the wooden fence after receiving Maxenne¡¯s invitation, and he succeeded in destroying the village¡¯s troops in just ten minutes. The remaining troops numbered less than thirty, and the rest were females, children, and the elderly. Of course, orcs were strong and rugged regardless of their gender and age, but it was impossible for ordinary residents to put up any resistance against Eugene¡¯s group. ¡°You wicked little fangs! The spirits of the earth will punish you and swallow you whole!¡± ¡°When the warriors return, they will tear your limbs apart and devour your heart!¡± The remaining warriors of the Tolo family cursed their hearts out, but they were already badly beaten and were even tied up. Eugene was unfazed by their shouts. Rather, he looked rather annoyed as he responded to their curses, ¡°That¡¯s funny. You have the right to kill me, but it¡¯s evil for me to do this? ¡°What?¡± the orcs asked, dumbfounded. ¡°Your chief and the warriors departed to kill me, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that means you are¡­¡± the orcs finally recognized Eugene¡¯s identity. Eugene nodded before responding, ¡°That¡¯s right. I am Duke Jan Eugene Batla. You should at least know who you¡¯re trying to kill, you stoneheads.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The orcs were shocked. Their fangs jutted out of their open jaws. Eugene continued, ¡°And if I were really evil, I would have already killed you all, right? As you know, I¡¯m a vampire. Since I didn¡¯t even suck your blood and left you alive, wouldn¡¯t it be for a good reason? How are a bunch of idiots like you going to unify Brantia?¡± ¡°...¡± Despite the insult, the orcs remained silent. Although they were rather simple, they weren¡¯t stupid enough to retort to Eugene¡¯s words. Eugene was holding the blade, and he had every right to kill them. Even so, he kept them alive, and they knew he would have a good reason behind his inaction. ¡°Maxenne,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°E-Ehem.¡± Maxenne stepped out with an awkward cough at Eugene¡¯s call. The expressions of the orcs suddenly turned fierce. Although Maxenne was a half-orc, he still possessed the blood of the Tolo tribe. The orcs didn¡¯t look kindly upon a traitor who turned them over to the enemy. ¡°I-I understand. Everyone must be extremely angry. All of you must consider me a traitor. But it¡¯s all a misunderstanding. I only accepted His Excellency Batla¡¯s offer to save all of Tolo,¡± Maxenne started to explain. ¡°Stop shitting goblin dung out of your mouth and get ready to go to hell, you traitorous little bastard!¡± ¡°Once the chief returns, he¡¯ll pull out your spine. Take care not to lose your head until then.¡± The harsh words of the orcs caused Maxenne to turn pale. However, he stole a glance at Eugene¡¯s icy eyes, then mustered up the courage to continue, ¡°T-That won¡¯t be happening. The warriors, including the chief, are dead.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? You half-baked bastard, you think you can fool us with your lies?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a lie. It¡¯s true,¡± Maxenne said while gesturing at the hunter. The hunter placed down another bag, then emptied its contents with great solemnity and respect. ¡°Keugh?!¡± ¡°T-T-that¡¯s¡­¡± The objects were none other than an assortment of colorful fangs with rings. The biggest and the most colorful of the fangs belonged to the chief of the Tolo tribe. ¡°The orc chief and the orc warriors died fighting against roamers while trying to cross the White Fang Mountain. Coincidentally, His Excellency the Duke had also been crossing over the mountain. So¡­¡± Maxenne continued with the story. He had practiced telling his story to the hunter dozens of times. It was extremely realistic¡ªso realistic that the orcs wholly focused on the story as sweat started to form on their foreheads while they tightly gripped hands. ¡°¡­And so, having confirmed Sir Kunderima¡¯s end, His Excellency Batla decided that the first thing he would do was to destroy the roamers of the mountain. When he crossed the mountain, he discovered the chief. And despite being enemies, he fought with the chief against the monsters, but it was already too late. Everyone was killed, and only this orc and I survived with the help of the duke¡¯s party,¡± Maxenne concluded, then he looked alternatingly between the orcs and the collection of fangs with sorrowful eyes before suddenly falling on his knees. ¡°I am ashamed to be the only one to have survived. I apologize to the fangs of Tolo. It was only right for me to have perished fighting along with everyone else, but I thought that someone needed to relay the news Please¡­ please don¡¯t forgive this shameful half-orc! Uwahaaa!¡± Maxenne even burst into unplanned tears. It was due to the great embarrassment and skepticism he felt. He couldn¡¯t believe that he had to resort to such desperate measures just to preserve his life. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with that bastard?¡¯ ¡®How would I know? Anyway, he¡¯s putting on a great performance.¡¯ Eugene was completely oblivious to Maxenne¡¯s innermost thoughts. He was simply impressed with the half-orc¡¯s excellent acting skills. However, there was someone else who deserved the title of an acting genius. ¡°Sir Maxenne! You did your best! So please, let go of your guilt! And please don¡¯t ever think about killing yourself again! You must live on and continue the pride of the Tolo warriors! Kheugh!¡± ¡°Killing himself¡­?¡± The hunter stepped out in a timely manner and provided excellent assistance by comforting Maxenne and shedding a tear. The orcs had been staring at Maxenne with sadness. But once the hunter stepped in, their eyes became tinged with a hint of surprise. ¡®Kieeee. I can¡¯t believe they improvised this. What an amazing bunch.¡¯ ¡®Yeah. I gave them the orders, but I never thought they would be so great together.¡¯ ¡®Anyone else would think that they are a duo of an honorable knight and his faithful aide.¡¯ Eugene¡¯s group also couldn¡¯t hide their admiration. They watched on as the half-orc and the hunter held each other and shed thick droplets from their eyes. ¡°T-Then let me ask you one thing...¡± one of the older orcs said. ¡°Keup! Ask me anything,¡± Maxenne responded while wiping away his tears. The old orc looked sideways at Eugene before continuing, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell the truth from the very beginning? Why did you trick everyone?¡± ¡°Phew! Would you have believed me if I did that? Who do you think the chief set out against? I didn¡¯t lie because I wanted to¡­¡± Maxenne answered. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The old orc was rendered speechless. It was true. If the half-orc had started with the story, no one would have believed him. The whole tribe would have fought against the vampire duke with their lives on the line. As the atmosphere of the Tolo orcs subsided somewhat, Eugene stepped out. ¡°Can I say something?¡± he said. ¡°¡­¡± The orcs nodded wordlessly. ¡°Originally, I was going to wipe you all out. However, this proud, honorable warrior of the Tolo tribe risked his life to persuade me. He begged me to spare the rest of the tribe. But I¡¯m not generous enough to spare the lives of those who planned to kill me. And that was when he made a suggestion¡­¡± Eugene started to explain. The gazes of the orcs turned toward Maxenne. Eugene continued, ¡°He said he would continue the honor and pride of the Tolo family, and persuade the other tribes. Tolo would once again stand as the centerpiece of the Bayman Orcs and make peace with me. As such, I accepted his offer and gave him a chance.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The orcs became wide-eyed after hearing the shocking story. ¡°H-How ridiculous!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! We appreciate that you retrieved the corpses of the chief and the warriors, but the Bayman Orcs will never give in!¡± ¡°We still have many brave warriors!¡± The warriors started raising their voices once again. Eugene looked over them with a cold gaze before responding, ¡°I heard most of those warriors left on ships to kill me, right? Wouldn¡¯t that make it so that the other tribes are in a similar situation as here?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°And did you not hear a single word I said? I asked to make peace. What is it? Are you having a hard time believing my words because I beat all of you up and tied you up? Should I just kill you as I originally planned?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Even the most foolish of the naive orcs finally realized why Eugene had chosen to tie them up instead of killing them all. ¡°Just tell me if you want me to end your lives right now. I¡¯ll just burn everything to the ground and go find another tribe,¡± Eugene stated. His voice was colder and sharper than the biting northern winds and the Origin¡¯s fierce Fear caused the thick skins of the orcs to tremble with fear. They were eventually forced to give in, as any other choice would lead to the demise of the Tolo family. *** Maxenne was appointed as the temporary chief with the unanimous consent of the remaining warriors and the members of the Tolo family. He couldn¡¯t immediately become the official chief because he was a half-orc and the children of the previous chief were still young and alive. Still, he was satisfied with this outcome. Eugene had no complaints as well. Once he united the rest of the tribes as well, Maxenne would become the representative of the Bayman Orcs, regardless of whether the Tolo family liked it or not. How would he accomplish this? Simple¡ªhe was going to make sure of it. What other choice would the orcs have if he declared that he was only willing to speak with Maxenne? It didn¡¯t matter if some of the tribes were reluctant. From his experiences thus far, Eugene knew northern Brantia to be a barren land. It was uncivilized. Even if he forcibly conquered the North in his plan to unite the country, he judged that he would have more to lose than to gain. Rather, it was much better to use the same tactic as he had with the Fransil family, Eland, and Brodin. He would guarantee them autonomy, as well as an appropriate title. It was up to the orcs to beat each other up over the title. Of course, it was entirely possible that a great hero would one day rally all the orcs, but such a thing would never happen in his lifetime. That was a problem for Luke¡¯s descendants to worry about. ¡°Um, will this really be okay?¡± Maxenne asked. He carefully held out a parchment packed with scribble-like writing. Unlike most orcs, Maxenne was literate, perhaps due to his human father. Eugene checked the contents of the letter and nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Good. My knight will be satisfied with this.¡± Eugen had made a request, or rather, an order for Maxenne to write a letter of apology for Lanslo. Although the chief and most of the warriors belonging to the Tolo family were dead, revenge couldn¡¯t be called proper unless it was achieved with one¡¯s own hands. ¡®It¡¯s only temporary, but Lanslo will be satisfied receiving the handwritten letter of the tribe¡¯s chief and the fangs of the previous chief¡¯s direct descendants.¡¯ Eugene took the parchment with such thoughts. Maxenne carefully asked, ¡°So where will you be going now?¡± ¡°I will return to where I came from. The same tactic isn¡¯t going to work for the other tribes anyway,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true,¡± Maxenne nodded. Eugene had successfully occupied the Tolo family because Maxenne, the inviter, possessed the blood of the Tolo family. There was no way the other tribes would allow a vampire to enter their territories unless they were crazy. Although Eugene could make a plan to infiltrate the other tribes, he had already lost interest in the North. ¡®It will be better to let the orcs fight it out among themselves. All the capable warriors have already departed on ships anyway.¡¯ In addition, the North only had three evil lands. Moreover, since they had been opened a long time ago, they had been completely wiped out due to the constant, massive influx of strong orc warriors. It was highly unlikely that Eugene would discover any monster with red mana stones in those evil lands, and as such, he completely gave up any of his lingering attachments to the North. ¡°Excuse me, Your Excellency,¡± Maxenne suddenly spoke. ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene answered. ¡°As long as I am the chief, I will take responsibility and prevent anyone from crossing the White Fang Mountain. I swear it on my fang,¡± Maxenne declared. It was the result of mutual greed and understanding. But regardless of the reason, Maxenne was truly grateful to his benefactor for helping him become the tribe chief. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing to say. But it doesn¡¯t matter if someone tries to cross the mountain,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°No one¡¯s going to succeed anyway,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Ah¡­ Y-yes, as expected, right?¡± Maxenne pretended to accept Eugene¡¯s words, but he couldn¡¯t help but wonder. If a strong warrior appeared one day, even if they weren¡¯t as strong as Eugene¡­ ¡°Tell them to cross it if they want to be ripped to shreds by a snow ogre,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°¡­?!¡±Maxenne was appalled by Eugene¡¯s statement. Eugene stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll get going. Ah, you, come with me.¡± The hunter answered in confusion, ¡°Y-yes?¡± He had been soaking in his dreams of living a sweet, sweet future as the only one who was privy to the chief¡¯s secret. As such, he was shocked by Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Why are you so surprised? Were you planning to stay here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡®Obviously!¡¯ Unfortunately, the hunter couldn¡¯t voice his thoughts. He slowly raised himself from his chair while sweating. Eugene continued with a smirk, ¡°If you stay here, you¡¯re going to die.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± the hunter asked with fear while looking at Wolfslaughter on Eugene¡¯s belt and Madarazika on his back. Eugene wrapped his arms around the hunter and slightly raised his voice as if he wanted Maxenne to hear his words. ¡°When we leave, you¡¯ll be the only one who knows his secret. Do you really think that the sneaky half-orc will let anyone who knows his weakness live? If I were him, I would immediately eliminate such a source of anxiety.¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The hunter slowly turned his face. He met Maxenne¡¯s gaze, and was shocked to see an expression of epiphany on Maxenne¡¯s face. The hunter could easily read the ¡®hesitation¡¯ in Maxenne¡¯s eyes. ¡®What? Did that half-formed fang bastard really¡­?¡¯ The burning camaraderie that formed between them during their cry disappeared like a mirage of an oasis in the desert. ¡°What do you think? Am I right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡®Even an idiot could tell that you planted the idea in his head just now!¡¯ ¡°Y-yes. I¡­ think so. Hehe. Hehehe¡­¡± The hunter had no choice but to follow the insidious vampire with a forced laugh. ¡°Here, take this. You have a very important mission. It¡¯s also the only way for you to prolong your life,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Whatever you say is law, Your Excellency. I will follow you until the end.¡± The gold coin in his hand dispelled any dissatisfaction he had toward Eugene. The vampire was slightly insidious, but he was generous. CH 183 ¡°Galfredik. You stay here with the beowulfs,¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Got it,¡± Galfredik immediately agreed. However, the beowulfs appeared surprised by Eugene¡¯s decision, ¡°Dark Lord, why is that so? I thought you were done with your work here.¡± ¡°You want us to stay with these piglets? I can¡¯t possibly do that.¡± The beowulfs weren¡¯t quite angry, but they were clearly offended. Eugene shrugged in response, ¡°If you were to stay here, you would be able to fight it out against the orcs as much as you want. In addition, orcs mainly consume meat, so you could have meat for three meals a day. Well, if you don¡¯t like it¡­¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± The beowulfs showed an instant change in attitude. Eugene nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Of course. You heard earlier, right? There are still six tribes remaining. Most of the strong warriors would have already departed on ships, but I¡¯m certain there are still soldiers guarding the tribes, just like here.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Although the beowulfs suppressed their temper and acted rather timid in front of Eugene, they were initially a race as belligerent as the orcs. Moreover, there had never been many opportunities for them to fight against the orcs in the North. In the first place, the beowulf warriors followed Eugene because he had tempted them with a chance to fight as much as they wanted, and they were more tempted with the former than his promise to reconcile them with the Crawlmarine family. ¡°Stay here with Galfredik and help that orc out as well. If it seems like he is up to something else, feel free to blow his head away,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°T-that won¡¯t ever happen,¡± Maxenne hurriedly shook his hands and head while looking at Eugene with anxious eyes. The half-orc had been secretly hoping that a portion of Eugene¡¯s group would remain behind, even if it couldn¡¯t be Eugene himself. Although he had temporarily become the tribal chief, he was still a half-orc without any foundation. He was naturally anxious and worried. ¡°I will feed you meat every day. If all of you wouldn¡¯t mind, I would like to have you as my escorts¡­¡± Maxenne started. ¡°What? Is that true? You will give us meat every day?¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying. You don¡¯t even have any money.¡± The beowulf warriors reacted to the promise of meat. Maxenne continued, ¡°It¡¯s true. We may not have any money, but that does not mean we have no meat. It¡¯s been quite some time since we concluded our nomadic way of life.¡± ¡°Aha. Well¡­¡± the beowulfs grinned in response. They seemed convinced by Maxenne¡¯s words. Although it was difficult to win over the beowulfs¡¯ hearts, it was easy to move them to one¡¯s desire once a relationship was established. ¡°A couple of months will do. I just need to clean up and head over. Right, Master?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°The sooner the better, but don¡¯t overdo it. If you find that there aren¡¯t any more orcs that can stand up to the half-orc, you can cross over,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ehehehehe. Making a tribe chief out of a half-orc with nothing? That sounds fun in its own right. It¡¯s going to be a big achievement,¡± Galfredik stated. ¡°Kiek! What if they build a statue of Gal instead? I¡¯m against it. We need to make a statue of Sir Eugene first. I would be right there, sitting on his shoulder! Anyone who sees the statue should bow in and throw a gold coin, and if they¡¯re so petty as to throw in smaller coins, they won¡¯t get their wish granted. Kihehehehehehe!¡± Mirian exclaimed before exploding into a boisterous laugh. ¡°You¡¯re not dead yet, so why are you already thinking about things that will come after your death? And what¡¯s the point of gold after death? You won¡¯t even be able to use it,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°Kikeke~ Gal, you really don¡¯t know anything, do you? You don¡¯t collect gold, silver, and other treasures to use. It¡¯s exhilarating to just look at it. Why do you think dragons collect gold, silver, and treasures even though they can¡¯t use them? Kehehehehehe!¡± the spirit exclaimed once more. Everyone simply turned their attention away from the crazed spirit, who was now even comparing herself to a dragon. ¡°Work hard,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hehe. All right,¡± Galfredik responded. Eugene started to walk away, and Romari started hopping behind him. He turned his head. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Romari blankly responded. ¡°You stay here as well,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°What? Me? Why?¡± Romari asked. ¡°The other tribes might have sorcerers, right? You have to help,¡± Eugene answered. This was the very reason why he even brought her here. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Romari¡¯s face turned ashen. Galfredik spoke with a wide grin, ¡°Let¡¯s work hard, Miss Romari. Remember the smoldering, hot times we spent together?¡± ¡°Stop saying such misleading things¡­¡± Romari glared at him. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m just talking about comradeship. Comradeship,¡± Galfredik answered. ¡°Ha¡­ I should have never spoken,¡± Romari muttered with a long sigh. Her shoulders drooped and her face filled with despair. ¡°I will give you a long vacation after this. Whether it¡¯s Mungard or Brighton, I will provide you with proper accommodation and as much as ingredients as you want. Feel free to focus on whatever you want by then, whether it¡¯s research or creating a chimera,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What? Really?¡± Romari asked. Eugene answered, ¡°Of course. My aide will become the king of Brantia once the work here is done, after all.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Romari¡¯s expression suddenly brightened up. It was true that no other forces could threaten Eugene once the Bayman Orcs of the North had been taken care of. Moreover, Luke, the future king of Brantia, had always been respectful toward Romari. ¡°I will do my best. No matter what, I will make that half-orc into the leader of the Bayman Orcs,¡± Romari said with determination. ¡°Yes. I trust you,¡± Eugene responded with a satisfied smile. Then, he turned to Maxenne with a change in expression. ¡°You heard them, right? My knight and wizard will help you. If you still manage to fail, I will be very disappointed.¡± Maxenne responded, ¡°I will succeed no matter what. Please leave it to me.¡± A flame ignited in the half-orc¡¯s heart as he bowed. *** Early morning the next day, Eugene quietly left the village of the Tolo family with only the hunter and headed down the road to Balmund. He once again arrived on the White Fang Mountain. The site felt calm and sacred as if the recent massacre had never even happened. However, the cold wind of the mountain, which dried one¡¯s breath, contained hints of malice belonging to various monsters. Eugene successfully traced the hints of the monsters¡¯ energy with his Fear and discovered their route of escape. ¡°They seem to have diverged into many directions right here,¡± Eugene said while looking around after arriving at a wide basin formed along a steep cliff. He sensed that the smaller monsters had fled down the valleys and the cliffs and that the larger ones had fled to the various peaks, which were likely their original residences. The hunter was amazed. It felt as if Eugene knew more about monsters than he did. He groveled while answering, ¡°That¡¯s right. Usually, monsters like goblins and kobolds like dark places without sunlight. Larger monsters mainly live in higher places where they have a wide range of view to spot any potential prey.¡± ¡°And what about the snow ogre?¡± Eugene asked. The hunter¡¯s expression stiffened at the mention of the yeti. ¡°That monster has no such characteristics. It thinks that the whole mountain belongs to it. That¡¯s probably why it attacked the warriors of the Tolo family in the first place.¡± ¡°By that, are you referring to the entire mountain range?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. Three to four mountains are the limit, no matter how big and strong they are. Any more than that, and it becomes hard for them to travel back and forth within a day. That¡¯s why they acknowledge each other¡¯s territories and avoid conflict,¡± the hunter explained. Eugene asked, ¡°Does that mean there are other monsters like the snow ogre?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure since I have never been to the other mountains, but they should exist,¡± the hunter responded. ¡°I see. So why did you stay here? Wouldn¡¯t it have been better for you to settle somewhere else since a dangerous monster like the yeti is roaming around this place?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s safer for there to be a king. It prevents other threatening monsters from barging in. It¡¯s fine as long as you know how to avoid the native monsters here and their territories,¡± the hunter answered. ¡°Hooh.¡± He could understand it. Indeed, a monarch in a country or a territory would stabilize the land and reduce the number of dangers and risks in the area. In other words, the hunted had lived in relative safety thanks to the region¡¯s monster king, the yeti. ¡°Um, are you trying to catch the yeti?¡± the hunter asked cautiously. ¡°Hmm...¡± Eugene remained silent with his gaze fixated on the direction where he believed the yeti to have fled. The white mountain that lay at the end of his sight was magnificent. Its peak climbed toward the sky as if it were a spear challenging the heavens. Its magnificence was reminiscent of a giant¡¯s palm restricting human access. However, even the seemingly impenetrable barrier had a gap, and the group had been able to enter the North through that gap. And in the midst of the gap, there lived the snow ogre, or the yeti, which was a powerful, unrivaled monster among the roamers. ¡®Is it a coincidence?¡¯ Eugene started to have doubts. ¡°You said you lived here for about ten years, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency,¡± the hunter answered. ¡°Have you ever heard of an evil land located on the snowy mountain?¡± Eugene asked. The hunter responded with surprised eyes,¡± How did you know about that, sir?¡± It was as expected. Eugene nodded, prompting the hunter to continue. ¡°It¡¯s something I heard from my dead father, but it¡¯s said that there is a dungeon located in the White Fang Mountain. The problem is that no one knows where it is.¡± Eugene responded, ¡°That¡¯s only obvious. If the orcs warriors knew of its location, there wouldn¡¯t be so many monsters on this mountain since they would have subjugated the evil land sooner or later.¡± ¡°Ah! That makes sense! You¡¯re amazing, Your Excellency!¡± The hunter expressed his awe. Eugene turned his head and looked over the magnificent, mysterious mountain. ¡°It should be around here. That dungeon,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The snow ogre settled in the vicinity, and that¡¯s good enough evidence. Since it came from the dungeon, it must know a lot about the dungeon¡¯s state. The monsters must have been expelled from the dungeon due to competition, so the yeti stayed there and hunted them quite comfortably,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°And there¡¯s a possibility that it might have been subjugated in the distant past,¡± Eugene added. ¡°H-How do you know that?¡± the hunter asked. ¡°This mountain range that you call the White Fang Mountain. It¡¯s very vast, right? However, among the enormous mountains, there is only one known route that can be used to travel back and forth, right? But it happens to be located here of all places. Now, all of that can¡¯t be a simple coincidence now, don¡¯t you think?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­!!!¡± The hunter¡¯s eyes became filled with shock. Eugene¡¯s reasoning was not only plausible, but it was almost certain. The chaos in Brantia had been persisting for more than a decade now. During that time, it would have been strange for anyone to show any interest in a desolate, remote area between the lands of the humans and the orcs. Eventually, the evil land of the snowy mountain would have been forgotten, and the yeti could have started its reign as the king after exiting from the evil land. ¡°Sir, sir. Does that mean you¡¯re going to subjugate the evil land here?¡± Mirian whispered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene stared at the snowy mountain with his arms folded. He had rediscovered an old, forgotten road. One day, the orcs would certainly discover the passageway and descend south of the snowy mountain. At the very least, they would come to hunt the yeti, which would naturally reveal the only passageway through the mountain. ¡®Maybe it would be better for me to leave the evil land alone.¡¯ Eugene came to a conclusion before turning to the hunter. ¡°We will have to catch the yeti.¡± ¡°Hiek! W-With just the two of us? I-I-I¡­¡± The hunter wanted to refuse, even if he were offered a bag of gold coins. However, he was frightened by the strange light contained in Eugene¡¯s crimson eyes, and he could not continue to voice out his thoughts. ¡°No. I will do it alone,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Ah! D-does that mean I can head back to my cabin now?¡± the hunter asked. ¡°No, you will follow me,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-yes...¡± There was no other choice but to obey the words of the one who carried both the sword and the gold. ¡®But at least, tell me why?!¡¯ Unfortunately, the hunter could never voice such thoughts, and he trudged after Eugene with drooping shoulders. All of a sudden, he heard Eugene¡¯s quiet voice penetrating into his ears, ¡°From now on, you will become the snow ogre¡¯s keeper.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The hunter froze like an old snowman. He was wrong to assume that nothing could surprise him anymore. CH 184 ¡®But how on earth is he planning to find and catch it?¡¯ The hunter couldn¡¯t erase his doubts as he followed behind Eugene. He knew that knights and warriors were masters of battles and experts of monster hunting. However, that was only true when they were inside an evil land, or when they were faced with a monster. Finding traces of monsters, chasing them, identifying traps set by the sneaky monsters, creating favorable situations, and finally catching the prey was a completely different matter altogether. This was why those who came to the snowy mountain had always hired him. A knight or a warrior would take command against monsters, but the rest of the process was under the domain of a guide or a hunter. Unfortunately, those knights and warriors would often proudly take credit for a guide or a hunter¡¯s contributions as their own. As soon as they achieved their goal, they would often completely disregard the guide or the hunter¡¯s contributions. ¡®His Excellency seems to be different from the usual bunch, but¡­ he¡¯s probably the same when it comes to these matters.¡¯ The hunter revered Eugene, but when it came to monster hunting, he assumed Eugene to be no different from any others. He thought that Eugene would try to take the initiative, but the latter would eventually leave it to himself when tracking the monster. ¡°Shall we get started?¡± Eugene murmured. ¡®As expected, His Excellency is no different.¡¯ The hunter tried stepping forward with a smile¡ªit was finally time for him to shine. However, he was interrupted by Eugene. ¡°You stay back and keep safe.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The hunter was taken aback by the unexpected development. He blinked several times before carefully speaking, ¡°Excuse me, but with all due respect, Your Excellency, shouldn¡¯t I take over from here? I have no intention of disrespecting you, but I should pursue the monster¡¯s tracks so that Your Excellency¡­¡± ¡°There is no need to pursue the monster,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?¡± Eugene stood tall, then spoke in a quiet voice while evoking his Fear, ¡°I will have him come to me.¡± Paaaaa¡­ The air itself began to vibrate and the accumulated snow on Eugene¡¯s shoulders began to quiver. The force contained in the Fear pushed the snow away, and the flakes vaporized before they could even reach the ground. ¡°¡­!!!¡± The hunter couldn¡¯t hide his shock when he saw a crimson haze appear around Eugene. In the past, he had seen a druid work their magic a couple of times. However, the mysterious, reddish energy pierced his heart with both fear and wonder that was fundamentally different from magic. Kwaaaaaa¡­ The Fear was connected to the senses of the Origin, and it swept over the black rocks and the white snow like a wave. It passed over the beasts hunting for food, and the monsters devouring dead bodies. Every creature in the mountain was forced to surrender when faced with the authority of an Origin, regardless of their size, species, strengths, and weaknesses. The power was even more overwhelming than the energy belonging to the yeti, the king of the region. The Fear of the Origin forced all creatures in the snowy mountain to concede, then they began to encroach on the snow ogre¡¯s territory. ¡°Kwuo¡­¡± The yeti could only growl as it felt the restraints around its body and spirit becoming tighter and tighter. The creature felt its mouth becoming dry, and all the muscles in its body felt tense as it began to tremble. The pressure created by the authority even impacted the yeti¡¯s guts, which were filled with undigested pieces of humans, beasts, and monsters. ¡°Kuwuuuugh! Kuwugh!¡± Undigested pieces of flesh came gurgling out of the yeti¡¯s mouth and anus. It struggled to overcome the fear and the pain, but it was forced into submission by the tight, suffocating energy. It was even worse compared to when the creature first woke up in the dark dungeon. The yeti had successfully gained consciousness after driving away the evil energy of the dungeon a long time ago, and the mystical creature came to a realization. It needed to find the being who was binding it with fear from a distance. ¡°Kwuo¡­ Kuu¡­¡± The yeti escaped from its den with all its might. Then, it started following the crimson blood, which appeared to be beckoning the creature forward. *** ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Hiek!¡± the hunter exhaled loudly after being liberated from the pressure of the Fear. Although he hadn¡¯t been faced with the brunt of the Fear, it had still been difficult for him to breathe even though he was simply an observer from the back. ¡°Heuh¡­ Heuh¡­¡± The hunter stared at Eugene¡¯s back with bloodshot eyes. Even his face was painted red. He had often heard about the vampires living south of the snowy mountain, but he had simply regarded them as equivalents of stronger orc warriors. He also judged that the mercenaries and warriors of the Tolo tribe had only been defeated due to Eugene¡¯s amazing plan. But he had been mistaken¡­ The vampire duke had completely dominated the snowy mountain just now, which was supposedly built by giants during the beginning, with his energy. Now, he was looking down somewhere with calm eyes as if nothing had happened. The hunter naturally followed Eugene¡¯s gaze after barely recovering. He saw a large monster struggling up the slope. The creature possessed a grayish-white mane that was slightly different from the color of snow. ¡°Kieeee, kieeeeek! The giant snow monkey is coming!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The hunter almost screamed at the sudden, frivolous shouts of the spirit, but he managed to stop himself and lowered his posture before watching the yeti. ¡®S-something is wrong¡­¡¯ He felt that Eugene¡¯s calm attitude was strange, but he still managed to pull himself together. The yeti looked the same as before, but the overwhelming majesty he felt from the monster a few days ago couldn¡¯t be felt anymore. However, the appearance of the terrible and brutal monster was still horrifying, and the hunter felt his back become drenched in sweat as the monster closed the distance between them. Boom. Boom. Boom¡­ ¡°Hiek!¡± As the monster slowly walked toward the two, the hunter fell on his ass before quickly retreating and hiding behind Eugene. Soon, the yeti was only four or five meters away from Eugene, and the hunter felt a warm sensation on his crotch after coming face-to-face with a high-ranking monster for the first time in his life. Krrrrr¡­ The yeti growled while revealing its black teeth, which could even rip apart the tough skin and thick muscles of monsters and beasts. Eugene sensed the fear, anger, and confusion contained in the monster¡¯s eyes. Eugene spoke as his eyelids twitched, ¡°Kneel, you bastard.¡± Kwaaaahh! Eugene¡¯s Fear suddenly exploded from his eyes and curled around the yeti¡¯s giant figure. Kuwugh! Kwwwuuuuuu¡­ The yeti flinched with surprise, then eventually knelt down on one knee. The strongest monster of the snowy mountain, which was created from the chaos of the beginning, had surrendered to a vampire much smaller than itself. The hunter was made speechless by the amazing sight. He could only watch while his teeth chattered. ¡°You seem to be conscious, so listen carefully,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°That¡¯s right! Listen carefully! Else, you¡¯ll be beaten to death!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just like me. Make sure to engrave my advice into your mind. I¡¯m telling you this as your experienced senior,¡± Mirian yelled with her hands on her waist. However, she quickly flew into her leather pocket once she felt Eugene¡¯s gaze moving toward her. The yeti lowered its head even further as if indicating submission. Eugene spoke with a voice containing Fear, ¡°From this moment, you are subordinate to me, Jan Eugene Batla. Your body and soul will be subordinate to me, and you will only receive instructions from me and those who represent me.¡± The monster was conscious and intelligent, but it had lived its entire life on the snowy mountain. There was no way the yeti could fully understand human speech. But even though Eugene had expressed his will in the human language, his authority and will was still directly imprinted on the monster¡¯s soul. The yeti¡¯s soul and instinct would accept Eugene¡¯s will. It could only be called the Power of Word, which was a mixture of an Origin¡¯s Charm and his Fear. ¡°If you violate my instructions, you will die. I will rip out every single hair you have and burn each and every single strand. But if you follow my instructions faithfully, I will acknowledge that all creatures born on the mountain belong to you. Even the evil land that you were born in,¡± Eugene continued. Gwuoo¡­?! The yeti raised its head. Surprisingly, the creature¡¯s eyes shone with joy. Eugene pointed to the hunter trembling behind him before speaking, ¡°Remember this orc. Until the day you die, he will be my agent and your keeper. Accept whatever this orc does on the mountain. And of all the beasts and tribes that come and pass through your territory, block and kill the ones he instructs you to. Do you understand?¡± Kuwuuuuugh! The yeti roared long while slamming its large, furry chest. Then, the yeti stared at the hunter as if memorizing his face, then it nodded. The hunter was dazed by the mysterious, seemingly impossible situation. Eugene stared at the hunter with dissatisfied eyes, then tapped him on the shoulder before speaking, ¡°What are you doing? At least, say hello.¡± ¡°Hiek?! Ah¡­ Y-yes. Yes!¡± the hunter squealed before gulping. Then, he cautiously approached the yeti. ¡°N-now, I look forward to your kind cooperation. I am Kuwaul,¡± the hunter said, introducing himself. ¡°Kuwugh?¡± the yeti responded. ¡°N-not Kuwugh, Kuwaul,¡± the hunter corrected. ¡°Kuwuuuuahhhhh!¡± the yeti roared. ¡°Hiek!¡± The hunter collapsed once again as his courage ran out. Eugene reproached him. ¡°It can only understand my words. And don¡¯t say your name in front of beasts or monsters. They might mistake it for a threat instead because of the pronunciation.¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± The hunter felt dejected. He had revealed his name for the first time just to be scolded. *** ¡°¡­Did you understand everything?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Y-yes. I will engrave your words on my bones,¡± the hunter responded with a deep bow. His status had risen dramatically from a simple hunter to Eugene¡¯s agent. He was now responsible for managing the only passage of the snowy mountain. ¡°Then recite it back to me,¡± Eugene ordered. Kuwaul coughed to clear his throat before speaking slowly and clearly, ¡°Chase out all the orcs who attempt to cross the White Fang Mountain from the North. Those coming from the south should also be killed, regardless of race, if they do not possess Your Excellency¡¯s crest. And¡­¡± Although Kuwaul was illiterate, he was rather bright and smart. He managed to perfectly recite Eugene¡¯s instructions. ¡°¡­A-and that¡¯s everything,¡± Kuwaul concluded. ¡°Good. As long as you remember that and carry it out, you and your descendants will be respected not only by the northern orcs but by all the races living south of the snowy mountain. I will grant you the title of a baronet since you are an agent who will carry out my orders,¡± Eugene said. ¡°T-thank you!¡± Kuwaul shouted with a bow. He didn¡¯t know what a baronet was, but from the sound of it, he was certain it was something like being a noble. ¡°Kieeeeh. Old man Kuwaul is so successful. Even our Gal doesn¡¯t have a title yet. Hey, hey, I was counting on you! Kuwang!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°W-well, my name isn¡¯t Kuwang, it¡¯s Kuwaul, cute spirit,¡± Kuwaul responded with a small smile. He much preferred the spirit, who was the size of his palm and had chubby cheeks, than the black-teethed yeti. ¡°Kieek? W-Was old man Kuwaul captivated by my charm as well? Kiehoo! My charm once caused the entire spirit world to tremble, and it doesn¡¯t discriminate between races. However, this love cannot be. I¡¯ve already been tamed by Sir Eugene in both body and spirit. That is why I volunteer myself day and night to¡­ Kieeeek!¡± the spirit spoke while contorting her body, then was flicked away by a finger strike that was twice or thrice stronger than usual. ¡°Pretend you didn¡¯t hear anything. She had always been weird and mentally strange,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± It was said that spirits and dogs took after their owners, however¡­ Kuwaul swallowed his words while bowing deeply. The subordinate knight, wizard, spirit, and even the vampire duke himself were strange and bizarre. But from now on, the strange vampire was his lord. ¡®Who knows? Maybe I¡¯ll become a real noble of the land if I do what I¡¯m told. Hehe!¡¯ Kuwaul fell deep into his own hopes and dreams. However, he had never imagined that his small wish would come to fruition decades later and that the honorable crest representing his family would depict the image of the white-furred snow ogre, the yeti. CH 185 ¡°One! Two!¡± Heave-ho! The port workers worked together to place a large wooden box down. One of the workers went up to the supervisor and asked, ¡°Excuse me, sir, but what is this? It¡¯s really heavy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not treasures, so don¡¯t worry about it,¡± the supervisor responded. ¡°Whew! Did I say otherwise? It¡¯s nothing like that,¡± The worker quickly waved his hands with a hint of regret and surprise on his face. He had been thinking that if the box contained gold, silver, or other expensive items, he could cooperate with the port¡¯s gangs and sneak it away. ¡°It¡¯s going to the Palin Association. It¡¯s a cargo meant for the Palin Association¡¯s Vice Executive, so if you want to put your hands on it, do it at your own risk. However, keep in mind that it won¡¯t simply end with having your hands severed,¡± the supervisor warned. ¡°N-No, it¡¯s not like I was¡­¡± the worker muttered before completely giving up on any lingering attachments to the wooden box. Messing with items belonging to the Palin Association in the middle of Maren Harbor was akin to suicide. Moreover, it was even truer if it was cargo meant for Priscilla Palin, known as the ¡°Witch of the Harbor.¡± She had recently risen to fame as the leader of the association¡¯s revival. ¡°There they come. Hey! Right over here!¡± the supervisor exclaimed while waving, and employees from the Palin Association came trodding over. A young man with a tidy appearance was among the group. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. Is this the cargo for the vice executive?¡± the young man asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. I was watching over it the entire time, so you don¡¯t have to worry about any damages,¡± the supervisor responded. The supervisor was only responsible for controlling workers in a small area of the port, and as such, he wasn¡¯t a person of great stature. However, the Palin Association placed more importance on the supervisor¡¯s role rather than his status, and the young man handed over a silver coin with a smile. ¡°Thank you for giving extra care. I will be sure to mention it to the vice executive as well,¡± the young man remarked. ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s always a pleasure doing business with the Palin Association. By the way, what is your name? I will make sure to remember it,¡± the supervisor chuckled before asking. The young man instructed the employees to move the box, then turned his head at the supervisor¡¯s question. ¡°Felid. It¡¯s Felid Tywin.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The supervisor was startled and hurriedly bowed. ¡°O-oh, so it was the young master of the Tywin family. I apologize. I did see you from afar the other day, but my vision is a bit dim, so¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. My brother is the lord, not me. Do I have to sign here?¡± Felid asked. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± The supervisor held out a yellow parchment spread out on a wooden board, and the young man signed it with soft, practiced handwriting. ¡°Then¡­¡± The young man lightly nodded. ¡°Ah, yes. Yes, please take care.¡± Unlike the young man, the supervisor gave an extremely courteous bow as the Palin Association¡¯s employees departed. ¡°Excuse me, supervisor. Who is that man, and why are you acting like that toward him? The Tywin family? Is it a famous family?¡± one of the workers asked with a frown. He was rather confused. If the brother of a noble family¡¯s lord was working for a business association, it meant that the family itself wasn¡¯t very prominent. The supervisor jerked his head around and gave a look of pity before responding, ¡°Hey, you ignorant fool. You make yourself a living in Maren Harbor, right? You might not know Lord Tywin, but how could you not know of his younger brother either?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Why was he being scolded for not knowing the younger brother of a lord? The worker simply couldn¡¯t understand it. Moreover, even the supervisor hadn¡¯t recognized the young man until he introduced himself, right? ¡°Listen carefully. Felid Tywin is Sir Jan Eugene¡¯s aide; no, His Excellency the Duke Batla¡¯s aide. If you treat him carelessly, you¡¯re done for,¡± the supervisor gravely remarked. ¡°Heuk!¡± The worker stiffened on the spot. He first came to know of Duke Batla a few months after he had arrived in Maren. He was a legendary knight who suddenly appeared one day and conquered the areas near Maren with his power. He departed on an expedition to Brantia with the support of Maren¡¯s mayor, as well as the guild leaders and the famous nobles of Maren. In the end, the self-made man had gone on to become a duke. ¡°The Palin Association¡¯s been coming up and around since this year, and the neighboring lords are gathering their forces with Maren at its center, all because of His Excellency Batla¡¯s successful expedition. Do you know how many mana stones and monster by-products we are receiving from Brantia?¡± the supervisor asked. ¡°O-of course. I carry those¡­¡± the worker responded. The huge amount of supplies they had been receiving from across the sea hadn¡¯t simply resulted in an increased demand for simple workers like himself. The worker had heard rumors in a pub that thanks to the explosive growth of various related industries, the city¡¯s tax revenue alone had more than doubled compared to the previous year. But what if all that was due to a single person¡¯s achievements? ¡°In our city, even the mayor concedes to His Excellency Batla. The Palin Association is the only business that the duke deals directly with, and Young Master Felid is his first aide,¡± the supervisor explained. ¡°I see. Um, so does that mean there are other aides? Why is Young Master Felid the only one working for the association? He could have made it big if he followed his master, right? Didn¡¯t that mean he was basically abandoned?¡± the worker asked. ¡°Ha! You punk. How ridiculous¡­¡± the supervisor muttered while staring at the worker with disbelief. He continued, ¡°Do you even know the identity of his second aide? Do you even know what happened? He¡¯s the new king of Brantia. Sir Eugene had made his second aide into a king. So what do you think he has planned for his first aide?¡± ¡°What?!¡± the worker exclaimed in shock. ¡°You bastard! Stop your bullshit and work!¡± the supervisor thundered. ¡°Ahk! I-I got it!¡± The worker hurried away. *** ¡°My master¡¯s shipment has arrived, Vice Executive,¡± Felid said. ¡°Ah! Is that¡­ so? Is¡­ Would¡­ the shipment be in my office?¡± Priscilla responded. ¡°Yes. And please speak as comfortably as before. I may be Master¡¯s aide, but I am also an employee of the Palin Association,¡± Felid stated. ¡°Ah, yes. Yes, I-I will try¡­¡± Priscilla responded. After hearing the wonderful news that Luke, who had gone from a slave to Eugene¡¯s aide, had taken Brantia¡¯s throne, Priscilla couldn¡¯t bring herself to treat Felid as comfortably as before. ¡®If he heads to Mungard right now, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for him to just take a spot, right? If he becomes Sir Eugene¡¯s agent in Mungard¡­¡¯ Brantia was finally settling after decades of chaos and confusion. What they lacked was food, and the rich continent would provide the supplies. In exchange, Brantia exported unpurified mana stones and monster by-products to the continent. As a result, more than half of mana stones and monster by-products from around ten evil lands were being transported over to Maren. What if Eugene¡¯s first aid, Felid, went over to Mungard and redirected most of the volume there from here? ¡°H-ho! Hoho! Come to think of it, it has been a while since you started working in our association, right?¡± Priscilla said. ¡°Uh, well, I can¡¯t say that it has been all that long¡­¡± A little flustered, Felid brushed the tip of his nose. ¡®S-so cute¡­¡¯ Priscilla¡¯s nostrils bulged and she took on a face similar to a middle-aged man. Although Felid wasn¡¯t strikingly handsome like Eugene or Lanslo, he was no longer an innocent country boy either. During the time he spent with the Palin Association, he had grown a palm taller and grew out a neat mustache. Anyone would see him as a neat, personable young man. In fact, Felid was quite popular with the ladies because his eyes were gentle, and he gave off a calm impression. There were quite a few nobles wanting to take Felid as their son-in-law, disregarding the fact that he was Eugene¡¯s aide. ¡°What do you mean? We can definitely call that a long time. Ah, so I was wondering; if I open a new branch, could you take charge of it?¡± Priscilla asked. ¡°What? Me?¡± Felid said with surprise. ¡°Of course. Who else could I trust except you, Felid? Lord Tywin¡¯s younger brother and Sir Eugene¡¯s aide¡­ Anyway, I had been thinking of¡­¡± Priscilla¡¯s words were interrupted by a loud bang. Tung! The two figures immediately turned their heads at the sudden noise. The source of the commotion was the large wooden box left in the middle of the office. ¡°W-What is it?¡± Priscilla said. ¡°Well, excuse me for a second,¡± Felid said while taking a stance in front of the slightly frightened Priscilla. Priscilla felt her cheeks heating up. ¡®Oh my! Oh my! What is this? N-no, maybe a reliable, younger man is fine too.¡¯ Felid stared at the box with a frown, not knowing that the vice executive was looking at his wide back with enamored eyes. Clatter! ¡°Ahk!¡± Priscilla screamed and clung to Felid¡¯s back when an even louder sound came from the box. Shing. Felid unsheathed his dagger and spoke, ¡°Vice Executive, please go and bring some people. Even if it¡¯s cargo from my master¡¯s territory¡­¡± ¡°If you call for anyone, the great man you call Master will be in trouble,¡± a voice called out. ¡°Hiek?!¡± Priscilla froze on the spot. There was someone in the box? ¡°Who is it?! Reveal yourself!¡± Felid shouted while holding up his dagger. He had received frequent training from the chatty knight, Sir Madarazika, so his posture appeared flawless. ¡°You seem to have a good foundation. Just what I might expect from the aide of the great one,¡± The ropes that bound the box broke, and the box collapsed to reveal its content. And what appeared was¡­ ¡°A-A coffin¡­?¡± Felid and Priscilla became wide-eyed when they saw a dark, grim sarcophagus. Soon, the coffin opened and fine soil overflowed from within. Afterward, a man appeared from inside the coffin. The two people felt their hair standing on end when they saw a normal person appear from the coffin. The only silver lining was that the figure didn¡¯t seem hostile toward them. The man was dressed in all black. He brushed the dirt off his hat and his shirt before speaking, ¡°The great one, or rather, His Excellency Duke Jan Eugene Batla. I am the administrator of his territory, Delmondo.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The two figures stood motionless with shock. They recalled a recent rumor that had suddenly started circulating in Maren. - Duke Batla may actually be a vampire. Apparently, it was true. *** ¡°¡­S-so, His Excellency was a real vampire?¡± Priscilla asked. ¡°You should not describe him with such a degrading term, though it is fine for me¡ªno, you cannot¡­¡± Delmondo spoke up. ¡°Uh¡­ I see.¡± Priscilla muttered. Delmondo took a large sip from his glass of wine and continued, ¡°Humans, elves, orcs, dwarves. Just like other races, we have a monarch as well. He is one of the monarchs, or perhaps he stands even above the monarchs. The fact that he is unafraid of the sun and mostly unaffected by the sacred artifacts of the church is proof.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Indeed, Eugene was completely fine during the day, and he wasn¡¯t afraid of priests or holy knights. Who could have possibly thought of him as a vampire? ¡°And unlike me, he does not need to feed very often. Moreover, he will drink the blood of larger monsters possessing mana stones rather than humans. That is the source of power for members of the Dark Clan,¡± Delmondo explained. ¡°That¡¯s the first time I heard of that¡­¡± Priscilla mumbled a response. ¡°Naturally. The church and priest of this kingdom are unconditionally hostile toward us, so they wouldn¡¯t have made it known,¡± Delmondo said, nodding. ¡°And why is that?¡± Priscilla asked. A sneer came to Delmondo¡¯s pale face as he responded, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be what¡¯s important right now. ¡°What¡­?¡± Priscilla asked. ¡°The City of Maren is on very bad terms with the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s royal family and the central church, right?¡± Delmondo stated. ¡°A-are you saying¡­?¡± Priscilla asked with surprise. Delmondo nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. A holy knight came to our territory. He called us pagans. The Archivald Marquisate has already become involved as well.¡± ¡°Those crazy bastards!¡± Priscilla exclaimed. Although she acted timid in front of Eugene, Priscilla was originally a woman of fierce temper. The fact that she earned her position as the association¡¯s vice executive proved her abilities and attitude. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the king and the church are thinking, but they drew their swords. In all likelihood, the City of Maren will be forced to make a choice as well. Will you stand on the side of the royal family, or with the great one and the Archivold family?¡± Delmondo asked. ¡°Hmph! There¡¯s no need to even think about it. I and the Palin Association will stand with Sir Eugene. What has the king ever done for us?¡± Priscilla responded. ¡°Do you really think that the City of Maren will share your thoughts?¡± Delmondo asked. ¡°Naturally. Would we suddenly join the royalists? Not that it will ever happen, but even if we did, the citizens would demand the mayor¡¯s head. We don¡¯t even know how much tax and military funds they will demand from the city. And worst-case scenario, I will ask my father and grandfather to replace the mayor. How much profit do you think Sir Eugene has gotten us so far?¡± Priscilla explained before asking. ¡°I-I see¡­¡± Delmondo was somewhat taken aback by Priscilla¡¯s response. She was fiercer and more temperamental than he had expected. In addition, he discovered why this woman had always maintained her relationship with Eugene. ¡®Although it¡¯s a relationship formed by money, she¡¯s loyal.¡¯ Felid had remained silent during the two people¡¯s conversation, but he spoke up after a moment of silence ensued, ¡°Excuse me, sir. I understand why you came to Maren, but who is managing the master¡¯s territory right now?¡± ¡°I just sold it,¡± Delmondo responded. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I have disposed of the territory to its original master, Marquis Archivold. That was the way to guarantee the greatest benefit to the great one,¡± Delmondo added with a mysterious smile. He was a competent official of the empire before becoming a vampire, and he had spent decades traveling and racking up experiences thereafter. CH 186 Delmondo gave a long explanation regarding his disposal of the territory, but unfortunately, Felid only understood less than half of what Delmondo had said. Meanwhile, Priscilla listened intently, nodded every once in a while, let loose surprised gasps, and clapped while bursting into an exclamation once he concluded. ¡°After hearing your explanation, I can only say that you made the right call, Sir Delmondo. Besides, the duke can repurchase it whenever he wants, so there¡¯s not much to lose either,¡± Priscilla commented. Delmondo responded, ¡°The Marquis of Archivold is a massive fan of the great one. Of course, I¡¯m certain she has her own goals to achieve through this transaction, but from the great one¡¯s perspective, the Carls Baggins Peninsula will be better off being under the marquis.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure. The new king of Brantia is His Excellency¡¯s aide. As long as Maren and Moffern continue to trade with Brantia, the Marquis of Archivold would not want her relationship with His Excellency to sour,¡± Priscilla said, nodding. ¡®As expected...¡¯ Delmondo was inwardly impressed by Priscilla. She was a woman with an attitude, loyalty, as well as a brain. ¡°I think I know why the great one continues to conduct his business with you,¡± Delmondo remarked. ¡°Ah, you flatter me!¡± Priscilla waved her hands while suppressing a grin. She continued after taking a cautious expression, ¡°So you¡¯re here to warn us personally?¡± ¡°That¡¯s half the reason,¡± Delmondo responded. ¡°Then what is the other half?¡± Priscilla asked. ¡°Please get me a ship leaving for Mungard,¡± Delmondo replied. ¡°Will you be heading there personally? Couldn¡¯t you have gone there straight from Maren¡­ Ah!¡± Priscilla realized the crux of the matter while she was speaking, and she couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. ¡°That¡¯s right. The fact that even a holy knight can sneak in, there¡¯s no one I can trust,¡± Delmondo said, nodding. ¡°And that is why you came via one of our merchant ships. All right. I will find a ship that is set to depart in the shortest time,¡± Priscilla responded. ¡°Thank you. I will surely mention your loyalty to the great one, Vice Executive,¡± Delmondo said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Priscilla said. She felt as if all her prejudices regarding vampires were falling apart. According to the clergy, vampires were sneaky, evil monsters who had always treated human lives like flies. However, after meeting with the vampire administrator, she found him to be a well-spoken, elegant individual. ¡®Well, Sir Eugene can be a little scary as well, but he has never done any harm to his own people. Anyway, I can¡¯t see any weaknesses or openings in this man. No wonder Sir Eugene chose to appoint him as the territory¡¯s administrator. Just what I would expect of Sir Eugene.¡¯ Priscilla continued to dig herself into an illusion in her own mind, and Delmondo was doing the same. ¡®As expected from the great one. I was wondering why he continued his relationship with the Palin Association, but it turns out they have a person who can best realize and represent his interest.¡¯ In reality, Eugene never had such profound implications behind his choices. They had simply come to be. Two days later, Delmondo¡¯s coffin was once again loaded on a ship that Priscilla found for him. After passing through the Rodrick Archipelagos, the merchant ship arrived in Mungard in five days. The casket was immediately delivered to Lord Markus¡¯s mansion. *** Eugene headed to a farmhouse located near the mountain range after crossing over to find Silion. He paid a moderate amount of silver for taking good care of his steed, then immediately left for the new royal capital, Brighton. The chaos had subsided considerably in Brantia, and as such, Eugene¡¯s first solo journey had been quite uneventful and comfortable. Of course, it wasn¡¯t without any problems. Eugene traveled alone in a long robe with a hat. His appearance was no different from an ignorant, na?ve noble traveling alone. And since there was no reason for Eugene to use his Fear during his travels, various bandits and roamers mistakenly recognized him as easy prey. Unsurprisingly, they were no match for Eugene, and he continued to travel South while slaying such groups about once per day. Five days later, when Brighton was just around the corner, Eugene came across a strange group. ¡°Kieeehh? Sir, sir. They must be nobles. Their armor looks expensive, and their carriage is huge and gorgeous,¡± Mirian commented. Her eyes shone brightly as she stared intently at the unknown group while hiding in Silion¡¯s mane. When it came to matters regarding money and wealth, she was more perceptive and sensitive than anyone else. ¡°You stay inside, just in case. Don¡¯t mess around,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Got it!¡± Mirian saluted before shooting into her leather pocket. Eugene slowly headed toward the unidentified group. ¡®Most of them are knights. But judging from their armor, they aren¡¯t from Brantia.¡¯ The dozen-or-so knights were armed with plate mail. However, the style of their armor was slightly different from those belonging to Brantia or the Caylor Kingdom. They looked¡­ tougher. ¡®They¡¯re not from Caylor, so where are they from?¡¯ Eugene approached the group with such thoughts. As soon as the riders spotted Eugene, they began to move. ¡®Hooh? Are they trying to protect someone?¡¯ Given that the movements of the riders were very concise yet unhesitating, they were obviously quite disciplined. The knights moved into a formation that would allow them to protect the figures located in the middle, but would also allow them to charge out at a moment¡¯s notice. Their wary eyes remained on Eugene. Eugene stopped Silion once he was close, then placed a hand on his chest before announcing his lack of any hostility, ¡°I do not know where you are coming from, but I have no intention of moving against you.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The knights flinched. ¡®Do they not speak the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s language?¡¯ After deducing that the knights couldn¡¯t be from Brantia, he had purposefully spoken in the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s language, which was more widely known. Eugene repeated himself in Brantian, and a voice came from inside the knights¡¯ formation. ¡°Sir, are you a knight from the Caylor Kingdom? Or are you a knight of the church?¡± The voice had answered in Caylorian, but with a distinctive accent. What was quite unusual was that the voice was rather thin and soft, even though they were trying to mask it. It was clear that the voice either belonged to a woman or a little boy. Eugene answered, ¡°Neither. And if you want to know who I am, isn¡¯t it customary to reveal who you are first?¡± The knights looked a little angry after hearing Eugene¡¯s words. ¡®As expected¡­¡¯ Eugene realized that whoever was inside the formation possessed a high status from the knights¡¯ reaction. ¡°Ah, I see. That was rude of me. Unfortunately, however, I cannot reveal my identity to you, sir. However, I can tell you that I come from the Roman Empire,¡± the voice responded. Eugene was quite surprised, though he looked calm on the outside. He had never imagined that he would encounter a noble and knights of the Roman Empire in Brantia, as he had never seen them in the Caylor Kingdom either. ¡°Then, will you tell me who you are, sir?¡± the voice asked in return. Whoever they were, they kept on making their voice sound thicker. Eugene responded, ¡°I am not obliged to reveal my identity to someone who won¡¯t even show their face. However, I can also let you know that I am a knight from the Caylor Kingdom.¡± ¡°XXXX! XXXXXXX!¡± ¡°XX. XXXX, XXXXX,¡± the knights began to converse in an unfamiliar, foreign language after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. Naturally, Eugene was able to decipher their words from the ability he gained from consuming the drake¡¯s red mana stone. ¡®Imperial prince? Did they just say imperial prince?¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter that the knights were voicing their intent to force the cheeky opponent to his knees or wanting to subdue the arrogant man in an instant. What mattered was the two words that Eugene managed to make out. An imperial prince was the son of the emperor. Someone as important and distinguished as the imperial prince had personally come to Brantia? ¡°I apologize. My knights are extremely loyal. Anyway, you have a point, sir. Then let us go our separate ways,¡± the voice remarked. ¡°Understood,¡± Eugene responded. He was very curious about the Roman Empire¡¯s imperial prince and his entourage, but his priority was to get to Brighton as soon as possible. As such, Eugene began to resume his journey after giving them a small nod. ¡°Ah, by the way, where are you headed?¡± The voice called out. Eugene responded, ¡°¡­Brighton.¡± ¡°Oh! Is that so?¡± The imperial prince exclaimed with joy. He continued, ¡°We are on our way to Brighton as well, so why don¡¯t you accompany us? As you can see, it is our first time here, and it took us quite a while to get to this point.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene was about to refuse. He didn¡¯t need more baggage on his way to Brighton. However¡­ ¡°I will compensate you well. Sir Kerkan Tar.¡± One of the knights came forward with a dissatisfied expression at the call, then threw a leather pouch toward Eugene. Eugene felt a pleasing, familiar weight when he received the pouch. ¡°Sir! Gold! It¡¯s gold!¡± Mirian exclaimed after poking her head out of her pocket. She had gained the ability to distinguish the identity of coins just by their sounds due to her obsession with money. In any case, there was only half a day¡¯s journey remaining until Brighton, and Eugene had no reason to refuse free money. He nodded after immediately pocketing the money, ¡°Let us do that. Follow me.¡± ¡°Yes. sirs,¡± the voice called out, and the knights quickly dispersed from their formation. Eugene gawked, curious about the appearance of an imperial prince who could afford to just throw away gold coins, and the knights sniggered. ¡°Hmph! This country boy from Caylor must be a curious little brat.¡± ¡°Sir Ortimas, that¡¯s because he¡¯s from the countryside, right? There¡¯s no way he can find real knights like us where he¡¯s from.¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably lying about the fact that he is a knight. What kind of a knight would go around by himself without any servants or aides?¡± ¡°He must be a mercenary, a knight wannabe.¡± Hahahha¡­ The knights continued to mock Eugene in the empire¡¯s language, completely unaware that Eugene could understand their words. ¡®Should I just beat them up?¡¯ Eugene was tempted, but he quickly shook his head. He could obtain more information if he continued to feign ignorance of the Roman Empire¡¯s language. Moreover, Eugene was more interested in the two people the knights were protecting. ¡®Is he the imperial prince?¡¯ There was a young man wearing fancy clothes and a hat decorated with many jewels. His outfit basically screamed ¡®I¡¯m a high-ranking noble~¡¯. And next to the imperial prince, who looked to be around 17 or 18, was another young man of similar age. He appeared to be a servant. ¡°Then I look forward to our journey, sir. You can call me Localope.¡± ¡°You can call me Jan, sir,¡± It was obviously an alias, so Eugene responded by simply giving his first name. The name Jan was quite common, so they shouldn¡¯t recognize him just by his first name. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter even if they recognize me.¡¯ ¡°Then I will call you Sir Jan.¡± Localope nodded with a solemn expression, then turned to the boy beside him and whispered, ¡°His attitude is a bit bad, but he doesn¡¯t look like the type to have other motives, Your Highness. He doesn¡¯t look as strong as our knights either.¡± ¡°I agree. Anyway, don¡¯t reveal anything and pay attention to what you say and do,¡± the other boy whispered. ¡°Yes...¡± Although the two were whispering in the empire¡¯s language, it was easy for a vampire to eavesdrop. However, the two people¡¯s actions and words seemed contradictory. ¡®Hooh. What¡¯s this?¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered when he discovered that the one wearing the simple gray robe and a hat was the real prince. He didn¡¯t know why, but the imperial prince of the Roman Empire had concealed his identity and was on his way to Brighton, the new royal capital of Brantia. That meant¡­ ¡®I don¡¯t know what purpose they have, but they must be trying to meet Luke, right?¡¯ There was no other reason for the Roman Empire¡¯s imperial prince to head to another country¡¯s capital. ¡®I can sense trouble brewing.¡¯ Eugene thought hard for a minute with a frown, then shrugged. Whatever the case, Luke was the new king of Brantia, and Eugene had put him on the throne to take care of such troublesome tasks. ¡®I¡¯m going to go around evil lands and collect red mana stones.¡¯ Eugene planned to travel leisurely while removing his tattoos. And when he recalled the pouch of gold coins he had received, he felt happy. However, the duke¡¯s good mood quickly faded away before even ten minutes had passed. ¡°Sir. Do you know the one who calls himself Brantia¡¯s king? Can you tell me about him?¡± ¡°Ah, it would be even better if you can tell us about the Dark Clan¡¯s duke, the one who is said to be the king¡¯s guardian.¡± ¡°I heard that the duke is quite strong. How does he compare to my knights?¡± ¡°By chance, is that duke a servant of the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s king?¡± Eugene regretted his decision to accompany the prince as he was bombarded with one question after another. Clang! ¡°I¡¯m not as shameless as to ask you for answers without a reward. I would appreciate it if you could tell me anything you know.¡± Eugene reflexively snatched another bag of gold out of the air. Did they think of him as a beggar? Why¡­ ¡°Sir! Gold again! He must be filthy rich!¡± the spirit excitedly whispered. Eugene stared at the prince with a frown. ¡°I was thinking about something else earlier, so I missed your questions. Please ask them again. I will answer to the best of my knowledge.¡± Eugene felt extremely motivated. The additional income was much too large to be treated as a simple allowance. It appeared that he had netted an innocent, ignorant-of-the-world customer. He could only take advantage. Favorite CH 187 ¡°First, I want you to tell me everything you know about the new King of Brantia,¡± the servant disguised as the imperial prince asked Eugene while raising his chin somewhat arrogantly once Eugene¡¯s attitude suddenly changed. Eugene could already see signs pointing to the kid¡¯s bleak future from his attitude, but it made sense. Even if he was just a servant, for him to serve the imperial prince meant he was from a prestigious noble family. ¡°Kieeeek? T-This little runt dares to act so arrogantly to Sir Eugene?! Is what I would say, but it was just too much gold! Ptooey! Ptooey!¡± the spirit exclaimed before diving into her pocket and literally sucking and licking the gold coins. Just as the spirit had said, Eugene could tolerate such a level of arrogance for the amount of gold he had received. As such, he responded calmly, ¡°The king is the son of Count Crawlmarine. He has the support of many influential families, including Eland, Brodin, Dark, and Eugene. In addition¡­¡± The servant interrupted, ¡°Anything other than such obvious stories? Do you know anything about him personally? From what I hear, the king started as a slave of Duke Batla before becoming his aide. Wouldn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s a little lacking in culture and sophistication?¡± ¡®Is this brat trying to pick a fight with me?¡¯ But the question obviously came from the real imperial prince, not from the servant in disguise. The Roman Empire was a symbol of civilization and power. It was entirely plausible for an imperial prince to evaluate the King of Brantia as such. Eugene responded, ¡°It¡¯s not the book that calms the storm, but rather the blade. The Brantian King is a knight of considerable strength. I think he deserves the throne.¡± ¡°Hooh?¡± The exclamation came from the real imperial prince. Eugene turned his gaze at the prince¡¯s reaction, and the prince quickly realized his mistake and looked away while feigning ignorance. ¡®He¡¯s a terrible actor. However, I should play along for now.¡¯ The fake prince coughed and changed the topic after reading the awkward atmosphere. ¡°Ehem! I see. But from what I heard, the Duke of Batla, the master and guardian of the king, is an amazing knight as well. Is that true?¡± Eugene responded, ¡°Well, I heard he has some skills with the blade.¡± Eugene glossed over it, as he couldn¡¯t possibly endorse and praise himself. It would simply be uncouth. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯ve heard. On my way here, I¡¯ve heard that he is an outstanding man who is unrivaled with the blade and a brave warrior who can overcome any tribulation,¡± the servant said. ¡°¡­Well, I have heard that some people think so, but I think it might be a little exaggerated,¡± Eugene responded. He wanted to cringe in embarrassment. However, the imperial prince seemed to have a different idea regarding the duke than the duke himself. ¡°Ha! What do you mean by that? He is a hero who has conquered the turbulent times, a mirror for knights who seek honor and chivalry rather than a pretentious throne!¡± said the imperial prince, disguised as the servant. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even though you have come from the Kingdom of Caylor, you are now walking on Brantia¡¯s land, sir! How can you deny the glorious honor of Duke Batla?¡± the prince continued enthusiastically with glittering eyes, and Eugene became at a loss for words. Apart from the fact that the prince was a horrible, horrible liar and actor, why did the imperial prince of the empire admire himself like so? ¡®I don¡¯t have a good feeling about this.¡¯ The fake prince poked the real prince¡¯s waist, and the real prince froze for a second before explaining himself, ¡°¡­Is what the young master has said repeatedly. Isn¡¯t that right, young master?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh! That¡¯s right. Hahaha! My servant has always had great admiration for Duke Batla¡¯s strength and prowess, as have I. Ahaha. Hahahaha,¡± the servant quickly said. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Even the two people¡¯s laughs were incredibly awkward. Eugene had to forcefully suppress a sigh. ¡°Ehem. Anyway, sir, since you are a knight from the Caylor Kingdom, you must know quite a bit about the Duke of Batla, as he is a member of the Dark Clan from Caylor. Oh, don¡¯t tell me you are biased toward him because he is a member of the Dark Clan? By any chance, are you a follower of the church there?¡± the fake prince asked with cautious eyes, and Eugene quickly glanced at the real prince and the other knights. Although they appeared to be looking elsewhere, he could tell they were waiting for his answer. ¡°Not at all. Not all knights of the Caylor Kingdom follow the central church,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a good thing,¡± the fake prince said. As expected, the Roman Empire also hated the central church of the Caylor Kingdom. Eugene felt slightly grateful toward Delmondo. The knowledge he possessed regarding the empire had come from Delmondo, a former official of the empire. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s all the questions you have for me, let¡¯s speed up a little. It will be better for the young master to rest at an inn rather than¡­¡± Eugene started. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± The real prince stepped up once again, although the fake prince was staying quiet. ¡®If you¡¯re going to act, do it properly!¡¯ Then, surprise quickly filled his face and he hurriedly explained himself once again, ¡°The young master enjoys hunting and the atmosphere of the wilderness, so those things do not bother him. Isn¡¯t that right, young master?¡± ¡°Ah! T-that¡¯s right. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Ahahahaha!¡± In a sense, the two people¡¯s acting skills could truly send shivers down anyone¡¯s spine. Eugene was convinced. He was certain that the two little runts would have been properly identified many times on their way to Brantia. ¡°Anyway, since we were on the topic, is Duke Batla really such a strong knight? From what I hear¡­¡± Eugene was getting fed up with the constant bombardment of questions, but he gave sincere answers. Of course, he was only giving properly packaged facts that most of his followers would already know. The greedy spirit wriggled inside her pocket, stuck out her head, then looked up at Eugene with rapacious eyes before chattering away, ¡°Sir, sir! Just give them some first-class information and ask for more gold! They have so much money, so tell them about our first meeting! Oh, it was just fate, how we came to¡­¡± Eugene quickly pressed down on the leather pocket with one swift movement. Then, he responded appropriately to the constant blabbering of his own ¡®legendary tales.¡¯ ¡°And so! When Duke Batla executed the evil dragon in the Carls Baggins Peninsula, his holy sword shone bright with a¡­¡± ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°And I am not certain about this, but in the Rodrick Archipelago, he stood facing an enormous sea dragon. At that time, he thundered with courage and an unyielding spirit to¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a little¡­¡± ¡°Ten! Ten Swordmasters of Eland challenged the duke, and¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Where the hell had the prince heard these stories from? No; in the first place, did monsters retreat when they were yelled at in the empire; and were swordmasters so common they had ten of them? ¡®Dammit¡­¡¯ For the first time in his life, Eugene regretted taking the gold coins. *** ¡°Let us part ways here,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Thank you, sir. Ah, by chance, are you thinking of entering the palace later? If so¡­¡± the real prince started. ¡°No, I am going to depart immediately after conducting my business. Goodbye then,¡± Eugene interrupted and said curtly. ¡°See you next time! Thank¡­ you¡­ is what the young master wants me to say! Hahaha¡­¡± The real prince was still faking it until the very end. Eugene walked away without looking back and immersed himself in the crowd. ¡°Sir, sir. What if you see him again? What if he recognizes you in the palace?¡± Mirian poked out her head and squeaked. Even the spirit, who thought of herself as unrivaled when it came to talkativeness, had been forced to stay inside her pocket all day long in front of the chatty prince. ¡°He won¡¯t recognize me, as I almost never took off my helmet, and I even shaved. It doesn¡¯t really matter anyway since I¡¯ll have to go take care of the orcs as soon as the meeting is over,¡± Eugene responded. According to the information he had gathered from the Tolo tribe, the ships of the Bayman Orcs would soon be arriving. The only way to get to the south without crossing the snowy mountain was to travel via ships, and there were only a few coasts that they could utilize. If Eugene immediately departed with his troops, he could avoid facing the imperial prince in the palace. ¡°But do you think aide number two will be fine on his own? That prince, he sure talked a lot. What if aide number two gets angry and starts beating him up?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Unless he¡¯s out of his mind, he would never beat up a prince¡­¡± Eugene paused. The prince was currently disguised as a noble from the Roman Empire. Moreover, a servant was pretending to be the young master and the prince was pretending to be a servant. So what would happen if a servant was the most talkative and meddlesome of the bunch? ¡®There is a high possibility that they will get into a quarrel with the knights or nobles.¡¯ Nobles and knights lived and died with pride and honor. Moreover, Brighton was currently crowded with nobles who had attended the coronation. A problem would certainly arise if the horrible actors acted exactly as they had toward him, or even half of what they had done. ¡®Should I tell Luke and the others?¡¯ Eugene immediately shook his head. Luke could never lie or trick others, and he was a terrible actor as well. Perhaps Lanslo would make good use of the information, but not Luke. Eugene was almost convinced that Luke would make a mistake. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll take care of it¡­¡± Eugene muttered. In the first place, they had to be prepared for whatever treatment they would receive as the consequences of hiding their identity. In addition, the prince¡¯s party had remained unexpectedly fine during their journey from the distant empire. It meant they had always reacted well to whatever predicaments they had found themselves in. As such, Eugene decided not to care about it any longer. ¡°I already got sufficient information about the empire, and I¡¯ve already paid for the damned gold coins by listening to him talk all day long,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Even the money-crazed spirit agreed with Eugene. It was nice that they were able to obtain information about the empire, but the prince was so chatty that Mirian almost started to miss the loquacious knight of Maren, Sir Madrica. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare ourselves, just in case,¡± Eugene said while hurrying toward Brighton¡¯s City Hall, which had been transformed into the royal castle. ¡°Where are you from? This is the noblest place in Brantia, where the great spirits¡­¡± The guards called out. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°And who is me¡­ Heup!¡± The guards gasped after recognizing Eugene¡¯s identity. ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t make a fuss. Act normal,¡± Eugene commanded. Most of the guards wearing chest plates engraved with the royal crest were mercenaries Eugene had smashed apart in the past. They immediately stiffened after meeting the eyes of the vampire duke, who had returned after a long, secret mission. ¡°P-Please give us your orders,¡± the guards stammered. ¡°Soon, or maybe even today, a group of foreign nobles may come visiting. They might introduce themselves as nobles of the Roman Empire. If they ask about me, don¡¯t ever tell them that I¡¯ve returned,¡¯ Eugene said. ¡°U-understood.¡± The guards quickly nodded at Eugene¡¯s command. ¡°Good. Keep up the good work. No need for formalities,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes!¡± The guards stopped themselves from raising their spears in salute, and Eugene patted them on the shoulders before passing by. The guards stood as still as stone statues until Eugene disappeared completely, then they finally breathed a long sigh. ¡°Phew! He¡¯s really like a ghost. When did he return? Oh, that¡¯s right¡­¡± One of the guards turned his head toward where Eugene had disappeared with a sudden thought. However, Eugene was already gone. ¡°Master Pranbow and Sir Lanslo stressed that I was supposed to deliver their words to His Excellency¡­ Welp, I¡¯m sure he will find out as soon as he enters the castle. It will be fine,¡± the guard muttered. The city hall had been renovated into the royal castle, and it was extremely large. What were the chances that Eugene would meet ¡®that person¡¯ before anyone else? As such, the guard brushed it off and resumed his duty. However, he had never imagined that it would happen¡­ Neither Eugene, nor the guards, nor ¡®that person,¡¯ the daughter of Eland¡¯s king and a ¡®princess knight,¡¯ had imagined what was to come. CH 188 ¡®Let¡¯s go as quietly as possible.¡¯ Eugene was certain that news of his arrival would become a huge disturbance, which would alert the imperial prince of his presence as well. As such, he moved as quickly and as quietly as possible after discovering paths with the least human presence. The royal castle also served as the city hall, so it was very crowded. But since Eugene had already been inside the building before, he was knowledgeable about its structure. In addition, he was an expert at hiding his presence as a vampire, so he was able to successfully penetrate the depths of the castle without making any ruckus. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Kieh?¡± Mirian and Eugene stopped at the same time. They had been walking under a stone wall located in the old back garden. Both of them were sensing something foreign. The energy felt different from a wizard, vampire, or elf, and it was approaching them very rapidly. ¡°What is it?¡± After sensing the strange energy, Eugene turned his gaze and placed his hand on Wolfslaughter¡¯s pommel. Fwoosh¡­! The sound of strong wind sweeping through leafy trees could be heard, and a dark green shadow crossed over the tall wall and fell straight in front of Eugene. Simultaneously, the strange energy, which could only be described as ¡®pure,¡¯ instantly turned hostile. Shuacccck! A blue light sharply cut through the air and fell like a thunderbolt. ¡°Kieeeeek!¡± the spirit exclaimed in shock. All of a sudden, the blade¡¯s trajectory shifted ever so slightly. Clang! Eugene did not miss the chance and reflexively pushed Wolfslaughter upward to block the sword. Then, he twisted his blade and stabbed forward. It was a perfect example of a parry, and Eugene¡¯s silver blade shot like a storm. However, the attacker was quite formidable. Clang! In an instant, the attacker managed to deflect all three of Eugene¡¯s strikes, then jumped backward without any preparation as if they were an acrobat. Any normal knight would be amazed or intimidated by the attacker¡¯s moves, but Eugene wasn¡¯t a normal knight. Kwararararak! Eugene pounced like a beast, and his cloak fluttered in the wind like a beast¡¯s tail. ¡°¡­!¡± The attacker¡¯s fierce gaze met Eugene''s eyes in midair. ¡®Their hostility disappeared?¡¯ Eugene relaxed his grip when his intuition informed him of the change. The attacker waved their sword in all directions, and the two blades clashed, resulting in a clear, metallic sound. Chae, chaeng! Clang! ¡°Ugh!¡± Although Eugene had relaxed his grip, the attacker couldn¡¯t overcome the momentum contained in Eugene¡¯s sword. They grunted while being pushed all the way back. The two figures came to face each other, and both of them opened their lips almost at the same time. ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The figure¡¯s clear, transparent voice contrasted with Eugene¡¯s low, cold voice. The opponent was an elf-woman holding a longsword glimmering with light. Half of her face was covered from the eye down with a translucent cloth, and her body emitted a mysterious blue current. However, Eugene had never been someone who could be dazzled by someone¡¯s appearance or voice. ¡°An elf? What is your relationship with Pranbow?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°You know Master Pranbow? Who are you really?¡± the elf responded. ¡°You barge into someone else¡¯s house and wave around your sword, and ask who they are without introducing yourself? Where are your manners?¡± Eugene retorted. ¡°¡­¡± The elf flinched, then looked as if she were going to speak. However, she remained silent and instead turned her gaze to Eugene¡¯s side. ¡°Kieeehh?! Kieeee¡­¡± Mirian exclaimed in fear and trembled before hiding behind Eugene¡¯s shoulder. However, the elf¡¯s emerald eyes followed Mirian¡¯s movements. ¡°S-sir! I¡¯m shcared!¡± the spirit exclaimed. Eugene suddenly felt goosebumps rising at the spirit¡¯s heartrending, mournful voice. The elf¡¯s eyes quivered slightly as well as if she was experiencing a similar emotion. Somehow, the elf looked rather angry. Eugene spoke once again, ¡°I asked you who you are. If you do not answer¡­¡± ¡°W-woo, Woo, woo¡­¡± A strange noise came from the elf¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene narrowed his eyes, wondering if his hearing had betrayed him. It was already unbelievable that an elf-woman possessed such great power and excellent skills, but now, she was acting incredibly strange as well. The elf-woman continued to stare at Mirian¡¯s head, which poked out from behind Eugene¡¯s shoulder, and she puckered her lips once again, ¡°W-wee, whewoo! Good girl! Come here!¡± ¡°Is she mental¡­?¡± Eugene muttered ¡°Kieh?¡± Mirian tilted her head like a pet responding to her owner¡¯s words. ¡°Heup!¡± The elf sharply inhaled when she saw the spirit¡¯s action. Her shoulders suddenly began to heave, and she quickly took several breaths. Eugene judged that the elf was collecting her breath to attack once again, so he raised Wolfslaughter. However, the elf-woman raised her trembling hand and beckoned to Mirian instead. For some reason, her eyes were slightly red. ¡°C-cute little undine. C-come here. Come. Good girl! Ha! Ha¡­!¡± The elf spoke with ragged breaths, which caused the cloth covering her face to waver. It was a truly grotesque sight, and it was almost impossible to believe that she was an elf. Her eyes were bloodshot while holding a sword, and her breaths were irregular and ragged. ¡°Is she a pervert?¡± Eugene said. ¡°S-sir. I¡¯m shcaredd¡­¡± Mirian dug deeper into Eugene¡¯s back as her wings quivered. ¡°You¡­¡± The elf called out in a cold voice before continuing, ¡°Did you force that cute and adorable undine to serve you? You feel like a member of the Tribe of the Darkness. What kind of evil, malicious technique did you use to frighten the spirit so much? How wretched. How pitiful¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene could not find it in himself to respond to the elf¡¯s words, which could only be described as nonsense. ¡®Cute? Adorable? Who?¡¯ ¡°Sir, now that I¡¯ve gotten a closer look at her, she doesn¡¯t seem to be a bad person. Someone capable of accurately grasping my essence couldn¡¯t possibly be bad. She must be a prophet born into a rich prestigious family, and she must have gone through a high degree of training to¡­ Kieh?!¡± The spirit sneakily started to accept the elf¡¯s misguided thoughts, but Eugene snatched her out of the air with his finger. The elf¡¯s eyes changed at once. ¡°You! You! How dare you do such a vicious thing?!¡± The elf exclaimed. ¡°You can have it,¡± Eugene responded while flicking the spirit toward the elf. ¡°Kiek!¡± ¡°Ahk! Ah!¡± Mirian shot forward, and the elf stretched her arms to catch her joyfully. However¡­ Shuack! Thuck! ¡°Kuagh!¡± Eugen narrowed the distance in an instant, then struck the back of the elf-woman¡¯s head with the pommel of his sword. He showed no mercy to the distracted elf. Eugene placed the limp elf over his shoulder. He wasn¡¯t sure who this crazy woman was and what she was doing here, but he would discover her identity once he met with Lanslo and Luke. ¡°Kieeeeehe! Sir, you traitor! You abandoned me!¡± Mirian mournfully exclaimed. Eugene cut her off. ¡°Stop talking nonsense and search for Luke or Lanslo¡¯s presence.¡± ¡°Traitor! Betrayal! Kieeehuuee!¡± Perhaps, it was time for him to dispose of the crazy spirit as well. *** Mirian immediately found Lanslo¡¯s location when Eugene threatened to truly abandon her, and Eugene headed straight toward him. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± Lanslo and Luke welcomed Eugene with open arms. The two of them had been buried in a seemingly important discussion. ¡°When did you arrive? I didn¡¯t receive any reports¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± The two figures¡¯ expressions filled with surprise, and Eugene threw the limp elf on the floor as if she was luggage. Eugene responded, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was traveling quietly to meet the two of you, but she suddenly attacked me.¡± ¡°What? What a crazy bastard! How dare she!¡± Luke shouted in fury, then he turned over the sprawling elf with a fierce expression. ¡°What?!¡± He was stunned when his eyes landed on the figure¡¯s face, and Lanslo also stopped in his tracks. ¡°What is it? Do you know her?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­Are you saying that this person attacked you, Master?¡± Luke asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. So what?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­She has a huge bump on the back of her head. It¡¯s the size of a fist,¡± Lanslo commented. ¡°She was pretty strong. I struck her with the pommel of my sword,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Heuk! I-is she d-dead¡­?¡± ¡°I controlled my strength, so she should be alive. Do you know her?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Um, S-Sir Eugene?¡± Lanslo hesitatingly called out. He still addressed Eugene in a comfortable manner when they were in the presence of close personnel. Lanslo carefully raised the elf¡¯s body, which was limp like a corpse before saying, ¡°This person¡­ She is Eland¡¯s Princess.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Eugene mumbled in shock. ¡°This is Princess Lilisain, the eldest daughter of Eland¡¯s king and the one known as the Platinum Knight,¡± Lanslo added before carefully raising the cloth covering the princess¡¯s face. ¡°¡­¡± The princess was still out cold, and even her tongue was sticking out. Eugene stared at her for a moment before looking away. ¡°I think we might need to break up the marriage.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°¡­¡± It looked as if that were the most appropriate choice. Luke and Lanslo showed their consent with their gazes. It was an unprecedented situation in which the king¡¯s guardian, the duke of the kingdom, had knocked out the woman who was supposed to become the queen. *** ¡°So, Princess Lilisain attacked you first, Master?¡± Luke asked. Eugene responded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lanslo commented, ¡°I¡¯m not suspicious of you or anything, Sir Eugene, but can you think about it one more time? Did you perhaps scare her, or activated your Fear in front of her?¡± ¡°Nope! I saw it all. This smart, great prophet of a princess, who, by the way, can see the essence of things with her eyes of truth, was the one who drew her blade against Sir Disloyal Traitor!¡± Mirian commented. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I see. But I think I might have heard a few strange phrases in your description.¡± ¡°Y-you misheard me. W-well, then I will take care of the elf princess,¡± Mirian hurriedly responded while stealing a gaze at Eugene before quickly flying toward Princess Lilisain. She was still lying face flat, unconscious, on a sofa with a cool towel on the back of her head. ¡°Anyway, Luke, I cannot allow such a crazy woman to become your partner,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°Hmm. Well, I will always follow your will, Master, but why do you think she acted like that?¡± Luke asked. ¡°How would I know? I don¡¯t want to know either¡­¡± Eugene responded. He continued after taking a glance at the princess, ¡°By the way, what about the other knights? It looked like there were fewer troops based on what I saw on my way here.¡± ¡°Oh, as soon as the coronation ceremony ended, we held a large-scale ordination. Some of the knights from the Caylor Kingdom are out surveying the lands they were granted,¡± Luke answered. ¡°Hooh. I see. Good job. Those knights had been fighting for it, so it¡¯s important that we are accurate with giving them proper rewards,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°I only followed the advice of Sir Lanslo and Master Pythamoras,¡± Luke answered shyly while scratching the back of his head. He was now wearing a crown on his head, but he was still a faithful aide in front of Eugene. ¡°What about Pythamoras?¡± Eugene asked. Lanslo answered, ¡°He went with Sir Randolph to take a look underground. By the way, Sir Eugene, it looks like you were successful in what you set out to do, so where are Sir Galfredik and Miss Romari?¡± ¡°Well, about that¡­¡± Eugene gave a detailed explanation of the events that occurred in the North. Then, he took out a parchment and an object wrapped with thick cloth from his pack. "This is a letter from the temporary chief of the Tolo tribe, and this is the head of the former chief and his son,¡± Eugene explained. Thanks to Romari¡¯s magic, the two orc heads had avoided any decay. Lanslo¡¯s eyes glimmered coldly when he saw the heads of the two orcs. Eugene spoke, ¡°I know it would have been more meaningful if you got to do it yourself, but I brought them since things had already turned out this way.¡± Eugene felt sincerely apologetic to Lanslo, as Eugene knew better than anyone the meaning of achieving true revenge. Even he was unwilling to yield the head of Dircht, the holy knight, to anyone else. Lanslo responded, ¡°It¡¯s fine. The other six tribes are about to arrive, right? I will wait until then to vent my anger.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding,¡± Eugene said. ¡°No, I¡¯m grateful,¡± Lanslo said with a grin. Eugene was a knight who conquered Brantia in less than six months with incredible achievements. The person who thrashed the northern orcs and smacked the elf princess¡¯s head was apologizing to him and thanking him. It was unfortunate that he had failed to personally take revenge, but Lanslo felt extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to stand by such a figure. On the contrary, he thought it was fortunate that Eugene took revenge in his stead. At that time, Mirian squealed while shooting toward them. She had been re-wetting the towel on the princess¡¯s head. ¡°Sir! Sir! The elf princess is about to wake up!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The eyes of the three figures immediately turned toward her. Princess Lilisain slowly rose to her feet. The back of her head was still decorated with a bump the size of a child¡¯s fist. Then, she turned her hazy, emerald eyes toward the three. A Vampire Origin, the King of Brantia, and the Knight of the Lake. The three men were already great figures in their own right. However, they still couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous standing in front of the crazy princess. CH 189 ¡°Where are we¡­?¡± Princess Lilisain muttered. ¡°My office. Princess, are you all right?¡± Luke took the initiative and responded. Although he was now the King of Brantia, he possessed the lowest rank of those gathered here. Princess Lilisain continued, ¡°I recognized that. But why am I here?¡± ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Luke mumbled while nervously shifting his gaze. Meanwhile, Eugene and Lanslo whispered to each other. ¡°I think she might have lost her memory. The impact to her head must have been quite substantial.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. We could pretend that nothing happened.¡± Eugene had thought about hitting the princess¡¯s abdomen, but he had decided on the back of her head since he suspected she was a woman. Now that he thought back to it, it seemed he had made the right decision. ¡°Ah, well. T-the thing is¡­¡± Luke continued to hesitate, and Princess Lilisain turned her gaze away from him and glanced over at Lanslo and Eugene. Her eyes were still unfocused and blank. Eugene had been adorning a hood attached to his cape when he fought with Princess Lilisain. As such, she hadn¡¯t recognized Eugene right away. It could also be that she truly lost her memories of that time thanks to the blow to her head. However¡­ ¡°¡­?!¡± Her eyes, which were dim like a madman, suddenly filled with a brilliant light. She was like a beast who was faced with prey, or a warrior about to battle with their life on the line. Everyone felt anxious about what was to come next. She opened her lips. ¡°W-Woeo¡­¡± ¡°Kieh!¡± Mirian trembled like a rabbit faced with a tiger before fleeing in a hurry behind Eugene¡¯s shoulder. Princess Lilisain¡¯s gaze naturally headed toward Eugene. ¡°You. Evil member of the Dark Clan¡­¡± Princess Lilisain called out. ¡°¡­¡± Unfortunately, it appeared as if her memory had returned. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t her memory disappear completely if I hit her just one more time?¡¯ Eugene was tempted, but he suppressed the desire to do just that. Just as he was about to answer her, Luke, his loyal aide, stepped out. ¡°Princess, watch your words. This is my master and the honorable Duke of Batla, His Excellency Jan Eugene Batla. Insulting the duke is no different from insulting me and the entirety of Brantia. Show some courtesy.¡± It still felt a little awkward, but Luke had certainly acted in a dignified way befitting the king of a nation. ¡°¡­!¡± Princess Lilisain¡¯s eyes filled with surprise. She was taken aback by the sudden change in Luke¡¯s demeanor, but her emerald eyes were still fixated on Eugene, rather than Luke. ¡°You, or rather, Your Excellency. You¡¯re the Duke of Batla?¡± she asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Eugene answered. Princess Lilisain jumped to her feet after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. ¡®Dammit¡­¡¯ Eugene swore inwardly when he saw her expression. Judging from her fiery gaze, it seemed things certainly wouldn¡¯t go easy as he had hoped. ¡®Even so, she was the one who attacked me out of the blue. If I focus on that fact, maybe¡­¡¯ Tap, tap, tap¡­ Eugene tried his best to think of possible countermeasures since Princess Lilisain was now approaching him rapidly. Knowing that he could take the initiative by speaking first, he opened his lips, ¡°I¡­¡± However, Princess LIlisain interrupted his words. ¡°It is an honor to meet you like this.¡± Eugene had unarmed the princess to prevent any unexpected situations, but she still placed her hand on her waist as if she had her sword with her when she bowed. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to the princess¡¯s sudden change in attitude. Princess Lilisain jerked her head up, then stared directly into his eyes before continuing, ¡°The duke¡¯s brilliant achievements and magnificent performance. I speak from the bottom of my heart, please consider enlightening this young and ignorant knight. I will consider it a lifetime of grace.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Princess Lilisain¡¯s words were very courteous and polite. One could even feel respect and awe contained in her tone. However, the fierce, emerald eyes embedded on the expressionless face seemed to burn bright as dark green flames. She was completely serious, and it gave the illusion that she was standing on a battlefield. ¡°Please, I implore you.¡± Princess Lilisain bowed once again when Eugene stood still without responding. Of course, he couldn¡¯t respond, as he was simply dumbfounded by the sudden change in her attitude. Eugene saw the bulge on the back of her head before responding, ¡°I think I have already imparted you a lesson.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Lilisain raised her head, although her upper body was still lowered in a bow. ¡°You came at me first, Princess, and I defeated you. If this were a battlefield, you would already be dead. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°You are completely correct. I think it was a really sly, but explicit, timely tactic that stimulated the opponent¡¯s desire, making them reveal an opening. Once again, I am humbled and amazed,¡± the princess said before bowing again in a knightly manner. Eugene turned his head and saw Luke staring blankly at her, as well as Lanslo desperately holding back his laughter with his head turned to the side. He was once again convinced. ¡®I have to avoid this woman, no matter what...¡¯ Eugene decided that he would keep this woman away from himself and Luke, regardless of the alliance he had formed with Eland. Now that he thought about it, striking the back of her head during their first meeting had been an excellent choice. ¡°Kehm! Ehem! Anyway, Princess Lilisain,¡± Lanslo smothered his laugh with a cough before continuing, ¡°I would like to know why you attacked the duke. You don¡¯t even go out very often, do you?¡± Princess Lilisain replied, ¡°I had realized my shortcomings during my bouts with Master Pranbow. I was studying the way of the sword while taking a stroll. But just then, I felt an inconspicuous energy. I judged that it was an enemy infiltrating the castle, so¡­¡± Eugene was surprised by her explanation. The elven princess, who couldn¡¯t simply be described by the word ¡®weird,¡¯ had actually noticed his presence. ¡®Even if they are both pure-blooded, is she different from Pranbow? Even so, Pranbow is a swordmaster, right? Whatever the case, she¡¯s amazing...¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyes naturally headed toward Princess Lilisain as he pondered. As if feeling his gaze, she fixed her burdensome eyes on Eugene before speaking, ¡°I am a pure-blooded member of Eland¡¯s royal family. That is why I was able to sense Your Excellency¡¯s presence. There are one or two individuals every generation who are born with pure blood, and they are very perceptive to the flow of mana.¡± ¡°Oh, interesting. Does that mean you are able to notice the presence of magic before it is activated?¡± ¡°Possible... I can catch the fluctuation of mana that accompanies the beginning of a spell,¡± Lilisain responded. It seemed that she possessed useful, mysterious abilities as a pure-blooded elf. Although Eugene¡¯s intuition warned him to stay away from her, in all honesty, he was quite impressed by her abilities. As such, he stared at her with slight admiration. Unfortunately, Princess Lilisain¡¯s cheeks turned red when she noticed Eugene¡¯s eyes, and Eugene felt as if a sudden chill was permeating his body. ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty!¡± It suddenly became noisy outside, and Pranbow rushed into the room in a hurry. It was a rude gesture, even for a swordmaster of Eland, but no one blamed him for doing so. It was obvious why the always gentle and dignified Pranbow was acting like such. ¡°The princess! Princess Lilisain has¡­ No, what is the princess doing here?! Your Excellency? When did you get here?¡± The shock on Pranbow¡¯s face magnified as he looked around after bursting into the room. Princess Lilisain responded with a bow, ¡°Sorry for causing you to worry, Master Pranbow. However, there is a compelling cause and reason for the current situation. Let me explain...¡± ¡°Huh? No, forget the explanation. Princess, the back of your head is¡­¡± Pranbow said with disbelief as his eyes stopped on the back of the princess¡¯s head. ¡°Let me explain¡­¡± Eugene quickly interjected. However¡­ ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty!¡± Once again, an urgent voice rang out, and several nobles rushed in through the open door. ¡°Your Majesty! There¡¯s trouble¡­ uh?! Your Excellency the Duke?!¡± one of the nobles exclaimed in shock. ¡°Never mind that. What¡¯s going on?¡± Eugene waved off the nobles, then beckoned them to continue. The nobles didn¡¯t even hide their excitement as they responded, ¡°Distinguished guests have arrived at the castle!¡± ¡°Distinguished guests?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes! Well, it¡¯s the imperial prince of the Roman Empire! An imperial prince of the Roman Empire has personally come to celebrate the coronation of His Majesty Crawlmarine! He has traveled a long way!¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± Luke, Lanslo, Pranbow, and Princess Lilisain expressed their astonishment. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene was also surprised, but in a different way. ¡®I never thought that talkative brat of a prince would barge in after revealing his identity.¡¯ Eugene felt that he had to hurry. ¡°Lu¡ªNo, king,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes? Ah, yes, Master!¡± Luke answered. His face was dyed crimson with shock and excitement. He had never imagined himself coming face to face with a member of the Roman Empire¡¯s imperial family. ¡°I¡¯m not here¡­¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that¡­?¡± Luke asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t returned from my mission yet. If the prince of the empire looks for me, tell him that,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Your Excellency! That cannot be! It¡¯s an imperial prince. As far as I know, this is the first time that the Roman Empire has included an imperial prince in their delegation to congratulate the coronation of another country¡¯s king. It¡¯s only natural for you to attend such an event!¡± Even Pranbow couldn¡¯t help but show signs of intense excitement. But Eugene was the only person here who knew of the imperial prince¡¯s true self, so he remained adamant about his demand. ¡°We still haven¡¯t solved the issue with the Bayman Orcs. Lanslo, call the knights and the beowulf warriors here,¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Hmm. I understand,¡± Lanslo answered. Having been with Eugene for a long time, Lanslo quickly noticed that something was suspicious. Nevertheless, Lanslo agreed that the invasion of the Bayman Orcs had precedence over the visit of an imperial prince, so he conceded. Thud. Eugene placed a hand on Luke¡¯s shoulder. It was an incredibly profane action, but everyone knew Eugene¡¯s place in the Kingdom of Brantia and the relationship he shared with Luke. As such, the others simply watched. Eugene said, ¡°King.¡± ¡°Yes, Master¡­¡± Luke answered. Eugene was acting much more serious and solemn than usual. Luke awaited his master¡¯s next words with both curiosity and nervousness. Eugene continued, ¡°The king is the face of Brantia. And I am Brantia¡¯s sword and her shield. As such, you should fulfill your duties as a king, and I will fulfill mine as a knight of Brantia. The peace and security of the nation comes first for me.¡± It was an inspiring speech, something befitting the brave, honorable knights depicted in old fairy tales. ¡°Ahh¡­ Master¡­¡± ¡°Keugh¡­! Your Excellency! To think that you would throw yourself in the fire once again, even though you¡¯ve just returned¡­¡± ¡°This is our blessing! Brantia is blessed to have His Excellency Duke Batla serving as the patron of the king and the royal family!¡± The king and the nobles expressed their emotions as they were overcome with awe and wonder. This was the advent of a true knight who pursued perfect chivalry. The hot wave of emotions even spread to some unexpected figures. ¡°A-Amazing! Respect! Honorable! Respect!¡± The elven princess¡¯s voice stood out among the many men, and all eyes turned toward her. Princess Lilisain¡¯s eyes burned even brighter than when she looked at Mirian, and she even started to tremble. All of a sudden, Princess Lilisain collapsed at Eugene¡¯s feet. ¡°Ah! P-Princess?¡± Pranbow shouted with surprise. However, Princess Lilisain disregarded the swordmaster¡¯s shout and bowed her head before speaking in a desperate voice. It was as if she were a knight waiting to be sworn in. ¡°I, Lilisain Marl Eland, am still sorely lacking, but as a knight of honor, I request my sword to be drawn with the duke¡¯s army.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions stiffened at the elven princess¡¯s sudden declaration, as she was scheduled to become the nation¡¯s queen. ¡®I have to say no!¡¯ Eugene instinctively sensed an imminent crisis by the princess¡¯s sudden declaration. He attempted to step out and reject her plea, knowing that the princess would bring as much trouble as the talkative prince. However¡­ Fwoosh! Princess Lilisain raised her head and turned her burning eyes toward Luke. ¡°Your Majesty. I sincerely hope to observe His Excellency Batla¡¯s glorious honor and noble chivalry by his side. If you consider Eland a true ally and want to give me a chance to make amends for my mistakes, please allow me,¡± she asked. ¡°Ki¡­¡± Eugene started. However, he was never given a chance to continue speaking. ¡°Of course! Your insight is certainly extraordinary! I will accept your request, Princess!¡± Luke nodded with an elated expression without giving Eugene any time to respond. He was already quite moved by Eugene¡¯s words, and the princess, whom he wasn¡¯t very happy with, had apologized sincerely and had finally recognized his master¡¯s true face. As Eugene¡¯s number one fan, only one decision made sense. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°K-kieee¡­ Sir, what do I do now?¡± Everyone¡¯s faces were full of joy and glee. Everyone, except the duke who had found himself in a pit of dung while trying to avoid a bucket of it, and the spirit, who had finally met her match. CH 190 ¡°Extraordinary insight? You flatter me, Your Majesty,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°Not at all. I have never imagined that you would have such a good eye for people, Princess. Please consider what I said earlier a slip of the tongue,¡± Luke said. ¡°No, that was my fault. I have failed to recognize the knight among knights. It was entirely the fault and the sin of this incompetent one. I shall wash away my offense with my blade,¡± Princess Lilisain declared. ¡°I look forward to it, Princess!¡± Luke exclaimed in response. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Princess Lilisain returned the gesture in kind. ¡®They are on the same wavelength.¡¯ One could easily mistake the two for long-time friends. Eugene was speechless as Luke and Lilisain gazed at each other with eyes burning with fervor and passion. Eugene wanted to lash out and reject everything they had said. Sadly, it wasn¡¯t that simple. Even though Luke was his aide, he was now the King of Brantia. Rejecting the king¡¯s orders where so many of his nobles were present would be no different from ignoring the king¡¯s authority. Moreover, Eugene himself had placed Luke on Brantia¡¯s throne. He couldn¡¯t possibly do something tantamount to disrespecting the king. He could only accept it. Afterward, Eugene spoke up, ¡°Princess Lilisain.¡± ¡°Please give me your orders,¡± Princess Lilisain jumped to her feet and exclaimed. Her controlled, disciplined attitude reminded one of a trained soldier rather than a princess. In addition, the way she looked at Eugene was quite unusual. ¡®Dammit. At least she has some skills. She won¡¯t hold us back.¡¯ Eugene continued, ¡°Prepare to depart with Sir Pranbow.¡± ¡°Honor. Master, let us go,¡± Princess Lilisain replied before turning to face Pranbow. ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on anymore.¡± Pranbow shook his head and followed Princess Lilisain out of the office. Eugene stared at the disappearing figure of Princess Lilisain, who was burning with passion and spirit. He finally gave up and came to accept the situation. He turned his head. ¡°Phew. Lanslo, how many troops do we have available to mobilize?¡± Lanslo replied without hesitation, proving his qualifications as the supreme commander in Eugene¡¯s absence. ¡°We have about one hundred heavy infantries and about twenty knights, including those currently here. I can call for all beowulf warriors except those who have gone up North. If you think that won¡¯t be enough, we can gather knights and squad captains on our way.¡± ¡°What about Edmund and Randolph?¡± Eugene asked. Lanslo responded, ¡°I think it would be better for Sir Edmund to serve as the captain of the royal guard and for Sir Randolph to serve as the captain of the capital¡¯s guards. We will have to leave some troops behind anyway.¡± ¡°Fine. Then we will depart right away. We will only take five days¡¯ worth of food and drinking water. We will make up for what we lack on our way,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency!¡± Now that he had stepped on the pot of shit known as Lilisain, he had to do everything possible to avoid the pit of dung known as the imperial prince of the Roman Empire. As such, Eugene decided to speed up. ¡°Lanslo, I will leave the heavy infantry to you. Gather the knights and the beowulfs within an hour,¡± Eugene commanded. ¡°Master, are you planning to leave first?¡± Luke asked with a startled expression. Eugene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Luke continued in a worried voice, ¡°But we don¡¯t know how many of the Bayman Orcs we will be facing. It could be dangerous, master.¡± The nobles followed suit. ¡°His Majesty is right, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°I do not doubt the capabilities of Your Excellency and the other sirs, but the Bayman Orcs are a race of warriors who once conquered this land.¡± ¡°Indeed. It would seem right to depart only after full preparation, Your Excellency.¡± Eugene was a vampire, the highest-ranking noble of the undead. As long as he continued to feed on blood, he would never tire. Therefore, there wouldn¡¯t be any issues with him departing right after returning from his previous journey. However, apart from the fact that he would be facing the Bayman Orcs, thorough preparation was required for any type of war. In that respect, the nobles were right. But Eugene remained adamant in his decision¡­ ¡°Who among you here has battled against the Bayman Orcs before?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°No one, right?¡± Eugene asked once more. ¡°T-That¡¯s right,¡± The nobles bowed their heads after sharing glances. It wasn¡¯t only them; it was also unlikely that their predecessors once fought against the Bayman Orcs. Eugene continued, ¡°I have fought with the Tolo family, one of the tribes of the Bayman Orcs.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I-Is that really true?¡± The nobles became wide-eyed with shock. They knew that Eugene had been away from the castle for a while, but they had never imagined that he had done such a thing. Luke and Lanslo nodded in affirmation, and the nobles gawked at Eugene with astonishment. ¡°Right now, I am the only person here who knows about the power and the true force of the Bayman Orcs. Do you really think that I would act without thinking?¡± Eugene asked them. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sirs¡­¡± Eugene called out while looking around at the nobles with a cold gaze before continuing, ¡°Who do you all think I am?¡± ¡°...!¡± This was just how people were¡ªno matter how familiar you were with someone, your familiarity would start to dilute with the passage of time during that person¡¯s absence. It wasn¡¯t surprising that these nobles, prestigious enough to handle the nation¡¯s affairs by the king¡¯s side, would become somewhat arrogant and haughty over time. As such, they had forgotten about it for a moment. They had forgotten how the red-eyed figure standing before them had taken Brantia by storm. ¡®T-That¡¯s right. This man is the Duke of Batla!¡¯ ¡°As you wish, Your Excellency!¡± the nobles surrendered and shouted in unison. A mixture of fear and relief filled their hearts. They feared Eugene, knowing he was a cruel monarch, but they were relieved that he was on their side. *** Eugene led a group of knights and beowulf warriors through the back of the royal castle. ¡°Haha! Finally, we¡¯re going to fight again!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! My body has been madly itching after staying put for such a long time!¡± The knights were in high spirits and morale. They had been itching to fight after resting in the castle for nearly a month while doing nothing but training. They had been granted their own territories, or manors according to their achievements, but the young, energetic knights couldn¡¯t accept retiring and living out the rest of their lives in peace and comfort. In addition, their commander was an undefeated knight, and he was once again taking control of them. The knights were already addicted to the smell of victory and the battlefield. There was no reason they wouldn¡¯t choose to comply with Eugene¡¯s summons. Hiyaah! Ha! Haaa! The knights were brimming with excitement after leaving the city in a while. Their excitement affected Princess Lilisain as well. ¡°Spirit! Energy! Amazing! I can tell they¡¯re strong just by looking at them!¡± Princess Lilisain shouted. Pranbow nodded in agreement next to her. ¡°They are excellent knights. Princess, It will be impossible to drive a sword through their armor without using Aura.¡± ¡°Is it the same for the beowulfs?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. Their plate coats are at least twice as thicker and heavier than our armors and the human knights. I can¡¯t guarantee victory if four of five of them attacked me at once,¡± Pranbow responded. Even in Eland, the beowulfs were famous for their strength. However, there was a huge difference between hearing stories and actually seeing their prowess in person. ¡®How amazing! Truly incredible!¡¯ Princess Lilisain looked at the beowulf warriors with awe. As soon as they left the city, the beowulfs had transformed into lycanthropes and left to scout ahead. Her respect for the man responsible for uniting the strong knights and warriors grew even larger, and her dark emerald eyes were fixated on the person in question as they burned even brighter. ¡°Princess¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Princess?¡± Hoho. Princess Lilisain!¡± Pranbow raised his voice. ¡°Heup! A big mistake. I beg for your forgiveness, Master.¡± Princess Lilisain came to her senses and bowed in apology. Pranbow sighed, noticing the reason for her trance. ¡°Phew! Princess, do you like the duke that much?¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± she answered without hesitation. Of course, as a knight and a warrior! ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Pranbow took on a solemn expression, and his eyes sank coldly. He had known her since she was introduced to this world, and he had guided her in swordsmanship for twenty years. However, this was the first time he saw her express such interest in anyone. ¡®The princess is supposed to become the king¡¯s partner, but things are flowing in an unexpected direction. Huhu.¡¯ Lilisain had always been an unusual girl since she was young. Even though she possessed an extraordinary visage that had always been a hot topic even among the beautiful elves, she never showed interest in prettying herself. Instead, she only admired and pursued strength and power. However, that was just the start of her peculiarity. When other princesses took rabbits, puppies, or small mountain birds as pets, Lilisain headed into the mountain and returned with a kobold cub, saying that it was cute and adorable. When other princesses learned embroidery, she bolted through the mountains and fields, devoting herself to hunting monsters and predators, saying that physical strength and stamina accurately reflected the nation¡¯s strength. Her peculiar personality caused everyone else to avoid her, but Pranbow truly cherished the princess. In addition, he discovered that the young princess had an unusual talent with the blade. As such, he was both worried and regretful that her gaze toward Eugene was burning with such fervor. Still, he couldn¡¯t simply jump to conclusions. As such, he asked in a low voice, ¡°Princess. How much do you like the duke?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Princess Lilisain hesitated before responding with an even more intense expression, ¡°I want to be next to him.¡± Naturally, to fight by his side for a long time! What could be more honorable than fighting alongside such an accomplished knight?! Moreover, if she remained by the duke¡¯s side, then¡­ ¡°Kieeeeeeee! Subordinate number one! Hit it! Go, go! Kieeeeeehh!¡± Princess Lilisain¡¯s gaze came to rest on the spirit, who was letting out an adorable scream while hanging off of Silion¡¯s mane. ¡®That child. I want it! I want to bite those cheeks forever!¡¯ Of all the spirits she had ever seen; rather, as the first spirit she had ever seen, Lilisain had never laid eyes on a creature that could compare with the spirit in terms of cuteness. Princess Lilisain¡¯s eyes filled with desire, and her breathing became ragged. Eventually, she uttered a phrase faithful to her instincts, ¡°A sincere longing for possession.¡± ¡°Is it to that degree? Hu¡­ Huhuhu¡­¡± Pranbow muttered. It was absurd and horrifying, but Pranbow had confirmed the sincerity of the princess he cherished so much. He could prevent a poignant smile from appearing on his face. ¡®It¡¯s said that the flow of mana and emotions are equally unpredictable. What should I do about this?¡¯ The elven princess gawked at the awe-inspiring knight and his spirit with hungry eyes, and the swordmaster looked on with anguish. *** ¡°Welcome to Brantia, the land overseen by the spirits, Your Highness Localope.¡± ¡°Thank you very much for your hospitality, Your Majesty Crawlmarine.¡± The imperial family of the Roman Empire, and in particular, the direct descendants of the emperor, held the same status as the kings of other countries. It wasn¡¯t written anywhere or held in law, but it had been customary for a long time. ¡°Haha! I have heard the stories of your adventures to the glorious throne. They were very exciting to hear,¡± Localope said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The great spirits of the land were looking after me, and His Excellency Duke Batla had led me in the right direction,¡± Luke responded. ¡°Oh, my! You¡¯re modest as well. The king¡¯s bravery and honor as a knight are widespread as well,¡± Localope continued. ¡°I¡¯m flattered,¡± Luke responded. The two men were seated side by side, and they continued their friendly conversation. The other knights and nobles attending the feast also conversed while stealing glances at the two figures. ¡°Ehem. No matter how much I think about it, this is weird. It¡¯s very suspicious,¡± Pythamoras muttered while scrutinizing Localope. He disliked the hustle and bustle of a large gathering, but he had no choice but to attend the welcoming feast as the king¡¯s wizard. ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Lanslo asked while keeping his eyes glued on the imperial prince. He was also attending the banquet for the same reason, though both he and Pythamoras were seated in a relatively quiet place. ¡°What else? I¡¯m talking about the imperial prince,¡± Pythamoras answered. ¡°What about the imperial prince? Ah, is he a fake?¡± Lanslo whispered. Pythamoras shook his head, ¡°No, the prince¡¯s attire and the armor of his entourage are undoubtedly from the Roman Empire. Moreover, I spoke to the knights earlier in the empire¡¯s language. They were very fluent, so they couldn¡¯t be fake.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s so strange about it?¡± Lanslo asked. ¡°Tsk, tsk! What kind of a place do you think the Roman Empire is? Would they come unannounced even though a direct descendant of the emperor is visiting personally? The imperial family there is completely obsessed with customs and formalities,¡± Pythamoras answered. ¡°Come to think of it; you have a point. If they¡¯re here to offer their congratulations, it would have been natural for them to give us a notice in advance. Hmm¡­¡± Lanslo¡¯s gaze turned sharp. ¡°Well, in this case, there¡¯s only one possible explanation,¡± Pythamoras suddenly said. ¡°Hooh. And what is that?¡± Lanslo asked. Pythamoras grinned as he stroked his coveted beard. ¡°The imperial prince must be in some kind of trouble. And in all likelihood, he came here without receiving permission from the emperor.¡± ¡°What? No way¡­¡± Lanslo gasped. ¡°Tsk, tsk! Less than ten guards and only a single servant accompanying the emperor¡¯s son? Even the lords of this shabby land would be accompanied by more attendants. Why do you think that is?¡± Pythamoras asked. ¡°¡­!¡± Lanslo became wide-eyed. Pythamoras continued with a meaningful smile, ¡°Either he ran away from home, or he escaped. It¡¯s one or the other.¡± CH 191 Eugene continued his journey to the western coast, where the Bayman Orcs were expected to arrive. On his way, Eugene continued to converse with the knights and nobles. However, while those originating from the Caylor Kingdom willingly complied with Eugene¡¯s call, most of the Brantian nobles were rather callous. Their reason was simple. Most of them were under the Fransil family, so they didn¡¯t know much about Eugene. They had no fear of him, so they didn¡¯t deem his summons important. ¡°Sir Arkwood did not comply with the summons. However, he is willing to provide some funds and supplies.¡± ¡°The same goes for Sir Kezman. He states that it will be difficult for him to provide troops without the explicit permission of Lord Fransil.¡± ¡°They appeared oblivious to the name of His Majesty the King and the royal family¡¯s crest. They reluctantly opened the gates when I gave the honorable names of the duke and Master Pranbow. And even then, they were quite inhospitable.¡± ¡°They even questioned if the Bayman Orcs¡¯ invasion was even true. They appeared doubtful of the fact that Your Excellency headed to the North and saw them personally.¡± Eugene frowned as the knights returned one after another and gave their reports. ¡°How regrettable! Your Excellency, they are not qualified to be called knights. Please send me. I will speak to them with the sword, and it will come to an immediate resolution.¡± Eugene quickly brushed aside Lilisain¡¯s suggestion and became lost in thought. Judging from the knights¡¯ reports, it seemed that the western nobles assumed that the birth of a new king had nothing to do with them. It was rather incredulous, but it made sense at the same time. Even in the Caylor Kingdom, numerous nobles lived their entire lives without seeing the king even once. Considering that, nobles were usually loyal to the great nobles and lords they served rather than the king. This was why even if their lord, the head of the Fransil family, became allies with the new king, their allegiance remained with the Franisil family, not the king. So when they were suddenly ordered to comply with orders to provide troops, their disobedience wasn¡¯t a surprise. ¡°Your Excellency, why don¡¯t you go see Lord Fransil?¡± Partec stepped up and asked carefully, recognizing that Eugene seemed to be in a strange mood. Partec had been bestowed a title during Luke¡¯s enthronement along with the other mercenary captains. Now, he was a proper lord with his own manor, and he was one of the king¡¯s knights as well. Glade and Lavan had also been sworn in as official knights. Eugene responded, ¡°We don¡¯t have enough time for that. If we went ahead and visited the Fransil family, asked for their cooperation, and returned to gather the nobles, the orcs would have arrived more than ten times in the meantime.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡± Partec stepped back while scratching his head. The other knights raised their voices. They could no longer hide their anger. ¡°How could they act so impudently? They are clearly disregarding His Majesty the King and Your Excellency!¡± ¡°Well spoken, sir! Your Excellency, let¡¯s just force our way in and show them our power!¡± Both the Brantian knights and the knights from the Caylor Kingdom unanimously insisted on using force to deal with the non-compliant nobles and knights. ¡°Your Excellency, you have to think this through carefully. This could lead to the worsening of your relationship with the Fransil family. If you force their followers, it could lead to a complicated situation,¡± Pranbow advised. He was cautious, which was natural for a swordmaster of Eland since Eland possessed a similar position to the Fransil family in the new Kingdom of Brantia. Eugene smirked. ¡°Is that so? Then let me ask you a question¡­¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say that the Bayman Orcs landed in Eland. What would you say if I don¡¯t offer my help with the excuse that I don¡¯t have the king¡¯s permission? Even though I am his guardian, technically, I am still the king¡¯s vassal, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­!¡± Pranbow¡¯s eyes quivered. Eugene stared straight into the elf¡¯s eyes before speaking firmly, ¡°The issue with the Bayman Orcs is a matter involving the entire kingdom. How could we call this a proper kingdom if the lords cannot unite under the king to deal with a national crisis? Do you think I went through all that trouble to see this sort of thing?¡± ¡°Well, of course not, but since the coronation was already held, wouldn¡¯t it be better to use a more conciliatory approach in dealing with the nobles? I might be acting nosy here, but your name and honor may become tarnished, and it worries me,¡± Pranbow responded. He seemed disappointed as he spoke. It was true. Pranbow thought Eugene could settle them honorably rather than through fear. He couldn¡¯t understand why Eugene was trying to use force to solve these issues. However, his assumptions proved that Pranbow was still unfamiliar with Eugene. ¡°Is my honor more important than the stability of Brantia?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hmm!¡± Pranbow was startled by Eugene¡¯s frigid gaze. Eugene continued, ¡°Honor, mercy, generosity. All those are good. But now that my aide has become the king, such things are for him to take.¡± ¡°Then, Your Excellency¡­¡± Pranbow muttered. ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know? At least one person needs to be holding the blade. Someone must be ready to break your head if you act like shit. That way, they will learn not to act like an idiot and be loyal to the king,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°¡­!¡± Pranbow finally came to a realization upon seeing Eugene¡¯s cold smile. ¡®I thought he was only saying it for the sake of it. Was he really planning on staying as Brantia¡¯s sword this entire time?!¡¯ Eugene was planning to bear the stigma of being the symbol of fear while giving all the glory and honor to the king. ¡°Your Excellency¡­ Did you know that this was going to happen?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°I thought of it, but I didn¡¯t expect it to come to fruition. So I should do things according to what I have planned, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Let me ask you a question. Why do you want to carry the burden of dishonor and stigma?¡± Pranbow asked. He was genuinely curious. Wasn¡¯t the pursuit of honor and fame¡ªa knight¡¯s ultimate purpose? What Eugene was trying to do was the farthest from glory. ¡°It¡¯ll make things easier in the future if I do this now. And most importantly¡­¡± Eugene continued with a sneer, ¡°I am a member of the Dark Clan.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± No further explanation was needed. Pranbow fully understood Eugene¡¯s intentions from his response. Even if Brantia was generous and undiscriminating against other races, vampires were naturally a symbol of fear and horror to the other races. In the end, Eugene had basically made it clear that he would stay as a cruel member of the Dark Clan rather than an honorable knight. Pranbow finally gave in and bowed. ¡°I have nothing more to say. Please do as you wish, Your Excellency.¡± There was no doubt that Eugene¡¯s choice would be far more conducive to the stability of the kingdom and the continual of the royal family. Eugene responded, ¡°Even if you did have something more to say, I would have had my way in the end.¡± Eugene turned his gaze away from Pranbow and looked at the other knights before asking, ¡°Where is the closest territory from here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Arkwood territory, Your Excellency,¡± one of the knights answered. ¡°And then?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°The Floyd territory.¡± the knight responded once again. ¡°Good. Starting with the Arkwood and the Floyd territory, we will visit all the territories on our way to the expected landing point of the orcs. Those disloyal to the kingdom and the king will not be recognized as lords of Brantia. Therefore, those who do not answer the summons will be destroyed,¡± Eugene declared. Ooohhh!!! The knights exclaimed vigorously. ¡°Sir Caltech, Sir Corbella. You two take this road to the Fransil family. Inform Lord Fransil of the current situation and let him know that I will dispose of the nobles at will. I will not accept questions, objections, or protests. No need to wait for an answer either. Deliver this message and return immediately. Go,¡± Eugene commanded. ¡°As you wish,¡± the two knights answered. ¡°Sir Clenmer. Head to the royal castle and inform the king and Pythamoras of my decision. The druid will know how to respond,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency¡­¡± The three knights departed on their horses. Eugene looked back at Pranbow and Lilisain before smiling. ¡°I think this takes care of that. Any other suggestions?¡± ¡°None...¡± Pranbow shook his head. Lilisain simply stared at Eugene with glistening eyes and a blush. ¡°Three days. I will conclude the summons in three days. Sirs, there will be no need to conserve mana stones. Take them if you feel tired. Beowulfs, I will take full responsibility if you kill those who are acting like shit,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°As you wish, Your Excellency!!¡± ¡°Kuwuoooooo!!!¡± ¡°Kieeeeehh!¡± They cheered. However, there were no more honorable knights and proud warriors. The ones cheering were iron-blooded fighters who only took orders from one man. And¡­ ¡°Respect! Sincere respect!¡± The elven princess, who had fallen deeply for the vampire duke since their first meeting, even raised her sword up high. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± She didn¡¯t even glance at her teacher, who kept shaking his head with regret. *** ¡°Uh¡­ So you are the Duke of Batla?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Eugene responded. Sir Arkwood was the owner of a large farmland, which spanned nearly 330,000 square meters, as well as dozens of serfs. He looked around at the vampire duke and his knights with slightly anxious eyes. ¡®I never thought he would come personally when I sent his men back.¡¯ The Duke of Batla was exactly as the rumors had it. The duke and the two knights accompanying him were equipped in armor that Sir Arkwood could never even imagine laying his hands on. However, that didn¡¯t mean Sir Arkwood was afraid of them. ¡®What are you going to do? You¡¯re in an alliance with Lord Fransil, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ There were only three knights on his side, including himself, and twenty serf soldiers. Even so, the vampire duke could never attack them. ¡°Hmm. So, you¡¯re saying that you would like the knights of Arkwood to join you, as the Bayman Orcs may land on the shore sometime soon?¡± Sir Arkwood asked. ¡°It¡¯s a certainty, not a possibility. I saw it and heard it directly when I went to the North,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah, yes, yes. I guess so,¡± Sir Arkwood nodded while speaking indifferently, recalling the words of Lord Fransil. His lord had warned him not to do anything to displease their new allies. However, though he appeared sympathetic on the surface, Sir Arkwood¡¯s thoughts were completely different. ¡®The Bayman Orcs are invading all of a sudden? What kind of nonsensical bullshit is this?¡¯ Lord Fransil had warned him to act cautiously around the new royalty. However, this didn¡¯t mean that he had to trust all of Duke Batla¡¯s words and follow his commands. The northern orcs had been quiet for decades, so why would they invade all of a sudden? Who in their right mind would believe such nonsense? Moreover, Sir Arkwood had never participated in a war. He was completely oblivious to how great or scary the Duke of Batla really was. ¡®Even so, he¡¯s a duke. I should at least pretend to listen, right? This could be an opportunity. Nobles like him are always sensitive to public opinion, so I¡¯ll meet some of his demands and get what I can from him.¡¯ Sir Arkwood decided to trust in his pride as the master of a land with history and tradition. In addition, he could make some small profits as well. ¡°With all due respect, the sword of Arkwood is not at your disposal, even for you, Your Excellency. My loyalty is to the Fransil family,¡± he declared. ¡°¡­¡± Sir Arkwood felt his heart sink when Eugene remained silent and stared at him with cold eyes. As such, he smiled right away and continued, ¡°But as you know, Your Excellency, there are exceptions to everything.¡± ¡°So?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Haha. If Your Excellency is generous enough to show us your honor, I could give Lord Fransil a proper explanation in the future, right?¡± Sir Arkwood continued. ¡°Honor and generosity¡­ Are you asking for gold coins?¡± Eugene asked. Arkwood didn¡¯t expect Eugene to be so blunt. He flinched before giving a meaningful smile. ¡°Depending on the situation, gold could act as a very useful tool, right? Hahaha.¡± ¡°So, you are saying that you aren¡¯t willing to accept a royal order, but you might change your mind if I pay you gold coins?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh, no! Someone might misunderstand, Your Excellency. All I¡¯m saying is that there¡¯s a way¡­¡± Shuack! Sir Arkwood wasn¡¯t given a chance to finish his sentence. He could only blink reflexively as a silver flash disturbed his vision. Immediately afterward, he heard the sharp sound of the air being sliced apart. Shiiing! ¡°Hiek¡­?!¡± Sir Arkwood was stunned to see a blade tip before his nose. The blade shone with an eerie glow. It happened in the blink of an eye. ¡°W-w-what are you doing?!¡± ¡°My lord!¡± Shing! Shing! Sir Arkwood¡¯s men immediately unsheathed their weapons. Eugene ignored them and declared, ¡°Those who can wield a sword and ride a horse among your children, bring them all.¡± ¡°Do you really think that you will get away with doing something like¡­ Uah!¡± Sir Arkwood screamed and attempted to move back when Wolfslaughter poked his forehead. However, Eugene activated his Fear at that moment, and Sir Arkwood was forced to stay frozen like a rock. After tying up Sir Arkwood with his Fear, Eugene turned to the territory¡¯s troops and spoke coldly. The troops appeared angry, but they were also taken aback by Eugene¡¯s sudden behavior. ¡°Put your swords away unless you want to meet your ends,¡± Eugene coldly said. ¡°¡­?!¡± Everyone was appalled to hear the vulgar way in which Eugene had spoken. They had heard rumors, but it was still unbelievable to see that one of the highest-ranking nobles of the country could be so crude. ¡°I¡¯m not going to warn you twice. Put them away,¡± Eugene said. Despite Eugene¡¯s final warning, the troops didn¡¯t put their weapons away. They looked as if they were confused. Eugene then spoke with a cruel smile, ¡°Start it¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°The price of ignoring his warning. You shall pay for it.¡± Partec and Lilisain responded to Eugene¡¯s command before taking action. CH 192 Partec, or Knight Partec Campbell, could still vividly remember his first encounter with his lord. The young knight once possessed a cold, sharp attitude at all times and the demeanor of a beast ready to explode at a moment¡¯s notice. Partec had made the choice of a lifetime when he visited the Tywin family¡¯s castle along with the young knight. ¡®The decision to follow the duke was the best choice I had ever made.¡¯ If he had rejected Eugene¡¯s offer, he would have ended up as nothing more than a second-rate mercenary for the rest of his life. He would have retired or died without ever accomplishing anything noteworthy. However, he had accepted Eugene¡¯s proposal. Afterward, he faced uncountable hardships and had almost lost his life numerous times while exploring evil lands and participating on many battlefields. In return, he had earned more money than he had earned in the last decade or so in just two years. More importantly, he was sworn-in and was turned into an official knight even though he was already in his mid-to-late 30s. Some thought that Partec deserved what he had received, as he had worked hard and fought fiercely. However, Partec did not agree with their thoughts. No matter how fiercely one fought and lived, Partec had seen countless mercenaries who had been backstabbed or had been killed like dogs after meeting terrible employers and commanders. There was only one difference between such unfortunate souls and himself. ¡®I serve the duke, but they didn¡¯t...¡¯ Partec didn¡¯t care whether Eugene was a vampire or not. For him, Eugene was simply a lord to serve and to follow for his whole life. Therefore, he wielded his sword against the serfs without showing any mercy. Naturally, serfs were no match for a veteran with more than a dozen years of experience. Moreover, their single-layer quilted jackets were no better than parchment in terms of providing defense. In an instant, five serfs fell into pools of their own blood. The remaining serfs, who numbered around ten, immediately fled in fear. There was an insurmountable difference between untrained, frail serfs, and a professional combatant who spent most of his life as a blade for hire. Instead of chasing after the fleeing soldiers, Partec headed to Princess Lilisain. He was going to help Princess Lilisain, but he grinned and sheathed his blade instead when he saw her. Even three knights under Sir Arkwood were no match for Princess Lilisain. Befitting her fame as one of the best knights of Eland, Princess Lilisain¡¯s swordsmanship was quick and clean. There weren¡¯t any redundancies in her movements, and she incapacitated the knights by aiming at the gaps in their chainmail. ¡®She avoided landing any fatal blows on purpose. Amazing. She¡¯s inferior to Sir Lanslo and Sir Galfredik, but she¡¯s stronger than the others.¡¯ Partec was amazed. The tall, beautiful princess was much stronger and more skilled than he had expected. ¡°Keugh!¡± One of the young knights, who appeared to be Sir Arkwood¡¯s son, grunted and fell backward after receiving a blow to his jaw with the blunt edge of Lilisain¡¯s sword and a kick to his abdomen. ¡°Kuagh!¡± A knight was thrown backward by a well-placed kick and was forced to his knees. It seemed Princess Lilisain possessed as much brute strength as men. ¡°Uaggh! Uweegh!¡± The knight regurgitated his meal on the ground, and Princess Lilisain glanced at him before turning around and sheathing her blade. ¡°Mission complete. I await your next order,¡± she said. ¡°Good work,¡± Eugene responded. He watched the situation play out with his sword fixated on Sir Arkwood¡¯s forehead. He was satisfied with Princess Lilisain¡¯s skills. He had also noticed that Partec had grown considerably stronger as well. His skills with the shortsword and the shield were comparable with other knights, and Princess Lilisain¡¯s abilities were one or two levels above the average knights of the Caylor Kingdom. ¡°Kieeeeh! Princess knight, you¡¯re amazing! Wowie!¡± Mirian unknowingly exclaimed. ¡°¡­?!¡± Princess Lilisain¡¯s gaze slowly turned to the spirit. ¡°Kieeek!¡± Mirian squealed upon meeting the princess¡¯s fiery eyes, and then she quickly hid behind Eugene¡¯s shoulder. Princess Lilisain muttered while licking her lips, ¡°Someday, I will definitely¡­¡± ¡°S-Someday you will definitely what!? What? W-w-what do you mean by that? Kiehhhh?!¡± Mirian shouted with horror. Princess Lilisain¡¯s eyes were filled with desire, but it was of a different kind than the spirit¡¯s greed. One could even feel a tinge of madness contained in her gaze. Eugene simply ignored the spirit and turned toward Sir Arkwood. ¡°The death penalty is standard for those who disregard a royal order. You know this, right?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene continued, ¡°I want nothing more than to cut off your head right now, but the king is an extremely honorable and generous man. Although the king is my aide, I can¡¯t just make decisions like this on my own.¡± ¡®¡­Even though it looks like you already did everything you wanted?¡¯ ¡°Therefore, I will defer your punishment to a later date,¡± Eugene concluded before withdrawing Wolfslaughter. ¡°Huagk! Heuk, Ha!¡± Sir Arkwood fell to his ass and stroked his throat with relief after finally being freed from Eugene¡¯s Fear. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking those three. And hand it over,¡± Eugene said. ¡°W-what are you talking about?¡± Sir Arkwood asked. Eugene continued as if it were only natural, ¡°You said you would provide money and food, right? I¡¯m busy, so hand it over.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± Sir Arkwood was at a loss. The vampire duke was brazenly attempting to extort military funds and supplies from him, on top of taking his valuable knights. Even his own son was among the knights Eugene was about to take. How could such a man be a duke? He was closer to a bandit or a thief. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, feel free to offer up your head for refusing to comply with a royal order. Sir, do not test my patience. As I said earlier, I will not warn you twice,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°How much will suffice?¡± Sir Arkwood asked. He wasn¡¯t stupid. He had quickly identified the type of man the vampire duke was. Right now, he had to fulfill the vampire duke¡¯s desires. Otherwise, he would lose his head to the duke, who was exactly, or rather, even worse than the rumors had it. ¡°As you said, sir, gold is a very good tool depending on the situation. I will watch and see your devotion to the royal family and me,¡± Eugene responded. The magical word¡ªdevotion. It would have been preferable for anyone to receive a demand for an exact amount, as there would be no upper limit with what Eugene was requesting. Sir Arkwood felt an oncoming headache, but he had no choice but to appease the duke with a groveling smile. After all, the crazy duke held the sword. *** Starting with Sir Arkwood, Eugene visited all the nobles on his way to the west coast. In just four days, he had received troops and supplies from seven nobles and lords. Naturally, it was written as ¡®received,¡¯ but it read ¡®extortion via violence.¡¯ The nobles shuddered with anger, but their fear of Eugene was far greater than their anger. In the end, they couldn¡¯t say anything. Moreover, Eugene held the justification in the form of a ¡®royal order.¡¯ But although the nobles remained silent in front of Eugene, they reacted and made preparations in their own ways. They visited their support, Lord Fransil. ¡°How could he be so wicked and vicious? Lord Fransil! I was only trying to keep my loyalty to the Fransil family. However, the duke threatened my son and my knights. He had a knife pressed against my neck!¡± ¡°As a vassal of the Fransil family, I told him that I could only provide him with troops with the lord''s permission. However, he suddenly ordered his knights to attack and¡­¡± ¡°This is blasphemy! He called it providing reinforcements, but he has taken them hostage! Bayman Orcs? What a ridiculous excuse¡­ It¡¯s clearly a trick to strengthen his own position!¡± ¡°You must tell the truth to the king and the royal family as the representative of the alliance! Someone must put a brake on the arrogant, wicked actions of Duke Batla! My lord!¡± Nobles flocked one by one every day, and they all spoke of similar things. They vented their anger and frustration with Eugene. ¡°Hmm.¡± At first, Lord Fransil offered his sympathy and comforted the nobles. However, as they continued to come, Lord Fransil¡¯s expression turned serious. Honestly, Eugene had sent a knight to him earlier on to explain the situation. However, this was much more serious than he had expected¡­ ¡°Lord fransil! You must make a decision!¡± ¡°You must show them the will of the West! You are the only one capable of correcting the young king¡¯s ways!¡± The nobles deduced Lord Fransil¡¯s serious expression as anger, and they became even more vocal. However, due to their agitation, the nobles didn¡¯t see the reactions of the Fransil family¡¯s knights gathered in the hall. In particular, the nobles might have noticed that something was off if they saw the expression of Lorraine, the youngest daughter of their lord, as well as a few knights standing around her. However, they felt angry, unjustified, and afraid of Duke Batla. As such, they were fully absorbed in venting their anger and clinging to Lord Fransil for help. Eventually, Lord Fransil parted his lips with a distorted expression. ¡°This simply cannot be.¡± ¡°Ohhh!¡± ¡°My lord!¡± The nobles¡¯ expressions instantly brightened upon seeing Lord Fransil¡¯s reaction. Lord Fransil continued, ¡°I cannot just sit back and watch. Prepare my horse immediately! I will personally go meet with the Duke of Batla. Sirs, all of you must accompany me as well.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°We have trust in you, my lord!¡± The nobles were convinced by the seemingly genuine anger of their lord. Neither the young king nor the duke could continue their reign without the support of the Fransil family, after all. *** ¡°How many knights did we take from those bastards?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°A total of forty-two people, including the aides. Their skills are pretty average, but their equipment is decent. If we put them together, they will be pretty destructive,¡± Partec responded. Partec had never officially received education regarding military tactics, but as an experienced mercenary, he could make sensible, tactical judgments. ¡°What do you think, Master Pranbow?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hmm. Sir Campbell has a point. However, it will be better to have them work together with the original knights instead of separating them. We must consider their morale,¡± Pranbow responded. ¡°Then let us do that.¡± Eugene nodded. Princess Lilisain asked in a proud voice, ¡°Your Excellency. Are you not going to ask for my opinion?¡± ¡°¡­What do you think, Princess?¡± Eugene asked half-heartedly. He didn¡¯t want to ask at all, but Princess Lilisain possessed the highest status right now aside from himself and Pranbow. Princess Lilisain responded, ¡°My opinion is that Sir Campbell and Master Pranbow are correct. That is all.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As expected, the word ¡®unique¡¯ didn¡¯t do her justice¡ªshe was crazy. However, Eugene couldn¡¯t deny that Princess Lilisain¡¯s great skills had been of great help in the past few days. Even the knights who had disregarded Princess Lilisain because of her gender no longer doubted her skills. Rather, there were even a few knights who showed interest in Princess Lilisain, who always gave her all and fought fiercely in battles. Princess Lilisain was only interested in fighting, and she did not care for any compensation or receiving special treatment for her achievements. Members of the royal family were born with gold spoons in their mouths. However, Lilisain acted as a simple knight, unbefitting her great status. Of course, she had never forgotten to glare at Eugene and Mirian with crazy eyes several times every day, which was quite horrifying. In any case, Eugene had decided to merge the newly acquired knights with his existing troops and knights, who were loyal to him. There were complaints due to the difference in their nationalities and difficulties in communication, but none of the knights dared to complain. The knights of the Caylor Kingdom revered Eugene and knew well what he was like, and the forcibly enlisted knights were extremely afraid of him. All in all, almost half of the sixty knights, excluding the aides, weren¡¯t true followers of Eugene. ¡®Dammit. Saying nonsense about some orcs invading¡­¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s obvious that he wants to have us beat up some roamers and bandits to make himself sound even greater.¡¯ ¡®I heard the rumors about his viciousness, but this is even worse, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ The enlisted knights recognized Eugene¡¯s great skills after experiencing it personally. However, the knights were fed up with the cruel attitude with which they were treated. As such, they fumed angrily as they were led to the shore. A few days later, Eugene arrived at one of the four possible locations where the orcs could arrive. It was the northernmost of the four possible locations, and it was the most likely landing place of the orcs. He gave orders to the knights and the beowulf warriors.¡± The knights will remain here and set up camp. The beowulfs will form pairs and scout south, along the coast.¡± Beowulfs were similar in speed to horses, but they possessed much higher endurance and were mostly unaffected by terrain. They departed immediately after hearing Eugene¡¯s order. There wasn¡¯t any meat waiting for them, but they were excited at the thought of facing the warriors of the Bayman Orcs, as they had once established a reign of terror across Brantia. In the morning, two days later¡­ ¡°Dark Lord! Dark Lord!¡± Two beowulfs rushed toward Eugene while shouting. Their figures were caked with dirt and grass, and it was apparent that they had returned in a hurry. ¡°We found the orcs! But¡­ there¡¯s something strange.¡± ¡°What? What does that mean?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Oh, the thing is¡­ Ah! Come on, let¡¯s go! It will be faster for you to see it in person than for me to explain it,¡± one of the beowulfs responded. The beowulfs were strong and loyal, but they were rather lacking in eloquence. Eugene and his knights followed behind the beowulf on their horses. After about half a day¡­ The group finally arrived in a gravel field which drew a long arc against the backdrop of water reflecting the orange glow of the setting sun. The knights¡¯ eyes widened with shock when they saw the unexpected sight. CH 193 The gravel field was filled with the smell of seawater and corpses, and red-backed crabs and seagulls were enjoying a feast on the orcs¡¯ dead bodies. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± ¡°Why are the orcs¡­¡± The members of Eugene¡¯s group muttered with shock. Everyone was shocked by the sight of more than fifty corpses. Eugene dismounted from his horse and walked toward the beach, then he looked over the swollen bodies. ¡°Something¡¯s strange,¡± Eugene muttered. Pranbow observed the bodies by Eugene¡¯s side, then voiced his agreement, ¡°That¡¯s right. It looks like they had been in a battle, and then a monster showed up.¡± It was just as Pranbow had said. The corpses of the orcs scattered across the beach were filled with various injuries inflicted by weapons, but there were also various bites and lacerations on their bodies. Moreover, there were quite a few bodies with torn limbs, and the broken pieces of the ships that the orcs had used to arrive were also strewn all over. ¡°From the condition of the bodies, it looks like only a few days have passed since they were killed. Three days at the longest,¡± Pranbow stated. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene contemplated for a moment, then he looked at the beowulf warriors before speaking, ¡°Warriors, spread out and look for any traces of the orcs in the nearby area. Judging from how many ships there are, some should still be alive.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± the beowulf warriors answered before scattering. Eugene turned to Mirian and said, ¡°Look and see if there¡¯s anything to retrieve. Don¡¯t just look for money.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the spirit answered before flying away to search the bodies. She was deathly afraid of ghosts, but she eagerly rummaged through the horrible remains of the orcs without hesitation. Eugene turned to the knights. The ones who had been forcibly enlisted from the western nobles had rigid, grim expressions. Eugene spoke, ¡°Now, do you believe my words?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The knights flinched. None of them could meet Eugene¡¯s gaze. Unless their very eyes were deceiving them, they could see that Eugene had spoken the truth, and they could not bring themselves to look into Eugene¡¯s eyes due to the shame they felt. ¡®I can¡¯t believe that Duke Batla was telling the truth.¡¯ ¡®Then doesn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s actually crossed over the snowy mountain as well?¡¯ The knights feared Eugene and were dissatisfied with him, but they were still knights. A knight was someone who dreamt of adventure and craved achievements and fame. The eyes of the knights were finally opened in their embarrassment. Anyone who claimed to be a knight would have made the same decision as Eugene when faced with the invasion of the Bayman Orcs, which had come true for the first time in decades. Eugene was not simply a vicious, merit-hungry man. He was a true knight who had made plans to prevent a major crisis. ¡°Stop looking around like fools. Clean up the bodies,¡± Eugene commanded. ¡°Yes!¡± the knights answered before acting on his orders. The knights worked hard to atone for their mistakes, and the orcs¡¯ bodies were soon gathered in a single pile. ¡°Sir, there was nothing to get from their bodies. They didn¡¯t have much money either. All of them were basically beggars,¡± Mirian reported after returning from her scavenge. Eugene responded, ¡°I thought so.¡± The disappointed spirit quickly returned to her pocket. ¡°Light the fire,¡± Eugene commanded. Fwoosh! The bodies of the orcs blazed. It was the end of many orcs who had risked their lives to voyage on their ships. Soon, the beowulfs returned from their reconnaissance mission. ¡°We found traces. There were a few more bodies in the pine forest located southeast,¡± one of the beowulfs said. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Eugene responded. He mounted his horse again, then moved in perfect order with the knights. Unlike before, the faces of the knights contained no more dissatisfaction. Around ten minutes later, Eugene arrived in a small forest filled with pine trees. He saw about ten corpses of orc warriors scattered around a narrow path leading into the forest. Most of the bodies suffered fatal injuries to their backs and heads. ¡°It looks like they died running away,¡± Eugene commented. Pranbow replied, ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s strange. The Bayman Orcs should be proud, brave warriors who do not retreat.¡± Eugene shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Pranbow said. Eugene continued, ¡°They know how to fear, and they are excellent at running away. I saw it with my own eyes.¡± Eugene¡¯s statement wasn¡¯t entirely correct. He hadn¡¯t simply observed the orcs running away. Rather, he had been the one responsible for making them run. Pranbow nodded with a bitter smile after understanding Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Your Excellency! Take a look at this!¡± Partec suddenly shouted, and Eugene quickly moved towards him. ¡°Hooh?¡± Eugene muttered with surprise after witnessing the bodies of two orc warriors. Both of them had perished while holding axes in their hands. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this look like they died while fighting each other?¡± Partec commented. ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re from the same tribe, so they¡­ Hmm?!¡± A sudden thought crossed Eugene¡¯s mind, and he became wide-eyed. It made no sense for the orcs to fight and kill each other after being on a journey all this way together, even more so if they were from the same tribe. However, Eugene knew one person who could be responsible for causing such a thing. ¡®Could it be?¡¯ Eugene quickly examined the bodies. Lilisain, who was hanging around Eugene, quickly followed suit. ¡®The orcs were beheaded in a single blow. This one¡¯s head was smashed in by something.¡¯ ¡°Amazing skills. I can see traces of sharp strikes, as well as strong, merciless blows,¡± Lilisain commented. ¡°That¡¯s right. Whoever was responsible for this is incredible,¡± Pranbow said. The two powerful warriors even voiced their admiration. Their words further confirmed Eugene¡¯s suspicion, as those capable of slaughtering orc warriors in such a fashion were extremely rare. However, Eugene knew exactly who could be capable of such a feat. Eugene turned to the beowulfs and asked, ¡°Do you know which direction the orcs are headed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy! Even easier than eating meat in our beds!¡± the beowulfs responded while pounding on their chests. Mirian muttered with a puzzled expression, ¡°Kieh? Wouldn¡¯t you get indigestion?¡± ¡°Nonsense! There is a saying among the beowulfs: More meat and more gold are always better,¡± one of the beowulfs answered. ¡°Kiehh?! W-was there such an accurate, wonderful saying!? I never realized how wise you beowulfs were. Kihehehehe! You¡¯ve managed to impress me.¡± ¡°Kuhaha! Indeed, we are kind of cool!¡± ¡°Kehehehe! I admit it!¡± The spirit and the beowulfs chortled. LIlisain took out a small piece of parchment and eagerly started to scribble while muttering, ¡°They like meat and gold¡­ Record it¡­¡± The human knights watched the scene fold out with pitiful eyes, and Pranbow was finally forced to interject. ¡°No, Princess. Why would you write something like¡­ Ha¡­¡± Pranbow shook his head with a sigh before meeting Eugene¡¯s gaze. ¡°¡­¡± They could understand each other without having to utter a single word. For once, the burden of shame belonged to the two of them, rather than just Eugene. *** The beowulfs were natural hunters. As such, they quickly picked up on the orcs¡¯ trail. Eugene and the knights followed behind the beowulfs as they followed the trail. Soon, the blue hue of the moon touched the darkened world. The warriors continued the pursuit without breaks by consuming purified mana stones. After a long while, a group of beowulfs returned from scouting ahead about one kilometer away. They reported, ¡°It looks like there is a fight in front of us. We heard the sound of a lot of metal.¡± ¡°The scent of the orcs continued forward, so I¡¯m certain they are the ones fighting. Ah, and I picked up the scent of something else as well. It was a rather familiar smell,¡± one of the beowulfs said with a puzzled expression. Eugene responded, ¡°That¡¯s reasonable. I¡¯m sure all of you know them quite well.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You will find out when we get there. Everyone, prepare for battle,¡± Eugene stated. The knights burned with fierce will and spirit after receiving Eugene¡¯s command. Princess Lilisain drew closer to Eugene and spoke, ¡°Your Excellency.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene responded rather bluntly, wondering what nonsense she had prepared this time. Princess Lilisain continued in an unusually calm manner, ¡°The knights will be fine since they consumed refined mana stones. However, the horses will become exhausted shortly after starting the battle.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± She certainly had a point. However, there wasn¡¯t any time to take a break. As if reading Eugene¡¯s thoughts, Princess LIlisain continued, ¡°I am a pure blood of Eland¡¯s royal family. I can restore the animals¡¯ energy.¡± ¡°Hooh?¡± Eugene was genuinely surprised. Lilisain spoke with a confident attitude, ¡°Give me five minutes.¡± Princess Lilisain pulled on her reins and headed toward the knights. She rode between the bewildered knights, resting her hands on the heads of their horses and whispering in their ears. Something amazing happened¡­ The horses were exhausted after several hours of hard work. However, once Princess Lilisain touched and spoke to them, the horses suddenly neighed vigorously. ¡°Ohh! What could this be¡­?¡± ¡°Is it divine power?¡± ¡°No. This is a different power than a priest¡¯s blessing.¡± Some knights had previously witnessed the blessings of high-ranking priests, which involved acting similarly to what Princess Lilisain had done to reinvigorate an animal or a person. However, they could tell that this was a different power. ¡°Kiehh? Sir, that¡¯s mana. She¡¯s injecting mana into the horses,¡± Mirian fussed, making an observation befitting a spirit for the first time in a while. Eugene was surprised as well. He had thought of Lilisain as a perverted princess who was only good at using the blade. He had never imagined she possessed such amazing power. ¡°Amazing. Master Pranbow, are you not capable of doing something like that?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ehem. Even if we are both pure bloods, Princess Lilisain is a special existence, which is why it¡¯s possible for her. As I said earlier, only one or two such pure bloods are born every generation,¡± Pranbow responded. ¡°So they are even rarer than swordmasters?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Pranbow responded in a rather dejected voice. Eugene turned his head. Princess Lilisain was returning with an indifferent expression after finishing her mission. The knights looked to be in awe of the elven princess. ¡°Mission complete. The horses will not tire for about five minutes of galloping at full speed,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s great. Thank you, Princess,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°I am flattered. I only wanted to stay by Your Excellency¡¯s side and be of some help. I am satisfied if I was able to offer any help to Your Excellency,¡± Princess Lilisain saluted Eugene while gazing at Eugene with fiery eyes. It still felt quite burdensome, but Eugene nodded. He was grateful for her help this time around. ¡°All right. I will allow you to be by my side,¡± Eugene stated. Naturally, he was referring to the upcoming battle. ¡°Honor! I will give my body and soul to protect your side, Your Excellency!¡± Princess Lilisain declared. Naturally, she was speaking of how she felt honored to fight by his side ¡®Oh, my¡­¡¯ However, Pranbow¡¯s expression turned ashen as he watched the interaction. It was truly an elegant, romantic scene. A handsome man and a beautiful woman would stand by each other¡¯s side and protect each other. Such a promise could only mean one thing! How could the two of them be so shameless as to promise their futures in front of all these people?! ¡®Phew! So is this how it¡¯s going to end?! Should I have them send another princess for the king?¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Eugene shouted. The horses galloped with even more energy and speed than before at Eugene¡¯s cry. Paaaa¡­! Eugene took the lead with Princess Lilisain. He began to release his Fear, which curved forward like a bloodthirsty wave under the moonlight. ¡®A-amazing!¡¯ Princess LIlisain trembled with awe. She had only heard about the awe-inspiring abilities of high-ranking vampires before. It was a power completely different from the mana handling of the pure-blooded elves. Moreover, elves and vampires stood at two extremes from birth. Their very natures were conflicting. Even so, Princess Lilisain found the crimson waves dazzling, dizzying, and beautiful. The mysteries of the highest ranking undead pulsated forward while dividing the darkness. In addition, her body tingled under the pressure of the Fear emanating from the vampire¡¯s cape and spear. ¡®This is the best! I can¡¯t believe I can take the side of such a great man! Ahhh!¡¯ Princess Lilisain¡¯s breaths became ragged. She was simultaneously feeling the guilt and ecstasy of pleasuring herself with dishonest things. She found a group of figures engaged in fierce battles. She shouted upon spotting a knight laughing maniacally among a group of large, fierce orcs. The knight held a sword and a mace. ¡°You! You¡¯re mine!¡± Princess Lilisain shouted vigorously. The pure-blooded elf¡¯s mana burst explosively, and she charged forward in a bubble of blue energy, leaving behind Silion and the rest of the group. ¡°No! That¡¯s my vassal¡­¡± Ziiiing! The elven princess shot forward without hearing Eugene¡¯s flustered shout. A strong light began to form at the tip of her longsword. It was a unique power belonging to the pure-blooded elves¡ªAura. ¡°Hey, Master! Huh?! What the hell is this?¡± Galfredik turned his head with a happy expression after sensing Eugene¡¯s Fear. However, his expression immediately crumpled into a frown. ¡°Haaaaaannnng!¡± A female knight with emerald eyes glowing with madness groaned pervertedly whilst charging straight at him with a glowing sword. CH 194 ¡°Lady princess knight~ Lady princess knight~ A-ing! Eheng! It tickles when you touch me like that! Kihehe~¡± ¡°Ha! Then what if I do this?!¡± ¡°Kieeeeh?! It¡¯s so embarrassing! But I can¡¯t deny that it feels amazing~¡± ¡°Hoho. Your joy is my happiness.¡± ¡°Kieeeeng~ You¡¯re embarrassing me! Kie~ Kie~ Kehehe~¡± ¡°Hehehe~¡± ¡°You cute little things. Did I allow you to enjoy yourselves like that without me?¡± ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Your Excellency, please join us.¡± ¡°Well. All right. I feel as if the entire world is mine. It would be wonderful if us three could spend eternity together like this. Together, we could go around and kill monsters, defeat famous knights, and travel the world.¡± ¡°Kiehhh! I¡¯m completely for it!¡± ¡°Joy upon joy! Hohoho~ I am willing to follow you.¡± ¡°Hahaha~¡± ¡°Kiehehehe~¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°..¡± ¡°What do you think? Is she having a nice dream? She keeps smiling. How cute,¡± Romari spoke with a pleased smile while looking at Princess Lilisain, who continued to grin with her mouth agape. ¡°Kieehh? Cute? Hey, raccoon, what¡¯s wrong with your eyes? Can¡¯t you tell? That¡¯s the smile of a savage beast chasing after something!¡± ¡°Mmhm! For once, I must agree with the evil spirit. The princess is an outstanding knight who has gone through years of rigorous training. Her war cry is a bit peculiar, but the word cute is not suitable to describe her. I am certain she has been enlightened by my blow. She must be training in her dreams,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°No, that couldn¡¯t possibly be, right? You got her right on her forehead with a mace. Look at how her helmet¡¯s been split in two. There¡¯s no way she could have been enlightened. It would be a miracle if her intelligence remained unaffected¡­¡± Romari retorted logically. Pranbow stepped forward and spoke angrily, ¡°That¡¯s a little harsh, miss wizard. Princess Lilisain is a pure-blooded member of Eland¡¯s royal family and a brilliant knight. Her brilliance is¡ª¡± Romari interjected, ¡°She jumped at Sir Galfredik without knowing they were on the same side and got knocked out in two blows.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pranbow was forced to shut up. He had witnessed the shocking sight from right behind Duke Batla. He had never imagined that his beloved disciple would lose her blade after a single exchange and have her helmet split with the next, even though she had used Aura. ¡°Huh? She¡¯s smiling again. How adorable, really,¡± Romari commented. ¡°Kieeeee¡­ Why do I keep getting goosebumps? I can¡¯t help but feel like something¡¯s crawling all over my body,¡± Mirian said. ¡°Phew!¡± Pranbow turned his head with a sigh. He could no longer bear how the villainous group continued to comment over the pure-blooded member of Eland¡¯s royal family. ¡°Anyway, who are these orcs? They seem to know you very well, Your Excellency,¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°Oh, that friend? That¡¯s Maxenne. He¡¯s the temporary tribal chief of the Tolo family,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Temporary chief?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°Huh? Master Pranbow, you haven¡¯t heard yet? Master and I demolished the Tolo family when we went to the North and made that guy the chief. So¡­¡± Galfredik explained what he had experienced in the North after Eugene¡¯s departure. His story left Pranbow, as well as the other knights, in awe and wonder. ¡°Sir Galfredik. Are you saying that the Tolo family has unified the Bayman Orcs?¡± one of the knights asked. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t go as far as to call it unifying. Let¡¯s just say they have a bigger say now,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°Well, you defeated all the remaining warriors, right? Doesn¡¯t that mean the Tolo tribe basically rules the North now?¡± the knight asked. Galfredik replied, ¡°Well, it turns out that things were rather complicated over there as well. That¡¯s why I crossed over. I wanted to let Master know, as well as the tribal chiefs who had already crossed over.¡± ¡°But the orcs ended up picking a fight at the beach. They must have been waiting for the rest of their warriors to land, right?¡± Pranbow asked. ¡°Well, things escalated once the monsters showed up, but that¡¯s basically what happened,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°Huh! That¡¯s¡­¡± Pranbow and the knights could not hide their surprise. Eugene reacted similarly after hearing the story from Maxenne. *** ¡°Lizardmen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The advance party was attacked just before they landed on the coast,¡± Maxenne responded politely. ¡°Hmm.¡± Lizardmen resided mainly by the sea and rivers. They were bipedal and capable of using various tools. However, lizardmen were born in evil lands, and they possessed mana stones. As such, they weren¡¯t treated as a species but as monsters. The advance party belonging to the six tribes had attempted to land on one of the lizardmen¡¯s habitats, and a fierce battle broke out between the 200-or-so Bayman Orcs and the lizardmen. In normal circumstances, the orc warriors would have won a landslide victory. However, the beach was the lizardmen¡¯s home ground, and the orcs could not fully display their skills due to their fear of water. Even so, the orcs hurried to make a landing. Only a few warriors were killed in the process, and once the orcs managed to step on the ground, the lizardmen were no longer their match. In the end, the lizardmen ended up fleeing to the seas. However, there was no way the orc warriors would forget the humiliation they had been subjected to immediately after arriving. That was how the chase began¡­ ¡°They had a sorcerer with them in the advance party, and they informed the rest of them about the lizardmen. The lizardmen aren¡¯t aquatic monsters but rather amphibious monsters. They usually reside where land meets water,¡± Maxenne explained. ¡°Hmm. So they chased after the lizardmen after leaving some troops to welcome the main army,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Yes. We arrived with Sir Galfredik, ignorant of that fact. But we had to respond in kind when the warriors of the other tribes started attacking us without warning,¡± Maxenne continued. ¡°¡­I would have done the same if someone had occupied my tribe with force,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°W-well, that wasn¡¯t me, but rather Sir Galfredik¡­¡± Maxenne muttered while breaking out into a cold sweat. According to Maxenne, the half-orc had attempted to ¡®convince¡¯ the other tribes with the Tolo family. However, Maxenne was just a temporary chief, a half-orc, and a youngster. There existed no such generous orcs who would actually listen to the words of someone like Maxenne. Moreover, Galfredik wasn¡¯t a knight who would take insults and ill-treatment sitting down. It was only natural for a battle to occur, and Galfredik easily made mincemeat out of the weakened groups of orcs. After ¡®convincing¡¯ two tribes with his blade, Galfredik continued his mission and visited the other tribes. However, stories about Galfredik¡¯s ruthless rampage had already reached the remaining tribes. The remaining tribes came up with a countermeasure. They welcomed Galfredik and Maxenne and treated them graciously. However, they informed the two that important decisions could only be made by their chiefs, who had already left on the expedition. As such, the tribes told the two to meet with the chiefs for an answer. Normally, Galfredik would have ignored their tricks and continued his rampage, but the orc tribes had mentioned the honor of Eugene and the king. If Galfredik smashed the remaining tribes as well, he would damage the honor and legitimacy of both Eugene and Luke. As such, Galfredik was left with no choice but to return. However, he made sure to carry with him a document of agreement from Maxenne and the four remaining tribes before leaving. Of course, they only managed to respond to the orcs¡¯ trick thanks to Romari¡¯s quick thinking. ¡°So, the orcs who died here are warriors of the Kalan tribe?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Sir Galfredik had explained the situation to the tribe¡¯s chief, and¡­ tried to come to an agreement, but they attacked,¡± Maxenne responded. ¡°He would have asked for deference, not an agreement. Even if it were me, I would have attacked if someone asked me to surrender while waving around a piece of paper,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°A-as I have said many times, that was Sir Galfredik¡¯s¡­¡± Maxenne muttered. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s enough of that. The bottom line is that the warriors of the six tribes chased after the lizardmen, and you went after those orcs, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Now there are only two families left, Katan and Pegoul,¡± Maxenne answered. ¡°What a simple, ignorant bunch. They came by boat together, but they fought separately,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the honor of the Bayman Orcs¡­¡± Maxenne was right. It was customary for the Bayman Orcs, including the Tolo tribe, to fight separately by tribe even if they traveled together. Eugene didn¡¯t know if their nonsensical tradition was truly based on their honor or the pride they had in their strengths. However, Eugene considered it extremely dumb. In addition, he could see why the orcs had succeeded in unifying Brantia only once throughout history, even though they were much stronger than humans. It also made sense why their reign had lasted a short period of less than a decade. They were intoxicated by their own strength to the point that they had no idea how to gather their strength in one place, and they were too proud for their own good, so it was only natural for them to never succeed in truly unifying Brantia. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing for me, though¡­¡¯ Eugene grinned while having such thoughts. Maxenne spoke carefully while looking at Eugene with nervous eyes, ¡°Excuse me, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene responded. Maxenne continued, ¡°Although things ended up this way due to Sir Galfredik¡¯s very small error of judgment, the heads of Katan and Pegoul tribes may have different opinions regarding this matter. Your Excellency, please¡­ I was wondering if you could persuade them with a little generosity.¡± ¡°Persuade¡­¡± Eugene contemplated for a moment before giving a meaningful smile. ¡°They chased after the lizardmen, right? And it¡¯s highly likely that there exists a leader among the lizardmen like a lord or a king, right? One who has evolved beyond the rest?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right,¡± Maxenne answered. ¡°I will think about your request when the two tribes find the lizardmen,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Ah¡­ yes!¡± Maxenne exclaimed with a brighter expression. Although his relationship with the other orcs was slightly awkward, they were still his kin. He felt relieved at the thought that the remaining ones could be saved. ¡®This is rather good. I might even get my hands on a red mana stone while taking care of the orcs.¡¯ ¡°I hope the orcs successfully track down the lizardmen. Then we could work together to defeat the lizardmen,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I¡¯m certain that will happen! The orcs of Katan and Pegoul tribes are great warriors who have been subjugating evil lands for a long time,¡± Maxenne shouted. ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± Maxenne found Eugene¡¯s satisfied smile a little disturbing, but he hoped that the two tribes would succeed in tracking down the lizardmen nonetheless. *** ¡°Kill those dirty lizards!¡± Kuwuuuuuugh!!! The orcs warriors charged with a vicious roar while brandishing their spears and axes at the shout of Katan¡¯s chief. Although their journey had been quite short, only three days, and it had been just a simple voyage following the coast, it had been a life-threatening adventure for the orcs. In addition, a ship had been swept away and destroyed by the waves along their path, which cost them more than ten valuable warriors. The orcs finally landed after so much trouble, only to suffer losses due to the cowardly attacks of the lizardmen in the water. The enraged orc warriors had temporarily forgotten Duke Batla as they fought the lizardmen. In the end, the orcs managed to locate the lizardmen¡¯s home base after several days of relentless pursuit. The warriors of the Katan tribe separated from the other tribes during their pursuit, but it was in the original plan to separate upon landing, so they didn¡¯t care. The most important thing for them was to attack and kill the vile group of lizards scattering in all directions in the shallow stream. ¡°Dieeee!¡± ¡°Kuweeeeegh!¡± Orcs feared deep waters and seas, as they could not swim. However, they weren¡¯t afraid of water itself, so their anger and fierce momentum remained unhindered in the shallow stream. The lizardmen fell one after another with each swing and stroke of the orcs¡¯ weapons. After all, the lizardmen were poorly equipped, and they only possessed a few metal weapons. The lizardmen possessed the advantage in deep water, but they were no match for the orc warriors in such a shallow stream. As such, the lizardmen began to flee to deeper waters or caves after a short while. ¡°Kuwuuuugh! Don¡¯t let a single one get away! We must give the heads of those filthy lizards to the spirit of the earth before we carve out the hearts of the southern knights!¡± Kuwuuuuugh! The orc warriors charged with madness in their eyes after seeing blood. They were truly a race born to battle. The appearance of the orcs made quite a horrifying sight. Drool dripped from their large, sharp fangs, and Fear emanated from their crazed, fierce eyes. However, the lizardmen believed in the existence who had ordered them to attack the orc warriors at sea. Their leader had killed three intermediate-rank monsters and had gone through an evolution. It possessed steel skin that easily deflected the swords of human knights, as well as powerful claws that shredded human armor like paper. Its tail was a massive, powerful club capable of decimating the skin and bones of a beast with just a single swing. They trusted in their leader, the Lizardman King. Kieeeeeeeehhhhkkkk!!! The Lizardman King roared and burst out of its cave after sensing the fear of its subjects, who were also its slaves. ¡°Kuwugh? W-what is that?¡± The Katan tribe¡¯s chief and his warriors came to a stop. Kuerrrrrrr¡­ Kuerr! They faced a giant lizardman well over 2 meters tall and three times larger than a regular lizardman. The giant monster held a long harpoon in its hand. The gray skin of the reptilian monster was covered with large bumps, similar to armor, and its tail, which was as thick as the body of an orc warrior, was decorated with dozens of blade-like rakes. There were five horns jutting out from the top of its head all the way to its neck, which looked similar to a sinister crown, and its bright yellow eyes, long fluttering tongue, and dense, packed, sharp teeth exacerbated the Lizardman King¡¯s bizarre appearance. ¡°Even so, you¡¯re nothing more than a filthy lizard! Kuweweegh!¡± The Katan tribe¡¯s chief roared before throwing a spear. Thuck! A tribe¡¯s chief was a renowned powerhouse even among his people. However, the Lizardman King easily grabbed the spear out of the air before snapping it in half with its four fingers that were as thick as a tree¡¯s roots. CH 195 The orcs possessed poor smelting technologies and skills, but they were superior to humans in carpentry. The weapons the orcs used boasted great power and durability, even though they were made mostly from wood. If they were well maintained, they wouldn¡¯t rot nor bend for decades. As such, there were quite a few human mercenaries and knights who carried wooden weapons made by orcs. The chief of the Katan tribe always carried five javelins with him, and they were quite special compared to other wooden weapons. The javelins were so hard that each one could easily break the bones of a beast with a swing. However, the Lizardman King had managed to snap it using only four fingers. ¡°¡­!¡± The chief and the warriors were shocked beyond description. As a war-loving race, the orcs had fought against numerous types of monsters, as well as warriors from different races. Even so, it was their first time facing a monster possessing such tremendous power. In the first place, if they had faced an ogre, they would have never chosen to face it directly. They had never imagined in their wildest dreams that they would encounter a roamer monster as powerful as an ogre. Even more unfortunate and horrible for the orcs was that the Lizardman King was equally as ferocious as an ogre. Kieeeeehkkkk! The Lizardman King uttered a cry filled with malicious, evil energy, and the five horns lining its head became erect like solid logs. In addition, the spikes on its long, thick tail as well as its arms spread out like a fan and settled in the form of a crescent moon. The orc warriors immediately came to recognize the purpose of the spikes, which were as long as a shortsword. Kuuweeeeeeee! The Lizardman King roared before beginning its charge. It moved incredibly fast, unbefitting its large stature, and as it charged, the monster''s tail constantly beat against the surface of the water. The tail strikes against the water caused pillars of water to soar. The water barrier rose as tall as four or five meters, which was sufficient to mask the giant body of the Lizardman King. It cleverly hid in the diversion and began attacking the orc warriors. ¡°Kuweeegh!¡± ¡°Kuwugh!¡± The orcs were thrown into the air with terrible screams as the Lizardman King ripped their armor and bodies with its spikes. The pillars of water were quickly dyed crimson, which worked to obscure the vision of the orcs even further. ¡°E-Everyone, out of the water!¡± The boiling Fear of the orcs was snuffed out in an instant, and the orcs started taking steps back before eventually showing their backs. The distance between the orcs and the Lizardman King was over 20 meters, and the water was shallow. As such, the orcs assumed that they could escape. However, they were mistaken¡­ Boom! The Lizardman King struck down hard with its tail, then used the rebounding force to jump into the air. The distance between the Lizardman King and the orcs narrowed in an instant, and the monster threw its harpoon while in the air. Shuaccck! ¡°Kuaaggh!¡± The large harpoon pierced through the water and penetrated the backs of two orc warriors. The two orcs were sewn together like skewers as their bodies flew away before crashing explosively into the water. The harpoon was attached to a long, thick rope made by combining several layers of various monsters¡¯ tendons, and the Lizardman King wielded it mercilessly after skewering the two orcs. The Lizardman King flung the bodies of the two orcs and thrashed the remaining warriors. ¡°¡­!!¡± Ass many as ten orc warriors were killed in an instant. The Katan tribe¡¯s chief was struck with despair. ¡®We can¡¯t win like this!¡¯ He desperately called out, ¡°S-Sorcerer! Hartan! Hartan!¡± He called for the sorcerer, but the sorcerer wearing a robe and a hat with crow feathers, was already far away in the distance. ¡°You fucking bastard! You must have dicks instead of fangs!¡± the Katan tribe chief shouted angrily. There was only one choice left for the chief of the Katan tribe. ¡°R-retreat! Everyone, run!¡± he shouted. Kuweeeegh! There was really nothing they could do against such a sly and overwhelmingly powerful monster. The honor of an orc warrior was useless if they were dead. As such, the warriors of the Katan tribe began to run away in a hurry. Keeeeegh! Keeeeegh! The Lizardman King uttered a strange cry, and the lizardmen grabbed their spears and began chasing after the orc warriors. It was then¡­ Kwaaaaa¡­.! A red wave of energy advanced from the direction of the orcs¡¯ escape. The red energy quickly swept over the orc warriors, and they keeled over on the spot. Kuwugh¡­ Kuwegh¡­ A breathtaking Fear weighed down on the bodies and souls of the orcs, and the overwhelming Fear was quickly transmitted to the lizardmen as well. The lizardmen halted while chasing after the orcs with their fluttering tongues and fell into the water. Soon, the only existence standing tall was their master, the Lizardman King. ¡°Kwwuhh¡­?¡± The Katan tribe¡¯s chief and his warriors struggled to raise their heads. They saw a knight clad in black armor charging horseback whilst holding a spear enveloped in crimson Fear. ¡®B-by himself?¡¯ The chief and his warriors were panicking, but the same thought struck their minds. Kieeeeeehhh! The Lizardman King roared viciously after discovering the knight. Kwaaaaaaaaaa! A black flash pierced the curtain of the crimson Fear and shot toward the Lizardman King. The monster attempted to grab ahold of the projectile. It had no doubt it could replicate the scene from a few moments ago and catch the black spear as well. However¡­ Crack! The monster¡¯s hand was blown apart as soon as it came into contact with the black spear. The projectile wasn¡¯t just fast¡ªit was also rotating at an extremely high frequency. After demolishing the monster¡¯s hand, the spear pressed forward with its original trajectory, piercing through the monster¡¯s head. Booom! The orc warriors had failed to leave even a scratch on the gray scales covering the Lizardman King¡¯s skin. However, Eugene¡¯s spear managed to shatter it into a million pieces. The Lizardman King¡¯s large body slowly fell backward after having its head blown away. ¡®This is crazy!¡¯ The chief and the warriors were in disbelief. They couldn¡¯t comprehend the incredulous sight playing right before their eyes. They had been utterly helpless against the Lizardman King and had even been forced to run away. Considering that, how did someone manage to pierce through its head in a single blow? Kwararak! All of a sudden, the spear wriggled like a snake in the air and shot through the air to return to the black knight¡¯s outstretched hand. The shock on the faces of the chief and the orc warriors deepened even further at the mysterious sight. However, it wasn¡¯t over yet¡­ ¡°Kuhahahahahaha!¡± ¡°Haaang! Hnng!¡± A burst of maniacal laughter and a perverted moan simultaneously rang out, and dozens of mounted horses broke through the bushes. ¡°Kieeeeehkk! Mana stone! Mana stoneeee!¡± A bluish, glowing creature followed after them while emitting an annoying scream. ¡°Kuwuuuuugh!¡± The wolf-headed warriors passed by the fallen orc warriors before attacking the confused lizardmen. *** It did not take them a long time to deal with the lizardmen after killing their king. The Katan tribe had lost nearly half of their orc warriors in the fight, and Eugene took them captive before heading to the nearest manor of a noble. ¡°Where is the lord of this place?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°S-sir Leadwell has left to see Lord Fransil. He should be returning soon.¡± It was truly brazen of the vampire duke to return so soon after beating the territory¡¯s soldiers like dogs and robbing them blind. Moreover, he had even brought tough, rugged orc warriors as captives. As such, the members of the lord¡¯s family groveled and acted even more prudently. ¡®How much more do you plan to take from us¡­?¡¯ ¡®I hope the lord returns soon.¡¯ They did not dare to rebel against Eugene and his knights, especially since they had killed all the troublesome lizardmen in the nearby land and brought back their by-products. The lizardmen had troubled the territory for quite some time, after all. They could only pray that their lord would return as soon as possible after alerting Lord Fransil of their urgent situation with Eugene. ¡°Provide my knights with drink and food. Give mostly meat for the beowulfs,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Sure enough, Eugene dictated that they were to feed a huge number of mouths without any compensation. The family of the lord felt as if the very sky was collapsing. ¡°This should be enough,¡± Eugene added. Clack! The exhausted eyes of the lord¡¯s family filled with awe and wonder. The pouch that Eugene tossed contained more than ten gold coins. The shiny coins sparkled, reflecting an amorous light. ¡°Why are you standing around like that for? What is it? Do you have no food?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s not it! How could that be?! We will get on it immediately, Your Excellency!¡± They quickly pocketed the pouch of coins and disappeared to prepare the food and drinks. They were afraid that Eugene would suddenly change his mind. ¡°Fair and square. Your Excellency¡¯s generosity is truly remarkable,¡± Princess Lilisain declared respectfully. She seemed to have transformed into Eugene¡¯s second fan. Romari stepped up and spoke with an unbecoming smile, ¡°Princess, Princess¡­ I think you must not know Sir Eugene very well yet.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. ¡°The money he just gave them. I¡¯m certain it¡¯s what he took from the lord here. Should I say that he managed to wipe his ass without touching it? It¡¯s one of Sir Eugene¡¯s specialties,¡± Romari explained. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Princess Lilisain¡¯s gaze quivered like ocean waves. Her eyes immediately headed toward Eugene. Anyone could tell that she was disappointed in Eugene. ¡®And it¡¯s done. A cute, charming princess like you shouldn¡¯t ever fall for someone as insidious as Sir Eugene. Never, as long as justice prevails.¡¯ Romari had fulfilled her duties as a wizard¡ªa walker of truth. She felt relieved, although somewhat scared of Eugene. She would surely receive some scolding from Eugene, but as long as she managed to save an innocent lamb from the hands of a¡ª ¡°Even your plan regarding supplies is perfect. You are a genius both as a knight and as a commander. Respect. I am truly impressed,¡± Princess Lilisain declared. ¡°Haah?!¡± Romari groaned with disbelief. She was shocked by the princess¡¯s unexpected response. ¡°Stop spewing nonsense. Princess, get back to it,¡± Eugene spoke curtly in a cold voice. For some reason, Princess Lilisain continued to trail after him like a puppy even though there were others around him, like Galfredik and Pranbow. ¡°Get back to it? What do you mean?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene couldn¡¯t improvise anything for a princess to do. He could only create a hasty excuse. ¡°Training.¡± Eugene peeked at Princess Lilisain while speaking. Even he knew that his excuse was beyond lame. ¡°¡­!¡± However, a flame was ignited in Princess Lilisain¡¯s emerald gaze. She quickly retrieved a little parchment and a feather pen. ¡°A knight should never stop training. Must record¡­¡± Princess Lilisain muttered while scribbling away. It seemed as though the pen was magical, as there was no visible ink on the tool¡¯s tip. ¡°Your advice will become my blood and flesh. I will never forget your grace,¡± Princess Lilisain declared while saluting, then she turned around. ¡®I have no idea what she¡¯s thinking. What a mysterious woman¡­¡¯ Regardless, Eugene was relieved after having achieved his intention. Princess Lilisain took a few steps before suddenly turning her head and caressing her lips with her tongue, then¡­ Wink. ¡°Kiehh!¡± Mirian stiffened with a shriek while looking over Eugene¡¯s shoulder. Princess Lilisain hummed while walking away, leaving Eugene speechless and the spirit in fear. ¡°What a unique individual. Even though she looks so beautiful¡­¡± Romari shook her head while staring at Princess Lilisain with regret. Then, she turned her eyes toward Eugene. ¡°¡­In that regard, she¡¯s very suitable for Sir Eugene¡­ Huh?! W-what am I saying?! I can¡¯t believe I muttered such a curse!¡± Romari reprimanded herself with shock. Eugene glared at her with fierce eyes. ¡°That was the most terrible curse you¡¯ve ever cast. Do not ever repeat such evil bullshit again. I¡¯ve finally managed to get my hands on another red mana stone. If anything goes wrong, I¡¯ll consider it your responsibility,¡± Eugene coldly said. ¡°¡­¡± Romari felt rather confused, like she had been greatly misunderstood. However, she knew she wouldn¡¯t receive praise for bringing it up, so she simply decided to shut up. CH 196 ¡°His Excellency Duke Batla headed toward Sir Leadwell¡¯s territory. I saw him heading there with dozens of knights.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Lord Fransil and the nobles accompanying him rejoiced at the words of the wandering mercenaries. They had been ignorant of exactly where Eugene had headed toward, though they knew he was headed to the west coast. They were fortunate enough to acquire his exact location from these mercenaries. But there was one person with a grim expression¡ªSir Leadwell. ¡®Damned vampire! What more are you planning to take from my territory?!¡¯ ¡°Excuse me, Lord Fransil, but would you mind if we hurried up a little? I am worried about what that immoral duke might do in my territory,¡± Sir Leadwell said. ¡°Yes, of course. There¡¯s nothing for you to worry about, sir,¡± Lord Fransil responded. ¡°Ooh!¡± The expressions of Sir Leadwell and the nobles brightened. They were glad to see their lord stepping up to his role as an important lord of the kingdom. If it were Lord Fransil, he would strongly preach the will of the west to the evil vampire duke and teach him the meaning of true honor. The nobles were filled with expectations as they hurried their horses. Half a day later, they encountered an unexpected group. ¡°Who are they? Bandits?¡± ¡°More like mounted bandits. All of them are on horseback.¡± ¡°They could be nobles from the South.¡± The nobles buzzed after discovering a group of about ten mounted figures in the distance. Their appearance was much too neat for them to be simple bandits, and more than half of them were properly armed. In Brantia, a group of men with such equipment would not live as bandits; they would seize territory for themselves and act as nobles. ¡°Hmm.¡± Lord Fransil came to a decision. He felt uncomfortable simply passing them by. He commanded, ¡°Sir Calpen, go and find out who they are.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A knight directed his horse toward the unidentified group. Everyone observed the situation with expectant, tense eyes, and a few minutes later, Sir Calpen returned with great excitement. ¡°My lord! My lord! They¡¯re the entourage of a member of the Roman Empire¡¯s imperial family! It¡¯s His Highness Localope and his escorting knights!¡± Sir Calpen exclaimed. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± The nobles exclaimed in surprise, including Lord Fransil. They were nobles of Brantia, but a member of the Roman Empire¡¯s imperial family was of an entirely different status compared to them. In the first place, it was absurd to compare a nobleman of Brantia, a small island country on the periphery, to a royalty of the Roman Empire, which had a great influence on numerous kingdoms ever since the distant past. ¡°I-is that true? Is it really a member of the Roman Empire¡¯s imperial family?¡± Lord Fransil asked. ¡°Yes! It¡¯s true. The knights'' armor was of a completely different style than our own. In addition, the guiding knight knew how to speak our language. I¡¯m completely certain!¡± Sir Calpen replied. The expressions of the nobles brightened at once, and they began to buzz with excitement. ¡°What a great honor! Lord Fransil, why don¡¯t you head over and give your greetings? It is a wonderful opportunity to socialize with a member of the imperial family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. A member of the Roman Empire¡¯s imperial family is someone even the king can¡¯t treat carelessly. Moreover, it¡¯s even a prince. If you can get close to him, you could use it to put pressure on Duke Batla and the unruly king.¡± Lord Fransil¡¯s eyebrows wriggled after hearing the tempting chatter of the nobles. Certainly, it was a possible feat for the prince of the Roman Empire. Besides, there was nothing to lose from establishing a close relationship with the prince, even if it didn¡¯t work out the way he had planned. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The nobles followed behind Lord Fransil with joyous expressions. After a while, they were close enough to make out the faces of the prince¡¯s party with their naked eyes. ¡®Such luxurious clothes!¡¯ ¡®The armor used by the knights and the horses are different from the style of the Caylor Kingdom!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m completely sure. He¡¯s actually a member of the empire¡¯s royalty!¡¯ The excitement of the nobles soared even higher in their admiration of the prince. For them, the Roman Empire was the most advanced place in the world, the starting place of all civilizations, and the land of abundance and wealth filled with streets of white jade and a golden palace. A prince of such a fabulous place! The nobles stole glances at Lord Fransil. They were dying to speak with the prince¡¯s group. Lord Fransil was also slightly excited, but he kept his dignity and pompous ease as he spoke, ¡°Ehem! I am the great lord of Fransil and the kingdom¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°How rude. Get off your horse and show some respect to the glorious golden blood of Rome, Sir Fransil.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Lord Fransil became confused when a young man, who appeared to be the prince¡¯s servant, suddenly interrupted and scolded him. However, a servant assisting the prince would belong to a noble family holding a high position in the empire. Moreover, someone as proficient as the servant in the Brantian language would be extremely well-educated as well. Lord Fransil stepped out of his saddle, then he bowed politely while repressing his rising anger. The prince nodded from his horse, then spoke with a unique accent. His fluency with the language appeared a little worse than the servant. ¡°You must be Lord Fransil. I am Localope, the heir to the noble blood of His Majesty and the Count of Freibock. It¡¯s nice to meet you like this.¡± ¡°It is my honor, Your Highness Localope. However¡­ Did you already know about me?¡± Lord Fransil asked. ¡°Naturally¡­¡± The prince responded. Oohh¡­! The nobles could no longer hide their excitement. A prince of the Roman Empire spoke in Brantian and even knew Lord Fransil. If things continued to work out like this, he could easily become acquainted with the prince and press the king and Duke Batla to¡ª ¡°I have heard about you from my honorable friend, King Luke,¡± the prince spoke in a relaxed voice. His words, however, had completely destroyed the sweet dreams of the nobles. It was one thing for the prince to have already met the king, but why was he referring to him as his honorable friend? Members of the empire¡¯s royalty were known for their arrogance, so why was he referring to the king as if the two of them were the best of friends? Were they that close? ¡°I heard your daughter is set to become King Luke¡¯s mistress. It may be nosy of me, but I look forward to your kind help in helping the prosperity and stability of the royal family,¡± the prince stated. ¡°Ah¡­ yes. Thank you for your blessing, Your Highness,¡± Lord Fransil responded. ¡°By the way, where were you headed?¡± the prince asked. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Lord Fransil hesitated. He had no desire to reveal all the details. Unfortunately, one of his accompanying nobles was completely incapable of reading the room. The noble failed to give up on his lingering feelings and opened his lips. ¡°Lord Fransil was on his way to the Leadwell territory with us. I am not sure if you are aware, Your Highness, but the one who claims to be the king¡¯s guardian, the duke, has recently committed an atrocious act.¡± ¡°The king¡¯s guardian? Are you referring to Duke Batla? He committed an atrocious act?¡± ¡°That is correct, Your Highness,¡± The noble answered. ¡°Well, the Duke of Batla¡­¡± Noticing that the prince appeared interested in their words, the nobles excitedly recounted the stories they had told Lord Fransil. Naturally, they took on pitiful and unjustified expressions. The prince appeared young and inexperienced, so surely he would be vulnerable to recognition and would seek honor. ¡°Hmm. I see. Well, that¡¯s¡­ Hmm.¡± The prince listened to the stories of the nobles with a grim expectation, which was what the nobles had expected. However, he shared quite a few glances with the servant next to him. It seemed that the young prince was quite dependent on the servant. The two of them appeared similar in age as well. Sure enough, when the stories of the nobles showed signs of continuing for much longer, the servant stepped up promptly. ¡°Your Highness. Shouldn¡¯t you come to a decision after meeting with the Duke of Batla?¡± ¡°Hmm. That sounds like a good idea,¡± the prince responded. ¡°What? Meet with the Duke of Batla?¡± one of the nobles exclaimed with surprise, and the servant turned toward him with a cold gaze. ¡°His Highness Localope has business with the Duke of Batla,¡± the servant stated. The nobles were shocked by the unexpected development. What business would a prince of the Roman Empire have besides meeting with the King of Brantia? Why would he need to meet with Duke Batla, who was but a stranger from the continent?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ by business¡­¡± ¡°Does royalty of the Great Roman Empire have an obligation to explain that to you?¡± the servant said with a glare. ¡°O-oh, no. Not at all.¡± But who did the servant think he was to speak so impudently? The nobles wanted to voice their anger, but they were forced to keep their mouths closed at the dignity and power emanating from the servant¡¯s golden eyes. The prince stepped forward with a smile, ¡°Now, now. Did you say it was the Leadwell territory? We can all head there together. It appears that all of you sirs have business with Duke Batla as well, so we can go together then. Will that be all right, Lord Fransil?¡± ¡°Of course, Your Highness,¡± Lord Fransil answered calmly. He was different from the other nobles, who were still bewildered and unable to get their act together. He had climbed to become the monarch of a region in twenty years and had even become a vassal of the king because of his extraordinary sense for things. *** ¡°W-What!? M-my children?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And not only the Katan family, but the other five families as well. All of you will send two direct descendants to the Rhode family,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­¡± Saliva dripped down the fang ring of the Katan tribe¡¯s chief. His jaws were opened agape with shock. However, he quickly came to his senses and racked his brain. ¡®I don¡¯t know where Rhode is, but it¡¯s still in Brantia. I¡¯ll have them lay low for about a year. They can revolt later.¡¯ The sons and daughters of the tribal chiefs, including his own children, were all skilled warriors. They were no match for the ridiculous power of the vampire duke and his knights, but ten young and powerful orc warriors could easily take over a decently sized territory. It would take some time, but he would definitely take revenge for today¡¯s disgrace. ¡°I will do that. I will take responsibility and persuade the other tribes as well,¡± the Katan tribe chief stated. ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t have to. They¡¯ve already decided to be compliant. And he will take care of the rest,¡± Eugene responded while pointing to Maxenne with his chin. The half-orc smiled awkwardly, and the Katan tribe¡¯s chief took on a fierce expression for a moment. He couldn¡¯t believe that he had to place the future of the Bayman Orcs to a halfie with tiny fangs. ¡°So, who are you going to send?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hmm.¡± The chief looked around at the others who had been captured together with him. After a moment, he pointed at two warriors. ¡°Costan and Ortan. Both are my legitimate children. Ortan is set to be the heir to the tribe,¡± the chief continued. He boldly pointed out his successor, knowing that it would only be a year of suffering at most. ¡°Hooh. Your determination is extraordinary. I love it,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Kuhaha. We don¡¯t have any trust built between us yet, so it¡¯s only right that I do this much as a warrior. Anyway, I have given you my faith, duke,¡± the chief remarked. He thoroughly kept his insidious intentions hidden. He even spread his broad shoulders as if he had made a big sacrifice. However, he had no idea just what kind of person Eugene was. ¡°It must have been a difficult decision to make. Thank you for showing me your trust,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ehem! You¡¯re welcome,¡± the chief responded. ¡°On that note, I will appoint the successor of the Katan tribe as the labor leader. Sirs, take those two,¡± Eugene said. ¡°L-Labor leader?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The chief froze in confusion, and the knights answered vigorously before taking the two orc warriors. The two were bound by steel restraints and had been standing around awkwardly. ¡°Labor leader? What do you mean by that?¡± the chief asked urgently as he watched his two sons being dragged away. Eugene answered with a look of surprise,¡± Huh? Does the chief not know about the Rhode family? Ah, I guess you might not know since you lived in the North all your life.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The Katan tribe chief¡¯s eyes grew to the size of the moon and started quivering. Eugene continued with a meaningful smile, ¡°Rhode is the lord of the Rhode Islands. It¡¯s a prison island.¡± ¡°A-an island?¡± the orc muttered. ¡°That¡¯s right. Naturally, your children and the other hostages will not be residing on the main island where the prison is located. There are many uninhabited islands located next to the main island. They will stay in one of them. There will be quite a bit of work for them to do, and if they don¡¯t work properly, they won¡¯t be getting any food and water,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°Keugh!¡± The face of the chief immediately turned ashen. Orcs were afraid of water, and as such, an island was an inescapable hell for them. No, rather, they might even go insane on their way to the island. ¡°Since we have no trust between us, I decided to keep it that way. Anyway, when you return, do as you agreed,¡± Eugene said. Do as he agreed?! Bullshit! Wasn¡¯t this a threat to make him do whatever the vampire wanted? ¡°Keuwegh!¡± The chief of the Katan tribe despaired and slumped on the spot. ¡°Wow. The master¡¯s insidious nature shines more and more as the days go by,¡± Galfredik commented. ¡°Kihehe. It shines pitch black. Sir demon king god emperor of absolute darkness needs to be like that,¡± Mirian chimed in. ¡°Sir demon king god emperor of absolute darkness. Record¡­¡± the perverted princess muttered. Eugene pondered for a moment about disregarding all formality and pummeling the two of them. At that time, Pranbow hurriedly rushed in. He had been taking turns managing the knights with Galfredik. ¡°Your Excellency, you have guests,¡± Pranbow reported. ¡°Guests? Mine?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s correct. Sir Leadwell and the other nobles are here with Lord Fransil. And they are accompanied by His Highness Localope of the Roman Empire,¡± Pranbow continued. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene frowned at the unexpected arrival. He was certain that he had avoided the dung, or rather, the prince. But he was also wondering¡­ ¡®He¡¯s just too persistent. Come to think of it, he seemed awfully interested in me from the very beginning. Did he come all the way to Branta because of me?¡¯ Why was it that a great noble like the empire¡¯s prince wanted to see him? In any case, it was safe to regard this as fate. Therefore, Eugene decided to meet the talkative prince, who went around in disguise. Naturally, he would also deal with the snitch who went to Lord Fransil in vain hope. CH 197 ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Duke Jan Eugene Batla.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Both the real prince disguised as the servant and the servant disguised as the prince frowned after seeing Eugene. ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s an honor to meet you like this, Duke Batla. By the way, sir, haven¡¯t we met somewhere?¡± the fake prince asked. ¡°Hmm? I have never been to the Roman Empire,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I think we have met in Brantia,¡± the fake prince hesitantly mumbled. ¡°I think you have the wrong person,¡± Eugene replied, brazenly feigning ignorance while looking directly into the eyes of the fake prince. The fake prince¡¯s gaze was filled with suspicion. ¡°No, think carefully. I¡¯m certain that¡ª¡± the fake prince started. ¡°Your Highness, they say that there are at least two people in the world who look exactly like each other, right? I think we must be mistaken,¡± the real prince interrupted him and drew a conclusion on behalf of the fake prince. ¡°We encountered a knight the other day. We hired him as a guide on our way to the royal castle. The knight¡¯s appearance was slightly, or rather, quite similar to your own, Your Excellency. His Highness must have mistaken you for that knight,¡± the real prince explained. ¡°Oh, is that so? Well, I guess he must have looked a lot like me,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hmm. Now that I see it, your voice is very similar as well.¡± The fake prince pointed out. ¡°Well, my voice is rather ordinary.¡± Eugene countered. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene boldly feigned ignorance until the end. The fake prince looked at Eugene with disbelief, and the real prince looked at him with suspicious eyes. ¡°Huh! How could there be someone who looks like the duke?¡± Pranbow took on a serious expression and spoke, ¡°Your Excellency, if there¡¯s someone out there pretending to be you with evil intentions, it could result in a disaster. I think we need to send someone to take care of it as soon as possible.¡± ¡°How dare they impersonate the duke? This is a crime that has to be paid for by tying the testicles of the criminal, as well as their child and their grandchildren, with rope and having them hang from a spire. We must dig their eyes out with a dagger, grind away their noses and mouths with basalt, then drown them in the waters of the Gulf of Elfin,¡± Princess Lilisain said, outraged. It made sense for Pranbow to say such things without knowing the reality of the situation. Princess Lilisain was dazzlingly beautiful¡ªbeautiful enough for others to mistake her as an angel of the gods. However, the words that spewed out of the elven princess¡¯s mouth completely shattered the expectations set by her otherworldly beauty. Even Eugene thought that she had gone a little too far. ¡®No, in the first place, they¡¯re talking about me, right?¡¯ There was no such thing as an impersonator¡ªit was him. Princess Lilisain felt a chill from Eugene¡¯s burning gaze. ¡°Ehem! Ah, I must have been mistaken. I apologize for this, Lord Batla,¡± the fake prince stated. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Eugene nodded. The eyes of the imperial knights turned slightly fierce at Eugene¡¯s attitude, which was rather rude and irreverent to be directed toward the imperial prince. However, Eugene had no intention of showing courtesy to the servant, who was still pretending to be the prince for whatever reason. He judged that Prince Localope had come to Brantia to meet him. But the prince and the servant were still faking it. The thirsty one should be the one digging the well. If they were disappointed by the treatment they received from Eugene, then they had to reflect and repent. However, judging from the strange gaze that the real prince had, it looked like they would keep the fa?ade going for the time being. ¡°However¡­¡± Eugene turned his gaze away from Prince Localope¡¯s group. He spoke while looking at Lord Fransil and the other nobles, who were standing around awkwardly as if they needed to poo. ¡°Why are you sirs here?¡± The nobles flinched and turned their eyes to Lord Fransil like ducklings looking for their mother. ¡®I think we¡¯re fucked, but please cheer up!¡¯ ¡®We only have you to count on, Lord Fransil!¡¯ The nobles looked at Lord Fransil with mournful, pitiful eyes. As soon as they arrived at Lord Leadwell¡¯s manor, they noticed that there were orcs bound like simple livestock. It was then that they realized they were fucked. The attack of the northern orcs had actually been true! The simple truth overturned the essence of the argument they had prepared against Duke Batla. ¡®Whatever you can! Please show us your honor!¡¯ Even so, it was still true that the duke had enlisted troops and had taken funds and supplies without Lord Fransil¡¯s permission. Thus, the nobles held onto their last bit of hope. ¡°Your Excellency Batla,¡± Lord Fransil called out in a dignified manner. The expressions of the nobles brightened. ¡°Speak,¡± Eugene responded. Thud, thud, thud, thud. Lord Fransil stretched out his shoulders and took several proud steps toward Eugene. As expected, he was a great, self-made man who had conquered western Brantia in a few years and had climbed to the seat of a great noble. He was definitely different from¡ª ¡°I heard that some of my followers had made a huge mistake against Your Excellency.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The nobles were startled by Lord Fransil¡¯s unexpected words. Lord Fransil continued, ¡°The responsibility for the mistake of my vassals falls on me. I came to see Your Excellency personally to atone for that mistake and dishonor.¡± ¡°Hooh. A mistake?¡± Eugene responded as his eyes narrowed. Lord Fransil hurriedly responded as beaded sweat formed on his forehead, ¡°Yes. My first mistake was that I was unaware of the impending crisis the kingdom was facing as its lord. My second mistake was that I wasn¡¯t more active in cooperating to deal with the crisis. My third mistake was that my vassals were too loyal to myself that they failed to listen to His Majesty¡¯s cries¡­¡± ¡°My lord¡­¡± the nobles muttered dejectedly. He was openly naming their faults and blaming them in front of Duke Batla. They had never expected the great noble to backstab them like this. ¡°Hmph! Sirs, did you not understand why I agreed to see His Excellency Batla after hearing your complaints?¡± Lord Farnsil asked. ¡°C-Complaints?¡± ¡°Lord Fransil, you don¡¯t mean¡­¡± The nobles hurried to make excuses. They knew well that they were screwed if things continued at this rate. However, Lord Fransil was above them when it came to being quick-witted. ¡°Shut your mouths! What else could I call them if not complaints? Blasphemy? Nonsense?! You lot have really stunned me speechless!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just who was it that should be stunned speechless?! ¡°I cannot believe I had such people under me as my vassals! Ha! How lamentable! Well, who do I have to blame but myself? It¡¯s all due to my carelessness and failure as their lord¡­¡± Lord Fransil did not stop after blaming the nobles, but he even put on a show displaying how regretful he was and that he was reflecting. He turned his mournful eyes toward Eugene. He was very skillful in the art of changing expressions. ¡°Your Excellency Batla. Originally, my humble self should have taken sole responsibility in asking for forgiveness for my wrongdoings, but I realized that the matter had been extremely serious. As such, I brought along the involved parties while risking complicating matters,¡± Lord Fransil concluded while bowing his head with a determined expression. ¡®Amazing¡­¡¯ Eugene was honestly impressed. Fransil¡¯s acting was outstanding, but he was also impressed by the man¡¯s wit and political foresight. The ones responsible for the complaints were vassals of the Fransil family. As such, it didn¡¯t make sense for the Fransil family to take responsibility for their deeds. Lord Fransil should know this truth better than anyone else. However, he took the initiative and confessed fault on behalf of his vassals and asked for leniency and generosity for them. Unfortunately, the nobles weren¡¯t aware of his true intentions and were standing around with dumb expressions. ¡®I can leave the west in his hands.¡¯ Eugene came to a decision before speaking, ¡°Since you put it that way, it would be inappropriate for me to pursue this even further.¡± ¡°Thank you for your lenient disposition, Your Excellency¡ª¡± ¡°However¡­¡± Eugene muttered. Lord Fransil paused and raised his head. Eugene continued, ¡°If those men had been quicker and more cooperative, I wouldn¡¯t have had to make unnecessary sacrifices with my troops. The battle against the lizardmen was unexpected, and it was only due to the slow supply of troops.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°If I had received the troops as originally planned, or even just a day earlier, I could have dealt with the orcs sooner. However, those men were uncooperative and delayed the troops for more than a day, which forced me to destroy the lizardmen while sacrificing my precious troops,¡± Eugene concluded. This was a lie. If he had discovered that a monster with a possible red mana stone was with the lizardmen, he would have fought the lizardmen anyway. ¡®But we only suffered four casualties, and no one was seriously injured or killed, right? Wow~ That¡¯s amazing. He¡¯s screwing them over even in this situation.¡¯ ¡®Kuhahaha! Good! It¡¯s only right to treat shitheads like shit.¡¯ ¡®Sir Eugene is truly the demon king!¡¯ At the least, Romari, Galfredik, and the spirit were certain¡­ ¡®A reasonable argument! It could be called a tactically appropriate assumption!¡¯ ¡®Phew! I don¡¯t even know anymore.¡¯ Meanwhile, Princess Lilisain and Pranbow were even more convinced in their respective impressions of the vampire duke. However, there was no way that Lord Fransil and his nobles knew the truth after having just arrived at the Leadwell territory. Lord Fransil once again praised Eugene while breaking out into cold sweat, ¡°I-I see. Once again, I sincerely apologize for the matter. Your Excellency¡¯s honor and chivalry are truly praiseworthy to not have simply passed by the monsters and¡ª¡± ¡°Sir. If the Bayman Orcs had landed as planned, who do you think would have been the first to be destroyed?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene continued amidst the silence of the nobles, ¡°And the lizardmen had an evolved high-ranking monster as their leader. Do you think they would have continued residing downstream of the river and on the coast?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do you sirs think?¡± Eugene asked while turning his gaze to the other nobles. ¡°¡­!¡± The nobles were startled as they shared gazes. Anyone who wasn¡¯t a fool could understand exactly what Eugene was saying. The atmosphere transformed as he had intended, and Eugene muttered nonchalantly as if he was talking to himself, ¡°It almost feels like I¡¯m protecting the kingdom by myself. Peace comes with a price.¡± Lord Fransil and the nobles finally understood exactly what Eugene was asking for. ¡°That¡­ How much will suffice?¡± Lord Fransil asked on behalf of everyone. ¡°Hmm. It feels slightly wrong to calculate pure chivalry for the kingdom''s safety and convert it into money, but¡­¡± Eugene muttered. The nobles were nervous. It felt as if a cold dagger was pressed against their hearts. The nobles anxiously waited for the duke to continue. Eugene grinned and answered. It was an answer that anyone with some familiarity with Eugene could have guessed. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just see how sincere all of you are.¡± *** ¡°Kieeeeeeeng! Kieeeeng!¡± The evil spirit screamed in a half-crazed state while floundering around in a box filled to the brim with gold and silver. Princess Lilisain breathed raggedly on the side. It was hard to tell whether her gaze was fixated on the treasure or the spirit, but it was likely on the latter. ¡°Haha.¡± Pranbow chuckled vainly like he found the entire situation ridiculous. He turned and spoke to the wizard, who was busily flipping through documents and was immersed in calculations. ¡°How much is there in total?¡± Romari responded, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my calculations yet. However, it¡¯ll be enough money to purchase three or four small territories.¡± ¡°Huh!¡± There were seven nobles who had issued complaints against Eugene, and about half of their entire wealth had been robbed, or rather, presented as a ¡®token of sincerity.¡¯ There was nothing wrong with the situation, and it could be called cause-and-effect from an objective standpoint. However, as a swordmaster who had lived his life with honor, Pranbow couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly bitter. In addition, he felt even more embarrassed to be under the imperial prince¡¯s eyes. For some reason, the prince had been staring at him for a while. Where could a noble prince witness such a horrendous situation? Moreover, the person responsible for the situation was none other than a duke of Brantia, and he was glaring at the gold and silver with pleased eyes. Even worse, the one breathing raggedly while looking alternatingly at the duke and the evil spirit was Eland¡¯s princess! Pranbow felt remorse, shame, and despair all at the same time. He couldn¡¯t help but speak to the prince, ¡°Your Highness Localope. You may find it a bit odd, but Duke Batla had made the best choice in consideration of the new royal family¡¯s finances. It¡¯s a decision he had made as the guardian of the king and the royal family rather than as an honorable knight.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is that so?¡± the prince doubtfully responded. ¡®He¡¯s suspicious. Anyone can tell he¡¯s suspicious.¡¯ Pranbow had to bear all the shame from seeing the prince¡¯s reaction. Suddenly, the prince¡¯s servant whispered into the prince¡¯s ears. Then, the prince coughed before speaking, ¡°Ehem. Duke Batla.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene turned his head. ¡°This may come as a surprise, but I have a proposal for you,¡± the prince continued. ¡°Go for it,¡± Eugene responded. Their conversation drew everyone¡¯s eyes. Just as the prince had said, the proposal had come out of the blue. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come with me to the empire? Of course, I am not attempting to make you, a duke of Brantia and the king¡¯s guardian, a servant of the empire. I¡¯m just asking for temporary help,¡± the prince asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Eugene refused without hesitation. ¡®You said you were being chased by the crown prince, right? Why would I follow a prince who might be clobbered to death when he returns?¡¯ The decision was only natural. Eugene had already come to an understanding of the prince¡¯s situation by eavesdropping on the conversation the group had in the empire¡¯s language. CH 198 ¡°¡­!¡± The fake prince couldn¡¯t hide his shock. The real prince also stared at Eugene with blank eyes. It appeared he was quite shocked as well. It wasn¡®t just the two of them. Pranbow, Princess Lilisain, and even Galfredik looked rather surprised as they stared at Eugene. Only Romari remained unfazed as she was still devoting herself to calculations. It was a natural reaction. The Roman Empire was a power recognized by the entire world. There was even a saying that all culture stemmed from the Roman Empire. It was customary since ancient times for new kings of countries and newly established dynasties to send a messenger to the emperor to report the change. So how could someone refuse a proposal from the imperial prince of such a place? It would be an extremely difficult decision to make, regardless of one¡¯s race and nationality. ¡°Kuhaha! That¡¯s my master!¡± Galfredik shouted boisterously. He stemmed from a poor family of knights, and he found Eugene¡¯s attitude extremely pleasing and refreshing. It was only natural! It didn¡¯t matter if it was the request of an imperial prince. His master was the monarch of the Dark Clan. Someone worthy of representing an entire race didn¡¯t need to dwell on a prince''s proposal. Moreover, Romari was usually quite fussy. For her to remain calm in facing the unexpected situation meant that she already knew this truth. ¡°O-oh, no. It¡¯s not something to refuse just like that. Let me explain my situation a bit more, Lord Batla,¡± the fake prince hurriedly said. ¡°I don¡¯t think there is any reason for me to do so. I¡¯m busy with my own work, and I have no reason to go all the way to the empire to help Your Highness,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°No, but¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness, I think you might be getting a little agitated. Why don¡¯t you stop here for today?¡± The real prince stepped up and dissuaded the fake prince. The fake prince hesitated, then he smiled awkwardly. ¡°Ehem! Hmm! I became a little agitated without realizing it. I apologize for my disgraceful behavior, Lord Batla,¡± the fake prince stated. ¡°That¡¯s not what you should be apologizing about,¡± Eugene muttered to himself. ¡°Hmm? What did you say?¡± the fake prince asked with a curious gaze. Eugene responded, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I think everyone should have gotten enough rest, so let¡¯s continue moving. Galfredik, take charge of the knights. Evil golden spirit, pull yourself together and go make some water. Princess, Master Pranbow. Get ready to depart.¡± Eugene mounted Silion after giving his orders and moved away. He didn¡¯t spare a single glance at the prince¡¯s group the entire time. ¡°That arrogant man¡­¡± the fake prince muttered. ¡°Shh. Even if no one here knows our language, we shouldn¡¯t be negligent,¡± the real prince responded. ¡°Ah. I apologize, Your Highness,¡± the fake prince said. ¡°Don¡¯t bow. Pat my shoulders instead,¡± the real prince replied. ¡°Yes,¡± the servant answered in the empire¡¯s language and patted the shoulder of the real prince before asking, ¡°Why must it be that man? I agree that he is a great figure, but I¡¯m sure we could find a stronger knight.¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t think there are any knights stronger than the Duke of Batla. My knowledge may be lacking, but I have never laid my eyes on such a figure, even in the imperial castle. As such, we must have him join us. For the future of the empire¡­ and for my survival,¡± the prince said in a grim voice while bowing toward the fake prince as if he were being scolded by his master. However, his gaze remained on Eugene¡¯s back the entire time. *** ¡°Your Excellency, we will get going now. Please call us back anytime!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s for your sake, I will draw my blade anytime, no matter who the opponent is.¡± The expressions of the knights returning to their bestowed territories and manors were filled with loyalty toward Eugene. It was only a matter of course. Eugene didn¡¯t take all the money and wealth he had gathered from the western nobles. Instead, he had distributed them to his knights. The knights were already more than satisfied to have become official knights of the kingdom and masters of their own territories. Whenever Eugene rewarded them for their loyalty, and after every battle, their sense of loyalty toward him would grow even deeper. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that you would do that for me, but remember to always keep your blades sharp for the king. The one who swore you in as knights was the king, not me,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Yes, of course. His Majesty has been our comrade since he was an aide of Your Excellency,¡± one of the knights said. Most of the knights had been acquainted with Eugene since his time in the Caylor Kingdom, and they quite liked both Eugene and Luke. Luke could not be compared with Eugene in terms of skills, but the image of the humble aide who had always fought fiercely on the front lines, and the fact that Luke had never refused any bothersome chores were still fresh in their minds. ¡°Take care then,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency!¡± The knights competed to be the first to show their respect and politely saluted before departing. ¡°Well, then¡­¡± Eugene turned his gaze. The beowulfs were standing in groups of twos and threes while smacking their lips with regret. ¡°Great job until now, all of you,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Sniff! It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We got to fight a lot, and we ate lots of meat.¡± ¡°Oh, I want to eat grilled duck.¡± ¡°I want marinated lamb ribs. We can¡¯t have that in the mountains.¡± As always, the conversation of the beowulfs quickly started to flow in a completely unrelated direction. Eugene quickly cut them off. ¡°You can buy some with the money I gave you before returning.¡± ¡°Ehey! We can¡¯t do with only some. We will need at least 20 sheep to have a proper feast,¡± one of the beowulfs responded. ¡°Whether it¡¯s twenty or thirty, you will still have some money remaining after you buy them,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Kuhehe! That¡¯s true!¡± one of the beowulfs exclaimed. Four boxes filled with silver rested on a cart pulled by one of the warriors. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. The packs that the beowulfs carried were filled with various riches as well. Eugene had given enough compensation for the beowulfs to not worry about starving for years even without hunting after they returned to Perseus Mountain. ¡°Wolfgan and those remaining at the castle will help the king with his duties for the time being. There will be rotations every six months, so talk to your kind back on the mountain. All of you could volunteer yourselves as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Why would we talk to them?! We¡¯ll definitely volunteer!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If it¡¯s helping the dark lord and the little king, we don¡¯t need any compensation. Instead, give us meat for our every meal and let us fight until our balls are soaked with sweat. It¡¯s a hundred times better than hunting in the mountains.¡± Kuhehehehehehe! The warriors burst out laughing while showing their large fangs. Eugene was greatly satisfied with the beowulfs. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that they had played the biggest role during his time in Brantia. It was hard to find mercenaries as loyal and skillful as the beowulfs. The only downside was that they consumed an enormous amount of food. However, they had no other fault besides that. However, Eugene had only formed a contractual relationship with the beowulfs, and as such, he had no choice but to let them go. But all of a sudden, Pythamoras, who had agreed to stay behind as the king¡¯s advisor, suggested, ¡°Ehem. This is a united kingdom, so there¡¯s no one stopping you from forming an alliance with the Perseus Beowulfs. Give official recognition of Mount Perseus as their territory, and you can have some of their warriors always stationed at the royal palace.¡± It was a brilliant idea, as expected from a druid. It was commonly known that the combined strength of two or three experienced knights was necessary to deal with a normal lycanthrope. However, what about beowulf warriors armed with specially forged plate coats? It was difficult to guarantee the outcome even if they were placed against five or six heavily armed knights. In fact, Eugene had arranged a duel between the beowulfs and the knights from the Caylor Kingdom, and four knights had been insufficient to deal with a single beowulf. Eugene immediately accepted the druid¡¯s suggestion and offered Wolfgan an alliance. The beowulf agreed without hesitation. Wolfgan was quite intelligent with excellent social skills and critical thinking. He knew that maintaining a harmonious relationship with the new kingdom was the correct path for all of his kind. ¡°Dark Lord! Be careful on your way!¡± ¡°Dark Knight, evil golden spirit, take care!¡± ¡°Kiehhh?! I¡¯m not an evil, golden spirit! You dog-brained mutts! Kieeeeeehhh!¡± The beowulfs departed while chuckling at the sight of the spirit throwing a tantrum. *** Eugene entered the royal castle while receiving a warm welcome from Brighton¡¯s residents. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± Luke and the nobles also flocked to the courtyard to welcome Eugene. Their faces were filled with overwhelming emotions. It was because Eugene¡¯s expedition had led to a unified kingdom of Brantia for the first time in decades. Several dynasties had risen and fallen over the past few hundred years, but none of them had ever gotten the cooperation of the Bayman Orcs and Eland except the Knight King. As such, all the nobles in Brantia had considered it impossible to recreate such a scene regardless of who ascended the throne. However, what had only ever come to fruition under the reign of the Knight King was being re-enacted hundreds of years later. ¡°Uwaaagghh! Your Excellency! Your Excellency!¡± ¡°All the gods and spirits of this land will bless the house of Cralwmarine and Batla!¡± Everyone was thrilled. In particular, the nobles of the Batla Duchy shed tears of joy and cried out in elation. The duke had succeeded in gathering all the treasures of the duchy, then he founded a unified kingdom. The kingdom''s nobles were ecstatic that such a figure had arisen within their generation. They no longer cared that Eugene was a vampire from abroad, as the duchy was entering its greatest era of prosperity since its founding thanks to Eugene. As such, they laughed and shed tears with joy, knowing that they could see and experience the glory alongside the duke. ¡°Hooray! Hooray to the king!¡± ¡°Hooray to Duke Batla!¡± ¡°Brantia forever!¡± The cheers of the citizens shook the royal castle. Everyone rejoiced regardless of their age, ethnicity, and status. However, amidst the loud cheers and the festive atmosphere, some people watched with bitter, complicated expressions. ¡°Hmph! Making such a fuss about the making of a king on this small, remote island.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a country even smaller than the territories of our great empire¡¯s vassals.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural for bumpkins to rejoice about such trivial things, right?¡± ¡°Hold your tongues, sirs.¡± Sir Localope stopped the knights¡¯ whispers in a dignified voice. The knights quickly dropped their heads and stole glances at the prince. The prince continued while suppressing his anger, ¡°It may be a small island country, but it is also the land on which we are standing right now. It is their kingdom and their land. But what about you and me, sirs? We have our land, but we cannot return to it. People are waiting for us, but we cannot meet them. How are we any better than the people of Brantia?¡± ¡°Y-Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Please forgive our incompetence, Your Highness.¡± The knights spoke while biting their lips. They couldn¡¯t raise their heads out of shame, and their voices were filled with sorrow. ¡°Sirs, I know that your display of jealousy stemmed from your frantic hearts. However, keep in mind that such words and actions are unbefitting and dishonorable for knights of the great empire,¡± the prince responded. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°And raise your heads. However bad things may be, I am still the son of the great empire. Even though I may be trotting on a dark path in the night right now, the light will definitely come. Moreover, since I have finally found light on the land of the west, where the sun sets, all of you will have to do your best,¡± the prince remarked. ¡°We will etch your words into our hearts.¡± The knights finally raised their heads after answering and looked at the young prince. The prince¡¯s fists were clenched tight, as were his teeth. He was dressed as the servant, but it was clear he was born with noble, golden blood. Unlike his arrogant brothers, who could not bear even the slightest discomfort, Prince Localope was resilient and headstrong. The knights truly respected and admired the wise prince with all their hearts. Otherwise, they would have never followed him to this remote island nation. The knights were slightly narrow-minded, but they weren¡¯t ones without honor and chivalry. However, they found one thing quite unfortunate¡­ ¡®Again, he¡¯s looking at the vampire duke, not the King of Brantia.¡¯ ¡®Has the prince taken such a liking to the duke?¡¯ The knights unknowingly clenched their fists. They knew well that the vampire duke with obsidian hair and crimson eyes was a strong knight. Knights with his talent and skills would be born only every decade or so. However, he was a ¡®Marecasio¡¯¡ªa daywalker. Even in the empire, only a few members of the Dark Clan were unaffected by the sun. The Marecasio yielded to the imperial family because of a covenant from the distant past, and the imperial family recognized their status. However, the Marecasio was the most dangerous of all foreign races. As knights from prestigious, strong families of the empire, they couldn¡¯t help but worry about Prince Localope. The prince had already taken great favor to Duke Batla. However¡­ ¡®As expected, could only a Marecasio deal with another Marecasio?¡¯ ¡®It may be true. We may need the help of that insidious vampire duke to drive out the demon king who resides by the side of the crown prince¡­¡¯ It was an undeniable reality. Prince Localope stared at Eugene as if he was possessed, and the knights stared at Eugene with a complex look of jealousy and hope. Vampires were the representatives of darkness, but the duke could ironically be a newfound light for them. CH 199 A feast began on the day of Eugene¡¯s return. The king and the nobles willingly donated funds and supplies to celebrate the true beginning of their kingdom. Bottles of liquor began piling up throughout the kingdom¡¯s squares, and poems and songs praising the king and the duke resonated throughout the kingdom, riding on the sweet aroma of alcohol. Skilled jesters and dancers showed off their talents, and actors recreated various scenes as the young king and the vampire duke in the middle of the square with exaggerated acting and singing. Everyone gathered in the streets and praised the young king regardless of race, gender and status. They drank and ate to their heart¡¯s content in anticipation of their kingdom¡¯s bright future. Eugene, the protagonist of the feast, also enjoyed the atmosphere with the nobles in the castle¡¯s courtyard, and after fulfilling his duties as the kingdom¡¯s celebrated figure, he slipped away. He had something more important to handle. Eugene headed to a quiet annex, which was named the Duke Palace, then sent away all the servants before consuming the red mana stone of the Lizardman King. Zing¡­ His body was consumed by a burning sensation, and a sound similar to a mirror cracking resonated inside his head. Eugene closed his eyes. The world around him slowly dimmed, but it soon became dyed in red. At the same time, a familiar sight slowly came back into view. ¡®I can see it.¡¯ He had previously glimpsed fragments of scenes in a dream-like state, but now, he saw a blurry, yet continuous scene. It was as if a faint memory was being retrieved from the depths of his mind. There were two men and one woman dressed in fancy, colorful clothes. Their white faces, crimson eyes, and jutting fangs proved they were all members of the Tribe of the Darkness. Within his consciousness, Eugene¡¯s gaze headed to a man with thin, silver eyebrows. It felt as if the man was returning Eugene¡¯s gaze, and an obvious sneer was visible on his face. The figure¡¯s lips moved as if he were saying something, but unfortunately, Eugene could not hear it. However, Eugene judged from the figure¡¯s eyes and expression that it wasn¡¯t anything good. Then, Eugene¡¯s gaze headed to the man standing behind the one with the silver eyebrows. The man stood there with his hands clasped behind his back. The man had long curly black hair, and his frame was as large as Galfredik. What stood out about the man was that his entire face was filled with strange tattoos. The man also spoke, but again, Eugene could not hear it. However, unlike the man with the silver eyebrows, he didn¡¯t seem to be mocking Eugene, though he looked quite arrogant. Eugene finally turned his eyes to the final figure, the only female vampire. She had red hair like fire, and she looked rather young. She was gorgeous, just like a shiny ruby shining on its own. ¡®The red, brilliant queen¡­¡¯ Eugene wasn¡¯t simply thinking about her appearance. Rather, the emotion riling up from his consciousness defined her as such. The corners of her mouth crept up. Was it a sneer? No¡­ In the previous, blurred recollections, Eugene had considered it a sneer. But now, he could see that the emotion contained in her exposed face wasn¡¯t a sneer. Moreover, the emotions contained in her gaze were concern and expectation, and she was looking at Eugene. ¡®Why?¡¯ A sudden question came into Eugene¡¯s mind. Suddenly¡­ Crack! A sharp sound similar to breaking glass was accompanied by the shattering of the scene inside Eugene¡¯s consciousness. *** Fwoosh¡­ Eugene¡¯s Fear slowly subsided from soaring over his shoulder, and he slowly opened his eyes. His eyes seemed to glow red for a moment before quickly returning to normal. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Eugene let out a long breath. His gaze seemed more profound than before. ¡°Sir, are you done?¡± Mirian asked while flying toward him. She had been watching from a distance while lying down. ¡°That¡¯s right. Did you check?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yup, yuppers! The one behind your neck has been erased,¡± Mirian answered. Eugene used a mirror to check his back. One of the tattoos made of strange figures and ancient texts were completely gone. This made it a total of seven tattoos removed. Eugene repeatedly clenched and relaxed his fists. ¡®I¡¯m overflowing with power.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just his condition. He could feel power pulsating throughout his entire body. Something that lay dormant inside him until now had finally been liberated. It was an inexplicable instinct and mystery. ¡°Sir, what ability did you gain this time? Are you going to transform into a dragon? Or, or what if you can truly become a demon king? Or transform stones into gold and silver? Kyah~ Just thinking about it makes my heart race!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s not that ridiculous, but I did gain a useful ability,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Kiehh? What is it?! What is it? Hurry up and show me!¡± Mirian exclaimed once more. Eugene shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t show it to you right away.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mirian pouted. ¡°You¡¯ll find out when we get to the sea,¡± Eugene said. The ability he had obtained from the Lizardman King¡¯s red mana stone was the power to resist all constraints that existed against him due to water. As such, the constraints placed on him by the sea were no longer an issue, and he no longer had to worry about one of the vampires¡¯ biggest weaknesses. From now on, he wouldn¡¯t have to enter an especially made coffin when crossing the sea. ¡°Tsk, what is that? I¡¯m disappointed,¡± Mirian muttered in a disappointed voice. It was a response befitting a spirit of desire. She pursued spectacular things for her immediate gratification. Eugene grinned. ¡°But I¡¯ve also gained a useful ability apart from that. It¡¯s something I can show you right away.¡± Eugene had also regained a part of a high-ranking vampire¡¯s power. ¡°Whaaaat?! Hurry! I want to see it! I want to see!¡± Mirian cried out with an expression sparkling with expectation as if she had never been disappointed. Eugene grinned before taking a breath. All of a sudden¡­ Fwoosh! ¡°Kieeeeeh?!¡± The spirit froze on the spot with surprise. Eugene¡¯s body had suddenly become engulfed in black smoke. It was the ability that High Lord Federique had utilized in the past¡ªImmaterial Form. Flutter¡­ The black smoke rose into the air. The smoke moved as if it were alive, and it took on a specific shape¡ªa bat with its wings spread wide open. ¡°S-sir? Where are you? Where have you gone?¡± Mirian shouted. Fwoosh! As soon as Mirian¡¯s voice was heard, the black smoke swirled like a gust of wind, and Eugene¡¯s human figure quickly reappeared. ¡°Kieeeeh¡­ How did you do that?¡± Mirian asked as her jaw dropped and became a pool of water. Eugene shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. I just remembered it, and when I tried it just now, it worked.¡± It could be seen as an inexplicable mystery by others. However, the abilities he had obtained from red mana stones were expressed in a way no different than simply breathing. The abilities were absolute laws, and they came to him naturally. ¡°So you turned into a cloud? Is that it?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°In that state, I can move anywhere as long as it¡¯s not completely enclosed, and I¡¯m impervious to physical attacks,¡± Eugene responded. If Black Scales protected him from physical attacks, this ability completely neutralized physical attacks. However, it didn¡¯t render him completely invincible. He would still be vulnerable to attacks from weapons containing powerful magic, weapons containing Fear or Aura greater than his own, and weapons made from pure silver. In any case, Eugene¡¯s abilities were now greater than before, and he had become stronger as well. Black Scales, Camouflage, and Blood Fog¡ªwhich allowed him to absorb blood directly after vaporizing it. The ability to transform into monsters that possessed red mana stones, the ability to understand all languages, and Berserk, which he hadn¡¯t used just yet. In addition, he had gained Immaterial Form, which he had decided to call Black Smoke, as well as resistance against the constraints placed on him by the sea. ¡°A-amazingggg! T-that¡¯s just what I expect from my sir!¡± Mirian exclaimed with clasped hands and glimmering eyes. Eugene found her reaction a bit burdensome. However¡­ ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Eugene suddenly narrowed his eyes and stared at Mirian intently. The spirit looked puzzled for a moment, and then she started to laugh. ¡°Kehehe! Have you finally fallen for my charm? Ang~ If you keep staring at me so intently, I can¡¯t help but be embarrassed¡­ Kiehh?!¡± The spirit muttered while contorting her body, but then she screamed when Eugene snatched her out of the air. ¡°You, you¡¯ve gotten bigger¡­¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kiehh?¡± ¡°You even have another pair of wings,¡± Eugene observed. ¡°Kieeeeehh?!¡± As soon as Eugene released her, the spirit examined her entire body. Her eyes liquefied and grew twice as large as usual with surprise. ¡°Y-y-you¡¯re right! Wow! Kieeh! Kieeekkk!¡± She exclaimed while buzzing around the air. Originally, she had been the size of half a palm, but now, she was as large as a palm. She had also become faster than before, perhaps due to the extra pair of wings. The spirit had evolved alongside her contractor. ¡°Kiehehehehehe! I¡¯ve evolved too, you know what I¡¯m saying?! Ha! From today onward, I shall no longer be known as Mirian. No, now, I am Neo King God Revolution Mirian Mark Two! Kihehehehehehe!¡± The spirit spewed nonsense as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Eugene contemplated giving the spirit a good smack, but then he came up with an idea. ¡°Since you evolved, your abilities should have improved as well, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Kihehehe! How foolish, sir. That¡¯s the most obvious thing in the world. I, Neo King God Revolution Mirian Mark Two, have advanced in every way possible to the point where I should aim to become the next Spirit King. Do you know what I¡¯m saying~?! Well, you and I might be suitable for each other when you become the demon king. Kihehehehehehe!¡± Mirian shouted arrogantly. Her head was held up high at a ninety-degree angle. Eugene suppressed his violent urges once more and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Really? If you¡¯ve become that great, that means you should be able to make water faster as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kihehehe! You don¡¯t have to say that twice! I, Neo King God Revolution¡­ Kiehh?¡± The spirit abruptly stopped. Even though her arrogance had reached another peak through her evolution, it appeared that her intelligence, or rather, the lack of it, had remained unchanged. Eugene continued, ¡°I heard there was a shortage of drinking water in the city. I was thinking about drawing water from a nearby river, but it would be quicker and easier for you to make a well for them instead.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?! W-Was I dreaming? Sir, my humble self must have dreamt of evolving just a little while ago. Phew! How could a small, weak, incompetent, little, and lowest-ranking water spirit like me evolve? I¡¯m content with living my life as your personal cute little spirit before I return to the spirit world¡­ Kiehh?¡± Mirian hurriedly explained. ¡°Since you¡¯re a Neo King God¡­ whatever, who aims to become the next king of spirits, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do great. I will give you three days. Just dig three wells,¡± Eugene said with a grin while grabbing the so-called next Spirit King. The spirit¡¯s arrogant attitude completely disappeared. ¡°Kieh?! T-that would overwork me to death¡­¡± Mirian muttered. ¡°Three days.¡± Eugene declared. He grabbed her tightly before throwing her out the window. ¡°Sirrrrrr! Kieeeeehhh¡­¡± The mournful voice of the spirit grew quieter as she disappeared into the distance as a small ball of water. *** ¡°Evil land subjugation?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Out of the thirteen tattoos he originally had, there were only five tattoos left on his body. Now that Brantia was unified, Eugene had the perfect opportunity to hunt intermediate and high-ranked monsters in evil lands without any restrictions. ¡®I have to get rid of all my tattoos somehow. Then I could use the armor, the last of the four treasures as well.¡¯ Eugene spoke to Luke while recalling the demonic armor Armis, which was currently sitting deep in the royal vault, ¡°Look for places that haven¡¯t been fully explored yet and are presumed to house high-ranking monsters. I want to visit all of them as quickly as possible. Perhaps a month?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Yes, of course. But master¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± No matter what anyone said, Luke was Eugene''s original fan. He continued with a guilty expression, ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, but there are only a few evil lands in Brantia with high-ranking monsters. No, rather, it¡¯s hard to tell if there are even any places with high-ranking monsters.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ehem. The king¡¯s words are true, Duke Batla.¡± Pythamoras stepped up before continuing, ¡°As you know already, the skills and bravery of this land¡¯s knights are undoubtedly great. However, the quality of their armor and weapons are rather problematic. Moreover, all the outstanding knights have been engaged in war for the past decade. They paid little attention to evil land subjugations. As such, mercenaries and those fresh on their quest to knighthood would usually participate in subjugations.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°The bottom line is that it will take more than a month to find which evil lands meet the duke¡¯s conditions,¡± Pythamoras concluded. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene felt dejected. Brantia was inferior to the nations of the continent in almost every way, including the Caylor Kingdom. It was as expected of an island nation on the periphery. ¡®Dammit. Do I have to go through all of them?¡¯ Eugene felt disappointed at the possibility. Princess Lilisain took a step forward and interjected, ¡°Your Excellency. You just need to take me with you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Eugene asked. As another fan of Eugene, Princess Lilisain couldn¡¯t hide the joy she felt at the thought of being helpful to the respected duke, so she immediately answered, ¡°I am a pure blood of Eland¡¯s royalty. I can detect beings born from evil energy.¡± ¡°Hooh¡­?¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes filled with surprise. Lilisain felt her body heating up as her nose started to twitch. ¡°For the duke, I-I will, phew, phew! I will find high-ranking monsters,¡± Princess LIlisain said. ¡°We will depart tomorrow. You will accompany me into the evil lands, Princess,¡± Eugene declared. Accompany me¡­ Together¡­ together¡­ ¡°Yes, sir! Haaaaaaa!¡± Princess Lilisain exhaled heavily through her nostrils, which had grown twice as large as usual. However, her expectations were never fulfilled. That night, a vampire that had traveled a long way from the Carls Baggins Peninsula had finally arrived at the royal castle. CH 200 ¡°¡­So that¡¯s what happened¡± ¡°Yes, great monarch.¡± Delmondo prostrated himself before Eugene, and Eugene looked down at him. Delmondo¡¯s mask was a mess, and his black robe was torn in various places and caked with dust as if to prove that he had been running day and night to get here. ¡°Well done. Well, with something like that, you made the right choice to come personally,¡± Eugene said. ¡°This humble one is moved to tears of gratitude by your greatness¡¯ unfathomable mercy. However, I beg for your forgiveness once more for disposing of the territory without your permission,¡± Delmondo responded. ¡°It was the best choice to be made, right? Marquis Archivold agreed, and after hearing your words, I think it was the right choice,¡± Eugene said. He was a little disappointed about losing the silver mine, but he had to be satisfied that Essandra had paid a generous price for the territory. Moreover, Essandra had made a promise to return the territory to Eugene any time he desired after the current situation was resolved. In fact, it was as if Essandra was temporarily safekeeping the territory for him. ¡°By the way, how is the atmosphere in the Carls Baggins Peninsula? I haven¡¯t heard anything from Moffern yet,¡± Eugene asked. Markus, the vampire lord of Mungard, continued to send Eugene reports. According to Markus''s last report, Moffern was still sending ships to Mungard. However, the situation could have changed suddenly and dramatically if Delmondo had been forced to come here personally after disposing of the territory. ¡°Please do not worry. The guilds of Moffern are still supporting your greatness. It is the same with the guilds of Maren, and the city itself has promised its active support as well,¡± Delmondo answered. ¡°Hooh. Are they planning to completely separate themselves from the King of Caylor?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s the way this humble one sees it. The lords of the Carls Baggins Peninsula are gathering around the Marquis of Archivold, and the City of Maren is hiring a large number of mercenaries. There¡¯s also a rumor that there''s a movement in the nation''s central region to keep the king in check and that Count Winslon stands in its center,¡± Delmondo explained. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered coldly. Two famous, powerful port cities of the kingdom and two of its five great nobles were standing against the king. It was sufficient to declare it a civil war. ¡°Master, what are you going to do? Are you going to join?¡± Galfredik asked. Pythamoras stepped forward while clicking his tongue. ¡°Ehem. You shouldn¡¯t join in carelessly. Duke, you must consider your current position. Moreover, the kingdom is just taking its first steps. We should avoid conflict with other countries as much as possible. ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Galfredik muttered. A war engulfing an entire country could be a great opportunity for some. However, as Pythamoras had said, a duke and the king¡¯s guardian could not recklessly become involved in the civil war of the Caylor Kingdom. If he did so, it could easily turn into a war between countries. ¡°What are you talking about? I obviously need to join,¡± Eugene answered in a calm voice. ¡°¡­?!¡± All eyes turned towards him. Eugene explained, ¡°No, rather, it¡¯s weird to say that I¡¯m going to join. In the first place, wasn¡¯t it the King of Caylor who made a move against my territory on the continent? He said he would convict me because I¡¯m an evil pagan, right?¡± ¡°That is correct. As I have mentioned, he purposefully sent a young, inexperienced holy knight. It couldn¡¯t have been for the sake of anything else besides insulting your greatness,¡± Delmondo answered. Not all nobles were the same. They were subdivided based on their status and class. However, the holy knight responsible for attacking Eugene¡¯s territory had been utterly pathetic. Unless the king and the royalists were fools, they would not have sent such a young, inexperienced holy knight, considering Eugene¡¯s skills and reputation. Such an action went beyond simply picking a fight. It was a deliberate insult. ¡°They made a move against me first, so I have to react accordingly. Besides, they should already know that I became the Duke of Batla, right? Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hmm. Certainly¡­¡± Luke had recently ascended the throne, but it had been a while since Eugene had claimed the Batla Duchy. Since then, more than a dozen ships had traveled between Maren and Moffern, so it would be impossible for Caylor¡¯s king and the royalists to be ignorant of that fact. ¡°Ah! So you¡¯re saying that they must have done such a thing deliberately, knowing that you¡¯ve become a great noble capable of representing Brantia, right? They assumed that you couldn¡¯t easily make a move against them,¡± Lanslo stated. Eugene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking.¡± ¡°As expected...¡± ¡°Kyah~ They must have really used their heads.¡± ¡°Huh! What a shrewd plan.¡± The knights expressed their awe. The knights themselves were quite lacking when it came to politics and manipulation. As such, they could not help but admire the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s king, the royalists, and Eugene, as he had seen right through their plan. ¡°Even so, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that the land of Brantia and the king could be endangered if the duke becomes involved.¡± Pythamoras was adamant. However, he had a point. Pythamoras wasn¡¯t Eugene¡¯s loyal subordinate. Instead, he was the advisor to the King of Brantia. He was simply fulfilling his responsibilities and duties. ¡°Hmm. What to do¡­¡± Eugene pondered. He wanted to completely annihilate those who dared to look down on him, the king and the royalists, but Pythamoras also had a point. He had finally unified Brantia and had made Luke the king for the sake of stable income and as a retirement plan. Things could quickly go awry if he became involved without a plan. ¡°Justification. In the end, is it a matter of justification?¡± Eugene mumbled. ¡°Ehem. Well, in this case, even justification is useless. We would have nothing to say if the King of Caylor stood by their words and insisted on pushing the matter. The rest of the world and the Caylor Kingdom won¡¯t see the duke and Brantia in a good light,¡± Pythamoras responded. The nobles of the countries on the continent possessed complex blood relationships with each other, and the same was true for the royal families of the countries as well. In other words, several kingdoms could join forces to invade Brantia if Eugene became involved. Eugene felt bitter, but he had no choice but to accept the logical prediction of the wise druid. ¡®I don¡¯t like it. I should just go over there and¡­¡¯ Eugene fell into contemplation. Romari, who had been watching the conversation with her characteristic blank eyes, slowly raised her hand. ¡°Excuse me, Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°You¡¯re saying that the Caylor¡¯s King isn¡¯t letting you make a move, right? Since you have your status to worry about, you can¡¯t join in the conflict recklessly, right?¡± she asked. ¡°¡­Weren¡¯t you listening? Why are you asking?¡± Eugene said. ¡°I¡¯m telling you this because I heard everything. Anyway, in the end, couldn¡¯t you simply create a situation where you can ignore whatever Caylor¡¯s King says?¡± Romari said. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. Just what I would expect from a wizard from the continent. And how do you suggest we create such a situation? I just said a moment ago that there¡¯s nothing we can do if they insist¡ª¡± Pythamoras said. Romari interrupted him, ¡°I think there is a way. No, rather, there definitely is a way.¡± ¡°What?¡± Pythamoras muttered with a dismayed expression. Everyone else also looked at the wizard with disbelief. It was hard to believe the words of someone who whined and complained every day. Romari felt wronged, and she turned to Eugene, speaking in a grumbly voice, ¡°No, there really is a way, right?¡± ¡°So what is it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°The imperial prince. The prince¡­¡± Romari answered. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Everyone stiffened for a moment, then took on shocked expressions. Romari felt pleased to see their reactions. She raised her head high and spoke triumphantly, ¡°What could the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s king do against the Roman Empire¡¯s prince? Simply having him by Sir Eugene¡¯s side would solve all of the problems, right?¡± ¡°That makes sense¡­¡± Eugene muttered, nodding. ¡°Hooh! That¡¯s for sure. Even the King of Caylor can¡¯t possibly mess with the Roman Empire¡¯s prince! The cardinal? What can he possibly do even if he hates the Roman Empire? If they dare to make a move against the emperor¡¯s legitimate son, the Roman Empire¡¯s army will retaliate. Then they will have no choice but to flee to the Holy Empire! Kuhahahaha!¡± Gafredik burst into laughter as if imagining the scene. ¡°Pythamoras, what do you think?¡± Eugene asked. Eugene¡¯s words awakened Pythamoras from his thoughts. The druid answered, ¡°Ehem! Ehem! I-I think that¡¯s a reasonable idea. I¡¯m a little worried because Prince Localope seemed to be in a bind of his own, but we cannot deny his lineage and honor.¡± ¡°Hmm. So there won¡¯t be any problems if I have the prince by my side?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right,¡± Pythmoras answered. ¡°Then I think we¡¯ve reached a conclusion,¡± Eugene declared. Pythamoras eventually nodded with a grim look. Eugene turned his gaze away and looked around with calm eyes before speaking, ¡°We¡¯re going to destroy everyone who dared to make a move against me.¡± *** ¡°Uh¡­ so, will you help me if I accompany you to the Kingdom of Caylor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The prince and his group seemed startled by Eugene¡¯s sudden change of attitude since he had flat-out rejected them only a few days ago. ¡°However, let¡¯s set a fair period of time,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°A fair period¡­ of time?¡± the fake prince asked while stealing a glance at the real prince. Eugene continued, ¡°I will help you for as long as the time you spend with me in the Caylor Kingdom.¡± ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what you mean,¡± the fake prince responded while once again turning his gaze to the real prince. Anyone else would have mistakenly thought that the prince was asking for the opinion of his servant and friend. However, since Eugene already knew the relationship between the two figures, he couldn¡¯t help but consider it horrible acting as he waited for the real prince¡¯s answer. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like a bad offer. However, if you are trying to take advantage of His Highness Localope in a political¡ª¡± the real prince spoke. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to say a single word. I just need him to be by my side,¡± Eugene responded. He would be more than happy if the talkative prince would just zip his mouth the entire time. What Eugene needed wasn¡¯t Localope himself but rather the status of a prince of the Roman Empire. ¡°Then I think it is a good proposal, Your Highness,¡± the real prince said. ¡°Oh, is that so? Hmm. However, even if we return home, the journey to the imperial castle could take some time¡­¡± the fake prince responded. The fake prince, or rather, the servant, knew Localope¡¯s situation better than anyone else. The prince¡¯s homecoming could be riddled with all kinds of crises and difficulties. If Eugene just left in the middle of the journey, saying that the promised period was over, Prince Localope would have to give up his life in a place with no escape. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you offer Duke Batla an appropriate price?¡± the real prince suggested. ¡°An appropriate price?¡± the fake prince asked. ¡°The land belonging to Your Highness¡­¡± The real prince stretched out the end of his words while observing Eugene¡¯s reaction. Eugene¡¯s expression indicated that he wasn¡¯t particularly interested, so the real prince quickly continued, ¡°¡­As well as 10,000 imperial gold coins. Wouldn¡¯t His Excellency the Duke be satisfied with that amount?¡± ¡°T-That much?¡± the fake prince stuttered. It was smaller compared to the territories of the empire¡¯s vassals, but Prince Localope¡¯s land was known to be fertile. Moreover, 10,000 imperial gold coins was a humongous amount of wealth equivalent to four¡ªor five years¡¯ worth of income from a decently sized territory. The servant couldn¡¯t help but feel regret that his master¡¯s precious property would be given to the insidious vampire duke. ¡®Do they really think I¡¯ll do whatever they want if they give me money?¡¯ This was what Eugene would have thought, but it was simply too much money. As Eugene contemplated accepting the offer, he overheard a whispered conversation between the real prince and the servant in the imperial language. ¡°We must give him that much. That is the only way we can move the duke. He¡¯s an unparalleled knight, but he¡¯s also a gold-coveting worm.¡± ¡®Gold-coveting worm? Does this bratty prince have a death wish?¡¯ ¡°But what will you do if things go awry? You¡¯ve already attracted the crown prince¡¯s wrath. If things go wrong¡­¡± the fake prince whispered. ¡°Our opponent is that silver-browed demon king. He is the most powerful of the Dark Clan in our empire. We cannot afford to spare anything, including our money and wealth,¡± the real prince responded. ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene¡¯s eyebrows wriggled. The one nicknamed ¡®silver-browed demon king¡¯¡ªthey were also thought to be the strongest vampire in the Roman Empire. Eugene couldn¡¯t help but think of a certain figure. ¡®Could it be¡­?¡¯ The only one with the sneer among the three vampires in his memory had possessed silver eyebrows. If he were an Origin, it would not be strange for him to be called the silver-browed demon king. ¡°Prince¡­¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Hmm? Ah, what is it, Lord Eugene?¡± The fake prince quickly turned his head away from the real prince. He had been listening to the real prince¡¯s words with a serious expression. ¡°If you need me for a longer period of time, let¡¯s settle it at 10,000 gold coins and your territory. However¡­¡± The prince and his group looked surprised. They didn¡¯t expect Eugene to accept their offer right away. Eugene continued in a cold voice, ¡°Members of the Tribe of the Darkness living in the Roman Empire. Please give me a list and location of all the daywalkers among them. That is my condition.¡± Eugene made up his mind. If the silver-browed vampire was in the empire, the other two could also be there. He had to find the three vampires to discover the truth. He had to know why his memories had been erased, why he had been forced to lead an ignorant life before dying miserably, and why he had returned to the past. He would look for the answers in the Roman Empire, the center of the world. CH 201 ¡°Hey, you bastard! That¡¯s a box of mana stones! Be careful with it unless you want to return ten years¡¯ worth of your salary!¡± ¡°Sir! Sir~! Please come to the Dawn Moon Lighthouse! It¡¯s the specialty of Belmaron Hill! Our hostess is undoubtedly the best cook in the harbor!¡± ¡°Here comes Sir Galapa! You bastards, get out of the way! Move!¡± The sun had just disappeared to make way for the veil of darkness over the sea, but the harbor remained noisy and crowded. There were workers carrying various containers and boxes with their sweaty tops exposed, touts clinging to those who were deboarding from ships, proud condescending nobles and their entourages, as well as members of foreign races constantly looking around the city with shock and admiration. However, one area of the port was strangely quiet. Perhaps it was only natural because there were ten burly, hooded figures standing in the area. Moreover, armor could be seen underneath their thick robes. It was obvious that they were a group of knights who had just returned from Brantia. In the first place, the knights who participated in the Brantian expedition were all highly skilled figures with a plethora of experience. Moreover, such skilled knights had returned after experiencing numerous battles and killing many enemies to help the new king¡¯s ascension to the throne. The people of the harbor were well aware of this fact, and they knew that poking around the knights could easily result in the separation of their heads from their bodies. As such, they steered clear of the group of knights. Tap, tap, tap. The people of the harbor whispered as they watched the knights lead their horses down from the ships. ¡°Aren¡¯t they the knights returning from Brantia?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But I¡¯ve heard that most of them had been sworn in and had received their own land over there. Why did they return?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that because they missed their hometown? Even if the new King of Brantia has a close relationship with our City of Maren, it¡¯s still a foreign country, right?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk! You idiots. How could you be so blind to the truth?¡± ¡°What?¡± The laborers turned their heads at the voice of the cargo-working guild leader. ¡°It¡¯s right in front of your eyes. It¡¯s obvious! They returned because of the current mess in the kingdom,¡± the guild leader explained. ¡°Is that it?¡± the workers asked. ¡°Of course! Who do you think those knights fought under when they were in Brantia? Hmm? The one who became the Duke of Batla! That¡¯s right! They served Sir Eugene! And who is His Excellency the Duke? The champion of the tournament! Troll Slayer and Wyvern Slayer! He is the pride of Maren! Do you really think someone like that will simply stand by and watch the situation from the sidelines?¡± the guild leader exclaimed. Oohh¡­! Everyone around him burst into admiration. There were many knights based in Maren and the surrounding areas, but the most famous and special among all the knights was none other than Sir Jan Eugene. Everyone knew that he had fought against and defeated orcs in the mountain range for the city''s sake, and he had achieved great and spectacular feats in the other regions as well. Was that all? After becoming the Duke of Batla, he opened the port of Mungard and brought Maren tremendous profits. There was even a rumor that the city¡¯s budget had a two-fold increase compared to the previous year. In other words, Duke Jan Eugene Batla was Maren¡¯s pride and a legend. ¡°Kyah! Now that you mention it, it¡¯s true. If it¡¯s Sir Eugene, he will send knights to help us.¡± ¡°Of course! Sir Eugene is someone like that.¡± Everyone threw in their praise for Eugene. One of the workers looked around carefully before speaking, ¡°But¡­ I heard stories that Sir Eugene is a vampire.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The workers turned their gaze toward the man. Faced with dozens of pairs of frightening eyes, the worker hurriedly waved his hands with a scowl. ¡°O-oh no, I was just saying that there are stories.¡± ¡°Hey, you little bastard. Even if that¡¯s true, had Sir Eugene sucked the blood of our city¡¯s people? Or had he killed an innocent?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You little punk, it¡¯s all thanks to Sir Eugene that someone like you gets to work and live a better life. You dare utter such bullshit?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such an ungrateful fellow.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a royalist, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re a spy sent by the king.¡± The atmosphere became increasingly fierce, and the other workers started calling him names. At least in the City of Maren, being labeled as a royalist and a spy was no different from being called a murderer. ¡°N-no! That¡¯s not it! I¡¯m not, I swear!¡± the worker exclaimed while hurriedly shaking his head. ¡°This will not do. We can¡¯t leave this bastard alone. How dare you slander Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s a vampire or an orc. If he¡¯s shown you grace, you should shut your trap and praise him!¡± The workers were enraged. ¡°Hey, you little bastard. Come over here!¡± ¡°You crazy little punk!¡± ¡°Me too! I¡¯m going to beat him up too!¡± The city had become richer, but it was also facing a time of increased tension and anxiety due to the looming clouds of war. The men of the port firmly believed that the honorable Sir Eugene would defend Maren with his life. They kicked the poor worker on the ground as if to relieve their anxious hearts. ¡°Uaggh?! Uhagghh!¡± The worker made the mistake of saying the wrong thing, and Eugene quietly headed to his destination along with the prince¡¯s group while listening to the sad, pained groans of the worker. *** ¡°The city¡¯s quarterly income has reached an all-time high.¡± ¡°Good. What about the fluctuations in the prices of mana stones and monster by-products? It¡¯ll be problematic if they fall dramatically.¡± ¡°Haha! Don¡¯t worry, mister mayor. The guild is definitely controlling the prices. Although the prices are down about ten percent from last year, the purchasing price of raw mana stones has fallen, and the sales of refined mana stones have nearly doubled,¡± the man reported. He was the leader of Maren¡¯s merchant guild and the master of the Palin Association. The mayor smiled and turned his head before speaking, ¡°And what about the products made from the monsters¡¯ materials?¡± ¡°More than half were sold to merchants of the Spellen Duchy, the Kingdom of Rubiana, and the Roman Empire. We are also exporting a lot of raw materials as well, so there won¡¯t be any problems with our prices.¡± ¡°Good. Very good,¡± the mayor responded, nodding. The mayor of Maren and the guild leaders were extremely satisfied. As a result of the huge influx of mana stones and monster by-products from Mungard and Brantia, Maren was enjoying an economic revival. It was slightly worrying that the prices of the goods were dropping due to the huge supply, but it was also accompanied by an increase in sales, so it didn¡¯t pose a huge problem. ¡°Well, all is good, but¡­¡± the mayor spoke in a quieter voice, and the guild leaders turned their eyes toward one person. Everyone already knew what the mayor wanted to talk about, and who was in charge of the issue. The mayor continued, ¡°Why are we failing to recruit more troops? We¡¯ve already been recruiting for a month, but we only have three hundred people? Moreover, fewer than twenty knights?¡± The mayor¡¯s words were a reprimand disguised as a question aimed at Trevik, the city¡¯s recruiter and the leader of the mercenary guild. Trevik responded with a frown, ¡°How is that my fault? What do you want me to do with all the useful troops in Brantia?¡± ¡°Even so, aren¡¯t you the city¡¯s recruiter? Even if that¡¯s the case, you should put more effort into recruiting soldiers,¡± the mayor said. ¡°Huh! Didn¡¯t I warn you back then? I told them that we might get into trouble if we sent all the troops to Brantia. Who were the ones that insisted on sending all the troops, saying we had to help Sir Eugene?¡± Trevik exclaimed. ¡°Ehem! Hmm!¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The guild leaders and the mayor hurriedly turned their gazes elsewhere. Maren was a large, populated city, but it only had a fixed number of mercenaries. There would never be a shortage of mercenaries in usual times, but right now, hundreds of them were currently abroad in Brantia, and the king had openly declared war. The current situation was proving to be a massive headache. ¡°So, did you send a letter to Sir Eugene, or rather, Duke Batla, for help?¡± Trevik asked. ¡°I did send it, but we don¡¯t know whether he will agree or not. Moreover, it will take some time for them to arrive even if they do agree to help,¡± the mayor replied with a sigh. Trevik shook his head. ¡°We must resolve this within the month. Duke Batla must come.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we rally the neighboring nobles first? The Count of Evergrove has been quite supportive towards us as well,¡± the mayor suggested. ¡°My, my. Mister mayor, and respected guild leaders, this isn¡¯t the City of Moffern, and it isn¡¯t the Carls Baggins Peninsula either. Our situation is different from theirs. The lords of the peninsula have their own standing armies and are uniting around Margrave Archivold. The Count of Evergrove is already completely occupied trying to protect and preserve his own territory. Moreover, he has no reason to lend his hand to help protect our city. And if I were Count Evergrove, I would stick with Count Winslon rather than Maren,¡± Trevik explained. ¡°Hmm.¡± It certainly made sense. The Winslon County was a great nobility that reigned as the lord of the nation¡¯s central region. Moreover, the prestigious noble families were connected through blood ties. In the end, if a real war broke out, it made sense to join forces with the Winslon County, as it was advantageous to be part of a more powerful union of nobles in negotiating with the royal family. Right now, Maren was nothing more than just a fragile port city with a lot of money. ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask for cooperation from the Winslon County? It seems like they¡¯ll be the ones to battle against the royal family first, so why don¡¯t we send them supplies and funds?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s give them thousands of gold coins to feed a thousand people for a couple of months. Since they¡¯re going to fight anyway, we can ask them to fight for us as well. I think the count would be satisfied with receiving that much compensation.¡± The guild leaders voiced their opinions regarding the matter. Trevik, the only military expert present, responded with a sigh, ¡°Phew! Everyone, the king and the royalists are not fools. If you were them, would you choose to engage in a battle against Count Winslon, knowing that you could bleed hard, or would you rather fight against our city, which is overflowing with money but weak?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Well.¡± The guild leaders were forced to close their mouths. Only fools would choose the former. In addition, war wasn¡¯t just about the number and quality of troops. Money and supplies played a critical part in wars. If the king¡¯s army could rearm themselves after occupying Maren, even Count Winslon and his union of nobles would have no choice but to concede. ¡°Tsk. So we have no choice but to cling to Duke Batla?¡± the mayor asked. ¡°We will do our best to recruit troops, but we need Duke Batla and his men as well. Please try your best,¡± Trevik responded. ¡°I understand. I will send a letter with a ship returning to Mungard, as well as a token of our appreciation,¡± the mayor stated. ¡°Yes. However, you know that we cannot simply send hundreds of silver coins or a set of armor like we did in the past, right? We can¡¯t simply appeal to his loyalty and honor,¡± Trevik said. ¡°That¡¯s a problem...¡± When Eugene first arrived in Maren, he had been a young, inexperienced knight. It had been relatively easy to handle him. But now, he had massively outgrown his past self. The City of Maren would need to provide at least ten times compared to what they had done in the past, or even more, to entice him. *** ¡°Oh, my~! The pride of Maren! The pride of the Palin Association! My pride! Your Excellency Eugene, you¡¯re finally here!¡± Priscilla exclaimed with excitement while running toward Eugene as if she wanted to hug him. ¡°You¡¯ve become rather noisy since the last time we¡¯ve met, Vice Executive,¡± Eugene responded while sidestepping to avoid her. ¡°Oh, not at all! How could you say such a sad thing?! It¡¯s not anyone else either, but Your Excellency!¡± Priscila couldn¡¯t hide her overwhelming excitement. Naturally, Eugene was the Palin Association¡¯s patron and top customer. The number of mana stones and by-products imported from Mungard every month was truly enormous, and Palin¡¯s share was the largest among the associations belonging to Maren¡¯s merchant guild. The profit they had reaped over the last six months through importing from Mungard had already become greater than their total profit from the previous year, and all of it was thanks to Eugene. Priscilla was willing to even hand over her liver if Eugene asked for it. Furthermore¡­ ¡°Your Excellency! I really don¡¯t know how to thank you for coming back to us at such a time,¡± Priscilla said, half-exclaiming. ¡°Stop with the formalities and address me like you used to,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah¡­ C-can I?¡± Priscilla asked cautiously. Brantia was just an island country on the periphery, but it was still a kingdom, and Eugene was its duke. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then treat me like a real duke and show proper etiquette. But it might be more complicated than you think. Are you fine with that?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°People should just live the way they¡¯re accustomed to, right? I will do what you asked, sir.¡± Priscilla quickly bowed. She had no previous experience dealing with a duke, but she knew how tricky it was to conduct business with prestigious nobles. ¡°Good choice. Anyway, what did you mean at such a time?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What? Naturally, I¡¯m talking about how the king and the royalists are trying to invade us after labeling the city as being traitorous. The mayor and the guild leaders have been looking forward to your arrival,¡± Priscilla explained. She wasn¡¯t particularly excited to see Eugene just because he was the Palin Association¡¯s top customer. Eugene had relied on his unparalleled skill with the blade alone to become a lord and even a great noble. What reason would he have to return to Maren? Priscilla was certain that he had returned to take Maren¡¯s side in fighting against the king and the royalists. It wasn¡¯t only her either. The whole city firmly believed that to be the case as well. ¡°I see,¡± Eugene answered bluntly. He had become smarter than before, so he quickly mulled over the situation. Indeed, he had returned to teach the king and the royalists a lesson, but from Priscilla¡¯s attitude, it was apparent that Maren¡¯s situation was more urgent than he had expected. So what? ¡°Well, I have had a good relationship with the City of Maren until now. However, I didn¡¯t return for that reason,¡± Eugene said while turning his head. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Priscilla¡¯s gaze naturally followed along. ¡°Give your greetings. This is His Highness Localope, the heir to the glorious golden blood of the Roman Empire,¡± Eugene announced. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Priscilla¡¯s eyes filled with shock and disbelief at the unexpected appearance of an imperial prince, and the prince¡¯s group looked similarly shocked as well. Why was Eugene announcing the prince¡¯s identity immediately after arriving on the continent? CH 202 ¡®Weren¡¯t we going to keep His Highness¡¯ identity a secret?¡¯ ¡®You bloody duke! What the hell are you thinking?¡¯ They were greatly taken aback by Eugene¡¯s words, but the prince and his party had no choice but to take off their hoods. Although he was an impersonator of the prince, Vizak¡¯s handsome appearance reflected his status as a member of a prestigious family of nobles. Priscilla¡¯s eyes quivered when she saw his face. ¡®A real imperial prince of the Roman Empire? Is this for real? What is a member of the imperial family doing here?¡¯ ¡°I-I-I give my greetings to Your Highness¡­ I-I am Priscilla, daughter of Vincenzo Palin. I am the Vice Executive of the Palin Association¡¯s Maren branch,¡± Priscilla stuttered. ¡°Nice to meet you, Vice Executive Palin,¡± Vizak responded. ¡°It¡¯s my greatest honor! Please, come inside¡­ No, some tea; no, ale or wine¡­ maybe some wine¡­¡± Priscilla floundered even more after hearing his curt answer. As the vice executive of a large association, Priscilla regularly met with many nobles. However, it was her first time meeting a member of the imperial family. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The Vice Executive can treat me just like how you treat Lord Batla,¡± Vizak said. ¡°What?! How would I dare to¡ª¡± Priscilla exclaimed. ¡°Hmm? How dare? Hey, Vice Executive, are you saying that you can treat me however you would like but not the prince?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No! That¡¯s not what I¡¯m¡ª¡± Priscilla hurriedly tried to refute. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Anyway, I have already made a contract with the prince. I don¡¯t know if my schedule will allow for anything else,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Priscilla¡¯s face turned ashen. The current situation was a mess. If Eugene had refused for any other reason, she would have been very disappointed and hurt. However, this was on an entirely different scale. She couldn¡¯t simply ask him to break his promise with an imperial prince of the Roman Empire, could she? ¡®What should I do?! Grandfather, the Mayor, and the other guild leaders will be greatly disappointed. Ah! This is not the time.¡¯ Priscilla forced a smile. It wasn¡¯t like she could come up with a solution by thinking about it alone. ¡°P-Please, come in. You will still stay here for a few days, right? Right, Sir Eugene?¡± Priscilla asked. ¡®Please say that you will!¡¯ One of the most important skills for a merchant to have was the ability to control their facial expression, regardless of the situation they found themselves in. However, Priscilla had completely lost her ability to keep a straight face at the sudden appearance of the imperial prince. ¡°Hmm. Well, I was planning to, but¡­¡± Eugene answered leisurely while turning his gaze toward the prince. Priscilla¡¯s urgent heart was in plain view for him to see. Through his action, Eugene was silently indicating that although he was in no rush, he would have to leave at any time if the prince so desired. Priscilla felt rushed. She desperately exclaimed, ¡°Your Highness! Although it¡¯s nothing compared to the imperial palace, there are a lot of things to be enjoyed in our city as well! Please give me the honor of serving Your Highness and the rest of your group!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Vizak looked sideways and shared a glance with Prince Localope before nodding slowly. ¡°Fine.¡± It was unclear what Eugene was planning, but they had already promised to do as Eugene wished in the Caylor Kingdom as long as it wouldn¡¯t tarnish the dignity and the reputation of the imperial family. *** Priscilla spent dozens of gold coins and treated Eugene, the prince, and the rest of the group to the best food and accommodations before rushing to the city hall. ¡°What?! Did you say that Sir Eugene is in our city? And he¡¯s with a member of the Roman Empire¡¯s royalty?!¡± The mayor and the guild leaders had been about to end their meeting. However, they immediately sat back down in their seats after hearing Priscilla¡¯s shocking words. They had been pondering about how they would bring Eugene here, but it turned out he was already here. Moreover, he was accompanied by a member of the Roman Empire¡¯s imperial family. ¡°That¡¯s correct. I did find it a little strange that Sir Eugene was accompanied by so many people, but it turned out they were guards of the imperial prince,¡± Priscilla explained. ¡°W-Which prince? What was his name?¡± ¡°Was he really a prince? Why would a direct descendant of the Roman Empire¡¯s royalty be here?¡± The guild leaders poured out one question after another without hiding their shock and disbelief. Priscilla answered their curiosities one by one. ¡°He stated that he was the third prince, Prince Localope. The ring with the imperial seal looked genuine, and I even confirmed that they spoke the language of the Roman Empire. In the first place, there¡¯s no way that Sir Eugene would be going around with a fake, right? He is a Duke of Brantia after all,¡± Priscilla said. ¡°That¡¯s true! Huh! Then what¡¯s going to happen now?¡± The mayor asked while looking around at the guild leaders. However, the guild leaders were still dazed by the shocking news. They couldn¡¯t answer the mayor¡¯s question. Meanwhile, Priscilla had thought extensively about the matter on her way to the city hall. She carefully spoke, ¡°Mister mayor and respected guild leaders, although I¡¯m not certain exactly what it is, Sir Eugene mentioned that he had signed a contract with the prince.¡± ¡°A contract? What kind of a contract is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. However, that¡¯s not the problem. Sir Eugene said that he would have to leave for the Roman Empire with the prince and his entourage. Then what would happen to our city?" Priscilla replied. "Oh, my...!" The mayor and the guild leaders became even more dismayed. If that happened, the most reliable card in their deck would disappear. Priscilla continued, ¡°I¡¯ve managed to keep Sir Eugene and His Highness here for now, but they could leave our city right away, even tomorrow. We must figure something out before that, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± The mayor and the guild leaders shared gazes with grim expressions. They felt burdened by the sudden, unexpected problem. Priscilla then mentioned the worst possible scenario. However, given the current situation, she was certain that it was also the most likely outcome. ¡°Respected mayor and guild leaders. The people at the accommodation and the people of our association have already seen Sir Eugene. In other words, the news of Sir Eugene¡¯s arrival will soon spread throughout the city.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes shook violently. It was one thing if news of Eugene¡¯s arrival was kept a secret, but things would quickly spiral out of control if the people discovered it. After all, Jan Eugene was a heroic knight recognized by all the residents of Maren. What would happen if they let him simply leave? The criticism of the citizens would obviously land on the mayor and the guild leaders. It was entirely possible that the City of Maren could collapse from the inside before they could even properly confront the royalists. ¡°Where are Sir Eugen and His Highness staying?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry! We must talk with¡­ No! Even if we have to give them everything they want, we have to make them stay!¡± ¡°The city¡¯s available funds¡­ No, we have to make the guilds collect all the money they can.¡± The leaders of the City of Maren started to panic. *** ¡°Sir, I was a little surprised earlier,¡± Vizak spoke. He was still posing as the prince. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Eugene responded with a relaxed expression while turning toward Vizak. ¡°Sir, do you take the golden blood of the Roman Empire to be so light¡ªthat you would speak of it so carelessly? If you had told me beforehand, I wouldn¡¯t have expected anything from you,¡± Vizak continued. ¡®Look at this guy¡­¡¯ Eugene smirked at the blatant, sarcastic comment. He then responded, ¡°Are you angry that I revealed your identity? Or are you worried about something else? It appears that the one with the glorious golden blood flowing in their veins isn¡¯t very broad-minded.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Vizak¡¯s face turned slightly red. Eugene¡¯s words were an insult to both him and his master. ¡°The golden blood of Rome wouldn¡¯t be swayed so easily by such things. I am only worried that there could be some rascals with evil intentions.¡± Vizak pointed out. ¡°In Maren? Against me? Are you being serious about that? Didn¡¯t you hear what the people were saying at the pier?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Vizak¡¯s face turned a deeper shade of red, and he was made speechless. Indeed, Eugene¡¯s reputation in the city was beyond imagination. Regardless of whether they were knights, workers, merchants, and nobles, everyone admired and revered the knight Jan Eugene. If he ever ran for mayor, he would be uncontested. It was also highly probable that quite a few people would support Eugene even if he declared himself king, considering civil war was just around the corner. ¡°At least in Maren, there¡¯s no one mad enough to go after the prince,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Let¡¯s say that¡¯s true. But we¡¯re not going to stay here forever, right? Sir, as you know, we must depart quite soon. If we think about how chaos will break out with the civil war¡­¡± Vizak retorted. ¡°So someone could take the opportunity and attack the prince?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any guarantee that such a thing won¡¯t happen,¡± Vizak replied. ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± Eugene remarked. He revealed his fangs before asking in a cold voice, ¡°Have you forgotten who I am, Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Vizak flinched. He was forced to shut up. He had forgotten in the heat of the moment, as it felt like Eugene was looking down on his master, Prince Localope. Eugene¡¯s reputation in Maren wasn¡¯t born from nothing; rather, his reputation was akin to a tall, strong tower created from his numerous, incredible feats. The tower''s foundation was Eugene''s abilities and skills as a knight and member of the Dark Clan. It was something that Prince Localope himself admired. - It was easier to rob the treasure house of the imperial palace than to infiltrate a Marecasio¡¯s castle. It was because the former was worth an attempt during the night, but the latter wouldn¡¯t differentiate between day and night. Vizak recalled the old dictum spoken in the empire as he took a deep breath. A Marecasio stood above all other vampires and was capable of moving around unrestricted during the day. Marecasios were strong creatures possessing transcendent mystery. In other words, attempting to attack a daywalker was no different from suicide. ¡°I would like to offer up a word to His Excellency the Duke. Would that be all right, Your Highness?¡± Prince Localope stepped forward. It was a proclamation disguised as a question, so Vizak nodded immediately. Localope turned to Eugene and continued, ¡°Let me ask you a question, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°Go for it,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Are you trying to get His Highness¡¯ name involved in the civil war of the Caylor Kingdom?¡± Localope asked with a serious expression. Eugene responded with a chuckle, ¡°Why? Are you willing to help if I asked?¡± Localope responded, ¡°That would be absolutely impossible. The weight of the honor carried by the one with the golden blood is unfathomable. There should never be a situation in which it becomes involved with the political situation of another nation¡ª¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°But sir¡­¡± Localope was unconvinced. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe my words, then feel free to break the contract right now,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°¡­!¡± Prince Localope became wide-eyed at Eugene¡¯s unexpectedly strong stance. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a promise of honor, and we are the only ones who know about the contract. Even if you back out now, no one will say anything. Isn¡¯t that right, Your Highness?¡± Eugene spoke while turning his gaze to Vizak. ¡°W-Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Naturally, the fake price didn¡¯t have the authority to make such a decision. He became flustered by Eugene¡¯s words. Vizak met Prince Localope¡¯s gaze, then bit his lips before continuing, ¡°Let us keep the contract. However, you must tell me why you revealed my identity to the Vice Executive of that association.¡± Eugene responded, ¡°I¡¯m trying to clear my debts.¡± ¡°Debts?¡± Vizak asked. ¡°It¡¯s something I was going to do anyway, but it¡¯s more profitable if I let them seek me out first, right? Moreover¡­¡± Eugene took his eyes off the confused Vizak and looked at the real prince before continuing, ¡°I think if His Highness becomes involved as well, it¡¯ll make his name more renowned. But if you don¡¯t like it, I can just¡ª¡± Localope frowned before interrupting, ¡°I think you should definitely participate in whatever Sir Eugene is planning, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I-Is that so? Then¡­¡± Vizak nodded obediently. As expected, the real prince was definitely smarter than the servant. A knock resounded at the door, and Edmund, the former holy knight, entered. He had accompanied Eugene to Maren from Brantia. Edmund spoke, ¡± Your Excellency. The mayor of Maren and the guild leaders are asking to meet with you.¡± Eugene responded, ¡°That was quick. I will meet with them.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Edmund left the room after saluting. Vizak still couldn¡¯t grasp the situation, so he asked, ¡°The mayor and the guild leaders? Why? Ah, are they trying to hold a banquet to welcome Lord Eugene and me?¡± ¡°If you want, I¡¯m sure they could hold a banquet for three whole days starting today. However, I don¡¯t think they are here because of that,¡± Eugene responded. Less than an hour had passed since Priscilla handed them the entirety of a luxury inn to stay in, but the mayor and the guild leaders were already here. Their actions essentially represented their growing anxiety. *** ¡°Oh, my! If it isn¡¯t the pride of Maren! Your Excellency Duke Eugene Batla! How long has it been!? Ooohh! I see that you¡¯re still using the armor that the City of Maren gifted you! Hahaha!¡± the mayor exclaimed. He had heard from Priscilla that Eugene disliked excessive formality, despite becoming a duke. As such, the mayor¡¯s greeting sounded quite natural. ¡°It has been a long time, Mayor. The armor is still serving me quite well,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°If you would like it repaired, let me know anytime, Your Excellency,¡± The leader of the blacksmith guild, a half-dwarf, quickly stepped forward. The plate armor was inscribed with the symbol of Maren, and it was an item symbolizing Eugene¡¯s relationship with the city. The mayor and the guild leader had even seriously contemplated making the symbol bigger under the pretense of repairing the armor. ¡°Well, that sounds good. Since I¡¯ll be heading into something major, it¡¯ll be problematic if there¡¯s any trouble with my equipment,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°¡­!¡± The phrase, ¡°heading into something major,¡¯ caused the eyes of the mayor and the guild leaders to sparkle with hope. Eugene was a knight known as Maren¡¯s hero. At such a time, what else could he be talking about other than¡­ ¡°Your Excellency, as expected, the City of Maren¡ª¡± ¡°It would be good to have them checked out before I head to the Roman Empire,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°¡­¡± The expressions of the mayor and the guild leaders instantly turned ghastly, but Eugene feigned ignorance as he asked, ¡°Anyway, what brought all of you here together?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Knock, knock! Edmund once again entered the room after knocking, even though only a few minutes had passed since he brought the mayor and the guild leaders here. However, he wasn¡¯t alone; a restless man accompanied him. ¡°Your Excellency. Someone from the city hall is looking for the mayor,¡± Edmund said. ¡°The action officer? What are you doing here?¡± the mayor asked with a frown. Why was a mere employee of the city interrupting them when the matter of the city¡¯s future was about to be decided? The action officer hurriedly raised his voice, ¡°Mister mayor, there¡¯s trouble! An army with the flag of the royal family has appeared on the side of Etherin!¡± CH 203 The timing was simply absurd. The royal army had arrived in Maren¡¯s vicinity the same day as Eugene. ¡°Kiee¡­ I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re lucky, or if those old men and the others are just unlucky. No, never mind, probably both. Anyway, sir, since you¡¯re going to rip them off anyway, do it grandly,¡± Mirian chattered while resting on top of Eugene¡¯s head. Ever since evolving, she was now able to freely hide or reveal her appearance. The sight of a spirit lying on the head of the respected, admired vampire duke was quite comedic. However, no one could see it, so only Princess Lilisain stared back and forth between the spirit and the vampire with blazing eyes and hot, ragged breaths. ¡°Oh no!¡± The mayor and the guild leaders were agitated. However, it was something that would have happened sooner or later. In the first place, a month had already passed since the king labeled Maren as a meeting place for ¡®traitors¡¯ and declared persecution against it. Unless the royalists were fools, they wouldn¡¯t have labeled Maren traitorous without devising a strategy first. However, the city''s mayor and guild leaders remained calm until now. There were many territories between the royal castle and Maren, and the majority of them weren¡¯t on good terms with the royal family but were friendly to Maren. If the royal army ever set out toward Maren, the city would quickly receive news of it. However, no news had reached Maren for the entire month, and that had been sufficient to drive a false sense of security into the hearts of Maren¡¯s mayor and the guild leaders. They had started to have various thoughts¡­ ¡®Huh? We still haven¡¯t heard anything.¡¯ ¡®Maybe they were bluffing?¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s right! They must have committed themselves without being prepared!¡¯ ¡®We all know how incompetent the king is, right? And the royalists under him don¡¯t know how to do anything except to suck his dick.¡¯ ¡®Good! There¡¯s still plenty of time! Let¡¯s recruit troops and test the waters!¡¯ However, such thoughts resulted in their current predicament. ¡°What about the lords?! So many of them were against the royalists! What happened to the lords?¡± ¡°W-were they taken by the royal family?¡± ¡°No, how does that make any sense? Besides, even if that¡¯s true for the other nobles, what about the Evergrove County?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same with Lord Gable and Lord Loftin?¡± The mayor and the guild leaders started panicking as the situation quickly devolved into chaos. Trevik was the only one still holding onto reason. He spoke to the mayor and the guild leaders, ¡°I¡¯m not completely certain, but in all likelihood, the lords must have either betrayed us or surrendered to the army of the royal family.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Trevik continued, ¡°Otherwise, it doesn¡¯t make sense that we didn¡¯t receive any reports until now, right? Why wouldn''t we have heard anything until the royal army came this close?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± the mayor mumbled as if in disbelief, but he was inclined to believe in Trevik¡¯s words. ¡°That may be true for other places, but what about the Evergrove County?¡± someone asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s impossible that we haven¡¯t heard anything if something happened to the Evergrove County¡­¡± The others also nodded with agreement. Half a year ago, the former count had relinquished his title to the county¡¯s successor, Jevin, for health reasons. In the first place, Jevin Evergrove had been taking care of the territory for several years before he officially became the count. The relationship between Jevin Evergrove and Maren wasn¡¯t that bad as well. However, to be completely honest¡­ ¡°The Evergrove County would find themselves in a difficult situation regarding the disposal of their mana stones without our city. Does that mean they were done in by the royal family?¡± With the explosive influx of mana stones and monster by-products from Mungard, the power dynamic between Maren and noble families with evil lands, including the Evergrove County, had shifted. As the supply greatly increased, the purchase price of the goods fell accordingly, and the various noble families were placed in inferior positions based on their relationship with Maren. ¡°Hmm! That must be. Since we didn¡¯t hear anything, it¡¯s possible that they had been completely wiped out!¡± ¡°Those evil, vicious royalists!¡± ¡°Does the king have no honor?! How could he have done such a thing to an old, prestigious family like Evergrove?!¡± The guild leaders expressed their anger against the king and the royalists. ¡°Everyone! This is not the time to be simply cursing at them. If the royal army has come all the way to the Etherin, the army will arrive in front of our city in two days. We must come up with countermeasures! Countermeasures!¡± Trevik exclaimed. He felt frustrated that the guild leaders were still unable to establish realistic options. The guild leaders coughed in embarrassment and kept their mouths shut, and naturally, their expectant gazes gathered to one figure. Eugene kept a nonchalant expression while sipping on wine, and the mayor asked with a pleading expression. ¡°Excuse me, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°Why did you call me?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Will you please lead Maren¡¯s force with your knights, Your Excellency?¡± the mayor asked. ¡°We implore you. Please, we will compensate you accordingly.¡± ¡°Please fight for our free city!¡± The guild leaders scrambled to ask after the mayor¡¯s words. Right now, they had no one to trust but Eugene. According to Priscilla, around ten knights had accompanied Eugene. It went without saying that Eugene himself was an overwhelming force, and it was obvious that those with him would be skilled as well. Moreover, aside from his unparalleled skills, Eugene was an undefeated knight and Maren¡¯s hero. Clearly, his incredible reputation would aid recruitment and cause the troops'' morale to soar. ¡°Kieehhh! We¡¯re going to score it big as soon right after we arrived! Kihehehehe!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Eugene pretended to contemplate the issue while stroking his chin as the spirit chuckled greedily. The mayor and the guild leaders felt even more anxious. They knew well why Eugene was mulling over the issue. ¡°Is it because of His Highness the Prince?¡± ¡°We will pay the penalty of violating the contract. If you could give a good explanation to His Highness so as to not disappoint him¡ª¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not because of that¡­¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Regardless, considering the relationship I have with the City of Maren, it¡¯s only natural for me to help,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Ohh!¡± The expressions of the mayor and the guild leaders brightened at once. ¡°You are truly honorable!¡± ¡°Your Excellency is the embodiment of loyalty and good faith!¡± ¡°I will immediately give you command! Ah! You will need information on our troops. First, I will get the mercenary captains and¡­¡± ¡°That man will take care of that,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What?¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze turned toward the person Eugene had directed his gaze at. A tall, burly knight armed with simple plate mail stepped forward. ¡°Sir Edmund. I will give you the command of the mercenaries,¡± Eugene spoke. ¡°As you wish, Your Excellency,¡± Edmund responded. His gaze was sharp and filled with determination. Edmund was originally from the empire, but he had been taken captive in Brantia before Eugene rescued him. Eugene had brought him over to the continent, as his destination was the Roman Empire. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± However, the mayor and the guild leaders had no idea who Edmund was. They didn¡¯t dare to question Eugene, but their gazes were filled with concern and doubt. ¡°Sir Edmund was originally a knight of the Roman Empire. He converted into a holy knight and participated in the earlier Brantian expeditions. He knows more about tactics than anyone else. He¡¯s probably more suitable than me to lead an army,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Oh!¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions immediately brightened after hearing Eugene¡¯s explanation. In particular, Trevik¡¯s gaze was filled with great admiration as he looked at Edmund. Unlike those who were ignorant of military matters, Trevik had immediately recognized Edmund¡¯s value as the mercenary guild''s leader and the city¡¯s recruiter. It was amazing for someone to have become a holy knight as a knight of the Roman Empire. ¡°I am truly touched by Your Excellency¡¯s honorable decision! Naturally, we won¡¯t be only offering our words. We will definitely prove to Your Excellency the friendship Maren shares with you,¡± the mayor declared. Eugene gave a content smile. It was something to look forward to. In the first place, Maren¡¯s mayor had been generous enough to gift Eugene an expensive plate armor when they had just met. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to fulfill my obligations while clearing my debt and receiving a reward at the same time. I¡¯m killing two birds with one stone, or rather, three birds with one stone.¡¯ ¡°I, Jan Eugene Batla, will always cherish my friendship with the City of Maren. It will last an eternity,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Of course! Hahahaha!¡± ¡°Gold coins are basically eternal friendship! Kihehehehehe!¡± The leaders of Maren were finally relieved of their worries. They laughed boisterously without knowledge of the vampire duke¡¯s insidious thoughts. *** The news that Sir Jan Eugene, the great, undefeated knight, would take action to save Maren quickly spread throughout the city. The citizens cheered. In particular, the mercenaries under the city¡¯s employment were extremely delighted. ¡°Sir Eugene is a knight who has never lost, both here and in Brantia!¡± ¡°He¡¯s a knight loved by the gods! Justice is with the City of Maren!¡± ¡°All those who had followed Sir Eugene had become lords and are living good lives in Brantia!¡± ¡°A spirit who calls for victory and gold stands next to Sir Eugene! If you fight with him, you will never be starved for fame and fortune!¡± The stories became exaggerated as they spread. The spirit of water was being discussed as the spirit of gold, and Eugene was no longer simply an undefeated hero. He was basically being revered as a god of war. ¡°Truer words had never been spoken. As expected from Your Excellency the Duke. The morale is already so high. I think victory is already ours,¡± Princess Lilisain spoke while gazing at Eugene with fierce, burning eyes. She had also accompanied Eugene across the sea. Princess Lilisain continued, ¡°I implore you, Your Excellency. Will you leave the vanguard to me?¡± She looked as if she were ready to draw her sword and immediately charge with Eugene¡¯s permission. However, Eugene shook his head. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°How disappointing... However, there must be a good reason why Your Excellency had said so. Please enlighten this foolish one of the answer,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. Her manner of speech was somewhat unique, but the princess¡¯ beauty was otherworldly. When she showed disappointment, sad sighs could be heard all over the place. The pathetic bastards had dicks instead of heads. Eugene looked around with a cold gaze. He couldn¡¯t believe that they could even care about women at such a time. The mercenary captains flinched and quickly avoided Eugene¡¯s eyes. All of them were struck with similar thoughts. ¡®The female elven knight is Sir Eugene¡¯s woman.¡¯ ¡®It makes sense. With such beauty, she¡¯s definitely fit to be Sir Eugene¡¯s partner.¡¯ ¡®She¡¯s a princess of the Brantian elves? Even her position is suitable to be Sir Eugene¡¯s mate.¡¯ Their speculations couldn¡¯t be further from the truth, but the men still vowed to abandon their interest in Princess Lilisain. ¡°The princess will act as a messenger to the enemy army,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°H-honor! To have the opportunity to represent Your Excellency¡­¡± Princess Lilisain¡¯s shoulders trembled as she muttered. It appeared she was genuinely touched. Those seeing her for the first time became even more convinced of the relationship between Eugene and the princess. For her to be overjoyed on such a simple mission meant that the relationship between the two was much deeper than they had initially thought. However, those who were already familiar with Princess Lilisain from Brantia, in particular, Prince Localope¡¯s knights, took on strange expressions. ¡®Could that strange elf princess actually carry out her mission as a messenger?¡¯ ¡®What if she causes a mess?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m worried that we¡¯ll have to mourn for her after she starts blabbing nonsense in front of the enemy.¡¯ Princess LIlisain was unaware of their concerns. She was simply happy. Of course, even if she did know their thoughts, her reaction wouldn¡¯t have changed. ¡°Your Excellency Batla. You said you would send a messenger, not a vanguard. Are you thinking about mounting a siege defense?¡± Trevik asked politely. He was being considerate of Eugene¡¯s new status. ¡°I didn¡¯t have such a thing in mind. And I didn¡¯t come here as a Duke of Brantia, so call me the same as before,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah, yes. I will do so,¡± Trevik said while bowing. Although Eugene¡¯s status had vastly changed compared to before, he was still the same person. ¡°Then, are you planning to fight outside the city?¡± Trevik asked. ¡°For now,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hmm.¡± The knights and mercenaries took on strange expressions. It was an unchallenged truth that defending a siege was much more advantageous than launching one. In addition, it was common knowledge that at least three times more troops were required to succeed in a siege. However, defending the city in a siege was advantageous in a battle, but it wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing. Once enemy troops surrounded the city, it would become impossible for anyone to enter and exit the city. In particular, commercial cities like Maren would suffer heavy losses if they became isolated, even though they had a port. ¡®Is he being considerate of Maren¡¯s circumstances?¡¯ ¡®Even so, we have too few troops¡­¡¯ None of the knights and mercenaries could guess what Eugene was planning. The same was true for Trevik. ¡°Ah. So you are planning to send out a small group of scouts with the messenger. Of course, we must get an accurate picture of the enemy before¡ª¡± Trevik commented. Eugene interrupted him, ¡°No, the mercenaries will be in charge of defending the city, and all of the knights will accompany me. We will end it swiftly without delay.¡± CH 204 ¡°¡­?!¡± Those with even a bit of knowledge of tactics frowned, including the mercenaries and the knights. Mount an attack with a small group and let the main army defend? Regardless of how powerful cavalry was on a plain, it was a tactic that they had never even heard of. However, it was difficult for them to point this out in the open, as Eugene was the one who suggested it. However, Eugene didn¡¯t even spare a glance at the knights, who were expecting an explanation. Instead, he turned to Trevik and said. ¡°The opponent is an army of royalists receiving orders from the king. You said that they had labeled us as traitors, right? Then that means they are Maren¡¯s irreconcilable enemies. Is that right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right,¡± Trevik responded. He couldn¡¯t understand why Eugene was asking him something so obvious. Eugene then continued in a cold voice, ¡°Then if we lost, how do you reckon they would proceed? For example, how do you think they would deal with the mayor and the guild leaders?¡± ¡°Everyone will be executed¡­¡± Trevik answered. The reason that the enemy gave for the conflict was that the king was attempting to stifle a rebellion. No monarch would be generous enough to forgive traitors. Moreover, Maren¡¯s leaders had been at odds with the king for a long time, and they had also driven out all the royalists from the city. ¡°That¡¯s right. That means this is different from a regular battle or a territorial war. Honor? Mercy? Such things shouldn¡¯t be expected. If you lose, you will literally lose everything. And as I said earlier, I am not standing here as a duke of Brantia. I¡¯m simply a knight who had been labeled as a pagan and a traitor by the King of Caylor,¡± Eugene said. Eugene paused before looking around at the knights and the mercenary captains. Everyone was looking at him with mixed expressions of expectations and tension. It appeared as if they had a conjecture about what Eugene was getting at. This was the Caylor Kingdom, and the current situation differed from Eugene¡¯s Brantian expedition. Eugene¡¯s goal in Brantia had been to obtain the throne for Luke. However, there was no need for Eugene to take anyone¡¯s circumstances into consideration, except for a few friendly forces like Maren and Essandra. It was even truer as his opponents were the king and the cardinal. He had no intention of showing mercy to those who had provoked him first. As such¡­ ¡°We don¡¯t need to show them any mercy, and there¡¯s no need to hesitate in using whatever method possible right?¡± Eugene continued. It wouldn¡¯t matter even if he used all of his abilities as an Origin to kill the king and all of his followers. After all, they were the ones who pushed the matter this far. *** ¡°Hoho! Sir, were you thinking of standing up to the king by relying on those weak, contemptible men?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Viscount Cody Jenas, commander of the royal infantry, sneered while looking back and forth between his prisoners and the man standing next to them. The prisoners were knights of noble families who had been defeated and captured in battle. ¡®You lowlife!¡¯ Jevin Evergrove¡¯s cheek twitched as he suppressed the rising feeling of humiliation in his heart. He responded with a forced smile, ¡°Standing up to the king? That¡¯s ridiculous. The Evergrove County and I have always been loyal to the king and the royal family. Those men are the ones who have betrayed me.¡± Some of the prisoners were related to him by blood. However, the count didn¡¯t hesitate to dismiss his relationship with them from the moment he had decided to stand by the king. The prisoners glared at him with contempt, but Jevin avoided their eyes. He could momentarily disregard honor for an opportunity to rise to become a great noble lording over the nearby areas, including Maren. ¡®Moreover, isn¡¯t it a truly honorable thing for a vassal to be loyal to the king? I am just walking down the right path.¡¯ Jevin convinced himself that his own actions were justified. As if recognizing Jevin¡¯s innermost thoughts, an arrogant smile appeared around the lips of Viscount Jenas. ¡°Hahaha! Let¡¯s just say that¡¯s what it is. Anyway, once I return to the royal castle with triumphant victory, I will put in a good word for you to His Majesty,¡± Viscount Jenas said. ¡®Vulgar, abominable bastard!¡¯ The words and demeanor of Viscount Jenas were completely unbefitting for a noble, and in reality, he was actually the captain of a large mercenary group known as the Ashen Mercenaries. Jenas had more than three hundred men under his command, and he had occupied three small territories before demanding a title from the royal family. It was a demand that went against common sense, but his request was immediately granted on the terms that he would pay half of his territory¡¯s income as tax and serve only the cardinal and the king, as well as act as their private army. It also helped that the previous masters of the territories Jenas had occupied were those who had often expressed dissatisfaction with the royal family. It was better for the king and the cardinal to have a lord loyal to themselves, regardless of whether they were a noble or a mercenary captain, rather than three disobedient lords. In any case, Jenas and his men renamed themselves the Ashen Knights from Ashen Mercenaries, then served the kingdom as the king¡¯s sword by renewing their contract with the royal family on a yearly basis. They had received about two hundred horses from the king and had supplemented their other needs through looting. They had made sure to avoid the territories of royalists while they repeatedly invaded and plundered the territories of those disloyal to the royal family. Their nefarious deeds even caused some of the royalists to demand that they be controlled, but the king and the cardinal ignored such pleas. The king had only condoned the actions of Jenas and his men, as they were necessary during times like these. ¡°By the way, you must remember your promise to have my men take the leadership positions of Maren once you take over the city,¡± Jevin said. ¡°Hehe. Do what you want. My men and I will be satisfied with just plundering them. I heard that the girls of Maren are silky and soft. It¡¯ll be a treat for my friend down here as well. Uhahahahaha!¡± Jenas boisterously laughed. ¡°Hehe! I heard that you could even find elves there since it¡¯s a port city. You¡¯ll definitely be getting your fill, boss,¡± one of his subordinates replied. ¡°Don¡¯t call me boss. It¡¯s sir. You simpletons, how many times do I have to tell you?¡± Jenas said with a scowl. ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m sorry,¡± the subordinate responded. The kingdom had knighted several of Jenas¡¯ mercenaries during their time with their captain. They grinned in response to their captain¡¯s scolding. Jevin hated working with such ignorant and shallow people, but he was determined to endure anything to achieve his ambition. He forced a smile on his face. The scouts returned, and a long note of the horn trumpet resounded. ¡°Sir Jenas! A messenger has arrived from Maren!¡± one of the scouts reported. ¡°Huh? So, they have already figured out our movements?¡± Jenas responded with a fishy smile. He was slightly impressed, but it changed nothing. Now that even Count Evergrove had offered his cooperation, there were no more territories that could come to Maren¡¯s aid. It would take a little more time if the enemies holed themselves up in the city, but Jenas was confident in taking over the city in just a month, even if he had to lay siege. He had three hundred members of the Ashen Mercenaries on top of five hundred other mercenaries. Moreover, his three hundred subordinates had been with him ever since they were nothing but ordinary mercenaries. Furthermore, he had obtained an approximate estimation of Maren¡¯s current situation after the Evergrove County had joined hands with him. It was a fight he simply couldn¡¯t lose even if he wanted to. ¡®Hehe! Messenger or not, I¡¯m going to cut off their head and throw it in front of the city¡¯s gate.¡¯ Befitting his origin, Jenas did not care about the honor of a knight or any aristocratic customs. In addition, the enemies would be hanged for treason, anyway. He had permission to lay waste to his enemies regardless of the methods. If he killed the messenger, he could properly imprint the dignity of the royal command and fear toward himself on the hearts of the traitorous¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Heup!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s?¡± Jenas became wide-eyed, and bursts of admiration erupted from all directions. A female knight was approaching them with three other figures on horseback and two flags, one with the crest of Maren and the other with an unknown crest. However, the beauty and the appearance of the knight riding toward them were simply shocking. The clear, unblemished milky skin of her face housed two pure emeralds that shone with quaint light. The word beauty did not do her justice. She was simply otherworldly. The female knight possessed both a pure and seductive charm, and her ears were about a finger¡¯s length longer than regular humans. ¡°An elf.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an elven knight.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Everyone was stunned speechless. They simply gulped and stared, not even thinking of speaking the vulgar, obscene words they were used to speaking every day. And although no one had given the order, the soldiers cleared the way for the elf and her group as if they were under a spell. Clop. Clop. Clop. Even Jenas could only stare at the elf in a daze, although he had objectified the women of Maren with his dirty words just a few moments ago. ¡®A-A goddess! I¡¯ve finally met my soulmate!'' A bolt of thrill and excitement swept through Jenas¡¯ entire figure. However, the spell broke the instant the red, plump lips of the elven goddess parted. ¡°The commander here. Which bastard?¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°¡­?!¡± Everyone stared with dumbfounded gazes, wondering if they had misheard. However, their ears hadn¡¯t betrayed them. ¡°Is everyone a moron, just like how you look? Or, are there tiny, cute dicks plugged into your ears? I asked who the commander was¡­¡± she added. ¡°¡­!!!¡± A deafening silence enveloped the area. Everyone looked as if they had been struck in the head with a hammer. How could she be swearing so powerfully, despite having such a beautiful face? ¡®B-but even this¡­ This is¡­¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t this basically a reward in the mercenary industry?¡¯ ¡®M-more¡­ More, please do more!¡¯ Some of the perverts bathed in the sweetness of the princess¡¯ harsh words. Jenas hurriedly stepped forward with a cough. ¡°Ehem! Such a beautiful lady has a rather harsh mouth. I am Viscount Cody of Jenas, an honorable, faithful knight of His Majesty the King. I have dedicated myself wholly to the glorious mission assigned to me by His Majesty.¡± ¡®Has this bastard gone mad?¡¯ Jevin felt dumbfounded to see Jenas instantly change his attitude and imitate a nobleman while boasting. It wasn¡¯t only Jevin either. Jenas¡¯ long-time subordinates stared at him with pure shock. However, Jenas ignored all of their gazes and straightened his back as if he were a real noble. He spoke proudly, ¡°Sir. I can tell that you are an extraordinary knight at a glance. Won¡¯t you escape the coming demise of the gang of rebels and dedicate your body¡­ I mean, entrust yourself to me? I will make a special exception and ask His Majesty to¡ª¡± Princess Lilisain interrupted, ¡°I despise ugliness.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Jenas became wide-eyed as he stared at the beauty. Princess Lilisain asked with a look of confusion, ¡°But sir, are you a half-goblin? Ah, no, judging from your size, you must be a half-troll. The continent is truly a place of wonder. I cannot believe that there exist mysteries that even my kind cannot fathom. Truly amazing.¡± She meant it! She wasn¡¯t trying to mock him. Instead, she seriously believed in what she was saying! The hundreds of troops could neither cry nor laugh at the ridiculous situation. They looked back and forth between Princess Lilisain and Jenas, whose face was gradually turning red. ¡°You¡­ You¡­..¡± Jenas¡¯ face crumpled and distorted. He truly looked like a half-troll as he eventually burst into a roar, ¡°You fucking bitch! I will strip you naked and %%%%#####***#### you!¡± Jenas had returned to his original self after being called ugly. Even the other mercenaries frowned after hearing his vulgar words. However, Princess Lilisain¡¯s expression remained unchanged. No, rather, judging by the slight flush in her cheeks¡­ ¡°Just imagining it alone makes my body temperature rise. Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re ugly, but you have a good imagination. I acknowledge it,¡± Princess Lilisain stated. ¡°You crazy bitch¡ª¡± Jenas muttered. ¡°Truly amazing!¡± Princess Lilisain exclaimed. ¡°W-what¡­?¡± Jenas asked. Princess Lilisain responded, ¡°My brothers sometimes called me that. As expected of a half-troll, you possess truly mysterious abilities. What amazing talent.¡± ¡°You bitch! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Jenas cried out. ¡°No! Sir Jenas! S-stop, wait a minute!¡± Jevin suddenly stepped forward. He had been looking closely at the two flags that Princess Lilisain was carrying with her instead of admiring her beauty. ¡°Oi, Sir Evergrove, have you forgotten who I am¡­?¡± Jenas spoke angrily. Jevin ignored him and turned to Lilisain before asking hastily, ¡°S-sir, that flag. Is that the crest of Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°A brilliant eye. That¡¯s right. I am the representative of His Excellency Duke Jan Eugene Batla,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. ¡°Uah!¡± Jevin¡¯s face quickly turned ashen. ¡°Sir Eugene?!¡± ¡°Has he finally returned from Brantia?¡± The knights of the Evergrove County also expressed their surprise. Eugene had left an everlasting impression on them in a different way than he did on Jevin. How could they ever forget how Lugates, the winner of the tournament held by the county, died under Galfredik¡¯s hands? How could they forget how three knights led by Marvel were defeated and taken captive by Eugene? However, their shock was not as great as Jevin¡¯s. Eugene¡¯s last words were still fresh in his ears. ¡°S-Sir Jenas!¡± Jevin exclaimed. ¡°What?¡± Jenas responded with an irritated voice. Although Jevin was technically greater than him in rank, Jenas was still the commander of the royal infantry. He did not like being interrupted. However, Jevin could not afford to care about the mood of the lowly mercenary captain. ¡°Y-you cannot kill the messenger. You must send them back!¡± Jevin hurriedly said. ¡°What? Sir, did you not hear what she just said to me? You want me to let that bitch go? After she trampled on the honor of the one who had received His Majesty¡¯s royal command?¡± Jenas responded. ¡°Please, just listen to me! The one she serves is Jan Eugene!¡± Jevin cried out. ¡°Eugene? Who is that?¡± Jenas asked. ¡°Ha!¡± Jevin felt even more dumbfounded. Even before leaving for Brantia, Eugene¡¯s name had been widely circulating throughout the kingdom. His numerous achievements were one thing, but he had even won Count Winslon¡¯s tournament and had become the champion. Every knight in the kingdom would have heard of his name at least once. ¡°Ah! N-no way¡­¡± ¡°No way, yes way, I don¡¯t know a guy like that. Sounds to me like he¡¯s just a rebel in cahoots with Maren. I¡¯ll just kill him too,¡± Jenas responded. Jenas¡¯ attitude convinced Jevin that the man was really ignorant of Eugene. ¡®T-the king and the cardinal have no intention of actually attacking Maren. T-this was all a ploy! They were infamous and notorious, but the Ashen Knights were commonly considered to be the royal family¡¯s hounds rather than its sword. Hounds were good to have, but they weren¡¯t necessary. However, the lowly, greedy hounds had come running all this way without being privy to the truth. And¡­ The most dangerous beast Jevin knew was here to hunt the hounds. CH 205 ¡°Regardless, she¡¯s a messenger. You have to let her go.¡± ¡°Ha! Ridiculous.¡± ¡°Sir Jenas. Jan Eugene is a duke of Brantia. His messenger is likely to be an elven noble of Brantia. If you aren¡¯t careful, you could¡ª¡± ¡°Fuck! Brantia or not, I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll need to enjoy myself and cut that bitch¡¯s head right now,¡± Jenas interrupted Jevin¡¯s words and turned toward his men before shouting, ¡°Hey! Pull that long-eared bitch off her horse!¡± ¡°What? B-but¡­¡± However, his subordinates hesitated. They had performed all kinds of dirty and cruel things ever since they became mercenaries. It wasn¡¯t as if they suddenly felt conscious of their actions. However, they were still quite vulnerable to mysteries and superstition. Jenas¡¯ men felt quite uneasy about the female elf, who was still looking down at them with calm eyes. In any case, elves were closely related to spirits, right? They knew far too many stories about how recklessly messing with a spirit led others and their families to demise. They were afraid of inciting the wrath of a mystical being and being cursed by it. ¡°Huh? You punks! Stop dawdling! Pull that bitch down from her horse right now and take off her armor!¡± Jenas screamed. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Eventually, several of his subordinates unsheathed their weapons and slowly approached Princess Lilisain and her escorting knights. Shing. Princess Lilisain pressed down on her helmet and unsheathed a longsword of Eland¡¯s royal family. Jenas burst into raucous laughter. ¡°Hahaha!¡± The elf had a body that looked firmer than other women, and she was taller as well. However, she was still a woman. In addition, how could such a pretty little elf know any swordsmanship? Jenas was certain that the enemy had sent an elf with such a fair appearance as a messenger in a flimsy trick to agitate them. ¡°How ridiculous. Even a dog will convincingly look like a knight if it has decent equipment¡ª¡± Wooong! Jenas was interrupted mid-speech by a strong vibration. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Jenas¡¯ eyes grew wide with disbelief, nary a trace of the ridicule previously painting them. The same was true for the people approaching Princess Lilisain to drag her off her horse. They stopped midway and stared in disbelief at Princess Lilisain and the ancient sword she was wielding. All of a sudden, a blueish light wrapped around her longsword, and it exploded in a brilliant flash. Shuacck! The energy surrounding her blade burst like a wave. It carried with it a shockwave, which swept over three of Jenas¡¯ men. The three figures immediately screamed and fell to the round rolling. ¡°Uagggh!¡± ¡°Hot! It¡¯s hot! Kuaagh!¡± ¡°My eyes! My eyes!¡± The three men were armed with vested chainmail, which protected their bodies. However, their faces had been exposed through the gap in their helmets. It looked as if their faces had been ground and crushed with gravel. It was a bloody mess. In addition, the leather clothes they wore inside the chainmail had turned into mere rags. ¡°It¡¯s magic!¡± Someone cried out, and the troops surrounding Princess Lilisain¡¯s group quickly receded. The eyes of the soldiers became filled with fear as they stared at the blueish light surrounding the princess¡¯ sword. ¡°W-what is this?! You wrench! What trickery is this?!¡± Jenas exclaimed. ¡°Ah, this is something known as ¡ºAura¡». It¡¯s a secret technique of Eland,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. ¡°What¡­¡± Jenas muttered. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not the only one capable of using it,¡± Princess Lilisain added. ¡°¡­?!¡± Jena¡¯s eyes filled with shock, and the three knights accompanying Princess Lilisain swept their green capes back and pulled their swords out. Woooooong! Blueish lights began forming around their blades, though they weren¡¯t as deep compared to Princess Lilisain¡¯s. ¡°What?! I-it couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± Jenas muttered with disbelief. Princess Lilisain grinned. ¡°That¡¯s right. We are Eland¡¯s royal knights. ??? ? ????!¡± A strange but powerful shout resonated. Uwaaaahh!! The elven knights responded with a shout and guided their horses in a direction while swinging their longswords. Several troops collapsed with every swing of the elves¡¯ aura sword, and blood sprayed everywhere. Chainmail usually provided good protection and could only be severed and penetrated by extremely powerful strikes. However, the elves'' swords pierced the soldiers'' armors as if they were nothing more than cheese. That wasn¡¯t all¡­ The swordsmanship of the elven knights was extremely fast and sophisticated. Even the knights of the Ashen Knights were unable to withstand the strong blows of the elven knights. Princess Lilisain and the elven knights accurately targeted the joints and gaps in the Ashen Knights¡¯ plate mails, and the fast, powerful blows containing the power of aura severed their limbs. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Continuous screams of pain accompanied the swift charge of Princess Lilisain and the elven knights. ¡°You fools! Crossbow! Shoot them down! Surround them with your spears!¡± Jenas screamed desperately. The spearmen and the archers began to move, but it was already too late. Most knights excelled in horseback riding, and even among them, elven knights were known for their impeccable horsemanship. Their techniques were one level above the rest, and they could be said to be one in body and mind with their horses. The elves weren¡¯t simply fast. They were also confusing their opponents with their clever turns to escape the siege with ease. Shing! Shishing! Though dozens of arrows were belatedly shot, the elven knights were already far in the distance. After securing a sufficient distance from the enemy, Princess Lilisain once again turned her horse toward the army of royalists. Neiiiiigh! She reared her steed in a ceremony of victory. - Ahh, this is called ¡ºMockery¡». It¡¯s something anyone can do. Her words reached the army of royalists through some kind of magic. Then, Princess Lilisain leisurely turned around and disappeared down the hill. ¡°That fucking bitch!!!¡± Jenas roared with rage. He was furious. ¡°We¡¯re chasing after her immediately! I¡¯m going to kill that bitch and those long-eared bastards!¡± Jenas cried out. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The Ashen Knights had been helpless as their captain was humiliated, and many of their colleagues were slaughtered. The spectacle of the princess¡¯ beauty slowly began to disappear from their minds. Around three hundred mounted warriors hurried in the direction where Princess Lilisain and her knights had disappeared to. ¡°Sir Jenas! You must not disperse the troops!¡± Jevin shouted. ¡°Nonsense! You take your time and come slowly with the rest!¡± Unfortunately, Jenas had already been blinded by his fury. He couldn¡¯t listen to Jevin¡¯s reasonable advice. Tututututututu!!! ¡°T-This¡­¡± Jevin¡¯s face gradually turned ashen as he watched the knights hurry away while kicking up a huge curtain of dust. Dark clouds gradually eroded the western sky, which slowly collapsed onto him. *** Fifty warriors on horseback were riding along a gentle stretch of hills. A figure considered the leader of Maren¡¯s knights approached Eugene, who was leading the group. He was Madrica, the talkative knight. In the past, he had received Eugene¡¯s help while fighting against orcs. ¡°Your Excellency Duke Batla.¡± Madrica bowed. He had a good relationship with Eugene, and he was extremely polite as well. ¡°You can just address me like you used to, Sir Madrica,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ohh! Sir, you are still as humble as before, truly something I would expect from a man with a brilliant reputation practicing noble chivalry! I, Madrica, see your modest attitude as a mirror to reflect chivalry on which¡ª¡± Eugene interrupted the knight¡¯s words in a cold voice. ¡°That¡¯s enough. What do you want?¡± The prince alone was already talkative and annoying for Eugene. ¡°Ah, well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Madrica hesitated, then glanced back at Maren¡¯s knights before continuing, ¡°The other sirs were just too curious, so I wanted to ask you a few questions.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see. What is it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°First of all, we were wondering about Sir Galfredik, your most trusted vassal and the embodiment of valor. We haven¡¯t seen him around,¡± Madrica stated. Galfredik was quite renowned in the Kingdom of Caylor, although not as much as Eugene. Moreover, the knights based in Maren, like Madrica, were very familiar with Galfredik''s strength. It was natural for the knights to be curious about Galfredik¡¯s whereabouts, as they knew he had always been by Eugene¡¯s side. Eugene answered, ¡°Galfredik stayed behind. He has to stay by the king¡¯s side for a while.¡± ¡°Hmm. May I ask why?¡± Madrica said. ¡°Brantia is still a little unstable internally. That¡¯s why a reliable person had to stay by the king¡¯s side,¡± Eugene answered. Originally, Eugene planned to bring Galfredik. However, Pythamoras objected as the king¡¯s advisor. The reason was quite simple. The reign of King Luke in Brantia was quite, or rather, mostly dependent on Eugene¡¯s strength. In fact, the reality was that the knights and nobles of Brantia were all prostrating to the throne because they were afraid of Duke Batla. As such, there were sure to be those who would devise ploys during Eugene¡¯s absence. However, it wasn¡¯t as if Eugene could stay in Brantia forever, so Eugene had decided to leave Galfredik and Lanslo behind. The two were incredibly strong knights, but that wasn¡¯t the only reason Eugene chose to leave them behind. Galfredik could control the vampires of Brantia and the knights who had crossed over from the Kingdom of Caylor, while the knights of Brantia respected Lanslo as a member of the Drak family. In other words, the two knights possessed the skills and reputation to maintain stability and peace in Brantia. Regardless of their race and nationality, everyone would have to be wary of the royal family as long as the two knights were present. Naturally, the two knights wouldn¡¯t stay in Brantia for an indefinite length of time. Rather, they would remain there until the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s knights had stabilized their positions as Brantia¡¯s lords. ¡°Half a year at the earliest. They will return in a year at the latest. You were so curious about that?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh, I see. So your wizard stayed behind in Brantia as well?¡± Madrica asked. ¡°I worked her too hard until now. I left her in Brantia because she really wanted to work on her chimera. But, why are you asking about Romari?¡± Eugene asked. It was reasonable for them to be curious about Galfredik because he was a renowned knight. However, Eugene didn¡¯t understand why they would ask about Romari. ¡°That¡¯s a given, isn¡¯t it? The name of the brilliant shadowflame sorcerer is famous! Everyone knows that she had defeated numerous evil monsters by your side and had even dominated the wizarding world of Brantia,¡± Madrica responded. The brilliant what? No, in the first place, had she ever done such things? Her magic was sometimes useful, but he remembered that she spent most of her time refining mana stones¡­ ¡°Kieeeh! What? Brilliant shadowflame sorcerer? A mere raccoon¡¯s being called shadowflame? I¡¯m against that nickname! Zombie raccoon is the perfect nickname for her! That or mana stone purifier!¡± Mirian exclaimed. For the first time in a while, Eugene agreed with the spirit. ¡°I don¡¯t know if a wizard with such a grand nickname is the same person as my wizard, but my wizard stayed behind in Brantia,¡± Eugene said. Romari started sobbing while pleading with Eugene, saying that she wanted to complete her chimera, and Eugene had no choice but to grant her wish. Naturally, he gave her a time limit. She would have to cross over with Gafredik in a year at the latest, whether she wanted to or not. ¡°Ah, yes, I see. Then about the battle with the royal army¡­¡± Madrica finally moved on to the main topic of discussion. However, he was interrupted by the appearance of Princess Lilisain and the elven knights. They could be seen at a hill in the distance, riding toward Eugene¡¯s group like a storm. ¡°I, Lilisain, have returned after completing the glorious mission Your Excellency the Duke has bestowed upon me!¡± Princess Lilisain reported. The knights, in particular, the knights of Prince Localope, were relieved to see the princess¡¯ safe return. ¡°Glorious? It was just a simple messenger mission. Anyway, good work. What¡¯s the size of the enemy¡¯s army? ¡°Eugene asked. ¡°There were about three hundred cavalries and even more infantry. Their equipment and morale were excellent, but their skills were inferior to Your Excellency¡¯s knights! No, rather, it would be disrespectful to compare the two,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. ¡°I see¡­¡± Eugene muttered. He had expected Princess Lilisain¡¯s dazzling beauty and unique personality to cause a problem, so he was slightly surprised to see that she had successfully completed her mission without a hitch. Well, it was understandable because no matter how strange her personality was, she would most likely try her best not to cause an accident on a mission like this as she was an elven princess. ¡°Did you deliver my exact words to the enemy¡¯s commander?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I-I was incompetent!¡± Princess Lilisain became wide-eyed and hurriedly lowered her head before continuing, ¡°It was because of the enemy commander¡¯s horrid appearance, which resembled a half-troll, and his foul language¡­ Keugh! Please punish this ignorant knight with death! Please take my head!¡± So, she really did cause an accident. The knights looked at her as if they had already expected such an outcome. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene was speechless. The princess was crying out desperately as if she had committed the greatest sin in the world. It had obviously been an important task to relay Eugene¡¯s words to the enemy commander, but failing to do so wasn¡¯t really a failure deserving of death. Tutututututut¡­..! A heavy rumble was heard from the direction where Princes Lilisain had come from. ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene quickly took Silion up the hill, and he soon took on a puzzled expression. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t relay my words to their commander? Why are they all coming after you like that, then? Princess, what did you say to the enemy commander?¡± Eugene had to ask once more. ¡°Yes! ¡®Ahh, this is called ¡ºMockery¡». It¡¯s something anyone can do.¡¯ Those were my exact words!¡± Princess Lilisain hurriedly answered. ¡°Amazing...¡± Eugene was satisfied. She may have caused an accident, but she ended up achieving a much better result than Eugene had originally intended. Favorite CH 206 Gulp. Madrica was a strong knight. He was a little talkative and arrogant, but he had the skills to back his attitude up. In the first place, it was impossible for just anyone to be recognized as a powerhouse and a representative knight of a large city like Maren. However, even for someone like Madrica, it would be the first time he would face a force consisting of almost three hundred cavalries. Such a large group of horsemen could only be seen in real wars, and although Madrica had experience with small-scale territorial disputes, he had never experienced a real war. Unfortunately, the same was true for the knights accompanying Eugene. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡± ¡°But given the variety of their equipment, they don¡¯t look like a formal knight order, do they?¡± ¡°Their armor isn¡¯t uniform either, and their formation is a mess.¡± ¡°Did they bring a group of mercenaries here?¡± However, although the group of knights had no experience in war, they were authentic knights with excellent skills and extensive combat experience. As such, they accurately grasped the characteristics of their opponents. And as they spoke, a similar thought came into their minds. ¡®Is this worth a try?¡¯ The cavalry could be considered the strongest force on a flat piece of land with no obstacles. Infantry was no match for cavalry in terms of mobility and pure destructive power. In addition, it was common sense that a larger group of troops usually had a huge advantage in a battle between cavalries. However, it was based on the premise that the armament and skills of both parties were perfectly equivalent. Eugene¡¯s knights were outnumbered 50 to 300, but their opponents weren¡¯t real knights but mercenaries on horseback. Moreover, while the allied knights were armed with plate mail or plate armor, most of the enemies had either leather armor or chainmail. Very few of the opponents carried lances, which were considered essential for knights. Instead, most of them only held swords and shields. In other words, although it was possible that the enemy held the advantage in terms of mobility due to their lighter load, they couldn¡¯t match the allied troops in terms of offense and defense. ¡°This could be worth a try as long as we remain cautious and ensure we don¡¯t get surrounded.¡± ¡°Hmm. Judging from their haphazard formation, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to worry about any organized movements from them.¡± The knights quickly overcame their shock from coming to face an enemy force six times larger than their own. They began to calmly analyze and devise tactics that would likely be effective against the enemy. Such were knights with professional military training honed and sharpened through countless exercises and battles. ¡°Sirs, mobility seems to be the key.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to worry about that,¡± Eugene interrupted one of the knights. The knights turned their eyes toward Eugene. Eugene observed the fast approaching enemy, then spoke after turning to Princess Lilisain, ¡°Princess. How far have they been chasing after you?¡± ¡°They should have covered about three kilometers by now,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. ¡°Have they been maintaining their pace the entire time?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. Eugene turned to the knights. ¡°The horses of the princess and the elven knights are of an Eland descent. They are famous steeds famous for having great endurance. That is why their horses aren¡¯t exhausted yet.¡± Ooohhh¡­! The knights exclaimed upon grasping the deeper meaning contained in Eugene¡¯s words. Eugene continued, ¡°That¡¯s right. The enemy¡¯s horses are already worn out. No matter how light their armor is, horses can¡¯t maintain that pace for a long time. Princess Lilisain, you did a great job.¡± ¡°I am deeply touched. I will continue to work hard to be someone suitable to take your side, Your Excellency,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. Her shoulders heaved, and her face turned red after hearing Eugene¡¯s compliment, but she bowed humbly. ¡°Then should we charge at them right away, Sir Eugene?¡± one of the knights asked. The knights were burning with the desire to destroy the enemy. Eugene shook his head. ¡°No, we will commence our charge later.¡± ¡°Hmm? Why is that?¡± The knight asked. ¡°Our purpose isn¡¯t to defeat the enemy,¡± Eugene answers. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The knights appeared quite confused by Eugene¡¯s mysterious answer. Eugene removed his gaze from the knights and turned toward the enemy cavalry. They were now less than three hundred meters from Eugene. Eugene spoke while arousing his Fear, ¡°We will annihilate them. Don¡¯t let a single one of them get away. Kill them all. And to do that, we have to make it impossible for them to escape.¡± Oooohhh!!! The knights shouted with fervor at Eugene¡¯s bold declaration. ¡°Everyone, ready your bows. Reverse wedge formation,¡± Eugene declared. Mercenaries were usually trained in one or two weapons. However, knights had learned to utilize all sorts of weapons from an early age, and in particular, mastering the spear, the bow, and the sword was a must for knights. Hunting was one of the virtues of being a noble, and it was a great honor for knights to participate in hunting competitions held by lords. As such, the knights accompanying Eugene were masters of archery. Moreover, they weren¡¯t just archers but knights. They could handle the bow while riding on horses. ¡°Hooh?¡± The knights expressed curiosity after taking out their own longbows when they saw the bows of Princess Lilisain and the elven knights. The bows of the elven knights were only half the size of ordinary longbows. Their weapon was known as the horn bow, which was a special type of bow crafted by elves using the horns of buffalos native to Eland. ¡°Your Excellency, should we fire?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. ¡°Hmm? Can you reach that distance from here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s possible with the horn bow. They are within the effective range,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. The knights could not hide their surprise after hearing Princess Lilisain¡¯s affirmation. If her words were true, didn¡¯t that mean that the range of the horn bow was almost twice as long as a regular longbow? ¡°Then fire at will. Sirs! Move out!¡± Eugene declared. Ooooh!!! The knights began to move after creating the reverse wedge formation centered around Eugene. *** ¡°Those bastards are running away!¡± ¡°Cowards!¡± Jenas and the Ashen Knights rode their horse vigorously after spotting Eugene and his knights a while ago. They thought that the enemies were retreating. ¡®Hehe! Jan Eugene, you¡¯re not a big deal after all! If I get him, the entirety of Maren will belong to me!¡¯ Moreover, he would torture and play with the elf bitch in every way imaginable before killing her. ¡®Five minutes? No, three minutes are enough!¡¯ The horses were quite tired now, but Jenas didn¡¯t pay them any attention. As long as he held the overwhelming advantage in numbers, the situation wouldn¡¯t last more than a few minutes. ¡°What?¡± Jenas muttered. Some of the fleeing enemy knights suddenly displayed strange behaviors. They released the reins of their horses and completely turned around on their saddle. ¡°Ha! Have they gone mad!?¡± Jenas scoffed at the ridiculous sight. It was definitely a great feat, but why would they perform such a crazy act in a situation like this? ¡°¡­?!¡± However, Jenas became wide-eyed as soon as he saw the five or six figures aiming their bows, which were much smaller than regular longbows, in his direction. Those long-eared bastards? There was no way they would shoot when we were so far... But they did! ¡°Kuagh!¡± ¡°Agh!" Some of his subordinates were thrown off their horses as the arrows pierced their necks and foreheads. ¡®Dammit! Even so, there are only a few of them. If we keep chasing¡­ Huh?!¡¯ Jenas clenched his teeth with frustration, then became greatly surprised. The arrows continued to fly without rest, and five or six people fell on or from their saddles with each shot. It was truly an unbelievable display of bowmanship. Tututututu! The horses of their colleagues trampled on those who were thrown off their steeds. Their bodies were flattened before they could even scream. ¡°Dammit!¡± Jenas realized the severity of the situation when dozens of his men died in the blink of an eye. ¡°Speed up! Get those fucking bastards and kill them!¡± Jenas furiously exclaimed. The members of the Ashen Knights, who were already extremely agitated, beat the reins of their horses even harder, but the animals were already at their limits. It was impossible for the horses to obey the will of their owners. The distance between the pursuers and the runners couldn¡¯t decrease anymore, and the chase continued with about a distance of one hundred meters between the two groups. No, technically, it could no longer be called a chase. The ones being chased after were much too relaxed, and the victims of their arrows continued to pile up. Meanwhile, the Ashen Knights were doing nothing but chasing. Moreover, there were almost three hundred targets for Eugene and his knights. Even if they weren¡¯t keen on focusing on specific targets, they could still hit either a horse or a human as long as they fired. In the end, the pursuers gradually slowed, and the horses without owners and those that couldn¡¯t continue anymore came to a sudden halt. The phenomenon quickly led to a situation similar to an avalanche. ¡°M-move!¡± ¡°Keep going! Don¡¯t block the way! You fucking¡­ Uagh?!¡± The majority of the Ashen Knights were former mercenaries. They were ignorant troops who had never received tactical training regarding horseback formations. As such, it was impossible for them to cope with unexpected situations in a large-scale battle between cavalries. The tired, halted horses further disrupted their haphazard formation. At first, they chased after the enemy in three large units, but now, they were tangled and torn into dozens of different groups. To make matters worse, rain began to fall from the dark skies, lowering visibility. ¡°Sir Eugene! It¡¯s raining! This will make it harder to move!¡± Madrica shouted loudly in a voice full of regret. The worst situation for cavalry was rain. The water turned the ground into a slippery mess, making it hard to travel and fight on horseback. The same would be true for the opponents, but the most rational thing to do was to retreat. As such, Eugene¡¯s knights felt regretful. ¡®This is quite unfortunate...¡¯ However, Eugene had a different idea... ¡°Mirian, it¡¯s your turn,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Kihehehehe! Oi, oi! Sir, I was waiting!¡± Mirian arrogantly laughed as she released Silion¡¯s mane and flew into the air. ¡°Ta-dah! Showtime!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°Huh!?¡± The knights were surprised when a fist-sized lump of light suddenly appeared in front of Eugene. Princess Lilisain and the elves had always been capable of seeing the spirit, so they weren¡¯t surprised. Rather, they stared at Eugene with expectant gazes. ¡°Haha! Is it time for I, Neo King God Revolution Mirian Mark Two, to step up?¡± Mirian declared haughtily. ¡°There is a saying that only extinct spirits are good spirits,¡± Eugene said with a fierce gaze. ¡°L-living spirits are good too!¡± the spirit stuttered, then shot forward like a beam of light as if nothing had happened. She stopped in front of a small group of enemies. ¡°Mirian Kieeeeeeyyyaaahhhk!¡± The name of the skill she exclaimed was incomprehensible. The rain clumped before pouring down on the enemies¡¯ heads, and she continued, ¡°Mirian kick! Kick! Kick! Mirian punch! Mirian tornado! Kihehehe! Kiyehehehehehe!¡± After evolving to acquire a new pair of wings, Mirian had become faster than before. She zoomed through the battlefield while shouting in a crazed voice. Of course, there was absolutely no kicking, punching, or a gust of wind. Rather, large chunks of water continued to sweep over the enemies. However, the balls of water weren¡¯t just effective at confusing and drenching the enemies. ¡°Mirian! Water Parrrrrkk!¡± Rumbleee! A scene befitting Mirian¡¯s skill name finally unfolded alongside her flippant shouting. A large amount of collected rainwater had transformed into a torrent, sweeping away the enemies. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t sufficient to topple over the horses or to deal a major blow to the troops. However, the water gathered around the enemy troops was dozens of times larger than in other areas, creating a huge patch of mud beneath their feet. ¡°D-damn it!¡± ¡°That little ghost!¡± ¡°An evil spirit! It¡¯s an evil spirit of water!¡± The troops howled and screamed as they fell into the depths of the slippery mud. It was as if the ground had transformed into a swamp. Eugene turned to his knights. They were simply watching the unbelievable sight unfold with shocked expressions. Eugene exclaimed, ¡°What are you all doing? This is your chance!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The knights finally came to their senses, and they hurriedly grasped the opportunity. Uwoooooo!!! They shouted valiantly before firing their arrows at the immobilized enemies. The allied knights had been at an advantage even before Mirian¡¯s display befitting her identity as a water spirit. But now, they were like fish in water. All they had to do was simply fire their arrows from a distance while circling around the mud, and dozens fell from their arrows. ¡°Get off your horses! You fucking morons!¡± Jenas belatedly shouted while pulling out his sword. Quite a few troops followed his orders and dismounted their horses before running after him. However¡­ Kwaaaaaaaa! A crimson stream spread like a wave through the rain. ¡°Huak?!¡± ¡°Ugggh!¡± Their bodies stiffened like stone statues thanks to an Origin¡¯s Fear. ¡°¡­!¡± The eyes of Jenas and his knights filled with shock. They were like fish in a net, unable to move despite their struggles. A black knight was rushing toward them, carrying with him crimson energy that fluttered behind him like a bat''s wings. ¡°Kill them all¡­¡± Eugene muttered in an indifferent voice as he threw Madarazika with all of his strength. Kyaaaaaahhh! The demonic spear shot forward with a cry of joy at the expected slaughter. It was completely covered by a crimson Fear as it pierced the rain and headed straight for Jenas¡¯ helmet. Jaspaaar''s Thoughts Translator¡¯s thoughts: At this rate, it almost feels like Mirian¡¯s slowly becoming Eugene¡¯s guardian deity lmao. Or rather, should I say Neo King God Revolution Mirian Mark Two? CH 207 ¡°...¡± Madrica and the other knights looked around. Their eyes still held traces of excitement from the recent battle. The battlefield was filled with the remnants of numerous broken flags and spears. The sight obscured by the rain and the fog was devastating. The bodies of hundreds rested atop pools of blood and water, and the occasional screams and groans of the critically injured could be heard in the rain and wind. All three hundred enemies had been killed or disabled, and not a single person managed to escape. Meanwhile, not a single allied soldier was killed. Rather, none of them suffered any injuries. Madrica shuddered. ¡®I can¡¯t believe that we really managed to wipe them out¡­¡¯ It was hard to express the elation he felt with words. His body heated up from the lingering emotions of the battle. A great victory? No, a victory as overwhelming as this could not be defined by such simple words. It was truly glorious and honorable to have participated in such a battle¡ªto have played a part as one of the protagonists. It was the honor of a lifetime to have been a participant of a battle that would surely become known to the entire world. Madrica could no longer contain his passion and the flames in his heart. ¡°We wonnnn!!!¡± He shouted and thrust his longsword into the air. His face glimmered with the rain and blood. Uwaaahhhhh!!! His fellow knights roared with victory. Their feat would be passed down as a historical battle in the Kingdom of Caylor, and they would be remembered as heroes of Maren in the future. Then, the eyes of the victorious heroes naturally turned to the one responsible for their glory, Eugene. ¡°This is just the beginning, sirs,¡± Eugene declared. Oooohhh¡­! The eyes of the knights burned even fiercer than before. ¡°Gather and bring the survivors,¡± Eugene ordered. The remnants of the enemies were found and dragged over. They were barely breathing. After prolonging their miserable lives with low-grade refined mana stones, Eugene spoke with a cold gaze. ¡°I am Duke Jan Eugene Batla. I will spare those who answer my questions sincerely. I promise this in my honor.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The prisoners quickly nodded. They were ignorant, but they knew how significant the honor of a duke was. No, rather, in the first place, it was the prestige of the devilish knight who had decimated their captain¡¯s head with a single blow and killed many of their colleagues. They were strong toward the weak, but weak toward the strong. As such, they did not hesitate. ¡°Affiliation,¡± Eugen asked. ¡°A-ashen Knights, sir,¡± one of them responded. ¡°Knights? You lot?¡± Eugene asked. He questioned if they deserved to call themselves knights, but the prisoners could not afford to feel offended. How could they object when the person responsible for destroying 300 of them with only 50 had said so? ¡°We were originally Ashen Mercenaries. However, we became the king¡¯s knights after the captain signed a contract with him,¡± the man answered. ¡°Hmm. Is that so?¡± Eugene said. Madrica quickly stepped forward, ¡°Sir, the Ashen Mercenaries had been notorious in the Drentra region. I haven¡¯t heard of them in a while, but it appeared that they entered the king¡¯s command.¡± Eugene responded, ¡°I see. Who has the highest rank here?¡± The gazes of the prisoners turned, and the person concerned raised his hand. ¡°I-I was one of the squad captains,¡± the man said. ¡°That¡¯s good. You must know a lot,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Yes, yes! I will tell you everything I know,¡± the prisoner spoke of everything he knew, from matters regarding the king and the cardinal to the situation near the capital and the movements of the noble royalists. He even explained the most trivial of things. His stories lasted for almost ten minutes. Eugene nodded after listening until the end, ¡°Good. You were sincere, so I will let you live.¡± ¡°T-thank you, sir!¡± Eugene fed the seven captives another low-grade refined mana stone. ¡°Now, what will you do, sir?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we head back to Maren and declare our victory before reorganizing the troops?¡± ¡°No, we will continue and attack their main army,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°It will be a waste of time to return. And the king¡¯s infantry captain is already dead. Doesn¡¯t that mean they no longer have commanders to lead their army?¡± Eugene added. ¡°Oh! Definitely!¡± The knights exclaimed as their determination was ignited once again. They had already achieved a perfect victory. If they continued and defeated the enemy¡¯s main army, their feat would definitely go down as a historical event. It wasn¡¯t even worth contemplating for knights who lived for fame and achievements. ¡°You are right! Now that the enemy¡¯s cavalry has been wiped out, the remainder of those nobodies and bums cannot possibly be our opponents!¡± ¡°Count Evergrove is leading the army, right? Let us rid ourselves of Maren¡¯s traitor today!¡± ¡°What do you mean, count? He¡¯s just a filthy rat who betrayed his honor and faith!¡± The anger of the knights was great. Everyone had been worried about Evergrove County before they left Maren. Because they had received no contact until the army of royalists were basically at their gates, they had automatically assumed that the Evergrove County had lost and surrendered. However, it turned out that the count had surrendered and had even cooperated with the royalists instead of fighting them. ¡°By the way, the rain will make it difficult for the horses to move.¡± One of the knights pointed out. ¡°Hmm. Well, that¡¯s true.¡± A few knights nodded anxiously. It was possible for infantry to fight in the rain, and the advantages of cavalry didn¡¯t exist in such an environment. The Ashen Knights had been wiped out just a while ago due to the mud. ¡°If it¡¯s rain, it won¡¯t matter,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°What?¡± He continued, ¡°Have you all forgotten? I have a spirit with me.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Kihehehehe¡­¡± The knights flinched as a peal of sinister laughter resounded. A blue light appeared in front of their eyes. Ooooh¡­! The spirit had gifted the enemies hell while shouting the incomprehensible names of her skills. The knights exclaimed when she finally showed herself. ¡°Knights! I am no other than King God Neo Revolution¡­ Kieeek!¡± Eugene stopped the nonsensical introduction by snatching the spirit out of the air. He plucked her wings between his fingers and raised her into the air. ¡°This is the spirit of water that I have contracted. We can borrow her powers, so there is nothing to worry about, sirs,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Understood!¡± the knights answered vigorously. She seemed a little unusual, but they had witnessed the wonders of the water spirit earlier. As such, they trusted in Eugene¡¯s words. *** ¡®Dammit. It¡¯s all because of that bastard who got lucky and hit the jackpot¡­¡¯ Jevin complained inwardly. He was now leading the main army on behalf of Jenas. ¡®What should I do? There¡¯s quite a few of them but at this rate¡­¡¯ An army of five hundred troops, excluding the porters and the depot merchants, wasn¡¯t small at all. He even had his own knights. In terms of numbers, it was definitely an army capable of fighting against Maren. However, the problem was that more than half of the troops were serfs. The rest of them were mercenaries who had been scraped together from all over the place as well. Aside from their skills, or rather, the lack thereof, it was questionable if they could even fight properly if a battle broke out. In addition, the army¡¯s command structure was essentially nonexistent. ¡®Like it or not, I have to admit that I need that vulgar lowlife. This is driving me crazy.¡¯ The infantrymen accompanying the Ashen Knights were troops hired and maintained by silver coins and Jenas¡¯ notoriety. However, their employer, who was also the one responsible for their obedience through fear, wasn¡¯t here. Of course, he would join them soon, but Jevin didn¡¯t know what would happen if they encountered an unexpected situation. ¡°I just hope they become tired and come back¡­¡± Jevin muttered with hope. The leaders of the mercenaries waddled over. One of them spoke, ¡°Count, the boys are exhausted. I think we¡¯d better take a break. That¡¯s fine, right?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Jevin raised his eyebrows and responded. One of his knights shouted with anger, ¡°Hey! Watch how you address His Excellency! How disrespectful!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry about that. It¡¯s because we¡¯re stupid,¡± One of the mercenary captains apologized. However, the mercenary captains were still grinning. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn¡¯t have even dared to speak to Jevin¡¯s knights, let alone Jevin himself. However, the current situation couldn¡¯t be called normal. Their captain, Jenas, was missing, and the army would collapse without the presence of mercenaries. In addition, the mercenaries were originally active near the capital. As such, they would never need to see Jevin and his knights again after this. Thus, they didn¡¯t need to be afraid of Jevin and his knights. ¡°Ehehe! Well, we can¡¯t help it. If we continue the march, we¡¯ll be exhausted before we can even get to Maren,¡± one of the mercenary captains explained. ¡°You bastards¡­¡± Jevin¡¯s knights gnashed their teeth. However, the captains of the mercenaries had a point. Their troops were quite exhausted from the long march. As such, they had no choice but to turn to Jevin and voice their agreement, ¡°Your Excellency, I think it would be best to set up some tents and take a break.¡± ¡°Since the weather is like this, the infantry captain should be returning soon. It¡¯s impossible to chase after the elves in this environment after all.¡± ¡°No matter how ignorant he is, he should know that much at the least. I¡¯m certain that he will be back soon.¡± Jevin responded, ¡°Tsk. We can¡¯t help it. Then¡­¡± At that time, a group of mounted horses appeared in the distance beyond the gradually fading curtain of rain. ¡°Oh! The Ashen Knights must be back!¡± one of the knights shouted with delight. ¡°Hmm. At least, they aren¡¯t completely¡­ Huh?¡± Jevin suddenly frowned and narrowed his eyes. He had been pleased to see the return of his allies, but he had noticed that the number of horsemen on the small hill was fewer than their original numbers. ¡°Were they defeated in a battle?¡± Jevin muttered. However, they looked completely fine from a distance. In addition, they looked a little different from the Ashen Knights for some reason. ¡°Huh?!¡± Jevin exclaimed in disbelief. There was a knight leading the mounted party. It was a man riding on a black horse wearing black armor, and the image of the man was something Jevin couldn¡¯t forget, even in his dreams. ¡°J-Jan Eugene¡­¡± Jevin stuttered while trembling. Suddenly, the moist air started to quiver ever-so-slightly. Paaaaaaa¡­! Then, a wave of crimson began to creep toward them from the small group of horsemen. ¡°Hieek?!¡± ¡°W-what is that?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s magic! It¡¯s a curse!¡± The mercenaries and serfs lost their composure when they saw the huge torrent of dark red coming toward them. The wave of crimson wriggled as if it were alive. And as the current swept over the five hundred soldiers¡­ ¡°Huaagh!¡± ¡°Kuagh!¡± A terrible fear struck their hearts, and all of the troops froze on the spot. It was truly a breathtaking, horrifying situation. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of the surprise. The frozen soldiers felt as if they were hearing the faintest of laughter as a lump of bluish light shot toward them from the wave of crimson. The bluish color of the light sharply contrasted against the backdrop of dark red. Fwaaaaaaa¡­ Then, numerous transparent grains started to emerge from the muddy soil filled with rainwater. ¡°Heave-ho! Heave-ho! I¡¯ll be Sir Eugene¡¯s subordinate number one for today! But tomorrow, call me Spirit King! Heave-ho! Heave¡ª¡­screw this! This is too hard! Kieeehhh!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Jevin¡¯s eyes filled with shock. As the screaming blue light passed him by, small grains rose from the ground around him as well. And it didn¡¯t take long for him to realize that they were droplets of water. The thousands, or rather, tens of thousands of water droplets, soared high into the sky and gathered to form a large chunk of water. Then, the water began pouring down right outside the ranks of Jevin¡¯s troops like a waterfall. Simultaneously, the group of horsemen began to charge toward them from the top of the hill. Tutututututu¡­..! ¡°Keugh! W-what¡­ are you all doing? G-get up¡­ A-and¡­ fight¡­¡± Jevin desperately shouted. However, his voice could barely be heard. He was similarly affected by the Origin¡¯s Fear, and he couldn¡¯t move a muscle. Some brave knights drew the holy symbol in the air and pulled out their swords with all their might, but that was all they could do. Eugene¡¯s cavalry rushed forward on the dry land, which had been artificially dried with an inexplicable power, and they dug into the ranks of the stunned soldiers. Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! When heavily armed horsemen charged into the large army of foot soldiers, dozens of bodies were sent flying with screams. The mysterious power holding them in place finally dissipated, but it was already too late. The knights were rampaging like angry predators, and the serf soldiers began to flee in all directions in fear. It wasn¡¯t much different for the mercenaries... They had been completely unprepared for the battle, and the horsemen¡¯s charge had completely wrecked their formation. There was nothing they could do to resist. Of course, quite a few mercenaries mustered up the courage to swing their swords, unlike the fleeing serfs. However¡­ Shuaaaackkk! The black knight was clearly special even among the dozens of knights, and in front of the black knight, the soldiers were nothing more than moving bundles of straw. The black knight cut down the mercenaries while riding his horse with a crimson spear in one hand and a silver sword in the other. His weapons howled for blood as they struck the backs of the scared soldiers. Furthermore, five or six knights using swords coated in a strange blue light followed behind the black knight and cut down the mercenaries with quick, brilliant swordsmanship. It was literally a bloodbath. ¡°Ja¡­Jan Eugene!¡± Jevin screamed desperately. Simultaneously, Eugene¡¯s red eyes found the exact location where Jevin was standing. CH 208 Grin. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Jevin started to tremble upon seeing Eugene¡¯s smile. At the same time, he finally came to a complete realization of exactly why he hated Jan Eugene and was so afraid of him. During their first meeting, Jan Eugene was nothing but a lowly knight. However, even then, the man had never considered Jevin to be above him, even though he was the heir of the Evergrove County, a highly renowned, prestigious family with a long history! However, back then, Jevin did not acknowledge this fact. No, rather, he brushed it off as an impossibility. Eugene had been a small, unknown knight who was just trying to make a name for himself, so how could he have dared? However, Jevin could not accept it. The brutally strong and beautiful knight had always considered him as insignificant as an insect. The way Eugene looked at Jevin was no different from how Jevin looked at the people serving him in the county. ¡°Jan Eugeneee!!!¡± Jevin screamed. Shing! He finally lost all reason as his pride was completely shattered. Jevin pulled out his longsword and snapped the reins of his horse. ¡°Y-your Excellency!¡± ¡°My lord!¡± his knights shouted with dismay, but Jevin disregarded their pleas and galloped his horse with his bloodshot gaze fixated on Eugene. ¡°Kuaaaahhh!¡± He shouted. Eugene decapitated three mercenaries with a single stroke of his sword, then turned his head in the direction of Jevin¡¯s warcry. Shhk. Madarazika left his grasp. Although it had been a light throw, the spear shot through the air with a terrible roar. Once it was only a few meters away from Jevin¡¯s horse, the creature stopped in its tracks due to the fierce energy contained in the spear. The spearhead of the weapon, which was coated in crimson energy, stopped two palms width away from Jevin¡¯s face. ¡°¡­!¡± Jevin¡¯s body froze as the demonic spear continued to let out an eerie cry. It wasn¡¯t only him either. His horse was also completely suppressed by the Fear emanating from the spear. The creature was frozen in its place and was drooling with fear. The mercenaries standing near Jevin also retreated with gazes of horror. Even though the count¡¯s life was being threatened, they couldn¡¯t possibly react to the horrifying mystery of the spear aimed at Jevin. ¡°Uah¡­ Uagh¡­¡± Jevin¡¯s eyes lost focus, and saliva started dripping down his chin as both his mind and body slowly succumbed to the mystical energy flowing from Madarazika. Eugene slowly directed Silion toward him. However, the knights and mercenaries in the surroundings stood glued to their spots, as if time itself was frozen in the area. Eugene finally arrived in front of Jevin and grabbed hold of Madarazika, which remained frozen in the air. Ziiing. The demonic spear cried out with regret as if it was left unsatisfied in its desire for blood. Eventually, it stopped vibrating. Eugene spoke, ¡°Do you remember the last thing you said?¡± ¡°Uah¡­¡± Eugene continued, ¡°I will never confront anyone who holds a flag with the crest of Eugene. I swear this on my honor and the honor of the Evergrove County.¡± Jevin¡¯s body started to tremble violently once Eugene recounted the very words he had spoken during their last encounter. Jevin was recalling the shameful memory of that day. However, there was nothing he could do. His knights also lowered their heads with grim expressions. They were living testaments to the events of that day. They had heard with their own ears and had witnessed it with their own two eyes. ¡°You and your family no longer have any honor, Jevin Evergrove,¡± Eugene spoke in a cold voice. ¡±Keugh!¡± Jevin bit his lips, and blood started to flow. He then responded, ¡°W-what are you planning on doing with me? I am the Count of Evergrove and a knight of the royal family. I-if you harm me, t-the king will not sit still.¡± The bright, young count was no longer here. In his place was a dishonorable coward who was shuddering in the face of death, one who was placing his fate in the hands of others. ¡°My lord¡­¡± The expressions of Jevin¡¯s knights turned grim at the shameful behavior of their lord. Eugene was convinced that Jevin¡¯s time was over. A lord couldn¡¯t be brilliant on their own. A lord without loyal nobles and knights was nothing but a scarecrow. However, Jevin still had his uses, at least for Eugene. ¡°Hooh? The king will not stand still? What, is he going to send some troops to rescue you?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s right,¡± Jevin stuttered. ¡°I wonder about that. Do you think the king will have soldiers to spare after sending so many to attack Count Winslon and the union of nobles?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°What?!¡± Jevin exclaimed with disbelief. Eugene laughed before responding, ¡°I¡¯ve already heard from the others, the ash pile or whatever it was. They told me that a large army numbering several times theirs had headed there. Well, they believed that the royalists were planning to strike Maren and the union of nobles at the same time, but anyone who isn¡¯t a fool can see that Maren was the bait and their real target was the noble union. And since you¡¯re not a fool, you must know the truth.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Jevin Evergrove¡¯s eyes quivered with shock. Eugene stared into his eyes while continuing in a quiet, cold voice, ¡°The Ashen Knights was a decoy, wasn¡¯t it? The king and the cardinal played a trick to catch Count Winslon and the noble union off guard. Correct?¡± ¡°Uah¡­¡± ¡°Judging from your reaction, I must be correct. However, you had already boarded the same boat as them and couldn¡¯t back out anymore because you realized this too late. But now, the Ashen Knights are truly just piles of ashes, and you¡¯re stuck like this,¡± Eugene continued with an even deeper smile while focusing on destroying Jevin¡¯s spirit. ¡°Jevin Evergrove. Do you still think that the king will help you?¡± Eugene drove the last nail in the coffin. ¡°Keugh!¡± Even Jevin¡¯s last, desperate attempt of a trick was instantly seen through and destroyed. His lips spurted even more blood as a groan escaped from his lips. ¡°Heugh¡­ Heugh¡­¡± Jevin panted amidst the despair and shame which were greater than the fear he was feeling. ¡°However¡­¡± Eugene started, and Jevin raised his head. Eugene continued, ¡°You will get to meet Caylor¡¯s king.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Jevin¡¯s eyes widened. However, his gaze was filled with fear rather than hope. Eugene smiled, but Jevin saw him as a being even more sinister than the devil himself. Eugene whispered into Jevin¡¯s ears, ¡°If thousands of troops left to attack Count Winslon and the noble union, only a few capable soldiers will be left to defend the royal castle. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± *** The battle drew to a rather bland conclusion as all the serfs fled following the first charge. It was simply impossible for two hundred mercenaries to put up any resistance against fifty heavily armed knights on horseback, especially after being crushed by Eugene¡¯s Fear. More than half of the mercenaries were killed in an instant, and the rest surrendered. The same was true for knights of the Evergrove County. They had been rather reluctant to join sides with the king from the very beginning, and they knew that Jevin had vowed on his honor not to go against Eugene. As such, they lost their will to fight as soon as Eugene appeared. Of course, some of the knights resisted to the end, but Princess Lilisain and the elven knights wiped the floor with them. Eland had been disconnected from the continent for a long time. As such, the knights of the Evergrove County couldn¡¯t cope with the unfamiliar swordsmanship and Aura of the elven knights. In the end, the battle began amid an overwhelming disadvantage of fifty to eight hundred troops. However, it ended in a historic victory for Eugene and Maren¡¯s knights, and it even brought Eugene an unexpected profit. ¡°W-we¡¯re just a bunch of lowly merchants who had signed contracts with the royal family. Sir! Please show mercy.¡± ¡°Please show us your mercy!¡± Depot merchants naturally accompanied an army with eight hundred troops, and the two representatives of the deport merchants begged Eugene for mercy. Moreover, they had crawled to Eugene on their knees after seeing him and kowtowed. ¡®Why are they acting like this?¡¯ Eugene wondered. He had been planning to release them after seizing a reasonable sum from them. However, it was only natural for the depot merchants to react as such. ¡®Regardless of the situation, how could he treat a count like that?¡¯ ¡®Sir Jenas was still the king¡¯s infantry captain, but he killed him just like that! No consideration for a ransom or anything!¡¯ ¡®That knight doesn¡¯t even consider the consequences of his actions. We have to keep quiet and lie flat.¡¯ That was what most wars were like. Soldiers could die, and even knights could be killed. However, it was customary to treat enemy commanders, usually high-ranking nobles, with honor and take them as prisoners without killing them. However, Eugene had slaughtered the members of the Ashen Knights and even killed their captain. Moreover, the merchants clearly witnessed how Eugene had treated even the most prestigious noble in the area, a count, as if he were just a piece of garbage. The merchants couldn¡¯t suppress their shock and fear. ¡®We will lose our heads for sure if we try anything funny or talk our way out of this!¡¯ One of the merchants carefully raised his head while lying flat on his stomach. He spoke nervously, ¡°We still have a lot of supplies remaining that we were going to sell to the Ashen Knights. We have their loot as well. We will hand it all over to you, sir.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Eugene responded. The merchants felt even more distressed by Eugene¡¯s lukewarm response. It was as if the indifferent crimson eyes were questioning them, asking ¡®is that all your lives are worth?¡¯ ¡°N-naturally, we will pay for our ransom as well!¡± the merchant hurriedly continued. They could earn money once again, but they only had one life. The depot merchants had to pay Eugene everything they had earned while working with the Ashen Knights. Like so, the depot merchants left with their workers, and Eugene and his knights were left with twenty carts loaded with huge amounts of supplies and loot. The spirit stood on the piles of gold and silver with her hands on her waist. She laughed arrogantly. ¡°Kihehehehe! It¡¯s to my liking. However! I, King God Neo Revolution Mirian Mark Two, still hunger for more. Kieeehehe¡­ Kihohohohoho!¡± Although the spirit had contributed the most to their great victory, her annoying display made Eugene want to give her a good smack on the head. The knights whispered among themselves as they watched the spirit. ¡°They say that she¡¯s a spirit of gold, not a spirit of water. I think they¡¯re right¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why she¡¯s cute¡­¡± Princess Lilisain abruptly joined in their conversation with a greasy smile similar to a middle-aged man. However, the knights did their best to ignore her. They were already convinced that the princess was Eugene¡¯s lover. ¡°No, she looks more like an evil spirit rather than a spirit, right? Did you see how she dumped water on them while screaming kicks and punches with her words? I¡¯ve never seen such a high level of deception before,¡± one of the knights commented. ¡°Even better,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°Certainly¡­ And look at her endless greed. Only someone like Sir Eugene could possibly control such a powerful, evil spirit,¡± another knight responded. ¡°I completely agree with that,¡± Princess Lilisain chimed in. In any case, the conversation concluded with praises for Eugene. *** The City of Maren gave a grand welcome to Eugene and the knights for returning with an overwhelming victory. Not a single allied soldier had been killed in the battle, and they had destroyed a large army numbering ten times their own instead. It was a historic, staggering victory, and the residents of Maren were ecstatic. ¡°The god of war! Jan Eugene!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene is Maren¡¯s greatest hero!¡± ¡°Raise a statue! Let all the minstrels and bards write songs of heroic deeds! Lord Eugene¡¯s unparalleled honor will live on forever in our poetry!¡± All the pubs and restaurants of the city distributed free food and alcohol, and all of the city¡¯s residents, regardless of their status and gender, rushed out and recited hymns of victory. The mayor and the guild leaders of Maren were the most overjoyed of them all. ¡°You are indeed the hero of Maren, sir! Here are three thousand gold coins we prepared to compensate you for the victory.¡± ¡°Sir Eugene! We decided to build a plated statue in the middle of the city square for you.¡± ¡°We plan to engrave poems of your heroic deeds to honor your achievements under the statue.¡± ¡°We have decided to build a mansion for you on Palma Hill with the money we have raised from the city and all the guilds. Please accept it.¡± ¡°We have decided to impose a full tax exemption on all items that we trade with Mungard and the royal family of Brantia. No, rather with everyone who uses the crest of Lord Eugene Batla.¡± Eugene couldn¡¯t be more satisfied with the compensation that the mayor and the guild leaders had offered him. As expected, Maren knew exactly how to show their sincerity. ¡°Hmm! I only did what I had to do as a friend of Maren, but I am deeply moved by everyone¡¯s sincerity. My friendship with Maren will last forever,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°Oh! Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The mayor and the guild leaders were touched. However, they didn¡¯t reward Eugene simply from the goodness of their hearts. ¡®He took Count Evergrove prisoner!¡¯ ¡®The supremacy of that region belongs entirely to our city now!¡¯ With the addition of the Evergrove County, seven large and small territories were now completely within Maren¡¯s sphere of influence. Given the additional profits they would gain in the future, Eugene was truly like a god to the mayor and the guild leaders. Except, he wasn¡¯t the god of war that the knights considered him as such, but rather, the god of wealth. The god of wealth spoke, ¡°Since we¡¯ve resolved the primary threat, I think we should move on to the next plan.¡± ¡°Oh! Are you planning on joining with Count Winslon and the noble union right away?¡± the mayor asked. Eugene shook his head. ¡°No, why would I bother doing something like that?¡± ¡°Huh? You said that the main force of the royalists is over there, right? Then shouldn¡¯t we help the noble union?¡± the mayor asked. Eugene responded, ¡°Count Winslon will take care of that. And it¡¯s a noble union, right? I don¡¯t think we will receive a warm welcome from them, anyway. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It was true. Eugene was the champion of the tournament held by Count Winslon. The nobles would welcome him outwardly, but many of them would obviously be wary of Eugene. In addition, there were quite a few nobles who disliked Maren apart from the royalists because merchants and guilds were in power in Maren. ¡°Then, what are you thinking of doing¡­?¡± the mayor asked. Eugene skimmed over a map laid out on a stone table, then placed his finger without hesitation and spoke, ¡°We will be heading straight here.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The eyes of the mayor and the guild leaders filled with shock. Eugene was pointing at the capital of the Caylor Kingdom. Maren¡¯s god of wealth was planning to devour the royal family of the Caylor Kingdom. CH 209 ¡°Recruiter! Guild Leader!¡± ¡°Ugnh! Why are you screaming like that this early in the morning?¡± Trevik opened the door with a disheveled appearance. He had drunk a little too much at the previous night¡¯s banquet to commemorate their victory. The employee of the recruitment center frowned at the smell of alcohol. ¡°My goodness. What do you mean this early in the morning? It¡¯s been a while since the sun came up. Anyway, I think you should come quickly.¡± ¡°Why? Did someone get drunk and cause an accident?¡± Trevik asked. ¡°It¡¯s an accident, alright! But, it¡¯s not that kind of accident!¡± the employee responded. ¡°Then what?¡± Trevik asked with a frown while taking a sip of water. Such happenings were quite common. ¡°Applicants! We have had a landslide of applicants this morning!¡± the employee explained. ¡°Huh?¡± Trevik realized the peculiarity of the situation from the visible excitement on his subordinate¡¯s face. He hurriedly put on his clothes before heading to the recruitment center. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Trevik¡¯s eyes became filled with surprise when he saw a crowd of two to three hundred people. ¡°These are all applicants?¡± Trevik asked. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying!¡± the employee responded. ¡°What the hell could have happened overnight¡­ Ah!¡± Trevik came to a realization while talking, then burst into an exclamation. He asked, ¡°Are they the ones who were employed in other territories? Have they returned?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. It looks like the story of His Excellency the Duke and the other sirs has spread. We¡¯ve even got knights,¡± the employee answered. ¡°Well, well. As expected¡­¡± Trevik nodded. Maren was the representative city of the nearby area. The neighboring nobles must have been paying keen attention to Maren¡¯s situation with the royalist army, and as soon as news broke that Eugene and his knights had demolished the army of the king, the nobles must have immediately sent the mercenaries under their command. ¡®The nobles truly are masters at walking a fine line.¡¯ Trevik felt rather bitter, but he couldn¡¯t blame them either. On the surface, everyone cried out for honor and faith. However, how many could truly act ¡®honorably¡¯ even when their very lives were on the line in a civil war? A single mistake was sufficient to rob someone of everything they possessed. It was best to lay low and observe the situation until a clear picture was drawn. ¡®Well, in any case, it¡¯s good for us.¡¯ Although it was quite obvious why the nobles had decided to jump aboard, Trevik was still relieved that they chose to stand on Maren¡¯s side. It was because Maren was planning an unprecedented event, something that had never been done in the city¡¯s history. And at its center was¡­ ¡®Maren¡¯s god of wealth, no, the god of war, Sir Eugene.¡¯ Trevik grinned. Perhaps, he had been influenced by the mayor and the guild leaders. He recalled the nickname that the mayor and the guild leaders had given Eugene. He spoke, ¡°Take them in one by one. Don¡¯t forget to assign the applicants to city defense starting today.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± The employees of the recruitment center got busy. However, their expressions were bright. The city was already safe, and they were participating in the gathering of one of the greatest forces in history under Maren¡¯s banner. *** ¡°So, are you asking me to go to the capital of the Caylor Kingdom?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And¡­ you¡¯re planning to replace the king, and you want me to be a witness?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself. Just tell me whether you will do it or not.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Vizak simpered. He was still posing as the prince. It was ridiculous enough for Eugene to say that he would replace a nation¡¯s king, but even more absurd when he asked the prince of the Roman Empire to stand witness. Vizak was even starting to wonder if Eugene was even being serious. ¡°Sir. Do you realize what kind of repercussions could result from what you are asking of me right now¡­?¡± Vizak said. ¡°Your Highness, I dare say that my advice is for you to comply with Duke Batla¡¯s suggestion,¡± the real prince interrupted. ¡°What¡­?¡± Vizak¡¯s eyes quivered after hearing Localope¡¯s words. ¡°No, even so, this is¡ª¡± Vizak muttered. Eugene interrupted, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, you don¡¯t have to. Anyway, please decide before we leave tomorrow. Then.¡± ¡°N-no, sir! Duke Batla!¡± Vizak called out. However, Eugene disregarded the fake prince¡¯s shout and left the prince¡¯s room. ¡°Kiehh? Sir, you actually don¡¯t need the prince? The old man mayor pleaded with you to persuade him, right?¡± Mirian poked her head out of her pocket as soon as Eugene left the room and chattered. Eugene responded, ¡°That¡¯s what the mayor wanted. I don¡¯t care whether the prince stands witness or not.¡± Last night, the mayor and the leader of the merchant guild visited Eugene quietly and asked for Prince Localope to accompany all of them to the capital. If everything went according to plan and Eugene and Maren¡¯s troops successfully occupied the royal capital, it was indispensable to subjugate the current king and replace him with a new king. It was best to carry out the task as soon as possible before other countries and nobles could intervene. Everyone would obviously suggest a new king who would provide them with benefits. Such a situation could lead to others reaping all the benefits from the labor that Maren had performed. Moreover, even if the king was replaced as soon as possible, according to the plan, rumors, and scandals aimed at the unprecedented situation would certainly arise. It was entirely possible that the situation could devolve into yet another civil war. The mayor of Maren and the guild leaders wanted to forestall such an outcome, and the best method to do so was to make use of Localope, a prince of the Roman Empire, a superpower recognized by the entire world. - Sir Eugene. The mere presence of the Roman Empire¡¯s prince will be sufficient to quell the complaints and objections of the nobility. So, I request this of you. Eugene was already quite familiar with the behavior of nobles. As such, he knew that the mayor¡¯s judgment was correct. However¡­ ¡®Why should I?¡¯ Eugene wasn¡¯t a nobleman of the Caylor Kingdom. He simply desired to punish the king and the cardinal for picking a fight with him. He honestly didn¡¯t care what happened to the kingdom after he had achieved his goal. However, he couldn¡¯t just openly refuse the desperate plea of Maren¡¯s mayor. His relationship with Maren had always been favorable, and it would likely continue in the future. That was why Eugene had decided to heed the mayor¡¯s request. Of course, his own proposal to the prince completely excluded the desperation contained in the mayor¡¯s request. ¡°Hrng. I still think it¡¯s better to accept the mayor¡¯s request. He¡¯s a very nice man,¡± Mirian remarked. ¡°Do you consider anyone very nice as long as they shower you with money?¡± Eugene asked. After hearing that Mirian had played a huge role in the battle against the royal army, the mayor presented her with a special gift. She was paid one hundred gold coins, and she was to be included in the statue of Eugene to be erected in the center of the square. ¡°Kiehh?! Gold and silver are proof of trust, isn¡¯t it? You did the same, sir!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene chose silence. For once, the spirit¡¯s words were completely accurate. Mirian continued, ¡°Anyway, I agree with the words of the old man mayor! And the talkative prince said he would do it, too, so it¡¯s already done! Kihehehe!¡± Eugene nodded in response to the fanatical laughter. He recalled Localope¡¯s reaction. Although Eugene was never told the exact circumstances of Localope¡¯s departure from the empire, he had a rough guess. It was obvious why a great noble, a legitimate son of the emperor, would be wandering around with only about ten escorting knights and a single attendant. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s being chased. He¡¯s being chased by a powerful figure of the Roman Empire.¡¯ There weren¡¯t many figures capable of cornering an imperial prince. However, Eugene was sure it wasn¡¯t the emperor himself. The emperor held absolute authority in the empire, and if he were angry with his son, the entire world would already know about it. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll know the details sooner or later when he returns. I just have to take care of the prince until then.¡¯ Before leaving Brantia with Prince Localope, Eugene had sent someone to the Roman Empire to secure accurate information. The one he sent was the most knowledgeable about the Roman Empire among Eugene¡¯s subordinates, and he was one of the few people Eugene knew would never betray him. It was Delmondo, a former imperial official of the Roman Empire. He had left for the Roman Empire as a baron of Brantia with an identification card signed by Luke himself. ¡®Is he going to meet his father? No, that couldn¡¯t be. The Roman Empire is humongous, after all.¡¯ And even if he did, it didn¡¯t matter. The existence of a parent for a vampire was absolute. However, the existence of a ¡®monarch¡¯ stood even higher. No one could deny or defy a monarch, regardless of their clan. *** ¡°Your Highness! Are you serious about this? Please reconsider it. If this becomes known to the imperial city¡ª¡± Vizak muttered. ¡°Then my brothers will be furious. They will say that I have defiled the reputation of the golden blood,¡± Localope responded. Vizak struck his chest as if he were frustrated. ¡°If you know it so well, why are you doing this? Even His Majesty could come forward. Getting involved in the affairs of another country¡¯s civil war and royal family¡­ This is going to turn into a serious diplomatic issue.¡± ¡°His Majesty will not say anything. No, rather, he will be favorable to the situation,¡± Localope answered. ¡°What?¡± Vizak asked with surprised eyes. Localope responded with a smile, ¡°His Majesty has always wanted to take the kingdoms around us. However, that¡¯s practically impossible. Do you know why?¡± ¡°Forgive my ignorance¡­¡± Vizak mumbled. ¡°The empire is great, but it is still impossible for us to deal with all the neighboring countries at once,¡± Localope answered. ¡°H-How sacrilegious! I¡¯m afraid someone might hear you!¡± Vizak exclaimed. ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s sacrilegious; it¡¯s the truth. Even during the reign of Leondolf the Great, who was known as a conqueror, we only went as far as taking the eastern kingdoms as subjects of the empire, right? The empire even sent envoys to the western and southern kingdoms, including the Caylor Kingdom, to soothe and relieve them. Why was that?¡± Localope said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Vizak was from a prestigious family of nobles. It was impossible for him to be ignorant of the reason, considering the high-quality education he had received since he was young. Even if the Roman Empire was a superpower and other kingdoms had to bow their heads to it, it could not go to war with all of the countries. If the empire¡¯s territorial boundaries were widened, its troops would become dispersed, and such an event could lead to a failure in their business in the East. The conqueror had been wise. The empire¡¯s relationships with the western and southern countries were quite friendly, so he had sent envoys and gifts to appease them and to provide them relief. ¡°His Majesty wants to continue the will of the great conqueror and take the western and southern kingdoms as his subjects as well. However, like the great conqueror, His Majesty is concerned about going to war with many countries all at once. But the king of the Caylor Kingdom was suddenly replaced. Do you think His Majesty will hate it?¡± Localope asked. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Localope continued, ¡°My brothers won¡¯t like it. However, I guarantee that His Majesty will be interested. Of course, if I act as nothing but a simple observer, it will only garner a little bit of His Majesty¡¯s interest. However, if I show my presence¡ª¡± He trailed off. In fact, even he couldn¡¯t tell what would happen. The crown prince was already in line to take the throne of the empire. Even if he, the empire¡¯s third prince, became an influential figure in another nation, he couldn¡¯t possibly influence the ascension. However¡­ ¡®At the very least, they couldn¡¯t possibly hurt me outright when I return home.¡¯ The emperor¡¯s interest was directly related to his survival. Localope was still an escapee, so he made the decision to settle for now. *** The next morning¡­ About eight hundred troops departed Maren¡¯s gates. The army was a humongous force consisting of a thousand people, including the depot merchants. It was one of the largest gatherings of troops in Maren¡¯s history to leave on an expedition. The armies of different noble families joined with the army along the road, then headed East. East was toward the Winslon County, where the noble union was gathered. Anyone could tell that Maren was planning to join the noble union to oppose the king and the cardinal. The situation was quite chaotic due to the civil war, but the surprising news quickly spread to many places. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t known that the total number of troops had decreased slightly compared to their initial departure. In addition, it remained a secret that all the missing people were knights and that the captain of the army had disappeared with them. ¡°We will use the same tactic as the royalists. The cavalries will accompany me to the capital. The rest of you will join Count Winslon,¡± Eugene declared. The attention of the king and his army would be diverted, Count Winslon would be grateful to him, and Eugene would be the first to take the royal castle and all of its bounties. ¡°It can¡¯t get any better than this! As expected, you¡¯re the best when it comes to being sneaky! King of all kings, the devil king! Kihehehehehehehehe!¡± Eugene felt as if he could even finish Mirian¡¯s sentences now. After evolving, the spirit and the vampire grew even closer. Eugene and his knights quickly advanced toward the capital of the kingdom. CH 210 ¡°Hmm.¡± Count Winslon stood on a high wall and looked down with a somber gaze. He was wearing his family¡¯s armor for the first in a long time. A huge encampment was located beneath walls with nearly three thousand troops swarming about like ants. Dozens of flags could be spotted hanging all over the place as well. There were as many as six nobles with titles granted by royalty, and there were over twenty nobles, including the minor lords. This was the noble union¡¯s army. The huge gathering of troops could surely compete against the army of the royalists. In fact, until only a few days ago, Count Winslon believed that the noble union could win. However, his optimism about a victory quickly subsided after news spread that a large number of elite soldiers from the northern border had joined the enemy¡¯s army. The soldiers of the noble union were experienced in evil land subjugations and territorial disputes, but they could never compare to soldiers from the border who experienced war every day. There was bound to be a qualitative difference between the two forces. ¡°Trust our knights, my lord.¡± ¡°Well, of course, Sir Rhymesler. I feel reassured thanks to you, sir,¡± Count Winslon responded to the words of the knight. Sir Rhymesler was the captain of a knight order Count Winslon had personally sponsored. However, his thoughts were contradictory to his words. The knight order had been organized partly to flaunt his power to the neighboring lords, not to participate and effectively fight in an actual war. There was no doubt about the individual skills of the knights, but a small territorial dispute was completely different from a real war with thousands of participating troops. In a situation like this, one hundred well-organized mercenaries would prove much more useful than ten excellent knights. ¡°Your Excellency! Your Excellency Winslon!¡± A few nobles came up to the wall while shouting with excited expressions. ¡°Hmm.¡± Count Winslon could not easily relax his expression. He couldn¡¯t imagine how they were planning to bother him today. The nobles were rather removed from their sense of reality, perhaps because they were too absorbed in the stories of old heroes, or it could be because of the long period of peace. This was especially true of nobles belonging to prestigious families. It was apparent that they considered war as a simple game, likely due to their confidence that their status would be preserved even in defeat. However, what they didn¡¯t know was that they would be robbed of their titles and land, then thrown out onto the streets to become food for roamers. However, regardless of how he truly felt, Count Winslon forced a smile. In the end, all of them were valuable allies who had gathered under the banner of the Winslon family. ¡°Yes. What brings all of you here in such a hurry, sirs?¡± Count Winslon asked them. ¡°We have troops from the City of Maren. Maren has sent reinforcements to help our union and Your Excellency!¡± one of the nobles answered excitedly. ¡°Ohhh¡­?!¡± Count Winslon¡¯s expression brightened at once. He recalled the face of a certain knight based in Maren. However, he became rather disappointed when he briefly stared at the face of the reinforcements¡¯ captain. The knight possessed a reliable physique and radiated powerful energy, but Count Winslon was unfamiliar with him. ¡°Nice to meet you, Your Excellency. I am¡­¡± However, Count Winslon¡¯s disappointment soon disappeared after the knight finished his introduction. Count Winslon asked, ¡°The Duke of Batla? Sir, are you truly a knight of Duke Jan Eugene Batla?¡± The count was greatly surprised. He was even more surprised that the commander of the reinforcement army was Eugene¡¯s knight compared to the arrival of eight hundred skilled mercenaries and enough supplies to last at least two thousand people for a month. The commander of Maren¡¯s mercenaries was none other than Edmund. ¡°That is correct. His Excellency the Duke gave me orders to warn the count of the royalists¡¯ ploy and to join forces with the noble union,¡± Edmund responded. ¡°Ploy? What do you mean by that?¡± Count Winslon asked. ¡°You probably already know that the king had sent a large force to attack Maren,¡± Edmund answered. ¡°Well, yes. That¡¯s why I was a little worried that you are here, sir,¡± Count Winslon said. Edmund was slightly moved by Count Winslon¡¯s words. Indeed, it was just as he had heard from Eugene and Lanslo. Count Winslon was truly a noble man of honor and faith. ¡°You are truly honorable and faithful, as I heard from His Excellency the Duke. However, you don¡¯t have to worry. The Ashen Knights came after Maren, but they were annihilated by the duke,¡± Edmund said. ¡°T-The Ashen Knights? Annihilated, you said?!¡± Count Winslon exclaimed with surprise. The nobles around him also buzzed with excitement. ¡°Ashen? Aren¡¯t they the notorious bunch?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They were led by the king¡¯s infantry captain. I have heard that they had performed all sorts of wicked deeds near the capital. Annihilated¡­¡± Although he hadn¡¯t participated in the actual battle, as he had to stay behind and guard the city, Edmund still nodded with pride after hearing the astonished gasps and whispers of the nobles. ¡°That¡¯s right. It was a group of cavalries led by the king¡¯s infantry captain, Cody Jenas. There were five hundred additional troops as well, including mercenaries. His Excellency the Duke and his knights wiped them all out.¡± Oooh!!! The nobles exclaimed at the news of the unexpected victory. However, a number of them exchanged glances with sullen expressions, though they had smiles on their lips. Edmund felt bitter. He knew the reason behind their reaction. ¡®As expected, it was an excellent choice that His Excellency did not come.¡¯ The noble union had yet to even engage in a battle against the king¡¯s army, but Eugene had already made an unexpected appearance and obtained a great achievement. Some of the nobles couldn¡¯t simply accept it with joy. Judging by Eugene¡¯s character, something would have definitely broken out if he had come here personally, which would have soured the atmosphere of the noble union. ¡°Your Excellency, and many sirs¡­¡± Edmund called out in a stiff voice. The eyes of the delighted nobles gathered toward Edmund. Edmund continued, ¡°His Excellency has obtained a piece of information from annihilating the Ashen Knights.¡± ¡°Hmm. Do tell,¡± Count Winslon said with grave eyes. He instinctively noticed that the information would be related to the ploy Edmund had mentioned earlier. ¡°The king and the cardinal had no intention of actually taking Maren. The Ashen Knights were simply a bait to turn the attention of the noble union to Maren,¡± Edmund explained. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°No, what do you mean by that?¡± The nobles were shocked, and Edmund continued while sweeping his gaze at the nobles, "As you all know, the Ashen Knights were led by the king¡¯s infantry captain. So, many people considered them to be the mainstay of the royalists. And such a group had departed toward Maren.¡± ¡°Huh! So if they had succeeded in taking Maren, it would have been good, but even if they failed and only managed to buy time, it still would have garnered our attention?¡± Count Winslon commented. He truly had a sharp judgment befitting a great lord of a huge territory. ¡°That is correct,¡± Edmund replied. ¡°Then, while our attention is on the Ashen Knights, the king¡¯s main force¡­¡± Count Winslon muttered. ¡°That¡¯s correct. His Excellency the Duke expects that they are headed here. I am here to warn everyone and to assist the noble union,¡± Edmund said. ¡°¡­!¡± The eyes of the nobles quivered with shock, but it was only for a moment. ¡°Those vile, dishonorable men! Do they really think we will falter in fear?¡± ¡°Sirs! Let¡¯s teach them a lesson! There¡¯s no way we couldn¡¯t do something that Maren had succeeded in doing!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Several nobles raised their voices, and the rest of the nobles voiced their agreement with indignation. Everyone was quite agitated, as if they would run out and charge at the enemy immediately. They were certainly in high spirits. However, Count Winslon spoke in a somber voice, ¡°Sirs! Inspect your troops right away and prepare to depart! We must show those dishonorable bunch that their trickery hasn¡¯t bamboozled us!¡± ¡°As the high lord commands!¡± the nobles exclaimed. Edmund was impressed by Count Winslon. The man certainly had the ability to act on the nobles¡¯ wrath and use it as a catalyst. After successfully unifying the nobles in an instant, the count turned his stern gaze toward Edmund. ¡°Sir. I am deeply grateful to Lord Eugene and Maren for their great kindness. I, Winslon, never forgets any grace and enmity,¡± Count Winslon said. Edmund responded, ¡°Your Excellency¡¯s sincerity, I will certainly relay it to His Excellency the Duke. For the time being, I will do my best as an honorable sword of the noble union, so please use me as you wish.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Just what I expect from Lord Eugene¡¯s knight! I will treat you well and make good use of you, sir!¡± Count Winslon said joyously. He was genuinely pleased. In addition, he felt an even greater liking for Eugene after he had sent him such a humble, honest and trustworthy knight. ¡®My eyes weren¡¯t wrong. Not only did he obtain the Batla Duchy, he even acquired such a rare talent. I will make sure to treat Lord Eugene as a valuable pillar of the kingdom.¡¯ Count Winslon came to a decision. However, a sudden curiosity struck him. ¡°By the way, sir, where is Sir Eugene right now?¡± Count Winslon asked. Edmund replied, ¡°Ah, His Excellency is working separately with his knights to figure out the movements of the enemy.¡± ¡°Oh! He is still performing his duties as a knight without break, immediately after achieving such a great victory! What a great fortune! Sir Eugene is truly a great fortune for the kingdom. Hahaha!¡± Count Winslon said while laughing boisterously, unaware of the true intentions of the so-called ¡®great fortune.¡¯ *** The capital of the Caylor Kingdom was located a hundred kilometers farther than the Winslon County from Maren. However, while Edmund¡¯s mercenaries traveled on foot, Eugene¡¯s chosen group were knights on horseback. They could not travel as fast as messengers, but it was possible for them to travel more than fifty kilometers each day without expending too much stamina. Eugene¡¯s entry into the capital had been expected to take around seven days. However, it was slightly delayed due to the presence of numerous territories between Maren and the capital, which was more than Eugene had expected. While the Ashen Knights passed through all the territories without a hitch due to the flag of the royal family they carried, Eugene had to face problems every step of the way. Such was a case where several knights and 40-50 soldiers blocked the way of nearly eighty knights. ¡°Stop! You are now entering the land righteously given dominion by His Majesty and god to¡ª¡± ¡°Bring me whoever¡¯s in charge,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Eugene¡¯s knights answered before quickly charging and attacking the troops blocking their way. They had already experienced a similar situation several times. Naturally, the knights gave consideration to their opponents¡¯ honor and gave Eugene various advice on how to deal with the situation according to custom. However, the patience of the knights quickly grew thin when they came to face the same situation every single day. ¡°N-no! Those vile men!¡± ¡°Sirs, do you have no honor?!¡± The knights of Maren snorted in response to the dismayed shouts of the other knights. By now, the knights of Maren didn¡¯t even care about the names of their opponents. ¡°Hmph! If you knew honor, you would have already sided with the king or with us!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just cowards who only know how to hide and test the waters, so how dare you speak of honor?! Come on!¡± The knights of Maren were trembling with anger, but they did not cross the line. Those who fled were let go, and the enemy knights and nobles were spared their lives. However, they were slightly roughed up before being dragged in front of Eugene. ¡°Uahhh¡­ Eef othas fieend oaut hao yoau traeted me¡­¡± The nobleman mumbled rather incomprehensibly with tears and a runny nose. His nasal bone was broken, and the area around his mouth was swollen. It was hard to even make out his original appearance. ¡°So what if others find out? Who are you going to tell? The king? Or the noble union?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­?!¡± The noble trembled with shock. He couldn¡¯t find even any semblance of honor that any noble should possess with Eugene. Simultaneously, a thought flashed through the nobleman¡¯s mind. He struggled to open his torn, swollen lips with fear. ¡°A-ah you¡­ The Awshen Knwights? Infwantwy cwaptin¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to beat him up some more,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Heeu?!¡± The man moaned with a horrified expression. ¡°What did you call Sir Eugene?¡± ¡°Do you really think we¡¯re those lowly, vile weaklings? You haven¡¯t learned your lesson yet, huh?¡± ¡°Who cares about honor? A man like you will only come to his senses with a beating!¡± The brutal pummeling began once again. ¡°U-uahhhhhh¡­!¡± The nobleman felt wronged. He had no choice but to assume that such a rude, vicious group of horsemen were the Ashen Knights, who were notorious near the capital. Moreover, although they were enraged at being called the Ashen Knights, their current actions couldn¡¯t be called better than the Ashen Knights; it was arguably worse. ¡°Sir, listen carefully. This is Sir Eugene, the great hero of Maren, the true friend of His Excellency Margrave Archivold, and one who shares the same will with His Excellency Count Winslon,¡± Madrica announced. He followed Eugene¡¯s orders and remembered to leave out the fact that Eugene was the Duke Batla of Brantia. ¡°¡­!¡± The nobleman became wide-eyed. His swelling had somewhat subsided after consuming the refined mana stone he had received from the knights. He could recall hearing about a knight in the far south who had killed several high-ranking monsters in an evil land and had received great praise from the margrave. Moreover, he could also remember that the same knight had become the champion in all the events of the knight competition hosted by Count Winslon. ¡®T-this is trouble! Then I have only one choice¡­¡¯ The nobleman racked his head in the face of a sudden crisis. However, Eugene spoke with a smirk, ¡°You better not say that you pulled out your blade to fight against injustice, thinking that we were royalists.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The nobleman¡¯s eyes filled with shock. His inner thoughts had been revealed. Eugene continued, ¡°How did I know what you were thinking? That¡¯s simple. We¡¯re following back the exact path that the Ashen Knights had taken while coming to Maren from the capital. Sir, while you let the king¡¯s army through, you stopped me. Isn¡¯t the conclusion quite obvious here?¡± ¡°No, sir. I-I¡­¡± the nobleman stammered. He knew he was done for. ¡°For your information, I have already encountered eight other nobles similar to yourself. You are the ninth, sir. Oh, and one more thing. I had dealt with all of them the same way,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hiek!¡± The nobleman shrieked as he wetted his pants. There was only one thing that came to mind. Since he had blocked the path of such cruel, heartless knights, surely there was only one way things were going to end. However, Eugene gave an unexpected answer. ¡°First, pay us your ransom, gather as many troops as possible, then join forces with Count Winslon.¡± ¡°What...?¡± The noble was startled. ¡°You know Sir Farain, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I-I do¡­¡± the nobleman answered. ¡°Gather your troops and go to Sir Farain. Join him before heading together to the Winslon County,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°I-Is that all?¡± the nobleman asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. Ah! Of course, you will have to show your sincerity with your ransom. Sincerity. You know what I¡¯m saying, right?¡± Eugene said with a cold smile. The noble quickly nodded away. He had a hunch that if he failed to satisfy Eugene with the ransom, a worse fate than the beating he had received for mistakenly calling them the Ashen Knights was awaiting him. In the end, he was finally released after handing over everything he had in person, then stamping a promissory note, promising that he would pay one hundred gold coins. ¡°Then hurry up,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-yes! I will never forget your grace!¡± The noble bowed several times before departing with his troops, save the deceased few. Prince Localope and Vizak slowly crept up to Eugene and asked, ¡°Sir Eugene. Do you really think that man will join with Sir Farain?¡± Eugene responded, ¡°I don¡¯t know about the ransom, but I am certain he will join forces with Baron Farain. Baron Farain is afraid of Maren, so he will head to the Winslon County.¡± Baron Farain was the first lord to block Eugene and his knights. However, unlike the others, he had been determined to cooperate with Eugene and Maren from the beginning. As such, Eugene had informed him that troops would be joining him for the next seven to eight days and that he should head to the Winslon County after gathering enough troops. ¡°Hmm. To think that you would have Sir Edmund lead the main force of Maren to the Winslon County to confuse the royalists while you¡¯re going to attack their rear with the armies of the other nobles! The duke¡¯s strategy is truly remarkable,¡± Prince Localope exclaimed. He had long been impressed by Eugene¡¯s skills as a knight, and now, he seemed to have completely fallen for Eugene. However, he was misinterpreting Eugene¡¯s intentions. ¡®It¡¯s to attack the rear of the enemy¡¯s army, but it¡¯s also because the noble union will become more chaotic, the more nobles there are.¡¯ His plan involved weakening both the royalists and the noble union with his minor scheme so that no one would interfere with him when he hit the royal castle. However, he had never expected, even in his wildest dreams, that his plan would act as an incredible strategy against the enemy. CH 211 Despite the various happenings, Eugene and his knights were able to arrive at the capital in ten days. Unfortunately, it was impossible to avoid attention with nearly one hundred heavy cavalries moving together. However, no ordinary citizens dared to stand in their way even though Eugene¡¯s knights carried no flag to identify themselves. The only problem was the nobles who had mistakenly picked a fight with Eugene and suffered the consequences. As soon as the nobles paid their ransoms and bought their freedom, a number of them immediately sent a message to the royal castle with news about Eugene. The chaotic situation of the kingdom gave rise to an increase in the number of bandits, and monsters began to roam about in greater numbers due to the poor management of evil lands. As such, the messengers of the nobles had been significantly delayed in their journey to the royal castle. In the first place, it was difficult for a group of two or three messengers to safely reach the capital without encountering any problems. Meanwhile, nothing blocked Eugene¡¯s way except for some crazy nobles, and they had finally reached the capital within ten days of departing from Maren. ¡°Sir, what are you planning to do now? Don¡¯t you think it would be wise to rest for a while?¡± Vizak asked. The fake prince had rarely dismounted his horse except when he ate and slept. Both his body and mind were quite exhausted. The march had been a difficult one, and Vizak would have long fainted with exhaustion if not for the refined mana stones he had been consuming every so often. Eugene responded, ¡°Let us rest after we finish occupying the castle. Besides, you haven¡¯t even participated in any battles, have you? You¡¯re making a mountain out of a molehill.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Vizak would have immediately retorted not long ago, but he had already somewhat given up. It was indeed true that Eugene and the other knights had taken care of those who stood in their way until now. The imperial knights couldn¡¯t even unsheath their blades even once during the journey, and the prince and Vizak had traveled most comfortably out of anyone in their group. ¡°His Highness only asked because he is curious about how you are planning to get into the capital and take over the royal castle. Isn¡¯t that right, Your Highness?¡± Localope said. ¡°Ah¡­ T-that¡¯s right. It¡¯s just as he says,¡± Vizak responded while feigning a cough. ¡°Ehem! Even if the duke and the other sirs are brave as dragons, it¡¯s not an easy feat to take over the capital. Even if the majority of their troops are absent, there will still be hundreds of soldiers guarding the capital and the castle,¡± Vizak said. ¡°That¡¯s not for you to worry about, Prince,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­¡± Vizak felt annoyed, and the vessels on his forehead bulged. However, he suppressed his anger while stealing a glance at Prince Localope. ¡°Sir, you aren¡¯t planning to employ a dishonorable method to deal with the nation¡¯s king, are you?¡± Vizak asked. ¡°A dishonorable method?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Using the power of the Dark Clan. It might be appropriate when dealing with monsters, but it would be very troublesome if you used it here. Even if you succeeded, there would be great criticism from other countries, and the other nobles of the Caylor Kingdom would find it hard to accept the outcome,¡± Vizak continued. Prince Localope nodded in agreement with Vizak¡¯s words. A country like Brantia, which was considered a barbaric country on the periphery by others, was more lenient toward such issues. However, the nobles of nations that proudly boasted themselves as being civilized would take issue with the smallest of things. In particular, the blade of criticism would immediately turn on those who employed any semblance of dishonorable or cowardly methods. And the so-called ¡®dishonorable or cowardly methods¡¯ included the unique abilities and mysteries of other races. Such was the reason why vampires were marginalized in many of the continent¡¯s countries. Eugene spoke with a cold smile, ¡°That¡¯s none of my business.¡± ¡°W-what¡­?¡± Vizak said. Eugene continued, ¡°I am not a nobleman of the Caylor Kingdom. So, I don¡¯t have to care what happens to the kingdom, nor about what the nobles here think of me.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°In addition,¡± Eugene interrupted Vizak¡¯s words with indifference, then looked around his surroundings. It was as if he were about to address his following words to those who were secretly paying attention to the conversation between him and the prince. Eugene continued, ¡°The honor that you mentioned. Isn¡¯t that from the perspective of the victor?¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that those who had already obtained everything could impose those various restrictions for their own good. They had to have done so to prevent challengers from rising up against them, so they always rant about chivalry this, honor that.¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­¡± The prince and his men seemed to be in disbelief. However, Eugene¡¯s knights were frowning in contemplation. If someone else had said the same thing, they would have scoffed. However, Eugene was the strongest, most honorable, and most successful knight they knew. At least for them, Eugene stood at the pinnacle and was a symbolistic representation of what it meant to be a knight. ¡°The king and the cardinal had attacked my territory first, and they had pointed their blade at those whom I share friendship with. Why do I have to take into consideration their circumstances and honors? If they had any intention of treating me with honor, they would have found me first and formally declared war,¡± Eugene said. Vizak¡¯s eyes quivered even greater when he heard Eugene openly criticizing the king and the cardinal. However, the knights nodded with affirming gazes and clenched fists. ¡°But sir, think of those who are cooperating with you. Don¡¯t you know that your actions might land them in trouble later?¡± Vizak said. ¡°Others? Oh, like the leaders of Maren and the Count of Winslon?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± ¡°If the king had consideration for their honor, he wouldn¡¯t have tried to send a group of trash like the Ashen Knights to Maren to try and trick them. Am I wrong?¡± Eugene said. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Those bastards who call themselves the king and the cardinal were the ones who committed despicable shit. Honor? Generosity? Hospitality? Oi, Your Highness, could you show such sweet sentiments to bastards who are trying to crush and kill you? Is that how you do things in the empire?¡± Eugene asked back. ¡°¡­!¡± Vizak became wide-eyed with shock. However, he couldn¡¯t respond to Eugene¡¯s words. Even Localope, the true recipient of Eugene¡¯s acrimonious criticism, remained silent and simply gazed at Eugene with a stiff expression. The two couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of the one responsible for their current predicament. ¡®Could I fight them fairly and win? No, before that, had they ever treated me with honor and justice?¡¯ There was no need to even think about it. It had only been half a year since the two were forced to leave the empire while shedding tears of blood after being subjected to all kinds of schemes and intimidation. They could never hope to escape their current situation with an honorable method. In the first place, wasn¡¯t that why they were asking for help from Eugene, a Marecasio? ¡°Even so¡ª¡± Vizak muttered. ¡°Your Highness, Duke Batla is absolutely right,¡± Localope interrupted. ¡°Huh? What¡­?¡± Vizak took on a flustered expression. Localope turned his gaze away from the fake prince and continued, ¡°You have opened my eyes and enlightened me, Your Excellency. The honor of a person who points their blade toward me is not worthy of consideration. The dishonorable methods of the opponent? Such is the excuse of the loser. No one will show you any consideration even if you cry honor after losing. Only the victor can speak of honor and justice.¡± And such would be portrayed as the grace and generosity of a monarch¡­ Localope knew this, as the greatest emperor in Roman history, the conqueror, had done so as well. Behind the great victories of the conqueror were hidden tricks and threats. The inheritors of his blood, the members of the imperial family, were aware of this fact. ¡°Your servant is truly wise, Your Highness,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah, oh, well¡­ Thank you,¡± Vizak stammered. Anyone could tell that Eugene was putting the servant over the prince, but Vizak couldn¡¯t help but accept it. After all, the servant was actually the prince. ¡°Ehem! Anyway, how are you planning to get into the capital?¡± Vizak asked. ¡°Your Highness. I don¡¯t think we should intervene in that matter. The chief commander of the troops is Duke Batla. Our actions could be seen as a challenge to his authority,¡± Localope intervened. ¡°Ah¡­ I see. Sure,¡± Vizak muttered. ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. This time around, Your Highness will need to intervene,¡± Eugene suddenly said. ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene continued with a grin, ¡°There is a way to get into the royal castle without facing any obstruction whatsoever. Would you like to hear about it?¡± *** ¡°Huaah¡­!¡± Viscount Horie of the capital¡¯s guards yawned with a bored face. Count Hatres, the queen¡¯s brother and the captain of the guards, had departed with the soldiers as the commander of the army. As such, he had been placed in charge of the capital¡¯s security. However, there wasn¡¯t much work to be done. Quite a few territories were embroiled in conflict no different from civil wars, but the royalists mostly dominated the areas near the capital. As such, it was very quiet. Therefore, Viscount Horie and the guards, numbering close to two hundred, calmly carried out their tedious work of identifying and inspecting passersby at the gate. ¡°Next,¡± a guard called out in a monotonous voice after skimming over the contents of a cart. ¡°Huh?¡± His gaze changed slightly. The following six visitors were knights on horseback. Other soldiers quickly crept up around the guard. He had conducted rather sloppy inspections until now, but he couldn¡¯t do the same for these six heavily armed knights. ¡°Where are you coming from, sirs?¡± the guard politely asked. A knight wearing a black cape raised his hood. It was quite clear at first glance that even the cape was expensive and top-quality. The knight answered, ¡°Nice to meet you, sir. I am coming from the imperial city of the Roman Empire¡­¡± Vizak continued while holding out a golden identification token embossed with the seal of the Roman imperial family. For the first time in a while, he was acting in his original position as a servant. ¡°¡­And as such, the Third Prince of the golden blood, His Highness Localope wishes to receive the King of the Caylor Kingdom.¡± ¡°¡­Hick!¡± The guard was brought back to his senses with a hiccup. ¡°P-please wait a minute! Captain! Sir Horie!¡± The news of a visit from the Roman Empire¡¯s royalty was immediately conveyed to Viscount Horie. Viscount Horie rushed to greet the distinguished guests after laying his eyes on the golden token, which was clearly authentic. Then, he turned his horse to relay the shocking news to the royal castle. Naturally, the group entered the capital without any further confirmations or cumbersome processes. ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to use my abilities when there¡¯s such an easy way, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡ªwhat a great plan,¡± Vizak responded with an awkward smile. In truth, he wanted to shout his discontent. He couldn¡¯t believe that a member of the empire¡¯s imperial family and a great noble like a duke was using such a cowardly, dishonorable trick. However, the prince had already given his permission, and it had already happened. Now, he had no choice but to do as the insidious vampire duke had said. Eugene¡¯s crafty thinking went beyond common sense, and Vizak couldn¡¯t fathom when this would end. But for now, once he met with the king¡­ ¡°What? Sir! What are you doing!?¡± Vizak exclaimed. The same was true for Prince Localope and his knights. Currently, they were waiting inside the guards¡¯ building until someone suitable from the royal castle welcomed them. Eugene disregarded their startled gazes and took off his plate armor, organized it, then gave it to Princess Lilisain. ¡°You are the only one I can entrust my armor and spirit with. Don¡¯t lose it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I-I¡¯m infinitely honored! I will protect it with my life!¡± Princes Lilisain exclaimed with flushed cheeks while looking all over Eugene¡¯s half-naked body with a rather perverted gaze. ¡°K-kieh?! I-I feel a chill all of a sudden¡­¡± Princess Lilisain¡¯s gaze was already fixated on Mirian, and the spirit trembled with fear. It appeared all the abilities she had gained from her evolution were useless in this situation. ¡°G-good girl, right? Gently, softly¡­ I¡¯ll treat you nice. You trust me, right? Haaa¡­ Hoah¡­¡± Princess Lilisain huffed. ¡°Kiek!¡± Mirian squealed before quickly hiding in Eugene¡¯s armor. Princess Lilisain created a ruckus while trying to find the spirit. Vizak and the prince still couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. ¡°Someone¡¯s going to come from the royal castle soon! What are you planning to¡ª¡± Paaaa¡­ Fear suddenly emerged from Eugene¡¯s figure like a haze. Crack! Craaack! Eugene¡¯s body twisted strangely, and he soon began to transform into a savage creature. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Y-Your Excellency!?¡± The surrounding figures quickly retreated with fear. A husky voice came out of Eugene¡¯s lips¡ªhe had transformed into a monster. ¡°The remaining troops in the capital wouldn¡¯t be enough to deal with a high-ranking monster, so what¡¯s going to happen, then? ¡°¡­!!!¡± Vizak stood silent with shocked eyes, and Localope, the wise prince, answered in his stead, ¡°The knights waiting nearby will have a reason to enter!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Eugene answered before quickly jumping out the window. His appearance looked very much like a dragon. A moment later, the roar of a drake resounded with the terrified screams of people. Drakes were known as the strongest monsters on land, along with the ogres. CH 212 ¡°Sir Eugene must be doing well, right?¡± the mayor of Maren asked. ¡°He¡¯s a knight who won against 800 with 50. Besides, has he ever lost a battle?¡± Trevik responded reassuringly. ¡°Well, you¡¯re right,¡± the mayor nodded with a relieved expression. It wasn¡¯t that he had no trust in Eugene. It was simply because taking over the royal castle of a country was a completely different matter from winning a few battles. It would have been strange if the mayor wasn¡¯t anxious, knowing that they could face a major transformation after the king was replaced. ¡°The arrow has already left the bowstring. Now, we have no choice but to wait for the results. It¡¯ll work out somehow,¡± Trevik said. ¡°Hmm. Well, that¡¯s why I wanted to say this, but¡­ There¡¯s no law saying that we just have to stand and wait, right?¡± the mayor asked back. ¡°What?¡± Trevik asked. The mayor lowered his upper body and lowered his voice, as if he were wary of anyone listening. It was rather strange for him to act like this because only the two of them were in the office. The mayor whispered, ¡°This is something I¡¯ve only discussed with the merchant guild leader.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± What was he about to say? The mayor¡¯s cautious, tense demeanor caused Trevik to lower his posture as well. The mayor continued, ¡°Assuming Sir Eugene takes over the royal castle, the present king will definitely be disposed of, and a new king will ascend the throne.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡± Trevik remarked. ¡°But no matter how hard I think about it, we don¡¯t have anyone who can replace the king,¡± the mayor said. The current king could be forced to step down, but they could not replace the royal family in its entirety. Such an action would be tantamount to real treason. Moreover, nobles valued honor and legitimacy. They would obviously only support a suitable member of the royal family to become the new king. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Trevik contemplated. He wasn¡¯t an expert when it came to politics. The mayor spoke once again as if he were frustrated, ¡°So what I¡¯m saying is that the nobles won¡¯t listen to us. It doesn¡¯t matter who we support. It¡¯s most likely that the one being supported by the Winslon County and the noble union will become the next king.¡± ¡°I see. But why is that¡­?¡± Trevik muttered. ¡°No matter who it is, there¡¯s no way for the new king to be favorable to Lord Eugene and Maren. After all, aren¡¯t we the decisive reason for the abdication of the current king? I¡¯m certain the new king would try to maintain his distance from us. The noble union will also remember to be wary of us,¡± the mayor explained. ¡°Hmm. I see,¡± Trevik answered. ¡°That¡¯s right. At best, we would be left with some leftovers. We would likely receive guaranteed tax cuts, as well as administrative, legislative, and judicial powers. Of course, that¡¯s not bad at all. It¡¯s not bad at all, but¡­¡± the mayor said before trailing off. Trevik¡¯s eyes finally filled with astonishment because he realized what the mayor was getting at. The mayor continued in a quiet voice, ¡°We will continue to act the same way toward the new royalists as well.¡± ¡°I agree...¡± Trevik nodded. Once the new king ascended the throne, the ones supporting him, in other words, the noble union, would become the new royalists. And in the first place, it was impossible for a port city like Maren to maintain a good relationship with hereditary nobles. They were currently in the same boat due to the king and the cardinal, but they would obviously pit against each other once the kingdom was reorganized. ¡°So, what are you planning to do? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to ask Sir Eugene to pick out a new king? The noble union would not listen to such an unreasonable demand.¡± Trevik pointed out. ¡°Of course. Besides, Sir Eugene doesn¡¯t have to worry about the consequences of taking down the current king and the cardinal. Even if we ask something like that of him, he won¡¯t do it,¡± the mayor said. ¡°Then¡­¡± The mayor continued with a glimmer in his eyes,¡± I think it would be better to establish Sir Eugene as the King of Maren.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Trevik was surprised. In fact, he had never been so surprised in his life until today. ¡°M-mister mayor? What do you mean? N-no, I mean, even if that¡¯s the case, would the other guilds and the citizens tolerate this decision? Our Maren is a free city. How could you suggest a monarchy?¡± Trevik said. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. It won¡¯t be a monarch that you are thinking of. Sir Eugene will be a symbol. I would say that he will possess very little real power,¡± the mayor explained. ¡°A-a symbol?¡± Trevik asked. The mayor answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. The king will be Sir Eugene, but the real power will be with us. We will form a guild-centered parliament. The king and the royal family will be there to garner the respect of the citizens. Ah, of course, we will need to pay for all the fees required to maintain the dignity of the king and the royal family.¡± ¡°What? Never mind the money. Do you really think Sir Eugene would accept such a position?¡± Trevik asked. ¡°He most likely will,¡± the mayor replied. ¡°¡­?¡± Trevik was dumbfounded. The mayor shrugged. ¡°At first, I also thought it was a ridiculous idea. However, after careful consideration of the things Sir Eugene had achieved in Brantia, I saw a definite possibility.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Trevik asked. ¡°The one who is most revered and feared by all the nobles and knights of Brantia is not its king. Rather, it¡¯s Duke Batla¡ªSir Eugene,¡± the mayor answered. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°And do you really think that¡¯s the end of it? Orcs, elves, vampires¡­ Everyone, regardless of their race, is more afraid of Sir Eugene than the king. In the first place, it was only possible for their king to ascend the throne, as he was Sir Eugene¡¯s aide. This is definitely true, for all the knights who had returned from Brantia testified to it,¡± the mayor said. ¡°Huh?!¡± Trevik exclaimed. ¡°Now, the important thing here is¡­ Do you really think Sir Eugene is unaware of this fact?¡± the mayor asked. ¡°He would obviously know,¡± Trevik answered while immediately nodding his head. To him, Eugene was one of the strongest knights in history, but the latter was also an extremely intelligent individual. ¡°That¡¯s right. So, he did all those things whilst knowing about these facts. Even though he could have risen to the throne, he handed it over to his aide. The merchant guild leader and I became certain of one thing after discovering this fact,¡± the mayor said. ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡± Trevik asked with a puzzled expression. The mayor responded with a deep smile, ¡°Sir Eugene isn¡¯t very interested in authority and power. In addition, he is someone who will allow himself to be used to an extent if he¡¯s left alone and compensated accordingly. That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Trevik¡¯s eyes filled with shock. Was there anyone in the world who didn¡¯t want power? However, he realized that it was certainly plausible after a moment of contemplation. When he recalled the words, actions, and demeanor shown by the knight Jan Eugene since his first appearance, he realized that Eugene was indeed a man with little greed for authority. And if it was in his interest, as the mayor had just said, Eugene had always been willing to cooperate. ¡°And one more thing¡ªthere¡¯s one more thing to be gained by taking Sir Eugene as the King of Maren. It¡¯s also the decisive reason why we must take him as our king,¡± the mayor said. ¡°I think I might know what it is¡­¡± Trevik remarked. ¡°Oh? Really?¡± ¡°Yes. If you combine his skills and our troops, neither the king nor the noble union would be able to touch our city, or rather, our kingdom.¡± Trevik pointed out. ¡°Hahaha! As expected! You¡¯re a recruiter down to your bones,¡± The mayor burst into boisterous laughter after hearing Trevik¡¯s answer. ¡°Then, I will take it that you have agreed with my suggestion, Trevik,¡± the mayor said. ¡°Yes.¡± Trevik nodded. He could see no harm in pushing ahead with the plan. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get to work. First of all¡­¡± Thus, the plan to enthrone Eugene as Maren¡¯s ¡°King¡± was initiated. *** ¡°Uagggh! It¡¯s a monster!¡± ¡°A-a dragon!¡± Eugene ran rampant in the heart of the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s capital, unaware of the events transpiring in the City of Maren. The people of the capital rarely saw large monsters. To them, Eugene was no different from a legendary evil dragon. Naturally, Eugene did not harm the residents, as his objective wasn¡¯t to kill them. Simply smashing apart buildings while letting out a deafening roar was sufficient to cause the people to scatter in fear. The first ones to come running were the capital¡¯s security forces. ¡°Uaa!¡± ¡°T-the knights! Get the knights!¡± Unfortunately, the elite troops of the capital had already departed to fight against the noble union. As such, the guards weren¡¯t able to get anywhere close to the drake. They had never even participated in an evil land subjugation, let alone experienced any battles. The mere sight of a high-ranking monster and its overwhelming majesty was sufficient to make them numb. ¡®Is that it?¡¯ In the meantime, Eugene casually destroyed a few more buildings before spotting the tallest and largest building in the capital and running toward it. ¡°No! The dragon is heading toward the royal castle!¡± ¡°Chase after it!¡± The guards followed Eugene with great shock. The royal castle was immediately informed of the drake¡¯s appearance in the capital. The royal castle was located in the highest place in the capital, so there was no way the rampage of a monster with a height of three meters and a length of ten meters could be missed. ¡°T-that! What is that?!¡± one of the guard knights exclaimed while pointing at the drake, which was jumping from building to building while smashing apart everything in its sight. ¡°It¡¯s a monster! A dragon! A dragon has appeared!¡± one of the soldiers responded with a shout of his own. ¡°No! I¡¯m asking how a monster like that managed to enter the capital!¡± the knight cried out. However, no one could give him an answer. ¡°Dragon! The dragon is coming this way!¡± one of the guards screamed. ¡°Huh? No, it¡¯s not coming this way. That direction is¡­ Huh?!¡± The knight¡¯s face turned pale when he saw that the monster was heading toward the royal family¡¯s hunting ground. It was questionable if a group consisting of a dozen knights could defeat the monster. *** The news of a high-ranking monster¡¯s rampage quickly spread to the cardinal and the king¡¯s wizard. The reactions of the two people were polar opposites. ¡°W-what?!¡± The cardinal was greatly shocked when he heard that a monster resembling a dragon had suddenly appeared in the capital and was causing destruction in its path. However, he soon spoke with a solemn expression befitting his position as a religious figure, ¡°I see¡­ To think that such an evil monster has appeared in this great city¡ªa place protected by God. Such a being goes against the providence of God. Leave this matter to me and go assist His Majesty.¡± The cardinal mimicked the holy symbol on a golden, sacred object hanging on his chest. His actions were incredibly courageous and selfless. ¡°Ooohhh! Cardinal!¡± The guard knight was deeply moved. The cardinal¡¯s actions were truly befitting the kingdom¡¯s supreme priest, someone who had been directly bestowed his position by the pope of the Holy Empire. However, as soon as the knight returned to the castle, the cardinal spoke, ¡°Brothers, gather all the holy knights into the cathedral.¡± ¡°What? Not the royal castle?¡± the members of the clergy asked with surprise. The cardinal roared in a solemn voice, ¡°Oh, brothers! Are we not servants of god and of his holy will? In such an emergency, a servant must protect the house of his master. Where else would we go?¡± His words made sense, but the cardinal was essentially stating his intention to hole up in the cathedral with the protection of the holy knights. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The clergy immediately recognized the cardinal¡¯s intentions. However, they were all holy men, and there were no flaws in the cardinal¡¯s words in terms of catechism. Above all else¡­ ¡°Brothers! Let us hurry!¡± ¡°Yes! We must protect his house with faith and prayer!¡± The clergies of the royal castle had always been loyal to the cardinal. Moreover, they were also human, so it was their instinct to get out of harm¡¯s way. Soon, the cardinal and the priests fled the royal castle and dashed toward the cathedral. ¡°Huh? Are you sure?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right, Master Dolgwen! It was a black dragon the size of a castle tower!¡± ¡°Hmm. If it were a true dragon, it would have been shooting fire from its mouth and flying in the sky. No, in the first place, there¡¯s no way I would not have felt it¡­¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know all that?! Anyway, you must step forward!¡± the knight cried out. The wizard slowly raised their head. Even though they were inside, their entire figure was hidden with a dull robe. The wizard always wore their hood, and perhaps because of their magic, their face could not be distinguished at all. However, the wizard¡¯s red eyes could always be seen. The knight gulped. He was a knight, and at such a close distance, it would be entirely possible for him to behead the wizard with a single stroke of his blade. However, he always felt as if that was something that could never be done. The wizard was perhaps favored by the king because of the inexplicable pressure and mystery they exuded. ¡°It¡¯s probably not a real dragon, but a drake,¡± the wizard said. ¡°A drake?¡± the knight asked. ¡°A monster that failed to become a dragon. Even so, it¡¯s considered a superior-rank monster, so you will need at least twenty knights to defeat it. But that¡¯s only possible in evil lands with their enclosed spaces. In an open place like the royal castle, the best we can do is possibly drive it away,¡± the wizard explained. ¡°B-but the monster¡­¡± the knight muttered dejectedly. ¡°But there¡¯s a way¡­¡± the wizard suddenly said. ¡°Is that true?¡± The knight asked. ¡°I swear in the name of magic. Leave it to me,¡± the wizard replied. Although his face was still indistinguishable, the knight felt as if the eerie wizard was smiling. CH 213 The vicinity of the gate where Eugene first made his appearance as a drake was in a state of absolute chaos. ¡°Move! Get out of my way!¡± ¡°Uaaah!¡± A large crowd was struggling to push through the gate to escape the capital, and Viscount Horie was running around in the chaos after returning from the royal castle. Prince Localope grabbed hold of the viscount. ¡°Sir! Wait, listen to me for a second!¡± Prince Localope said. ¡°Hmm! Sir! It¡¯s an emergency right now, so¡­¡± Viscount Horie attempted to shake off the prince¡¯s hand. He could not afford to take care of them right now, even if they were the imperial prince¡¯s group. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. A group of knights employed by His Highness is in the vicinity!¡± Prince Localope exclaimed. ¡°Huh! Is that true?!¡± Viscount Horie was astounded. ¡°Although this is a foreign country, we can¡¯t just wait around and do nothing, right? His Highness wants to lend a helping hand to the King of the Caylor Kingdom. Can I bring the knights?¡± Prince Localope explained. ¡°Ooohh! I-is that really true?¡± Viscount Horie asked with delight. He had basically been handed his title due to his family background, and he had no practical experience. Under normal circumstances, he would have been more stringent and reported the situation to the royal family, but he couldn¡¯t think of going through the formal procedures in such chaos. It was the first time he was experiencing such turmoil. In addition, he was responsible for the capital¡¯s security during the absence of the count, who was serving as the commander of the army that had departed to fight against the noble union. It was more important for him to overcome the current crisis, even if it meant he would face a reprimand later. ¡°His Highness was fortunate to hire a large number of knights. Perhaps it was a divine revelation to prepare for this crisis. Anyhow, can I call them right away?¡± Prince Localope asked once more. ¡°Of course! I will offer my gratitude to His Highness later. I must head to the royal castle, so please call the knights in my stead. Then!¡± Viscount Horie exclaimed before rushing to the royal castle with the guards. He appeared to be quite befuddled by the situation. Prince Localope turned to the knights and shouted, ¡°We must hurry as well! We need to go and get the knights!¡± ¡°But Your Highness! It¡¯s simply too crowded in front of the gate! It¡¯s impossible for us to get through with the horses!¡± one of the knights responded. ¡°What? This¡­¡± The prince¡¯s expression darkened at the unexpected predicament. Suddenly, a spirit the size of a first levitated into the air while laughing arrogantly. ¡°Kihehehehehe! That¡¯s a problem that I, King God Neo Revolution Mirian Mark Two, can solve for you!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The prince¡¯s eyes filled with doubt and surprise at the spirit¡¯s haughty words. The spirit¡¯s mysterious self-introduction was unimportant if she could indeed solve the current problem. *** ¡°Hahaha! Sir Bello caught four deers! I think I won this hunt, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Tsk! There¡¯s no helping it. Oi!¡± King Payle the 2nd of the Caylor Kingdom responded before gesturing with his head. The servants rushed over and placed a large box on the ground. ¡°Haha. Thank you,¡± Hayborne said before opening the lid of the box with a content smile. He was the younger cousin of Payle the 2nd and the Count of Entoller. The box was filled with various equipment made from the by-products of intermediate-rank monsters and handicrafts made from mana stones. ¡°Sir Bello, this is for you,¡± Hayborne said while handing over a piece of equipment. ¡°It¡¯s an honor, Your Excellency Entoller,¡± His knight, Bello, responded with a bright expression while receiving the equipment. Boom, boom, boom, boom¡­ ¡°Huh? What is that noise?¡± ¡°Hmm. I wonder.¡± A gentle, dull, repetitive reverberation could be heard from the distance, and everyone turned their gazes in the direction of the noise. ¡°Perhaps someone is cutting down a tree?¡± ¡°Huh! Would they dare?¡± This was a hunting ground dedicated to the royal family. In addition, it was one of the prohibited areas in the capital. Anyone trespassing into the hunting ground would be executed. No one would invade the hunting ground unless they were out of their minds. ¡°With the current state of affairs, some people might have gone mad. I will go and find out what¡¯s going on, Your Majesty,¡± Bello said while receiving his shield, sword, and spear from his aide. He was quick to act. He was the winner of today¡¯s hunt, and if he could handle the unexpected situation, he could surely gain more trust from the king. ¡°Right. Take care of it quickly,¡± the king responded. Bello recognized that the king was in a bad mood and quickly advanced along with his aides. However, he was forced to a stop alongside his aides after moving less than fifty meters. Boom! Booooom! Boooooooom!! BOOOOM!!! The noise gradually grew louder. Kuweeeeeegggh! A huge monster similar to a dragon suddenly appeared, breaking through the thick covers of the humongous trees. It exploded into a terrible roar capable of freezing the spirits of all living things, including humans and beasts. ¡°What?!¡± Bello inhaled sharply as his horse came to a screeching halt. His aides reacted similarly. Everyone forgot to breathe as they dumbly stared at the monster responsible for the forest¡¯s devastation. Meanwhile, Eugene-drake looked down at the group with puzzlement. ¡®Huh? Who are they? From their demeanor, they seem like nobles.¡¯ Eugene was visiting the capital for the first time, so he didn¡¯t know exactly where he was. He had simply seen a forest located near the royal castle and judged that he would be more noticeable if he created a ruckus there. That way, the king and the nobles of the castle would become even more agitated, which would give his knights enough justification to enter the capital. A group of knights outraged by the monster¡¯s threat! A brave stand against the horrible monster! How could there be a better justification than that? ¡®But what should I do with them?¡¯ Eugene contemplated for a short moment. ¡°Huaaaaap!¡± In the meantime, Bello came to his senses and threw a spear with all his might. As an experienced knight, he had been quicker than the others in regaining his senses. However, Eugene leaped into the air as soon as the spear left the knight¡¯s hand. Fwoosh! ¡°What¡­?!¡± Bello couldn¡¯t help but express his disbelief. The enormous monster had jumped to avoid the spear all too easily, then narrowed the distance to himself in the blink of an eye. Eugene shot forward dozens of meters in an instant before swiping with his large claw. Crack! Bello was rendered into an unrecognizable, miserable piece of meat, as he was literally blown away. ¡°Sir Bello!¡± ¡°Master!¡± Fwoosh! Eugene continued and swung his tail to knock the aides off their mounts. The other knights belatedly rushed forward. ¡°You damned monster!¡± All of the knights were royal knights, and they were famous as the royal family¡¯s shields. Normally, royal knights protected the royal family in close proximity, and as such, they were thought to be quite strong and skilled. However, that wasn¡¯t the case at all. In fact, the most important requirement to become a royal knight was one¡¯s status rather than their skills. Regardless of how talented and skilled a knight was, they could not become a royal knight unless they stemmed from a family that had always been loyal to the royal family. In addition, the cardinal of the kingdom had greater influence in the royal castle than even the king. Therefore, the royal knights were selected based on their families and their loyalty to the church. For such reasons, it was impossible for the royal knights to even stand a chance against a superior-rank monster like a drake, especially when they had less equipment than usual due to the hunting competition. ¡°Kuaag!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Eugene instantly crushed ten additional humans before sweeping his gaze at the others. He had no idea that they were royal knights. ¡®I should roar right about now.¡¯ Kuuuuuuuugh!!! Eugene roared with all his might to ensure the sound would reach the royal castle. The humans frozen stiff by Eugene¡¯s Fear immediately scattered like a group of frightened sheep. ¡°Huaaagh! Ahhk! Ahh!¡± ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± Eugene ignored those fleeing on foot and chased after the ones escaping on horseback. They were obviously high-ranking nobles based on the fancy, expensive clothes they were donning. ¡®I¡¯m certain they will dispatch troops if nobles are being threatened.¡¯ Moreover, it would provide a great reason for his knights to immediately enter the capital. Eugene roared once more before chasing after the nobles like a wolf chasing his prey. He couldn¡¯t help but think that his plan was perfect, and he was truly satisfied. But it was then¡­ Huaaaah¡­! A cry containing a mysterious energy resounded. It caused even Eugene, an undead of the highest rank, to flinch. ¡®This is...?¡¯ Strangely, it was a roar familiar to Eugene. Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene stopped chasing after the nobles, then turned his head. A monster was running toward him from the distance. ¡°¡­Twin-headed ogre?¡± Eugene muttered. Indeed, it was an undead form of the monster, twin-headed ogre, just like the one Eugene had faced in the past. Huaaagh! The monster emitted a bizarre cry before swinging the two giant axes in its hands. Fwoosh! Krrrrr! The blades of the axes cut through the air, and an evil energy distinctively different from Fear was etched on the blades, and all creatures that made contact with the energy exploded into gray ash. Boom! Boooom! In just a few breaths, the nobles were killed. None of them had been able to even utter a cry of pain before they disappeared into nothingness. Unsurprisingly, Payle the 2nd was among the casualties. It was incredulous and absurd, but the King of the Caylor Kingdom had died in the hands of an undead monster on his own hunting ground. Of course, Eugene had never even imagined it. In fact, no one could have imagined that a king and his nobles could possibly be hunting leisurely while there was an ongoing civil war in the kingdom. Eugene simply assumed that an unfortunate group of nobles had met their miserable ends as he looked around him. Undead monsters were puppets. In all likelihood, they had to be accompanied by their master¡ªthe wizard responsible for resurrecting them. As such, he definitely had to find the wizard controlling the monster if he wanted to defeat the twin-headed ogre. Unfortunately, however, he couldn¡¯t find the wizard. To make matters worse, Eugene didn¡¯t have much time remaining in his drake form. Moreover, although a drake was an extremely powerful monster, it fell short of one of the most powerful creatures to roam the earth¡ªthe twin-headed ogre. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ In the end, Eugene was forced to undo his transformation. He stood naked in front of one of the strongest monsters in this world. Huuuuung!!! The monster roared fiercely toward the last creature standing. The monster was completely submerged in evil energy and had long been robbed of its thoughts and will. Fwoosh! Eugene¡¯s figure became entirely covered by Black Scales, and Fear soared through his body. The translucent Fear of the Origin overflowed like flames, and any living creature would have had its soul eroded and body frozen stiff. But unfortunately, the monster standing in Eugene¡¯s way was an ultimate undead monster that had been revived by magic. it remained mostly unaffected by the Origin¡¯s Fear. Moreover, Eugene had left all of his weapons behind to transform into a drake. Of course, Eugene still had weapons. Fwoosh! Eugene¡¯s fangs extended until they were as long as his fingers. Craaaccck! His claws also extended to about one meter. His claws became stronger as he gained abilities. The two strongest undead faced each other, one wrapped in a crimson Fear and the other cloaked in obsidian-colored evil energy. It was incapable of thinking, but the twin-headed ogre did not rush at the Origin Vampire as if it could still sense danger. Meanwhile, Eugene was also contemplating how he could get rid of his enemy. However, it didn¡¯t take him long to find an answer¡­ ¡®There¡¯s no helping it.¡¯ Fwoosh! Eugene¡¯s Fear started to overflow, and it soared high into the air as if someone had poured oil into a fire. The crimson energy rose to a height of four to five meters, then swirled into a spiral shape. Then, Eugene sucked the cloud of energy into his mouth. Kuwuuuuuuuuugh! Eugene roared. As stabbing pain filled his body, he felt a strange sense of vitality. Simultaneously, it felt as if his mind had become hazy and clouded; an intense, unparalleled killing intent started to beat against Eugene¡¯s soul. Only one thought dominated his mind¡­ Kill and destroy. It was a whisper of chaos that sought nothing but destruction. This was the effect of the ability, Berserker. Eugene was using it for the first time. Kuwuuuuuuuuughhh!!! The Origin Vampire attacked the undead twin-headed ogre like a devil armed with the unforgiving flames of hell. He had turned into a Berserker. CH 214 ¡°Why is she so late¡­?¡± Prince Localope muttered impatiently with a frown. ¡°It will be fine. That spirit, King God¡­ whatever it was, she has formed a contract with the duke, right? Moreover, she has recently evolved as well. She will return soon,¡± Vizak whispered softly in the language of the empire. However, the prince¡¯s frown was still there. ¡°Hmm? Mysterious energy detected,¡± Princess Lilisain muttered before jerking her head. She had been looking in the direction where Mirian had disappeared. ¡°¡­???¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze turned as well. Something strange was definitely happening within the luggage piled up in one corner of the guards¡¯ quarter. The heap of baggage began to shake as if there was an earthquake. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Is it magic?¡± The knights pulled out their swords. Suddenly, the pile of luggage collapsed in all directions with a loud bang. With it, something black made its appearance. ¡°What?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Both the princess, the prince, and his entourage became wide-eyed upon seeing the objects. Eugene¡¯s armor and spear were levitating in the air after pushing apart the other luggage. Moreover, the armor wasn¡¯t Eugene¡¯s original plate armor but rather the heirloom of the Batla Duchy. It had always been in a box. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± The knights were befuddled by the sudden situation. ¡°The demonic armor¡­¡± Meanwhile, Princess Lilisain mumbled in disbelief. Unlike Prince Localope and his knights, Princess Lilisain recognized the armor. After all, it had been presented to Eugene as a gift from the royal family of Eland. Wooong¡­ Wooong¡­ The armor and the spear hummed, then suddenly flew out the window at breakneck speed. The prince and his knights could do nothing but watch the scene play out with confusion. ¡°Kieeeeehk! I brought the knights! They¡¯re going to enter through the gates soon!¡± Mirian exclaimed after flying in through the window where the armor and the spear had escaped through. ¡°Oh! Great job!¡± Everyone was delighted to hear Mirian¡¯s words. They were slightly bothered that they were employing a rather dishonorable strategy, but what was done was done. Prince Localope turned to his knights and spoke sternly, ¡°You must never let Maren¡¯s knights know that Sir Eugene had turned into a monster.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Highness.¡± The knights nodded obediently. They knew well why Eugene had only brought along those familiar with vampires. ¡°As soon as the knights enter, let us chase after the monster, or rather, Sir Eugene, Princess,¡± Prince Localope said. ¡°Aaah, indeed, such is my obligation,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. Prince Localope unsheathed his own blade in response, thinking that he would never become accustomed to the elven princess¡¯ peculiar way of speaking. *** I want to kill. I want to split open that thick neck and consume all the blood. Ah, there won¡¯t be any blood since it¡¯s undead. Then I¡¯ll just rip it apart to shreds. And then I¡¯ll find other living things and kill them over and over again. Eugene grinned as an intense, murderous intent completely dominated his mind. His eyes had become colored in an intense hue of crimson, and the muscles in his body had become several times larger than usual. Eugene felt an indescribable vitality flowing through his body as he rushed at the undead twin-headed ogre like a beast. He had become several times faster than before, and the twin-headed ogre couldn¡¯t even react properly, let alone observe Eugene¡¯s movement. Craaack! Crack! With every swing and slash of the bloodstained claw, the monster¡¯s muscles were torn and burst open. However, as a creature that had been revived by magic, the undead monster¡¯s body was immediately restored by the evil energy. This would never end¡ªthe only way to completely subjugate the monster was to find its master, the wizard. However, Eugene¡¯s mind was filled with nothing but the intent to kill. His mind was clouded, and he couldn¡¯t think of finding the wizard. All he wanted was to destroy the annoying undead in front of him. Huuuuuungh!!! Eugene went behind the roaring ogre and wrapped one of his arms around the monster¡¯s neck. Craaack! Eugene¡¯s arm had become several times thicker, so it crushed the ogre¡¯s neck without any problem. However, the ogre had two heads, and the remaining head turned to Eugene as he crushed the other. The ogre¡¯s thick hand grabbed one of Eugene¡¯s legs. Boom! A roar resounded as the ogre flung Eugene straight to the ground. However, vampires were insensitive to pain, and after transforming into a Berserker, Eugene couldn¡¯t feel pain anymore. Eugene¡¯s limbs were strangely bent, and his bones were sticking out. It was a truly grotesque sight. Craaack! Crack! However, the crimson Fear instantly permeated the injured areas like blood and immediately recovered Eugene¡¯s body to its original state. Kyaaah¡­ Eugene¡¯s blood vessels bulged, which made him look very evil. He slashed with his claws as he charged at the ogre. He ripped, crushed, and sliced. The vampire Berserker was no longer a man but a demon. He continued to ravage the ogre¡¯s body and limbs, but the evil energy endlessly surged and continued to restore the undead monster¡¯s body. However, Eugene was still engulfed by a primitive form of madness. He couldn¡¯t make any rational judgment as he continued with his repetitive actions. More! More! More! Kill! Kill! Kill! It was as if another ego was in control of Eugene¡¯s body right now, and it didn¡¯t matter if Eugene¡¯s body was destroyed. It only pushed Eugene to his limits for the simple goal of slaughter and destruction. It was almost as if it was hoping for Eugene¡¯s ruin rather than the twin-headed ogre¡¯s. Eugene had no idea, but those who had previously used the Berserker ability ended up dying before they stopped being a Berserker. The user of the ability would simply become a medium and scapegoat for the madness within it. They would continue to vent the ability¡¯s murderous will and madness until the end of their lives. Attack! Only attack! Eugene performed simple, indiscriminate attacks while disregarding his own injuries. The twin-headed ogre swung its large axe toward Eugene. Boom! The blow contained enough power to decimate a boulder. Eugene was sent flying away, and he crashed through a tree trunk before falling to the ground. However, he stood up once again as if a puppeteer was controlling his limbs with invisible threads. Repeating his current actions would be fruitless, but he was incapable of coming to such a conclusion. Even though his Fear was starting to dim, his madness would continue to drive him to stand up and blindly rush at the enemy. After all, that was the only thought dominating his mind. However¡­ Kyaaaaaahhhhhk! A bloodcurdling wail from afar reverberated throughout the forest. Simultaneously, the ogre¡¯s evil energy and Eugene¡¯s madness were suppressed for a short moment. Fwooooooosh! The bundle of armor quickly flew and momentarily disassembled itself before coming together on Eugene¡¯s figure. No, it was more appropriate to say that the pieces became glued to Eugene¡¯s body. Craaack! In a blink of an eye, root-like protrusions emerged from the inside of the armor and stabbed into Eugene¡¯s body. The protrusions pierced straight through Black Scales. Now, Eugene¡¯s body and the armor were connected as one. Kuaaaagh! Eugene let out a shriek. Simultaneously, his dark crimson eyes regained their usual redness. He had recovered his sanity, as the madness was driven away. Kyaaaaaahh! Madarazika circled Eugene while emitting a cry of joy before settling in Eugene¡¯s grasp. Fwoosh! The waves of Fear swirling around Eugene¡¯s body gathered around the spear and transformed into a red flame. Eugene immediately threw the spear, and the flames wrapped around the weapon before gathering at one point to form a triangle. Kwarararara! The spear flew through the air as the coral-blood-colored flaming wings pierced the twin-headed ogre¡¯s sternum. Then, the spear crackled with red sparks as it disappeared into the monster¡¯s body as if the undead monster had simply absorbed it. It was then¡­ Huuuuunnnng!!! The twin-headed ogre¡¯s entire body became engulfed in flames. *** Clang! The stick swirling with crimson evil energy shattered into pieces like glass. ¡±Kuaaagh!¡± Soon after, blood poured out like a waterfall from the wizard¡¯s mouth. The coral liquid continued to flow¡ªas if all the blood was being drained from the wizard¡¯s body. A small pool of blood formed on top of the spire where the wizard stood. ¡°Kuuagh! Kuah¡­¡± The wizard¡¯s red eyes had been glowing with an evil light. However, the light gradually faded, and his eyes turned bright yellow. The wizard slumped to the ground in exhaustion, and then he began to crawl with all his might. After some time, he reached the bolted door near the spire¡¯s steps and knocked. ¡°T-the door¡­ Open the door.¡± ¡°Master Dolgwen!¡± Two guards hurriedly opened the door before rushing in to help the wizard. A tiny, red light glimmered in the eyes hidden beneath the hood. Shuack! ¡°Kuaagh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± A rose-colored dagger lacerated the soldiers¡¯ throats, and blood gushed out from the wounds and soaked the inside of the wizard¡¯s robe and hood. ¡°Huaah!¡± The wizard ravaged the soldiers¡¯ corpses, and he placed his lips on their necks before sucking on their blood like a beast. The wizard raised his head after feeding for a short while¡ªhis yellow eyes had returned to their original color of red. The wizard looked down at the two corpses with dissatisfaction, and then he began to move down the spire. ¡°To think that it¡¯s him¡­ I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s him¡­¡± the wizard muttered in a hoarse voice. ¡°And he has almost regained all of his powers? How? Did he break his covenant?¡± the wizard continued to mutter in apprehension. After exiting the spire, the wizard began to sprint in a direction. He was rushing toward the capital¡¯s cathedral. *** ¡°Follow me!¡± Uwaaaahh!!! A large group of knights rushed up the hill with Madrica in the lead, and the capital¡¯s guards hurriedly ran after them. ¡°¡­!¡± Madrica¡¯s eyes became filled with shock when he saw the hunting ground¡¯s state of ruin. The once-green fields had become completely covered with black and gray ash, and only the clothes and ornaments strewed across the ground proved the expired existence of humans. A two-headed monster could be seen kneeling in the middle of the destruction, and next to it was a spear embedded in the ground, as well as a figure lying beside it. ¡°T-that¡¯s?!¡± Everyone immediately recognized the strange spear. ¡°S-siiirrr!¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± Mirian and Princess Lilisain rushed forward. ¡°Your Excellency! Your Excellency Batla!¡± Princess Lilisain cried out as she jumped off her horse and embraced Eugene¡¯s unmoving figure. ¡°Sir! Hing! Sir!¡± ¡°Your Excellency! Please wake up, Your Excellency!¡± Princess Lilisain attempted to take off Eugene¡¯s helmet as tears and snot soaked her pretty face. However, the helmet wouldn¡¯t budge, and the princess even struggled to raise Eugene¡¯s visor. ¡°Ah!¡± she exclaimed. Eugene¡¯s face, which was usually white, was slowly turning blue. ¡°Huaaaang! Sir Princess! What do we do with him? Huaaang! Kieeeng!¡± Mirian cried desperately. She wasn¡¯t just crying; tears were literally pouring out of her. Princess Lilisain glanced at Mirian and bit her lips. Then, she took out a dagger and slit her hand without hesitation. ¡°Princess!¡± The elven knights called out with shock after belatedly recognizing what she was about to do. However, Princess Lilisain let a drop of her blood soak Eugene¡¯s blue lips without hesitation. The blood of Eland¡¯s pure-blooded elf soaked Eugene¡¯s lips red. Surprisingly, the blood was sucked into his mouth as if it had melted upon contact. ¡°Keugh¡­¡± Princess Lilisain groaned softly as she squeezed her palm. She placed her hand on Eugene¡¯s mouth, and the blood was continuously being sucked into Eugene¡¯s mouth. ¡°Kuaaaaagh!¡± Soon, Eugene opened his eyes with a loud roar. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Aaahh! Your Excellency!¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes regained their focus, and he saw Mirian and Princess Lilisain. He asked, ¡°What about the monster? What happened to the undead ogre?¡± ¡°It has completely stopped! It¡¯s dead,¡± Princess Lilisain replied. ¡°I see,¡± Eugene said after briefly staring at Princess Lilisain¡¯s tear-streaked face. He clenched his fists several times before speaking, ¡°Why am I so full of energy?¡± The heirloom of the Batla Duchy had flown through the air and autonomously wrapped itself around Eugene¡¯s body. Then, he remembered instinctively throwing Madarazika at the monster. Unfortunately, he absolutely had no recollection of what happened prior to and post the short scene. It felt as if the memories of those moments had been deleted. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Princess Lilisain muttered with a sudden blush. One of the elven knights lamented and said, ¡°Your Excellency has absorbed the pure blood of Eland¡¯s royalty.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene stared blankly as if he was saying, ¡®so what?¡¯ Princess Lilisain explained in a low voice, ¡°A relationship of blood. Thus, both my blood and mana belongs to Your Excellency now.¡± ¡°¡­huh?¡± ¡°W-well, I-I can no longer get married.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Kieeeeeeeehh?!¡± CH 215 ¡°And that¡¯s because¡ª¡± Princess Lilisain continued while twisting her body. Eugene raised his hand and interrupted. ¡°Stop. That¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now. Have you forgotten why we¡¯re here?¡± ¡°M-my mistake! I will reflect on my negligence!¡± Princess Lilisain immediately responded with a bow. It really did seem as if she was born to be a knight. Madrica and the other knights came rushing over. ¡°Sir Eugene! What¡¯s going on? Why was there a monster all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Did you kill it? You took care of a twin-headed ogre all by yourself?¡± ¡°Ehem! Sir, isn¡¯t that obvious? Sir Eugene has already edified an undead twin-headed ogre during his time on the Carls Baggins Peninsula. ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that the City of Moffern has it displayed in the city hall as evidence of his faith.¡± The knights excitedly buzzed about the edification of the twin-headed ogre. It was quite a famous story, even among Eugene¡¯s countless achievements. The knights had gazes of excitement, awe, and envy. ¡°You are truly amazing, sir!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a regular ogre either, but a twin-headed ogre! You must be the only knight in the world who has killed two twin-headed ogres!¡± ¡°This will be a legend, sir!¡± The arrogant, self-respecting knights raised their thumbs. Numerous nobles would covet a prestigious knight who had succeeded in hunting an ogre. However, Eugene had not only killed a twin-headed ogre, but he had done it twice at that. This was no longer a matter of pride and jealousy. ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now, sirs. That¡¯s an undead. Don¡¯t you know what that means?¡± Eugene pointed out. ¡°¡­!!!¡± It was impossible for the knights not to know. Undead monsters didn¡¯t just come into existence outside of evil lands. The presence of an undead indicated the presence of a master responsible for creating the undead. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that an undead would appear in the middle of the kingdom¡¯s capital¡­¡± The atmosphere quickly turned serious. ¡°This is no ordinary thing, sirs.¡± ¡°I finally understand why the people ran away and created such a ruckus. This would have escalated quickly if not for Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°No. Isn¡¯t the timing too coincidental? As soon as His Highness and Sir Eugene entered the capital, something like this happened. That¡¯s too coincidental, right?¡± ¡°Ah! Is it because of Sir Eugene and us?¡± ¡°Hmmph!¡± ¡®Huh? Things are heading in a strange direction.¡¯ Eugene pondered as he watched the knights whisper among themselves with serious looks. His original plan was to enter the capital using Prince Localope¡¯s identity, transform into a drake, and cause a ruckus. It would be impossible for the capital¡¯s troops and the royal castle to subdue the monster, so the prince would pretend to offer his help and call the rest of the knights into the capital. Eugene would put on a show and pretend to run away, then revert his transformation. He would then enter the royal castle and capture the king and his nobles. Of course, there were bound to be minor variables, but this was the best way to occupy the royal castle without losing any of his knights. But currently, the knights seemed to be thinking that the monster responsible for causing chaos in the capital was the twin-headed ogre rather than the drake. ¡®This might be¡­ good.¡¯ Eugene was overjoyed as an idea came to mind, but he spoke solemnly, ¡°Hmm. My thoughts align with all of yours, sirs. It seems to me that the king has resorted to evil mysteries.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The knights became wide-eyed. Eugene sighed before continuing in a calm voice, ¡°Phew! Undead monsters aren¡¯t made overnight, are they? It had definitely been prepared for a long time. I have faced countless enemies and monsters until now, but I have never struggled as much.¡± ¡°A-as expected!¡± ¡°What a lamentable thing! To think that a king of a nation would rely on black magic¡­¡± ¡°He dared to release a monster in his own capital? It¡¯s so ridiculous that a man like that is the king!¡± ¡°Sirs! We must bring that disgraceful man down from his throne right away!¡± The knights were enraged. It seemed as if they would run to the royal castle any minute and pummel the king and his nobles. However, Prince Localope and his knights couldn¡¯t hide their shock as they watched the scene play out. ¡®You were the one who made a mess in the capital!¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re going to shift the blame just like that?¡¯ ¡®The word ¡®insidious¡¯ doesn¡¯t do this man justice. Conspiracy at this level should be called art.¡¯ Meanwhile, Prince Localope and his men were relieved that such a man was on their side. What would happen if they had to fight against someone as insidious as Eugene? Just imagining it gave them a headache. ¡°Sirs, I think we need to catch the evil wizard responsible for creating the undead. We won¡¯t need many people. The elven knights and I are able to fight against magic, so we will take care of it. The rest of you can head to the royal castle and arrest the king,¡± Eugene suggested. ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Sir Madrica, I will leave the matter of arresting the king to you,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ooohh! It¡¯s an honor. I will make sure to bring down that unrighteous king from his throne. Someone who has betrayed righteousness does not deserve to be the king!¡± Madrica exclaimed with joy. As a person who liked to stand out and show off, he was elated to be entrusted with such a monumental task. ¡°Your Highness. They will need you to enter through the gates of the castle, so please go with them,¡± Eugene said. ¡°All right.¡± Prince Localope nodded. He had already decided to jump on the tiger¡¯s back. ¡°Sirs! Let¡¯s go! Today, we will use our hands to correct the justice of this ruined kingdom!¡± ¡°Uwoooooh!!!¡± The knights quickly headed toward the royal castle along with Prince Localope and Madrica. It wouldn¡¯t be much of an issue to occupy the castle with so many knights, especially when the capital was in chaos due to the appearance of a drake. There was no need to mention the skills of the knights serving a prince of the Roman Empire either. Eugene turned back toward Princess Lilisain and the other elves. He then said, ¡°The ogre¡¯s master, a black wizard, should definitely be around. Unfortunately, I failed to pick up on their trail. I don¡¯t think they are an ordinary wizard, so let¡¯s split up into pairs and look for traces.¡± ¡°With all due respect, Your Excellency, you won¡¯t have to go through all that trouble,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. ¡°Huh?¡± What was she on about now? Eugene frowned, and Princes Lilisain continued with her head held high, ¡°As I said before, pure-blooded elves of Eland have the ability to detect mana.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene took on a surprised expression, and Princess Lilisain suddenly felt hot. ¡®W-what an adorable expression. It¡¯s somewhat alien to his usual bravery and dignity, but it¡¯s to my liking! Aaaahhh, I want to touch him! I want to embrace him until his skull cracks and¡­ Ah! W-what am I thinking?¡¯ Princess Lilisain started to drool while staring at Eugene with dazed eyes, but then she suddenly came to her senses. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you can locate the black wizard, Princess?¡± Eugene hurriedly asked when he felt a sudden, strange chill running down his back. Princess Lilisain nodded while wiping her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s possible. Actually, I can already feel the flow of evil mana. All we have to do is follow the flow.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, then,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes!¡± Eugene and the other elven knights followed behind Princess Lilisain. *** ¡°Dragon? Are you saying that an evil dragon has appeared in the capital?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The holy knights gathered in the cathedral were appalled. However, their shock soon transformed into ferociousness. ¡°Sirs! This is not the time to be standing around! Let us go and kill that evil dragon immediately!¡± ¡°This is a trial and a test from god. We must kill the evil dragon with our own swords.¡± ¡°God¡­¡± ¡°Give us courage!¡± The holy knights drew their swords and kissed their blades before drawing the holy symbol in the air. ¡®No, you crazy bastards!¡¯ The cardinal was flustered, but he attempted to put on a calm, benevolent expression. ¡°Ooohhh! The faith of all of you sirs is truly noble and holy. However, sirs, you must not forget your duty,¡± the cardinal hurriedly spoke. ¡°What?¡± The holy knights turned their gazes and asked. They were burning with ambition disguised as faith. ¡°What is a holy knight? Is it not one tasked with the duty to defend the will of god and his holy divinity?¡± the cardinal added. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± The holy knights appeared startled. The cardinal continued, convinced that everything was going as intended, ¡°Then I will ask you again. Where is faith, and where is divinity? His Majesty? The royal castle? No! It¡¯s right here! It¡¯s the house of the servants who had always performed the work of god. This cathedral had always remained upright in preaching faith and establishing the divinity of god, even when the nation¡¯s royal family kept on changing hands!¡± Oooh¡­! The holy knights fell down on one knee and drew the holy symbol with enlightened expressions. In the first place, more than half of the holy knights stemmed from families with close relationships with the cardinal. Moreover, most of them had lived in the cathedral since childhood and had received religious education and training. In other words, the cardinal was essentially the mentor of their souls and the father of their faith. It was only natural that the holy knights would blindly believe in the cardinal¡¯s words. ¡°We¡ªthe holy servants of god¡ªmust obey his will! Let us defend divinity from the evil dragon, brothers in faith!¡± the cardinal declared. ¡°We follow your will!¡± the holy knights answered in unison. Some immediately started praying, while others even started to shed tears. ¡®Good, good¡­¡¯ ¡®As expected of the cardinal!¡¯ The priests looked at the holy knights with satisfaction. It was then¡­ Boom! A roar resounded from outside. ¡°Hiek?!¡± the cardinal squealed and crouched with no consideration for his dignity. ¡°W-what is it!?¡± ¡°Has the evil dragon arrived?¡± ¡°Brothers, get ready!¡± The holy knights prepared to rush out, but just in time, the door burst open, and a group of knights rushed in. ¡°Who is it?!¡± ¡°Who dares! Do you realize where this is?!¡± the holy knights screamed. Their momentum was great. As holy knights residing in the capital¡¯s cathedral, they were literally plastered with equipment containing divine energy, and they were quite skilled as well. In the first place, Payle the 2nd had sent off his elite soldiers to deal with the noble union without hesitation because the cathedral¡¯s holy knights were here. However, the king had met his vain end in the hunting ground. The holy knights were unaware of this fact, so they aimed at the uninvited guests who dared to invade the cathedral rather than the royal castle. ¡°You pathetic men!¡± Bang! The black knight who led the intruders shouted while striking the butt of his spear against the ground. ¡°What are you all doing while an undead is ravaging the capital?!¡± the knight exclaimed. ¡°W-what¡­?!¡± Clack! Eugene raised his visor and looked over the knights with fierce eyes before raising his voice, ¡°I am Duke Jan Eugene Batla.¡± ¡°Duke Batla?¡± ¡°Jan¡­ Eugene?¡± some of the holy knights muttered his name with puzzlement. However, one man recognized Eugene¡¯s identity and shouted with fury, ¡°You heretic! You killed my brothers!¡± He was the one man Eugene could never forget¡ªJung Dircht. ¡°Sirs! It¡¯s him! He is the heretic who killed our brothers using dirty tricks under the order of that traitorous Winslon! He is a member of the evil Tribe of Darkness!¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°You!¡± Chaechaeng! Swords and spears overflowing with divine power were immediately raised against Eugene. Eugene had been prioritized as a target to be immediately eliminated after the incident in the knight competition held in the Winslon County. As such, the central church had begun collecting information about him. They discovered that Eugene had become a duke after crossing over to Brantia, and they had also heard the rumors about him being a vampire. Today, their target to eliminate¡ªthe heretic¡ªhad suddenly appeared in the cathedral. The holy knights were greatly angered and shocked, but this was also an opportunity of a lifetime for them. However, Eugene stood unmoving and glared at Jung Dircht with cold eyes before continuing, ¡°Me? That¡¯s funny. Listen here, sirs. Could a member of the evil Dark Clan step foot into the cathedral on their own?¡± Naturally, he had received an invitation as a member of Prince Localope¡¯s party, but there was no need to say it. Moreover, it was evident that his plan was working, judging by how some of the holy knights flinched in response. ¡°I asked if it was possible for a member of the Dark Clan to enter a cathedral protected by god, Sir Jung Dircht,¡± Eugene said. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Jung Dircht could not find the words to retort. Eugene was simply too confident, and the current situation was contradictory to what he knew and believed. The same was true for the other holy knights. ¡®Huh? Come to think of it, that¡¯s true.¡¯ ¡®How can a vampire enter a cathedral protected by pure silver and divine power? Especially in broad daylight?¡¯ ¡°Since the current situation is urgent, I will disregard the plot you have laid against me, sir,¡± Eugene added. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°More importantly!¡± Eugene shouted, showing off his superb acting skills against the confused knights. He turned his gaze to the cardinal, who stood dumbfounded on the podium, ¡°The one who created the undead that broke into the capital is here. Cardinal, do you know who they are?¡± ¡°W-what did you just say?!¡± ¡°What nonsense!¡± The holy knights retorted with disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s true. I can testify.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°I am a direct descendant of Eland¡¯s royal family,¡± Princess Lilisain continued while taking off her helmet and mustering mana. The gazes of the holy knights fixed on her. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°E-elf!¡± the holy knights exclaimed. Princess Lilisain possessed the beauty of a goddess, but the mysterious mana accentuated her appearance. The way she stood against the backdrop of the colorful glass of the cathedral could only be described as holy. ¡°Ooohhh¡­¡± The cathedral was filled with a storm of admiration and shock. Princess Lilisain could easily be mistaken for a saintess. Thud! ¡°What?¡± Everyone was filled with disbelief when one of the elven knights threw two objects on the floor. They were the two heads of the twin-headed ogre. The spoils of the battle still emitted an evil energy, which the holy knights and priests easily recognized. ¡°I-it was true?¡± ¡°An undead in the capital¡­¡± ¡°And that knight?¡± Neither the priests nor the holy knights could come to their senses when they were presented with a series of clear evidence. ¡®I can¡¯t believe that the wizard actually fled to the cathedral. If all goes well, I will be able to take care of the wizard and these church bastards all at once.¡¯ Naturally, Eugene felt like taking to the skies in joy. CH 216 Eugene looked around at the dumbfounded knights, then turned his gaze toward Princess Lilisain. ¡°Princess,¡± He called out. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency,¡± she answered before once again putting on her helmet and walking forward without hesitation. The holy knights faltered and made way for her, even though she was an outsider, and this was their home ground. ¡°W-what are you all doing?! Sirs! Brothers!¡± the cardinal shouted desperately, and a few holy knights hurriedly blocked Princess Lilisain¡¯s way. Eugene stepped forward. ¡°Princess Lilisain is a pure-blooded member of Eland¡¯s royal family. As such, she is able to sense the flow of mana. It¡¯s thanks to her that we were able to trace the trail of the one who created the evil monster all the way here.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene continued, ¡°And my purpose is to punish the evil man who created the undead monster. Don¡¯t tell me that the church¡¯s holy knights are trying to sabotage it?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The expressions of the holy knights blocking Princess Lilisain¡¯s way stiffened. They glanced at each other. ¡®Now, will you look at that.¡¯ Eugene came to a rough understanding of their personality and temperament from their reactions. He was certain that they came from wealthy, prestigious families and were quite skilled. However, they appeared to be vulnerable to unexpected situations and variables. Come to think of it, even the holy knights he had faced in Count Winslon¡¯s knight competition had been very simple and straightforward. They had devised a ploy in their own right, but it had been pathetic and boring from Eugene¡¯s perspective. ¡®I see. They don¡¯t know much about the world, as they¡¯ve lived isolated lives at the church. All the words they must have heard until now must have come from that little rat.¡¯ ¡°Sirs! What are you all doing?! You must not believe in the words of that heretic. I am the one who delivers the word of god! Do not be misled by evil! Sirs!¡± the cardinal continued to howl desperately, but the holy knights were still hesitating. Eugene became convinced in his speculation, and in fact, it was true. Under normal circumstances, the holy knights would have trusted and obeyed the cardinal¡¯s words without question. However, it was hard to do so when they saw the heads of a twin-headed ogre right in front of their eyes. ¡®Heretic? That knight?¡¯ ¡®But that¡¯s the heads of an undead. I can feel the strong energy of evil.¡¯ ¡®Elves detest evil, and she¡¯s an elven royalty. Would they really lie in a church? Does that make any sense?¡¯ The faith that the cardinal tried so hard to instill into the hearts of the holy knights was causing conflict and confusion. The holy knights were simple and naive, but they weren¡¯t stupid. ¡°How unpleasant. A man who claims to deliver the words of god is calling heresy even in front of clear evidence,¡± Eugene suddenly said. ¡°W-what?!¡± the cardinal screamed. Eugene continued while glaring at the cardinal with cold eyes, ¡°Or is it because you¡¯re trying to hide something? Is there something you can¡¯t possibly tell to your brothers of faith?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± the cardinal shouted. ¡°Bastard?¡± Eugene said. The atmosphere surrounding him suddenly shifted. ¡°Hiek!¡± The cardinal flinched. Eugene had only evoked his Fear very slightly and directed it only at the cardinal, so no one else noticed it. ¡°Are you insulting a duke of the Kingdom of Brantia? Are the priests of the Caylor Kingdom ungrateful, dishonorable scoundrels?¡± Eugene said. ¡°U-uah¡­¡± The cardinal remained silent while trembling. Although it was only a meager amount, the Fear of an Origin wasn¡¯t something that ordinary humans could handle. The cardinal¡¯s helpless appearance was sufficient to bring deep disappointment and shame to the holy knights. Apart from anything else, Eugene had personally eliminated the undead that threatened the capital. He was a benefactor of the kingdom and the church. So how could the cardinal be calling him names? And how could he be showing such an ugly display after being scolded? ¡®Perhaps¡­¡¯ ¡®That knight might be telling the truth.¡¯ Eugene had proudly entered a compound protected by pure silver and divine power. They were no longer even considering the possibility of Eugene actually being a vampire. The faith of the holy knights remained strong, but a small crack had opened in their sense of loyalty toward the cardinal. The cracks quickly began to spread to the other holy knights. Even Jung Dircht, who hated Eugene the most, stared at him with bewitched eyes. ¡°The situation is urgent, so let¡¯s settle it like this,¡± Eugene said after withdrawing his Fear. He then continued, ¡°Let us find evidence first before placing the blame on anyone. And I won¡¯t ask for your cooperation, so please don¡¯t disturb the princess and me. I simply want to find the evil wizard who created the undead. Sirs, what do you say?¡± Eugene¡¯s gaze was no longer on the cardinal but on the holy knights. ¡°Oh¡­¡± The holy knights were slightly touched. They were knights as well, so they were also aware of how unpleasant it was to have their honor questioned. If they had been placed in the same situation, they would have already exploded in anger. However, Eugene was showing consideration for their circumstances and was solely focused on destroying evil. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°We would like to help you, sir, but not everything is clear yet¡­ Please understand our need for prudence.¡± When some of the holy knights sheathed their blades and showed their respect, the rest followed suit. ¡°Brotheeersss!¡± the cardinal shouted vehemently, but the holy knights didn¡¯t even spare him a glance. Rather than their status or justification, it was their deep faith that was moving their hearts. Their faith was siding with Eugene¡ªa true knight practicing honest justice and chivalry. ¡®As expected, they are na?ve...¡¯ Unfortunately, the true knight was laughing insidiously inside. ¡°Princess, let¡¯s go,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes!¡± Princess Lilisain answered while staring at Eugene with a charmed gaze. She was amazed at how he had gained control of the situation and shut down the cardinal and the holy knights with but a few words. Princess Lilisain walked unhesitatingly toward the basement of the great cathedral. *** Tap, tap, tap! The wizard limped down the underground path with glimmering red eyes. Despite being in absolute darkness, the wizard strode forward as if he had no trouble seeing ahead. In fact, the wizard could actually see in the night as plain as day. After all, he was a member of the Tribe of Darkness. ¡°Heuk, heuk¡­¡± However, the wizard was breathing raggedly. It was unbefitting of a vampire, as they were known to not tire easily. It was because part of the damage from the undead¡¯s annihilation had been transferred over to the wizard. Taking the risk of shared damage was only natural for one to control a powerful monster like a twin-headed ogre. ¡®I wish I could have had more blood. But I didn¡¯t have time...¡¯ The wizard was disappointed, but there was nothing he could do. If anyone else had been responsible for defeating the twin-headed ogre, he wouldn¡¯t have been in such a hurry. However, as long as it was ¡®that person,¡¯ he had to escape as soon as possible. ¡®How did he regain his strength?¡¯ ¡®Did they break the covenant?¡¯ ¡®No, it wasn¡¯t simply broken. Someone has helped him...¡¯ ¡®Was he also responsible for ruining things on the Carls Baggins Peninsula?¡¯ Numerous thoughts disturbed the wizard¡¯s mind. The wizard suddenly turned around, as he sensed something familiar. ¡®W-who is it? H-how¡­?¡¯ Although the wizard had become much weaker than usual, it wasn¡¯t to the point where he couldn¡¯t utilize the intrinsic senses of a vampire. As such, the wizard realized that someone was following him down the underground path. ¡®N-no!¡¯ The wizard tried his best to speed up. He knew that this was possibly the biggest crisis of his life. However, the chill-inducing energy only grew nearer. ¡®J-just a little bit more..¡¯ The wizard walked forward with desperation. He could feel the wind gently blowing from afar. ¡°Found him! Over there!¡± The wizard succumbed to despair as a voice resounded behind him. ¡®You...¡¯ *** Eugene instinctively recognized the identity of the wizard gasping against the damp wall. ¡®A vampire.¡¯ He could only sense a tiny trace of Fear from the wizard, but he knew that the latter was a vampire. Moreover, they seemed to be quite a high-ranking vampire as well. ¡®Should I capture him?¡¯ While Eugene was contemplating, some of the holy knights ran out from behind Eugene with longswords containing divine power. ¡°You have violated god¡¯s providence, you wicked servant of evil!¡± Wooong! The divine power of the holy knights lit up the dark passage even brighter than their torches. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± Eugene merely felt a bit of discomfort, but the wizard screamed and covered his face with the sleeve of his robe after coming face-to-face with divine power. The angered holy knights ravaged the wizard¡¯s body. ¡®Well, it should be fine.¡¯ Eugene left the holy knights to their devices, thinking that the wizard was better dead than captured. Knowing that the wizard was a vampire, Eugene was certain that the wizard would definitely talk about him, which would disturb his plan. In many ways, it was better for the wizard to die at the hands of the holy knights. Fwooooosh! ¡°Kuaagh!¡± the wizard screamed as a white flame engulfed his body. ¡°As expected!¡± The holy knights rejoiced after confirming the wickedness of the wizard. Only monsters and beings related to necromancy and black magic would show such a reaction after being struck with a weapon of divine power. Thud! Finally, the wizard scattered into ashes, leaving behind only an old robe. ¡°We have killed an enemy of god!¡± ¡°Today! Faith has prevailed once again!¡± Ooohhhhh!!! The holy knights roared with joy. It was their most important duty and achievement to punish evil beings that stood in opposition to god. ¡°Great work, sirs,¡± Eugene said. ¡°N-not at all, sir!¡± the holy knights answered while bowing their heads with embarrassment. ¡°You should have finished him off. I have nothing to say.¡± ¡°My body reacted before anything as soon as I felt the evil energy exuding from him¡­¡± In truth, the holy knights rushed forward while pretending to be angrier than they really were because they had been worried about the duke stepping forward. Besides, a knight of Eugene¡¯s caliber should know this fact as well. If he had been pursuing merit, he could have taken care of the wizard before anyone else, and no one could have stopped him. Nevertheless, the honorable knight had willingly conceded the glorious work in consideration of themselves. As such, the holy knights were extremely grateful to Eugene. ¡°Sir. I apologize once again.¡± ¡°We were caught in a moment¡¯s delusion, which caused us to doubt a knight as brave and honorable as you, sir.¡± The holy knights apologized. Eugene shook his head. ¡°No, things like this happen sometimes when you follow god¡¯s will. Wouldn¡¯t you say that even this is a test of faith? I can fully understand your positions, sirs.¡± ¡°Ooohh!¡± ¡°S-sir, you are truly¡­¡± Eugene had willingly yielded the merit, and he was even giving them face. Even if he showed a little greed or selfishness, no one would hold him accountable for it. The holy knights were accustomed to watching the political games of nobles in the capital¡¯s royal castle and the cathedral. As such, their admiration for Eugene grew even greater. Heretic? Traitor? Who would dare to use vile tricks to slander such an honorable knight? ¡°I feel like my delusion has been lifted!¡± ¡°Sir, you are truly an honorable knight. You have opened my eyes.¡± The holy knights trembled as they were overcome with emotion and passion. They complimented Eugene, and Eugene responded with a humble smile. ¡°You flatter me. You were the ones who accomplished this with your deep faith and noble chivalry. On the contrary, I was truly impressed by all of you. You could never bring shame to the name of a holy knight.¡± ¡°Ooohh¡­¡± ¡°Sir!¡± Inwardly, Eugene disregarded the passionate cries of the holy knights. Instead, he busily contemplated how he could use the innocent knights. Regardless of what anyone would say, the holy knights were the strongest among the troops residing in the capital. What if he could win them over? ¡®I might not have to get my hands dirty.¡¯ Not only would it be possible to bring down the king and the cardinal, but it would also be possible to thrust the leaders of the kingdom into chaos. Eugene knew that fanatics would fan even a small spark into the largest of flames. He knew from his experience. CH 217 ¡°¡­!!!¡± The holy knights and priests were shocked when they learned that the underground escapee was Dolgwen, the royal wizard favored by the king. ¡®W-what is all of this about¡­?¡¯ In particular, the cardinal could not come to his senses. It was because he had been the one who had personally recommended the wizard Dolgwen to the king. However, the cardinal was more shocked and confused by something else rather than the fact that Dolgwen had created an undead. ¡®Why did I do that? How come I introduced the wizard¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t deny the fact that he had introduced Dolgwen to the king and had even acted as Dolgwen¡¯s guarantor. He could even clearly remember the events that transpired just a year ago. However, the cardinal couldn¡¯t understand why he had done such a thing. ¡®Why¡­? Why on earth did I¡­?!¡¯ He hadn¡¯t considered it strange, not even once until now. However, this further fueled his confusion. He had never even considered the possibility that he had been affected by ¡°Charm,¡± an ability high-ranking vampires had up their sleeves. ¡°Everyone!¡± Eugene disregarded the cardinal¡¯s strange reaction and raised his voice. He gestured toward the holy knights who had accompanied him underground and continued, ¡°We were only able to defeat the evil wizard thanks to your courageous and honorable actions, sirs.¡± Ohhh¡­! The four responsible knights raised their heads with pride, and their colleagues cheered for their fulfillment of the sacred duties. It would have been a lie to say that they weren¡¯t jealous, but they were still relieved that their colleagues had saved their faces. Eugene then said, ¡°However, this isn¡¯t completely over yet. The evil wizard knew that the oldest secret passage was hidden in the basement of the cathedral. Moreover, the wizard knew exactly where he was going, while all of you had close to no idea how to navigate the passage.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The cheerful atmosphere surrounding the holy knights immediately subsided. Their gazes naturally turned to a specific person. Only the cardinal and a few senior priests knew the details of the cathedral¡¯s underground passage. ¡°W-w-what!? Why are you looking at me with those eyes? Look, sirs! I am the cardinal! I am the one responsible for leading the faith of our kingdom¡­¡± The cardinal hurriedly defended himself after receiving the suspicious gaze of the holy knights. Eugene cut him off. ¡°I heard that you were the one who recommended the evil, vile wizard to the king, Cardinal.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± the cardinal muttered with a pale expression. He was quivering, and the eyes of the holy knights on him had already turned completely cold. Of course, there were a few who looked at him with regret, but most of them looked as if they were suppressing their disappointment and anger. ¡®Good.¡¯ Eugene was satisfied. The cardinal could not deny his connection to the wizard, which meant he could not escape responsibility for the deeds that Dolgwen had committed. All that remained was his fall. However, Eugene could not stop here¡­ ¡°Sirs. I think it would be best for us to head to the royal castle first. Shouldn¡¯t we be clear about an issue like this and bring it to light in front of everyone?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re absolutely right, sir.¡± ¡°Brothers! Let us go! We have to mend the broken faith and justice!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! That is the sacred duty of us, holy knights!¡± Although holy knights were praised as the sword of the church and guardians of faith, they never had real power and authority. They roared with fierce momentum and moved without hesitation. *** Eugene entered the gates of the royal castle with the others. The gates were usually closed, but they were open when Eugene¡¯s group arrived. ¡°Hmm. There¡¯s a strange atmosphere¡­¡± Eugene commented. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the holy knights answered. Indeed, it was strange. A monster had made its appearance in the middle of the capital, but they couldn¡¯t see even a trace of the soldiers, as well as the servants and the nobles of the castle. ¡°Ah! Perhaps some people attempted to loot the castle in the middle of the chaos!¡± ¡°My goodness! Let us head to the palace as soon as possible! Sir Clair! You go find His Majesty and the other members of the royal family!¡± The holy knights hastened their steps, and Eugene followed behind them rather leisurely. However, once they arrived at the palace, their eyes became filled with shock. A group of heavily armed knights had completely occupied the palace, and the nobles of the castle were gathered in one place, trembling. Shing, shing! ¡°Who are you, sirs?! How dare you show such disrespect! Do you know where this is?!¡± The holy knights quickly unsheathed their weapons and gathered into a battle formation. They were enraged. Suddenly, one of the opposing knights rushed forward while shouting, ¡°Ah! Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The holy knights turned back, and Eugene stepped forward while taking off his helmet. ¡°Sirs. Those men are knights and my comrades. They are not the enemy, so do not worry,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°¡­?!¡± The holy knights were dumbfounded. Eugene walked past them, and Madrica spoke energetically, ¡°Sir, as you commanded, we have occupied the¡ª¡± Eugene interrupted him. ¡°As expected, Sir Madrica! You have saved the royal castle from the threat of the vicious monster! Amazing!¡± He patted the chatty knight on the shoulder while speaking. Eugene had experience with the chatty knight in the past, and as such, he knew exactly how to handle the talkative, pretentious knight. At first, Madrica appeared puzzled by Eugene¡¯s words. However, the corners of his mouth slowly curled up as Eugene continued to praise him. In the end, his hands came to rest on his waist and his chin to the sky. ¡°Haha! I am flattered. I only did what I had to do as a knight. Of course, it might have been a little difficult if it wasn¡¯t for me, but¡­¡± Madrica started. ¡°That¡¯s right. As expected from Sir Madrica. Anyway, sir. Don¡¯t you have something to report?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right! I almost forgot,¡± Madrica answered. Although he was chatty, Madrica had a strong sense of responsibility. He stopped flattering himself and spoke with an awkward expression, ¡°As you can see, we have fulfilled your orders, sir. However, we failed to secure the most important person¡ªthe king.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene frowned. Madrica hurriedly waved his hands and continued, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not my fault. The king wasn¡¯t here when I entered the castle with the other sirs.¡± Eugene responded, ¡°Hmm. Then where is the king? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Of course, of course. I have already figured it out and sent the other knights over there. They should be back with him soon,¡± Madrica said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief,¡± Eugene stated with satisfaction. Madrica continued in a mocking tone, ¡°I¡¯ve only heard stories until now, but I never realized until today that the king was so incompetent and insane. Going out to hunt in this situation. Tsk, tsk. Even if he¡¯s out of his mind, he shouldn¡¯t have¡ª¡± ¡°Hunting? Did you say hunting?¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°Huh? W-well, that¡¯s right, but¡­¡± Madrica nodded. He was surprised by Eugen¡¯s sudden change in attitude. Madrica continued, ¡°Was it his younger cousin? Anyway, he took his family and a few royal knights to the royal hunting ground. It¡¯s located right next to the royal castle, so the knights should be returning¡ªHuh? Sir? Sir Eugene?¡± Eugene walked past Madrica and headed for the nobles. They were surrounded by the knights of Maren, and they were quivering while huddled in a group. Eugene then said, ¡°Let me ask you. How many people went to the hunting ground, including the king and his attendants?¡± Most of the nobles stayed silent and exchanged frightened gazes, but one person mustered up the courage to answer. ¡°A-about fifty people.¡± ¡°¡­Were the royal guards wearing brown leather armor stitched with gold?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah, yes. That¡¯s right,¡± the noble replied. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene slowly turned around. He instinctively felt that the situation had gone to shit. He looked around at the curious eyes and slowly parted his lips, ¡°I think the king may have kicked the bucket; no, he may have perished.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes became filled with shock as silence filled the palace. The one who broke the silence was none other than the cardinal, who had been practically dragged to the palace by the holy knights. ¡°It¡¯s you! You were the one who murdered His Majesty the King!!!¡± the cardinal roared. His roar garnered everyone¡¯s attention. ¡®This is an opportunity!¡¯ The cardinal was a master of politics. He had been able to extend his influence to the royal castle, the church, and even the king because he possessed excellent wit and judgment. Eugene¡¯s remark was the cardinal¡¯s last chance to reverse the situation. ¡°Sirs! That evil man has murdered His Majesty the King! Otherwise, how is it possible that he can speak of things that no one present knows?!¡± the cardinal continued. ¡°¡­!¡± The holy knights became wide-eyed and slowly turned their gazes toward Eugene. ¡®Has that sly bastard gone mad?¡¯ Eugene was stunned but impressed at the same time. It was as he had expected from someone who had practically maintained control of the entire kingdom all this time. He was truly witty and quick on his feet. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± The eyes of the holy knights turned fierce, as Eugene simply stood there and admired the cardinal. It was only natural. No one but the inhabitants of the royal castle could have known that the king and some of his nobles had gone over to the hunting ground. However, Eugene had blatantly stated that the king may have died as soon as he heard that they were on the hunting ground. ¡°Brothers of faith, what are you all doing?! He is a traitor who may have killed the king! Will you continue to sit still and watch?!¡± Jung Dircht raised his voice while unsheathing his sword. Like the cardinal, he had been looking for a chance. The incitement was effective. Chae-chae-chaeng! Quite a few of the holy knights responded in kind and unsheathed their blades before pointing them at Eugene and Maren¡¯s knights. ¡°These punks dare?¡± ¡°Protect Sir Eugene!¡± Eugene¡¯s knights didn¡¯t stay still either. Princess Lilisain and the elven knights inched closer to Eugene, and the Knights of Maren unsheathed their own weapons and confronted the holy knights. Suddenly, a sharp, clear voice resonated throughout the palace. ¡°How discourteous! How dare you all reveal your weapons in the presence of the one carrying the glorious golden blood of Rome!¡± The one who hollered was Prince Localope. He was still disguised as the servant. When everyone¡¯s eyes turned toward him, Prince Localope stepped forward in front of Vizak, who was still pretending to be the prince, before raising his voice once again. ¡°Sirs! Is this the attitude the Kingdom of Caylor has chosen to take in front of the golden blood of Rome? I take it that all of you want His Highness the Prince and me to take this sight as the honor of the Caylor Kingdom? I¡¯m asking if all of you won¡¯t mind if I report this before His Majesty the Emperor and all the officials of the great empire!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± All the knights faltered. The pressure they felt from the Roman Empire, and the emperor was just that great. In particular, the holy knights had already heard about Prince Localope from Eugene. They had been quite excited about the possibility of becoming acquainted with the prince, so they were even more hesitant to make a move. Once the heat subsided slightly, Prince Localope looked around with keen eyes and spoke, ¡°And you would persecute someone without listening to their story or without any evidence? Sirs, where are the honor and chivalry you had always been crying out for? Is your honor so light it would disappear in a few words?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± It was the words of someone belonging to the Roman Empire¡¯s prince¡¯s group. Moreover, their words sounded reasonable. The holy knights slowly lowered their swords with awkward expressions. Vizak stepped forward while coughing. He had been taken aback by Prince Localope¡¯s unexpected behavior. ¡°Ehem! My servant¡¯s words are my thoughts. So, Caylor¡¯s cardinal...¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­ P-please speak, Your Highness,¡± the cardinal answered with a bow. As a master of politics, he knew very well the prestige of the empire¡¯s imperial family. Vizak continued, ¡°I think we can come to a judgment about your assertion after we hear Sir Eugene¡¯s story. What do you think?¡± ¡°You are absolutely right, Your Highness. You are truly befitting the glory of the one carrying the golden blood.¡± The cardinal agreed with joy. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter what you say. You won¡¯t be able to turn the tables. No, I will make sure that never happens!¡¯ The cardinal was confident. He was the de facto ruler of the kingdom and a master of politics. However, his expression quickly crumpled less than a minute after Eugene started telling his story. ¡°So, you fought against a drake in the hunting ground and chased it away, but as soon as that happened, the twin-headed ogre made its appearance?¡± Prince Localope exclaimed with a look of surprise. He looked as if it was his first time hearing the story. ¡®Prince, your acting skills are pretty good.¡¯ Eugene answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. As soon as I sensed the evil energy, I rushed over. However, the king and his entourage were already dead. Well, rather than dead, I guess it would be more appropriate to say that they had been¡ª¡± ¡°Lies! That evil man is telling a lie!¡± the cardinal interrupted Eugene¡¯s words and shouted desperately after sensing impending doom. He knew from experience that whoever possessed the louder voice in a situation like this would hold the advantage. He once again opened his mouth to draw everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Sirs! There¡¯s trouble!¡± The knights who had left to capture the king and the nobles rushed back into the palace while shouting, and everyone turned toward them. ¡°Take a look at this! I think the evil monster has killed the king and the nobles!¡± Thud! ¡°There were no bodies, but considering the clothes and the sealed ring, I¡¯m certain it belongs to the king.¡± Those present were appalled when they saw the king¡¯s clothes and ornaments. Eugene¡¯s voice once again resonated in their ears, ¡°They were killed and turned into ashes by the undead¡¯s evil energy. Since there were no bodies, it was impossible for me to know that they were the king¡¯s party. That is why I made that statement earlier, that I thought they may have perished. Well, anyway, I think this proves the fact that I¡¯m not the king¡¯s murderer.¡± Silence instantly descended on the palace. Eugene turned toward the pale-faced cardinal and glared at him before speaking, ¡°The one who recommended the black wizard and the one responsible for creating the undead. It was you, right?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Moreover, the black wizard fled as soon as the king died, but they were caught and killed in the secret corridor located in the cathedral¡¯s basement¡ªa place that is only known to a few people. Hmm? What a coincidence. You¡¯re deeply involved in everything, Cardinal. And¡­ such a person is trying to accuse me as the king¡¯s murderer¡­¡± ¡°Uah! Ugh¡­¡± The cardinal trembled while breaking out into a cold sweat. Eugene turned his gaze away from the cardinal and spoke to the shocked holy knights and nobles with a cold smile. ¡°Everyone. What do you think?¡± CH 218 ¡°We were against it.¡± ¡°But the cardinal was so stubborn about it¡­¡± ¡°The wizard¡¯s origins were unclear, and they didn¡¯t even say which school they belonged. That¡¯s why I was against it¡­¡± The priests were the first ones to deny their relationship with Dolgwen. ¡°We do not know politics.¡± ¡°Although they were a wizard, we simply accepted it because the cardinal had said so.¡± ¡°Of course, if you consider that as neglect of our duties as holy knights, then I have nothing to say. However¡­¡± ¡°I have never committed any dishonorable act.¡± After that, the holy knights made their excuses as well. ¡°I-I should have made a stronger statement as a loyal subject of the royal family, but the cardinal and His Majesty had been so insistent¡­¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. It was the king¡¯s sole authority to pick out a court wizard.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right! Otherwise, we would have never allowed an unidentified wizard into the royal castle. We only allowed it because the cardinal had vouched for the wizard.¡± Finally, even the nobles of the royal castle desperately denied any connection with the cardinal or Dolgwen. The man in question, the cardinal, could only remain silent with a ghastly expression. It was entirely possible for a man to be stunned into silence, and even he, a master of politics, was simply too stunned to speak. His brain had stopped working entirely due to shock. Those who had revered and held him in awe until yesterday were now unwilling to even make eye contact with him, and it was in the middle of the royal castle, to boot. The cardinal¡¯s mind was broken after the experience. He had experienced the unthinkable, and the unimaginable had taken place. As a result, he made a crucial mistake. ¡°I-Is this a dream? That¡¯s right. This is a dream. This is a trial from God. When the moment¡¯s darkness passes, his light will¡­¡± the cardinal muttered with a dazed expression, and the holy knights and priests became convinced. ¡®It¡¯s over for the cardinal.¡¯ Only a few people had actually liked the cardinal. Most of them had only stayed by his side because of his religious status, power, and financial capabilities. However, it was now confirmed that King Payle the 2nd had been killed by the undead monster and that the cardinal had shared an undeniable relationship with the black wizard. All that remained was for the fortress of status and power the cardinal had built over the years to collapse into nothingness. ¡®Good. The atmosphere is now ripe.¡¯ Eugene grinned inwardly while watching the scene play out. Naturally, he maintained a somber expression on the outside. He then spoke, ¡°Hmm. So when the cardinal recommended the evil man as the court wizard, all of you were against it. Is that what you are saying?¡± Silence followed Eugene¡¯s cold voice. How could that be true? Some of the people gathered here, or rather, quite a few of them, had been very much in favor of Dolgwen¡¯s appointment as the court wizard. They had been attempting to get into the cardinal¡¯s good books, after all. That was why everyone immediately closed their mouths. If anyone said the wrong thing, half of the people gathered here could be swept away in an instant. While the people looked around awkwardly, one of the holy knights turned to his colleagues with a determined expression. He was one of the knights who had accompanied Eugene down to the cathedral¡¯s basement in pursuit of the black wizard. ¡°Brothers. In the name of god, let us speak the truth and leave behind what we must. He is watching and listening to all of our actions and words, and he is omniscient, right?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The holy knights stared at their colleague with puzzled expressions. The man continued, ¡°When the cardinal tried to have the evil black wizard become the court wizard, some of us were in full agreement. Is that not true?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± The expressions of the holy knights completely changed. Indeed, it was true that a small number of them had actively supported the cardinal. And among them, the one who most enthusiastically sympathized with the cardinal was¡­ ¡°...?!¡± It was the knight who was still holding on to his sword even when all of his colleagues had already sheathed their weapons. ¡°Sir Dircht. Why did you actively agree with the cardinal when all of our brothers wanted to be cautious and watch the matter play out?¡± one of the holy knights said. ¡°W-what?¡± Dircht responded. ¡°Didn''t you say that us holy knights have to empower the cardinal, sir?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You said it was the best way to definitely eliminate heretics and apostates.¡± ¡°The creator of the undead, a black wizard, is a terrible heresy¡­ I can¡¯t believe you were in favor of bringing such an evil man as the court wizard¡­¡± ¡°I-I¡­¡± Jung Dircht muttered with a pale expression while slowly retreating. Eugene spoke nonchalantly, ¡°Sir Dircht, is it? Come to think of it, I recall you saying that you would definitely kill me at Count Winslon¡¯s knight competition, right? You even called me a heretic.¡± Eugene had spoken in a quiet voice, but everyone heard his words. The first to respond to his words were the chivalrous knights who had accompanied him down to the cathedral¡¯s basement. ¡°Ha! No wonder you started badmouthing Sir Eugene ever since you suffered a crushing defeat and returned from the knight competition in the Winslon County!¡± ¡°You labeled an honorable, faithful knight like Sir Eugene as a heretic? How could you possibly¡­¡± ¡°Without him, we would have never killed the undead, let alone the evil, black wizard.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± The conversation between the holy knights seemed to be heading in a particular direction, and Jung Dircht¡¯s started to blank out. Eugene¡¯s voice pierced through his daze like a dagger. ¡°Hmm. Did it seem like I would get in the way of the cardinal¡¯s plan¡­?¡± Killing two birds with one stone¡­ Eugene successfully cornered both the cardinal and Jung Dircht with one move. He continued with a laugh, ¡°But you failed. Holy knight Jung Dircht, or should I call you what you are? The king¡¯s murderer?¡± It was finally time to settle the debt from his past life. *** ¡°No! I¡¯m telling you, no!¡± ¡°Sirs! Brothers! I-I¡¯m the cardinal! I¡¯m the guardian of faith in this land¡­ Huagh! Arghh!¡± The gazes of onlookers were cold as the cardinal and Jung Dircht were dragged away. All circumstances and evidence indicated that they had not only brought in Dolgwen but had also been involved in the creation of the undead monster and in the conspiracy to kill the king. Even their positions of faith could not exert any power in the unprecedented crime of killing the king. Most importantly, those present were desperate to identify the real culprit and sever their relationships with the culprit as soon as possible. ¡°Um, I think we should discuss how to proceed¡­¡± someone muttered, and the eyes of the nobles and ministers immediately turned to a certain someone. Regardless of what anyone said, Eugene currently held the most power in this place. ¡®Is he planning to take the throne¡­?¡¯ ¡®N-no way¡­ He wouldn¡¯t have any justification for doing so.¡¯ ¡®But you never know with a knight like him.¡¯ The nobles and ministers wore complicated expressions as they looked at Eugene. Eugene parted his lips. ¡°Why are you all looking at me?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Have you all forgotten? I am the Duke of Batla. I am not a nobleman of the Caylor Kingdom.¡± Eugene pointed out.. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Come to think of it, it was certainly true. The knight neither possessed a title in the Caylor Kingdom nor had he been sworn in by the king. He was a duke of the Kingdom of Brantia, which made him a perfect stranger. ¡°It¡¯s a matter of the Kingdom of Caylor, so do as you all please. Ah, of course, it might be a bad idea for only those gathered here to discuss and decide,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Although Brantia was a relatively weak, smaller country, a duke was still a prominent noble. As such, the nobles and ministers of the Caylor Kingdom were perfectly polite to him. Of course, the presence of dozens of knights fiercely glaring at them from behind Eugene was also of great help. ¡°The civil war isn¡¯t over yet, right? And the king died in the midst of it. Are you trying to establish a new king with just whoever¡¯s present? In this situation? No, in the first place¡­¡± Eugene continued and enlightened the cold reality for the dazed nobles, ¡°The king and high-ranking members of the royal family are dead. What do you think will happen if news spreads that the culprit was the cardinal and the court wizard?¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Shock bloomed on the nobles¡¯ faces. It was just as Eugene said. The king and the cardinal had been the ones responsible for inciting civil war and sending a large force to fight against the noble union. They had laid out the plans and had executed them. However, one of them was now dead, and the other would soon be sentenced to death. But what if this news reached the noble union and the expedition sent to face them? Moreover, what if it became known that the nobles and ministers had discussed the enthronement of the next king without any of them? ¡®We¡¯re fucked!¡¯ As nobles, they knew exactly the current situation. The one holding the sword was the king, and even if all the nobles gathered here organized their troops, it would be less than a tenth of the soldiers belonging to the noble union and the expedition. More than ten thousand troops would inevitably advance into the capital, and those gathered here would meet an unfortunate end. ¡°Please help us, sir!¡± ¡°Please share your wisdom with us! Sir Eugene! Please, I implore you!¡± The nobles flocked to Eugene. Eugene was their only hope. He had nearly a hundred knights under his command, the support of the holy knights, and he had even killed the undead twin-headed ogre. ¡°S-sir, you are a close acquaintance of Count Winslon, correct? You are the only one who can resolve this predicament!¡± The nobles begged. They had found their only lifeline, and they were desperate. Eugene looked around at them with relaxed eyes before answering, ¡°Although it is true that I am close to Count Winslon, I¡¯m not the only one with the answer to this situation.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eugene slowly turned his gaze after answering, and the nobles followed suit like baby birds following their mother. There stood the imperial prince of the Roman Empire, but he was actually Vizak, with a dazed expression. ¡°If it¡¯s the one with the golden blood, they should be sufficient to bring together all of your opinions and represent them,¡± Eugene added. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Vizak frowned, and the nobles immediately flocked toward him. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°Please! Help us!¡± ¡°Your wisdom is known even in the empire, so please, for our kingdom¡­¡± ¡°Your Honorable Highness!¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± The nobles called for help with all kinds of praise and flattery, even though it was their first time meeting the prince. ¡°Kieeeh¡­ They look like a bunch of zombies,¡± the spirit remarked while shaking her head. She had been slowly drooping while yawning at all the political talk until now. Princess Lilisain, who had been staring at Eugene with respect and awe, quickly stuck to his side and spoke, ¡°Your Excellency. I¡¯m thinking it might be better if you would just accept their request.¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± Eugene responded with a smirk. Then, he turned his gaze to the holy knights. ¡°Sirs,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°¡­?¡± The holy knights turned their eyes to him. Eugene continued in a gentle voice, ¡°No matter what anyone says, wouldn¡¯t you say that you were the biggest contributors to killing the black wizard and crushing the cardinal¡¯s evil conspiracy? That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying this, but doesn¡¯t it make more sense for you to speak out in such a chaotic situation rather than the nobles?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The holy knights became wide-eyed. However, it was only for a moment. The holy knights were completely ignorant of politics. They had done nothing but train their bodies and sword in the church for their entire lives. However, their eyes started to glow with determination after hearing Eugene¡¯s suggestion. Eugene then delivered the decisive blow. ¡°Only those armed with true faith and chivalry can present a proper standard to calm the chaotic storm of politics. Caylor¡¯s holy knights should take the center stage during such a precarious time for the nation. Who else can do such a thing?¡± ¡°You are right!¡± ¡°We have to stay alert, especially at times like this!¡± ¡°God is watching us, brothers! At this time when we have no king, only God''s will can lead this country to justice!¡± A small piece of firewood thrown by Eugene immediately grew into a roaring flame. The holy knights trotted over to the nobles without hesitation. ¡°S-sirs, why are you¡­?¡± ¡°What are you doing, sirs?! This is not a religious event¡­¡± The nobles voiced their dissatisfaction at the holy knights¡¯ unexpected action. ¡°God speaks! It is a natural obligation of obedience to correct the wavering faith in a national crisis like this¡­¡± ¡°No, what do you mean?!¡± The chaotic atmosphere turned even more turbulent with the sudden intrusion of the holy knights. ¡°No! I¡¯m just saying¡­¡± ¡°Stand back! You are troubling His Highness!¡± ¡°Show some honor! This is His Highness the Prince of the Roman¡­¡± Naturally, Prince Localope and his entourage were also flustered by the sudden situation. They had suddenly been thrown to the center of the stage. Eugene met the prince¡¯s gaze in midair. - Try your best. This is your chance to become the main character. - Well, thank you, but this is¡­ The two shared a silent conversation. Eugene then withdrew his gaze from the flustered prince. As planned, he managed to deal with both the cardinal and Jung Dircht. In addition, he even managed to throw the Caylor Kingdom into chaos. Now, there was only one thing left for him to do. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go do what we must do,¡± Eugene suddenly said. ¡°Huh? What we must do?¡± Princess Lilisain asked with a confused look. Eugene gave an honest smile as he answered, ¡°This is the royal castle, isn¡¯t it? We are the benefactors of the kingdom, so don¡¯t you think we deserve compensation?¡± ¡°Ah! Ah¡­¡± A true knight always had to be sure of their favor and spite. Princess Lilisain was once again awed by Eugene. ¡°Kieeeehhh! Leave it to me! I will find everything, gold-silver-treasure-deeds-documents, everything!¡± The body of the spirit sparkled in the same light as gold and silver as she prepared to make use of her specialty after a long time. CH 219 Two days later, the cardinal was decapitated in the presence of the nobles. The charges were treason and regicide. To be honest, it was rather ridiculous. Regardless of the circumstances, it hadn¡¯t been an easy matter to simply off a great noble and the supreme religious leader of a kingdom. Rather, it was a serious matter. Not only for the religious people of the kingdom but for foreign countries as well. In particular, the Holy Empire was responsible for anointing the cardinal, and it could well send investigators to demand a thorough investigation of the truth. In other words, under normal circumstances, it would have been near impossible to put the cardinal to death so quickly.[1] However, the near impossible had happened. It was because the royal castle¡¯s nobles were more fearful of what awaited them immediately rather than the things that would happen in the distant past. They would need to face the noble union, Count Winslon, as well as Count Hatres, who had set off to face them. Those people would obviously storm the capital immediately upon hearing the news that the king had been killed by a monster created by the court wizard. And there was no chance in hell that the nobles from the noble union would laugh and¡­ - Hahaha, is that so? How unfortunate! All of you must have had a hard time. ¡­say such a thing. The one holding the sword was the king. They would definitely rush the capital and exterminate all families with even a sliver of connection to the cardinal, as well as the nobles they were on bad terms with. The royal castle¡¯s nobles desired to live a long, fruitful life, even if it meant consuming buckets of refined mana stones every day. As such, they desperately wanted the cardinal to die as soon as possible. Naturally, it would paint a strange picture if they only killed the cardinal. As such, they also executed some of the high priests and the holy knights who had shared a deep relationship with the cardinal. After eight heads fell, an announcement was made to the capital describing the events. Great confusion descended upon the capital almost immediately. The two most powerful men of the Caylor Kingdom, the king, and the cardinal, had died. Unsurprisingly, the chaos quickly spread to the areas near the capital like wildfire, and the Caylor Kingdom entered an unprecedented time of turmoil. However, the royal castle, which could be called the starting point of all the chaos, remained peaceful and placid. *** ¡°I feel full just looking at it. I think I¡¯ll be fine to starve for a while,¡± Mirian commented while rolling around in a box filled with gold coins. She held three skewers in her hands. Who in the world would ever think that she was a spirit of water? Eugene could only see an aquamarine pig. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel embarrassed to say such a thing even though you¡¯ve been eating nonstop since morning?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Not ashamed at all. I have a separate stomach for admiring gold and silver,¡± Mirian answered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that for desserts?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Mmhm! There¡¯s one for that too!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°¡­¡± She had been strange from the beginning, but she had become even more incomprehensible after evolving. The door opened, and Prince Localope entered the room with his group along with Princess Lilisain. ¡°The contractor and the spirit look so relaxed while someone is literally dying, suffering day and night from the nobles,¡± Vizak muttered. As he said, Vizak had become noticeably ragged in the past few days. After the death of the king and the cardinal, the imperial prince was the only one the nobles could rely on. As such, all kinds of figures stormed him nonstop to try and establish a relationship with him. ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing more for me to do. And you know what? How long are you going to keep up the ridiculous pretense?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°W-what do you mean? A-a pretense?¡± Vizak flinched. However, Eugene¡¯s gaze remained on Localope, who stood a couple of steps behind Vizak. ¡°The imperial prince should be the main character right now. You have to step up to the front and continue your influence over the Caylor Kingdom and the new king. If you keep putting forward a fake, you might end up in trouble later,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°¡­!!!¡± ¡°How could you¡­! Y-you truly are a daywalker. How could you have seen through His Highness¡¯ perfect disguise?¡± Vizak exclaimed. ¡°¡­¡± The prince looked to be in disbelief as well. However, Eugene felt even more dumbfounded. How could it be impossible for him not to see through their clumsy trickery? ¡°S-since when did you know¡­?¡± Prince Localope stuttered after finally coming to his senses. Eugene shrugged and responded, ¡°From the first time I saw you?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What are you so surprised about? In the first place, you revealed everything when you chatted away in the empire¡¯s language. Besides, the prince asked for his servant¡¯s advice at every waking moment. Only a fool would not have known,¡± Eugene added. ¡°I-I thought it was perfect. But I¡¯m glad to hear that most people aren¡¯t aware of this yet¡­¡± the prince muttered incredulously. Princess Lilisain interrupted him, ¡°That is also your delusion. I already knew two months ago.¡± ¡°What?!¡± It was truly unknown where the prince¡¯s baseless confidence stemmed from. How could he have possibly imagined his clumsy acting would actually work? ¡°It¡¯s not just Princess Lilisain either. Most of our knights; no, even most of the nobles here must have already noticed. They are just pretending to be ignorant, as they know that the real prince is probably making all the decisions,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°I-I see¡­¡± ¡°So stop the childish play and step forward as the prince,¡± Eugene suggested. ¡°Step forward... Are you saying you want me to use my influence in picking the new king?¡± Prince Localope asked. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go that far. Whatever matter the nobles will discuss, and whatever conclusion they will come to, you just need to be present. In the first place, isn¡¯t that what the nobles want?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Indeed, what the nobles of the royal castle wanted was a representative with the golden blood of the Roman Empire. If they discussed various matters in front of the prince and made a decision, they were certain that Count Winslon and Count Hatres could not simply kill them when they arrived later. ¡°And I think that¡¯s the way for you to extend your life a little longer, prince,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°Your Excellency Batla! How could you say such a disrespectful¡­!¡± Vizak started to shout angrily. However, he stopped as soon as Eugene turned his eyes toward him. Vizak flinched when he saw those emotionless, crimson eyes. ¡°It seems to me that it¡¯s even more disrespectful as a servant for their master to die in obscurity,¡± Eugene said. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Vizak muttered. ¡°In the first place, he came to me because he wanted to hold onto his life for even longer, right? And now, I am showing him the way. Isn¡¯t that right, Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Prince Localope remained silent. He could not deny Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Even if you return to the empire right now, isn¡¯t there a limit to what you can do, Your Highness? I don¡¯t know who it is, but whoever is after you will definitely attempt to assassinate you. And I¡¯m sure most of the empire¡¯s nobles have already chosen their faction, so you probably couldn¡¯t expect much help from them,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°T-that¡¯s not true. His Highness is¡­¡± Vizak muttered. Eugene interrupted him, ¡°This bastard is truly stupid.¡± ¡°B-bastard¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you punk. Is there anything wrong with what I said just now? Why else did your master leave the empire? He came all the way to a place like Brantia because he had no one to lean on, isn¡¯t that right? However, his servant keeps on spouting nonsense. Won¡¯t that mean he¡¯s stupid? Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Vizak looked as if he had eaten a pile of shit after taking Eugene¡¯s verbal abuse. However, he could not retort because it was true. ¡°Stop it¡­¡± Prince Localope finally said. ¡°B-but Your Highness,¡± Vizak responded. Prince Localope continued, ¡°Duke Batla¡¯s words are true. Speaking any more will only tarnish my name.¡± ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Vizak finally conceded, and he retreated with reddened cheeks. Prince Localope spoke with a light sigh, ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that I have to inflate my presence in the Kingdom of Caylor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That will guarantee your safety. An imperial prince with influence over a country in chaos. Don¡¯t you think it will be better than simply taking me and nothing else back into the empire?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­I will do my best,¡± Prince Localope said while standing up. He no longer had to be cautious and calculating. *** Since that day, Prince Localope began to observe the matters of the royal castle in earnest. Although he was observing rather than participating, it brought along an intense reaction. The royal nobles openly leaned on the prince¡¯s name, and the holy knights also interfered in all matters in the name of god. The presence of the priests had been greatly reduced due to the absence of their pillar, the cardinal, and many of them were torn between the two groups, which further fueled the confusion. Eugene and Maren¡¯s knights didn¡¯t have much else to do, but no one took them lightly, as everyone continued to be wary of them. The mere presence of Eugene and his knights had a suppressive effect on the nearby lords, preventing them from acting rashly. A few days later, news had finally arrived from the battlefront. It was said that the noble union and the expedition had declared a ceasefire after clashing a few times, and they were now heading together toward the capital. It was expected, but the royal castle¡¯s nobles were still shaken by the news. The two current, most powerful forces of the Caylor Kingdom were on their way here. Eventually, the nobles began to visit Eugene¡¯s residence every minute of their waking day to guarantee their safety from the two powerful counts. Naturally, no one came empty-handed. All kinds of gifts started to pile up, and there were also many gifts for the spirit and the princess. If Eugene had continued to stay in the castle, he could have bought several territories with the gifts he had been receiving from the nobles. However¡­ ¡°Buweeeeeeeghhhhh!¡± A strange cry was heard from the residence of the country¡¯s hero knight. ¡°Non! Non! I want to stay here all the time! King God General Emperor Neo Revolution Mirian likes the royal castle! I¡¯m! I¡¯m! I¡¯m still hungry for more! Kieeeekkk!¡± The spirit was completely consumed by material goods. However, a flick of a finger quickly subdued her. The prince gazed sideways at the greedy spirit with disturbed eyes. It appeared he was still not used to the spirit¡¯s attitude. He then asked, ¡°Sir. Will I be returning to Maren with you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you stay, it will only influence Your Highness in a negative way,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Negative way?¡± Prince Localope asked. ¡°Count Winslon is no ordinary man. The nobles of the royal castle are incompetent, but that man is different. He will quickly realize what kind of position you hold in the empire,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hmm.¡± Prince Localope¡¯s expression darkened when he understood Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re saying he¡¯s going to ally himself with a different faction of the empire,¡± Prince Localope commented. Eugene answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. There will definitely be people coming from the empire, and they will just drag you away, right?¡± ¡°I see¡­ I understand.¡± The prince nodded without hesitation. Vizak took on a proud expression as he watched the prince from the side. ¡®This is the first time, right? His Highness standing at the center of the stage¡­¡¯ Prince Localope was cheerful and energetic in nature, but he had always been forced to stay as quiet as a shadow in the imperial castle. However, he had shown off his glorious presence amidst the nobles during the last few days. The prince¡¯s natural abilities were complemented by his status as an imperial prince of the Roman Empire. He had truly become like a fish in the water as he became involved in all sorts of matters with confidence. Naturally, the nobles¡¯ evaluation of the prince rose accordingly, and Vizak was overjoyed to see his master finally in the spotlight after so many years. Both the prince and Vizak knew exactly who they had to thank for that¡­ ¡®I was only planning to rely on his power¡­¡¯ The plan to return home with the help of a Marecasio¡ªa daywalker¡ªhad already been completely revised. And now, their positions had become somewhat reversed as well. Prince Localope wasn¡¯t choosing Eugene Batla; rather, he had to work hard, so he could continue to receive Eugene¡¯s help. It was no use trying to coerce someone with character, influence, and status if such things had no value for that person. ¡®No, that¡¯s not right. There will be severe retaliation if you try something like that against a Marecasio.¡¯ Vizak could not forget the gaze Eugene had when he had ignored all proper procedures and had the cardinal and Jung Dircht executed in only two days. At the same time, Vizak had made up his mind¡ªhe would never make an enemy out of Eugene. ¡°Anyway, if we leave, the noble union and the expedition¡¯s commander will be delighted. The civil war has already ended, and they¡¯ll be able to choose the new king as they wish,¡± Vizak commented. Eugene smirked. ¡°Well, I wonder if it¡¯ll proceed as they want.¡± ¡°What?¡± Vizak asked. ¡°There¡¯s something like that,¡± Eugene answered. He gave a mysterious smile as he recalled the conversation he had the day prior with some of the highest-ranking members of the holy knights. - Naturally, the new king should be religious. In addition, he should also have the capabilities to actively represent the will of the holy knights, right? To make sure something as lamentable and evil as this will never happen again. Those words had been enough. The fanatics would once again run wild, and they would definitely not care about anyone¡¯s opinion, including Count Winslon¡¯s and Count Hartes¡¯. The real civil war of the Caylor Kingdom was yet to come. ¡°Sir Eugene! Everything is ready!¡± ¡°Good work. Let¡¯s go.¡± On the surface, Eugene was a benefactor of the kingdom, but in reality, he had just tossed a spark of division that would change things forever. He returned to Maren with a spring in his steps. He brought with him ten carts filled with gold, silver, and various treasures he had received as gifts. After Eugene proudly entered the City of Maren, the mayor and the guild leaders came to him and pleaded with him on their knees. ¡°Please, we implore you. Become our king, Sir Eugene!¡± CH 220 ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s do that,¡± Eugene answered without hesitation. Ohh¡­! The mayor and the guild leaders could not hide their excitement after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. They already knew that Eugene was straightforward and clear-cut, but they had never expected that he would easily make a decision on something as important as this. ¡°But there is one thing I must tell you all. If you can accept this, I am willing to accept your proposal without any objection,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°What?¡± The mayor and the guild leaders seemed puzzled by Eugene¡¯s words. Eugene looked over them with a calm expression before continuing, ¡°I am a vampire.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± They had heard the rumor, but they had never expected it to be true. The mayor and the guild leaders had stiffened up, but Eugene disregarded their reaction and continued, ¡°And I am also one of the highest-ranking vampires as well. This is just my speculation, but there shouldn¡¯t be more than a few vampires in the entire world who are above me in status. Of course, I¡¯m sure there are a few who are similar to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The noisy atmosphere instantly became subdued. The impact of Eugene¡¯s remark was truly enormous. Maren traded with many different countries, and as such, the mayor and the guild leaders were rather knowledgeable about other races. Of course, they spoke the language of gold and silver, so the cultures and values of other nations didn¡¯t matter to them. However, it was a completely different matter for a vampire to become their nation¡¯s leader, and Eugene was well aware of this fact. That was why he had decided to leave the choice to Maren¡¯s leaders. ¡®The King of Maren? There¡¯s nothing disadvantageous about it for me.¡¯ He had not risen to the throne in Brantia, as he didn¡¯t have any connections in the country. Even the elders and members of the Batla Duchy had made a fuss when they bestowed him the title of a duke. If a foreign vampire with no connections in Brantia had risen to the throne, quite a few Brantians would have protested and challenged his throne. However, Maren was different. It was the place where Eugene first rose to fame and achieved many of his accomplishments. The residents of Maren liked him as well. Most importantly, he was in a completely symbiotic relationship with the city¡ªboth benefiting from each other¡¯s existence. ¡®But it will be difficult for them to enthrone a vampire as the king, right?¡¯ As such, Eugene didn¡¯t have high hopes of actually becoming king when he announced his true identity. Even if he didn¡¯t become king, he would lose nothing by continuing the same relationship he had been having with the city. However¡­ ¡®Was there ever such an occasion? A vampire king?¡¯ ¡®I think there were a few vampire lords in Brantia and the empire¡­¡¯ ¡®Would the Holy Empire dispute the matter? Those wacky old men certainly would¡­¡¯ ¡®Just when did they not antagonize vampires¡­?¡¯ Eugene wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about the people of Maren. Maren was a port-based, commercial city, and since birth, the people, including the mayor and the guild leaders, had set their priorities on ¡®money¡¯ and ¡®profit¡¯ rather than honor and customs. Ever since they had agreed to make Eugene their king, they had already taken into calculation the fact that Eugene could be a vampire. ¡°We will take care of any diplomatic issues.¡± ¡°All we need to do with the Holy Empire is to lavish them with our sincerity. Surely, they wouldn¡¯t be able to worry about us when the issue about a cardinal¡¯s death is there.¡± ¡°The holy knights might flip out, but the cardinal¡¯s conspiracy with a black wizard has just been revealed¡­¡± ¡°And Sir Eugene killed that black wizard, didn¡¯t he? Priests or holy knights, whoever they are, if they know honor, they should shut up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Let¡¯s do this!¡± ¡°¡­???¡± Were these humans out of their minds? Eugene was taken aback by their response. Eugene couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°No, why don¡¯t you think about it some more? I¡¯m telling you that I¡¯m a vampire. One of the highest-ranking vampires¡­¡± ¡°As far as I know, high-ranking vampires drink the blood of larger monsters rather than humans. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to drink our blood, so is there a problem?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And we have plenty of slaves anyway. If you want to drink human blood, you can draw and collect it, right? I heard that vampires of the Roman empire have dedicated slaves for bloodletting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that they aren¡¯t put to hard work, and they are fed extremely well. It¡¯s the most popular job among slaves.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just food either. They are fed refined mana stones regularly as well. Health is the most important when it comes to bloodletting, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I will personally find you slaves to collect blood from, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Of course, of course. It¡¯s a fitting treatment for a king.¡± ¡°Are there any other vampires you would like here? I heard that vampires have clans or whatever. If you let me know in advance, I can take care of any issues that might come up in the future.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know anymore. Eugene looked over the mayor and the guild leaders with a complicated expression, and then he eventually nodded. They were filled with enthusiasm. ¡°Well, do whatever you want.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty!¡± Thus, Eugene became the master of the newly established Dukedom of Maren.[1] *** The Dukedom of Maren was born. The master of the dukedom was Duke Jan Eugene Batla, and the dukedom consisted of seven neighboring territories of the City of Maren. The decision had come from the discussions with the lords of the territories while Eugene had been away in the capital, so no problems arose with the demarcation of the duchy¡¯s land. The only problem was with the Evergrove County. However, it was promptly solved as Jevin stepped down from his seat, and his five-year-old son was declared the new count. Of course, Maren was second to none when it came to being persistent, and there was no way they would let the Evergrove County off the hook. The city had demanded an enormous sum as reparations from the Evergrove County, and in the end, the county was forced to sell more than half of its territory rather than simply pledging allegiance to the duchy. The other territories didn¡¯t suffer much damage, as they had conceded to the City of Maren much earlier. Although the various territories would have to pay taxes every year, the fees they paid for trading with the City of Maren disappeared after they were absorbed into the duchy. As such, they actually benefited considerably rather than suffering any losses. Regardless, Eugene didn¡¯t need to pay attention to such complicated matters. The mayor and the guild leaders were extremely competent leaders, and they intended to keep the promise they had made to Eugene. - We will never bother you! - We will take care of all the numbers, money, and administrative issues! - We will build you a castle, and we will take care of your personal interests, as well as the duchy¡¯s! And indeed, the City of Maren kept its feisty promises. However, the City of Maren soon came to face a completely unexpected problem. *** A castle was built on a hill overlooking the entire City of Maren. It was originally a fortress, so all it needed was a little renovation and expansion. And since Eugene was the founding king of the dukedom, only the finest products and materials were used to decorate the interior. The castle was smaller than the royal castle of the Caylor Kingdom, but it was much more lavish and elegant in terms of its exterior and interior. Naturally, there was one particular creature who was extremely fond of this fact. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I got to see an actual golden castle before I returned to the Spirit World. Kieee¡­ This humble spirit can finally return to the Spirit World without any regrets.¡± The spirit imitated an old man, even going as far as to create wrinkles on its face using waves. However, her words were true. The walls and spires of the castle were created from a special stone material of some kingdom, and they sparkled brilliant gold during sunrise and sunset as if they were built with real gold. ¡°Do you like it that much?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Obviously! We finally have our own castle! Well, it¡¯s kind of unfortunate that we don¡¯t have any guardians like in a real demon king¡¯s castle, but it¡¯s fine since we have lots of slaves and servants! None of my seniors¡¯ contractors have made it as far as you, sir! Kihehehehe!¡± Mirian responded with glee. Eugene felt satisfied when he saw Mirian¡¯s wide grin. It felt like only yesterday when he lived in a shabby cottage drinking the blood of animals. He couldn¡¯t believe that such a large, glamorous castle belonged to him. However, he couldn¡¯t be satisfied just because he had a castle and had become a king. He had something much more important to take care of. ¡°Sir Eugene! No, Your Majesty!¡± Prince Localope came rushing along with his entourage. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°S-something¡¯s up!¡± Prince Localope shouted with a pale expression. ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene was puzzled. Prince Localope continued, ¡°M-my brother is coming with the envoy from the empire! Brother Voltaire is coming!¡± ¡°Voltaire?¡± Eugene asked. Although he had an approximate guess of Localope¡¯s issues with his family, Eugene had never actually learned about his family history. ¡°¡­The crown prince of the empire.¡± Eugene could not help but be stunned. The crown prince was the next emperor of the Roman Empire, so why was such a hegemon coming here? However, Prince Localope¡¯s following words were even more shocking. ¡°B-brother Voltaire has a Marecasio by his side. A daywalker, a vampire lord just like yourself.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± A vampire lord. Judging by Localope¡¯s attitude, it couldn¡¯t have been a lord of a vampire clan. That meant¡­ ¡°There is a strong possibility that the head of the Helmond Clan will be with him. What should we do about this?¡± The Silver-Browed Demon King¡ªEugene was sure that Prince Localope was talking about him. ¡°Will he be the only one?¡± Eugene asked, recalling the three vampires he had seen in his memories. His memories were becoming clearer and clearer every time a tattoo was erased. ¡°Well¡­ he might be accompanied by someone else as well because he¡¯s the head of his clan,¡± Localope answered. ¡°Someone else? Another vampire? Is he strong as well? Are they someone I should be wary of?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Most likely. And it¡¯s not him¡­ it¡¯s her,¡± Prince Localope said in a wistful voice. Eugene paid more attention to the word ¡®her¡¯ rather than the prince¡¯s tone. ¡°A female vampire? Who is it?¡± Eugene asked. Prince Localope bit his lips before he spoke in a voice containing a strong sense of loss, ¡°Lefersha. It¡¯s Lefersha Ram Ventrua.¡± Crack! The moment Eugene heard her name, the sound of something breaking resounded in his head. *** ¡°So you want me to come with you?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? There¡¯s news that a member of the Dark Clan is by Localope¡¯s side. We need to find out who they are,¡± Prince Voltaire spoke while parting his lips from a golden grail. Dozens of young, beautiful slaves were attending to him, but none of them dared to raise their heads. It wasn¡¯t just because of his status as the crown prince. Rather, it was due to the mysterious energy Voltaire radiated. The crown prince of the Roman Empire possessed brilliant silver hair and bright golden eyes, and the golden blood that flowed in his veins¡ªthe same blood that was mentioned so often¡ªwas actually the glorious blood of a ¡®dragon.¡¯ Therefore, ordinary people couldn¡¯t help but prostrate themselves when they were in the presence of a direct descendant of the Roman Empire¡ªone who possessed the glorious golden blood. Of course, it was possible for them to hide their bloodline ability, but most direct descendants wouldn¡¯t do so unless there was a special reason. People would bow to them with nothing but a gaze, so why would they give up such a privilege? Among those who possessed the glorious golden blood, the crown prince possessed the most power, second only to the emperor. However, there were a select few who would never shrink in front of the crown prince. An example was the woman with flaming red hair standing opposite Voltaire. ¡°Do I have to? I heard Helmond is going, right? If you want, I¡¯ll send some of my subordinates. I¡¯m busy,¡± the woman said. Voltaire looked calm, even though the woman had just refused his request and had spoken informally. It was because a mature charm and the innocence of a young girl coexisted in the woman. He didn¡¯t mind someone like her. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Come with me. And he might be of your descent, Ventrua. They seemed to have built quite a reputation in the Caylor Kingdom, so it won¡¯t hurt to have them under you. You need to escape from your father¡¯s shadow after all, right?¡± said the Crown Prince. Fwoosh! Crimson Fear suddenly emanated from her body. ¡°Hieek!¡± The horrible fear affected the slaves, even though they had their heads bowed. They whined while putting their heads against the floor. However, Voltaire was still calm thanks to the dragon¡¯s golden blood flowing in his veins. ¡°I warned you, didn¡¯t I? Don¡¯t ever bring that up,¡± Ventrua said. ¡°I apologize. It was my mistake,¡± Voltaire responded. The Crown Prince was born with a right to be shameless and uncaring, but he still apologized. However, she still glared at him with her crimson eyes. Voltaire felt goosebumps rising on his forearms. ¡®You¡¯re not even a hundred years old, but you¡¯ve managed to stimulate the golden blood. Just as I thought, it was a good idea to get her. You must live for my descendants and for me forever, even after my reign ends.¡¯ Voltaire¡¯s eyes quivered. However, it was due to his greed for the vampire¡¯s power, rather than the fact that he had recoiled at a force as strong as the dragon¡¯s blood. ¡°I ask you one more time, Lefersha. If you do me this favor, I will make you the beautiful, red queen of this great empire,¡± Voltaire offered. She was an Origin with a life that might last forever. If he could have her by his side, the empire and his name would live on forever. That was why he had taken her away from Localope. 1. The word that¡¯s being used to describe the new ¡®Kingdom¡¯ is actually not the word ¡®kingdom¡¯ in Korean. Instead, they are using the word ¡®??¡¯ which is defined as a small kingdom ruled by not a king, but rather a duke. Hence, I¡¯ve just decided to call it the Dukedom of Maren and leave Eugene¡¯s title as a duke ? CH 221 Maren became a dukedom. However, a simple declaration did not turn it into an actual nation overnight. In particular, small countries such as dukedoms and countdoms needed the recognition of powerful nations. If they did not incorporate themselves into the order created by the powerful countries, they would come to face all sorts of obstacles and difficulties. It was especially true for commercial cities like Maren. The recognition of powerful countries was essential for them to continue maintaining good relations with the cities and territories they were trading with. As such, dozens of invitations bearing the seal of the parliament and the governor-general, as well as King Eugene, departed for various countries. Since it would take nearly two months for the invitation to reach the Holy Empire, which was located the farthest from Maren, it was decided that the formal coronation of the king and the declaration of the dukedom would be held in six months. ¡°In the meantime, we must complete the construction of the royal castle! Gather all the workers you can and put them to work! What? Not enough people? Use the money! Hire more people with money!¡± Maren was a hub for the materials and monster by-products gathered from as many as twelve evil lands. As such, the city was literally overflowing with money. Moreover, the production, processing, and sale of refined mana stones and monster by-products were all carried out in Maren. The city¡¯s profit was overwhelmingly larger compared to other territories where only production was carried out in their territories. The people of Maren knew better than anyone else that simply holding onto wealth was poisonous. - Earn like a dog; spend like a great lord! The people of Maren invested in all areas, and no one held back when it came to the required expenditures. With such a healthy circulation of blood, it was only natural for people to flock to the city. Tens of thousands of people came from Brantia, the Carls Baggins Peninsula, and even from the inland of the Caylor Kingdom. Foreign nobles, merchants, and mercenaries also rushed to the city after hearing rumors of the country¡¯s founding and smelling money to be made. Naturally, there were quite a few different races among the newcomers. Maren had literally become a melting pot of different races and nationalities. However, confusion and disorder were inevitable with the sudden gathering of wealth and people in large numbers. Of course, most problems were resolved by Maren¡¯s defense forces, which consisted of some knights and mercenaries, but there were bound to be limitations. In fact, there were so many more unreasonable people in the world than anyone could imagine. *** Boom! ¡°I, Rottoler of Faradon, challenge Sir Eugene Batla to a duel!¡± A knight shouted boisterously while driving his Warhammer to the ground. His weapon appeared to be at least twenty kilograms in weight, and he stood in front of the royal castle, which was still under construction. ¡°What a crazy bastard.¡± ¡°What did he just say to His Majesty?¡± The mercenaries temporarily guarding the castle were outraged, but no one ran out. It was only natural because there were about ten knights with brutal impressions armed with plate armor standing behind the challenger. If heavily armed knights were determined to make a mess, the mercenaries would never be able to stop them. ¡°Alert His Majesty right now!¡± One of the mercenaries shouted while rushing to the inner castle. Meanwhile, Rottoler Faradon continued to howl in front of the gate. ¡°If you are an honorable knight, accept my challenge! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re scared and avoiding the challenge?!¡± Hahahaha! The knights with him burst into laughter, and Faradon shouted with even more vigor. ¡°The King of Maren? How dare you call yourself a king?! Today, I will show you what a true king is! Maren will have to bow before its true king today!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The mercenaries took on bizarre expressions. The knight Faradon was clearly just a land grabber. Land grabbers were a collection of free knights who traveled in groups to rob weaker territories. Of course, most territories were ruled by lords with relationships to neighboring and nearby nobles, so they couldn¡¯t act recklessly against them. If they messed with the wrong person, they could easily make an enemy out of the entire noble society. As such, land grabbers normally traveled around the countryside and looked for easy territories to rob. Considering that, they were the type of people who shouldn¡¯t even dream of taking a large city like Maren. Even so, the knight named Faradon was commenting on the new king of Maren. There could only be one reason for his brazen actions. ¡®Judging by his accent, he seems like a foreign knight. It¡¯s clear that he doesn¡¯t know His Majesty very well.¡¯ It was just as the mercenaries had guessed. The knight Faradon and those with him were from another kingdom. They had come to Maren after hearing a rumor that the port city had suddenly become richer, as well as a rumor that a knight had become its king. Moreover, rumor had it that the knight had become the city¡¯s king because of his outstanding ¡®achievements.¡¯ - Huh? Doesn¡¯t that mean I could do that as well? The pompous knights lived and died by the sword, so they couldn¡¯t help but have such ridiculous thoughts. ¡°What? Killed a twin-headed ogre? Not one, but two?¡± ¡°And I heard he converted one of them? At least his bluffs are worthy of a king.¡± Hahaha! The mercenaries decided to no longer put up with the mockery of the knights. Even if they were weaker than the knights, they were confident when it came to fighting with words. ¡°Hey, you, little bastards! Sir Eugene isn¡¯t someone who only knows how to fight with words like your worthless selves!¡± ¡°Where do you think you are, you foreign, hillbilly punks! Little bastards, crowding like a bunch of babies and babbling with your mouths! Even if I dunked all of you in Maren¡¯s sea, I bet your mouths will still continue to spew sh*t!¡± ¡°Ogre? You lot would piss your pants and run with your tail between your legs if you ever came to face a goblin! All of you are just all bark and no bite!¡± ¡°Be careful not to leave your adorable little balls behind!¡± ¡°Do they even have balls to leave behind? Looking at their wee-faces, it looks like they¡¯ve already lost both balls.¡± ¡°If they still have those, It¡¯ll be delicious treats for the goblins!¡± Uhahahahahahaha! The mercenaries burst into laughter, and the faces of the knights flushed red. ¡°You lowly bastards dare!¡± ¡°LowLY bAsTaRdS dArE~?¡± ¡°Uagh! Shut your mouth!¡± ¡°sHuT YoUr MoUtH~!¡± ¡°Argggh!¡± ¡°Ar¡­ Huh?¡± The mercenaries once again started to repeat the knight¡¯s words mockingly, then stopped. Faradon had suddenly rushed forward before smashing the castle gate with his Warhammer. Boooom! Boom! ¡°Come out! Come out, you little bastards!¡± ¡°You vulgar little pests! I will kill you all!¡± The knights were completely infuriated. Knights were prideful individuals, regardless of their nationality and race, and these particular knights were filled with high expectations of getting ahead in a foreign country. They could not possibly take insults from mercenaries sitting down, especially when they looked down on mercenaries. Boom! Booooom! Booom! The knights all rushed up to the gate and started pounding the gate with their battleaxes and hammers. ¡°S-should we shoot them?¡± one of the mercenaries asked while pointing a crossbow at the knights. One of his colleagues roared, ¡°Are you crazy? How many precious guests do you think are in the city right now?¡± ¡°We must avoid armed conflict at all if possible!¡± The city was in a precarious situation, which meant they had to make the best impression on other territories and countries. As such, they could not rush to retaliate against the knights. ¡°Unpleasant. What is this ruckus?¡± A unique, resonant voice was heard from behind the mercenaries. ¡°Ah! Sir Lilisain!¡± ¡°Eland¡¯s princess!¡± ¡°Sirs!¡± The expressions of the mercenaries glowed at the appearance of Princess Lilisain and the elven knights. It was widely known that she was Eugene¡¯s partner, although Eugene and Princess Lilisain had no idea that people had already regarded them as such. ¡°What are they doing right now?¡± Princess Lilisain asked as she stared down at the knights with cold eyes. The knights were still smashing their blunt weapons against the castle gate. ¡°Well, so¡­¡± the mercenaries quickly explained the situation. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying they came to challenge His Majesty the King?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. ¡°Yes, yes. The knight who issued the challenge is the one holding the biggest Warhammer. Faradon Rot-¡­something,¡± one of the mercenaries quickly answered. The mercenaries were clearly bewitched by the ethereal beauty of their king¡¯s partner. ¡°Ability to judge himself is inadequate. However, I highly value his courage,¡± Princess Lilisain muttered with a smile. ¡°¡­What?¡± The mercenaries were rather bewildered by her words. Princess Lilisain continued, ¡°A knight should always treasure their aspirations. In that sense, those people could truly be called knights.¡± ¡°Well, Princess. Even if that¡¯s the case, I think the gate will be destroyed soon,¡± one of the mercenaries commented. ¡°It¡¯s Sir¡­¡± the princess corrected him. ¡°Ah, s-sir. Anyway, the castle gate¡­¡± Shing. Princess Lilisain unsheathed her blade. Before she was a princess, she was a knight. ¡°I will protect His Majesty¡¯s property,¡± Princess Lilisain announced. Her eyes glistened with fighting spirit at the thought of fighting properly after a long while. However¡­ ¡°Kieeeeeeehkkkkkk!!!¡± Something blue came flying over the wall while screaming desperately. ¡°How much do you think this is worth?! My castle¡­ my castle gate! Kieeeeh!¡± The spirit collapsed on the spot like a soldier who had lost their country. However, the mercenaries cheered when they saw the spirit. ¡°The golden spirit!¡± ¡°His Majesty is here!¡± No one referred to Mirian as the spirit of water anymore. No, rather, there were only a few people who knew that Mirian was actually a spirit of water. Anyway, Eugene, the contractor of the golden spirit, had finally arrived armed with plate armor engraved with beautiful spirals. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Everyone bowed their heads, and Eugene looked down at the entrance of the castle gate with apathetic eyes. ¡°Is it them?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please give me a chance,¡± Princess Lilisain was the first to come forward. The other elven knights also placed their hands on the handle of their swords as they prepared to jump off to face Faradon and the opposing knights at any time. ¡®Kyah! How reassuring.¡¯ The mercenaries had no doubt that Princess Lilisain and the elven knights would take care of the disturbance. It was a matter of course. Eugene was the supreme leader of the Dukedom of Maren¡ªits king. He had no reason to scuffle with such small fries. They were in entirely different realms. ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it,¡± Eugene suddenly said. ¡°What?¡± The mercenaries became wide-eyed with shock. Eugene proceeded to jump off the castle. Boom! ¡°What?!¡± Faradon and the other knights were greatly shocked when they saw Eugene jump from more than a height of ten meters. They were shocked that Eugene had jumped from such a height, but they were also surprised by the unusual aura coming from his armor. ¡®An armor containing mysteries?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s an artifact!¡¯ However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it. An obsidian spear was hanging from Eugene¡¯s back, his left gauntlet was twice as thick as his right, and his sheathed sword emitted an incredible, mysterious energy. Faradon and his knights instinctively noticed that Eugene was completely different from any other knights they had seen until now. ¡°I am Jan Eugene Batla. You want to challenge me?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s right. I, Rottoler of Faradon, am issuing an honorable challenge,¡± Faradon responded, feeling both an instinctive danger and greed for Eugene¡¯s equipment. Eugene glanced at Faradon before looking over the other knights, who had greedy expressions as well. ¡°And the rest? Are all of you here to challenge me, sirs?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­!¡± The knights flinched before sharing a gaze and nodding their heads. ¡°Just as I heard, you are a man who knows honor.¡± ¡°If you give me the chance, I will gladly try!¡± The knights raised their voices. Faradon became startled by his colleagues¡¯ response and raised his voice in turn, ¡°No, sirs! What do you mean? I was the first to¡­¡± ¡°You just have to win, right?¡± ¡°If Sir Faradon loses, should we just return? That¡¯s completely ridiculous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± the knights shouted in unison as if to prove that they were nothing more than a group of mediocre knights. Such was the reason why most land grabbers had never met happy ends. A mercenary group had a definite leader, but land robbers consisted of nothing but proud, individualistic knights. As such, most land robbers ended up killing each other due to internal strife. ¡®Dammit¡­¡¯ Faradon was flustered, but he quickly composed himself and stared at Eugene. Eugene¡¯s armor was of the highest quality, and the air surrounding him was quite decent, but that didn¡¯t mean he possessed equivalent skill as well. In addition, the rumored achievements and performances were absolutely ridiculous. Faradon might have believed it to some extent if it wasn¡¯t so exaggerated, but Eugene''s stories were practically myths or legends. ¡®How could that possibly be true?!¡¯ This was why Faradon was confident. There wouldn¡¯t be much to the knight himself. In fact, he thought that was probably why the rumors were so exaggerated¡ªthey existed to hide Eugene¡¯s inability. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get started. The witnesses will be the sirs who came with me¡­¡± Faradon declared. Eugene interrupted him, ¡°Witnesses? No, they¡¯re challengers.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene continued, ¡°And since I don¡¯t have time, all of you can come at me at once.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Shing! Eugene drew both Wolfslaughter and Madarazika before speaking softly, ¡°Naturally, I won¡¯t demand ransom from you all. I don¡¯t need it anymore.¡± He had more than enough money. Moreover, he would continue to make more money in the future. However, an opportunity like this wasn¡¯t common. ¡®It¡¯s because this damn armor needs so much blood.¡¯ The armor absorbed only the blood produced in battle and war as if it was trying to prove its identity as a demonic armor. Eugene was forcibly suppressing the armor¡¯s greed with his authority as an Origin, but he felt as if he would soon reach a limit. As such, he had been planning to depart for an evil land sooner or later. However, a perfect opportunity had found him before that, and there was no reason for him to refuse. Moreover¡­ ¡®I¡¯m sure there are more people who will try and test the waters like this. I have to take care of them right about now.¡¯ The governor of Maren and the parliament did not bother him, as promised. However, those from far lands were different. They were always trying their best to obtain ¡®something¡¯ from him by provocation. It was also possible that Faradon and his goons had received a request from such a person. ¡®I should let them know then.¡¯ And he planned to do it properly¡­ He was sure the parliament would freak out, but it was none of his business. Had he not become their king so they could take care of such issues? This was a warning. There were foreign nobles and knights who had come to probe the city and the parliament. The other Origin would arrive sooner or later as well with the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire. As such, this would serve as a bloody warning to them. CH 222 Did they hear him correctly? Faradon and the other knights stared at Eugene as if they couldn¡¯t believe their ears. However, their faces started to slowly turn red. Eugene¡¯s nonchalant comment was on another level compared to the rude comments of the ignorant mercenaries. Even though Faradon and his fellow knights were arrogant, they were still knights. As such, they treated Eugene politely and with respect, at least on the surface, and they expected to be treated in accordance with the honor they had shown. However, they were greeted with an insult so terrible it caused all of their hair to stand on end. Warhammer, longsword, battleaxe, mace¡­ The eleven knights raised their respective weapons, and the atmosphere immediately turned fierce. The mercenaries had experienced countless battles where their lives had been on the line, but even they could not help but feel intimidated by the sudden change in the atmosphere. However, Eugene merely glanced at the knights with a blank expression. ¡°You were the one to mention a life and death battle, so please don¡¯t resent us afterward.¡± ¡®It¡¯s just as I expected. Knights sure are easy to handle.¡¯ Eugene had to suppress a laugh. He couldn¡¯t believe that they fell into such an obvious provocation. He then replied, ¡°The same goes for me. Don¡¯t blame me for whatever happens to you. Well, of course¡­¡± Eugene loaded Madarazika on his spear thrower before continuing with a grin, ¡°The dead would have no complaints.¡± Huaaagh! Faradon and three knights rushed forward with anger as soon as Eugene was done speaking. Simultaneously, Eugene¡¯s arm blurred. Fwoosh! Madarazika left the spear thrower and shot toward Faradon as a beam of light. Then, along with a dull sound, the spear shot straight through Faradon¡¯s chest plate and pierced his heart. Faradon had been completely unaware of Madarazika¡¯s identity, and he died before he could even scream. Craaack! Madarazika continued forward after leaving a fist-sized hole in Faradon¡¯s chest, and then it drilled through two more knights standing behind him before becoming lodged into the side of a large crane. ¡°¡­?!¡± The shocking sight caused the other knights to immediately stop in their tracks. What the hell? What was that? Was this really happening? However, the moment¡¯s hesitation decided their fate. Shuack! Several silver lights flashed, leaving only their trails as the gaps in the knights¡¯ helmets and their sides were pierced. The knights collapsed on the spot like bundles of straw after having their brains and hearts decimated by Wolfslaughter, which was laden with Eugene¡¯s Fear. Less than five seconds had passed since Madarazika left the spear thrower, and in such a short period of time, more than ten knights were killed. ¡°¡­!!!¡± The mercenaries were stunned speechless as they watched Eugene shake the blood and flesh off of his weapons. Most of them had seen Eugene battle at least once or twice, but the sight that had unfolded just now had been simply overwhelming. It wasn¡¯t something they even thought was humanly possible. ¡°T-the god of war¡­¡± one of the mercenaries muttered. His words perfectly defined the mercenaries¡¯ perception of Eugene. The King of Maren was truly the god of war. *** The story of the bloody, one-sided slaughter quickly spread out throughout the entire City of Maren. The people of the city cheered at the fact that more than ten foreign knights had been butchered by Eugene before they could even properly swing their swords. No one from Maren prayed for the souls of those foolish and frivolous enough to declare their intention to take over the city¡¯s throne. ¡°His Majesty Eugene is the pride of Maren!¡± ¡°Did they really think that he forced us into submission and became the dukedom¡¯s king on his own? The citizens of Maren¡¯s god-given will chose to enthrone Sir Eugene as king!¡± Everyone in Maren knew why Eugene became their king. The various guilds of the city had used their capital to lay the groundwork for Eugene¡¯s enthronement with the merchant guild at the center. Moreover, Eugene had also proven his worth after a long time. - Although the city has now become a dukedom, its citizens can continue their original ways of life. I will protect the pride and guarantee the safety of the dukedom as its sword and protector. Eugene had made such a promise, and his promise was the reason the citizens willingly accepted him as their king. And now, he was keeping his promise to the people. The citizens cheered with delight, but not everyone shared in their joy. In particular, the foreign merchants and nobles were alarmed by the event. ¡°He didn¡¯t subdue them, but he killed them outright?¡± ¡°Is it because he didn¡¯t need their ransom? Well, he does have enormous wealth, so I can see why he wouldn¡¯t need ransom. But even so¡­ he shouldn¡¯t have done such a thing out of consideration for the opponents¡¯ honor, right?¡± ¡°But weren¡¯t they saying that they would defeat the king and become the new king? They said those words in front of the king, no less. They shouldn¡¯t have any complaints even if they were killed.¡± ¡°Well, even so, this is¡­¡± The reactions of the foreigners were divided. While some people called it rightful retribution, others believed that the head of the state, who was also a great noble, had neglected a longstanding custom. In the noble society, killing an opponent without good reason was basically a disgraceful and foolish act of making unnecessary enemies. But even though the reactions of the foreigners were divided, each and every one of them had agreed on one thing. ¡®If we mess with him, we¡¯ll be fucked.¡¯ Aside from the fact that Maren¡¯s king might be an eminent vampire, the fact that he had shown no mercy to those who had challenged him was quite significant. As a matter of course, there was a significant reduction in the number of people running rampant in pubs and inns located in Maren following the incident. Of course, the king wouldn¡¯t personally enforce the law in every nook and cranny of the city, but there was nothing wrong with being extra cautious. In addition, most of those who had furtively belittled Eugene or had inquired about him in an attempt to make direct connections with Eugene without fear had disappeared. Most of them hadn¡¯t believed in Eugene¡¯s achievements, or they simply wanted to make use of him, so the change was only natural. It was to the point where a portion of foreigners packed their bags and returned home because of the sins they had almost committed. The governor-general and the parliament were greatly taken aback by the incident, as they desired to expand their influence through the establishment of the new nation. However, they were fully satisfied after only a few days. It was because foreign nobles and merchants began to approach the parliament more actively compared to before. ¡°His Majesty had a plan all along.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not Maren¡¯s god of wealth for nothing. Hahahaha!¡± The King of Maren was the god of war for those who lived by the blade, as well as the god of wealth for those who lived to make money. Of course, that was the case only in Maren. Eugene was known as the god of misfortune elsewhere, especially in the royal castle of the Caylor Kingdom. *** ¡°Only Sir Jebio could be the new king! Who else could succeed the throne but the one who has the blood of the previous king and is the eighth in line to the throne?¡± ¡°Sir Jebio¡¯s in-laws are involved in treason. Please say something that makes even the tiniest bit of sense. The only person who is suitable to sit on the throne is Sir Felione.¡± ¡°You want to make a six-year-old boy king? Why don¡¯t you just announce to the world that you¡¯ll be the proxy?¡± ¡°How impolite! Take back your words!¡± ¡°And why should I? Why? A mere baron from the countryside is talking nonsense! You should even be thankful that I managed to stop myself from cursing.¡± ¡°What did you say, old man?!¡± ¡°Ehem! Sirs! God is watching this place right now! Are you not afraid of divine retribution? The new king should have a perfect balance of honor and faith, unlike you all who lack in faith¡­¡± It was a mix of traditional nobles of the royal castle, a group of noble knights following Count Hatres, the noble union following Count Winslon, and the holy knights. The nobles of the Caylor Kingdom were divided into four factions as they argued and squabbled with each other. Some figures were even beginning to grab each other by the collar as their disagreement became increasingly heated. ¡°¡­¡± Count Winslon was forced to close his eyes. He couldn¡¯t possibly take this to be a meeting between honorable nobles. Rather, it was closer to a chaotic marketplace where people bellowed to haggle down the prices of items. He couldn¡¯t believe that they were stuck in such a predicament when they had to enthrone a new king and fix the internal affairs of the nation as soon as possible. ¡®Is this the fate of the country¡­? Are we done for?¡¯ Only hopeless thoughts filled Count Winslon¡¯s mind. However, he couldn¡¯t afford to think such thoughts as a great noble of the kingdom. As such, he quickly wiped the despondent thoughts off of his mind. He coincidentally met Count Hatres¡¯ gaze. Judging by the man¡¯s red face, it appeared Count Hatres was quite angry as well. However, it was impossible for Count Hatres to fix the current mess, just as it was impossible for him to do it. The reason was simple. As soon as either of the two attempted to take the initiative, the other three factions would unite against them. Such a fate would only lead to an inevitable result. ¡®Another civil war. One must be annihilated, or maybe both, for the war to end¡­¡¯ Such was the reason why the two counts could do nothing else than simply watch the situation unfold. And just like Count Winslon, Count Hatres had come to a realization. He had figured out the one responsible for creating this mess. ¡°Jan Eugene¡­¡± Count Winslon muttered with a complex expression. Eugene was definitely a benefactor of the kingdom and a hero who had saved the capital and the royal castle. The capital would have been reduced to ruins, and the kingdom would have been torn apart if not for his presence. Moreover, it was Eugene who managed to unite the figures of the royal castle with the imperial prince of the Roman Empire at the forefront when the royal castle was thrown into turmoil due to the cardinal¡¯s assassination of the king. Although it had been entirely possible for him to have taken the initiative, he had relied on his unbelievable self-control and the noblest of honor to restrain himself to avoid any misunderstanding. In other words, Jan Eugene was not just a simple hero, but he was almost like a saint. Neither Count Winslon nor Count Hatres had any disagreement regarding this fact. However¡­ ¡®That¡¯s exactly the problem!¡¯ Jan Eugene was a hero of the kingdom, and he had thoroughly remained a spectator in the nation¡¯s affairs afterward. Similarly, the imperial prince of the Roman Empire had held up the fort as an observer rather than a participant. However, the shadows that the two people had left behind were much too deep and widespread. ¡®Was it intentional?¡¯ Count Winslon felt wronged and riled up when he thought that far, but he couldn¡¯t blame Eugene. In any case, Eugene had remained loyal and had even sent hundreds of mercenaries and an outstanding knight by the name of Edmund to help him. ¡®They say that the god of misfortune comes and goes without making any sound¡­ They weren¡¯t wrong.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t important whether the current situation was Eugene¡¯s intention or not. The important thing was to somehow sort out the mess and move on. The City of Maren had declared itself a dukedom, and Essandra, the margrave of the Carls Baggins Peninsula, was showing unusual movements as well. It was obvious that the rate at which local lords deserted would only accelerate as the stalemate continued. However, the most worrisome thing was¡­ ¡®The neighboring countries, especially the Roman Empire. They won¡¯t stand idle and just watch the current situation unfold.¡¯ Count Winslon felt a chill run down his spine. He shook his head vigorously and raised his head. As an honorable knight of the kingdom, he was determined to¡­ ¡°If it¡¯s not Sir Jebio¡­!¡± ¡°Only Sir Felione possesses the justification for¡­!¡± ¡°As Prince Localope advised, we must hurry and consider a new candidate to¡­!¡± ¡°Dear god!¡± Count Winslon was forced to close his eyes once again. He was completely ignorant as to when the chaotic banquet would end. *** ¡°Evil land subjugation?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I am planning to participate in subjugations, especially in evil lands where intermediate and high-ranking monsters have never been killed,¡± Eugene responded while scratching his ear. It felt itchy for some reason. He then continued, ¡°Many of the territories are currently in disarray, right? I think it would serve well to console the lords of the territories before the enthronement ceremony. We could also get an idea of the territories¡¯ security while resolving the problem of the unidentified areas in the evil lands as well.¡± Plus, he could gather enough blood to satisfy the demonic armor and erase some more of his tattoos. However, the governor was unaware of Eugene¡¯s inner thoughts. As such, he was moved to tears. ¡°I cannot believe how considerate you are of the dukedom and its people. It is the greatest blessing of Maren to have the opportunity to serve Your Majesty,¡± the governor said. ¡°Not at all. Anyway, Eland¡¯s knights and I will be sufficient for this mission. Oh, and this round of subjugations¡ª¡± Eugene said. The governor received and continued Eugene¡¯s words with a sly smile, ¡±The mana stones and by-products produced from the subjugations will be considered the property of the royal family, of course, after deducting the share of the territories. Naturally, it will be exempt from taxes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m lucky to have someone as competent as you as the governor,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°You have taken the words right out of my mouth, Your Majesty,¡± the governor responded. Eugene and the governor could now even finish each other¡¯s sentences. The two shared a meaningful gaze while chuckling. ¡°Oh, right. By the way, where do you intend to go first? We will have to let them know in advance so that they won¡¯t panic,¡± the governor asked while standing up. Eugene answered without hesitation, ¡°The Tywin territory.¡± Tywin was the family of his first aide and the starting point of his adventures. Eugene intended to explore every nook and cranny of the Tywin territory¡¯s dungeon. In addition¡­ ¡®The Village of Broadwin. There¡¯s definitely some kind of evidence there.¡¯ It was strange no matter how many times he thought about it. How could there have been a monster with a red mana stone living in the pond of that small village? In addition, spirits were known to hide even at the slightest hint of human presence. How could there have been a strange, or rather, a unique spirit who just happened to reside in the pond? The stage was just too perfect¡ªas if someone had deliberately planned it. CH 223 ¡°Sir! Why are you leaving me out of the subjugation?¡± Prince Localope asked. ¡°I should be the one asking you a question. Why would a prince want to participate in an evil land subjugation?¡± Eugene responded. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Prince Localope stuttered. ¡®It¡¯s because I want to see a knight I admire fight against monsters!¡¯ It was something he could never say as an imperial prince. He was already extremely disappointed to have missed the battle between Eugene and the undead twin-headed ogre in the capital, as well as the 11-to-1 duel that had recently taken place in front of the castle¡¯s gate. It was an honorable thing to work with an unparalleled knight who would surely go down in history, but what was the point if he could never see the knight at work?! Indeed, Prince Localope was an enthusiastic follower of the knight Jan Eugene. However, he did not want to reveal the truth to Eugene. ¡®There is a saying that a hidden virtue is a true virtue. It is the same with my expectations of him. I am being virtuous by not revealing myself.¡¯ Prince Localope justified his actions with a ridiculous reason. Of course, Eugene had no idea how Prince Localope viewed himself. ¡°It will be better for you to stay here and show your face in the city hall from time to time and get acquainted with the nobles. You had only just resumed your true identity,¡± Eugene said. As he said, Localope was no longer pretending to be a servant, and as such, he was dressed appropriately as a prince. He wore a headband of pure gold embedded with precise, beautiful jewels and a necklace weaved with the finest of refined mana stones. In addition, he even had a ring containing the seal of the imperial family. Prince Localope was overflowing with nobility and dignity in appearance. Moreover, he adorned a simple piece of armor made of ogre leather and enchanted with magic inside his elegant, sophisticated clothing. The piece of equipment was a treasure that protected its wearer from most physical attacks. Regular weapons could not even leave a scratch on the treasure¡¯s surface. In other words¡­ ¡°It¡¯s an explosion of awesomeness when money and magic come together! As expected! A truly wealthy man gives off a different vibe. It¡¯s just like how I, King God General, radiate overwhelming force by simply breathing. Kihehe!¡± Mirian exclaimed. Eugene commented, ¡°Lilisain. Put a stop to the barking.¡± ¡°Honor! Fuwah, hwah!¡± Princess Lilisain responded as her breaths turned heated and ragged with excitement. The duke was implying that she could deal with the spirit as she wanted. It was a rare opportunity for her to gratify her desires freely. ¡°Come here, come! Good girl, right? Come over here!¡± ¡°Kieeeehhh!¡± The spirit started screaming as she lay on top of a tower of a fairly large, ornamental castle made of gold. Of course, it was actually only plated with gold. Eugene continued while listening to the spirit¡¯s desperate screams, ¡°Your Highness. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to be satisfied with just the nobles of the kingdom¡¯s royal castle?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Prince Localope asked. How could the prince be so dense? Eugene had to suppress a sigh from escaping between his lips. He then explained, ¡°Nobles and merchants from various kingdoms have come due to the founding of the Dukedom of Maren. I¡¯m sure some of them already have relationships with the imperial family of the Roman Empire, but there are sure to be a great number of them who do not. And what is it that you need the most right now? Is it not connections and influence?¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Prince Localope exclaimed. ¡°This is your opportunity to achieve all that you wanted without spending a penny, so what is this talk about coming with us on subjugations? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to build relationships and connections with monsters¡­¡± Eugene said. ¡°But the protagonist of the event is the City of Maren and you, sir, rather than me¡­¡± Prince Localope muttered. ¡°There are a great number of people who are eager to meet Your Highness. They¡¯re only staying quiet because they fear me. But what will happen when I¡¯m absent? You will only need to take your pick,¡± Eugen responded. ¡°¡­¡± Localope¡¯s eyes quivered. Eugene continued in a quiet voice, ¡°And everyone knows the relationship we share. Even if there are those who want to build a relationship with me, they will surely approach Your Highness first. Isn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity to establish connections with prestigious nobles from afar? This is your chance to grow your influence and presence.¡± ¡°S-sir Eugene. To think you would go that far for me¡­ Keugh!¡± Prince Localope said with teary eyes. He appeared quite moved. It was only natural for him to feel this way when someone he admired deeply was taking care of him to this extent. ¡°My heart trembles. It has been my greatest fortune to have met you, sir,¡± Prince Localope said. His gaze was overflowing with heat and emotions as he stared at Eugene. ¡°¡­It¡¯s embarrassing, so let¡¯s stop it there,¡± Eugene responded while sneakily avoiding the prince¡¯s gaze. ¡®As if it¡¯s for you¡­¡¯ In truth, he was just lazy. He found the babbling prince to be annoying and the foreign nobles even more annoying than the former. He could see straight through the ulterior motives of the foreign nobles and how they only wanted to make connections with him. In part, that was what caused him to plan the evil land subjugations. If he left Localope behind in Maren, he would be liberated from everything bothering him, and he could be proud in front of the parliament and the governor. They would take the next best thing in Eugene¡¯s absence, and it was highly likely that everyone¡¯s attention would turn to Localope, an imperial prince of the Roman Empire. The governor and the parliament would be relieved that there would be no diplomatic vacuum in the king¡¯s absence, the foreign nobles would also be glad to satisfy their vanity, and Localope could make lots of connections and expand his influence. ¡®While I¡¯m happy to avoid the cumbersome work!¡¯ Who cared if Eugene was hiding his true intentions? Everyone would benefit, anyway. ¡°This opportunity that you have created for me, I will do my best to take advantage of it. From the bottom of my heart¡­ Thank you,¡± Prince Localope said. The prince¡¯s passionate gaze reminded Eugene of Princess Lilisain, and it felt slightly burdensome. *** Eugene quietly departed from Maren with only Princess Lilisain and the elven knights. The governor and the parliament wanted Eugene to be accompanied by a proper delegation, as it was his first trip as the dukedom¡¯s leader. Even regular lords mobilized dozens of people when they left to inspect their own territories. The governor and the parliament reasoned that it would be damaging to Eugene¡¯s reputation and dignity as a king if he were accompanied by fewer troops than even regular lords. Their reasoning was valid, but Eugene rejected their offer, saying that he wanted an exact, proper understanding of the dukedom¡¯s current situation. It was naturally a lie. He couldn¡¯t even imagine how much the lords would annoy him if he brought with him dozens of followers and servants. Moreover, he was certain they would hold banquets and invite numerous nobles to them. Since he was a king, he could not reject such invitations, and he had no doubt it would take more than a month before he could finally get to the Tywin territory. As such, Eugene departed for the Tywin territory without any slaves or porters. There were only eight figures in his group. Although an actual king, who was also a prestigious vampire nobleman, and an elven princess were traveling, they lived like mercenaries or free knights. The elven knights of Eland were accustomed to taking care of various chores, as they rarely took on aides except for a few special cases. Princess Lilisain felt no discomfort either. Ever since she was young, she had roamed around by herself and had always been beating up monsters on her own. On the contrary, she was very satisfied that she could monopolize Eugene during their travel without anyone disturbing them. ¡°Your Majesty. There is a fallen tree in our path. I will go and clean it up.¡± ¡°No, I think we can just jump over¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty. Anemia is a great enemy of the Dark Clan. Please drink my blood whenever you need it. I am willing to donate my blood at any time for Your Majesty.¡± ¡°No, I think I¡¯ll be fine catching roamers¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty. Please leave it to the other sirs and me to set up camp. Sir Paulsa, firewood. Sir Madeleine, drinking water. I will personally prepare dinner. A special goblin stew for His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t eat goblin meat¡­¡± ¡°No, I will prepare the meal, Princess! Sir Paulsa! Quick, go catch a rabbit or something similar!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve caught it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s fast!¡± There was one thing the elven knights and Eugene could agree on unanimously, and it was regarding cooking. Princess Lilisain¡¯s dishes were truly evil. ¡°Princess, please rest. We will take care of it.¡± ¡°Hmm! One without responsibility cannot be called a true knight. I will at least go and get some water¡­¡± Fwoooooosh! ¡°Kieeeeh! Drinking water is done!¡± Mirian reported while saluting as she stood atop a hanging pot. ¡°How cute¡­¡± Princess Lilisain muttered. She was disappointed that there was nothing for her to do, but her heart was thawed by the spirit¡¯s charm. She slowly crept to Eugene¡¯s side, and as the distance between the two narrowed, anxiety began to rise in Eugene¡¯s heart. Ever since his battle with the twin-headed ogre, and after he drank her blood after falling into exhaustion, he felt more burdened by her. - It means I cannot get married any longer¡­ He wondered what the hell it meant, even though he always shivered when he recalled her words. However, he planned to never ask her about it. His intuition as an Origin warned him that hearing the answer would plunge him into an inescapable hole. Fortunately, the princess had never mentioned the elephant in the room. However, Eugene still couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious whenever he was left alone with Princess Lilisain. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Princess Lilisain called out. ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene answered. Her voice was subtler than usual, and the Origin vampire felt goosebumps rising on his skin. He was more nervous in his current situation than when he had to face a powerful enemy or monster. ¡°I have something that I am genuinely curious about,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to leave the things that you are curious about alone? That way, you can spend every day more meaningfully with expectations and hopes for the future,¡± Eugene hurriedly responded while desperately avoiding the princess¡¯ fiery gaze. Even he could not make sense of his own nonsensical words. ¡°I think my life will be more fruitful and meaningful if you answer my questions, Your Majesty,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. She appeared quite determined. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene gulped unknowingly. Princess Lilisain slowly skirted over his entire figure with a burning gaze. Slurp! She licked her plump lips with her cherry-red tongue and spoke in a voice that vividly conveyed the heat. ¡°Ha¡­ Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°W-what? What?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Your armor, Armis! Truly beautiful and strong!¡± ¡°What?¡± Eugene mumbled with a frown. Princess Lilisain continued without hiding her excitement, ¡°I can still feel a little bit of sinister energy, but even that makes Your Majesty stand out more. How does it feel? Is it comfortable? When I saw you fight those unsavory knights, you didn¡¯t seem uncomfortable at all.¡± ¡°¡­¡± So, she was curious about the demonic armor. Eugene felt all the tension in his body drain away as he answered, ¡°It¡¯s a perfect fit. I can¡¯t even feel its weight at all. But the Eland¡¯s royal family previously owned this armor, right?¡± Armis, the demonic armor, was something he had received from the royal family of Eland thanks to the Sword Master Pranbow. Eugene could not understand how Lilisain, a princess of Eland, was ignorant of Armis and was instead curious about it. ¡°They say that the demonic armor charms those who lay their eyes on it. As such, only trained masters and the king are allowed to see it,¡± Princess Lilisain explained. ¡°Hmm. Is that so? But it¡¯s fine now?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s when I became certain. Your Majesty is the true master of the magical, demonic armor. I would like to congratulate you once again,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. ¡°Well, I guess so,¡± Eugene said with a bitter smile. During his bloody battle with the undead twin-headed ogre, Armis had recognized that he was in danger and flew over to him of its own will and even equipped itself on him. That was understandable, as it was a valuable treasure containing the powerful mysteries of magic. However, Armis craved blood endlessly after being equipped even once, as if it were a living creature. Eugene was certain¡­ ¡®Only an Origin like myself is capable of wearing this.¡¯ Armis was literally a demonic armor, and it absorbed the blood and energy of its wearer. An ordinary person would last not even ten minutes, and even a knight with excellent physical and mental strength would last no longer than an hour. Only lord-class vampires with special blood or pure-blooded elves could last a reasonable amount of time wearing Armis. The royal family of Eland had been aware of this fact, which was why they kept it safe. It was something that even those belonging to the Batla Duchy had no idea about. ¡°So you don¡¯t know much about Armis, do you, Princess?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Father and Master Pranbow were both reluctant to talk about the demonic armor,¡± she answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene had many questions. The treasured sword, Wolfslaughter, the demonic spear Madarazika, the magical shield Paracletus, and the demonic armor Armis¡ªeach piece of equipment was worthy of being called a legendary item, so how had all of them gathered in the Batla Duchy? And why were they all deadly to vampires but were simultaneously only capable of being fully utilized by an Origin? ¡®Now, all of them are in my hands.¡¯ Eugene¡¯s intuition was telling him that there was something more to be discovered. CH 224 Eugene became more convinced of his intuition during his journey to the Tywin territory. Kuwuuugh! Kyaaahk! Roamers collapsed under the swords and spears of the elven knights as blood and organs spilled everywhere. Not a single kobold survived among the group of more than forty kobolds. ¡°This is a little strange,¡± one of the elven knights commented while wiping away the blood and flesh from his blade. ¡°Your Majesty is the highest noble of the Dark Clan, so why are the kobolds attacking us? Lower-rank roamers don¡¯t even think of attacking a group with a banneret, no, even a lord,¡± the knight continued, and the other elven knights nodded with stiff expressions. Roamers were monsters that had been freed from the evil energy unique to evil lands. As a result, they were weaker and less aggressive compared to their counterparts in evil lands, and they displayed similar behaviors to wild animals. If they judged their enemy to be stronger than them, roamers wouldn¡¯t attack first. However, roamers had attacked Eugene¡¯s group on three separate occasions so far, even though there were seven elven knights and an exalted vampire noble in their group. ¡°And even if kobolds move around in herds, it is quite rare to see as many as fifty of them together.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s only counting the number of monsters that attacked us. So, there should be more than a hundred of them in total, including the females and the cubs left behind in their cave, right? Your Majesty, are such things common on the continent?¡± one of the knights asked. ¡°Not at all. I have never heard of such a thing before.¡± Eugene shook his head. He had never encountered a group of roamers bigger than twenty. Of course, he had faced many goblins in the forest near Maren, but they had been under the rule of the mountain orcs, so they were an exception. ¡°Indeed, this is quite strange. Roamers wouldn¡¯t have approached even if it were just a few regular knights instead of me,¡± Eugene commented. In fact, small groups of roamers wouldn¡¯t approach a large group of mercenaries, let alone a group of knights. That was why people hired mercenaries as guards when traveling long distances. ¡°Sir, sir! We¡¯ve hit the jackpot this time around! Kehehehe!¡± Mirian exclaimed excitedly after collecting the spoils of the battle. She flapped her wings with a big grin. There was nothing useful among the equipment that the roamers used, but some monsters possessed mana stones. As such, Mirian would always search hard through the monsters¡¯ corpses. ¡°There were nine mana stones! It¡¯s the jackpot!¡± Mirian shouted. ¡°Amazing. I expected three or four at most,¡± Princess Lilisain commented with a twinkle in her eyes. The other elven knights appeared surprised as well. ¡°The monsters that attacked us yesterday had quite a few mana stones as well, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Mmhm! Seven yesterday and nine today. So far, we¡¯ve collected twenty¡­ three! What a find!¡± Mirian responded. Her math was slightly questionable, but this couldn¡¯t be defined simply as ¡®what a find!¡¯ If it were possible to gain as many mana stones with every encounter with roamers, the people wouldn''t have any reason to enter evil lands. Why would anyone risk going into a monsters¡¯ den, a place filled with all sorts of traps and dangers? It would be much preferable to kill roamers, as they were weaker, and it was possible to take the initiative against them. ¡®¡¯Wait a minute...¡¯ Eugene frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Your Majesty? Is there something on your mind? Are you concerned about something?¡± Princess Lilisain asked while moving closer; she had immediately recognized the subtle change in Eugene¡¯s expression. Eugene answered, ¡°It¡¯s not a concern, but the roamers that had ambushed us until now. They would have been difficult to deal with if there were only five or six mercenaries, right?¡± Small merchants would usually be accompanied by five or six mercenaries when they traveled. ¡°Yes. The knights and mercenaries here are stronger compared to Brantia, but you would still need at least ten mercenaries to deal with the level of roamers that had attacked us so far,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°And if they were traveling a long distance like us?¡± Eugene asked. Another elven knight stepped forward and replied, ¡°Some would definitely suffer injuries or die during the battle, so even ten would not be enough. Even if they managed to survive the first battle, they would be nearly annihilated in the second ambush.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then they would need about thirty men to safely cross the distance we have covered so far. They would need one or two knights as well,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Yes, I suppose so.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene fell into contemplation for a minute before he raised his head and said, ¡°We will head to Tywin Castle as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± *** Eugene¡¯s party was ambushed by another group of roamers, but they defeated the monsters without suffering any damage. Finally, they arrived at the foot of Mount Marcus, a place Eugene had crossed several times in the past. Back then, he had been involved in a dispute between Viscount Fairchild and Baron Bommel, which was the result of an incident he had been involved with while crossing Mount Marcus. In any case, Mount Marcus and the two territories now belonged to the Dukedom of Maren. ¡°We¡¯re a little bit tight on food, so why don¡¯t we stop by at a nearby village, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes. I know a place,¡± Eugene responded. He led the group to the village at the foot of the mountain, where he had accepted a request to escort Delduan and a group of merchants. ¡®Hmm? It has changed quite a bit compared to the past.¡¯ The village had become slightly larger than before. The wooden fence surrounding the village, which had been as tall as an average adult male, was now twice taller than before. Moreover, sharp, wooden spears were embedded in the ground surrounding the village in a dense cluster. ¡°S-stop! Stop!¡± A frightened cry was heard from a watchtower inside the entrance when Eugene approached the village with the elven knights. Simultaneously, about ten men holding crossbows from either side of the entrance took aim at the group. ¡°Who are you sirs? This is Lord Bommel¡¯s land and¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me?¡± Eugene asked while taking a step forward and taking off his helmet. It was hard to forget Eugene¡¯s beautiful face, and the village men became wide-eyed with shock when they saw him. ¡°S-sir knight!¡± ¡°Sir Jan Eugene!¡± It appeared that news of the dukedom¡¯s founding hadn¡¯t reached the small village just yet. The villagers happily opened the wooden gate while calling out Eugene¡¯s name in the same manner as before. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing you again! It¡¯s an honor!¡± ¡°Welcome! Welcome!¡± The villagers warmly welcomed the group. Eugene had previously taken care of the monsters on Mount Marcus, and he had even resolved the dispute between the two nearby lords. His heroic acts were still fresh in the villagers¡¯ memories. ¡°How strange. People are usually afraid of knights in Brantia.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of His Majesty¡¯s virtuous, honorable character and actions, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s why the city took the initiative to ask him to be king.¡± ¡°He is as generous as his unfathomable courage and bravery.¡± ¡®That doesn¡¯t sound quite right¡­¡¯ Eugene felt rather awkward as he listened to the whispers of the elven knights. He had simply acted in pursuit of profit. However, there was no need for him to correct their misunderstanding, so Eugene stayed silent as the villagers welcomed him into the village. Strangely, the reaction of the villagers seemed rather excessive. He couldn¡¯t recall having done such a great service to the people here to the point that they would grovel and treat him as if he were a royal envoy. Fortunately, his curiosity was resolved when he entered the village¡¯s pub. ¡°What?!¡± As soon as Eugene opened the door, shouts of disbelief could be heard. The men who saw Eugene stared blankly at him for a few seconds before immediately coming forward and bowing. ¡°W-we greet Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± It was a group of merchants who had been creating the dark, dull atmosphere in the pub. Although they belonged to a small association, they frequented Maren, and as such, they were well informed about the current events and about Eugene. ¡°Y-Your Majesty?¡± ¡°About Sir Eugene? What are they talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡± The villagers were uninformed, and as such, they were confused. However, they noticed that the merchants were acting unusual, so they bowed their heads in a hurry as well. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are there merchants gathered here?¡± Eugene asked. He had a hunch that something had happened. The merchants raised their heads and answered as if they had been waiting for his question, ¡°It¡¯s because of those roamers.¡± ¡°Mount Marcus has become a paradise for roamers, Your Majesty!¡± The merchants explained the situation, looking as if they were about to cry. ¡°So, all of you escaped and returned to the village while the mercenaries dealt with the monsters?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes. That¡¯s right. We lost our horses; we lost our goods¡­ Only us and the porters barely managed to escape,¡± one of the merchants answered. ¡°To be honest, we also lost quite a few porters and slaves. We can write off lost goods, but¡­ Keugh!¡± The merchants appeared to be sorrowful at the fact that they had lost their people rather than their goods. It seemed that they hadn¡¯t sold their humanity for money. ¡°How many mercenaries did you employ?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Four teams, and eighteen people in total. We had quite a big group, so¡­¡± There had been a total of more than thirty people, including the six merchants and the porters. It certainly wasn¡¯t a small group of people. However, even such a large group rarely hired as many as three teams of mercenaries. Eugene asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you usually hire just one or two teams of mercenaries? Why did you hire so many?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s expression turned stiff as he listened to the story of the merchants¡¯ representative. The number of roamers on Mount Marcus had begun to increase at some point. At first, everyone disregarded the small change and simply increased the number of mercenaries they were hiring from three or four to five or six. However, the frequency of attacks only increased as time went by, and even medium-sized monsters started to occasionally make their appearance near the roads. The merchants had pondered calling the knights, but a large number of knights had left for the Brantian expedition at the time. Therefore, they had been stuck with a shortage of mercenaries and a complete deficit of excellent knights. But even then, they were able to cross the mountain by hiring more than twice as many mercenaries as usual¡ªthat was only until a short while ago. ¡°The number of roamers suddenly doubled. There were about twenty at most before, but since a few months ago, groups several times larger started to ambush travelers.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not all either. Before, they wouldn¡¯t even approach us when they noticed the number of mercenaries, but now, they are relentless.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Eugene recalled the similar things he had experienced throughout his journey. The representative of the merchants, who was the oldest and the most experienced, spoke with a worried expression, ¡°Your Majesty. The most worrisome thing is that this isn¡¯t just a problem in Mount Marcus.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Areas near deep forests and rugged mountains have all seen an increase in the number and aggression of roamers. From what I heard, some villages in remote areas have already been destroyed by roamers,¡± the merchant explained. ¡°Why wasn''t there any news of that? Shouldn¡¯t the lords organize an expedition?¡± Eugene asked. The merchant responded, ¡°Well, that¡¯s because the villages that had been destroyed only had populations in the dozens. From the perspective of the lords, they have no reason to care for small villages that they would only visit maybe once a year. Moreover, there had been a recent civil war as well, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Fortunately, the lords in the nearby areas have already sided with Maren early on, so they¡¯re making an effort to take care of the issue. That is why we are also waiting for Lord Bommel¡¯s troops,¡± another merchant chimed in. ¡°I see¡­¡± Eugene nodded. He could not believe that such things had been taking place without his knowledge. He was glad to have left Maren, although he had set off with a different purpose in mind. ¡°Do you know anything about the Tywin territory?¡± Eugene asked. After Eugene¡¯s first aide, Felid, left for Mungard, the tight relationship between the Tywin territory and the Palin Association had deteriorated. As such, even Priscilla wasn¡¯t privy to the internal situation of the Tywin territory, as another member of the association had been put in charge of matters related to the Tywin territory. This was all because she had no reason to personally look after such a small territory, especially after the Palin Association¡¯s explosive growth. After all, she would soon become the association¡¯s successor. ¡°W-well, I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t conduct business with them, so¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± The merchants shook their heads. Their representative carefully spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s the same for me, but I have heard rumors.¡± ¡°Rumors?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the merchant answered. Realizing that Eugene¡¯s aura had changed, he gulped before continuing, ¡°Apparently, the lord hired knights and mercenaries and sent them to the dungeon, but not a single one survived, including the porters and the dismantlers.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I heard that the lord did his best to bury the issue, as rumors wouldn¡¯t do him any good. And since the Tywin territory is so remote, the incident didn¡¯t really spread out,¡± the merchant continued. ¡°I see¡­¡± Eugene nodded while recalling Camara Tywin. The man was moderately ambitious, moderately mischievous, and moderately servile. Someone like him would have made sure to keep the matter hidden. ¡®But Camara isn¡¯t this unreasonable. He personally hired a subjugation force?¡¯ Being moderate meant he wouldn¡¯t overexert himself. Moreover, the Camara Tywin that Eugene knew wasn¡¯t a man who would go this far. ¡°Excuse me, Your Majesty,¡± one of the villagers said cautiously. The villagers had only been stealing glances at Eugene, and the merchants with their heads lowered. The villager continued, ¡°With all due respect, please defeat the monsters of Mount Marcus!¡± ¡°Please take care of us, Your Majesty!¡± the rest exclaimed. ¡°Understood,¡± Eugene answered as he stood from his seat. He had been planning to do so, anyway. Roamers unafraid of knights were attacking people everywhere, and it was happening in almost every region. Perhaps it was related to why Camara Tywin had gathered a subjugation force on his own. Moreover¡­ ¡®The higher a vampire¡¯s rank, the more they prefer the blood of intermediate and high-ranking monsters. But as an Origin, I¡­ chanced upon magic weapons optimized for killing monsters.¡¯ He was sure of it. The abnormal events he had encountered so far were deliberate. CH 225 When Eugene first decided to leave Brantia and return to the Caylor Kingdom, there was a single question that quite a few people had expressed. - Why are you taking Princess Lilisain and the elven knights out of everyone? Everyone could understand why Eugene was leaving behind Galfredik and Lanslo, as they could empower Luke as the new king of Brantia. Galfredik held great influence over the knights and mercenaries from the Caylor Kingdom, and Lanslo belonged to a family respected by all Brantian knights. As such, everyone found it reasonable that Eugene would leave the two behind and take Edmund instead, who was from the empire. However, Princess Lilisain and the elven knights had little to do with Eugene¡¯s journey to the empire through the Caylor Kingdom. Rather, it seemed more reasonable for him to take Partec and his men, as they knew Eugene the longest and had a deep relationship with him. If strength were the issue, the swordmaster Pranbow would have been an excellent choice. However, Eugene saw through his original choice to the end and insisted on bringing Princess Lilisain and the elven knights with him. Everyone agreed that Eugene likely had a good reason for his choice, but it was rather strange for him to show such a strong stance on something. As such, a small curiosity remained in everyone¡¯s hearts. A similar question arose when Eugene decided to leave Maren for a while. Everyone suggested that he should take Edmund and Madrica rather than Princess Lilisain and the elven knights if his purpose were to subjugate evil lands. Everyone could agree that local knights who were familiar with Maren and the nearby land would be much more useful than foreign, elven knights. Even so, Eugene insisted that only Princess Lilisain and the elven knights would accompany him on his journey. Edmund, who swore loyalty to Eugene, and Madrica, who appeared to be on the path to becoming Eugene¡¯s next admirer, asked Eugene for a convincing reason, and Eugene answered them. ¡°Eland¡¯s elves are the best when it comes to killing monsters.¡± The two knights were unconvinced. They were proud, and rightly so as experienced, strong mercenaries. To that, Eugene gave a further explanation. ¡°When the two of you were first holding a sword in your hands, the elves were already fighting monsters in Eland.¡± It was true. Eland¡¯s history could be described as an endless war against monsters, and elven knights specialized in hunting monsters rather than fighting in wars. And when Eugene was asked why he was bringing Princess Lilisain with him, he immediately quelled their doubts. ¡°Apparently, she has about a hundred stuffed monster heads in her room, and they¡¯re all from the monsters she had killed since she was a child.¡± This was why Eugene had brought Princess Lilisain and the elven knights over here from Brantia. It was a decision he had made with consideration of his goal¡ªto hunt monsters and conquer evil lands. Elves possessed excellent eyesight, which enabled them to see far even in the dark, and they had great reflexes and instincts, which allowed them to react quickly in dangerous situations. Born and raised in the forest, the elven knights of Eland were well-versed in masking their presence and concealing their tracks. Moreover, they already knew that Eugene was a vampire, and they thought no less of him for it. It was much more comfortable to interact with them than with pesky human knights. Above all else, he didn¡¯t need to pay a single coin to work the elven knights, as they were Princess Lilisain¡¯s guards! In any case, Eugene judged that the elven knights were the best choice for evil land subjugations and hunting roamers, and the elven knights had perfectly lived up to Eugene¡¯s expectations. *** Eugene, Princess Lilisain, and the elven knights climbed Mount Marcus without their horses. Naturally, the merchants and the villagers were confused by their choice. The biggest advantage of knights was that they could fight freely on horseback. However, Eugene and the knights climbed the mountain without care, and in just half a day, they discovered the location of the roamer groups throughout Mount Marcus. They spent their night ¡®hunting.¡¯ Their night vision wasn¡¯t as good as the vampires, but the elven knights still possessed excellent night vision. As such, the darkness of the mountain wasn¡¯t a major obstacle for them. Moreover, their ability to climb mountains was incomparably greater than human knights and mercenaries. Large boulders and tall trees couldn¡¯t block their path. The elves ran around Mount Marcus as if they had resided on it for dozens of years, and as a result, five groups of roamers, a total of nearly four hundred monsters, were killed during their first night on Mount Marcus. There were even four larger monsters that fell that night, including a troll and an owlbear. The merchants and villagers were shocked that so many monsters had been residing on Mount Marcus, and they were even more surprised that eight people had annihilated so many monsters overnight. What came after the moment of shock was a deafening cheer. ¡°Long live the king!¡± ¡°Hurray to the elf heroes!¡± The villagers wanted to host a feast for the heroes who had saved them from the monsters. ¡°I¡¯m a little busy. There has to be other places besides here where the number of monsters has grown explosively. Shouldn¡¯t I take care of those monsters there first?¡± Eugene was busy, so he refused. The merchants and the residents were disappointed, but Eugene¡¯s response was naturally understood as a king¡¯s caring heart for his citizens. Of course, he had sold the mana stones and materials obtained from the hunt to the merchants at a price slightly above the market, but no one paid attention to such a trivial matter. Rather, the merchants were greatly touched that the king had traded with them instead of taking the goods back to Maren. Eugene¡¯s feats on Mount Marcus and his parting words, the excuse he had given to leave, spread to the nearby areas through the merchants. The spirit called this event the start of ¡®The Vampire¡¯s Heavenly Traits¡¯,[1] though Eugene had no idea how she came up with the name and what it even meant. ¡°Your Majesty Eugene is valiant! Brave! Merciful! Everything about you screams the perfect lord!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason why a pretty elf princess and a golden spirit are following him!¡± ¡°King Eugene will take down all the monsters in the dukedom!¡±[2] Eugene had no intention to cause such a ripple effect, but by the time he arrived at the Tywin territory, the Dukedom of Maren was filled with talk about the last particular verse. The people were joyed, but the lords who had subjected themselves to the dukedom were nervous. The king was personally coming around to kill all the monsters, and the lords could only interpret his actions as a specific message to all of them. - I¡¯m being forced to do this because all of you are so incompetent. I will be visiting you soon. Get ready. The lords became busy amidst their apprehension, which led to the strengthening of their loyalty and competitiveness. Thus, Eugene had successfully laid the foundation for the unity and development of the dukedom in his first official duty as the king. Naturally, the person in question had no idea about all these. *** ¡°I greet Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene remained silent as he observed Camara Tywin. It wasn¡¯t because he disliked it or harbored negative emotions toward the man. Rather, it was because he had changed so much in just a few years. ¡°Kieh? S-sir. Aide number one¡¯s brother has become an old man. He aged so fast¡­¡± Mirian muttered with shock. Eugene agreed. Camara Tywin had grown much too old in appearance. When Eugene first saw him, he even wondered if the previous lord had come back to life. However, it seemed Camara had grown older in appearance due to the enormous pressure he had always been subjected to as a lord. ¡°You¡¯ve¡­ changed quite a bit,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°Just tell me that I¡¯ve aged. I know,¡± Camara responded. He was obviously still the same man judging from the slightly rude tone. It seemed that the previous lord hadn¡¯t come back to life after all. Eugene responded with a smirk, ¡°Your appearance has changed, but you are still the same man on the inside. But what happened? Ah, you can speak comfortably when it¡¯s just the two of us.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration. I will do as you say. Your Majesty is still the same person on the outside and the inside. Ah, perhaps¡­¡± Camara hesitated. Eugene nodded. ¡°You must have heard the rumor. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a vampire.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Camara¡¯s eyebrows twitched as if he were surprised. He remained silent for a while with shock while staring at Eugene with quivering eyes. After some time, he finally opened his lips. ¡°T-then when you first came to our territory¡­¡± Eugene answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. I was weaker than I am now, but I was still a vampire back then.¡± ¡°So that was why you always wore a mask¡­¡± Camara muttered. ¡°This?¡± Eugene answered with a grin and took out the black mask. He no longer needed it, but he carried it around as a souvenir from the past. Eugene continued, ¡°At that time, I thought I could not be in the sun. Turns out it didn¡¯t matter back then either. Anyway, sir, let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Phew¡­! Where should I start?¡± Camara let out a long sigh. He continued with a look of remorse, ¡°It must be around this time last year. A knight accompanied by about twenty mercenaries offered to subjugate the dungeon.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t agree to it, did you?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Of course not. How could I? I had never seen him before, and I wasn¡¯t even sure which family he belonged to. I couldn¡¯t let him in the dungeon like that,¡± Camara answered. ¡°Why? You did such a thing before. Was his name Maverick?¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­That was because of Bertel,¡± Camara responded. His eyes were filled with remorse as he recalled his brother, who had perished at Eugene¡¯s hands. ¡°Well, let¡¯s leave it at that. So what happened?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. When I turned down his first offer, the knight changed the terms. He said he didn¡¯t need any payment. He offered to investigate the unidentified areas of the dungeon, and he only demanded twenty percent of the mana stones and materials after he was done with the subjugation,¡± Camara continued. ¡°Was he not right in the head? What would he have to gain from that?¡± Eugene said. With twenty mercenaries, he would have to demand at least thirty percent. And even at thirty percent, he would have been left with nothing after paying the mercenaries. No knight would do such a thing since they had to risk their lives in an evil land. ¡°He said he was practicing true chivalry. Besides, his armor was quite luxurious. The mercenaries were absolutely obedient to the knight¡¯s orders as well. So I thought it might be fine to try it once,¡± Camara explained. ¡°Hmm. So you accepted his offer,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes. I signed the contract. Three days later, he took porters and entered the dungeon. However¡­ the dungeon entrance did not open even after ten days,¡± Camara said. Dungeons and labyrinths were sunless, and subjugations would usually take around three or four days. Staying inside any longer was dangerous. One would lose their sense of time, and their perception would greatly diminish over time. Moreover, their morale would decrease, and they would even start to hallucinate. It didn¡¯t matter if the knight had truly gone to explore the unidentified areas; as long as he failed to return in ten days, it could only mean that¡­ ¡°They were annihilated,¡± Eugene said. He realized that Camara was recounting the same story he had heard from the merchant representative in the village at the foot of Mount Marcus. ¡°That¡¯s the conclusion we came to. Of course, I only thought that it was unfortunate at the time. It wasn¡¯t like we had spent any of our money, and other territories would sometimes fail on their subjugations as well. However, the problem came after that failed subjugation,¡± Camara said. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene had a hunch about where the story was heading. Camara continued in a depressed voice, ¡°Until then, there had been no more than one or two deaths every subjugation. However¡­ the death toll more than doubled in the subjugations following that failed subjugation, and it was the same with the number of people with severe injuries.¡± ¡°The monsters became stronger. Was that it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What?! H-how, how do you know that?¡± Camara muttered with disbelief. Eugene answered with a cold gaze, ¡°My knights and I had killed more than five hundred roamers on our way to the Tywin territory. But before I left for Brantia, I had never killed more than a quarter of that during my travels between here and Maren. What do you think that means?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Something has changed with the evil lands and the monsters. It¡¯s not only here, but with all the evil lands in the world. Sooner or later, there will be monsters everywhere,¡± Eugene added. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Camara stuttered with shock. Eugene rose from his seat and pushed his chair back. He looked down at Camara and spoke, ¡°The Tywin territory¡¯s dungeon. My knights and I will subjugate it. All of it. Every nook and cranny.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Eugene started to walk out with his back to Camara. However, he suddenly turned around due to a sudden curiosity. ¡°By the way, the knight who led the mercenaries to death. What was his name? What kind of person was he?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Helmond. He said his name was Christian Helmond,¡± Camara answered. ¡°¡­!¡± This time, Eugene¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Helmond. It was definitely the name of one of the vampire clans. 1. The original text is a wordplay to a book, which was the first book to ever be written in the native script of the Korean language. Apparently, it¡¯s a song to praise a king for his traits¡­ ? 2. It seems like they¡¯re singing a song, which, as mentioned, should be a reference to the book. ? CH 226 ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t need any dismantlers or porters?¡± Camara asked. Although they were already standing in front of the dungeon¡¯s entrance, it seemed Camara still couldn¡¯t give up on his lingering thoughts. Eugene nodded while checking his equipment once more. ¡°It¡¯s fine. They will only get in the way. And¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s cold eyes turned toward Camara. ¡°This dungeon may end today. At the least, I will wipe out everything inside the dungeon,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!¡± Camara¡¯s eyes quivered with shock, and the troops with him shared his anxiety. Several years had already passed since Eugene¡¯s last visit, and as such, most of the soldiers didn¡¯t know him personally. In fact, even the territory¡¯s young knight had only been hired recently. He had only heard stories about Eugene, but he had never seen him in person. ¡®Is he being serious? No, well, even if half the rumors surrounding the king are true, then he¡¯s completely capable of following through with what he said¡­¡¯ The most famous and undeniable of the legends surrounding the young, beautiful king was regarding how he was responsible for opening the Tywin territory¡¯s dungeon. Moreover, he had even accomplished a tremendous feat by killing an intermediate-rank monster during the subjugation. It was one of the most famous stories told in the Tywin territory, and there were even poems and songs about the event. ¡®Still¡­¡¯ There were only eight knights, including the king. It didn¡¯t make sense that only eight people would participate in a subjugation, as at least thirty soldiers were usually necessary for a subjugation of this scale. ¡°We¡¯re going,¡± Eugene stated after opening the entrance with ease. He entered the dungeon without hesitation along with the elven knights as dozens of Camara¡¯s soldiers watched them with half-doubtful eyes. *** ¡°Everyone, hide your presence,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The monsters would have already noticed their presence by their sound and smell. Even so, there was no need to alert some monsters in advance by flaring their presence and emitting Fear. After all, the purpose of this subjugation was not to simply kill some monsters. Instead, it was to annihilate all of them and get to the bottom of the dungeon to uncover any secrets. ¡®A vampire of the Helmond Clan¡­¡¯ Eugene hadn¡¯t told Camara, but Eugene expected that the vampire had been doing something inside the dungeon, so the vampire should still be alive. Eugene recalled how he himself had once thought of living inside a dungeon or a labyrinth if his identity were discovered and he had nowhere else to go. Dungeons and labyrinths provided the perfect conditions for a vampire to live. So how could a high-ranking vampire belonging to a clan die inside a dungeon? ¡®It¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡¯ Besides, the vampire had entered the dungeon nearly a year ago. Eugene had no idea what the vampire was plotting, but it was likely that it had to do with the sudden increase in the number of monsters and their extreme aggression. ¡°Scout ahead, just in case,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Got it!¡± Mirian answered before buzzing further inside. She had completely eliminated the light unique to spirits. Eugene and the elves had no maps and torches, which were essential items for dungeon exploration, but they continued without hesitation, thanks to their excellent vision and senses. After about five minutes¡­ ¡°Here they come,¡± Eugene said, after picking up on the sound of monsters from deeper inside. He unsheathed Wolfslaughter. Shiiing. Princess Lilisain and the elven knights unsheathed their swords as well, and eight beams of light appeared in the dark. One of the decisive reasons why Eland¡¯s knights were veteran, capable monster hunters was that they were able to manipulate mana. A blade containing the mysteries of mana was as powerful as a holy knight¡¯s sword against monsters. Simple cuts and stabs would inflict enormous pain on the monsters, and even those with self-healing abilities would have their restorative powers forcibly limited. Elven knights were excellent knights capable of using Aura, and they also possessed excellent vision and senses, allowing them to move unhindered in a dark dungeon. The subjugation of the Tywin territory¡¯s dungeon was as good as over. Kieeeee! Kehhh! Kuaaehhh! The cries of the monsters drew closer. Eugene held Madarazika in one hand and Wolfslaughter in the other as he spoke quietly, ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± Ziiiing! The blade containing an Origin¡¯s Fear started to dye the darkness crimson. *** Chomp, chomp, slurrrrrp¡­ The space was filled with consistent, unpleasant, dreary sounds. Only minimal light emitted by mana stones and torches filled the space deep within the dungeon, and dozens of mercenaries were crouched on the floor, casting ominous shadows as they intently went about their work. They were currently having a ¡®meal.¡¯ Countless piles of bones and skeletons of humans and monsters were scattered across the entire space, and the creatures devoured blood and flesh. Although they possessed human forms, they could not be called humans. Dungeons had always been colder than the outside world, and the temperature in a place as close to the ¡®heart¡¯ of the dungeon as here was unbearable for ordinary humans, no matter how many layers of fabric they surrounded themselves with. As such, corpses did not decompose even with the passing of time. And the mercenaries with the bizarre appearances were now feasting on the flesh of those who had died here. Right in the middle of the grotesque dinner was a man seated on a throne of bone. He watched the mercenaries eat with bored eyes. The figure had sharp fangs jutting out from his lips, a pale face like a sick man, and different colored eyes¡ªred and yellow¡ªhe was clearly a vampire. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± The vampire raised his head after watching the slaves feast for a while. ¡°Hooh. It has been a while since we¡¯ve had fresh food,¡± the vampire muttered. A smile of anticipation appeared around his lips. One of the mercenaries grinned and spoke. He had been ripping off the leather armor of a corpse with one hand and their heart with the other. ¡°Fresh offerings seem to have entered after a long time. Master, if you give me a chance¡­¡± The vampire cut him off, ¡°Silence.¡± The mercenary started to tremble and immediately fell on his stomach. The powerful Fear contained in his master¡¯s eyes was dominating his spirit. ¡°P-please forgive me, Master!¡± The other mercenaries also stopped ripping into the corpses and fell on their stomach. The mercenaries were the slaves and servants of the vampire, and they had to be absolutely obedient to their master. Their master had taken control of the Tywin territory¡¯s dungeon, as well as all other nearby evil lands. He was a ruler¡ªa ruthless one at that. In fact, he wasn¡¯t someone who belonged in a place like this. Rather, their master had been doing this for nearly a year because of someone¡¯s orders¡ªorders from someone they could never know and should never know. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like there are many of them, so I will leave it to the monsters, slaves, and servants. Don¡¯t kill them for now. Bring them back alive,¡± the vampire said. ¡°Yes, Master.¡± The monsters residing in the dungeon had already been completely dominated by their master. Even a high-ranking monster, the previous king of the dungeon, the cave spider queen, had been subdued by their master and was serving as a gatekeeper to the heart of the dungeon. ¡°Send the trolls first. Let them know that it¡¯s fine to eat an arm or a leg,¡± the vampire said. ¡°As the master wishes.¡± The butlers licked their lips while following their master¡¯s orders. It had truly been a long time since they tasted the tender flesh of a living human. *** ¡°Let¡¯s get some rest.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The elven knights plopped down on the floor. They were rather exhausted after fighting four intense battles. Facing more than two hundred low-ranking monsters and three trolls within four hours of entering the dungeon had taken a toll on the elven knights¡¯ stamina. This was the only weakness of the elven knights. Within an evil land, the stamina of elven knights fell at a similar rate as human knights. This was because the circulation of mana inside an evil land was slower compared to the outside world. Moreover, while human knights could restore their stamina by consuming refined mana stones, elven knights were unable to do so. As such, they had to rest after exhausting themselves close to their limits, which was currently the case. ¡°Sorry for disappointing you, Your Majesty. Two hours. After that, we will be able to fight again," Princess Lilisain said. It was clear that she was exhausted as well. Eugene nodded. ¡°I will stand guard. Everyone should quench their thirst and get some sleep.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fortunately, although the circulation of mana was slow inside an evil land, it was still there. As Princess Lilisain had said, the elves would be capable of fighting once more after resting for two hours. ¡°How many mana stones did we get?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Kieeeh¡­ W-well¡­ A lot! Super duper lots! Kihehehehe!¡± the spirit answered with a laugh while drawing a big circle with her arms. Her greed was endless, but she was weak when it came to numbers. Well, the exact number didn¡¯t matter, anyway. Just as Mirian said, they had obtained a lot of mana stones. ¡®Just as they became stronger and more aggressive, the number of those possessing mana stones had increased as well. Even most of the low-ranking monsters have mana stones.¡¯ Considering that less than thirty percent of low-ranking monsters possessed mana stones under normal circumstances, the rate had nearly tripled. Eugene had expected an increase in monsters with mana stones after his experiences with the roamers, but this was far beyond his expectations. ¡®Monsters have become stronger, but the number of monsters possessing mana stones has increased as well. How strange. Technically, it¡¯s not a completely awful phenomenon, but¡­¡¯ Most races, humans, in particular, were extremely greedy for mana stones. Monsters sought to hurt people, but refined mana stones helped with human health and it even extended their lifespan. If the current phenomenon weren¡¯t confined to a regional area, the nobles and merchants in the world would be overjoyed rather than alarmed. Nobody wanted to be poor and live a short life. However, Eugene instinctively sensed that this wasn¡¯t such a simple matter. What would happen if the number of mana stones obtainable from hunting monsters doubled or even tripled? Then everyone would set out to hunt monsters. Nobles would hire soldiers and mercenaries even if they had to go into debt, and commoners would abandon their livelihood to participate in monster hunts. However, mana stones may be very valuable, but they weren¡¯t indispensable to the livelihood of humans. Moreover, only a select few could ever get their hands on refined mana stones. In fact, the majority of those living in rural areas would often spend their entire lives without ever seeing a single refined mana stone. And for such people, who accounted for the absolute majority of the world¡¯s population, there was something more important than even mana stones. ¡®Food. Food is the most important¡­¡¯ There were many starving people. For the vast majority of ordinary people, their goal was to eat their fill without worry rather than to obtain mana stones. Moreover, most ordinary citizens were farmers. As the number of monsters increased and they became more aggressive, farmers would be the first in line to suffer the most damage. With little to no food left, farmers would be left with one choice. What would happen if farmers were mobilized to hunt monsters after losing their livelihood? What if those whose family members lost their lives to monsters became mercenaries for revenge and fortune? What would happen afterward? ¡°An uprising¡­¡± And it wouldn¡¯t just happen in select regions. Rather, it would happen across the entire kingdom all at once. It wouldn¡¯t make a difference to citizens whether they starved to death or died fighting against their lord. No, on the contrary, they wouldn¡¯t have to starve if all went well in their latter choice. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know who it is, but if they¡¯ve thought that far ahead and caused this¡­¡± Eugene was thoroughly impressed. He felt enlightened. Only a real demon king, one who sincerely wanted to see the destruction of the world, could have planned such a thing. It was then¡­ ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene sensed something. ¡°As expected¡­ They¡¯re completely out of their minds.¡± Eugene grinned as he felt a vulgar, lowly Fear. The vampire of the Helmond Clan was plotting something after occupying the dungeon. ¡°Kieeeeh! Sir! Something is coming!¡± Mirian fussed after belatedly sensing the Fears of low and middle-ranking vampires. Princess Lilisain and the elven knights hurriedly stood up and started taking arms. Eugene stopped them. ¡°Just keep resting.¡± ¡°What? But¡­¡± ¡°The opponents are vampires. It will be better to capture them. So¡­¡± Eugene said. He could feel the demonic armor¡¯s desire to fully display its power after feasting on the blood of trolls to its heart¡¯s content. He continued while pressing down on the helmet that resembled the head of a dragon, ¡°It will be best to test it against other vampires.¡± Paaaaaa! Armis, the demonic armor, began to glow crimson in the darkness. Only a vampire Origin was capable of unlocking and fully utilizing one of the demonic armor¡¯s mysteries. If he injected Fear into the armor, it would change into any shape and size following its master¡¯s will. CH 227 There were many armaments that contained the power of magic and various mysteries. Rumors spoke of a shield that could autonomously change positions to deflect spears and arrows, as well as a sword that emitted a brilliant light to blind enemies at decisive moments. There supposedly existed a dagger that could freely extend and retract its blade, an axe that always returned to its owner, and even a spear in which a spirit of fire was sealed to emit flames. Likewise, all of Eugene¡¯s equipment was quite unusual. Even the most ordinary among them, Wolfslaughter, was made of meteoric iron, and it could easily slice through chainmail. Moreover, the injuries it inflicted were difficult to treat and would take long to heal. Among his equipment, Eugene considered Armis, the demonic armor, to be the best. Armis boasted a defense superior to the plate armor crafted by the dwarven craftsmen of Maren, but it was only half as heavy. Moreover, it provided a perfect fit for the wearer, which meant maximum comfortability. In addition, Armis would extinguish most magic and curses before they could even reach its wearer. Armis was essentially perfect, except for its most critical flaw¡ªit craved the blood of its wearer to the point that it would threaten their life. The armor¡¯s drawback was simply too serious. Armor was supposed to protect its wearer, so who would want to equip something that would eat away at their life? As such, Eugene had also felt quite uneasy when he first received Armis. However, he came to a realization when Armis flew over of its own accord and automatically equipped itself on him. Armis did not crave the wearer¡¯s blood because it wanted to harm them. Rather, it only required a huge amount of blood to express both its intelligence and mysteries. That was why non-vampires would die without giving even half the amount of blood Armis wanted. In the first place, Armis was an armor made to be worn by a vampire of the highest rank, someone capable of easily killing intermediate and high-ranking monsters. And only when the armor¡¯s desire for blood was fully satisfied would the demonic armor finally reveal its true power and mystery. It became one with its wearer, just like this. Kwaaaaaa¡­ The armor emitted a bright crimson light before it started to quiver. Eugene concentrated his Fear and will to immaterialize his body. The armor, as well as Wolfslaughter and Madarazika, separated into thousands of black grains and merged into his shadowy, immaterial form. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Princess Lilisain and the elven knights were stupefied by the incredible sight. Although the elves were familiar with magic and the powers of mysteries, the scene unfolding in front of them was hard to believe. However, their shock was nothing compared to the surprise of the vampires. The vampires had been running toward them with joy, thinking that the intruders had lost all their strength. *** ¡°¡­?!¡± However, as soon as they saw the black smoke rushing toward them, the vampires realized that they were witnessing an ability exclusive to vampires of the highest rank, just like their own master. However, they had never met a high-ranking vampire except their master. Moreover, they did not feel a Fear as powerful as their master¡¯s Fear, something that would cause them to instantly stiffen. The vampires had no idea that Eugene had intentionally withdrawn his Fear, and as such, they were confused by the conflicting information. However, their confusion only lasted for a moment. Kwaarrrrrr! The cluster of bat-like, black smoke expanded in an instant and surrounded the vampires. The vampires froze on the spot as they became trapped in darkness even darker than the darkness of the dungeon. Everywhere they looked, they could see nothing but darkness. Vampires were a tribe of darkness. Night and darkness were their homes. However, the darkness currently surrounding them was something completely isolated from the world. Sound, smell, touch, etc¡­ They could not feel any of it. It was a perfect world of nothingness¡ªa darkness beyond darkness. The otherworldly space caused even the members of the Dark Clan to feel terrible fear. ¡°¡­!¡± The vampires shouted in fear, but no sound came from their lips. It was then¡­ Kikikieeek! An immeasurable number of red figures began to appear in the dark along with a strange noise. The figures were bright red eyes. The red eyes watched the vampires, and each eye contained an energy more overwhelming than their master¡¯s. An overwhelming Fear. It was literally the purest Fear. The vampires unknowingly dropped their weapons on the floor, and then they began to kneel on the floor while drooling. The only thing they could do was worship the absolute being. Indeed¡­ The demonic armor¡¯s ability wasn¡¯t to simply change shape along with the appearance of the wearer. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t even an armor designed for the vampires of the highest rank; rather, it was designed for only one person. Armis was designed for the true ¡®Vampire Lord,¡¯ but not in the sense of the word that referred to the hierarchical classification of vampires, but rather the lord of all vampires. It was the King of Darkness¡¯ armor. *** ¡°¡­?!¡± A frown came to Christian Helmond¡¯s face as he waited for his underlings with annoyance. He felt something from deep within his heart. His heartbeat, which was significantly slower than those of other races, began to accelerate little by little. He couldn¡¯t even begin to panic. What began in his heart quickly spread to his entire body, and the vampire¡¯s limbs began to twitch against his will. He knew exactly what this unfamiliar sensation was. "Keugh...!" What caused him to reel and for his underlings to fall flat trembling was ¡®fear.¡¯ ¡°I-I¡¯m afraid¡­?¡± Christian was in disbelief. He could neither see nor hear anything. He was fearful of nothing else but the energy he could feel from afar. However, this was just the beginning¡­ ¡°Ughhh¡­¡± Christian fell onto one knee while tightly grasping his chest. His expression was distorted like a demon, and his pale face had already turned red. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump¡­ The twitching became worse as his heartbeat accelerated. ¡°C-coffin¡­ My coffin¡­¡± Christian struggled toward the coffin on one side of the wide space. Unfortunately, his body betrayed his will. The vampire floundered on the ground as his breath became increasingly sluggish. His fear-eroded, red, yellow eyes caught sight of something in the distance. In a way, the figure seemed to radiate light in the darkness, and in a way, it seemed to radiate an overwhelming darkness that had engulfed darkness itself. ¡°¡­!!!¡± As soon as Christian laid eyes on the figure, he placed his knees, elbows, and forehead on the ground one after another. Afterward, he straightened his palms and raised them up. ¡°I greet the King of Darkness, the Supreme Lord of Blood.¡± He had not acted and spoken out of reason nor intelligence. Rather, the instinct deeply imprinted on his soul as a member of the Dark Clan had commanded him to speak. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene looked down at Christian with an indifferent expression. He asked, ¡°Are you Christian Helmond?¡± ¡®The King of Darkness has called my name!¡¯ Christian felt ecstatic. He responded in a trembling voice with his forehead on the ground, ¡°Yes. That is the true name of my humble self. I dare ask of you, please command me as you wish.¡± ¡°Did you evolve the monsters and release them outside?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, my king,¡± Christian answered. ¡°Why?¡± Eugene said. ¡°That¡¯s my master¡¯s¡­ Heugh.. Uaggh¡­ Keugh! Argh!¡± Christian suddenly gasped while answering. Soon, blood vessels on his bluish forehead began to burst. ¡®Magic!¡¯ Eugene came to recognize the situation and quickly aroused his Fear. The Origin¡¯s Fear surrounded Christian¡¯s figure in an instant. Eugene spoke, ¡°I take precedence over all wills.¡± It was a casual remark. However, it resulted in an enormous effect. The magic that had bound Christian disappeared without a trace. ¡°Huagh! Ugh, agh¡­¡± Christian once again bashed his forehead against the ground while breathing heavily. ¡°Glory to the Supreme Ruler of Blood!¡± Christian was even more convinced, although he had instinctively realized from the imprint on his soul. He was facing the supreme being of the Tribe of Darkness. The one who cast the magic on him was a monarch of the clan, and the only being capable of destroying it with authority was someone who stood even above the monarch. ¡°I have a lot to talk to you about,¡± Eugene said. ¡°This humble one will answer with a joyful heart,¡° Christian responded while slamming his head against the ground. He felt a breathtaking fear and a greater joy than even his first time consuming blood. *** ¡°So Helmond is just Helmond?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. The names of all clans are simply the names of the monarchs,¡± Christian answered with a bow on one knee. ¡°So this fellow, Helmond, was he the one who cast the spell on you?¡± Eugene asked. Although Eugene had addressed his father, the heavenly monarch, as a ¡®fellow,¡¯ Christian did not feel outraged, let alone even a trace of anger. He answered, ¡°No. It was my mother, Spineline. Of course, not my birth mother, but my father¡¯s partner.¡± As far as Eugene knew, vampires weren¡¯t born vampires. They were born humans but were transformed into vampires. In other words, the female vampire named Spineline wasn¡¯t Christian¡¯s biological mother; she was the partner of the clan¡¯s leader. ¡°Why did you come into this dungeon? And why did you evolve the monsters and release them outside?¡± Eugene asked. Christian answered, ¡°It was my father¡¯s orders. My humble self does not know his intentions.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene frowned. In the end, even this vampire didn¡¯t know anything important. ¡°However¡­¡± Christian said cautiously before continuing, ¡°I suspect that it¡¯s not just the Helmond Clan and me. I believe the others in a similar position as me from the other clans are carrying out the same mission.¡± ¡°Other clans? Which ones?¡± Eugene asked. Christian answered, ¡°Please forgive me. This humble one does not know.¡± A high lord of a vampire clan would be quite intelligent and crafty. As such, there was a good chance that Christian¡¯s guess was true. Eugene sank into thought for a minute, then spoke while recalling something, ¡°You. Do you know anything about what happened in the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s royal castle?¡± ¡°My apologies. Please punish me with death,¡± Christian answered in a remorseful voice. Eugene clicked his tongue. ¡°You don¡¯t know very much.¡± ¡°Kieeeh? Aren¡¯t undead already dead in the first place? He should be asking to be completely extinguished at times like these. Tsk. He doesn¡¯t know how to show any sincerity, does he?¡± Mirian said with a serious expression. She had made her appearance after Eugene had completely subdued Christian. ¡°¡­¡± Christian flinched at her words. He could take care of a spirit quite easily, but this particular spirit was special in the sense that she had a contract with the supreme being. Eugene gave a brief explanation of the incident, ¡°The court wizard of the Caylor Kingdom created an undead twin-headed ogre. So¡­¡± Christian could not hide his surprise. ¡°According to your story, the court wizard must have been a member of another clan. Moreover, if they had been using magic like that, they must have belonged to one of those two clans,¡± Christian said. ¡°Hooh? Is that so? Which clans?¡± Eugene asked. His eyes sparkled in anticipation of finally obtaining some useful information. ¡°It must be either Ventroa or Bloodyshadow.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes filled with shock. One was a name he had heard from Prince Localope, and the other was¡­ ¡°Kiehh!? I-Is the raccoon a traitor? Is that it?!¡± Mirian was outraged. ¡®Bloodyshadow? That¡¯s the Blood Shadow School.¡¯ So, instead of simply having a vampire ancestor, Romari¡¯s school of magic was actually one of the vampire clans? CH 228 ¡°That can¡¯t be.¡± Eugene smirked. The progenitor of the Blood Shadow School had perished long ago. Moreover, the wizards of the Blood Shadow School were only favorable to vampires because the founder of their school was a vampire. They had nothing to do with any particular clan. Eugene quickly organized his thoughts before speaking to Christian, who was still prostrating on the ground, ¡°Do you remember what I said earlier?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Christin asked. ¡°I take precedence over all wills,¡± Eugene repeated. Bang! Bang! Bang! Christian suddenly bashed his forehead against the floor before shouting, ¡°The supreme one is the lord of the tribe! You stand above all practices and laws of the Tribe of the Night!¡± ¡°Even above the clan?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Christian answered without hesitation. He was certain. It no longer held any meaning for him to get nitty gritty about clans and all formalities since he had already seen a vampire like Eugene. The existence in front of him was the absolute king of the clan, and Christian knew instinctively from the imprint on his soul and blood. Eugene spoke, ¡°Then, from now on, you will serve me.¡± ¡°It is an honor!¡± Christian shouted while shuddering with excitement. The one he called father¡ªthe one responsible for transforming him into a vampire. The Helmond Clan¡ªa powerful clan with hundreds of members. Such things were meaningless in front of this man, the king of blood and the supreme vampire. An unparalleled existence was about to take him in. ¡®I can stand by the side of the King of Darkness! That means I can get revenge on that wicked woman!¡¯ Ahh! How could he be so generous? How could he bestow another chance to one who dared to bare their fangs toward him?! Christian reveled in joy and hope of revenge. Eugene spoke once again, ¡°By the way, how did you strengthen the monsters?¡± ¡°I used this,¡± Christian answered while hurriedly pulling something out of his inner pocket. ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered. The object was an incense burner made delicately by connecting three skeletons. ¡®I¡¯m certain. It¡¯s the exact same incense burner that belonged to the wizard I had killed in the Carls Baggins Peninsula.¡¯ It was the same object which belonged to the black wizard who controlled the undead twin-headed ogre whom people mistakenly assumed had been converted by Eugene. The object Christian raised over his head was surprisingly similar to the incense burner that the black wizard had in his possession. ¡°So, what did you do with this?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°First, I mixed the blood of humans, monsters, and vampires¡­¡± Christian eagerly explained. He had obtained an accurate understanding of Eugene¡¯s personality in the meantime, so he gave a very simple, clear explanation. ¡°So, you mix the blood of humans with the blood of the monster you want to strengthen, then add the blood of a high-ranking vampire. Afterward, you burn it, correct?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Christian answered. ¡°But are there many magic tools like this? I guess the others who are serving on similar missions as you have things like this?¡± Eugene asked while lifting the incense burner. Christian answered, ¡°With all due respect, but as far as I understand, there are only a few of these precious objects. I dare say that there could not be more than three.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene nodded. Indeed, it made sense that there wouldn¡¯t be dozens of tools capable of creating an undead out of a powerful monster like the twin-headed ogre and controlling it. ¡®If there are three, that means I¡¯ve already gotten my hands on two of them.¡¯ The incense burner he had previously acquired was with Romari. He had no real use for it, and Romari had practically begged him for it, saying that she needed it in her research for chimeras. ¡°I¡¯ll take this,¡± Eugene said. It would be helpful for Romari¡¯s chimera research. Until now, he had distributed most of the spoils he had gained to the knights. It was about time for him to present her with a gift, as she had suffered quite a bit as his wizard. ¡°Everything of mine humble self belongs to the supreme one. Please take it,¡± Christian answered. ¡°Good. Next question,¡± Eugene stated. Afterward, Eugene spoke with Christian for another thirty or so minutes. Naturally, he did not find out everything he wanted, but he managed to obtain quite a bit of useful information. Eugene nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Good. Good work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor,¡± Christian answered. ¡°Hmm. Now, there¡¯s the matter with your disposition¡­¡± Eugene muttered while looking down at Christian. The vampire¡¯s head was bowed, and his shoulders were trembling, probably due to his expectations. Eugene continued, ¡°I¡¯ll take you as my vassal then.¡± ¡°Oohh¡­!¡± Christian¡¯s entire body trembled with overwhelming joy. The high lord of the Helmond Clan? Such a meager, humble position was nothing compared to being the vassal of the supreme lord. Such was the highest honor for any member of the Dark Clan. ¡°But I already have a vassal. There¡¯s also someone I had taken in as an administrator. Ah, come to think of it, there are a couple of others who are similar to vassals in Brantia. Anyway, sort it out amongst yourselves later on,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I will keep that in mind!¡± Christian shouted while kowtowing. No matter what anyone said, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he was originally a high lord of the Helmond Clan. He was confident in becoming the right-hand man of the supreme vampire. Christian soaked in ecstatic joy. However, he had no idea that a vassal of the Origin was currently swamped with work across the sea in Brantia, and that same vassal was suffering from extreme stress and was filled with the desire to kill just about anyone. *** ¡°Then I will give you a month. Take care of your mess,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I will do my best. I swear it on my blood,¡± Christian answered before quietly leaving the dungeon with his subordinates through a secret passage he had made earlier. After killing all of his slaves, he only had about five subordinates left. Even so, each of them was strong enough to stand their ground against two or three experienced knights. As such, there was no need to worry about them. Christian¡¯s mission was simple. He had to restore all the evil lands he had tampered with, including the dungeon of the Tywin territory. He would block all the secret burrows used to send monsters out of the evil lands, and he would have to kill the evolved monsters as well. However, he was told to leave the high-ranking monsters untouched, as Eugene would go around to exterminate them, anyway. Monsters would continue to be born even if Christian properly completed his job, but as long as no one else intervened, their growth rate would normalize. ¡°Kieeeeh? Then we will have fewer mana stones. Are you sure?¡± Mirian asked. The spirit always talked about wealth, both in her wake and her sleep. She had a point. If the monsters were left untouched, Eugene could definitely acquire more mana stones. However, Eugene had already seen through the traps hidden within this incident. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Since there are other clans involved, it¡¯s probably not just a matter of our dukedom either,¡± Eugene answered. There were vampires from at least two, possibly more than three clans who were on missions to infiltrate and carry out similar tasks as Christian. Moreover, it had been almost a year. In addition, it was highly likely that similar things were happening in the other kingdoms of the continent, aside from just the Kingdom of Caylor. With the number and the quality of the monsters increasing, the supply of mana stones would exponentially increase as well. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t we take a loss?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Not at all,¡± Eugene answered. Even in the short term, although they would be making relatively less profit, they wouldn¡¯t be making a loss. Moreover, it was only limited to profits from mana stones. In the long run¡­ ¡®The Dukedom of Maren and I will benefit no matter what. The same with those who had planned this whole thing.¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered coldly. He turned and spoke to Princess Lilisain and the elven knights, ¡°All of you may have already guessed, but this matter will remain a secret for the time being.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The expressions of the elven knights changed subtly. Although they were favorable toward Eugene, they were knights in essence. They couldn¡¯t simply agree to release Christian, someone who had committed an outright sin, as well as to keep such a serious fact hidden from the public. Noticing the hesitancy of the knights, Eugene spoke in a stern voice, ¡°He is just the tail. If we start blabbering about this, we will miss the opportunity to strike at the head. Sirs, you should already know my personality and the path I have walked so far.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The elves became startled by Eugene¡¯s words. They fell into contemplation for a minute, then nodded. ¡°Of course¡­¡± ¡°We trust in Your Majesty.¡± The expressions of the elves were once again placid. A few even had satisfied faces. They knew Eugene to be a man who knew when and how to act according to the situation. Moreover, he was fit to be called the perfect model of knights. Although he sometimes used extraordinary methods that were unknightly, he was ultimately a hero who had punished the undead, killed black wizards, and saved a country from a crisis. Moreover, had he not killed roamers during his journey, though they were unrelated to the subjugations? He had done so to save villages and residents from danger. ¡°Who else could we trust if not an honorable knight like you, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°I will gladly join the path of uprooting evil.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding,¡± Eugene responded with a pleasant smile on the outside and an insidious smile inside. ¡®I¡¯m glad they¡¯re na?ve from having lived their entire lives stuck on the island of Eland.¡¯ ¡°I also know your personality and the path you have been walking. Honor and chivalry, such things are meaningless. If anyone dares to touch what belongs to me, then I will¡­ Kieeeh¡­¡± The spirit, who knew her contractor better than anyone else, whispered as she slowly stuffed herself inside of her leather pocket. It was quite fortunate that her survival instinct had improved even though her intelligence had remained unchanged. ¡°Your Majesty, is this the end of the subjugation?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. Eugene shook his head. ¡°No, we still have the most important thing left.¡± ¡°By that¡­¡± Eugene left behind Princess Lilisain¡¯s excited gaze and turned around. The place where Christian and his men had been residing was located right in front of the dungeon¡¯s center. Beyond it, at the end of the winding aisle, was an undiscovered area engulfed in ominous darkness. No one had ever traveled to the dungeon¡¯s heart. ¡°We will enter the heart of the dungeon,¡± Eugene said. Oooh¡­! The elven knights gasped. There were only unconfirmed rumors regarding the heart of evil lands. No one had actually succeeded in conquering an evil land¡¯s heart. No, rather, there weren¡¯t even any eyewitness accounts, as no one had ever returned alive. ¡®However¡­¡¯ ¡®It will be different for His Majesty!¡¯ Even a vampire high lord had to stop just before the heart of the dungeon, but this was Eugene they were talking about. They were filled with expectations. Perhaps today would be the day in which he would make an accomplishment that would forever be passed down in history. *** Kwaaaaaa! ¡°Keugh!¡± Eugene turned his head at the groan coming from behind. Even Princess Lilisain, who rarely expressed her pain, was clenching her lips until they bled. ¡®This is troublesome.¡¯ Eugene inwardly clicked his tongue. The first thing he saw after climbing down the stairs was a large passage measuring five meters wide and high. It was quite a large formation, but no one showed any reaction until that point. However, less than a minute after entering the passage, the elven knights began to howl in pain. Evil energy¡­ Even the elven knights, who were quite resistant to evil mysteries, could not withstand the enormous amount of evil energy flowing from the heart of the dungeon. In the end, Eugene was forced to command all the elven knights to retreat back from the passage. Princess Lilisain managed to endure a little longer as a pureblood of Eland¡¯s royal family, but it appeared that she was at her limit. ¡°Are you all right? Eugene asked. ¡°M-my apologies! This seems to be my limit, Your Majesty,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. ¡°K-kieeehh¡­ S-sir. I¡¯m having a hard time too.¡± Even Mirian, who had made a contract with him, was struggling to fly around properly. As such, Eugene had no choice but to make a decision. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. Both of you, go back. I will go alone from here,¡± Eugene said. ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡°Sir. I don¡¯t have a good feeling about this. Let¡¯s just go back together.¡± ¡°No, the two of you can go back. I¡¯m fine.¡± It was true. Although Eugene felt a slight, unidentified pressure from inside the heart of the dungeon, he was mostly unaffected. Meanwhile¡­ ¡®This feels familiar. Why is it?¡¯ Eugene was more curious rather than nervous by the strange atmosphere. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. If I think it will be dangerous, I will retreat immediately,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­Covenant.¡± Princess Lilisain muttered. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You made a promise, Your Majesty,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°Oh¡­ Right.¡± Eugene nodded obediently. From the princess¡¯ gaze, he had a premonition that something big would happen if he did not return. Eugene continued on the path after leaving behind the spirit and Princess Lilisain. Kieheeeeeeeeng! The wind blew with an ominous sound. Eugene would have evoked his Fear under normal circumstances, but he did not. His instinct and intuition were telling him that he didn¡¯t need to do so in this space. After walking for a few more minutes, Eugene¡¯s eyes slowly grew larger. Darkness¡­ A black wall, seemingly filled with infinite darkness, was blocking his way. ¡°This is¡­¡± Eugene slowly approached. The smooth wall was like glass made of obsidian. Suddenly¡­ Kwaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! A huge amount of Fear surged from Armis and Wolfslaughter. Simultaneously, Paracletus expanded to protect his front, and Madarazika rose into the air with a cry. ¡°¡­!¡± A scene was reflected in Eugene¡¯s fiery eyes. Beyond the black wall, which was filled with only darkness, all kinds of monsters and creatures were killing and devouring each other. It was impossible to consider these monsters and creatures as natives of this world. Eugene¡¯s lips slowly parted, and he expressed the grotesque sight with words. ¡°¡­Hell.¡± CH 229 Hell, or the Demon World¡ªthere were no other words that could possibly express the sight unfolding before Eugene. The space beyond the wall, the land of everlasting conflict, was perfectly separated from the dungeon where Eugene stood. The frenzied creatures could not see nor feel Eugene¡¯s presence as they engaged in endless slaughter. Eugene carefully observed the world beyond the wall with cold eyes. He was slightly surprised, but that was all. The evil feast of the monsters did not bother Eugene at all. ¡°Hmm?¡± A glimmer appeared in Eugene¡¯s eyes. There were replicas of the black wall that Eugene faced within the evil world where lava and blood incessantly flowed. ¡®I can see seven. That means¡­¡¯ If he concentrated, he could see as far as a large mountain where lava was flowing from. However, it was impossible for the Demon World to be so small, and there was only one explanation for the existence of the black walls. ¡®It¡¯s connected to the hearts of other evil lands.¡¯ It was then¡­ A small ripple suddenly appeared in the smooth black wall as if it had come into contact with a droplet of water. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene took several steps back. He already had a rough guess. Then, the ripple quickly spread throughout the entire wall, and dozens of swirls appeared on the wall. The black curtain started to sway like tree branches in the wind, and creatures neither liquid nor solid began to crawl through the black wall. Kyaaahh¡­ The black figures began to take on certain shapes while emitting weak cries. They were monsters. ¡®It¡¯s the ones that perished on the other side¡­¡¯ The monsters that crawled through the black wall were just like the monsters that had been killed by other monsters and demons in the space beyond the wall. On second glance, Eugene could see that something black was escaping the bodies of the fallen monsters and was crossing over the black wall. ¡°I see. So that¡¯s what happens.¡± Eugene immediately recognized the significance of what he was seeing. He hurled Madarazika, which had been crying with anticipation since a while ago, and swung Wolfslaughter. Fwoosh! The dozens of monsters barely managed to take on their proper forms before they were vanquished by his spear and sliced by his sword. After disposing of the monsters in an instant, Eugene remained in his spot as he continued to observe the space beyond the wall. After a long while, another vortex appeared yet again on the black wall, and black figures crossed over before taking on shapes of monsters. Eugene disposed of them. Two hours passed just like that¡­ ¡°Hmm. I get it.¡± He had come to a complete understanding of the black wall, the world beyond, and the relationship the monsters shared. Eugene muttered before turning away without hesitation, or at least; he attempted to turn around. ¡°Hmm?¡± He was struck with a sudden, strange sensation. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to make him feel threatened, and as such, Eugene slowly turned his head back toward the wall. ¡°Hooh?¡± An icy smile appeared around his lips. All the monsters beyond the black wall had stopped their carnage. Instead, they were staring at Eugene. The sight of countless evil creatures gazing together in one direction, frozen, was truly grotesque and chill-inducing. An ordinary person would have fainted at this sight. However, Eugene was still relaxed. Tap. Tap. He slowly approached the black wall. The hateful energy of evil contained in the eyes of the demonic creatures grew thicker as he walked. In particular, the ones with similar appearances to humans, the ¡®demons,¡¯ had exaggerated reactions. Although sound and smell couldn¡¯t be conveyed through the black wall, Eugene could clearly sense the energy of the evil creatures. It only implied that the same would be true vice-versa. ¡°Have these little insects gone mad?¡± Eugene muttered while unleashing the full might of his Fear. Kwawaaahhhhhh!!! An Origin¡¯s Fear soared throughout Eugene¡¯s entire figure, similar to a waterfall flowing backward. After a while, the overwhelming whirlwind of Fear swirled against the black wall as if threatening to break it into smithereens. Simultaneously, Eugene swept over the creatures on the other side with his crimson eyes. The monsters, evil creatures, demons¡ªeverything that caught his eye began to run amok. More than half the creatures even fell on their stomachs as they crawled away. ¡°Cross over if you want to be destroyed, little insects,¡± Eugene said before withdrawing his Fear. Then, he turned around once more. However, the eyes of the evil creatures still remained fixated on the wall where Eugene was. Hate and hostility were no longer in their eyes¡ªonly fear and awe remained¡ªexcept for a very few of them. *** ¡°I-incomprehensible. W-what do you mean, ¡®demon world¡¯?¡± Princess Lilisain asked with disbelief. The other elven knights also stared at Eugene with quivering, shocked eyes. ¡°Yes. Hell, the Demon World, whatever. It was a space where only monsters and demons existed,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Kieeh! It must be the Demon World. There¡¯s also the Spirit World where wonderful, good spirits like myself gather to lead our simple lives. It wouldn¡¯t make sense if the Demon World didn''t exist as well!¡± Mirian exclaimed. Everyone¡¯s gaze turned toward the spirit. There was quite a bit to point out in her words, but it certainly made sense. ¡°In the end, the heart of the dungeon was a conduit between this world and their world. The monsters we encounter in an evil land are those that have crossed over from that world, and they were only those who had been defeated and killed,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°¡­!¡± He then continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s only the case with the Tywin territory¡¯s dungeon, but the monsters were resupplied about every hour. Between thirty to fifty monsters were crossing over through the passage once an hour.¡± ¡°I-isn¡¯t that too many? That¡¯s approximately one thousand monsters every day,¡± one of the elven knights commented. Eugene turned his gaze toward the elf and answered, ¡°I left them alone for a while as a test and watched them. Whenever they took on proper forms, they immediately fought among themselves, and the winners devoured the losers. Those who left the entrance intact couldn¡¯t have been more than ten percent.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The elven knights nodded as if they understood. After all, monsters followed the law of the jungle, just like beasts. ¡°In addition, the Demon World already has a food chain of monsters. Even if five or six monsters manage to settle in the evil land every hour, it¡¯s not easy for them to fight and beat other monsters that have already adapted to the evil land¡¯s environment. That¡¯s how a similar number of monsters are maintained,¡± Eugene said. Princess Lilisain chimed in, ¡°And subjugations are carried out against most evil lands, anyway. Your Majesty is absolutely right.¡± She then continued, ¡°According to what Your Majesty has described, the black wall is a channel of evil and the crystalline form of evil. I believe it is crucial for us to either stop or destroy it as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I tried, but it didn¡¯t work,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°What?¡± Princess Lilisain and the elven knights became wide-eyed. They were well aware of Eugene¡¯s powers and strengths. Eugene shrugged. ¡°I tried it as a test, but it didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°H-how could that be¡­?¡± the elves muttered dejectedly. Eugene looked disappointed as well. ¡°I think we need something other than just physical force to either seal or destroy it. We can look into that,¡± Eugene said. Naturally, Eugene had no obligation, nor did he have the need to do so. ¡®Getting rid of all evil lands wouldn¡¯t be good, would it?¡¯ Elves might not understand, but refined mana stones and other materials obtained from monsters had long become a crucial part of everyday life for humans and other races. Of course, the disappearance of mana stones and other materials wouldn¡¯t cause the extinction of life, but it would have a huge impact. For example, business regarding refined mana stones and monster by-products was already the foundation of the Dukedom of Maren. So, what if everything disappeared overnight? Half of the entire population would lose their jobs, and everything would devolve into chaos. In other words, the disappearance of evil lands could very well cause the collapse of civilization and society. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Eugene stopped himself. Artificially increasing the number of monsters and strengthening them would bring chaos to the world. On the other hand, destroying or closing evil lands would also cause chaos, if not more chaos than the previous scenario. But now, the former scenario was in progress, and only a few people knew the truth about the hearts of evil lands. If things continued this path and the number of monsters exponentially increased, many people would support the destruction of evil lands under the threat of monsters. Then, the latter scenario would take place. ¡®¡­What a nutjob. No, should I say that they are amazing?¡¯ Eugene could not help but admire them. Moreover, he became convinced. Vampires were the epitome of slyness, and they were the only ones capable of making and executing such a crazy, creepy, vicious plan. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Princess Lilisain called out. Eugene gave up on his thoughts and raised his head. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with and return to Lord Tywin. And we should return all the evil lands in the dukedom to normal. That¡¯s our priority.¡± ¡°Yes, as you wish, Your Majesty.¡± The elven knights burned with fighting spirit. They were filled with fear of the newly discovered threat, but also a sense of struggle and mission knowing that they were the only ones capable of preparing for the future. *** ¡®Why is he not coming out?¡¯ Camara Tywin stared at the dungeon¡¯s entrance with anxious eyes while biting his lips. Only two days had passed, but it was true that he held high expectations for Eugene. Considering the excellent results Eugene had shown in the past, Camara had been expecting a ridiculous outcome this time as well. ¡®No, it¡¯s only been two days. He will definitely come out soon.¡¯ While both anxious and expectant, he took steps to return to his tent, which was located a little distance from the entrance. It was then. Rumble¡­ ¡°M-my lord! It¡¯s opening! It¡¯s opening!¡± the soldiers roared excitedly. They had been as worried as Camara. Camara Tywin hurried back to the entrance and stared at the huge door while licking his lips. ¡°Oh! Ohh¡­!¡± Soon, the entrance opened, and Eugene appeared with his knights. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Camara started to run forward while calling out, then stopped. ¡®Something¡¯s¡­ different?¡¯ Eugene¡¯s appearance had remained the same from when he entered. However, Camara intuitively felt that ¡®something¡¯ had changed about Eugene. It wasn¡¯t just him either. The knights and soldiers of the territory also gazed at Eugene with anxious eyes. ¡°The dungeon is¡­¡± Everyone jumped as Eugene spoke in a cold voice. The tone was unchanged from before, but the atmosphere surrounding his voice felt completely different. ¡°Completely subjugated¡­¡± Ohhhhh¡­!!! ¡°Your Majesty¡­!¡± Camara called out. ¡°Let¡¯s return to the castle before we talk about the details,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!¡± Camara stopped himself. He had been in a hurry to ask a question. He quickly bowed. ¡°I will obey Your Majesty¡¯s command.¡± ¡®I¡¯m certain. Something¡¯s changed.¡¯ Previously, Eugene subdued the others with the unique energy he emitted, but now, it felt natural to revere him. Camara couldn¡¯t quite place his finger on what it was exactly, but he speculated that Eugene had gained a great power in the dungeon. *** ¡°The dungeon has returned to normal,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Do you mean that it should be fine to subjugate it as before?¡± Camara asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. We have also blocked the passages built by the monsters to the outside world, so the problem with the roamers should be resolved as well,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°T-thank you¡­¡± Truthfully, the dungeon still wasn¡¯t that much of a problem for Camara. He had earned enough wealth to last several years even without having to subjugate the dungeon. However, the increase in number and the extreme aggression of the roamers in the territory were threatening. Camara had realized that it indicated the presence of other passages leading out from the dungeon, but he had considered it impossible to go around and locate the passages one by one. As such, the only realistic solution had been to locate the passages from inside the dungeon and block them, which Eugene had done. ¡°How could I ever repay this grace¡­?¡± ¡°Be loyal as a lord of the dukedom. That will do.¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± Camara had long acknowledged the insurmountable gap between Eugene and himself. He bowed with all his heart. There was no need to worry about the interference and invasion of neighboring lords since he became a lord of the dukedom. As such, Camara welcomed Eugene¡¯s order. ¡°And one more thing¡­¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes. Go ahead,¡± Camara answered. ¡°The dukedom¡¯s soldiers will be in charge of subsequent subjugations,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°¡­!¡± Camara was taken aback and surprised, but for Eugene, the decision was a given. Like it or not, the world had already changed. From now on, battles between humans and monsters would be more frequent rather than disputes between territories and kingdoms. Moreover, the monsters would only grow stronger in the future. Everyone would eventually have to familiarize and accustom themselves with the new world, and Eugene had to make sure that his army, the troops of the Dukedom of Maren, would be the first to do so. CH 230 ¡°The dukedom¡¯s troops will take charge of the subjugation¡­?¡± Camara¡¯s expression stiffened slightly. Was he saying that the dukedom would take the profits from the evil land in his territory? Eugene quenched his concern. ¡°Naturally, the profit will be distributed the same as before. I am not planning to take your share, so there is no need to worry.¡± ¡°A-ah, not at all,¡± Camara stuttered after having his thoughts seen right through. Eugene continued, ¡°And I¡¯m not saying that the dukedom¡¯s troops will forever be in charge of the subjugation. Let¡¯s try it for six months and up to two years at the longest.¡± Camara answered, ¡°Ah, yes. I will obey your command, Your Majesty.¡± There was no need for him to refuse Eugene¡¯s offer. There wouldn¡¯t be any changes to his territory¡¯s share of the pie, and Maren¡¯s reliable troops would take care of all the hard work for him. ¡°Then I will be leaving tomorrow. See you in the morning,¡± Eugene said. Camara answered, ¡°Understood. Please make yourself at home¡± After Camara left, Princess Lilisain asked cautiously, ¡°With all due respect, Your Majesty, is there any reason to subjugate the dungeon on that lord¡¯s behalf?¡± ¡°There is. We absolutely have to do it ourselves,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°I¡¯m confused. I ask for an answer,¡± Princess Lilisain said. Eugene responded, ¡°Was Christian the only one playing tricks in an evil land?¡± One of the elven knights answered, ¡°No. He himself said that there were other members of the Dark Clan involved in the matter.¡± Eugene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. He said there are at least two or three clans involved in the issue. There are usually seven or eight high lords in each clan. Of course, not all of them would have been tasked with carrying out this particular mission, but there had to be at least ten others who are still doing what Christian had been doing.¡± ¡°Well, that makes sense.¡± ¡°But as the princess and you sirs know, Christian alone occupied at least five evil lands and reinforced the monsters within before sending them out. Ten others would make at least fifty evil lands. How many monsters would have been released in the past year? Surely, they are much stronger than before as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!¡± The question required no contemplation. They had killed more than five hundred large and small monsters on their way from Maren to the Tywin territory, which had been caused by a single high lord of the Helmond Clan¡ªChristian. However, similar things were apparently happening in at least ten other regions. Since the other regions were not privy to the changes just yet, it was likely that the number of monsters and the damage they were causing would continue to grow exponentially. ¡°Do you understand now? In the end, it means that the entire world will soon be suffering from monsters. That¡¯s why we should prepare Maren¡¯s troops in advance. Six months should be enough,¡± Eugene said. Six months would be sufficient time for Maren¡¯s knights and mercenaries to become accustomed to fighting the strengthened monsters. Naturally, dealing with dozens of monsters inside an evil land and hundreds in the outside world would be different, but there was a huge difference between being familiar and unfamiliar with the enemy. In particular, there were different methods of effectively dealing with different types of monsters, and it would bolster the power of an army for them to learn the different methods. If Maren¡¯s troops traveled around the dukedom and subjugated the various evil lands for six months, they would be able to properly fight against the strengthened monsters in the future without panicking. ¡°What brilliant insight. As expected from Your Majesty,¡± Princess Lilisain exclaimed. The elven knights nodded approvingly as well. ¡°So that¡¯s what you were planning.¡± ¡°If everything goes according to Your Majesty¡¯s plan, Maren¡¯s soldiers will become veterans of monster hunting.¡± ¡°Hunting?¡± Eugene smirked. The princess and the knights took on startled expressions, and Eugene spoke firmly, ¡°It¡¯s not a hunt. This is war.¡± The elven knights took on resolute, determined expressions after hearing Eugene¡¯s words. After a short moment, Princess Lilisain asked once again, ¡°But, Your Majesty, this important piece of information, should you not inform Brantia at the least?¡± ¡°I was planning to do that, anyway,¡± Eugene answered. Although he had become the king of Maren, Brantia was his foundation and the place he considered most significant to him. Moreover, the profits he had gained from Brantia were slightly bigger than from Maren. ¡°Who among you is the best at the language of the Caylor Kingdom?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I am¡­¡± One of the knights raised his hand. Eugene handed over a letter fixed with the seal of his ring. Eugene continued, ¡°Give this to the governor of Maren. Tell him to deliver it as fast as possible to Lord Markus of Mungard. Depart immediately.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the knight responded and saluted before leaving. ¡°With all due respect, why don¡¯t you send it directly to the King of Brantia? Isn¡¯t Markus the vampire lord of Mungard?¡± Princess Lilisain asked with a curious expression. Eugene answered, ¡°I¡¯m planning to bring those vampires here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eugene continued, ¡°An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Vampires for vampires.¡± Who was the natural enemy of vampires? A high priest? A holy knight? Perhaps, a stronger undead? No. Eugene thought that the natural enemies of vampires were also vampires. Higher-ranking vampires were smarter, and they had various countermeasures in place to guarantee their safety and victory from what people assumed were their natural enemies. However, vampires could not even breathe easily when faced with a vampire of a higher rank. As such, Eugene¡¯s intentions were to summon Lord Markus and Banneret Randolph to Maren. They would be perfect when it came to dealing with vampires below the lord rank. ¡°A brilliant idea. They will be very helpful in this fight. However, the opponents are likely vampire high lords. Do you think they will be strong enough?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. The other vampires under Eugene¡¯s command weren¡¯t strong enough to beat a high lord, except Galfredik. Even among the elves, only someone like Swordmaster Pranbow would be strong enough to compete with a vampire high lord. There was no way Eugene was ignorant of this fact. ¡°That¡¯s why I prepared something else as well. You can look forward to it,¡± Eugene said with a grin. He was thinking of a race that knew vampires better than anyone and wasn¡¯t particularly afraid of them. ¡®They should be itching right about now. No matter how much they can stuff themselves with meat, it can¡¯t be as good as a good fight.¡¯ Eugene had prepared a powerful card to deal with the vampire clans of the continent and their high lords¡ªthe Perseus Beowulf warriors. *** Eugene left the Rose Castle under a grand farewell from Camara and the residents of the Tywin territory. Seventy percent of the mana stones and by-products obtained from the recent subjugation were to be given to Eugene. As such, Camara had promised to send Eugene¡¯s share of the spoils to the Palin Association. The next destination of Eugene¡¯s group was a remote village located in the corner of the Tywin territory. He had obtained useful information from Christian and had even made a small fortune during the journey. Broadwin¡ªit was the hamlet where Eugene lived for quite a long time and was also the starting point for Eugene¡¯s current life. ¡°Is that the place? Your Majesty¡¯s hometown?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t really call it my hometown. Anyway, that¡¯s where I took my first step as a knight,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Princess Lilisain said with sparkling eyes. The spirit flew to the princess¡¯ side and started jabbering, ¡°Phew! That¡¯s also my home as well. Should I call it the place of fate where the legend of Sir Eugene and myself started?¡± ¡°Ha, ha¡­ The beginning of His Majesty¡¯s legend? I want to hear more,¡± Princess Lilisain responded with an airy moan. Mirian continued, ¡°The moment I saw him! I came to an immediate realization! Now this¡ªthis is fate! I knew that someone like Sir Eugene needed a wise, competent subordinate like myself! Of course, he had also recognized my value at first sight. Should I say we connected by simply sharing a gaze? Destiny? Fate? Anyway, we must have been deeply immersed in the heat of our youth.¡± The spirit completely and perfectly distorted the truth, and Eugene immediately corrected her. ¡°When I killed a monster in the swamp, some firefly suddenly started cursing at me. I ignored it because it looked useless, but this thing kept on sticking with me. What was it? You could make water faster by excreting it rather than spitting it? I told it to get lost because its offer was ridiculous, but it kept following me.¡± ¡°Hmm~ Fwee~¡± The spirit avoided Eugene¡¯s gaze and started to whistle rather poorly. Princess Lilisain gazed at the spirit with a hot gaze and spoke, ¡°¡­Even better.¡± Mirian responded, ¡°I knew that the princes would recognize my true value! Salute! Salute!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene couldn¡¯t find any words to say as he looked alternatingly at the spirit and the princess. It appeared that the two had started to get along at some point. After a while, Eugene arrived on the road overlooking Broadwin alongside the elven knights. The hamlet had become significantly larger compared to the past several years ago when Eugene had last seen it. There had been a little more than twenty households during Eugene¡¯s stay, but now, there were more than fifty households at a glance. A decent wooden fence and stone walls were protecting the compound as well. At this point, it was appropriate to call it a small village rather than a hamlet. ¡®It seemed Camara had kept his promise.¡¯ Broadwin was the hometown of Camara¡¯s half-brother, Felid, so he appeared to have lowered the village¡¯s taxes and provided adequate support as well. Eugene slowly rode Silion toward the village at the forefront of his group. ¡°A-a knight!¡± ¡°The knights are here!¡± The villagers immediately fell into a frenzy as knights with extraordinary appearances approached their village. The people working in the fields fled into the village in a hurry, and after a while, the chief and the village men came stampeding out and fell on their stomachs. ¡°S-sirs! We are the people of Lord Tywin, and we are simple, poor, ignorant villagers! We will serve you with all our heart, so please don¡¯t hurt us!¡± the chief exclaimed while trembling. He was struck with fear¡ªunable to even lift his head. ¡°It has been a long time, chief,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?¡± The chief barely managed to his head at the words of a knight who stood out from others. The knight¡¯s armor looked incomparably expensive, even compared to the other knights. Eugene took off his helmet. ¡°S-s-sir Eugene?!¡± The chief¡¯s eyes filled with disbelief after seeing Eugene, the one known as the ¡°Red-Eyed Monster¡± in the past. *** The chief and the people of Broadwin truly served Eugene and the elves with all their hearts. The original residents of the village, as well as the newcomers, couldn¡¯t keep their eyes off Eugene¡¯s group. ¡°An elf. A real elf.¡± ¡°They look unreal. How could they look so beautiful?¡± ¡°That lady yonder is supposedly the princess of the elf land.¡± ¡°Look at the sword and armor. It¡¯s so flashy.¡± Although Eugene had always been with members of other races, residents of a small village like Broadwin would almost never have the opportunity to see other races. They would be filled with wonder just seeing knights in chainmail or plate mail, so when they saw elven knights they only ever heard about in stories, they couldn¡¯t keep their jaws from dropping. The villagers gathered in the village¡¯s one and only pub, and they busily discussed Eugene¡¯s group. ¡°It¡¯s an incredible honor to have you visit our village again, Sir Eugene. You have truly accomplished quite a lot.¡± The chief could not hide his excitement and joy as if it were his own success. He would sometimes hear rumors regarding Eugene and Felid when he visited bigger villages after the two had left his village, but he had stopped paying attention to the two after about a year. The priority of rural villagers was to make a living. Knights, evil lands, and wars were completely unrelated to them. ¡°Well, I guess I did manage to accomplish quite a bit,¡± Eugene said with a grin. It was obvious at a glance from the chief¡¯s response that the chief was completely unfamiliar with Eugene¡¯s feats. ¡°As I expected! I knew you would do well, Sir Eugene! Oh, well, you have been extraordinary even when you were still in our village. Don¡¯t you all think so?¡± the chief said. ¡°Mhm! It was easy to get through the winter because he always caught beasts!¡± ¡°He also beat the black wolves and the bandits who invaded our village, didn¡¯t he? If it weren¡¯t for you, we would have been in big trouble.¡± The long-time residents of the village shouted, and the chief spoke with an even friendlier smile, ¡°See? We have always missed you ever since you left. Anyway¡­ did you join a powerful knight order? Ah?! Did you perhaps become a lord?¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, I guess you could say I¡¯m sort of a lord,¡± Eugene responded. Ohhh¡­!!! The villagers exclaimed while crowding him. A knight from their village had become a lord! The villagers felt an indescribable sense of pride. However, they had never imagined that the red-eyed knight was actually their ¡®king.¡¯ CH 231 Eugene and the elven knights were treated with the utmost hospitality by the village chief and the residents. Eugene did not bother mentioning that the entirety of the Tywin territory, including the village of Broadwin, technically belonged to the Dukedom of Maren and that he was its king. He already knew that the chief and the village residents were showing him and his group sufficient courtesy and treatment. He would only ruin the atmosphere by mentioning that he was now a king, and Eugene hated such outcomes. As the friendly, festive mood continued, the chief spoke while looking at Eugene with cautious eyes, ¡°Excuse me, Sir Eugene¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene answered. ¡°With all due respect, may I ask what brought you to this village?¡± the chief asked. ¡°Well, just this and that. Why? Is there a problem?¡± Eugene said, instinctively realizing that there was something more. The chief waved his hands. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s nothing like that. Why would I have any problems with you, Sir Eugene? It¡¯s not that¡­ But lately, monsters¡­¡± It was just as Eugene expected. Although he had killed numerous monsters on his way to the Tywin territory from Maren, it could not have accounted for all the monsters that had escaped from the evil land and the offspring they had produced. The aftermath of Christian¡¯s work was affecting even such a rural area. ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you with the compensation. So please, show us your chivalry, Sir Eugene,¡± the chief said. He continued and explained how two villagers had been done in by monsters with tears in his eyes. The chief was well aware of how much it cost to hire a knight like Eugene. After all, he sometimes ventured outside the village and visited larger settlements. Even so, he much preferred Eugene and the elven knights to Lord Camara¡¯s troops. Moreover, he didn¡¯t have to worry about Eugene making unreasonable demands or changing his mind like other knights. The chief was determined to get Eugene¡¯s help, even if it cost the village half of its total wealth. ¡°Fine. I will ask Lord Tywin for compensation. After all, he¡¯s the lord, right? The lord should take responsibility. Moreover, I have a relationship with Broadwin,¡± Eugene said. ¡°S-sir¡­¡± What an honorable, generous knight! The chief was truly touched. Naturally, Eugene wasn¡¯t being generous because he cared. Instead, he was just lazy. It was clear he would only obtain some livestock worth several silver coins at best as compensation from such a rural village. He couldn¡¯t just herd dozens of livestock around. As such, he judged that it would be better to ask Camara for proper compensation. ¡°I¡¯ll get on it starting tomorrow,¡± Eugene stated. ¡°Yes! Yes, sir!¡± the chief answered while wiping away his tears. Then, he brought out all the alcohol he had saved up until now. Eugene¡¯s first day in Broadwin was a grandiose welcome from the people of his hometown. *** Eugene left the village pub with the elven knights early the next morning. The sun had yet to rise, so only the chief and a few villagers were waiting for them. ¡°Have you rested well, Sir Eugene?¡± the chief asked. It appeared that the chief was certainly well-educated, judging from his choice of sophisticated words and tone. Eugene answered him, ¡°I was well received last night. Let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°Ah! Yes!¡± The expressions of the chief and the villagers brightened at once. They had been worried that Eugene had made a vain promise under the influence of alcohol, but Eugene was truly the embodiment of loyalty and chivalry. ¡°Thank you so much, Sir Eugene. You will surely be blessed. A knight as honorable and righteous as you¡­¡± ¡°Never mind. Give me a few guides,¡± Eugene said. The chief scratched his head awkwardly and asked, ¡°Guides? B-but Sir Eugene, you¡¯ve¡­¡± Eugene had lived in Broadwin for more than ten years. The chief could not help but be puzzled when Eugene asked him for guides. Eugene turned his gaze toward a faraway mountain and spoke, ¡°I have something else to take care of. These friends will take care of the monster problem, so pick a few people to guide them.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡± Just how long would it take them to handle all the monsters with just the seven of them? The chief felt rather anxious and doubtful, but he did as he was told. The other party was an immensely successful knight, and the others were elven knights. He couldn¡¯t ask for more nor question their decision when it was already gracious of them to carry out his request. ¡®Phew! At least, they can pretend to try. It should be fine for the time being if they get rid of the monsters in the village¡¯s vicinity.¡¯ The chief swallowed his regret and picked two men who were quick on their feet and knowledgeable about the geography of the nearby areas. In the meantime, Princess Lilisain and the elven knights unloaded their respective weapons and luggage from the saddles of their horses. The elves rarely had aides, so they took care of most matters with their own hands. The residents watched the elves with curious eyes. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bow. But isn¡¯t that too small? It¡¯s black as well¡­¡± ¡°It looks like it¡¯s made of a type of horn, right?¡± ¡°Is that a chain? A net?¡± The villagers were greatly puzzled by the equipment of the elves, which was completely different from the equipment of other knights. As far as they were concerned, knights and mercenaries only carried around weapons and armor. However, the elves seemed to be preparing for some kind of hunt rather than killing monsters. Moreover, they weren¡¯t very talkative either. The chief was curious as well, but he dared not ask the elves. As such, he turned to Eugene and spoke carefully instead, ¡°Excuse me, sir. It looks like it¡¯s going to take some time, so¡­ should we keep the pub empty?¡± ¡°Three days will be enough,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± The chief hid his disappointment. Three days clearly wouldn¡¯t be enough to exterminate all the monsters, so the chief had judged that they would indeed simply put on a show. ¡°Princess, sirs. I¡¯ll leave it to you all,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry. We will exterminate them all,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. She was determined to perform outstandingly well on her solo mission without Eugene. The elves were also more determined than ever since they had failed to play a significant role in the dungeon. Eugene headed to the mountain located behind Broadwin with the elven knights. Monsters most frequently appeared in the deep valley located behind the village, so it would be most efficient to clear out the monster by starting at the village and gradually expanding out. As the group headed to the mountain with the two guides, Eugene saw a meaningful place¡ªthe little hut Eugene had lived in during his time in Broadwin. ¡°Kieeh! Sir! It¡¯s our house! It¡¯s our old house!¡± Mirian exclaimed excitedly. ¡°Huh?! So that¡¯s the birthplace of Your Majesty¡¯s chivalry? My heart swells with awe,¡± Princess Lilisain said. However, it was neither grand nor awe-inspiring but small and shabby. Eugene felt dumbfounded, but Princess Lilisain continued to express her awe and admiration as she carefully looked around Eugene¡¯s old hut. The hut was well maintained. It appeared as though the chief hadn¡¯t lied about missing Eugene after he left the village. ¡°Kieeeh! I missed this place. I remember how I used to spend passionate nights with Sir Eugene in the hut,¡± Mirian said. ¡°Ha, ha¡­ Passionate nights¡­ Please explain,¡± Princess LIlisain asked while panting. ¡°A determination to get ahead. Anxiety about the future. Honorable chivalry for the sake of the world. He whispered such dreams and concerns to me all night long,¡± Mirian said while sweeping over the hut with dim eyes as if falling into nostalgia. Eugene decided to ignore her. He had long grown accustomed to the spirit¡¯s nonsense and distorted truths. ¡°Then let¡¯s split up here,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes.¡± Princess Lilisain and the elven knights followed the path leading up from the foot of the mountain behind the guides. *** After splitting up with the elves, Eugene directed Silion toward the forest where the swamp was located. It was the place he first gained strength in the past. Even though it had already been a few years since his last visit, the forest was still filled with an ominous, shady energy. However, Eugene was a vampire, and he rather welcomed such an atmosphere. ¡®The residents don¡¯t come near here, right?¡¯ According to the chief, the area had become off-limits after Eugene¡¯s departure. The residents originally avoided the area due to the frequent appearance of beasts and monsters, but their appearance had become more frequent after Eugene¡¯s departure. ¡®And the swamp monster was killed by me as well.¡¯ The monster only resided in the wetland, but the creatures of the forest had to drink water there, regardless of whether they were animals or monsters. Technically, the wetland monster had been a more powerful predator than Eugene in the past. As such, it was only natural that the number of monsters visiting the area had increased after the monster¡¯s death. Silion quietly passed through the roadless forest. Silion was intelligent and could almost be counted as a mystical creature. As such, it was fearless as it headed in the direction Eugene wanted without hesitation. ¡®It¡¯s too quiet.¡¯ Eugene felt puzzled. He could feel a breeze containing the damp smell unique to the forest, but there wasn¡¯t even a hint of any movement. He could feel beasts and monsters when he expanded his senses further, but they were hiding without moving an inch as if they were scared of him. ¡®How strange. They are just too different from the monsters we faced on our way to the Tywin territory.¡¯ Eugene had been concealing his Fear, so it would have been normal for the monsters to display their aggression and openly attack him. There was another strange thing. An hour had already passed since he entered the forest, yet he still couldn¡¯t see any familiar terrain. Even though several years had passed since his last visit, it was impossible for the forest to have changed completely in the meantime. Moreover, he could not have forgotten the terrain of his hunting ground of ten years. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t you think something¡¯s a little strange? It hadn¡¯t been like this here,¡± Mirian commented. It appeared she had also noticed something from her intuition as a spirit. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene looked around the forest. A cold smile appeared on his face. ¡°It seems someone is playing tricks,¡± he said. ¡°Kieeh? Tricks?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going for now,¡± Eugene said. Christian had said he was the only vampire who had been sent to this area. Moreover, he had vowed on his blood in front of an Origin, so there was no doubt he had spoken the truth. Then, it was highly likely that the current situation had nothing to do with Christian. It was more likely that there was a vampire Christian was unfamiliar with. And it was likely that¡­ ¡®It seems like magic, so they must have something to do with the Ventroa or the Bloodyshadow Clan.¡¯ A high-ranking vampire or a wizard was plotting something in his small hometown village of ten years, and it was in the wetland where a monster with a red mana stone previously resided. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I came here.¡¯ Eugene sensed that the situation had something to do with his past. He spoke to Mirian, ¡°Go up and take a look. The lake you lived in, can you find it?¡± ¡°Faster than anyone! Different than anyone!¡±[1] Mirian flapped her wings and fluttered over Eugene¡¯s head. Suddenly¡­ Crack! ¡°Kieeh!¡± Mirian fell helplessly after trying to climb. ¡°Kieeeee¡­¡± Thud. Eugene nodded as he looked at Mirian, who had fallen flat like a sheet of paper. ¡°As expected¡­¡± An invisible mystery was swirling around the forest. No, to be exact, it probably wasn¡¯t a forest. If Eugene''s memory served him correctly, he was currently headed directly for the wetland where he had killed the wetland monster and met Mirian. However, an unidentified force was interfering and keeping him from getting there. ¡°Kieeeehhh! Sir, it huuurts. I feel like I¡¯ve lost a few brain cells,¡± Mirian complained. ¡°You never had many of them, to begin with, so it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference, anyway. Stop talking nonsense and come back,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hing.¡± Mirian went back into her leather pocket and slumped while pouting. Eugene and Mirian had a contract with each other. As such, Mirian knew better than anyone else what kind of changes Eugene had experienced after gaining complete control over Armis, the demonic armor. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glowed red, and the surface of Armis turned the same color as blood. Soon, Fear erupted and spread like a spider web, and then it gathered at a single point in the forest. Eugene let go of his reins and raised his right hand. Ziiiing! Madarazika emitted a low cry and floated into Eugene¡¯s hand. ¡°But you should know who not to play tricks on¡­¡± Eugene muttered softly. He pointed at the spot where his Fear was concentrated. Kwaaaaaaaaahh! Madarazika fiercely shot forward and collided with its target. 1. It¡¯s just a reference to a Korean rap by Outsider. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2n4cK2memw here¡¯s a link if ya¡¯ll want to see/listen to it. Basically, the lyrics Mirian¡¯s referring to talk about how he¡¯s faster than everyone else & unique, blah blah. ? CH 232 What exactly was Fear? When Eugene first became capable of utilizing Fear, he simply regarded it as an ability capable of pressuring an opponent to help him in battles. Fear provided strong intimidation against enemies, and it slowed their actions, which would provide him a decisive opportunity to attack. Indeed, a moment¡¯s hesitation could determine the outcome of a life-or-death battle. However, as Eugene¡¯s tattoos disappeared one by one and his Fear grew more powerful, Eugene came to realize that intimidating enemies was just the most basic function of his Fear. One of the newly discovered powers of Fear was to locate an enemy¡¯s most vulnerable parts, and that was exactly what he was doing. Boooom!!! Madarazika struck a large tree like a meteor, and a large explosion resounded as the tree shattered into pieces. Shhhhh! The thick, humid fog surrounding Eugene was blown away as if it were caught in a strong wind. It was similar to how smoke escaped from an enclosed space through a hole in the wall. In fact, the current situation could be described as such. ¡°Hmm.¡± As the fog dissipated, the forest returned to its original appearance from Eugene¡¯s memory. Insects began to chirp vigorously, and beasts and monsters that had been forced to lie in the mystery immediately got up and ran away. It appeared that the monsters and the beasts had been trapped ever since Eugene entered the forest. ¡°Try flying up again,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Got it!¡± Mirian answered before soaring into the air, recognizing that the strange atmosphere surrounding them had disappeared. She flew high above even the tallest tree without getting squashed down like before. ¡°Kieeeeeh! Sir! The weird barrier is gone!¡± Mirian chirped. ¡°Got it. Then let¡¯s go toward your pond,¡± Eugene answered. Everything proceeded quickly and smoothly after the trick, whether it was magic or something else, disappeared. Within half an hour, Eugene was able to reach the pond where he first met Mirian after killing a monster resembling an alligator. However, there was a small problem. ¡°¡­Is this the right place?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Kihehe! This is the right place. It has just returned to its original state after that crocodile bastard was killed. Of course, if I had been present, it would have changed even more. You could say that this place has the purest water in the area,¡± Mirian said smugly. She wasn¡¯t wrong. As she said, this place could no longer be called a small pond. Rather, the wetland had been dispersed, and there was now a clear lake at the center. The place had become three or four times wider than before. ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°I¡¯m home! Home sweet home! Kieeeeeh!¡± Mirian jumped into the lake she once called home while shouting excitedly. However, her appearance was truly unbefitting her identity as a water spirit. ¡°Phuaaa! Phuaagh!¡± Eugene looked around the lake and ignored the spirit swimming around like a drowning dog. A small flashing blue dot caught his eye. Paaaa¡­ Eugene gathered his Fear and focused it on the dot. ¡°Would you rather come peacefully? Or do I have to beat and drag you out?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hieeek!¡± The blue light rose above the thick reeds with a gasp. ¡°Kieh?¡± Mirian immediately exited the water and flew to Eugene with shock. ¡°What? What is it?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be asking me. It seems to me like it¡¯s one of your kind,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Kieeeeeeeeeh?!¡± Mirian¡¯s jaw dropped with surprise. At the end of Eugene¡¯s gaze, a small spirit resembling Mirian¡¯s pre-evolutionary state floated in the air whilst trembling with a frightened expression. However¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t that a cone hat? Why is a spirit wearing something like that?¡± Mirian commented. ¡°Why are you asking me that? It¡¯s one of your kind,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Kieeeeh¡­¡± Mirian narrowed her gaze as she stared at the spirit wearing a cone hat made of water lily leaves. The spirit flinched when Mirian turned her gaze toward them, then soon shouted furiously. ¡°Traitor! Deserter! How dare you come back to this place so shamelessly?! And how dare you bring such a mean, dirty bloodsucker?!¡± ¡°Kieeeeh?¡± Mirian tilted her head questioningly. ¡°Mean? Dirty? Bloodsucker?¡± Eugene murmured softly as his Fear soared over his shoulders. He then continued, ¡°It feels rather refreshing to hear those words after a long time. But I would rather you choose classy words. Perhaps malicious and despicable? No, well, even if you don¡¯t want to, you¡¯ll soon call me those.¡± ¡°Hiek?!¡± The spirit gasped. Softly¡­ Stickily¡­ Eugene¡¯s Fear slowly crawled forward while emitting an ominous energy, and he grabbed the spirit. Eugene smiled coldly while revealing his fangs. ¡°They all change after a good beating.¡± *** ¡°Hng¡­ Huaaah¡­¡± Mirian gulped when she saw the spirit crying on their knees. Spirits weren¡¯t physical beings. Although they could be seen and touched, it was extremely difficult to inflict any physical damage on spirits. Of course, there were rare instances when they could suffer physical damage, but it could only be done by wizards or spirits possessing an opposite nature. However, Mirian knew one more power capable of imposing a physical sanction on spirits. It was ¡°Fear.¡± How did she know? Naturally, it was because she had experienced it directly from her contractor, Eugene. Of course, Eugene had never beaten her up with all his strength. If he had, then¡­ ¡®He would have conquered the Spirit World more than ten times already.¡¯ The spirit was trembling with blackened eyes and five or six bean-sized lumps on its head. The cone hat was no longer on the spirit¡¯s head as well. Mirian could not help but tremble together with the other spirit when she saw their horrible appearance. ¡°Name,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hughh¡­¡± Shhk. Eugene raised his finger, preparing for what was commonly known as a finger flick. As the crimson Fear wrapped around his finger, the spirit shouted with horror. ¡°Juseppel! My name is Juseppel!¡± ¡°Are you a spirit of water as well?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that is correct, oh evil, despicable demon.¡± the spirit answered. ¡°...¡± Eugene did not bother correcting how the spirit had just addressed him. After all, it wasn¡¯t the first time he had seen a spirit acting rude and weird. He had decided to just accept its behavior. ¡°The trick in the forest. Were you responsible for it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That is correct,¡± the spirit answered. ¡°Why?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It was because of the stern king¡¯s command,¡± the spirit replied. ¡°King? The Spirit King?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That is correct. Even if you are the evil, despicable demon king, you will have no choice but to humble yourself and bow before the¡­ Kiehhh!¡± The spirit¡¯s head was thrown back as they let out a squeal similar to Mirian¡¯s. ¡°Back to your original position,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kieehnngg!¡± The spirit quickly corrected their posture and raised their arms. An additional bean-sized lump was visible on the spirit¡¯s forehead. ¡°Stop with the unnecessary quibbles, and just answer my questions. Do you understand?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I-I understand¡­¡± the spirit muttered. ¡°Why did your king order you to guard this place?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°W-well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Juseppel hesitated for a moment. However, when Eugene raised his finger, Juseppel immediately spoke, ¡°I-it¡¯s because this place is the passage to the Spirit World!¡± ¡°¡­A passage to the Spirit World?¡± Eugene said. ¡°That¡¯s correct. The flow of mana is extremely pure in this place, so little spirits like me can come and go freely,¡± the spirit explained. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene frowned after hearing the unexpected answer. No, in the first place, why was there such an important place located in the mountain behind his village? Moreover, it had been Mirian¡¯s residence, had it not? Eugene¡¯s gaze naturally headed toward Mirian. ¡°Kieeh? What is it?¡± Mirian asked with a puzzled expression. She had been leisurely picking her nose while sprawled on Silion¡¯s head. The blood vessels on Eugene¡¯s head bulged in the form of a cross. She was definitely great. He could not believe she was capable of annoying and irritating a vampire so easily. Even though vampires possessed the coldest blood of any race, she was able to raise Eugene¡¯s blood pressure at a whim. ¡°This place. You said you lived here for a long time,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Right,¡± Mirian answered. ¡°But he says this is a passage to the Spirit World,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Kieeh¡­ Was that so? Perhaps, maybe, I might have, I feel like I have heard of that before. Hm¡­ I don¡¯t really remember! Kihehe!¡± Mirian responded with a bright, unconcerned smile. The other spirit shouted angrily, ¡°I have never seen someone as wicked and vile as you! The punishment for the deep, unforgivable sin of taking the king and their command lightly will be returned to you a hundred, no, a thousand times when you return to the Spirit World!¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t remember, so what do you want me to do about it? And from the looks of it, you bastard, you look like my junior. How dare you take that tone with me?¡± Mirian retorted. ¡°I will never consider an irresponsible traitor like you as my senior! How much trouble do you think I suffered because of you?!¡± the spirit exclaimed. ¡°Howww mooch truhbeeel do you think I suuuffeered~¡± Mirian imitated mockingly. ¡°Kieeeehh!¡± It appeared spirits made similar sounds when they were angry or upset. Eugene unknowingly learned a new fact regarding spirits that he was not particularly curious about. He pointed his finger at Mirian to shut her up before speaking again, ¡°From what you¡¯re saying, this place had always been a passage to the Spirit World, and she had been guarding it before you. Is that right?¡± ¡°Correct. That is exactly right,¡± the spirit answered. ¡°But you were forced to take over her mission when she just left, and you made a magical barrier to prevent anyone from coming near the lake?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Exactly. However, if I could correct one thing, I don¡¯t always maintain the boundary. It¡¯s only to prevent the approach of mean¡­ No, evil and despicable beings like you,¡± the spirit responded. ¡°Well, even if that¡¯s true, then why didn¡¯t she stop me when I first came here? No. In the first place, there was a powerful monster here even before I arrived,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kieeh?!¡± Juseppel was startled; he jerked his head around before shouting at Mirian. ¡°I thought you were only an irresponsible traitor, but you are incompetent as well! How regrettable! How lamentable! Here I find the disgrace of our race!¡± ¡°The disgrahecee of ooourr~ Kieek!¡± Eugene flicked Mirian far away and dusted his hands before speaking, ¡°Now, explain everything to me. Slowly, in detail.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Even in fear, Juseppel was exhilarated somehow. He started to explain. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered after Juseppel was done explaining. ¡®So, this is a place similar to the heart of an evil land.¡¯ Indeed, it would have been rather strange if a passage to the Spirit World did not exist, as there was even a passage to the Demon World. And just as it was difficult to approach the heart of an evil land due to the presence of intermediate and high-ranking monsters, the passage to the Spirit World was also guarded by a barrier erected by a special spirit that had been dispatched to protect it. But for some reason, the lake had been unprotected back then. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it was all because of Mirian¡­¡¯ He knew that there was something abnormal about Mirian from the very beginning, but it appeared she had caused a major incident for the spirits. ¡°If she were simply incompetent, a competent spirit like myself could have been dispatched to replace her. However, that shameless spirit not only swore a contract of her own accord, but she had also abandoned her post and followed you,¡± the spirit said. In short, Mirian had deserted her workplace without authorization. It was no wonder the spirits had gone hysterical. Mirian had deserted her duty, then contracted and departed with a vampire. What was even worse was that Mirian had contracted with a vampire, a race considered to be standing on the opposite side in nature compared to the spirits, rather than an elf, a race considered to be related to them. ¡°I was reaching my limits because of the sudden increase in monsters, but now the barrier has been destroyed¡­ How could I ever raise my head in front of the king?! Keugh, heugh!¡± Thick droplets flowed from Juseppel¡¯s eyes. Eugene felt slightly sorry. In fact, the spirit had only stayed faithful to his duties on behalf of a senior who had been incompetent, irresponsible, and crazy. ¡°And to think such a terrible demon king would take over the passage to the spirit world¡­ Huaaa! My king!¡± the spirit exclaimed once again. ¡°I¡¯m not going to refute how you refer to me, but your assumption that I would take over the passage is wrong,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kuhh? W-what do you mean? Juseppel asked. ¡°I only came here to find something out. I have absolutely no interest in the Spirit World,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°I-is that¡­ O-oh, no! I was almost beguiled by the king of the Tribe of Darkness, those known for their tricks and deceptions!¡± the spirit shouted alarmingly. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene slowly raised his finger and spoke softly, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier for me to take care of you with this rather than tricking you with my words?¡± ¡°Hiek!¡± ¡°This is what I¡¯m curious about. You said special monsters were targeting passages to the Spirit World like this, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°T-that¡¯s right,¡± the spirit answered. ¡°Are those the monsters with red mana stones?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Kiek! H-how do you know that?¡± the spirit exclaimed, shocked. ¡°As expected¡­¡± At first, Eugene simply considered himself lucky, but he found it strange that a monster with a red mana stone had been residing in a rural wetland, especially since such monsters were rarely found even in evil lands. However, Eugene became certain after hearing Juseppel¡¯s explanation. What were the chances that an Origin with missing memories had found a home near an entrance to the Spirit World, a place where a monster possessing a red mana stone had settled? Moreover, what if it was a rural area that outsiders and visitors rarely ever visited? ¡®I don¡¯t think I came to Broadwin of my own volition. Someone led me here¡­ Or I was placed here because of someone else¡¯s plan.¡¯ CH 233 Eugene had no memories beyond a certain point. He could only deduce his past from the small recollection he recovered whenever a tattoo was removed. He knew absolutely about who he truly was, where he lived, and what he did. Even his name¡ªJan Eugene¡ªwasn¡¯t his real name. Therefore, the most important goal for him was to regain his memory and past. The reputation he had as an unparalleled knight? The enormous wealth he amassed? The status he had as Maren¡¯s king? Such things had simply come to him as he followed the trails to regain his past and to survive. He hadn¡¯t been trying to achieve such things. And now, he had secured a clue closely related to his purpose in life. ¡®I didn¡¯t come to Broadwin by chance.¡¯ It felt as if his blood had turned cold. Even though he had lost his memory and power, he was still an Origin. He was the supreme monarch of vampires, a powerful being fit to be called the demon king. However, someone had moved him to their will. ¡®It¡¯s most likely a vampire. Most likely an Origin like me as well.¡¯ He did not know who it was and what they were trying to achieve. However, he considered it a great harvest that he had obtained a clue. As such, Eugene gave up on his thoughts and turned his head. ¡°Hurry up. I will give you five seconds.¡± Mirian quickly floated out of the lake, where she had been pretending to have fainted, and quickly buzzed toward Eugene. ¡°After taking into account everything I heard from your junior¡­¡± Eugene started. ¡°Kieh?¡± He then continued, ¡°I think you are the culprit behind everything that happened.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The ignorant, incompetent, and irresponsible spirit had been feigning an innocent appearance, but she immediately stiffened after hearing Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Though you may be wicked and despicable, you are truly wise. What a great judgment,¡± Meanwhile, Juseppel looked delighted. Mirian slowly averted her gaze, and Eugene continued, ¡°What on earth were you thinking that you followed me? No, in the first place, I heard that spirits responsible for guarding entrances to the spirit world are special, right? So why didn¡¯t you erect a barrier or something similar? Shouldn¡¯t you have at least defended the passage from that crocodile-like monster?¡± Although Eugene had fought the monster in the best environment for a vampire, the monster had been weak enough that it was defeated by Eugene before the latter could even regain his strength. If a barrier similar to the one Juseppel had erected had been present, the monster would have never successfully approached the lake. ¡°Most importantly¡­ how could a spirit like you have been entrusted with an important mission to guard the entrance to the Spirit World?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kieeeeeeeekk!!! What do you mean by that?! I¡¯m Mirian! Hmm?! King God General¡­¡± Mirian started to roar angrily, but Eugene pushed Juseppel toward her with his finger. Then, he said, ¡°This guy. He looks just like you, right?¡± Mirian answered, ¡°Kieh? Well, that¡¯s because we are both spirits of water. Only our faces are different¡ª¡± ¡°He has two sets of wings and a similar body size as you, right?¡± Eugene interrupted her. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°You followed me around for years and evolved during that time, but this guy was like this from the beginning. No matter how stupid you are, you must understand what that means, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°K-kieh¡­?¡± Judging from Mirian¡¯s reaction, it appeared Eugene had underestimated her stupidity. Eugene couldn¡¯t believe how unlucky he had been to have formed a contract with her. He continued, ¡°It means you were never competent enough to protect an entrance to the Spirit World. It was a mistake that someone as weak as you had been assigned such a mission.¡± ¡°Kieh!¡± ¡°Kieh?¡± The squeals of the two spirits contained different emotions. Eugene disregarded Mirian, whose pride seemed to be hurt, and spoke to the confused Juseppel. ¡°You may not know since this is the first time we¡¯re meeting, but she wasn¡¯t like this when we first met a few years ago. She only had a single pair of wings, and she was only half as big as she is now. Moreover, she couldn¡¯t even show herself to others and could not communicate at all.¡± ¡°H-how could that be?! You must be trying to trick me into¡­¡± Juseppel exclaimed. ¡°Trick? Is there any reason for me to lie to you in this situation? Can¡¯t you tell from your incompetent senior¡¯s reaction that what I¡¯m telling you is the truth?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kieeeeek! Cancel it! Take that back! I¡¯m not incompetent! I¡¯m King God General Revolution¡­¡± Mirian screeched. ¡°¡­I believe you,¡± Juseppel shuddered after stealing a glance at the crazy spirit. Eugene felt a moment of rapport with the spirit. Finally, the shame he had always felt from Mirian was no longer just his own. Surely, someone belonging to the same race as her would feel more ashamed than her contractor. ¡°Anyway, you understand now, right? Technically, she is not the only one responsible for this situation. The Spirit World should also be held responsible for entrusting such an important mission to her, right? In the first place, if they had assigned a spirit as capable and responsible as you, this wouldn¡¯t have happened,¡± Eugene said. Juseppel answered, ¡°You are exactly right. I can finally see that you are an extremely reasonable person. I apologize for not recognizing it earlier." Juseppel was smarter than the incompetent evil little thing, but he was still oblivious to the reality of the world. It was impossible for him to recognize and withstand the buttered words of an Origin vampire, who stood at the pinnacle of craftiness. ¡°But it¡¯s weird, is it not?¡± Juseppel said. ¡°What is?¡± Eugene asked. The spirit continued, ¡°Protecting the entrance to the Spirit World is an important task that is assigned to a spirit for decades. They would never put just any spirit, especially someone so incompetent and irresponsible, in charge.¡± ¡°Perhaps, there was a mistake?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°There could not have been any mistake. The king directly picks the guardian of the entrance. They would never pick a second-rate blue falcon like her,¡± Juseppel responded. ¡°S-second rate? Blue falcon? Kieeeeeee¡­ Keugh!¡± Mirian collapsed with a blue face as she found it hard to suppress her anger. However, Eugene and Juseppel continued their conversation peacefully with no regard for Mirian. There was a special kind of camaraderie between the two. ¡°Moreover, the king was the one most shocked and angry when the blue falcon abandoned her duties. Doesn¡¯t that mean there was nothing wrong when she was initially appointed?¡± Juseppel said. Eugene was quite surprised. He had thought the spirit was all talk, but it seemed he was quite smart as well. ¡°Kieeeeeekk! Kieeeeeeeeehhh!¡± Juseppel was a spirit that was miles better than the screeching crazy demon sprawled out on the floor while glowing blue.[1] ¡°Do you need a contractor by chance?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Kihick?!¡± The crazy spirit immediately stopped her tantrum, then looked at Eugene like a mother who had lost her child. ¡°S-sir¡­?¡± ¡°Ehem! It¡¯s an honorable proposition, but my humble self must remain faithful to the duty assigned to me by the king. I am afraid I will have to refuse,¡± Juseppel spoke while straightening his clothes and fixing his cone hat as if he felt pleased to have received Eugene¡¯s offer. Even Juseppel¡¯s smallest actions made Eugene compare the little brat rolling around on the mud floor like some kind of a beggar to him. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. Anyway, so the king chose her personally, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That is correct,¡± the spirit answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene¡¯s gaze landed on Mirian. ¡°Hoho... Kieeeehoho¡­ This is why you shouldn¡¯t be fooled into having black or silver-haired contractors. Life, what¡¯s the point of living so vigorously? When I die, I will return to the Spirit World, anyway¡­ Come to think of it; perhaps I felt more comfortable when I was in the sea monster¡¯s rectum. Kiehohoho¡­¡± Mirian muttered softly after rolling herself into a little blob and scribbling on the ground with a small branch. She appeared pathetic rather than pitiful, but Eugene made a guess. ¡°Even though she is slightly incompetent, I certainly don¡¯t think she is irresponsible,¡± Eugene said. Flinch. He continued, ¡°And although she was lacking then, she¡¯s quite useful now after evolving. I don¡¯t know about anything else, but she¡¯s pretty good at collecting wealth.¡± Squirm. Eugene took a glance at Mirian, who was slowly inching toward him with her back to him, before speaking once more, ¡°And come to think of it, she had always said that she doesn¡¯t have much memory of the Spirit World ever since she arrived here. Although she¡¯s a little lacking, she¡¯s not a liar.¡± ¡°Ah, lacking but kind-hearted. I have heard of such folks,¡± Juseppel remarked. ¡°That¡¯s right. Well, she remembers bits and pieces of information she has heard from her seniors but not much about the Spirit World. Isn¡¯t that kind of strange?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Kieeehmm. It¡¯s certainly strange. No matter how incompetent a spirit may be, and even if they are the lowest-class spirit, they wouldn¡¯t lose their memory of the Spirit World unless they are a newborn spirit. Well, that is, unless they received a shock and lost their memories,¡± Juseppel answered. ¡°Newborn spirit? Shock?¡± Eugene asked. Juseppel responded, ¡°Ah, did you not know? A spirit at the end of its life will be reborn as a new spirit shortly after returning to the flow of mana, and they are known as newborn spirits. Similar things can happen when a spirit is exposed to powerful magic, but it¡¯s extremely rare. In the first place, mysteries capable of causing such a phenomenon don''t happen very often.¡± ¡°But it still happens, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°That is correct. It should be the power or the mystery of a powerful being capable of rivaling a great wizard or the Spirit King. However, such beings are usually impossible to¡ª¡± Juseppel stopped as he met Eugene¡¯s gaze. ¡°¡ªFind, but here you are,¡± he continued. ¡°¡­¡± Another thread seemed to have come undone. It didn¡¯t make sense that Mirian wasn¡¯t capable of carrying out a critical mission like protecting the entrance of the Spirit World, as there was no way an existence like the Spirit King would have made a mistake. In that case, Mirian was probably a spirit similar to Juseppel when she first crossed over. However, she had reverted to a state similar to a newborn spirit due to an incident. And just in time, Eugene¡ªan Origin Vampire, an ancient being similar to the spirit king¡ªhad wandered by her residence and the Spirit World¡¯s entrance. ¡®Was it¡­ because of me?¡¯ ¡°Sir? Kieeh?¡± Mirian called out with shimmering eyes as if she hadn¡¯t sulked just now. Eugene felt hurried. Come to think of it; it was bizarre that a spirit had followed a vampire, regardless of how lacking they were. However, Mirian had never shown any reluctance toward him, though she was afraid of him during their first meeting. No matter how lonely she had been, it didn¡¯t make sense that she would follow a vampire she had met for the first time. However, she had done exactly that. At that time, Eugene had been quite ignorant about spirits, and he had simply considered Mirian to be an unusual spirit. Of course, he still considered Mirian unusual, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the whole story now. ¡®Instinct for survival, greed for wealth, and without a care of the means to achieve a purpose¡­¡¯ He felt a little offended, but he couldn¡¯t help but think that she was somewhat similar to himself. ¡®Moreover, I traveled back in time. If a powerful magic capable of turning back time had an effect on her¡­¡¯ Perhaps it was powerful enough to transform a perfectly normal spirit into a spirit who was lacking but kind-hearted. ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing important, so let¡¯s think about it later,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kieh?¡± The two spirits tilted their heads with puzzlement while making the same sound. Eugene quickly spoke, ¡°Anyway, are you busy?¡± ¡°Of course. There is a lot to do. I must restore the barrier you broke and keep the monsters in the vicinity in check¡­¡± Juseppel responded. ¡°I can take care of that,¡± Eugene said before jumping up. Afterward, he beckoned at Mirian. He felt rather sorry after seeing her usual, blank gaze. He then continued, ¡°Everyone is responsible for this matter, so you can lend a helping hand.¡± ¡°Kieh¡­? Sir, why are you being nice so suddenly? You¡¯re not acting like the Sir I know,¡± Mirian responded. And she just had to be quick-witted... ¡°Stop with the nonsense. Fly around the lake and check the locations of the monsters. You don¡¯t want to see dirty monsters all over your old home, right?¡± Eugene said. Mirian answered, ¡°That¡¯s right! Kieh! Kieh! Let¡¯s work together to screw them over!¡± ¡°Ooohh! I will take back what I said about you being irresponsible!¡± Juseppel exclaimed. ¡°Kihem! You just wait and see! Soon, you will have no choice but to call me a respectable senior!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡± Eugene quickly and naturally interrupted the two spirits¡¯ conversation, ¡°Yes, yes. As expected of the one I contracted with. No matter what anyone says, you are my subordinate number one, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Kieh! That¡¯s right! Kihehehe! You have finally realized my true value!¡± Mirian proudly exclaimed as if she had never been upset. Eugene was glad she was lacking but kind-hearted. 1. There is a pun in the original text. The word to ¡°glow/radiate light¡± is the same word for ¡°going crazy¡±. So it basically said that Mirian was AAA while AAA-ing, in which AAA is the word. ? CH 234 Eugene disposed of the majority of monsters near the lake and the forest within half a day. In fact, he could have easily annihilated all the monsters, but he killed them in moderation due to Juseppel¡¯s request. ¡°In any case, please leave some of the monsters alive. This lake¡­ It should not be home to only spirits. I will try to stay in harmony with them. To kill monsters due to a spirit¡¯s mistake and a spirit¡¯s desire to live¡­ I don¡¯t want to do such a thing.¡± Eugene was dumbfounded by the pointlessly poignant words. ¡°What kind of nonsense are you¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°How¡­ persuasive!¡± ¡°Although you may be incompetent, you know exactly how I feel as my senior.¡± The two spirits had started to get along well. Eugene was at a loss for words. ¡°Ah, truth to be told, it¡¯s because the ecosystem of the forest would be disturbed if you kill all the monsters. The food chain will only be maintained when a certain number of monsters are left alive. If all the monsters disappeared, the number of predatory beasts and herbivores will increase exponentially, which could cause damage to nearby villages,¡± Juseppel explained. ¡°Hmm. I see,¡± Eugene nodded. Juseppel was a smart spirit, unlike someone else he knew, so Eugene simply accepted it. ¡°Then are you going to continue staying here and protect this place?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That is correct. More monsters could come for the passage in the future,¡± Juseppel answered. ¡°This isn¡¯t the only passage to the Spirit World, is it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s correct. I can¡¯t tell you the exact number and their locations¡­¡± Juseppel hesitated. Even though Eugene had helped him, he couldn¡¯t simply reveal the secret of the Spirit World. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene thought for a moment before speaking again, ¡°Is there a way for you to acquire information about the other passages? Or even news about the Spirit World?¡± Juseppel responded, ¡°That will be difficult. Only the king will intervene with the passages, and it only happens when there is a problem with the guardian assigned to protect a passage. You can¡¯t even enter and exit through the passage without the king¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s impossible to enter without the king¡¯s permission, why are you even guarding it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Because although it¡¯s impossible to enter, it¡¯s possible to block it,¡± Juseppel said. ¡°Hmm. Block it?¡± Eugene stroked his chin while thinking. Who would benefit the most if a passage to the Spirit World was blocked? In the first place, spirits didn¡¯t have much influence on the world. It was evidenced by the fact that most people only considered spirits as mysterious beings. Spirits never had much contact with the world, they weren¡¯t visible to ordinary people, and they usually didn¡¯t do much of either good or bad deeds. ¡°What happens if the passage is blocked? Is it as simple as spirits not being able to come and go?¡± Eugene asked. Mirian interjected while fussing, ¡°Kieeeeeh! It will be a big deal if the passage is blocked! If my lake disappears or the monsters gulp it down, the neighborhood will be harpooned. Neither humans nor monsters will be able to live here any longer.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Eugene said as a thought flashed through his mind. He asked, ¡°Do you know where the water in this lake comes from?¡± Mirian answered, ¡°It¡¯s groundwater. And I purified it before I filled it up.¡± ¡°I also did the same thing. One of the important tasks of the passage¡¯s protector is to keep the water from drying up,¡± Juseppel chimed in. ¡°I see. So the water from the lake must also flow elsewhere, right? Like a tributary or a stream that flows further down,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yeap! There is!¡± ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± The two spirits answered. ¡°Where is it? Let¡¯s go,¡± Eugene answered. He then explored the water downstream of the lake under Mirian and Juseppel¡¯s guide. There were a total of six small streams, and they all flowed down the mountain. More importantly¡­ ¡®Everything leads to the river. Does the entirety of the Tywin territory rely on the river originating from this lake? Perhaps¡­ the nearby territories as well? No, it¡¯s possible that¡­¡¯ It was possible that the river flowing throughout the dukedom originated from this very lake. Even if that were not the case, it was highly likely that the Tywin territory and the nearby areas would suffer catastrophic damage if the lake malfunctioned. ¡®Come to think of it, the reason for Broadwin¡¯s development was¡­¡¯ During Eugene¡¯s time in Broadwin, the villagers depended equally on farming and hunting. They had been forced to hunt to maintain their livelihood because they simply didn¡¯t have enough farmland, which meant they couldn¡¯t sustain everyone with farming alone. However, when Eugene visited the village again, there were wider plots of arable land, and the number of villagers solely reliant on farming was greater than before. Come to think of it, he vaguely recalled seeing a common well in the village as well. ¡®They didn¡¯t expand cultivated land because the population had increased. Rather, people flocked to the village after it transformed into an environment convenient for farming.¡¯ And the change would have come after Juseppel had taken over Mirian¡¯s task and started properly managing the lake. Although Eugene didn¡¯t know anything about farming, he knew exactly how important water was for farming. As such, if the lake, the passage to the Spirit World, were destroyed or crippled, it would affect not only the village of Broadwin but almost all the farmers in the region. ¡°I finally understand,¡± Eugene said with cold, glowing eyes. ¡°Huh? What? You understand what?¡± Mirian asked. Eugene answered, ¡°It¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. Oi, junior spirit.¡± ¡°Kieee. My name is Jus¡­¡± ¡°Tell me what you know about the other passages into the Spirit World,¡± Eugene said. ¡°W-well, as I said a moment ago, that¡¯s confidential information of the Spirit World¡ª¡± Juseppel answered. ¡°Similar things that happened to this lake should be happening to the other passages as well. Is that fine for you?¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°Kieeeek?!¡± The two spirits squealed simultaneously. ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± Juseppel asked. ¡°What else? You punk, I¡¯m saying that monsters more powerful than before should be flocking over to the other passages to make a mess. I was here at the right time to take care of it, but do you really think the other passages will be as lucky? You said that all of them are in deserted places,¡± Eugene said. ¡°That is correct, but¡­ I need the king¡¯s permission to disclose any information regarding the passages¡­¡± Juseppel hesitated. Eugene decided to hammer the final nail in the coffin. ¡°I will take care of the problems the other passages will experience. Afterward, you will be recognized as the competent spirit who presented a solution to a problem that threatened the entirety of the Spirit World. A recognized spirit, unlike someone else.¡± ¡°The nearest passage to the spirit world is¡­¡± the spirit didn¡¯t even contemplate for a second. Eugene became certain. Mirian was obsessed with gold, silver, and treasures, while this spirit was completely obsessed with fame, reputation, and promotions. *** After obtaining information regarding the other passages from Juseppel, Eugene left the lake along with Mirian. ¡°I will make sure to tell the king that although you were incompetent and erratic, you weren¡¯t irresponsible. Goodbye!¡± Juseppel shouted. ¡°Kieeeeh! I¡¯m not incompetent!¡± The two spirits argued until the very end, but Mirian seemed rather satisfied to have alleviated some of the misunderstandings. ¡°Ki-hoho! In any case, it means that my legend has spread even in the Spirit World. Those seniors who had always bragged about this and that whenever they had the chance¡­ Now, they won¡¯t be able to keep their heads up in front of me. Kihehe~¡± A legend¡­ Well, a humongous accident would still be passed down the generations as a sort of legend. ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Eugene stopped himself from correcting her. After all, he had his own conscience, and he felt a sense of responsibility to do so as well. ¡°Kehehehehehehehehe!¡± Truly, he was glad that she was kind-hearted, even though she was lacking. ¡®Anyway, the harvest was good.¡¯ He had made the right decision to visit Broadwin once again. If he hadn¡¯t met Juseppel and heard about the passages to the Spirit World, he would have only focused on the matters related to Christian. However, from his meeting with Juseppel, he discovered that the added threats to the passages weren¡¯t simply a coincidence born from the increasing number of strengthened monsters. The way he saw it, there was either a causal effect between the two events, or both results were the desired outcomes of the mastermind behind all these. ¡®I will need to check it out, but the two issues are definitely not separate matters. There are too many suspicious aspects to simply call it a coincidence.¡¯ And he had to head to the other passages to the Spirit World to confirm his theory. ¡®If someone¡¯s playing tricks there like they did here¡­¡¯ Then whoever was behind all these was someone who wanted to watch the world burn. ¡°But sir,¡± Mirian called out. ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene gave up on his thoughts. Mirian continued,¡± Why are you trying to help the other passages? Is it because of the deep, loyal bond you share with me? Is that why you are trying to help the Spirit World?¡± As if that were true. However, Eugene felt a small sense of responsibility. After all, there was a possibility that he had caused her to revert to her ¡®lacking, but kind-hearted¡¯ self. ¡°You could say that¡­¡± Eugene murmured. ¡°Just what I expected. Kihehehehehehe!¡± Mirian exclaimed before bursting out into a peal of laughter with her clear, innocent eyes shining. Her carefree attitude made her seem even more pitiful. ¡°The important thing is that if all the passages become blocked, then everyone, including humans, will be faced with a difficult situation. You should know better than anyone else. Humans cannot survive without water,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Kehem! You have finally realized the truth. You finally know how precious I am,¡± Mirian scoffed. Eugene wanted to humble the arrogant spirit, but he endured it, knowing she had a point. ¡®I don¡¯t know who planned this, but they¡¯re truly a piece of work.¡¯ The term ¡®demon king¡¯ was used to refer to such beings. The world did not end simply just because one killed some enemies on the battlefield or brutally murdered someone. However, if everything continued according to the intricate plan, it would inevitably lead to catastrophic, incomparable destruction. ¡°As you know, there¡¯s no point in eating well and living well if you¡¯re alone,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kieh?¡± ¡°Why are you so obsessed with wealth? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re able to take the gold and the treasures back to the Spirit World,¡± Eugene said. Mirian answered, ¡°Well, it¡¯s because others look up to you if you have a lot of money!¡± It was exactly what Eugene had expected. ¡°Right? But what if there isn¡¯t anyone left to look up to your collection of gold and treasures? What if there isn¡¯t anyone left to make food for you to devour?¡± Eugene asked. Mirian raged at Eugene¡¯s question. ¡°Kieeeeeh! That can¡¯t happen! Never!¡± ¡°Right? It¡¯s the same for me. There are many people that I would be troubled without,¡± Eugene stated. Romari, Lanslo, Luke, Princess Lilisain, and many others¡ªthe collapse of the world meant they wouldn¡¯t be able to lead proper lives. Honor? Justice? Such things didn¡¯t matter. Eugene simply didn¡¯t want his ¡®colleagues¡¯ to be troubled by the future. ¡®Hmm? Colleagues?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Neiiigh? Silion suddenly stopped in his tracks as if recognizing his master¡¯s feelings. ¡°Kiehh? Sir? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°¡­Nothing. It¡¯s nothing,¡± Eugene answered while shaking off the unfamiliar, awkward sensation. He tapped Silion¡¯s side. Colleagues? ¡®I will not admit it.¡¯ However, he could not help but admit that his mood wasn¡¯t so bad, though he felt rather embarrassed. *** ¡°Oooh! Sir Eugene, welcome back!¡± The chief warmly greeted Eugene when he returned toward the end of the afternoon. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I don¡¯t see many of the residents here.¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well, everyone should be busy working and¡­ they¡¯re worried and all,¡± the chief answered. ¡°Worried?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes. Well, the sir elves¡­¡± the chief continued while anxiously glancing at Eugene. ¡°¡­So, the bottom line is that you can¡¯t trust Princess Lilisain and the elven knights?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah! No, it¡¯s not that! Absolutely not true! We only have grateful hearts for Sir Eugene and the elf knights! I-It¡¯s just that us ignorant country folks have never seen a case like this,¡± the chief hurriedly answered while sweating profusely and groveling. ¡®Well, it¡¯s natural for him to be worried, as there are less than ten of them.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t anything to blame the chief and the residents for. Eugene grinned. ¡°Just wait a few hours. They should be back by sunset.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± The chief bowed while wiping his sweat. He had been worried about offending Eugene¡ªworried that the knight would get angry and just leave. Three hours later¡­ ¡°¡­!?¡± Broadwin fell into shock when Princess Lilisain and the elven knights returned against the deep, orange sunset. However, it wasn¡¯t just because their armors were caked with blood and flesh, which made it hard to believe that they were the same noble, elegant elves from before. ¡°Check it.¡± Each of the three leather bags they had tossed was the size of an adult man, and all three were filled to the brim with the noses of all kinds of monsters. CH 235 ¡°We have successfully eliminated the monsters in the mountains surrounding villages. 288 of them in all,¡± Princess Lilisain said. It was just like her to have counted the exact number of monsters. ¡°Good work. There were intermediate and high-ranking monsters as well, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Three trolls, two owlbears, and two griffons. Also, please take this,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. One of the elven knights carefully retrieved something from their pack. They were two eggs the size of a child¡¯s head. ¡°Eggs?¡± Eugene asked with a puzzled expression. Princess Lilisain nodded proudly. ¡°Yes. griffon eggs. I was lucky.¡± ¡°Hooh.¡± ¡°Kieeeek! Big eggs! They will taste amazing if we steam them~ It will be delicious if we fry them with lots of oil!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°Uaaagh!¡± ¡°I-is it an evil spirit?¡± The villagers jumped with shock at the sudden appearance of the gluttonous spirit. As it turned out, Mirian¡¯s desire for food was almost as great as her greed for wealth. Her appearance was quite provoking, as her eyes were twitching and drool was flowing down her chin. ¡°At ease, everyone. This is a spirit subordinate to me,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt anyone, kihehe,¡± Mirian chortled. ¡°I-is that so?¡± ¡°A¡­ a spirit, I see¡­¡± The villagers still appeared somewhat doubtful, but they seemed relieved to see Mirian acting cute. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring the eggs back to eat. However, if we were to eat them, we should add mint, herbs, honey, and peppers, then soak it in ale for a few days before frying in oil,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°If you didn¡¯t bring them back to eat, let¡¯s stop it there. The eggs look quite precious, but why did you bring them back?¡± Eugene asked. He had to quickly stop Princess Lilisain from describing her eccentric eating habits. It wouldn¡¯t do anyone good to hear what she had to say about food. Princess Lilisain answered, ¡°I want to try and hatch them.¡± ¡°Hatch them?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. One of my royal ancestors once¡­¡± According to her words, in the past, a member of Eland¡¯s royal family had accidentally found a large egg. The elf had known that the egg was too large for it to belong to an eagle or a similar type of bird, so they had brought it back with them with a curious mind. The very next day, the egg hatched. ¡°What emerged from the egg was a four-legged bird the size of a chicken,¡± Princess LIlisain explained. ¡°So it was a griffon,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Yes. They didn¡¯t know it at first, but after three days or so, the creature started to resemble a griffon in appearance. The creature grew to the size of a large hound after fifteen days, and about two months later, it was large as a bull¡ªlarge enough for someone to ride on,¡± Princess Lilisain continued. ¡°Hmm? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Eugene muttered. Princess Lilisain nodded with pride. ¡°That¡¯s right. The first thing that the griffon saw after birth was my ancestor, and the griffon took them as its mother and followed them.¡± ¡°Hooh.¡± ¡°Afterward, my ancestor achieved many things as a griffon knight. It was during a time when Eland was free from any foreign invasions, so my ancestor fought on the griffon whenever he was fighting monsters. The stories regarding his feats are still being passed on to this day,¡± Princess Lilisain explained. ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s understandable,¡± Eugene said. It was common sense that flying monsters like the griffon or the wyvern were much more difficult to fight and kill than land monsters. And what if there was a knight riding on a griffon? It would be a disaster for whoever was facing the griffon knight, regardless of whether they were humans or monsters. Moreover, it wouldn¡¯t have been just a regular knight, but a pure-blooded elven knight from the royal family of Eland. Such a knight would have also possessed excellent skills with the bow. There would have been no need for them to fight in close proximity. They could have easily stayed in the air shooting arrows all day to win battles. Of course, griffons were different from wyverns in that they could not fly for extended periods of time at high altitudes, but it was possible for them to glide while the rider let loose a large volley of arrows. ¡°My ancestor was called an invincible knight. Their name was renowned even in Brantia, although he had never crossed over,¡± Princess Lilisain said proudly. Eugene smirked while gazing at her. ¡°So you will try to hatch the egg as well, Princess?¡± Eugene asked. She answered, ¡°Yes. And I would like to present one to Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Thank you. It would be very helpful if I could be like your ancestor,¡± Eugene said. However, in truth, Eugene didn¡¯t really care whether he had a griffon or not. He was powerful past the point of needing such things, and if he really wanted to fly, he could simply suck the blood of a flying monster and transform into it. However, he couldn¡¯t reject her when she looked at him with sparkling eyes like a child wanting praise after perfectly eradicating all the monsters. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that there are only two eggs. I wish I could have given one to Galfredik and the other sirs,¡± Eugene said. ¡°That¡¯s right. I am also in dismay. However, this could be understood as a kind of revelation that the two of us must accompany each other on the battlefield and¡ª¡± Princess Lilisain responded. ¡°Huh? Weren¡¯t there originally five? The princess said three of¡ª¡± One of the elves whispered to one of their colleagues. Fwoosh! However, they immediately stopped when Princess Lilisain jerked her head around. ¡°Hiek!¡± The elven knight squealed as if he had seen a ghost. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ Eugene wondered. He could only see the back of Princess Lilisain¡¯s head, as well as the strange response of the elven knight and cold sweat forming on his forehead. ¡°C-come to think of it, three of them were in terrible condition. That¡¯s why the princess smashed them instead. Yes, yes¡­¡± the elf hurriedly explained. Fwoosh! ¡°So he says, Your Majesty,¡± Princess Lilisain said with a bright smile. Eugene found it highly suspicious, but he nodded gently. Eugene turned to the chief of Broadwin and its residents. ¡°Chief. We must bring the corpses of the monsters, so gather some people. You better not be greedy and try to bring everything¡ªjust bring as much as you can.¡± ¡°O-of course!¡± The chief¡¯s shock quickly turned into joy. It was only natural for him to be happy, as the monsters in the vicinity had been eradicated, and he would also be getting an unexpected profit. Of course, according to custom, Eugene would be taking all of the expensive by-products and mana stones, but the village would still be left with a significant amount of money. ¡°Now, now, get going before the sun sets! The sirs will have to rest, so prepare the torches and sacks¡­¡± the chief started shouting. Eugen interrupted him, ¡°What are you talking about? The other knights and I will be coming along.¡± ¡°What?¡± the chief asked with a startled expression. He continued as if he were flustered, ¡°But isn¡¯t it too dangerous during the night? Wild beasts will be active, as well as the monsters. Moreover, we can¡¯t burden you all any more than this. We will be more than enough to retrieve the corpses.¡± ¡°Who said anything about retrieving the corpses? We should continue the hunt,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°¡­?!¡± Eugene turned his back on the shocked chief and the residents, then spoke to Princess Lilisain and the elves, ¡°You can do it, right?¡± ¡°Possible.¡± ¡°Naturally. There are quite a few monsters that are active only after sunset, so of course, we have to hunt at night.¡± Hunting at night was normal for the elves since they possessed excellent night vision. In Eland, knights would hunt monsters for four to five nights during their hunt. *** Throughout the night, Eugene and the elven knights hunted around two hundred additional monsters. The mountains near the village were tall and the land wide, but the residents were absolutely petrified to know that so many monsters had actually been living nearby. They were also relieved that so many monsters had never attacked the village directly. ¡°We were really lucky.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. Did God protect our village?¡± The villagers attributed their safety until now to their good fortune, although the truth was that monsters had been too occupied with the passage to the Spirit World that Juseppel had been protecting. However, Eugene didn¡¯t bother to tell them the truth. ¡°You know the mountain behind the cabin where I lived before? There¡¯s a big forest there, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, sir. What about it¡­?¡± the chief asked. ¡°Please go to the entrance and perform a ritual. Two or three times a year will do,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°A¡­ ritual?¡± the chief asked with a blank stare. Eugene answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. And always remember to use a loud voice to praise the spirit there for being competent and responsible. Say that everyone is leading good lives thanks to the spirit and that it has made farming easier. Ah, and make sure to tell the spirit that I told you to hold the ritual.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes. I will make sure to do as you say,¡± the chief muttered. ¡°Good. But you must not go into the forest. Only at the entrance,¡± Eugene emphasized. ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± the chief replied. ¡°Good.¡± Like Mirian, Juseppel was a curious spirit. Eugene was certain the spirit would notice a group of villagers coming near the forest and hear them praise him. ¡®It will make him feel as good as whenever Mirian is given gold, silver, and treasures. Moreover, since they will be doing it in my name, Juseppel will talk about me in a favorable way to the Spirit King.¡¯ He would be visiting quite a few passages to the Spirit World in the future, so he didn¡¯t want to have any beef with spirits. He could have threatened Juseppel or asked the spirit to deliver a message, but this method would allow him to make things much easier for him, and he could also avoid a direct confrontation with the Spirit King. Most importantly¡­ ¡®A being like the Spirit King will definitely realize one day that I am the reason why Mirian became like that. This will serve as insurance for that time.¡¯ Though he could just feign ignorance, it would be better for him to form a friendly relationship with the Spirit King from now on than to experience trouble in the future. ¡°Then I will get going,¡± Eugene said. ¡°We owe you everything, Sir Eugene! We will forever honor your chivalry and grace!¡± ¡°Sir Eugene!¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± Eugene left Broadwin, leaving behind the emotional, grateful shouts of the villagers. *** ¡°We have made yet another large profit, Your Majesty. Congratulations,¡± said Princess Lilisain. ¡°Kihehe! Has the princess knight finally learned the true taste, the true gratification of money?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Mhm. Just as you say, more money isn¡¯t a bad thing,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. ¡°Obviously. I want to be punished with more money every day!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°So cute¡­¡± Eugene sighed inwardly as he watched the two chatter away. Since a certain point, the elf princess and the spirit had become inseparable. ¡°Phew.¡± ¡°I wonder why she is acting like that¡­¡± Judging from the expressions of the knights following behind Princess Lilisain, they seemed to be worried that the princess would become tainted by the world. But setting all those aside, it was true that they profited big time. Hundreds of mana stones had been discovered after killing the monsters, and the chief had promised to send the money made from selling the by-products through the Palin Association. They had truly made an incredible sum. The elven knights were less conscious of financial matters and money compared to their human counterparts, but even they couldn¡¯t help but be awed by the amount they made. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not a bad thing for the future son-in-law of the king to be rich, right?¡¯ ¡®It will help with the dowry in the future as well. It¡¯s a good thing, right?¡¯ The knights continued while having such thoughts. Suddenly, one of the knights flinched before turning their head and shouting, ¡°Your Majesty! Princess!¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± The two people rushed forward toward the knight. ¡°I think the egg just moved,¡± The knight said. ¡°What?¡± Eugene was startled. He quickly examined the griffon eggs, which were tightly wrapped with straw and cloth. Tap, tap. ¡°Oh?!¡± Tap, tutuk! The surface of an egg started to quiver, then it rocked before a crack appeared on its surface. ¡°Your Majesty. The griffon must be ready to come out. Birth is imminent.¡± Princess Lilisain pointed out. ¡°Hmm! I see,¡± Eugene responded. Even he felt a little excited by the event, and he stuck to Princess Lilisain¡¯s side while watching the egg with curious eyes. Craack! Soon, the surface of the egg started to fall apart. ¡°¡­Keh?¡± The head of a bird popped out of the crack. The tiny veins and capillaries were still visible on the surface of the creature¡¯s head. Kehh~ Kehhhh~ ¡°S-so adorable¡­¡± Princess Lilisain muttered with wide, emotional eyes when she saw the baby griffon flapping its tiny little wings. The creature couldn¡¯t even properly open its eyes just yet. She carefully picked up the bird. ¡°Abooboo! Ohnyonyo! Good bird.¡± Princess Lilisain cooed as the newborn, a chicken-sized griffon, struggled in her arms. In a way, it was a touching, beautiful sight of motherhood. However, Eugene and the knights had never imagined in their wildest dreams that the princess would ever take care of a monster¡¯s cub. They could only watch awkwardly. ¡°Kieh? It¡¯s pretty cute,¡± Mirian commented while hovering by the princess¡¯ side. The spirit quickly floated down, then placed her hands on her waist before declaring arrogantly, ¡°Kihem! You little runt, listen carefully. I am Sir Eugene¡¯s number one subordinate, and from today on, I will be in charge of your education¡ª¡± Thup! The chattering spirit disappeared into the griffon¡¯s beak in an instant. CH 236 The second egg hatched thirty minutes after the first one. Keeeh~ Keeh~ The two griffon cubs wiggled pleasantly in Princess Lilisain¡¯s arms. It appeared that the two creatures had recognized Princess Lilisain as their mother. They followed her wherever she went, and they even fell asleep right by her side. Chomp! ¡°It¡¯s a relief that you are not a picky eater. Eat lots,¡± Princess Lilisain muttered with a bright smile while dropping something into the beaks of the griffon cubs one by one. ¡®Even if they aren¡¯t picky, giving them poisonous snakes is a bit¡­¡¯ ¡®Shhh. The princess has been up since dawn catching them.¡¯ It was a truly bizarre sight to see an elf princess feeding monster cubs poisonous snakes. It was an incredulous situation, but the person in question was Princess Lilisain. As such, the elven knights seemed to have given up. Besides, as she had said, the young griffon cubs were rather cute as well. However, not everyone considered the griffon cubs to be adorable. ¡°Useless little gluttons¡­ Those puny, ungrateful birdbrains¡­¡± Mirian muttered angrily on Eugene¡¯s shoulder. Eugene clicked his tongue. ¡°Why are you so angry? They are only newborns, after all.¡± ¡°Kieeek! The two of them took turns gulping me down! Kieeehnng! What sins did I commit in my past life to deserve that?! It was bad enough that I had to get inside a sea monster¡¯s asshole, but now, the beaks of those bird heads¡­¡± Mirian complained. The spirit still hadn¡¯t come to her senses after almost being devoured by the firstborn. Rather, she had attempted to ¡®educate¡¯ the second of the griffons but ended up almost being devoured yet again. Since then, she kept her distance from the griffon cubs and continued bad-mouthing them while using Eugene as a shield. ¡°Sir, sir. Look at their beaks. It¡¯s yellow. That¡¯s not good¡­¡± Mirian pointed out. Eugene responded, ¡°You mean their roots, not their beaks.[1] Their beaks are supposed to be yellow.¡± ¡°Whatever! Anyway, just give them to Gal and the raccoon. Look, he doesn¡¯t like them either,¡± Mirian said while pointing at Silion. Neiiigh¡­ Silion cried softly as if it had understood the spirit¡¯s words. It was only natural because horses were one of the griffons¡¯ favorite foods. In addition, Silion had also experienced having to desperately flee from griffons as bait in the past. Perhaps, that was why Silion didn¡¯t even spare a glance at the griffon cubs. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, although those little bastards like the princess knight, they don¡¯t like you, right? As far as I can tell, you won¡¯t get to ride them,¡± Mirian continued. Eugene answered, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡± Eugene didn¡¯t think the griffon cubs hated him. They definitely considered Princess Lilisain to be their guardian and relied on her, but in his case¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t think they hate me. They just seem to be scared.¡± Whenever Princess Lilisain reached out, the griffon cubs would extend their necks and rub themselves against her. However, whenever he tried to touch them, they would simply freeze and look at him with fearful gazes. ¡°The ones they hate are the other knights. They don¡¯t even let anyone touch them, right?¡± Eugene said. The griffon cubs only allowed the touch of Princess Lilisain and himself. Whenever the other elven knights approached them, they would peck those knights without mercy. ¡°Kieeeeek! That¡¯s even worse! Why are they trying to eat me then? Do they think I¡¯m a weakling?!¡± Mirian screamed. Her pride was hurt. Just as she said, it seemed that the griffon cubs hated the elves, and they only regarded Mirian as food. ¡°This won¡¯t do. We have to find a solution. They¡¯re like this already, so what¡¯s going to happen when they get bigger? Kieeeehh!¡± The spirit fell into contemplation while biting her nails. She desperately wanted to discipline the griffons as their senior, but she had no idea how to do it. However, Eugene wasn¡¯t worried at all. The griffon cubs were extremely afraid of him, and he didn¡¯t think that would change even when they grew bigger. ¡®And if it seems like they¡¯re going to cause trouble when they¡¯re bigger¡­¡¯ They were still nothing but monsters. Eugene stared at the griffon cubs with dreary eyes. As soon as the yellow eyes of the griffons met his gaze, they immediately froze and dropped their beaks. Anyone could tell that they were helpless against Eugene. ¡®They¡¯re small, but they¡¯re quick-witted. Good.¡¯ The griffons would obviously still react the same way even when they matured. Eugene was satisfied knowing that. In truth, however, the griffons didn¡¯t react as such because they were quick-witted. Originally, griffons lived in groups of at least four to five and up to dozens. And regardless of species, there would always be a ¡®leader¡¯ in a group. In other words, the griffon cubs sensed the Origin¡¯s Fear from the moment they escaped their eggs, so they recognized Eugene as an absolute being and the leader of their pack. Therefore, over time, they would come to recognize Eugene¡¯s steed Silion and his spirit Mirian as a member of their group. But for now, they considered Mirian their prey because she was small, and they still hadn¡¯t been taught to live in herds. ¡°I¡¯m going to show them one day! Just wait, you bird heads!¡± the spirit exclaimed from deep within Eugene¡¯s clothes, then quickly buried herself into her leather pocket. It was truly an ugly, cowardly sight. ¡®It will cost a lot to feed them¡­ Well, it¡¯ll work itself out somehow.¡¯ Obviously, these griffons would eat more and more as they grew, though they were simply feeding on small animals like snakes for now. However, Eugene was much too wealthy to be worried about feeding a mere two monsters, and he could also simply feed other monsters to the griffons. Rather, it was highly likely that the griffons would prove more than their worth in the upcoming war against monsters. ¡®Good. I¡¯ll feed them without sparing anything and make them grow as quickly as possible.¡¯ Eugene looked over the griffon cubs once again with a different type of gaze, and the creatures once again trembled as a chill ran down their backs. *** Unstoppable¡ªone word was sufficient to describe the momentum of Eugene¡¯s group as they roamed the dukedom. As veteran monster hunters, the elves and Eugene cleared the monsters at a pace comparable to hundreds of mercenaries. The elves continued their hunt without suffering a single injury, as they knew almost all the traits and characteristics of numerous monsters, and they were also capable of roaming through mountains and deep forests unhindered. Moreover, the elves simply hunted those easily spotted or those that initiated an attack against them. Eland had waged war with monsters from a long time ago, and the elves knew how to completely eradicate monsters by following them to their caves and nests. Even Princess Lilisain couldn¡¯t count the exact number of monsters they had killed in the Dukedom of Maren in the span of a month. Christian had also played a crucial role. After departing under Eugene¡¯s orders, Christian blocked all the corridors leading out of the evil lands within the Dukedom of Maren, and he even disposed of monsters in their vicinity. In the end, the monsters in the dukedom returned to their original numbers a month after Eugene left Maren. Eugene wanted to uproot the monsters for good, but he decided to follow Juseppel¡¯s advice and leave some alive for the sake of maintaining the food chain. After killing nearly 2,000 monsters in a month, Eugene earned a huge amount of by-products and nearly 1,000 mana stones. He had achieved a huge profit comparable to subjugating more than ten evil lands. And that wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­ Eugene wasn¡¯t a regular knight, but rather the ¡®King¡¯ of Maren. The supreme leader of the Dukedom had personally roamed his territory and resolved the growing threat of monsters. The lords of the territories couldn¡¯t repay his favor with simple gratitude. As such, everyone fought to send Eugene gifts. Some sent boxes full of gold and silver, while others sent dozens of slaves and precious equipment¡­ However, there were some who sent gifts that Eugene had never even imagined. ¡°I-I would like to serve Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I will dedicate my body and my heart to serve you, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene was slightly taken back to see the children of noble families with numerous servants and slaves. They only had to send a reasonable amount of money, so why had they sent the direct descendants of their families? Moreover, although everyone talked of loyalty and honor, it was obvious from the fear on their faces that they considered themselves ¡®hostages.¡¯ Indeed, the lords hadn¡¯t regarded Eugene¡¯s activity as a king¡¯s unblemished will to eradicate the monsters of his territory. Since they had served under the royal family and powerful lords for many years, they assumed it to be the new king¡¯s show of force. Otherwise, there was no reason for the new king, who was already famous for his skills and power, to travel around the dukedom and personally wield his weapons at such a sensitive time. Naturally, the nobles were frightened by his actions, and they sent their sons, daughters, and even nephews and nieces to Eugene as hostages. If they feigned ignorance, it was entirely possible that the king would come to them personally. By then, how would they deal with the consequences? However, not all the lords made the same decision. There would always be defiant souls, and in this particular case, the ¡®defiant soul¡¯ possessed a poor relationship with Eugene from the get-go. Indeed, the only lord who hadn¡¯t sent anything to Eugene was Baron Bommel¡ªthe same man who had caused a territorial dispute with the Fairchild Viscounty and was humiliated and forced to negotiate after having his eldest son and nephew taken hostage by Eugene. ¡®How strange. I¡¯m sure I taught them a proper lesson back then.¡¯ As such, it was only natural for them to be even more frightened than the others, but Baron Bommel still abstained from sending anything. Of course, he had no obligation to send Eugene anything, whether it was wealth or a hostage. Eugene himself also didn¡¯t think it was absolute to receive something from the lords. However, the heart of a man was simple. Eugene couldn¡¯t help but give attention to the only lord who abstained from sending anything. However, it was unknown whether the attention was good or bad. ¡®Is there something going on? Is the territory in danger because of the monsters?¡¯ Such was the thought of Duke Jan Eugene Batla as the responsible King of Maren¡­ ¡®Those bastards. Didn¡¯t they learn their lesson last time? Did I go too easy on them? Do they think I¡¯m a pushover?¡¯ And such was the thought of Eugene, the insidious vampire¡­ Either way, Eugene had no choice but to make a decision. ¡°I will head to the Bommel territory.¡± The group of over fifty headed for the Bommel territory. They were now accompanied by four carts filled to the brim with gold, silver, and treasures, as well as the sons and daughters of the various lords of the dukedom. *** ¡°It¡¯s not too late, uncle. We must send something to the king, whether it¡¯s money or a hostage. At the least, we could have Sir Franz participate in the coronation ceremony, and¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± Baron Bommel rejected the plea of his nephew Pascal. Baron Bommel¡¯s anger only grew every time he heard of Jan Eugene¡¯s great success and achievements. However, that wasn¡¯t really the problem. He could live just fine even if he were angered. Although he felt repulsed by Jan Eugene, they would never interact ever again. However, the one responsible for humiliating him had become the King of Maren. Moreover, the man had dared to include his own territory in the dukedom¡¯s land. ¡®How dare you?!¡¯ The Bommel territory had been handed down for many generations. He may have no loyalty to the royal family of Caylor, but his title was originally bestowed by the royal family. As such, how could he betray the royal family, let alone serve the greenhorn who humiliated him back then? ¡°Impossible! Never!¡± Lord Bommel raged. ¡°Uncle! Please reconsider! Have you forgotten about the king¡¯s strength? What¡¯s more, there are countless knights following him,¡± Pascal pleaded. ¡°Hngh.¡± Baron Bommel was shaken by Pascal¡¯s warning. He knew in his mind that his nephew was correct, and it was right to follow Pascal¡¯s advice. However, his heart did not allow him to do so. Not all lords were rational and smart. Moreover, Baron Bommel was an emotional man who had started a territorial dispute with the Fairchild family simply because of his greed. ¡°It¡¯s impossible. That man can¡¯t just invade this territory,¡± Baron Bommel declared. Eugene¡¯s own coronation ceremony and the founding of the dukedom were just around the corner. Invading a territory within the dukedom and causing conflict with a lord at such a time¡ªsuch behavior would only reveal the dukedom¡¯s instability to the public. A proper monarch would never do such a thing. ¡°However, uncle¡ª¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? The strange rumor regarding that man.¡± Baron Bommel interrupted. ¡°¡­!¡± Pascal flinched after seeing Baron Bommel¡¯s mysterious smile. Jan Eugene¡­ Pascal still vividly remembered how the knight had taken him hostage and dragged him around with unbelievable power and skills. Pascal had simply considered Eugene to be a knight with incredible power and skills, but he had changed his mind after hearing the ¡®rumors¡¯ his uncle had mentioned. - Jan Eugene is an evil member of the Tribe of Darkness. Everything would make perfect sense if Eugene were a vampire. Furthermore, nothing more had to be said if Eugene was a high-ranking vampire capable of being active during the day. ¡°But uncle, nothing changes even if he is a member of the Dark Clan. No, rather, wouldn¡¯t we be facing an even greater, cruel ordeal if that were true?¡± Pascal said. ¡°Haha! My nephew, you know one thing but not the other,¡± Baron Bommel burst out laughing before speaking confidently, ¡°I heard that there are quite a few vampire nobles living across the sea, in Brantia. However, the lords and nobles there aren¡¯t very afraid of vampires. Do you know why that is?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because god is fair and has imposed a restriction on those evil creatures,¡± Baron Bommel continued. ¡°Restriction¡­ Are you talking about their weakness against sunlight and pure silver?¡± Pascal asked. ¡°Hmph! That¡¯s basic. They have another weakness. The biggest weakness of the evil clan and the reason they can¡¯t easily invade other cities or territories. You and I have already experienced it, though we didn¡¯t realize it at the time because we didn¡¯t know his true identity,¡± Baron Bommel said. ¡°I-is there such a thing? What could you be¡­?¡± Pascal muttered. Baron Bommel confidently said, ¡°It is the fact that vampires cannot enter a castle or an establishment without the permission of the owner.¡± 1. A reference to a saying in Korean. The exact saying would be that the ¡°seeds are yellow¡±, which basically means that something¡¯s already wrong from the beginning / that the griffons were no-good since birth. ? CH 237 Baron Bommel was confident. If he retreated inside his castle, or rather, if he blocked off his town, the evil vampire could never harm him. ¡°Think about it. Jan Eugene. Why did he provoke Franz into coming out of the castle? You also headed out of town after being deceived by him, right?¡± Baron Bommel said. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Pascal¡¯s eyes widened. Come to think of it, it was true. Jan Eugene had neither set foot inside the Bommel Castle nor the town of the Bommel territory. ¡®So the rumor was true after all?¡¯ He felt his hair stand on end. How many days had he spent by the side of an evil, bloodthirsty vampire? ¡®Wait, but he never sucked my blood, right? No, in fact, I never saw him consume any human blood¡­¡¯ Pascal fell into confusion while he contemplated. Baron Bommel continued, ¡°Anyway, do as I told you. Jan Eugene. He will never be able to invade our territory. Neither as the king nor as a vampire. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes,¡± Pascal answered. He still felt uneasy, but he knew there was nothing he could say to change his uncle¡¯s mind. As such, he had no choice but to accept the outcome. *** Although Baron Bommel was greedy and easily swayed by his emotions, he wasn¡¯t a fool. He immediately instructed the villages of his territory to inspect their walls and wooden fences, as well as to tighten their defenses. In addition, he ordered everyone above a certain status, especially members of his family, to never leave their residences for the time being, regardless of the reason. The people of his land were greatly taken aback by the sudden, baffling order of their lord, but they obeyed. However, they were more afraid of the knights who brought the baron¡¯s order rather than the order itself. In any case, less than four days later, all four villages of the Bommel territory were transformed into heavily fortified strongholds of sorts. A few days later, Eugene arrived at the border of the Bommel territory with the elven knights. *** ¡°They didn¡¯t let you inside the village?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. They said that they are not accepting any visitors, for the time being, saying that there was an order from their lord. I don¡¯t understand how they could possibly¡­¡± One of the elven knights fumed after being refused entry into the village. Eugene responded, ¡°We have everything we need, right? Mirian will make our water, and we have plenty of food as well.¡± ¡°That is true, but I wanted to be prepared just in case,¡± the elven knight responded. The elves weren¡¯t simply there to protect Princess Lilisain, but they were also there to perform chores for their princess. Of course, Princess Lilisain was stubborn, and she had always insisted on taking care of herself on her own, which made it easier for the elven knights. Still, the elven knights had always been working hard to ensure that Princess Lilisain could always be in her best physical condition, including her cleanliness and beauty. After all, such things weren¡¯t simply achieved like magic. Like humans, elves would always need various supplies, and the knights had stopped by the village to restock. ¡°Let¡¯s just hang in there for a few days. We will be at Baron Bommel¡¯s castle in two days, so we can buy it there,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, understood,¡± the knight answered while trying hard to suppress his anger. He could not continue to grumble and complain at Eugene, knowing that the vampire would soon become the son-in-law of Eland¡¯s royal family. Some of the children of the various lords, who had been staying as quiet as a mouse in the past few days, cautiously approached Eugene. ¡°Excuse me, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± Eugene asked. He was rather kind toward them. The lords had sent them of their own accord after being frightened, but now that they were here, Eugene had to take responsibility for them. In the first place, the lords had placed their children into his hands because they trusted him to take good care of them. As such, he could not treat them carelessly. To an extent, he had to treat them with honor. It was slightly annoying to handle so many of them, but these children had never made things difficult for him because they had been greatly discouraged by Eugene¡¯s reputation and status as a king. ¡°Do the sir elves need something for the princess? I think we can help with that,¡± one of the nobles said. ¡°Hooh? Really?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes!¡± When Eugene showed interest, they stepped up with confidence. ¡°Does she want items that noble women need?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ There¡¯s that, too.¡± ¡°These are some of my favorite items. Will they do? Madeleine.¡± ¡°Yes, miss. Here you go,¡± A maid quickly carried forward a box at her lady¡¯s words. ¡°Would you like to see what I use as well, Princess?¡± ¡°Princess, Princess¡­ How about this?¡± ¡°Oh, my! Are these your pets, Princess? They are absolutely adorable.¡± The other ladies surrounded Princess Lilisain in a hurry. The elven knights and Eugene watched the scene play out with bewilderment. But in a way, this was only natural. The descendants of the local lords knew well that they were being kept as hostages of sorts. After quietly watching the group for a few days, they came to think that the elf princess was quite amicable. On the contrary, the king seemed cold-hearted. In fact, they even wondered if the king would bleed when he was stabbed. It was obvious to them who was a better target compared to the king, and finally, the perfect opportunity had come. Keeee~ Kieeeee~ ¡°Ahk! Oh, my!¡± When the girls suddenly flocked around Princess Lilisain, the two chickens in her arms made a threatening sound and waved their beaks in the same manner. ¡°I will keep them for a minute,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. My sincerest apologies,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. Eugene took over the rude four-legged chicks from Princess LIlisain. After all, he could not afford for any of the hostages to get hurt. Eugene looked down at the griffon cubs with a sweet gaze after taking them into his arms. That was all he did¡­ Kieeek! Hieeekek! But the faces of the grey, feathery cubs turned blue, and they began to hiccup. ¡°Nice and quiet. Both of you must continue to behave like this,¡± Eugene said. The two griffon cubs waved their beaks up and down like crazy as if they understood Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°Kihehehe! Just what I would expect from you, sir. Kekekekeke!¡± Neiiigh! The spirit and the steed were naturally satisfied to see the griffons struck with fear. ¡°Anyway, this is strange. Did something actually happen to Lord Bommel? What was the atmosphere like in town, sir?¡± Eugene asked. The knight answered, ¡°It felt as if they were wary of something. As you commanded, I did not reveal my identity, but I didn¡¯t think it would have been any different even if I did. The guards were checking everyone¡¯s identification very thoroughly and blocked anyone they didn¡¯t know or seemed suspicious.¡± ¡°Hmm. Were there any other knights there?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°There were two knights and their groups, and they got angry. However, they simply backed off without making a ruckus,¡± the knight responded. ¡°Really? That¡¯s strange¡­¡± Eugene muttered. Knights lived and died by their pride. If they were denied access to a village even after giving their name and their family name, it was completely normal for them to have caused an incident. ¡°Well¡­ I just happened to hear about it on my way back from the village,¡± the elven knight said with a bitter smile. He explained the conversation he had heard between the two knights. Eugene was dumbfounded. ¡°So it¡¯s because of me?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes. Naturally, it¡¯s a good thing. Isn¡¯t it proof that even wandering knights value your glorious name and reputation?¡± The elf said. ¡®No¡­ no matter how many times you say it, it sounds like they were just scared of me.¡¯ Apparently, the two knights had talked about how persistent and strong Eugene was as a knight. If they were caught causing an incident in the Dukedom of Maren, which was nearing its founding ceremony, they couldn¡¯t expect to be released by just paying a ransom. The king was known to be as cold and as persistent as he was brave, so they were certain their horses and equipment would be taken away, and their entire families destroyed. As such, they decided to leave calmly without causing an incident. Their conversation had apparently been something along those lines¡­ Eugene didn¡¯t know whether to be angry or happy. The elven knight spoke to Eugene after slightly lowering his voice, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m certain something is happening in this territory. Although they stopped the knights from entering the village, I saw them letting in those who appeared to be priests from a nearby monastery.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered coldly. He couldn¡¯t exactly figure out the situation with what he had. It seemed he had to see Baron Bommel as soon as possible. *** Two days later, at noon, Eugene and his group arrived in the territory¡¯s Castletown. ¡®It has changed quite a bit.¡¯ He narrowed his eyes. In the past, it had been an open village, but now, Eugene saw a tall, long wooden fence surrounding the establishment. He could tell that the fence had been erected quite recently from its condition. In addition, a rather decent wooden watchtower had been raised inside the wooden fence. The soldiers of the barony appeared to be greatly stirred when they spotted Eugene¡¯s group. Soon, the gates opened, and a young knight armed with plate mail came out with a group of troops. However, the gates had only been opened halfway to allow them to run back at any time, and they came no further than a few meters from the gates. ¡°Huh? He¡¯s¡­¡± Eugen muttered. ¡°Your Majesty, do you know that man?¡± ¡°Very well. I¡¯ve caught him once before,¡± Eugene answered with a smirk. The knight didn¡¯t appear as inexperienced as before as if to prove the passing of time. It seemed like only yesterday when Eugene had taken him hostage, but now, he looked pretty decent. ¡°Where are you from!? I am Lord Bommel¡¯s knight¡ª¡± the knight started shouting. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Sir Apiel Bommel Pascal,¡± Eugene said with a smile as he raised his visor. He had been half in doubt, but to think that the king was really here in person?! ¡°S-s-sir Eugene¡­ N-no, Y-Your Majesty,¡± Realizing his mistake, Pascal hurriedly corrected himself. ¡°At least you aren¡¯t completely oblivious to the happenings of the world. I almost thought that this was the case with the Bommel territory, you know?¡± Eugene said. ¡°W-what do you mean¡­ by that?¡± Pascal asked. He had already heard the story and had seen the official letter with the seal of Maren and Eugene. However, it felt rather surreal to be actually reunited with Eugene. ¡°Well, after I dealt with monsters and bandits, the other sirs sent me them in return to express their gratitude, but I just didn¡¯t hear anything from Lord Bommel, hmm? So I was wondering if he had no idea that I became the King of Maren,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Pascal¡¯s pale face gradually turned ashen. He was familiar with some of the people riding behind Eugene, as he was acquainted with the nearby nobles as Baron Bommel¡¯s nephew. ¡®W-why did he have to bring the worst justification I could have imagined¡­?¡¯ Moreover, it was clear at first glance that the knights standing by Eugene¡¯s side were armed with excellent equipment. Eugene was an incredible knight in his own right, so a small group of elite knights accompanying him would obviously be skilled as well. ¡®Pascal! Get it together!¡¯ He was no longer the foolish young knight of the past. He quickly regained his composure. ¡°Anyway, are you going to keep us here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I must report to my lord before all else. I apologize, but please wait here for a moment,¡± Pascal said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene swept over Pascal and Bommel¡¯s soldiers with keen eyes. Those soldiers couldn¡¯t stop their anxiety from leaking out. Eugene¡¯s achievements were famous enough to be made into poems and songs, so they were all familiar with Eugene. However, what caused them to be fearful of Eugene wasn¡¯t the fancy achievements told in songs and poems. Rather, they remembered that Eugene had been responsible for taking the eldest son of their lord hostage just a few years ago. ¡°I will do so. Since I¡¯m a guest here, the owner¡¯s invitation should come first,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­!¡± Pascal¡¯s eyebrows twitched at Eugene¡¯s words. ¡®I-it¡¯s true after all. My uncle was right. This man is a vampire. He cannot enter this place without the permission of the owner!¡¯ Pascal hurriedly returned, thrilled. Shortly thereafter, Baron Bommel appeared behind the wooden fence with knights, mercenaries, and even priests. ¡°Long time no see, Lord Bommel,¡± Eugene said while raising his hand. Although he had become the king, he had to show appropriate courtesy to a lord However¡­ ¡°Hmph! How dare you show your face here?! Member of the Evil Clan!¡± Baron Bommel shouted. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene frowned without realizing it. He was extremely dumbfounded. However, his silence escalated Baron Bommel¡¯s guess into complete conviction. ¡°Just as I thought! You might have deceived and taken advantage of others with your evil, schismatic mysteries, but such goes against the will of god. This is the end!¡± Baron Bommel exclaimed once more. ¡°¡­Baron, have you gone mad?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ha! As shameless as always. You truly are a sneaky, insidious, evil creature. You are a servant of evil! You can¡¯t enter an establishment without the permission of the owner, right? I will never allow you to set foot inside my land! Try it if you can! Hahahaha!¡± Baron Bommel roared triumphantly. Eugene had to stop himself from bursting out into laughter. He had been wondering what the hell was going on, but it seemed Baron Bommel had plotted all these, knowing he was a vampire. ¡®Well, I would have been caught off guard not long ago.¡¯ Even though he was an Origin, a vampire still couldn¡¯t enter establishments belonging to others without an invitation. As such, it was true that it was Eugene¡¯s biggest constraint. However¡­ Eugene dismounted his horse, then started walking toward the entrance of the village without hesitation. ¡°Huh?!¡± Baron Bommel¡¯s knights and mercenaries hurriedly pulled out their weapons. The soldiers also turned their crossbows toward Eugene. Tap, tap, tap. However, Eugene continued to walk toward the tightly closed gates as if he were unconcerned about the soldiers. The soldiers grew tenser, and Baron Bommel shouted confidently, ¡°Hahaha! There is absolutely no need to worry! Even a vampire noble capable of striding around during the day can¡¯t come into an establishment without¡­¡± Boom! A well-placed kick completely destroyed the wooden gates. Immediately after, Eugene could be seen passing through the entrance as pieces of wood fell from the sky. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Baron Bommel couldn¡¯t keep his jaws closed. Eugene spoke, ¡°Your pledge of loyalty was well received, Baron Bommel.¡± Indeed, Baron Bommel had also stamped his seal to express his willingness to join the Dukedom of Maren along with the other lords. In other words, the Bommel territory and the baron¡¯s castle were both Eugene¡¯s ¡®territory.¡¯ Craaack! Eugene smiled while cracking his neck from side to side. ¡°You have to pay the price for ruining the king¡¯s reputation and tarnishing the dukedom¡¯s reputation, right? Sir?¡± Eugene could travel anywhere without restriction, as long as it was land that had been declared part of the Dukedom of Maren. CH 238 ¡°H-how could this be¡­?¡± Baron Bommel was astounded. ¡°How could this be¡ªwhat? Are you going to keep on staying there?¡± Eugene said. He was planning to give the baron another chance. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t because he wanted to be considerate. He wanted nothing more than to smash the baron¡¯s head before doing anything else, but there were simply too many eyes, including the members of the baron¡¯s family and the direct descendants of the other lords. Eugene continued, ¡°Get off your horse, and show your lord the courtesy he deserves, sir.¡± In the first place, Eugene possessed a beautiful appearance that stood out. When he showed a stern yet confident attitude, it only exemplified his good characteristics. ¡°He is truly a man fit to be the king.¡± ¡°Truly an honorable monarch. Such generosity.¡± Eugen could hear the children of the noble lords whispering far behind him. ¡®Good.¡¯ Eugene smiled, satisfied. He knew that fear and terror were extremely effective means of governing people, but he had come to realize that awe was even more effective. The royal family of the Caylor Kingdom had come to ruin because the nobles and lords of the kingdom had no admiration and awe toward the king. ¡®Even though it¡¯s so simple. Now, then...¡¯ Having successfully displayed his generosity toward the children of the lords of his dukedom, Eugene slowly unsheathed Wolfslaughter and spoke, ¡°Did you not hear what I said?¡± ¡°Hiek!¡± ¡°U-uah¡­¡± The majority of Baron Bommel¡¯s troops had previously experienced Eugene¡¯s overwhelming power in the past. As such, their expressions rapidly changed, and they retreated as soon as Eugene pulled out his sword. In particular, Pascal looked alternatingly between Eugene and his uncle with a ghastly expression. ¡°U-u-uncle.¡± ¡°U-uaagh¡­¡± When a person was overwhelmingly surprised or shocked, they would often act in strange, uncharacteristic ways. Such was currently the case for Baron Bommel. After coming to realize that his plan was completely unusable from the start, he made the worst choice possible. He shouted, ¡°S-stop him! Stop him at all costs! Uahhh!¡± Immediately after he gave his orders, Baron Bommel frantically beat the reins of his horse. ¡°M-my lord?! My lord!¡± ¡°Clerics! Priests! Priests!¡± Baron Bommel and the members of the clergy belonging to the monastery fled toward the castle while ignoring the voices calling out for them anxiously. Eugene watched the scene unfold with a dumbfounded expression. The troops of the territory also stood speechless. ¡°Oi, are you really going to try and stop me? Sir Pascal?¡± Eugene called out. ¡°¡­!¡± Pascal dropped his head as his shoulders trembled. ¡°No.¡± Pascal was left with no choice the moment Baron Bommel had chosen to flee. A lord of the dukedom had dared to insult the king to his face before disobeying his orders and fleeing. Moreover, numerous children from various noble families witnessed it. ¡®It¡¯s over. It¡¯s all over.¡¯ Baron Bommel had sealed his own fate. *** The knights of the territory quickly surrendered with Pascal leading them, and Eugene was able to occupy Baron Bommel¡¯s castle with ease. Baron Bommel attempted to mount a defense by locking himself in the castle¡¯s great hall with a handful of troops, but it was futile. The baron kneeled in front of Eugene while trembling, his hair ruffled and his silver crown removed from his head. The members of his family were also there, and they stared at Eugene with fear-stricken eyes. However, the others¡ªin particular, the direct descendants of the other lords¡ªwatched the scene play out with eyes filled with fear and interest. Although the majority of noble families were related to each other by blood after they had established their familial ties through several generations, they were fundamentally competing with each other. There was nothing more entertaining to them than to see a competitor being squashed flat. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene looked over Baron Bommel¡¯s family with a solemn expression, then parted his lips. ¡°Insulting one¡¯s lord is a sin that can only be washed away by death.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The expressions of Baron Bommel and his family turned ashen when Eugene mentioned death. Anything else could have ended with them paying moderate compensation or receiving a slight penalty, but the current issue was much too severe. Moreover, it had happened in the presence of a large number of ¡®nobles.¡¯ Forgiving and condoning such an act would be akin to declaring the king¡¯s authority as nothing more than a pile of shit. ¡°Y-y-your Majesty. P-please. Please forgive us just this once¡­¡± Baron Bommel begged for mercy. His face was already as pale as a corpse''s. Bang! Eugene slammed the bottom of his sheathe against the floor, then raised his head. The knights and nobles of the barony trembled when Eugene gazed over them with icy eyes. ¡°Putting Sir Bomel¡¯s disposition aside, I can¡¯t simply let this matter slide,¡± Eugene declared. ¡°B-by that, you mean¡­¡± The knights and the nobles of the barony were at a loss. Was the king asking them to take responsibility as well? However, such a request couldn¡¯t be called unreasonable, as the fault of the lord was the joint responsibility of the lord¡¯s subordinate nobles. However, they had never expected Eugene¡¯s following words. ¡°Do you all consider me to be a vampire?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­¡± The vessels of the barony could not respond. Instead, they awkwardly stole glances at each other. If they said yes, they would have insulted the king alongside Baron Bommel, but if they denied it, they would be betraying their lord in his face. The relationship between a lord and his vassals wasn¡¯t something built in a single day, but rather strengthened over a long period of time. As such, they were placed in a dilemma. ¡°Well, fine. Then let¡¯s have a little fun with it,¡± Eugene said. He continued with a relaxed tone, ¡°Whoever thinks that they are truly, deeply faithful come forward. Whoever considers themselves to be of true faith. Whoever thinks that they are true priests¡ªthose people should come forward.¡± However, the priests from the monastery stayed still while only glancing at each other. Eugene continued coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that none of you have true faith? Does this mean all of you are just false prophets who simply do your roles in the church without any faith?¡± When Eugene openly questioned their faith, two priests raised their hands. ¡°M-my faith is not false.¡± ¡°God is watching over this place, e-even at this moment.¡± Eugene nodded sternly while holding himself back from snorting. ¡°It seems that way judging by your courage. Now, come this way,¡± Eugene said. The two priests stumbled their way forward, and Eugene threw something toward them. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± One of the priests took on a stupefied expression after receiving the object from Eugene. It was a dagger made of pure silver, and it appeared quite precious and expensive as well. ¡°It¡¯s something I received as a token of faith from the holy knights of the central church. If you doubt its authenticity, I can let you confirm it right away. Try channeling your divine power into the dagger,¡± Eugene said. Given that the two priests had stepped forward despite their fear, their faith wouldn¡¯t be fake. If that were the case, the priests likely possessed some skills, even if they weren¡¯t on the level of a holy knight. Wooong¡­ As Eugene had expected, the holy knight¡¯s dagger emanated a dim light. Eugene gestured to Princess Lilisain. ¡°Princess, bring them here.¡± ¡°Honor,¡± Princess Lilisain answered with a salute, then brought forth the griffon cubs. Keeee¡­ The cubs instinctively curled up when they saw the dagger imbued with divine power. It was inevitable. After all, they were already terrified of Eugene, and this was their first time seeing a weapon with divine power. ¡°Do you see it? This proves that this weapon has great influence over evil, just as it scares the griffon cubs, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­?¡± Everyone still appeared clueless. ¡°Now, come to me,¡± Eugene said to the priest while taking off his glove. Then, he dragged the priest¡¯s arm and slashed his own palm without hesitation. ¡°What?!¡± Red blood flowed freely from Eugene¡¯s palm. He raised the hand dripping with blood before continuing, ¡°If I were evil, as Sir Bommel had said, there would be black smoke, and this wound would never heal. As you all know, this is a weapon with divine power. But look. How is it?¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The onlookers were shocked and speechless. At the least, the knights were well aware of what would happen to monsters and vampires attacked by weapons with divine power. Moreover, the dagger was a holy artifact of the central church. If Eugene were a vampire, he would have been writhing in pain by now. ¡°Your Majesty, please,¡± Princess Lilisain said while quickly holding out her handkerchief. Eugene wrapped it around his hand before putting on his glove once more. The bleeding would stop in a minute, and the wound would heal, so he had to hide it quickly. With only a few tattoos remaining on his body, weapons with divine power couldn¡¯t hurt Eugene much anymore. ¡°I think you all have sufficiently enjoyed my defense and show¡­¡± Eugene said while looking around. No one could hide their shock after the clear evidence. Eugene¡¯s gaze came to rest on Baron Bommel. ¡°I declare that, immediately, Sir Bommel will renounce his position and hand over his title to his successor.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Everyone was surprised by Eugene¡¯s unexpectedly lenient decision. However¡­ ¡°I can consider an insult toward me a mistake, but I can¡¯t let go of the fact that a lord had dared to mock and disregard the dukedom. Therefore, I will impose a restriction on the authority of the Bommel Barony to this castle and the Castletown. You will surrender all remaining territories to the dukedom. Any objections?¡± ¡°...¡± An objection was impossible. The king had shown leniency toward the insult directed toward himself, but he strictly dealt with the contempt shown for the dukedom. It was truly the temperament of a wise and fair king. ¡°As Your Majesty wishes!¡± Baron Bommel, his family, and the vassals of the barony shouted at once while bowing to Eugene. Jan Eugene, the insidious knight who had brought humiliation to the barony in the past, no longer existed. Rather, there was only King Jan Eugene Batla¡ªthe honorable and generous monarch of the Dukedom of Maren. ¡®Killing an insect isn¡¯t going to make any difference. It¡¯s better to keep him alive, make an example out of him and make a fortune at the same time. Anyway, I will have to talk to the governor and ask him to give me the land I took. I have managed to perfectly kill two birds with one stone. Hohoho.¡¯ Eugene was wearing a solemn, dignified expression, but his inner thoughts were contrasting. *** The next morning, Eugene left the Bommel territory¡¯s castle. Baron Bommel looked as if he had aged ten years overnight. It was highly likely that he would never set foot outside the castle during his life. Considering that the children of various lords had witnessed the incident, the story would quickly spread throughout the dukedom. Given that the honor of a noble was ultimately dictated by how others evaluated them, Baron Bommel would most likely spend the rest of his life being mocked and criticized by the other nobles. His eldest son, Franz, had taken his place as the barony¡¯s master. ¡°I will be watching you. Do your best,¡± Eugene said. ¡°O-o-of course! I will work hard, Your Majesty!¡± Franz bowed deeply to Eugene¡¯s threat, which was disguised as encouragement. After being captured and humiliated by Eugene a few years ago, he was very much fearful of Eugene. As such, even though nearly seventy percent of his land had been seized, he still couldn¡¯t even breathe properly in front of Eugene, let alone complain. However, the descendants of the other lords were unaware of the truth. Rather, they had differing thoughts after witnessing the incident from beginning to end. ¡®He¡¯s encouraging the child of the person who dared to insult him¡­¡¯ ¡®He is an incredibly generous, honorable, and bold man!¡¯ They were once again reminded of the scene where Eugene had fearlessly charged into the enemy camp swarming with knights and mercenaries. Eugene was the perfect, generous, dignified king in their minds. In addition, it had long been engraved on their souls that their families would be destroyed if they dared to provoke him recklessly. Humans truly had to see and experience to learn. Eugene¡¯s threat was unknowingly converted to an honorable act, but the person in question reveled in satisfaction in ignorance of this fact. ¡®This trip was also a success. It was a great harvest.¡¯ Eugene had achieved all his goals, and he had also reaped an unexpected profit. He returned to Maren perfectly satisfied after joining with Christian midway. But as always, things would often go in unexpected directions. *** ¡°Please kill me, Your Majesty!¡± Vampire Lord Markus was waiting for Eugene at Maren¡¯s castle¡ªthe castle was almost done in Eugene¡¯s absence. ¡°Kill you? Why are you saying such things all of a sudden? No, in the first place, how did you get here so quickly? Why are you alone?¡± Eugene asked. He had sent a letter via Maren¡¯s governor through an elven knight, but it should have taken at least fifteen days to reach Mungard. In addition, Eugene had expected Markus to take a couple of months to arrive because preparations had to be done prior to his departure. As such, Eugene was greatly surprised by the current situation. ¡°I have made a great mistake¡­ I have committed a grave mistake. Keugh!¡± ¡°Mistake?¡± Eugene asked with a frown. He could tell that Markus was genuinely aggrieved and shocked. Markus responded as he quivered and lay flat on the ground, ¡°M-miss Romari¡­ Miss Romari was kidnapped. It¡¯s my fault! Please punish me!¡± CH 239 ¡°Kieeeeeh! What do you mean? Our raccoon was kidnapped? Why would they kidnap her? Isn¡¯t she useless? Right?¡± Mirian fussed. ¡°...¡± However, Eugene didn¡¯t show much of a reaction. No, rather, he couldn¡¯t. He had just realized what it meant to be stunned speechless. Romari was kidnapped? She was a wizard, wasn¡¯t she? A pretty decent wizard, to boot. Moreover, she had been with experienced, strong knights, including Galfredik. So, how did she get kidnapped? ¡°Tell me again what happened. From the start, and don¡¯t leave out any details,¡± Eugene said while emitting killing intent. ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Markus responded while trembling. He then continued, ¡°After Your Majesty left the land of Brantia, Miss Romari returned to Mungard.¡± ¡°Mungard? Why?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°As you know, Miss Romari has a lab in my mansion. Since it¡¯s not feasible to move the lab, she chose to come to Mungard instead,¡± Markus answered. ¡°I see¡­¡± It was understandable. Romari had spent a large sum, though Eugene had never asked exactly where it went toward. However, what she had spent could be called a small fortune. Romari hadn¡¯t stuck by Eugene¡¯s side while grumbling just because he was an Origin. Rather, it was because a huge amount of money was required for the research and production of a chimera, and Eugene was providing her with the necessary funds. Naturally, it would be near impossible to rebuild or relocate a research facility made with so much money. As such, it made sense that she had returned to her lab located in Lord Markus¡¯ residence as soon as Brantia was stabilized. ¡°So, she got kidnapped in your mansion?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-to put it simply, yes. However, there were extenuating circumstances. It¡¯s not an excuse,¡± Markus answered. ¡°I will judge whether it is an excuse or not after I hear everything, so tell me,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-yes. First of all, Miss Romari¡­¡± Markus hurriedly explained. ¡°So, Romari asked for no one to come to her annex?¡± Eugene asked. Markus answered, ¡°Yes. She only called for people whenever she wanted, saying that it would interfere with her research otherwise. I was quite worried, since she often skipped meals, but since she¡¯s a wizard of great status¡ª¡± He hesitated while glancing at Eugene. He was implying that he couldn¡¯t force her to do anything, as she could be considered Eugene¡¯s left arm if Galfredik was his right. ¡°Hmm.¡± That much was understandable. Romari appeared obedient and tame in front of him, but she was still a hot-tempered wizard who always quarreled with Galfredik. Markus couldn¡¯t even breathe properly in front of Galfredik, so it was no wonder he had been unable to control Romari. ¡°So, you couldn¡¯t stop the kidnapping because there was no one else in the lab?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s right,¡± Markus answered. ¡°But in the end, the lab is in your mansion. No one noticed the kidnappers infiltrating your mansion?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Please kill me!¡± Markus exclaimed. ¡°If you say that one more time, I¡¯m really going to kill you,¡± Eugene coldly spat. ¡°Hmm!¡± Markus drew a sharp breath and kowtowed. Eugene continued in a soft voice, ¡°In conclusion, not only those under your command, but even you weren¡¯t able to detect the presence of the kidnappers. Are such figures common?¡± Although Markus was shaking like a leaf in front of Eugene, he was still a vampire lord who had dominated Mungard in the past. It made no sense that anyone could just infiltrate a mansion belonging to a vampire lord. ¡°It is just as you say, oh great one. This has never happened since I settled down in Mungard,¡± Markus said. "But it happened¡­ Anyway, so?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I dare say that the kidnapper is a wizard stronger than Miss Romari, or a member of the Clan stronger than my humble self,¡± Markus answered. Tap. Tap. Tap. Eugene narrowed his eyes while tapping on the table with his finger. Markus¡¯ reasoning was plausible. No, rather, it was likely. ¡®But why?¡¯ This was important. Romari was a rare, skilled wizard, but as far as Eugene knew, there were other wizards stronger than her. Even the black wizard Eugene had killed was a level or two above Romari. ¡®Is it because of Romari¡¯s school? Or¡­¡¯ Usually, there would be two types of motives behind a kidnapping. One was for a ransom, and the other was when the target was absolutely necessary to achieve an objective. The former was unlikely. If the kidnappers were good enough to sneak into a vampire lord¡¯s mansion and kidnap a wizard, they wouldn¡¯t be desperate for money. As such, the latter had to be true. ¡®The magic of the Blood Shadow School isn¡¯t so great to warrant a kidnapping¡­¡¯ However, the Blood Shadow School possessed an original technique no other schools had. ¡®Chimera creation.¡¯ Romari had boasted that she would complete her chimera within a year. Chimeras were a completely different type of monster compared to the undead. Creating chimera fell into the realm of ¡®creation,¡¯ and it maximized the strengths of several different monsters to the extent that even Romari had said she couldn¡¯t imagine the final result of her work. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Eugene contemplated for a while, then suddenly stopped his tapping. Only the sound of Markus gulping could be heard in the silence as Eugene muttered in a cold voice, ¡°Perhaps¡­ I could be their target.¡± Paaaa¡­ Eugene¡¯s entire figure began to burn with Fear. ¡°Uagh¡­¡± Markus could only lie flat on the floor and wheeze as an irresistible fear filled him. Eugene¡¯s quiet voice once again dug into his ear. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the reason is. How dare you touch what¡¯s mine? Haha¡­ Hohoho¡­¡± Markus felt his mind being pervaded with fear. However, he was still struck with a sense of conviction. He had no inkling of the kidnapper¡¯s identity, but he knew they were done for. *** Eugene sent Markus away after asking him to keep Romari¡¯s kidnapping a secret for the time being. Of course, Markus wasn¡¯t completely without fault, but if his guess was correct and a wizard stronger than Romari or a high-ranking vampire had been involved in the matter, Markus could have done nothing, anyway. Moreover, Markus had fulfilled his duties even though he had been forced to cross the sea in a coffin due to the emergency. He had instructed his subordinates to find all suspicious figures among the outsiders who had entered Mungard during the five days before Romari¡¯s kidnapping. Moreover, he had made the same request to the mayor of Mungard, though he hadn¡¯t revealed that Romari had been kidnapped. It wouldn¡¯t lead to any immediate results, but Eugene could not punish Markus for fulfilling all of his responsibilities. ¡°Sir, what are you going to do? Shouldn¡¯t you go search for the raccoon?¡± Mirian said. ¡°No, it¡¯s no use going now. We can only hope that Markus¡¯ subordinates will complete their task faithfully,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Kieh?¡± Mirian squealed. ¡°You, do you think there are any vampires or wizards capable of touching Romari?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah! That¡¯s true. Anyone who lays a finger on the raccoon would be picking a fight with you, right?¡± Mirian responded. All Brantian nobles knew that Romari was Eugene¡¯s wizard. Kidnapping the wizard of Brantia¡¯s most feared, terrifying being? Especially when Eugene was the guardian of the nation¡¯s king? Eugene came to the conclusion that no one was crazy enough to attempt such a thing. As such, the kidnapper had to be a foreigner. ¡°I don¡¯t know who they are, but I¡¯m going to rip them to shreds. How dare they touch our raccoon!¡± The lacking, but kind-hearted Mirian huffed with fury. However, she suddenly came to a standstill. ¡°S-sir, you don¡¯t think that the raccoon could already be¡ª¡± Mirian muttered. Craaack! Eugene shattered the glass cup in his hand. ¡°If they did that, not only would I kill that bastard, but their siblings and family will die as well. No, I will kill anyone related to them,¡± he declared. Eugene was serious. Although he had made it sound as if Romari was merely one of his possessions in front of Markus, she was one of the few people he truly trusted, along with Galfredik and Mirian. If she had been harmed, he intended to find and punish everyone involved. Knock, knock. ¡°Your Majesty. I apologize, but may I come in?¡± The voice belonged to the governor. Eugene was rather puzzled. He had asked to be left alone for about a day because of Romari¡¯s kidnapping. However, the visit seemed to be urgent. ¡°Come in,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes...¡± As usual, the governor entered alone and sat down. ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty. You must be tired after the long journey, but I had no choice but to come to you like this. It wasn¡¯t a matter I could take care of on my own,¡± the governor said. The governor had been all smiles when Eugene initially returned. After all, Eugene had killed most of the monsters in the dukedom and had even made an example out of one of the lords. The other lords would obviously become even more loyal and devoted to the dukedom once his feats became widespread. Eugene had practically rid the dukedom of any troubles before it was even properly established. However, judging by the fact that the governor¡¯s expression had hardened within only a few hours, it appeared something urgent had come up. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Actually, a delegation from the Roman Empire has arrived just now,¡± the governor answered. ¡°A delegation from the Roman Empire? Didn¡¯t they notify us in advance that an imperial prince was coming? It shouldn¡¯t have come as a surprise, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. But someone belonging to the delegation wants to see you first. They¡¯re¡­ saying that they belong to the same tribe as Your Majesty,¡± the governor responded. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered coldly. He had a hunch. ¡°And the delegation of the Caylor Kingdom has arrived as well¡­ Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I should describe it as the Caylor Kingdom,¡± the governor continued. ¡°Hmm? What do you mean by that?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°The royal castle, Count Winslon, and Count Hatres. The three sent separate delegations,¡± the governor answered. ¡°Hmm? Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± Eugene muttered, dumbfounded. The governor responded with a mysterious smile, ¡°Yes. It seems that the Caylor Kingdom was torn into three.¡± It seemed the poison Eugene had planted in the royal castle worked without a hitch. ¡°Hmm. So, I have to meet with the delegations personally, is that it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s correct. You can choose who to meet first, but the parliament and I have agreed that it would be better for you to meet with Prince Voltaire first,¡± the governor responded. That was just how it was. The name of the Roman Empire¡¯s next ruler was worth its value. However, Eugene wasn¡¯t someone to care about such things. He didn¡¯t want to meet anyone right now, regardless of whether they were a prince. Romari was more important to Eugene than the crown prince of the Roman Empire. ¡°Everyone¡­¡± Eugene started to speak. ¡°Would you like to read this first?¡± The governor offered something. It was a letter sealed with a familiar stamp. The governor continued, ¡°This is a personal letter from Prince Voltaire to Your Majesty. He has asked me to ask you to read it.¡± Eugene tore off the seal and read the letter. ¡°¡­¡± He finished reading the letter nonchalantly, then slowly raised his head. He then turned toward the governor, who had a worried, hopeful expression, and spoke with a cold smile, ¡°Where is the prince right now?¡± *** Maren was in a festive mood, as there were only five days before the declaration of its founding and the coronation ceremony. It wasn¡¯t just the residents of Maren. There were three or four times as many foreigners and visitors compared to past years, and everyone was immersed in the atmosphere. The founding of the dukedom was a gathering and homogenizing of several territories with Maren at its center, and it provided a great opportunity for other nations. However, not everyone was happy. ¡°What? He¡¯s delaying the meeting?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. H-he said something urgent has come up¡­¡± Bang! Count Hatres slammed down on the table with anger. ¡°How dare he! I even came personally, all the way here¡­ Did he say that even though you told him that I wanted to see him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, my lord.¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± Count Hatres¡¯ face turned red. He was a proud man. Jan Eugene¡ªCount Hatres had never met him in person, but had heard many stories about him. Moreover, he had suffered numerous hardships in the royal castle because of the man. Of course, at first, he cursed the nobles and the holy knights, who were incompetent yet greedy. Despite the death of the king and many other members of the king¡¯s immediate family, they were only focused on retaining their power or faith. They were maniacs! However, as time went by, Count Hatres came to realize that the trouble stemmed from one person. He belatedly attempted to mend the situation, but it was impossible to reconcile with the nobles of the royal castle, the holy knights, and Count Winslon. In the meantime, the nobles of the royal family had formed a delegation on their own with even a letter stamped with the royal seal. The problem was that the nobles¡¯ action was akin to having the Caylor Kingdom recognize Maren, even though a new king had yet to be established. ¡®Unacceptable, no matter how much you want the upper hand. Those crazy bastards!¡¯ Of course, even that wasn¡¯t enough to cause Count Hatres to come in person. However, Count Winslon immediately responded by sending a delegation of his own with his successor at its center. Apparently, he only wanted to express gratitude to Eugene for saving the capital from a crisis, but who would believe such a lie? As such, Count Hatres had been forced to head to Maren personally with his knights. He had been convinced that Eugene would meet him first among the three, considering his status and reputation. However, Jan Eugene had actually refused to meet him. ¡°This is driving me crazy. Huh! He couldn¡¯t be meeting with those royal nobles or Count Winslon, right?¡± Count Hatres muttered. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I confirmed that Jan Eugene had gone to see the crown prince of the Roman Empire.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The eyes of the count filled with shock. Soon, he smiled bitterly. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it if it¡¯s the crown prince of the Roman Empire. The crown prince¡­ Tsk! You even need to be qualified to make connections now¡­¡± Count Hatres muttered. The noble, who had returned from the dukedom¡¯s castle, spoke cautiously, ¡°But my lord, the atmosphere was quite strange.¡± ¡°Hmm? The atmosphere was strange?¡± Count Hatres asked. ¡°Yes. The people there were saying that Jan Eugene looked to be in a murderous mood when he headed toward the crown prince. That¡­ he called the crown prince a little mutt.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Favorite CH 240 The crown prince of the greatest nation in the world truly lived up to his name. Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s delegation consisted of more than two hundred people, and they had rented the entirety of a luxury inn¡ªthe same inn where Eugene had stayed in the past for a few days as well. ¡°No wonder they stopped taking anyone since three days ago¡­¡± ¡°The prince of Tron was making such a ruckus about why he couldn¡¯t reserve the annex, but it seems he returned quietly because of the Crown Prince.¡± The nobles from other kingdoms stared at Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s delegation with awe and disappointment. They were simply at a loss for words. In addition to the maids and the servants, even those who appeared to be private slaves of the crown prince looked as if they were nobles. Moreover, almost half of the delegation consisted of imperial knights and their aides, and almost all of them were equipped with remarkable plate armor and plate mail. ¡°Jokes aside, it looks like they have enough troops to burn down a regular-sized territory¡­¡± ¡°Even if they are escorting the Crown Prince, isn¡¯t this too much?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. It¡¯s all for show. They want to make a statement, that anyone who dares to touch the Roman Empire will be destroyed.¡± ¡°I heard they even brought along members of other races and wizards as well, right?¡± ¡°Nobody has seen them yet, but it¡¯s for sure. It¡¯s not common for the Crown Prince to leave the empire¡¯s land, after all.¡± ¡°Hmm. I would like to see the Crown Prince¡­ Do you think he would meet me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even bother. You won¡¯t get the chance, even if you bring a few chests filled with gold coins. Even your king would have to wait his turn, let alone you or even the lord you serve.¡± ¡°Welp. Anyhow, the Crown Prince came to see Maren¡¯s king in person.¡± The nobles remembered that the Roman Empire only ever sent counts or marquises whenever a country¡¯s leader was replaced. ¡°It appears that the King of Maren is as great as his reputation.¡± ¡°Even if only half of his reported achievements are true, it would still be hard to find a match for a knight like him.¡± ¡°I still cannot believe that he had killed a wyvern. They should make the stories at least somewhat believable.¡± ¡°I heard that he had taken down and conquered all the orc tribes in Northern Brantia. Does that even make any sense?¡± ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, apparently, he had even killed a drake and an undead twin-headed ogre in the royal castle of Caylor not too long ago. They¡¯re just going too overboard with trying to make him seem heroic. Tsk.¡± The foreign nobles clicked their tongues or scoffed. They were obviously mocking Eugene. They understood that it was important to inflate the achievements of their king ahead of the country¡¯s founding, but this was just too much. ¡°They have a knight competition prepared after the enthronement ceremony, right?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be an official, grand thing. It¡¯s just a series of one-on-one duels for three consecutive days. 128 participants will be allowed to participate on a first-come, first-served basis.¡± ¡°Oh, my. These people. They¡¯re determined to extract as much as they can. Just what you would expect from merchants comparable to bloodsucking vampires.¡± The participants would be allowed to participate on a first-come, first-served basis, which meant that even foreign knights and mercenaries could compete. Therefore, nobles, regardless of their nationality and race, had their knights register in the participation to show off their honor. As such, there was no need to mention the other knights and mercenaries. This was their opportunity to show off their skills at a gathering of many nobles from various countries. No one would be willing to give up such an opportunity. In the end, no one would return to their respective countries for the three days following the ceremony, which would result in them spending more money. ¡°Come to think of it, this is appalling.¡± ¡°I feel to same, but what can we do about it? It¡¯s not like any of you are going to stop trading with Maren.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but still¡­¡± The complaining nobles soon smacked their lips with disappointment. One noble spoke in a quiet voice, ¡°Sirs, what about this?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± He continued, ¡°We provoke the King of Maren to enter the knight competition¡­¡± ¡°The king?¡± ¡°Yes. Does it make any sense to you all? A knight who is supposedly as great as he is will not participate in a competition held by his country? It¡¯s not rare for members of royal families or great noble families who claim to be knights to participate in a knight competition.¡± ¡°Hooh!¡± Indeed. There were many kings and great nobles who were also knights and had some skills with the blade. In fact, there were many who trained hard to establish their authority, and a small portion of them were excellent knights with excellent skills with the blade. ¡°Let¡¯s try it. Why not?¡± ¡°If we all work together, he should have no choice but to participate if he wants to save his face.¡± ¡°Good, good.¡± Thus, the foreign nobles got to work on their plan to deliver a blow to Maren¡¯s obnoxious king¡ªthe one who only had groundless rumors to prove his skills. *** While the foreign nobles were working on their insidious scheme, Eugene headed to the inn where Prince Voltaire was staying. ¡°His Majesty the King!¡± the knights of Maren announced proudly with Sir Madrica at their front, and the crowd parted. ¡°It¡¯s His Majesty!¡± ¡°His Majesty just looked at me!¡± ¡°Bullshit! He looked at me!¡± ¡°Hurray to the king!¡± Similar to before, Eugene¡¯s popularity with the citizens of Maren was at its peak due to the various things he had achieved while touring around the dukedom. Moreover, their king was unlike the leaders of other kingdoms. He was merciful and generous, and he hated being pretentious or stamping over the citizens. Although his expression had always been cold and indifferent, he would nod or give slight waves whenever he looked around the people. He was truly the perfect king for the free city of Maren. After he had arrived at the inn where the crown prince was staying, he commanded Madrica and Edmund in a soft voice, ¡°Command the knights and surround the inn. You must not let even a single rat get away.¡± ¡°Please leave it to us¡­¡± It was a significant show of diplomatic disrespect to surround the quarters of the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire, but the knights found the matter exciting. They were completely loyal to Eugene, and they possessed not even a shred of hesitation when it came to obeying his orders. Moreover, they also had the desire not to lose to the Roman Empire. Of course, such wasn¡¯t the case with everyone. ¡°Excuse me, Your Majesty. I implore you to reconsider the matter and¡ª¡± The governor of Maren attempted to persuade Eugene with a ghastly expression. ¡°I will take responsibility for everything. You may return, governor. Go and calm down Prince Localope,¡± Eugene answered. The governor¡¯s attempt was futile. ¡°Ha¡­ yes,¡± the governor muttered dejectedly before returning with the other members of the parliament. They had no idea why Eugene was doing this, but considering Eugene¡¯s track record thus far, they knew he wouldn¡¯t act without thinking ahead. Eugene dismounted from his steed and walked up to the knights guarding the entrance to the inn. ¡°I¡¯m the King of Maren. Show me to the Crown Prince,¡± he said. Though his words could be called short and straight to the point, it was also incredibly arrogant. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Normally, the imperial knights would have expressed their anger, but they opened the way after recalling the order they had received from the crown prince. However, they couldn¡¯t help but be shocked at what they saw. ¡°Will you be entering by yourself, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m strong, unlike a certain someone.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Although the crown prince had come personally to celebrate the founding and the enthronement ceremonies, the Dukedom of Maren and the Roman Empire hadn¡¯t officially established any diplomatic relations. Moreover, no one knew what would happen to Maren if the king¡ªEugene¡ªdisappeared. Despite that, the king insisted on entering an establishment practically teeming with incredible knights by himself. ¡®We were planning to say that he has to enter alone¡­¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s even crazier than the rumors.¡¯ ¡®Or is he really that confident in his skills?¡¯ Their plan to discourage and intimidate Eugene from the beginning went up in smoke. The knights felt their hostility toward Eugene grow even amidst their regret as they guided him. Soon, Eugene disappeared into the inn, and Edmund and Madrica gave orders to the knights who accompanied them. ¡°No one shall be allowed in or out until we have permission from His Majesty.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The knights scattered. They wondered if anything would happen, but they also wanted to have a go at the imperial knights. *** ¡°His Highness is waiting for you in the back garden.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Eugene answered before slowly walking through the garden filled with organized rows of trees. ¡®Twelve in total. A wizard? No, they could be assassins.¡¯ Although only trees were visible throughout the garden, Eugene sneered inwardly after sensing many hidden presences. It made sense. The next absolute of the Roman Empire wouldn¡¯t only be accompanied by knights. ¡°Sir? Do I have to keep staying inside?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°If they have a wizard, they will sense you. Just quietly stay inside,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Got it¡­¡± Mirian mumbled from inside the leather pocket, and Eugene gave a slight nod. After fully grasping the locations of the crown prince¡¯s real guards, Eugene arrived in front of the decorated pavilion located at the end of the garden. A man who looked to be about thirty was half stretched out in the pavilion, surrounded by about twenty slaves, servants, and maids. Eugene¡¯s crimson gaze clashed with the man¡¯s golden gaze. ¡°¡­!¡± The eyes of both figures quivered simultaneously. ¡®A strange feeling. What is it?¡¯ Eugene was quite surprised. What he felt from the crown prince was something he had never felt before. It was a natural emanation of intimidation and authority different from his own Fear. If Eugene had met the man pre-awakening, he felt as if he would have knelt and gave his greetings. Meanwhile, on Prince Voltaire¡¯s side¡­ ¡®The mystery of the golden blood doesn¡¯t work on him? What is he?¡¯ He was even more surprised than Eugene. The empire housed many different races aside from humans. Although most different races had become accustomed to and had harmonized with the empire over the years, there were still those who harbored hostility for the empire and the imperial family. However, even those hostile would transform into meek sheep when faced with the ¡®selected royals¡¯¡ªthe ones who would succeed the throne from generation to generation. It was because of the mystery contained in the glorious golden blood of the Roman imperial family. And the mystery of the golden blood¡­ ¡®He¡¯s not affected at all by the spirit of the dragon? Ha! What in the¡­¡¯ The imperial family of the Roman Empire originated from a dragon. Of course, no one knew exactly how a dragon had gotten involved with a human family. In addition to the members of the royal family, not even the emperor had any idea of their family¡¯s founding. All they knew was that ¡®something¡¯ had caused the power of a dragon to become imbued in the blood of their family. In any case, members of any and all races would be forced to surrender before the mystery of the golden blood, and Prince Voltaire also actively utilized the power of the golden blood throughout his life. However, for the first time in his life, he had met an opponent unaffected by the mystery of his blood. ¡®I¡¯m flustered? What?!¡¯ Prince Voltaire was surprised by the fact that he was flustered. He clearly regained his composure and fixed his expression. ¡°King of Maren. I am one continuing the glorious golden blood¡ª¡± However, Eugene interrupted him. ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡¯ Had he heard wrong? Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s jaws became slightly agape. His attempt to hide his agitation had been rendered useless. The next absolute of the strongest empire¡ªthe Crown Prince¡ªstood above any and all existence, and that very existence could not believe his ears. He must have heard wrong. Even so, a king of a dukedom¡­ ¡°My wizard, you took her, right? Do you have a death wish, you bastard?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Y-you¡­ Youuu!¡± The Crown Prince of the Roman Empire was rumored to be cold-hearted, but he immediately lost control of his reason. Talks, conciliations¡ªit didn¡¯t matter. It was just all gone. Kwaaaaaaaaa! A bright golden energy similar to the sun radiated from the crown prince¡¯s eyes, and it stretched out above his shoulders. However¡­ Paaaaaaa¡­ Fear started to envelop Eugene¡¯s entire figure. The golden energy was calmly and perfectly scattered like a spider web before being devoured by the space surrounding Eugene. In the end¡­ ¡°¡­?!¡± Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s golden energy was vanquished. ¡°Should I start by killing those 12 rats in hiding? Or do you want to return my wizard peacefully?¡± The Origin¡¯s fury formed a dagger held against the jaw of the Roman Empire¡¯s Crown Prince. CH 241 Prince Voltaire had been in a great mood until he arrived in Maren. For him, visiting Maren was just entertainment. Similar to his younger brother Localope, it only served to provide him a small amount of amusement and pleasure in his boring daily life. Localope? Voltaire could have chased his younger brother to the end of Brantia to eliminate him if he had so desired. Even so, he had chosen not to do so. The reason was simple¡ªthe excitement and joy he could experience would only grow if Localope matured and improved. It was more fun to catch an annoying fly than an ant that he could crush at any time. Of course, neither ants nor flies really meant anything to Crown Prince Voltaire. However, Localope had netted himself a very nice supporter after being allowed to grow into a fly. Jan Eugene Batla. He was a fairly prestigious knight local to Maren and its surrounding areas, and he had become a Duke of Brantia before eventually rising to the throne of Maren as its king. Moreover, it was said that Jan Eugene was one of the highest-ranking members of the Dark Clan, one of the very few, so-called ¡®monarchs¡¯. Prince Voltaire had been overjoyed. If Localope had gained the support of such a man, it would provide Voltaire with even greater joy. Crushing Localope would be worthwhile by then. It was the stimulus he had been searching for. Localope had grown into a great prey that would allow him to feel the thrill of the hunt. However, it wasn¡¯t very fun to simply face the prey. A moderate amount of time, seasoning, and probing was a must to rile the prey up, as there was nothing more thrilling than taking down an angered, raging prey. As such, he had ordered a vampire of the empire who had been tasked with trailing Localope to kidnap anyone moderately close to his prey. Of course, he intended to return them safely. What Prince Voltaire wanted to see was how Jan Eugene Batla, his real prey, would react. He had no intentions of doing anything to the hostage. Instead, he would apply moderate pressure on his prey and test the waters. That was all¡­ However, his current predicament was much too far from what he had expected. *** ¡®T-this can¡¯t be real! There¡¯s no way this is happening right now!¡¯ Voltaire took ragged breaths as he felt his hands and feet quivering. His situation wasn¡¯t just the result of psychological intimidation, but rather a physical response to Eugene¡¯s Fear. He was completely overwhelmed. He possessed the strongest energy of the dragon aside from the current emperor, but he was being completely and perfectly overwhelmed. Where had it gone wrong? Kwaaaaaa¡­ ¡°Hugh!¡± The thoughts of the crown prince were forcibly disturbed by a huge force, and he cowered with a red face. He had never felt such humiliation, but what was even more shocking was that what he felt now was ¡®fear.¡¯ The Crown Prince of the Roman Empire¡ªthe commander of the entire world¡ªwas afraid of a being other than the emperor. ¡®T-the guards¡­¡¯ Crown Prince Voltaire recalled the secret guard who would willingly die to protect him, then quickly came to recognize the reality of the situation. What could his guards possibly do, when he was already in this state and they had already been discovered? ¡®The knights. What are the knights doing?¡¯ Crown Prince Voltaire desperately scanned his surroundings. However, he despaired. The same was true for the knights. Their hands were trembling on the handle of their swords, bound by the unprecedented force. What was even more absurd was that the slaves and servants weren¡¯t greatly affected. ¡®That means¡­!¡¯ The vampire had chosen to only suppress possible threats. No, rather, such a powerful man wouldn¡¯t have thought of them as threats in the first place. Fwoosh! Suddenly, the power binding everyone in the garden disappeared without a trace. ¡°Uaggh!¡± ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± Only around ten seconds had elapsed, but it had felt as if all of them had been bound for what felt like an eternity. Everyone affected struggled to catch their breaths after being released from the restraints. Their eyes focused on Eugene as they calmed their breaths and came to their senses. The feelings of hostility, curiosity, and competition they initially had could no longer be found. Instead, the dozens of gazes only contained fear and awe. Eugene spoke in an icy voice, ¡°Bring me my wizard while I¡¯m still asking nicely.¡± He had never ¡®asked nicely,¡¯ but no one felt courageous enough to say it. *** A deafening silence arrived in the back garden. The dominating Fear was already gone without a trace, but all who stood in the back garden simply stared at Eugene without moving. ¡°¡­All of you, go away. Don¡¯t let anyone come near.¡± ¡°Y-Your Highness.¡± The next master of the empire was declaring that he would hold a personal meeting without any security. His guards and knights were shocked by his declaration, but they soon bowed before leaving the pavilion. All of them had already experienced the power of Maren¡¯s King. As such, they knew well that Eugene could have taken the crown prince¡¯s life if he had so desired¡ªhaving guards would make no difference. Crown Prince Voltaire turned to Eugene, who stood expressionless as if nothing had happened. ¡°Do I just need to return the wizard?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°If I¡­ apologize and make amends¡­¡± ¡°Were you not planning on doing that?¡± Eugene asked. Eugene felt dumbfounded. He couldn¡¯t believe that the crown prince was attempting to probe him even in this situation. ¡°¡­¡± Meanwhile, Crown Prince Voltaire felt as if something hot was stuck in his throat. He spoke, ¡°Sir, show some honor. Take on a manner worthy of your position¡­¡± Eugene interrupted him, ¡°Stop being so complicated. Just say it directly. You¡¯re saying you don¡¯t like my attitude? Then you should¡¯ve acted properly from the beginning. What kind of nonsense is it to ask to be treated like a crown prince after kidnapping my wizard?¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The vampire neither understood nor bent his ways to the noble way of speaking. He was rude and imprudent, but at this moment, it could only be called the privilege of the strong. Even so, Crown Prince Voltaire did not want to admit his defeat. No, rather, he couldn¡¯t admit it. ¡°Are you saying that Maren will make an enemy out of the empire?¡± the Crown Prince asked. It was a petty threat, but he couldn¡¯t help it. The two of them were more than individuals¡ªthey were representatives of their nations. If he couldn¡¯t win against the vampire as an individual, he had to borrow the power and status of his state. No matter how ignorant and rude Eugene was, he was still the King of Maren. He would be worried about his country, which was just taking its first steps. It was obvious that Eugene would lower himself a little and¡ª ¡°Save your bullshit,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Voltaire¡¯s eyes filled with absolute shock. Voltaire was pathetic in Eugene''s eyes. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t that Eugene couldn¡¯t understand Voltaire, considering the status and the background of the man. The Crown Prince of the Roman Empire. He was the noble of nobles, a man of absolute power who didn¡¯t need to care about anyone. If Crown Prince Voltaire had approached Eugene in a normal, rational way, Eugene would have been happy to respond in kind. However, Voltaire had crossed the line, or rather, he had completely destroyed the line. ¡°This is a secret, but I will let you in on it,¡± Eugene said. He continued in a quiet, cold voice, ¡°Maren? It¡¯s a good place. I like the governor, the parliament, and the citizens. But even though Maren can¡¯t be without me, it doesn¡¯t matter even if I don¡¯t have Maren. So what if Maren makes an enemy out of the Roman Empire? You must be the champion of being delusional. You are making an enemy out of me, and furthermore, the Roman Empire will be doing the same.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Eugene raised his finger and pointed straight at Crown Prince Voltaire. ¡°I¡¯m saying that the Roman Empire will be making an enemy out of me due to you. The moment you touch Maren, it will come true. And I will do everything I can to kill you.¡± ¡°Heup¡­!¡± Who would dare to declare openly that they would kill the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire? Eugene continued, ¡°I will kill anyone who tries to stop me. Knights, mercenaries, wizards. Bring them all. You said you had vampires as well, right? Bring them all. I will slaughter every single one. I will kill anyone, and everyone involved with you until the moment I rip your head off. Why? Do you think I¡¯m bluffing? Oh, what, you think I¡¯m worried about Maren¡± Eugene smiled coldly as he gazed straight into the quivering eyes of the crown prince, which were now completely devoid of the dragon¡¯s energy. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how long someone like me lives? How many territories, cities, and countries do you think will be born and destroyed in those years? And which do you think will last longer? Me, or the Roman Empire?¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± ¡°So if you want to mess with Maren, do it. If you¡¯re confident that you can handle the aftermath, that is¡­¡± Eugene concluded. Crown Prince Voltaire felt dizzy. It felt as if he had been stripped naked. The crown prince had been born and raised into absolute authority by the emperor, but he had finally come to a realization. The vampire wasn¡¯t someone to intimidate or negotiate with in the first place. What was hidden beneath the human face was a dark monster. Crown Prince Voltaire had committed a grave mistake by trying to probe the monster, especially after voluntarily coming into the monster¡¯s lair. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you one last time¡­¡± the beautiful, elegant monster started. ¡°Return my wizard.¡± Defeat. Crown Prince Voltaire was forced to nod by the fear, which was even greater than the overwhelming humiliation he was feeling. *** Eugene left the pavilion without delay as soon as he was promised that Romari would be returned to him within ten days. Eugene¡¯s action worsened Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s humiliation. Eugene hadn¡¯t spoken a single word about compensation. He hadn¡¯t even spoken a single word about how the incident would affect the relationship between Maren and the Roman Empire. He also hadn¡¯t said anything about whether the incident would remain a secret or if it would be declared publicly. Furthermore, he hadn¡¯t said a single word about Prince Localope, which could be considered the most important subject between Crown Prince Voltaire and Eugene. Eugene had left without any mention of political and aristocratic affairs¡ªhe left after resolving the issue regarding his wizard Romari. In other words, Eugene valued a mere wizard above the next emperor of the Roman Empire. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t believe I was treated like that! Kuaagh!¡± The shock and humiliation Crown Prince Voltaire felt were indescribable. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­ ¡°Your Highness! The Knights of Maren have withdrawn.¡± ¡°What? Is that true?¡± Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s frown deepened when he heard that all the knights who had been surrounding the inn had withdrawn with Eugene. ¡°Yes. There aren¡¯t any watching eyes either. All of them are gone.¡± The prince¡¯s knights looked pleased. They had been absent from the back garden during the confrontation. As such, they mistakenly thought that the crown prince had flattened the arrogant king. However, the expressions of those present in the back garden quickly darkened. Anyone could see that¡­ ¡°He¡¯s¡­ not concerned about me at all? The future master of the great empire?¡± Anyone could see that Eugene was no longer concerned about the prince now that he had taken care of his business. ¡°Kekeuh! Kuhaha!¡± A shrill laugh escaped Voltaire''s lips. His face was cupped in his hands. The members of his delegation were struck with anxiety, knowing that the crown prince would only act as such when he was extremely angry. They knew that a bloodbath would always accompany that particular laugh. ¡°Now I know¡­ why you didn¡¯t come, Red Queen¡­¡± Crown Prince Voltaire muttered softly before raising his face. His golden eyes were bloodshot and devoid of their initial dignity and mystery. ¡°Tell the Maren Parliament that I sincerely congratulate them on the founding of their country,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± He continued, ¡°Tell Localope that I¡¯m looking forward to seeing him¡ªthat I am looking forward to when he returns home.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Yes!¡± At first glance, the crown prince¡¯s commands were ordinary, but the members of the delegation knew from the atmosphere that it wasn¡¯t the case at all. They immediately stood at attention without being told to. ¡°And¡­¡± Crown Prince Voltaire paused while glaring at the air. Then, he spoke while gritting his teeth, ¡°We will return to the empire.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± They would return less than a day after arriving? Even though their journey had lasted almost a month? What about establishing relationships with the nobles of other kingdoms? What about the threats, conciliations, and espionage activities against key figures? Everyone was shocked. However, the delegation had no choice but to shout louder than usual, ¡°As you wish, Your Highness!¡± Defying the commands of a young lion who had experienced defeat and fear for the first time was akin to voluntarily walking into the center of the bloody storm that was to come. Favorite CH 242 The delegation stared at Crown Prince Voltaire with nervous eyes. The latter was staring into thin air with cold eyes while suppressing his anger. After a long while¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t just lower my tail like this,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire muttered, then looked back at the head servant before continuing, ¡°Give me a report about the nobles from other countries.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± the head servant answered. The crown prince had just arrived in Maren today, but the eyes of the imperial family had arrived half a month ago to grasp the movements of Maren and the other nobles. The information had already been gathered, summarized, then passed on to the head servant, who could be considered the crown prince¡¯s closest aide. ¡°¡­And that is about everything, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Good. Then I¡¯ll be able to leave behind a proper present,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire said while nodding in satisfaction. The head servant had given a concise report of the major events, excluding unimportant information. ¡°Tell the nobles of Assir that I want to meet them. Call those from the Caylor Kingdom as well,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire ordered. The head servant answered, ¡°Yes, Your Highness. But isn¡¯t the Kingdom of Caylor currently divided into three? Shall I call all three factions?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Prince Voltaire thought for a minute, then continued giving orders, ¡°Exclude WInslon, I just need the representative of the delegation with the most power. The one called Sir Hatres should be good. And get that ready.¡± ¡°By that, you mean¡­¡± the head servant asked. ¡°The Holy Light Seal,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire responded. ¡°¡­!¡± The head servant quickly bowed as shock filled his eyes. ¡°I will obey your commands,¡± the head servant said before hastily moving away. ¡°I will admit it. I clearly made a mistake in our first meeting. However¡­¡± Crown Prince Voltaire muttered while exiting the back garden under the escort of his knights. The faded golden light in his eyes flared fiercely once more. *** ¡°¡­¡± The living room used by Crown Prince Voltaire as a reception room was filled with anxious silence. There were four nobles in exotic clothing in the form of a wide skirt and cloth wrapped around their heads, and they appeared quite conscious of Count Hatres armed with plate armor even indoors. However, Count Hatres was lost in thought without a care for the gazes of the foreign nobles. It was because he could not figure out why the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire wanted to see him. ¡°Why do you think His Highness called us here?¡± ¡°Huhu! He obviously intends to empower Assir.¡± The Kingdom of Assir was one of the neighboring countries of the Roman Empire. The nobles talked among themselves while keeping an eye on Count Hatres. The people of Assir had been a race of nomads who lived as mercenaries of the Roman Empire for many generations. Then, they were recognized as an official nation more than a hundred years ago with the support of the Roman Empire. Although they were mocked as the hounds of the Roman Empire, they did not care. After all, there were other countries neighboring the Roman Empire in similar situations as them. ¡°Did you see the faces of the nobles of other kingdoms? They were all dying with envy. It felt as sweet as honey. Hahaha.¡± ¡°But why do you think he called that man? The rumors have it that the Kingdom of Caylor has been split into three. They¡¯re basically in a state of civil war.¡± ¡°How would I know? I guess he¡¯s the best out of the three.¡± ¡°Hmm. I heard that Winslon has the most influence in Caylor¡­ Well.¡± The foreign nobles had different agendas and reasons for visiting Maren, but there was one thing everyone wanted¡ªto strengthen their relations with powerful nations such as the Roman Empire and the Holy Empire. In particular, if they could catch the eyes of Crown Prince Voltaire, they could solidify their positions in their respective countries. As such, everyone wanted to meet the crown prince. Among the numerous nobles, however, Crown Prince Voltaire had called only the nobles of Assir and Count Hatres. But since there was no connection between the two parties, the nobles of Assir felt rather curious, although they were proud. ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince,¡± the head servant announced in a solemn voice. The nobles of Assir and Count Hatres immediately rose from their seats. Although they held respectable positions in their own right, they could not compare to the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire. ¡°I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince of the great empire.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to see you all.¡± Crown Prince Voltaire exchanged a brief greeting before looking around with a smile. He then continued, ¡°Thank you for accepting my invitation. I put in a little extra effort because I evaluated you, sirs, slightly higher than others. I hope it wasn¡¯t rude of me.¡± ¡°Oh, no! Of course not! Far from being rude, it¡¯s the greatest honor of my life.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that you think so. Hahaha.¡± The crown prince exchanged pleasantries with the nobles of Assir in a friendly atmosphere. However, Count Hatres wore a stiff expression. He still could not figure out why Crown Prince Voltaire wanted to see him in particular. ¡°You must not be happy about my invitation, Sir Hatres,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire said. Count Hatres responded, ¡°How could that be? I¡¯m only wondering why you wanted to meet me, as you must know the current situation of my country.¡± ¡°Hooh. I heard that you were the bravest warrior in Caylor. It appeared the rumors were true. You are straightforward, just as a knight should be,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire complimented. ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± Crown Prince Voltaire stared at Count Hatres with a meaningful gaze, then turned his head toward the head servant. ¡°Bring the thing,¡± he said. The head servant carefully placed down the silver tray that had been prepared earlier. The eyes of the Assir nobles and Count Hatres widened slightly with surprise when they saw the object on top of the silver tray. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°An extraordinary ring!¡± Though they were strangers to magic, it was impossible to deny the feeling of awe and mystery they felt from the pair of deep silver rings. ¡°This is called the Holy Light Seal. It is one of the magic tools created by the imperial wizards and dwarven craftsmen,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire explained. ¡°¡­!!!¡¯ Everyone was struck with shock. All wizards were extraordinary, but the imperial wizards of the Roman Empire were powerhouses fit to be called ¡®Magic Masters.¡¯ If the rings were made by such masters in collaboration with dwarven craftsmen belonging to the royal family, they would be of immense value. Their guesses were exactly right. ¡°The Holy Light Seal is a magical tool that completely destroys any and all kinds of mysteries,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire continued. ¡°W-why would such a precious item¡ª¡± The nobles of Assir could not hide the greed in their eyes. Crown Prince Voltaire responded with a good-natured smile, ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s a gift for you, sirs. Consider it a gift of friendship.¡± ¡°Ohh!¡± the Assir nobles exclaimed. Meanwhile, Count Hatres still wore a stiff expression with a doubtful gaze. There was no such thing as a free lunch. Why would the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire, whom he was meeting for the first time today, give him such a precious magical tool? ¡°Sir Hatres must be a cautious knight, as much as you are a brave warrior,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire said. ¡°¡­With all due respect, I am not brazen enough to take an unrequited favor,¡± Hatres responded. ¡°Ehem!¡± The thick-skinned, brazen nobles of Assir coughed before slowly placing the ring back on the tray. ¡°Haha! You are truly honorable, sir. That¡¯s right. Although they are gifts for you, sirs, I would be lying if I said I was expecting nothing in response,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire responded. ¡°¡­?¡± The expressions of the Assir nobles turned serious after hearing that Crown Prince Voltaire had a plan. Crown Prince Voltaire then continued, ¡°I heard that you, sirs, and some nobles from other nations had devised a very interesting plan. You are trying to get a certain someone to participate in the upcoming knight competition, right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ T-that¡¯s¡­¡± the Assir nobles stuttered with surprise. Crown Prince Voltaire shook his head with a smile. ¡°No need to worry. I have no intention of blaming you, sirs. I also happened to have a similar thought as well. I know that he¡¯s an exceptional knight, but I couldn¡¯t help but think that some of the rumors are a tad bit exaggerated.¡± ¡°Ah! Your Highness thought so as well?¡± The expressions of the Assir nobles relaxed. However, Count Hatres was taken aback when he realized that the ¡®someone¡¯ Crown Prince Voltaire had mentioned was Jan Eugene. ¡°If you are talking about the King of Maren, I would like to tell you that almost all the stories about him are true,¡± Count Hatres said. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s possible. But if it¡¯s all true, isn¡¯t it just as worrying? Especially for the Kingdom of Caylor, or for yourself, Sir Hatres,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire responded. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°The king of a nation neighboring the Caylor Kingdom might be a powerful being beyond reason. Moreover, he might ally himself with the nobles of Caylor who want to walk a different path from yourself at any time,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire continued. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Count Hatres¡¯ eyes widened. The crown prince had accurately pointed out his biggest worry. In the first place, he had personally come to Maren because he had been worried that Jan Eugene might build a partnership with the royal nobles or with the Winslon County. ¡°What do you think? Wouldn¡¯t you agree that there is a need for someone to suppress his momentum at least once? Of course, I promise to provide support for whoever one of you succeeds. No, rather, I guarantee the support of the empire,¡± Voltaire said. ¡°Hmm!¡± The hesitation in Count Hatres¡¯ heart immediately disappeared at the sweet, irresistible suggestion. *** Maren was thrown into turmoil by Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s declaration to return home. The delegation had come to celebrate the founding of the country, but the crown prince had stated he would leave without even attending the coronation ceremony a day after arriving. His actions were akin to a huge diplomatic discourtesy of disregarding Maren. ¡°He¡¯s really trying to punch them in the face, isn¡¯t he? Doesn¡¯t that mean he came all this way just to do this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s saying that he won¡¯t recognize Maren as an official nation.¡± ¡°You could say that the relationship between Maren and the Roman Empire ended before it ever even began.¡± It was only natural for the foreign nobles to excitedly discuss the matter when they gathered. However, they were forced to shut up when the Roman Empire¡¯s delegation delivered gifts and congratulatory words to celebrate Maren¡¯s founding. In addition to gifting Maren thousands of imperial gold coins to celebrate the expected friendship between the two nations in the future, the dukedom was also presented with a shield engraved with the seal of the empire¡¯s imperial family and the seal of Maren. It signified that the Roman Empire had clearly recognized Maren as an official state. It was only after personally seeing the ¡°shield of friendship¡± proudly hanging in the conference room of the Maren Parliament that the foreign nobles came to a decision on their attitude toward Maren. An official state¡­ Now that the Roman Empire had recognized Maren, it didn¡¯t matter if other nations tried to keep Maren in check or objected to it. Of course, it was entirely possible for the Holy Empire to put brakes on it, but they tended to align their will with the Roman Empire. Moreover, it was already known that Maren had sent a huge tribute to the Holy Empire, and the Holy Empire wasn¡¯t so shameless and rude as to disregard it. In any case, the disturbance created by the crown prince¡¯s sudden announcement of his departure for a questionable reason, such as the sudden decline of his health, quickly subsided. No one raised any objections, except for one person. *** ¡°My brother is returning? Why? What happened?¡± Prince Localope asked. ¡°You might choke unless you calm down. Why don¡¯t you take a seat first?¡± Eugene answered. Prince Localope had been waiting anxiously for Eugene with the governor after hearing the news of the crown prince¡¯s return. ¡°D-did something really happen? D-did you offend my brother?¡± Prince Localope asked. Judging by the way the prince¡¯s buttocks moved up and down in his chair, it appeared he was quite concerned about the crown prince. No, rather, it seemed he was afraid. ¡®Well, it¡¯s understandable if he¡¯s been subject to that strange mystery ever since he was young.¡¯ Eugene recalled Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s unique energy. It was indescribable. ¡°He should be offended because I told him that I would kill him if he tried anything,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What¡­?¡± Prince Localope stopped breathing. His face quickly turned ghastly. ¡°K-king, have you gone mad? You threatened to kill my brother, the next emperor of the Roman Empire?¡± Prince Localope muttered. ¡°The Crown Prince crossed the line first. Well, he probably never imagined that I would react like that,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Crossed the line? What line did my brother¡ª¡± ¡°He kidnapped my wizard,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°And he proudly declared it. Should I have tolerated it?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°¡­..¡± Prince Localope was forced to shut up. A subordinate wizard was akin to a sworn-in knight for a noble. The wizard was also their vassal. Aside from kidnapping Eugene¡¯s wizard, Crown Prince Voltaire had even attempted to threaten Eugene with the wizard as a hostage. Knowing Eugene¡¯s personality, it would have been strange if he had reacted in a different way. ¡°Even so, you didn¡¯t have to threaten to kill him¡­ My brother would have understood even if you said it nicely,¡± Prince Localope said in a regretful voice, assuming that Eugene had simply threatened Voltaire. He truly liked Eugene. He considered Eugene a friend¡ªnot just someone he had a contract with. As such, he didn¡¯t want the relationship between his favorite knight and the empire to fall apart. ¡°There was no need to say it nicely. I meant it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°Why are you acting so surprised? Do you think I would joke about killing the Crown Prince?¡± Eugene asked. Eugene¡¯s calm expression completely convinced Prince Localope¡ªthe vampire king was truly insane. ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty!¡± Suddenly, Madrica and Edmund entered the room while shouting urgently. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Some of the knights entering the knight competition have issued a challenge to Your Majesty!¡± ¡°One of them is Count Hatres. The strongest sword of the Caylor Kingdom has insisted on Your Majesty¡¯s participation.¡± CH 243 ¡°Count Hatres?¡± Eugene had never met Count Hatres. Back then, he immediately returned to Maren after hearing the news that Count Hatres had dramatically concluded his negotiations with Count Winslon. However, Eugene had heard rumors about the count. He knew that Count Hatres was a long-time loyalist of the Caylor Kingdom and was an excellent knight in charge of the capital¡¯s defense. ¡®He¡¯s insisting on my participation, even though he should know me well?¡¯ Eugene frowned. He had never encountered the count in person, he was a man regarded as highly resourceful by the nobles of the royal castle, as well as the holy knights. Such a man would understand Eugene to some extent, and that Eugene¡¯s victory was guaranteed if he participated in the knight competition. ¡®There¡¯s no way he¡¯s insisting just to try and make me look even better. Hmm, he¡¯s up to something.¡¯ ¡°The count has crossed the line. Even if he is a renowned noble, how dare he meddle in the matter of Your Majesty the King? It¡¯s not something an honorable man would do,¡± Madrica commented angrily. Although he was not yet comparable to Luke or Princess Lilisain, Madrica was quite a Eugenophile as well. ¡°There is no need for you to participate, Your Majesty. I will enter with Sir Madrica and engrave the fiery blade of Maren on everyone¡¯s souls.¡± Edmund also burned fiercely with vigor. Eugene knew that Edmund had prior experience battling against the soldiers of Count Hatres when he was still supporting Count Winslon. Eugene asked, ¡°Sir Edmund, have you ever confronted Count Hatres before?¡± Edmund responded, ¡°We never spoke to each other, but we were together in the negotiation between him and Count Winslon.¡± ¡°I see. What kind of person is he?¡± Eugene asked. Edmund responded, ¡°He is an extremely cautious person. The atmosphere surrounding him was extraordinary as well. I¡¯m certain he is a seasoned knight who has experienced all sorts of hardships.¡± ¡°I see. But why is he planning on participating in the knight competition?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand either. Although he is called the strongest sword of the kingdom, that was already more than ten years ago. I seem to recall that he is already over forty. It will be hard for him to win the competition even if he consumes refined mana stones,¡± Edmund explained. Refined mana stones were only useful for healing injuries and rejuvenating a person. They wouldn¡¯t improve one¡¯s physical abilities. In other words, given that Count Hatres¡¯ physical abilities had to have deteriorated with age, it was questionable why he wanted to participate personally in the competition. ¡°A resourceful and cautious person will personally participate in the competition, and he¡¯s strongly insisting that I participate as well¡­ I understand,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Count Hatres likely wants to take the lead among the three divided factions of the Caylor Kingdom,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°¡­?¡± Edmund and Madrica appeared rather confused. Although they were brave, strong warriors, they were a bit dim when it came to political matters. Eugene continued, ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t win the championship, the fact that a great noble like Count Hatres would participate in a knight competition itself could elicit a response from the nobles, as well as from the young, promising knights.¡± ¡°Hooh. I see¡­ There is definitely a certain aspect of it that would rile the honor and romance of knights.¡± ¡°In that case, he could simply participate by himself. Why do you think he wants to involve Your Majesty in the matter as well? Besides, there is no guarantee that Count Hatres will perform well, is there?¡± ¡°He must have received something,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Count Hatres met the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire with the nobles from Assir, right? And both parties are actively calling for my participation. It¡¯s pretty simple, really,¡± Eugene added. ¡°Ah!¡± Realization finally dawned on the faces of the two knights. Eugene turned his gaze away from them, then said to Prince Localope, who had a serious expression. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you agree as well, Prince? He¡¯s your brother, so you should know. That little bastard, he¡¯s a little bit persistent, isn¡¯t he?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That little bas¡ªI-If you are referring to my brother Voltaire, then that¡¯s right,¡± Prince Localope answered. He had already given up on trying to dissuade Eugene from speaking such audacious words toward the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire. ¡°Assir is the empire¡¯s ally, and they are famous for producing many outstanding warriors. If my brother had called for both the nobles of Assir and the one known as the strongest sword of the Caylor Kingdom¡­ And if they are urging for your participation as well, their intention is pretty clear¡­¡± Localope muttered with a sigh. Eugene smirked. ¡°It appears that the little bastard still hasn¡¯t come to his senses. Fine. I¡¯ll participate.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­?¡± The expressions of the two knights quickly darkened. They had inwardly been planning to take the championship in the upcoming tournament. Eugene spoke, ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be facing you, sirs.¡± ¡°What? Ah, yes. If you say so, Your Majesty¡­¡± Madrica and Edmund were confused, but their expressions loosened. Their reaction was different from someone else who had decided to participate in the competition. *** ¡°I implore you. Please compete with me at the knight competition.¡± Princess Lilisain rushed over immediately after hearing that Eugene had decided to participate in the knight competition. Her eyes were burning even fiercer and hotter than whenever she looked at Mirian. Indeed. She was a knight by nature, and she desired Eugene¡¯s participation as much as Count Hatres. However, contrary to the latter, her desire for Eugene¡¯s participation was solely due to her desire to have a proper battle against Eugene. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like I can make that happen if I want, right? And you often trained with me, Princess, so why would you¡­¡± Eugene muttered with a stupefied expression. Princess Lilisain interrupted him, ¡°Training and a battle held in a knight competition are different. I will participate with my life on the line. A battle to the death!¡± Huh? Hadn¡¯t she always attacked him as if she wanted to kill him whenever they were training? Eugene vaguely recalled how he had suffered a couple of fractured bones during their training. Thuck. ¡°My sincerest wish!¡± Princess Lilisain exclaimed after kneeling on one knee. Eugene was a little taken aback by her firm attitude. However, he soon came up with a good idea. ¡°Hmm. Then let¡¯s do it like this,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Whatever you want,¡± Princess Lilisain immediately raised her head and glared at Eugene with a gaze that threatened to devour him. However, for once, Eugene needed her intense enthusiasm. ¡°Just win against two people. No, rather, even one of the two is fine. Then I will willingly face you in battle, Princess,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Honor! I will super-crush them!¡± Fwoosh! For some reason, it almost felt as if hot flames could be seen surging out of Princess Lilisain¡¯s body. *** The coronation and the founding ceremonies were held and celebrated in a grand fashion. The parliament and the governor spared no expense, as this was their opportunity to flaunt Maren¡¯s wealth and power. More than two hundred foreign and domestic nobles who attended the coronation ceremony were awed, just as the governor and the parliament had intended. The only flaw was the fact that Crown Prince Voltaire, the most celebrated figure to have planned to attend the ceremony, had returned to the empire, as well as the fact that the delegation of the Holy Empire had failed to arrive in time due to some complications. However, both the Roman Empire and the Holy Empire had recognized Maren as an official state in writing, and they had blessed the dukedom for prosperity. As such, no one doubted the status of Maren any longer, though there were many who were anxious to belittle Maren in any way possible. ¡°It feels as if I¡¯m sprinkling ash on a finished stew, but what can I do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We must put them in their place so that they won¡¯t act inappropriately in the future.¡± ¡°Perhaps, because it¡¯s a country founded by those who are completely blinded by gold. They must not know that diplomacy isn¡¯t solely based on money.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t help it when they have gold, right? So we have no choice but to show them up with something else instead.¡± The foreign nobles chatted among themselves before turning their gazes elsewhere. Though they acted cordially in public to gain Maren¡¯s favor, they revealed their true intentions in the shadows. The young, beautiful king of Maren was armed in a black plate armor engraved with the sentence of Maren. It was as if he was trying to prove his identity as a knight. Although the young knight was quite well-built, it was hard to believe that he was the prestigious knight from all the rumors just from his appearance. In addition, most of the nobles present were from nations other than the Caylor Kingdom. Eugene¡¯s achievements as a knight weren¡¯t as well known in foreign countries, and although a few famous stories had spread, the nobles simply considered them absurd, fabricated stories. ¡°Hmph. Today will be the last day he gets to act so smug.¡± ¡°I guess so. First of all, the Assirian knight named the Great Warrior by their king is participating in the competition.¡± ¡°I heard that the Troll Slayer, Sir Bilbain of the Cortes Countdom is participating as well.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t forget about Sir Rose, the Rose Knight who had destroyed three groups of bandits all by himself[1].¡± ¡°Toscal, the mercenary captain of Paravan, is also a formidable man.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget Count Hatres. No matter what anyone says, isn¡¯t he a valiant knight known as the strongest sword of the Caylor Kingdom?¡± The nobles chattered excitedly while discussing the famous knights and mercenaries from all over the world. The participants were powerful warriors in their own right, and their names were known beyond their own countries. However, all of them were participating with the same purpose¡ªto defeat Jan Eugene Batla and to prove themselves the strongest. Moreover, the glory of their victory over the king would be exemplified even more since the stage was Maren. ¡°It¡¯s not just one or two. If all of those knights are aiming for him¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s bound to suffer humiliation, no matter what. How could it be possible that not even a single one of them can defeat the king?¡± Haahaha¡­ The nobles laughed, filled with arrogance and self-righteousness. One hour later¡­ The long-awaited competition began. The noble attendees of the coronation ceremony, as well as all the residents of Maren, eagerly anticipated the battles. However, the competition headed in a strange direction before it even began in earnest. *** ¡°His Majesty the King! Has declared that he will participate in the preliminary round, just like any other participant!¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The crowd was surprised after hearing the governor¡¯s cry. For some reason, the governor appeared rather uneasy and worried. In particular, the nobles of the distinguished seats took on puzzled faces. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m wondering as well. He can simply participate once the preliminaries are over and the participants have been sorted somewhat, right?¡± Ordinary knights would start from the preliminaries, but it was customary for knights with some status and reputation to start at the main rounds. Moreover, the competition was being held to celebrate Maren¡¯s founding. No one would complain even if the king declared his intent to participate later on in the competition. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s going to be a sight worth seeing if he meets a strong candidate early on and gets destroyed.¡± ¡°We got lucky¡­¡± The foreign aristocrats who wanted to see Eugene¡¯s downfall whispered with insidious smiles. About thirty minutes after the beginning of the knight competition, Eugene¡¯s first match, which everyone had been eagerly anticipating, took place. ¡°Ohh! He¡¯s going to fight with the Troll Slayer of the Cortes Countdom from the get-go!¡± ¡°Hooh? A battle hammer? I¡¯ve heard he has smashed the heads of countless trolls with that very weapon.¡± ¡°They say he has killed as many as four, as well as countless other intermediate and high-ranking monsters.¡± ¡°Hahaha! This should be entertaining!¡± The eyes of the nobles sparkled. It was only natural. Knight Bilbain of the Cortes Countdom was an almost two-meter tall giant, and his favored weapon was a hammer the size of a person¡¯s head. Leather or plate armor wouldn¡¯t matter if their opponents were struck by the giant¡¯s hammer. Indeed, there was a reason why knights favored blunt weapons like hammers and maces in a free battle. It allowed them to smash their opponents without aiming for the gaps in their opponent¡¯s armor or their vital spots. ¡°Hoho. No matter how durable the king¡¯s plate armor is, in face of that overwhelming weapon¡­ Huh?¡± One of the nobles started speaking with a relaxed expression, then frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, well¡­ Doesn¡¯t it look like the king¡¯s armor has changed?¡± ¡°Hmm? Ah! Is that¡­? That¡¯s right. That¡¯s not the armor he was wearing at the ceremony.¡± ¡°The color is the same¡­ but it¡¯s kind of unique.¡± One of the nobles examined Eugene¡¯s armor with scrutinizing eyes, then smirked. ¡°Even so, it won¡¯t make a difference. Moreover, look at the weapon that the king has chosen. How can you deal with a Troll Slayer with such a thin spear?¡± The spear was a weapon. However, the spear was the most useless weapon when the opponent was heavily armed with a shield, to boot. A short sword or a long sword would allow one to strike quickly at the gaps in the opponent¡¯s armor, but a long spear was specialized for stabbing. If the opponent managed to block the spear with their armor or shield¡ª All of a sudden, Eugene leaped towards Bilbain like a beast. The nobles were surprised by Eugene¡¯s inhuman speed. However¡­ ¡°Uaaaghhh!¡± Bilbain swung his hammer with a loud roar, and the corners of the nobles¡¯ mouths curled up into a smile. Finally, the wanker king would get his well-deserved humiliation, and the condescending people of Maren would¡ª Boooom!!! There was a deafening explosion. The black spear had split the giant¡¯s shield into dozens of pieces, then continued on to destroy the armor of the knight known as the strongest man in the Cortes Countdom before penetrating that same man¡¯s shoulder. 1. Here, the knight¡¯s name is written in Korean as the English word ¡®rose¡¯, while his title, the ¡°Rose Knight,¡± is written as the word rose in Korean. ? CH 244 Bilbain let loose a piercing scream unbefitting his appearance while holding his torn shoulder. Eugene gazed at him for a moment before suddenly dropping his eyes. He could feel Madarazika trembling stronger than usual as if it were satisfied with tasting blood after a long time. ¡®I¡¯ve gotten stronger.¡¯ Eugene had utilized none of his powers as a vampire in the battle, including his Fear. There were more than just human nobles who had participated in the ceremonies, and it was entirely possible that there were wizards and members of other races capable of utilizing magic and various mysteries among those in the crowd. As such, he had purposely limited his power to avoid detection. Even so, he had defeated Bilbain, a renowned warrior, with a single blow. In addition to the improvement of his physical abilities, the knowledge and skills he had gained from taking Galfredik as a vassal had greatly increased as well. ¡®Come to think of it, I did go through a lot of battles.¡¯ The reason for his transformation was likely due to the numerous battles he had experienced against strong opponents, as well as the spars with Princess Lilisain. ¡®However¡­¡¯ Eugene didn¡¯t feel as if he had learned from the battles. Rather, he felt as if the knowledge and skills he already possessed were coming back to him. Just like how he regained his powers and authority as an Origin with every erasure of a tattoo, it felt as if he were regaining his combat skills whenever he fought against the strong. ¡®What kind of an existence was I before I lost my memory?¡¯ Fwoosh¡­ Eugene gave up on his thoughts as a gust of dry wind washed over him. ¡°Huaaggh Kuaaaagh¡­!¡± Bilbain continued to wail after throwing his heavy hammer away. It appeared that he had completely lost the will to fight. Eugene looked around the surroundings, which had long been engulfed in silence, before speaking, ¡°What are you all doing? Take care of Sir Bilbain.¡± ¡°Y-yes, Your Majesty!¡± the mercenaries answered before hurrying forward and helping Bilbain. Uwaaaaaahhhhh!!! Thunderous roars finally filled the arena. The shouts were filled with admiration and respect for the king, and they continued without a break. Everyone was amazed at how Eugene had defeated a famous knight, a Troll Slayer, in a single blow. However, the foreign nobles, including those from Assir, could not hide their shock and disbelief. ¡°S-sir Bilbain was defeated in a single blow¡­?¡± ¡°Is he really a Troll Slayer? Is he a fake?¡± ¡°Sir! Watch your words!¡± ¡°No, but look! You said there was no doubt about it. Didn¡¯t you say that he would win, no matter what?¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The nobles of the Cortes Countdom bit their lips with red faces. ¡°Even a Troll Slayer is nothing much. Maybe he only hunted those stricken with a serious illness?¡± ¡°Look at him crying like a little baby. Hoho.¡± ¡°Even a man like him calls himself a knight¡­¡± The nobles of the Cortes Countdom gritted their teeth as the nobles of the other kingdoms laughed mockingly. ¡®You¡¯re blind if you truly think that!¡¯ ¡®The King of Maren is simply too strong; it¡¯s not because Sir Bilbain is weak!¡¯ The Countdom of Cortes was a small nation, and as such, most of its leaders consisted of knights. As a result, the majority of nobles from the Cortes Countdom immediately recognized Eugene¡¯s strength. However, the same could not be said for the nobles of the other kingdoms. Moreover, there was nothing as unseemly as a sore loser running their mouth, so the nobles of the Cortes Countdom had no choice but to leave the distinguished seats with dejected hearts. ¡®I was too complacent.¡¯ Count Cortes slowly turned his eyes away from the nobles of the Cortes Countdom and Bilbain. His eyes were calm as he looked at Eugene, who had taken his seat under the awning of his private tent. ¡®He¡¯s much stronger than what I¡¯ve heard. And that spear, it¡¯s quite unusual. Is that what he received from Count Winslon a few years ago?¡¯ Count Hatres fiddled with the Holy Light Seal on his right middle finger as he observed Eugene¡¯s black, ominous spear, as well as the man himself, whose crimson eyes were glowing coldly. However, the ominous feeling was still there. *** Eugene returned to his private tent while shaking off the blood and flesh from Madarazika. The three knights participating in the competition with him¡ªPrincess Lilisain, Edmund, and Madrica¡ªwelcomed him. ¡°Thrilling! Lightning fast! That was truly a work of art!¡± ¡°Well done, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Ohh! Ooohhhh!¡± Eugene moistened his throat with the water brought over by the servants, then responded, ¡°Who is after me?¡± ¡°Me,¡± Princess Lilisain stepped forward with a salute. ¡°The opponent?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°A great warrior of a country called Arsie,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. ¡°It¡¯s Assir, not Arsie, sir. It¡¯s an allied power of the Roman Empire,¡± Edmund corrected Lilisain with a bitter smile. ¡°Is that right? What¡¯s a great warrior?¡± Eugene asked. Edmund glanced at the tent where Assir¡¯s warriors were gathered while responding, ¡°The term refers to the strongest warriors in Assir. A warrior who has mastered various arts of battle and has never lost a duel is called a great warrior. They would have to surrender their title if they lost a duel. Anyway, you could consider him the strongest warrior of Assir as of now.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see,¡± Eugene said before taking a glance at the warriors of Assir. Unlike regular knights, the warriors of Assir weren¡¯t armed with plate armors and plate mail. Instead, they only protected their joints and vital points with their armor. However, there was something even more peculiar about the warriors. ¡°K-kieh! Five suns! M-my eyes!¡± Mirian screamed. ¡°T-truly! Is it tactically used to interfere with the opponent¡¯s vision? Hmm?! Are they perhaps blessed by the spirit of light?¡± Princess Lilisain commented. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think so,¡± Eugene said. All of Assir¡¯s warriors were bald. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? Traditionally, the stronger warriors of Assir were bald. You could call it the symbol of a strong warrior, I suppose. That¡¯s why the young men of Assir often shave their heads on purpose,¡± Edmund explained. ¡°H-how terrible. They would sacrifice their hair for victory¡­¡± Madrica commented with shock. ¡°Agreed. However, I think it would have an excellent effect on obstructing the opponent¡¯s view during combat,¡± Princess Lilisain commented. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene nodded. The weather was exceptionally nice, which caused the heads of the Assir warriors to glow even brighter. The largest of the five with the brightest sheen turned his head. Then¡­ ¡°Kieeek?! That bald bastard dares?¡± ¡°What? That man. Did everyone see?¡± Madrica and Mirian angrily exclaimed. The one who appeared to be the great warrior had drawn his thumb over his neck toward Eugene and his knights. ¡°The warriors of Assir are militant, perhaps because they are nomadic people who roam the meadows. However, that¡¯s crossing the line.¡± Even Edmund revealed his anger while stealing a glance at Eugene. However, Eugene wasn¡¯t the angriest in the group. ¡°Hunting a group of evil, bald men¡­ This is a rare opportunity,¡± someone muttered coldly. ¡°K-kieeeh¡­¡± ¡°¡­..¡± The princess pressed down her helmet, then headed toward the stage. The two knights and the spirit could only lick their lips with anxiety at the fierce energy surrounding the princess. Her eyes, which burned like dark emerald inside her helmet, precisely headed toward the great warrior of Assir. *** ¡°A female knight? Oh, my.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t even funny. She should be at home milking sheep. How dare a little wench¡­¡± The warriors of Assir scoffed when they saw the opponent walk out onto the stage. For the Assirians, female members of other races were nothing more than slaves or tools to be used for pleasure. Naturally, they behaved themselves in front of noble ladies since they were here as a delegation representing their country, but it was an entirely different matter for the great warrior¡¯s first opponent to be a female knight. For them, it was absolutely ridiculous. ¡°I have to speak iron with a wench? Dammit!¡± The great warrior of Assir could not hide his dissatisfaction. But he soon caressed his lips with his tongue after looking up and down at his opponent¡¯s armor, which snugly fit around her figure. ¡°Hehe! It would have been nice if we could share a conversation with our bodies rather than with our irons. What a shame.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Princess Lilisain had no way of understanding the words of the great warrior, as he was speaking in the language of Assir. However, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess the meaning of his words from his lewd gaze and arrogant attitude. ¡°Oi, wench! If you take off your armor right now and come into my embrace, I will let you off by serving me for just one night,¡± the great warrior exclaimed in the language of the Roman Empire. Princess Lilisain glared at the man with a cold gaze, then uttered a single word in the empire¡¯s language, ¡°Baldy.¡± ¡°What? You bitch! How dare you! You smelly sod, how¡ª¡± ¡°Baldy.¡± ¡°You little rat, I¡¯m going to tear you to pieces and¡ª¡± ¡°Baldy.¡± ¡°Kuaaaghhh!¡± ¡°Red baldy.¡± ¡°You biiitttccchhh!!!¡± The great warrior¡¯s head flushed red with anger. He ran forward while holding a large, double-edged battleaxe. Princess Lilisain¡¯s hands suddenly blurred. Fwooosh! She crossed her two swords, which emitted a bluish hue. Kakang! The strike contained Aura, a power exclusive to pure-blooded elves. The weapon of the great warrior was subsequently split into four pieces. ¡°Huh?!¡± The great warrior¡¯s eyes widened in shock. However, he immediately regained his composure and rushed to tackle the princess. It appeared that his title as the great warrior of Assir wasn¡¯t for nothing. Even if she were wearing armor, it could not offset the massive difference between their physical strength and physique. ¡®I¡¯ll pull out your arms!¡¯ Unfortunately, however, the great warrior did not know that his opponent was a pure-blooded elf. Fwoosh! Princess Lilisain narrowly avoided the attack by rotating her body. ¡°You bitch!¡± The great warrior turned around to chase after her. ¡°¡­?!¡± However, his eyes filled with shock when he found himself right in front of Princess Lilisain, whom he thought had distanced herself. Her head shot forward like a rubber band as she moved like lightning. Bang! The top of her head collided with the jaw of the great warrior, and several bloody teeth were forcibly scattered into the air. ¡°Huaah¡­¡± Only the whites could be seen in the great warrior¡¯s eyes, and his face was covered with blood. His knees went weak as he collapsed. As his crotch touched the ground, Princess Lilisain raised her right knee like an awl and sprang up. Thuck! The great warrior¡¯s unconscious figure was thrown into the air before he collapsed on his back. His jaw was in an unrecognizable shape after being struck twice in a row, once with the Princess¡¯s helmet and once with her knee. Princess Lilisain raised her visor and looked down at the great warrior as if he were an insect. She parted her lips. ¡°Baldy.¡± *** Uwaaaahhhhhh!!! ¡°¡­!!!¡± The nobles of Assir stared with their jaws agape. The battle had ended in less than ten seconds. They could not believe the scene that had unfolded before them, perhaps even more so because of the deafening shouts of the crowd. The undefeated, great warrior had lost? To a girl? ¡°T-this¡­¡± It might have been better if he had been defeated with a sword or a spear. However, the great warrior had literally gotten himself pummeled by a slender girl! The human weapon, the great warrior, was defeated like a helpless baby, even though he was wearing the precious magic artifact bestowed upon him to defeat the King of Maren! The nobles of Assir stared blankly. The nobles of the other countries could be heard muttering in sarcastic voices, even though they had been praising the great warrior just a few moments ago. ¡°An undefeated warrior? He was defeated in two blows.¡± ¡°By a woman, no less. And right after they mocked the Cortes Countdom, hahaha¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t even the king, but his fianc¨¦e.¡± The gazes of the Assir nobles headed toward the floor, and their faces dyed red similar to the bald head of their unconscious great warrior. CH 245 Maren¡¯s knight competition started off with a bang, and it ended the concern that simple one-on-one duels were less interesting. At the center of everything were King Eugene, and his knights. ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯m only saying this now, but I knew things would turn out like this,¡± Maren¡¯s governor said with a wide grin, and the members of the parliament took on awkward expressions. The governor had been the most opposed when Eugene had declared his intention to participate in the knight competition. ¡°Huh? Weren¡¯t you against it from the very beginning, Governor?¡± Priscilla asked while narrowing her eyes. Unlike the governor, she had completely supported Eugene¡¯s intention from the very beginning. The governor quickly turned his eyes away from her. ¡°Ah, t-that¡¯s because I was afraid that people would say that an adult was intervening in a fight between children. How was I supposed to know that such prestigious knights would participate in the competition?¡± the governor explained. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? That there would be fighters famous in their own nations, even if we have no idea who they were. I told you that we should definitely have His Majesty participate because other participants would consist of those suitable to be called the representatives of their region and countries,¡± Priscilla said. ¡°¡­He¡¯s been on a tour of the dukedom for more than a month defeating monsters. I couldn¡¯t possibly ask someone who had just returned from completing such a feat to participate in the competition¡ª¡± the governor muttered. Priscilla interrupted him,¡± But you were fine with Princess Lilisain participating, even though she had been with him through the tour? I heard that the princess and the elven knights had been mostly responsible for taking care of the monsters. Have you forgotten?¡± ¡°Ehem. W-well¡­¡± The governor failed to sneakily share in the glory of Eugene¡¯s victory. He avoided Priscilla¡¯s gaze. Priscilla was still a mere vice executive of the Palin Association, but her influence throughout Maren was tremendous. No matter what anyone said, she discovered Eugene before anyone else. Moreover, the Palin Association was responsible for managing quite a large portion of Eugene¡¯s wealth. ¡°Anyway, you worked out the program, right?¡± The governor quickly changed the subject and spoke to the secretary. The secretary answered with a smile, ¡°Yes. I have made sure that His Majesty, Princess of Eland, Sir Edmund, and Sir Madrica would not face each other until the round of 16.¡± ¡°Hmm. We couldn¡¯t help it since it¡¯s what His Majesty wanted, but don¡¯t you think it will cause a backlash from the people later on?¡± one of the parliament members asked. The governor responded with a meaningful smile, ¡°Well, you know one thing but not the other. The Princess, Sir Edmund, and Sir Madrica are relatively unknown compared to His Majesty. Rather, rumors have spread that they are His Majesty¡¯s close aides. The knights participating in the competition are eager to display their skills by defeating any of them.¡± ¡°Hooh. Is that true? This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of that.¡± ¡°Of course. His Majesty¡¯s reputation is known to everyone, but the others are slightly lacking in comparison. Many people are jealous that their names are becoming known just because they are serving right by His Majesty¡¯s side. What were they saying again?¡± the governor muttered, unsure. ¡°That¡¯s supposed to be my seat¡­¡± ¡°Yes, right. That one. That¡¯s the buzzword of the foreign knights in the pubs nowadays, right?¡± The governor pointed out. ¡°I don¡¯t know about it being a buzzword, but it¡¯s true that many knights are saying such things about His Majesty¡¯s knights.¡± ¡°Haha! Anyway, let¡¯s proceed according to the match table. It would be best if His Majesty and his knights all made it to the semifinals, but¡­ That would be a bit greedy, right? Tsk.¡± the governor said as if he were regretful. ¡°I guess so. Two of the favorites were eliminated early, there are still about three or four of them.¡± Everyone shared disappointed, regretful gazes while nodding. *** ¡°That¡¯s supposed to be my seat, sir.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Edmund frowned. He had easily made it through the preliminaries after achieving two victories. His opponent, a young knight armed with plate mail passed down from generation to generation in his family, stared into thin air with a wistful gaze and recited in a clear voice, ¡°If I had met His Majesty a year earlier, I would have made numerous contributions in the battlefield by his side¡­ Oh, heavens! Why was I placed in the land of Sherman?¡± Thuck! The knight straightened his longsword and shouted solemnly, ¡°I, Kyle of Pochettino, will defeat you and take my rightful place! Huaaaap!¡± Chae-chaeng! Clang! Thuck! ¡°Kuagh!¡± The knight fell to the ground with a scream after three instances of powerful, metallic sounds reverberated. Edmund sheathed his longsword after knocking down his opponent by striking them on the side of the helmet with his pommel. He muttered, ¡°Why is everyone saying something similar every battle?¡± Edmund was quite puzzled after hearing the same thing from all three of his opponents thus far. However, a satisfied smile still decorated his face. In any case, he had advanced to the round of 16. He would be hard-pressed to win the competition since Eugene was also taking part, but he was satisfied with his performance as Eugene¡¯s knight. ¡°However, I can¡¯t become complacent. I will have to win two more battles and advance to the semifinals to prove how strong I am as the lord¡¯s sword,¡± Edmund mumbled. He was determined to prove himself as Eugene¡¯s sword. He had great loyalty toward the one who rescued him from living the life of a prisoner. *** ¡°Sir Madrica! Your place, that¡ª¡± ¡°It will never belong to you, even in a thousand lifetimes!¡± Madrica shouted before charging at his opponent like a bison. He was the knight who represented Maren for the past few years. A fierce battle unfolded, and after a long time, Madrica successfully knocked down his opponent by tripping them, then thrust his dagger into their side. He jumped up and roared, ¡°I have won! I am the sword of His Majesty and Maren! I have protected my place yet again! Ahahhahahaha!¡± His armor was caked with mud, and it was a little, or rather, quite undignified to see him jump up and down with joy. Even so, Eugene lightly applauded Madrica for achieving yet another victory. ¡°Sir Madrica has changed a lot as well. In the past, he was only focused on being cool in battle,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°A true knight. He does anything and everything required to win the battle without caring about saving face. In that respect, I highly value Sir Madrica,¡± Princess Lilisain commented while looking at Madrica with a proud expression. Eugene turned his head towards her. ¡°And is that why you kept making fun of your opponent for being bald? To win?¡± ¡°¡­Fweee, fweee~¡± Princess Lilisain desperately avoided Eugene¡¯s gaze while attempting to whistle, something she had obviously picked up from the spirit. Mirian spoke with a grin while splattered across Princess Lilisain¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Kihehe. The princess knight said that because her opponent was mocking you, sir. And he really was a red baldy, right? It wasn''t a mockery, but an attack.¡± ¡°Whoever called you the spirit of desire? From today on, you are the spirit of justice and loyalty. Come here,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°Kieee¡­ I¡¯m embarrassed.¡± ¡°Ahh~ Haaaagh~¡± ¡°Kieeeh~¡± The elf and the spirit rubbed their cheeks against each other. Eugene felt goosebumps rising all over his body, even though he had been unfazed when he saw the Demon World for the first time. *** At last, all sixteen finalists had been decided, and the first day of the knight competition officially ended. Over one hundred knights and mercenaries had suffered defeat, but not many were truly depressed. The Maren Parliament had many former, shrewd merchants among its members, and they provided the losers the highest quality refined mana stones and consolation money. Even so, a small number of warriors could no longer lead their lives as knights due to severed limbs. Their cries of despair could be heard from all over the place. This naturally included the nobles of Assir as well. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± The nobles of Assir felt as if they were at their own funerals. The great warrior¡¯s life had been spared after he was fed refined mana stones, but he would be unable to eat for a while due to his jaw injury. Of course, the nobles of Assir were not sympathizing with the situation of the great warrior, or rather, the former great warrior. Rather, they were concerned that they had let down the expectations of the next emperor of the Roman Empire, especially since the great warrior had never even gotten the chance to use the precious magical tool. The crown prince would never let such a matter go. As such, a significant backlash would obviously descend upon the Country of Assir. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the elf princess to be so strong¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she was a possible candidate to become the king¡¯s wife? It¡¯s not like he chooses his woman based on their fighting skills, instead of beauty, right? Ha!¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s a rumor that could possibly prove your statement. Apparently, he brought together the ladies of prestigious nobles in Brantia and had them battle to the death.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the man who ripped off a man¡¯s arm with his spear, it¡¯s certainly possible¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just possible. It¡¯s most likely...¡± ¡°A princess who is just like the king¡ª¡± The nobles of Assir trembled while accepting such groundless, unconfirmed rumors as the truth. They grew even more fearful of Eugene as they thought about it. ¡°Anyway, what are we going to do now? We might have had an excuse if he lost to the king, but there¡¯s nothing we can say about this, is there?¡± one of the nobles said as if they were frustrated. ¡°¡­¡± However, only silence greeted him. ¡°Well¡­¡± the youngest of the nobles carefully spoke while looking around. ¡°Regardless of which direction we head in, we just need to arrive at the right place, right? All we have to do is to beat the King of Maren, right?¡± the same noble continued. ¡°By what means? With the great warrior in his current shape?¡± another noble responded. ¡°The magical tool that the Crown Prince gave us. It¡¯s still intact, right?¡± the young noble asked. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we give the Holy Light Seal to someone other than the great warrior? Someone who has made it to the round of 16?¡± the young noble suggested. ¡°Hooh¡­?¡± The eyes of the Assir nobles glimmered. The young noble was right. The skills of someone who managed to advance to the round of 16 were undeniable. Moreover, this tournament wasn¡¯t limited to the people of Maren or the Caylor Kingdom. Rather, there were many prominent warriors from many different countries participating in the competition. Someone capable of making it to the round of 16 would be a strong warrior any noble family or kingdom would love to recruit. ¡°Then we should give it to the knight who will face the king tomorrow.¡± ¡°What does the match table look like?¡± The other nobles of Assir immediately jumped on board with the idea. The young noble looked around before speaking in a quiet voice, ¡°I¡¯ve already taken a look. Well, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s luck, but¡­¡± The expressions of the nobles gradually became brighter as the young noble continued his words. *** ¡°This¡­ for me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, Your Excellency.¡± Count Hatres looked over the nobles of Assir with a suspicious gaze. They were suddenly acting amicable toward him and were even referring to him as ¡°Your Excellency¡± when they had simply called him ¡°sir¡± not too long ago. ¡°Although the great warrior of Assir was defeated in an unfortunate turn of events, we are still loyal. As such, we had been wondering how we could repay His Highness¡¯ grace in the midst of everything.¡± ¡°And this is the conclusion we came up with! We will hand over the Holy Light Seal to Your Excellency, as you will be facing Maren¡¯s King if you win two more battles tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Count Hatres looked alternatingly between the nobles and the ring on the table with suspicious eyes. ¡°Your Excellency, please listen,'''' one of the nobles spoke up, recognizing that Count Hatres was doubting them. He quickly continued, ¡°What did His Highness say when he gave you this magical tool? Didn¡¯t he say it would allow you to destroy the opponent¡¯s magic or mystery only once?¡± Count Hatres answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. So, I am planning on using it amidst a decisive moment in my battle against the king.¡± ¡°Yes. But now, you can use it twice,¡± the noble explained. ¡°¡­!¡± Count Hatres¡¯ eyes widened slightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t twice better than once? It¡¯s entirely possible that the king will try to utilize a series of strange mysteries when he is driven into a corner.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Count Hatres fixed his eyes on the Holy Light Seal. The nobles quickly seized the chance upon seeing the fervor in the count¡¯s eyes. ¡°If Your Excellency wins against the king, Assir will take your side in the civil war of Caylor.¡± ¡°Hooh¡­¡± Crown Prince Voltaire had already made the same promise. He had vowed to publicly support Count Hatres if he defeated the King of Maren. The support of the Roman Empire¡¯s next absolute would obviously be of great help to reunite the divided kingdom. Moreover, it was also true that many were better than one. If both Crown Prince Voltaire and Assir provided their support, he could crush the clueless nobles of the royal castle, as well as his greatest rival¡ªCount Winslon. ¡°Your Excellency Hatres, it¡¯s entirely possible that the god of destiny has led you down on this path.¡± ¡°Or perhaps the god of war is singing for the victory of Your Excellency Hatres, the man respected by all.¡± ¡°The gods are watching you.¡± The nobles of Assir even started to speak of the divine. Count Hatres stared at the ring for a while, then eventually raised it before placing it on his finger. He looked up and responded to the nobles. ¡°I¡¯m an atheist.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Regardless, the Assir nobles smiled awkwardly, knowing that their plan had succeeded. CH 246 ¡°Hey, where are you taking me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to answer? I¡¯ll make sure to tell Sir Eugene later and¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to the royal castle of Maren.¡± the black-hooded man answered urgently as soon as Eugene¡¯s name was mentioned. The woman was sitting on a saddle munching on some bread. She spoke with a smile, ¡°You must be quite scared of Sir Eugene, hmm? Why did you kidnap me if this was going to happen anyway? I thought all members of the Dark Clan were smart like Sir Eugene and the others close to him.¡± ¡°Keugh¡­¡± The vampire gritted their teeth. He was Rohime, a vampire from the Roman Empire. If he could do as he wanted, he would have made sure that the female, sick raccoon-like wizard would have died young. In fact, a single knight he brought with him could have made sure that the wizard could never speak again. However, he could not do that because the wizard¡¯s employer was the King of Maren. ¡®I thought he was a high lord or similar, but to think he was stronger¡­ That means he is a monarch¡­¡¯ It was regrettable that the plan had been put into motion before gathering sufficient information. However, there was no use regretting it belatedly. It had already happened. Moreover, he had already received a message from Crown Prince Voltaire to take the wizard to the Dukedom of Maren without laying a finger on her. He didn¡¯t know the details surrounding the crown prince¡¯s order, but regardless, it meant that the crown prince had come to an agreement with the King of Maren. If that weren¡¯t the case¡­ ¡®Then it means he¡¯s a lot bigger than I considered him to be. Perhaps¡­ what this wizard said was true after all.¡¯ Rohime felt all the hair on his body stand on edge. Rohime was a vampire high lord. Moreover, he was of the direct lineage to a monarch and was considered one of the highest-ranking vampires among the dozens of high lords in all vampire clans. As such, he had been rather irritated after being ordered to head to Brantia under the orders of his monarch. He thought it had been excessive to send him, even though it was under the orders of his parent, his absolute monarch. The same was true for the fact that the vampire protecting the wizard in Mungard had only been a lord. However, he was surprised by the stories he heard from the wizard after kidnapping her with ease. At first, he assumed she was lying to preserve her life, but he could help but believe her when she repeated her story several times and even swore in the name of magic. ¡°You will have to behave yourself even after you take me home. Hmm? Sir Eugene? Do you know how much he cares about me? We¡¯re not simply an employer and his employee. We¡¯re comrades of blood! We crossed the line between life and death countless times! Or something like that¡­¡± However, some things seemed to be slightly¡­ exaggerated. ¡°Hmph. Let¡¯s say that your stories about the King of Maren are true. Even so, the highest-ranking nobles of our tribe do not form deep relationships with wizards. Only weak members would do such a thing as to keep an untrustworthy wizard by their side. Just like the lord of Mungard who had been looking after you,¡± Rohime claimed. ¡°No, how many times do I have to tell you? Lord Markus was instructed by Sir Eugene to set up my lab and protect it. He¡¯s not even Sir Eugene¡¯s subordinate, let alone a vassal. Ah, speaking of his true vassal, that reminds me.¡± ¡°True¡­ vassal?¡± Rohime showed interest. Romari swallowed a piece of the tough bread and responded, ¡°There¡¯s someone like that. He¡¯s an incompetent man who doesn¡¯t even show his face at times like these, even though he always bothers other people next to him.¡± ¡°Hmph. He would only be a lord-class vampire anyways,¡± Rohime scoffed. ¡°Nope,¡± Romari answered. ¡°What? And what would you possibly know about our tribe?¡± Rohime said. Romari flicked breadcrumbs off her robe, then answered with a meaningful smile, ¡°You, you couldn¡¯t even be bothered to look into which school I was from because you were lazy, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°See? I knew it would be true,¡± Romari said while giggling. Her reaction caused Rohime to become slightly nervous. It was just as she said. It was ridiculous enough that he¡ªa high lord serving directly under his monarch¡ªhad been sent to the middle of nowhere in a place like Brantia. What investigation could have possibly been necessary to kidnap a single wizard? Rohime had simply wanted to finish the matter as quickly as possible. ¡®Come to think of it¡­¡¯ Rohime carefully observed Romari. When he was first ordered to kidnap the wizard, he was told not to hurt the wizard and to treat her as if she were a noble prisoner. So, he did as he was told. However, even if he treated her gently, the sick raccoon-like wizard never showed any fear toward him, though she did act a little surprised. How could someone be so fine even while getting kidnapped by a fang-bearing vampire? No, in the first place, a wizard should have put up a little resistance¡­ ¡°Do you know why I didn¡¯t resist when you first caught me?¡± Romari asked as if she were reading his very thoughts. Rohime felt his anxiety growing. ¡°If you were a human instead of a member of the Dark Clan, I would have used my ace. You should know, right? Every wizard has a hidden card up their sleeves,¡± Romari said. ¡°¡­¡± Rohime stayed silent. He felt as if his throat was drying rapidly. Even though he was a vampire high lord capable of breaking the head of the little puny wizard with a single punch, he was uncomfortable of even thinking of doing so for some reason. Romari continued, ¡°But I simply followed you because my school is very knowledgeable about the Tribe of Darkness.¡± ¡°What? There¡¯s no such school that¡­ Huh?! D-don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± It was impossible for a high-ranking high lord vampire to be ignorant of such a special school of magic. Romari responded with a grin, ¡°That¡¯s right. The Blood Shadow School. Why else would I have stayed by Sir Eugene¡¯s side for so long?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Rohime¡¯s face violently distorted. ¡°Now you¡¯re thinking you should¡¯ve looked into it more before kidnapping me, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t know which clan you belong to, but you must have heard about our school before, right?¡± Romari said. It was incredibly annoying to see the wizard grinning in her current position, but Rohime could only grit his fangs. He was unafraid of the wizard, but he could not take the Blood Shadow School lightly. ¡°Wizard, even if you belong to the Blood Shadow School, it changes nothing. My master and the one by his side¡ª¡± Rohime said. ¡°Kieh? I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something. I didn¡¯t follow you obediently because of my school,¡± Romari interrupted. What could ¡®Kieh¡¯ possibly mean? However, Rohime was more curious about what she would say rather than the strange, meaningless holler. He tried to bury his anxious heart even deeper as he spoke, ¡°You¡¯d better stop running your mouth while I¡¯m still treating you nicely and if you want to be in one piece when you see your king.¡± Romari responded, ¡°I just wanted to give you a piece of advice, but¡­ There¡¯s no helping it if you don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°Advice¡­?¡± Under normal circumstances, he would have ignored her and moved on. However, that was if she wasn¡¯t a wizard. She may have been kidnapped, but she was still a wizard. It was common sense for those who knew a little bit about magic and mysteries that a wizard¡¯s advice would never be nonsensical. ¡°¡­¡± Rohime forcibly stopped himself from asking what her advice was. Romari muttered with a worried expression, ¡°Kieeeee~ That man really is scary, though. Well, I¡¯m not scared of him, but none of the members of the Dark Clan I have seen so far could breathe properly in front of him. He should be going crazy right about now after discovering that I had been kidnapped. Knowing his personality, he would have already started looking for me. But, I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t kill you if you didn''t provoke him.¡± Provoke him, provoke him, provoke him¡­ The wizard¡¯s words were only speculation from Rohime¡¯s perspective, but for some reason, he was convinced that everything the wizard had said so far was based on the truth. ¡®Ha! Me¡­ afraid? I, Rohime, afraid? Nonsense!¡¯ It appeared that the wizard had gotten to his head by continuously repeating nonsense. ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Even if someone is out searching for you, how would they know where we are?¡± Rohime said. ¡°Kieeh? Are you really a member of the Dark Clan?¡± Romari asked. ¡°Stop with the kieh, you runt!¡± Rohime screamed, unable to withstand the wizard¡¯s strange way of speaking. Romari was once again convinced that Eugene¡¯s spirit was born to annoy people in as many ways as possible. She spoke, ¡°I already told you. I belong to the Blood Shadow School, and I know quite a bit about the Tribe of Darkness.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Rohime said. ¡°Do you really think the one looking for me is merely lord-class?¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Rohime flinched. Romari mustered the most sinister smile she could before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s something Sir Eugene said. Sir Galfredik isn¡¯t simply a thrall, but a vassal.[1] You know what that means, right?¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Romari¡¯s smile deepened when she saw how Rohime¡¯s expression turned ghastly pale. ¡°That¡¯s why you should learn to trust people. There¡¯s a vassal tracking you right now. Moreover, it¡¯s a scary old man who had completely decimated a vampire high lord,¡± She said. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Rohime was in disbelief. Vassal? Was it possible that she was referring to the high lord directly under a monarch like himself? No, if she really was a wizard of the Blood Shadow School, she had to know such basic knowledge. If the one searching for the wizard was truly a vassal, and if the King of Maren was a vampire with a vassal¡­ ¡°An Over¡­lord?¡± Rohime muttered with a blank expression. Romari grinned. ¡°Also known as an Origin. You¡¯ve really fucked up this time.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Rohime started to tremble. He was denying it in his head, but Romari had no reason to lie. ¡®N-no! Then the reason I was told to return the wizard to the castle as soon as possible was¡­?¡¯ Rohime¡¯s trembling increased in intensity as an ominous feeling surrounded him. What if the crown prince hadn¡¯t come to an agreement with the King of Maren? What if the crown prince had surrendered to the vampire overlord, the Origin? ¡®Then I might have really¡­¡¯ Tututututututu¡­..! ¡°¡­?!¡± Rohime and the vampire knights simultaneously turned their heads as the sound of hooves resounded from far in the darkness. Rohime and his knights peered through the darkness with their red eyes, and they saw a group of troops armed with black armor on horseback quickly heading in their direction. Rohime¡¯s expression distorted further when he saw that none of the newcomers were holding torches. Obviously, they were vampires. ¡°This¡­ fast? How on earth is this possible?¡± Rohime muttered with disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s because of this,¡± Romari responded in the most annoying voice. Rohime realized his mistake of being too complacent when he saw the red sand. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Every wizard has at least one trick up their sleeve,¡± Romari said. She had been leaving behind a trail of red sand after being captured. She believed in Galfredik. He had experienced the effect of the magic sand several times already and knew the sand could reveal the location and direction of its user. And though Lord Markus was weaker than Rohime, he wasn¡¯t a fool by any means. Markus would have immediately reacted to her kidnapping. She believed he would have at least discovered the direction in which her kidnappers had headed toward. ¡®But I didn¡¯t know they would find me this fast.¡¯ She grinned while turning her gaze to the sound of the hoofs. She could only hear but not see, as she was still human. However¡­ Kuwuuuuuuuugh!!! Uwaaaaaahhh!!! She knew exactly who her rescuers were from their roar, and she could guess how they had found her earlier than she had expected. Beowulfs were distant relatives of vampires, and they were unrivaled when it came to search and pursuit. ¡°I feel sorry for you, so I will give you one last piece of advice,¡± Romari started. ¡°¡­¡± She then continued, ¡°Don¡¯t provoke them needlessly, and just do as that person says. This is a really important piece of advice. And you were going to take me to Sir Eugene anyway, right? Don¡¯t pick a fight just to get destroyed, okay?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± High Lord Rohime¡ªhe was a dignified, virtuous vampire of the Roman Empire. He was a brave knight who had never backed down against anyone except his monarch. Hearing Romari¡¯s words, his expression distorted. ¡°I¡­ I will never back down,¡± he said. ¡°I have received your last words,¡± Romari responded. ¡°Kuaaaaaghhhh!¡± Rohime recalled the order to never lay a hand on the wizard. He roared and directed his anger toward the pursuers. His armor was stained blood-red, and he emanated fierce, vicious Fear. The vampire knights unsheathed their weapons and revealed their fangs, having been inspired by their master¡¯s Fear. It was then¡­ Kwaaaaah¡­! Ominous crimson Fear bloomed like a cloud and illuminated the darkness. A husky voice echoed in the darkness. ¡°Oi, you motherfuckers! Are you all ready to die?!¡± The Origin¡¯s vassal was charging forward on horseback with red, flaming eyes. ¡°¡­?!¡± Rohime¡¯s Fear rapidly diminished. The Fear emanating from the knight with quite a hideous appearance unbefitting a vampire surpassed even his master¡¯s Fear. 1. Some clarification regarding the terms ¡°vassal¡± and ¡°thrall¡±. As mentioned earlier in the novel, ¡®thrall¡¯ is used to describe a vampire specifically in relation to their ¡®parent¡¯ vampire. On the other hand, Galfredik is special because he is the ¡®thrall¡¯ of Eugene, an Origin. As such, the term ¡®vassal¡¯ is used to describe him instead of ¡®thrall¡¯. However, there¡¯s bound to be some confusion because the term ¡®vassal¡¯ is used many, many times throughout the novel. However, know that in most cases, the term ¡®vassal¡¯ is used as a term describing the retainer/subordinate of a lord. In summary: thrall ¨C vampire specifically in relation to their parent vampire. E.g., the thrall of a high lord. Vassal ¨C the thrall of an Origin (Galfredik). Vassal ¨C the subordinate/retainer of a lord. ? CH 247 ¡°They would have sent a high lord like my humble self. There¡¯s no questioning it.¡± Christian returned after the first day of the knight competition after having completed Eugene¡¯s orders. He spoke with certainty. As was the case with almost all the vampires Eugene had met so far, Christian¡¯s loyalty toward Eugene was greater than his devotion to his clan. Even Christian himself could not fully understand it, but it seemed to be caused by a mystery imprinted on the blood and memories of the vampire species. ¡°I thought that would be the case. The Crown Prince would not have sent just any random dog to kidnap my wizard,¡± Eugene responded. Although Prince Voltaire had reassured him of Romari¡¯s return, Eugene hadn¡¯t simply taken his words for granted. Rather, he made preparations of his own. Voltaire had promised on his name as the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire, but preparing for contingencies wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder if Markus of Mungard will be sufficient to receive the wizard¡­ Ah! Please forgive me. I¡¯m not questioning your decision by any means, my lord.¡± Christian hurriedly bowed while giving his report on one knee. ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine. Markus might seem lacking in your eyes,¡± Eugene remarked. ¡°My humble self is in complete awe of your generosity, oh supreme one,¡± Christian responded. ¡°Just call me Your Majesty. And just use regular, respectful words,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Keugh! Y-your Majesty¡­¡± Christian cried out. He was truly thrilled, and he even started to tremble. How could the noblest member of the tribe be so generous?! ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The two people with Eugene and Christian watched the scene play out with flabbergasted expressions. It was Prince Localope and his servant, Vizak. They knew vampire high lords were extremely arrogant beings, regardless of which clan they belonged to. They did not easily bow their heads to anyone, even to the great nobles of the empire and royalty. However, a high lord of the Helmond Clan was acting absolutely obedient toward Eugene. ¡®Let¡¯s not think about it more. It is what it is.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯ll be easier if I just give up on thinking.¡¯ The two figures sighed quietly. Eugene spoke, ¡°Markus will only act as a messenger and a guide.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Christian muttered. If an unexpected situation arose during the encounter, it would be difficult for a lord to face off against a high lord¡­ Christian was worried, and it could be seen in his anxious expression. Eugene spoke with a smirk, ¡°I know what you are worried about. But did you really think I entrusted only Markus with this issue?¡± ¡°What? You mean¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that I contacted my vassal in Brantia quite a while ago,¡± Eugene said. Eugene informed Christian of how he had dispatched an elven knight to Markus with information pertaining to Christian. Markus would have relayed the message to Luke as quickly as possible, and Galfredik would have gone to Mungard to verify. Although Galredik and Romari appeared to be constantly bickering, Galfredik cared greatly for the wizard. His reaction would be obvious after finding out that Romari had been kidnapped. ¡®Compensation is compensation, but you should still pay the price.¡¯ A single measly high lord could not be compared to Romari, but it would serve as a good warning. Eugene spoke to the trembling Christian, ¡°You should hope they¡¯re not from the same clan as you. It wouldn¡¯t feel nice knowing that someone from the same clan as you is going to become minced meat.¡± *** Fwooosh! The fierce wind and strong waves continued to bash against the ship. The weather was starting to become worse with the changing of seasons. The powerful waves caused the ship to rock, but the sailors focused on their respective duties even while being battered by wind and seawater. However, there were about ten people gathered to the side of the deck, and those people were stretched out doing nothing. They seemed indifferent to whatever the sailors were doing as if it had nothing to do with them. Sailors were second to none when it came to being rough and tough. However, none of the sailors rebuked any member of the group. Rather, the sailors never even looked toward the group. Even their employers, the knights of the empire, could not hold their heads properly in front of the ten-or-so passengers. In particular, there was one person whose gaze even the captain of the imperial knights avoided. It was only natural for the sailors to tread carefully. Of course, the sailors would have treated the figure similarly even if he hadn¡¯t been a distinguished guest of the imperial knight captain, but rather a single passenger. It was all because the appearance and the impression the said person was giving were extremely vicious. ¡°Um¡­ Why don¡¯t you loosen your expression, Master?¡± Selena asked cautiously. She was Essandra¡¯s niece, and she still served Galfredik as his aide. She had been allowed back to his side after Brantia was stabilized. She wasn¡¯t as afraid of Galfredik as other people. Even though he was still a little scary, she had come to a better understanding of his personality during her time as his aide. As such, she could now express certain things on her mind. ¡°Why?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°I think the sailors are getting nervous whenever they see you, Master,¡± Selena answered. ¡®And honestly, I¡¯m a little scared as well.¡¯ Selena stopped herself from blurting out her true thoughts. Galfredik scratched his head while returning her gaze. ¡°Is that right? I was just thinking. These days, my face gets stiff whenever I¡¯m thinking.¡± No? It wasn¡¯t the same as any other time, as he looked outright savage right now. Selena had to hide her inner thoughts once more ¡°What are you thinking about¡­? Come to think of it, I¡¯ve seen you deep in thought quite often lately, Master.¡± Selena highly doubted that a man as vicious, ignorant, simple, and radical as Galfredik would be capable of ¡®thinking,¡¯ but the fact he was ¡®thinking¡¯ so much was worrisome in its own right. Selena¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°It¡¯s really nothing else, but the one stuck underneath the deck¡­¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Yes. You are referring to Sir Rohime, right?¡± Selena asked. ¡°Sir? My ass. Anyway, that bastard used strange abilities when he was fighting me, right?¡± Galferdik said. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Selena nodded. She still felt goosebumps on her body when she recalled the scene. It was no longer any secret that Eugene and Galfredik were vampires. After living in Mungard for a while, Selena had become accustomed to the city¡¯s culture of accepting members of other races. As such, she had fully adapted to the fact that her master was a high-ranking vampire noble. However, it was an entirely different matter to have witnessed vampire nobles fighting while revealing their powers and mysteries. In particular, she had almost peed her pants when the empire¡¯s vampire, Rohime, turned into black smoke or when he transformed into bizarre monsters. It was a matter of course for her to have been rendered stiff with terrible fear. However, her master had defeated his opponent, even though the high lord had been no different from a mystical, intangible existence. Moreover, Galfredik had only relied on his ¡®strength and skills as a knight¡¯ to do so. The crimson energy emitting from Galfredik¡¯s eyes and sword could not be considered human, he had defeated Rohime without turning into black smoke or a monster. ¡°He¡¯s obviously much weaker than I am. So, I wonder why I can¡¯t use those abilities,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡®Master, are you crazy?¡¯ ¡®What kind of a monster do you plan on evolving into if you start to use such weird powers as well?¡¯ Selena forced a smile. She had to suppress her thoughts quite a few times by now. ¡°W-well, even if you don¡¯t use those mysteries, you are plenty strong, Master. From what I heard from Miss Romari, Sir Rohime is a very strong vampire even in the Roman Empire. You¡¯ve managed to defeat such a man so easily¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s that. This is something else. Anyway, I¡¯m going to ask him when he wakes up,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Uh¡­ What about those vampire knights? The ones who serve Sir Rohime? Why don¡¯t you ask them instead?¡± Selena suggested. ¡°No. Those bastards are just lowly runts. Expensive armor and weapons are wasted on those useless pricks. They should be able to earn their keep, or rather, earn their meat,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°The dark knight knows what he¡¯s talking about!¡± ¡°Those who can¡¯t earn their meat should have their fangs pulled out!¡± The beowulf warriors grinned while showing their fangs. They had willingly responded to Galfredik¡¯s orders to gather. The beowulfs were nice to Selena, but she was still a little afraid of them. They were currently in human form, but the way they slaughtered was still fresh in her memories. The beowulf warriors had transformed into lycanthropes wearing black plate coats, and they completely pummeled the vampire knights. ¡®Such monstrous beings are heading to the continent?¡¯ Selena felt her hair stand on edge. Beowulfs were incredibly powerful warriors, and they would leave a trail of blood in their wake. They had defeated the soldiers of numerous lords and members of various different races in Brantia. ¡°Dammit! Why can¡¯t I do something like that? Should I ask my master to teach me?¡± ¡°Ahhh! Meaaat!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you try catching some fish?¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t like them. They¡¯re too fishy.¡± ¡°They smell better than your junk, though, right?¡± ¡°You little dogbrain!¡± Unfortunately, their demeanor was quite pathetic. ¡®Anyway, Sir Rohime was sent by the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire, right¡­? I wonder if the Crown Prince knows about the current situation.¡¯ The crown prince had caused the whole incident by giving orders to kidnap Romari, but Selena thought he would still be quite shocked if he discovered the current situation. Thinking so, Romari spoke with a sigh, ¡°Everyone, please calm down. I¡¯ll head down below deck and grab some jerky.¡± ¡°Kwuooooo! You¡¯re quick to read the room, just what I expect from his aide!¡± ¡°Your fangs may be small, but you are the best, dark knight¡¯s aide!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yeah.¡± ¡®I¡¯m not a vampire. I¡¯m a human being, you dogheads!¡¯ Selena forced herself to smile as she trudged along. *** ¡°Excuse me, Your Highness. The King of Maren. Should we just leave him as he is?¡± Count Maruk asked cautiously. Having spent his childhood with the crown prince in the imperial castle, Count Maruk was the only one within the delegation privileged to converse with the crown prince. Maruk had been absent during the meeting between Eugene and Voltaire. As such, he was rather doubtful after belatedly hearing about the situation. ¡°It¡¯s nothing for you to worry about, sir,¡± Crown Prince Voltaire responded. ¡°My apologies. However, there¡¯s the matter with His Highness Localope to worry about as well. I¡¯m only worried that it will brew problems for Your Highness in the future if you leave without taking any measures¡­¡± The count trailed off while stealing a glance at the crown prince. It was clear that Voltaire¡¯s pride had been greatly damaged. However, Voltaire grinned in response. ¡°Thank you for your concern, sir. However, there really is no need for you to worry. I have already taken appropriate actions.¡± ¡°Are you perhaps referring to the Holy Light Seal?¡± Maruk asked. ¡°That¡¯s merely entertainment. I don¡¯t know about the Count of Caylor, but I don¡¯t expect those idiots from Assir to succeed,¡± Voltaire said. ¡°Then¡­?¡± Maruk asked, hesitating. Crown Prince Voltaire leaned against the soft chair of the carriage and gave a mysterious smile. ¡°The wizard of the king,¡± he said. ¡°A-are you perhaps¡­¡± The count could not bring himself to ask if Voltaire had given orders to kill the wizard. Voltaire responded while shaking his head, ¡°No. I will return the wizard to the king. I cannot break an oath made to the glorious, golden blood. However¡­ I never said how I would return the wizard." ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Rohime would have already inferred my intention, and he must have taken appropriate measures toward it. That¡¯s why I deliberately sent a high lord instead of a lord or a banneret,¡± Voltaire explained. ¡°As expected! Then it will be impossible for the subordinate of Maren¡¯s King to track them down. It really is killing two birds with one stone,¡± Count Maruk exclaimed. ¡°Haha! It¡¯s just as you say. You know exactly how I think and feel, so I have no choice but to trust you,¡± Voltaire said. ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± ¡°Huhu¡­ Anyway, I wonder what kind of expression the cheeky king will have when he gets his wizard back. It¡¯s unfortunate that I won¡¯t be there to see it,¡± Voltaire said. His eyes glowed with a mysterious golden light. It would not be as great as the humiliation he suffered, but he would be able to return a part of it. Moreover, it would also work to warn his younger brother, who was clearly completely reliant on the King of Maren. After all, Localope didn¡¯t even show his face. ¡®You will end up like the king¡¯s wizard as soon as you take a step back home, Localope.¡¯ Crown Prince Voltaire smiled with satisfaction. He had no idea that the wizard was currently heading to Maren in perfectly good condition, albeit a little seasick. CH 248 The second day of the knight competition began. There was a significantly smaller number of knights present in the stadium, due to more than ninety percent of the participants being eliminated on the first day. However, the stands and the distinguished seats were brimming with even more people than on the first day. Everyone was eagerly awaiting the birth of the new champion. ¡°The King of Maren will probably win, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I think the Princess of Eland is a strong candidate as well. I heard that there¡¯s nothing she can¡¯t cut with that Aura of hers.¡± ¡°But she can¡¯t cut what she can¡¯t hit. In addition, rumors have it that the king¡¯s sword, spear, and armor are all magical armaments. They say he had obtained it from a hidden, ancient evil land.¡± ¡°He¡¯s that talented, but he still uses magical weapons? Ha! Oh, my¡­¡± Many nobles whispered among themselves while staring at Eugene¡¯s tent. Some uttered words of jealousy, but most of them seemed to have acknowledged Eugene¡¯s strength after witnessing his fights in person. It appeared that the rumors surrounding the King of Maren weren¡¯t groundless after all. Moreover, the majority of people were also forced to acknowledge the Dukedom of Maren. At first, they simply believed that a group of sneaky merchants had taken the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s division as an opportunity to declare independence. But now, they saw that the Dukedom of Maren truly had a firm foundation. In truth, quite a few nobles even felt a sense of crisis. ¡®Four knights from Maren made it to the round of 16, including the king.¡¯ ¡®The knights who gathered when the king was visiting the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire weren¡¯t ordinary warriors either.¡¯ ¡®All of the guards were former, experienced mercenaries. There were more than five hundred of them at first glance.¡¯ ¡®Including the mercenaries and the soldiers of the other lords, how many troops do they really have?¡¯ ¡®The king is also a Duke of Brantia. I have heard that there are many knights in Brantia who follow the king. If they also joined forces with him¡­¡¯ Quite a few well-informed nobles felt their hair stand on end. No one doubted Maren¡¯s massive wealth. In fact, most of them had traveled all the way to Maren to congratulate and celebrate the founding of Maren because of the city¡¯s wealth. However, the wealth and power of a nation were different matters. One could hire mercenaries with enough capital, but skilled knights could not be mobilized with money alone. And since experienced, powerful knights contributed greatly to a nation¡¯s overall strength, being wealthy didn¡¯t always correspond to strength. However, the nobles had come to realize that the Dukedom of Maren possessed numerous strong, honorable knights. In fact, Maren did not pale even when compared to other nations. King Jan Eugene Batla stood in the center of it all. The king was called an unparalleled knight, and there were many knights who revered, or even worshiped him under his command. ¡®We shouldn¡¯t carelessly provoke them.¡¯ ¡®We should focus on forming a non-aggression pact with them for now.¡¯ ¡®Tsk, tsk! Too bad for Caylor. Even if they manage to reunite like before, they could be overshadowed by Maren.¡¯ ¡®But since the Caylor Kingdom provoked Maren, they brought all these upon themselves.¡¯ Most foreign nobles even felt a sense of fear toward Eugene and the Dukedom of Maren. However, there were a few people with different ideas. They were those desperate to deal a blow to Eugene and the Dukedom of Maren. Such nobles firmly believed that it was necessary to cripple Maren and Eugene for the sake of their own kingdoms. They stared at Eugene¡¯s tent with scheming eyes while whispering. ¡°Hoho. That arrogant king will suffer great humiliation today. Well, I wish he would just die instead, but that would be quite difficult, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But soon, it will be revealed that he¡¯s nothing without his magical weapons.¡± The nobles of Assir whispered before simultaneously turning their gazes. They saw a man armed with a rather crude, but sturdy plate armor. The middle-aged knight was seated while holding his longsword upside down with the blade touching the ground. A red jewel was set on his weapon. It was Count Hatres. ¡°He should make it to the semifinals, right? It¡¯ll be all for naught if he doesn¡¯t...¡± ¡°That should be easy. Didn¡¯t we give him the Holy Light Seal and even superior-grade refined mana stones? Even the great warrior of our country will be hard-pressed to match the count by now.¡± ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you stop talking about the great warrior?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± The so-called ¡®great warrior¡¯ had been beaten and humiliated like a dog by a woman. He was no longer Assir¡¯s pride, but its disgrace. Even the fact that he had been defeated by Eland¡¯s elf princess wasn¡¯t very comforting as she was still a woman. ¡°By the way, who is Count Hatres¡¯ first opponent today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I haven¡¯t checked¡­¡± the young noble responded while scratching the back of his head. It was the same noble who had first suggested giving Count Hatres the Holy Light Seal. He had only confirmed that Count Hatres and the King of Maren would clash in the semifinals, but he had skipped over checking the count¡¯s earlier opponents in haste. ¡°Tell your men to go check.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Our first match is! The great knight of Caylor! The man with the cold heart¡­!¡± The young noble turned around to give orders to his servants, but he was interrupted by an announcement. Count Hatres headed to the center of the stadium along with the loud introduction. Simultaneously¡­ ¡°What?!¡± ¡°W-w-what¡¯s that woman doing there?!¡± His opponent was none other than the destroyer of their great warrior. The elf princess of Eland slowly walked forward while holding two swords. *** ¡°¡­¡± Count Hatres frowned. He was an honorable, prideful knight. Knowing that he would be facing the King of Maren in the semifinals, he hadn¡¯t bothered to check the match table to confirm his previous opponents. He was confident in defeating anyone. However, he could not help but be somewhat startled to see that the Princess of Eland was his opponent. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t because he was afraid of his opponent. ¡®I even have to face a female knight now?¡¯ He was known as the strongest sword of the Caylor Kingdom. His opponent was the princess of the elf kingdom, but considering his achievements and reputation, he still felt disgraced that he had to face a woman. ¡®However¡­¡¯ It was something he could not avoid if he wanted to achieve his goal. As such, Count Hatres straightened his longsword and held it by his chest before introducing himself. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am¡ª¡± Princess Lilisain interrupted him, ¡°No need. I can have a proper match with His Majesty if I defeat you. Bring it on.¡± She was beyond excited at the thought of finally having a real match with Eugene. In fact, she had been unable to sleep properly the night before. In addition, Count Hatres was someone Eugene had mentioned to her before. Eugene had provoked her by saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can even beat him, Princess. If you can do so, I will willingly fight you in a proper match,¡± and Eugene had been referring to Count Hatres. She had defeated the great warrior of Assir yesterday, so she would completely meet His Majesty¡¯s expectation if she defeated the count. ¡°¡­¡± However, such was the story told from Princess Lilisain¡¯s perspective. Count Hatres was infuriated after suffering the worst, passive humiliation of his life. ¡°Like king, like princess. Fine. Although it is a competition, there¡¯s no need to speak before a duel held with real blades. Now¡­¡± Princess Lilisain¡¯s figure blurred before Count Hatres could finish his words as she charged at him like a ray of light. Fwoosh! Two beams of blue lightning enlarged and reflected in Count Hatres¡¯ eyes. Clang! Then, his helmet was split. *** ¡®What¡¯s this? What¡¯s going on? Why am I lying down?¡¯ Count Hatres attempted to stand up as he stared blankly at the clear blue sky. He could not see even a single puff of cloud. However, it was in vain. As soon as he attempted to move his body, the blue sky distorted like a haze, and he felt a splitting headache. It was then that he heard a voice just above his head. ¡°Concussion. You should just lie down¡­¡± The voice was quickly buried by the deafening roars from afar. ¡®Ah, is that it?¡¯ Count Hatres finally realized it. One strike. He had lost in a single strike. ¡®How stupid. Haha¡­¡¯ He had clicked his tongue seeing many knights paying the price of belittling their opponents on the first day of the competition. However, he had made the exact same mistake. ¡®I forgot¡­ that from the moment she picked up a sword, she was no longer a woman, but a knight.¡¯ How could he have forgotten it? No matter how sturdy one¡¯s armor was and how sharp their sword was, they could lose their lives to a child with a knife if they let their guard down. How could he have thought that only Jan Eugene Batla could be his opponent? ¡®I¡­ I have brought disgrace on my own path as a knight.¡¯ ¡°Kekeuh¡­¡± Count Hatres chuckled after rebuking himself. He should have walked the road of knighthood if he wanted to rebuild the Kingdom of Caylor. He should have appealed to honor and revealed his chivalry. However, he had instead chosen to tread down the path of a politician. From the moment he agreed with Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s suggestion¡ªno, he abandoned his knighthood the moment he personally led his delegation to keep the other two forces of Caylor in check. He could not believe that he had judged the other knights for betting their fate on a single round. Count Hatres relaxed his grip while feeling as if something were escaping his body. He had kept his hand tight on his pommel even as he was knocked unconscious by a single blow to his head. But now, his partner left his hand. As the growing cheers engulfed the stadium, the era of an old knight came to an end. *** ¡°¡­¡± The nobles of Assir took on blank expressions after the confirmation of Count Hatres¡¯ defeat. They had seen nothing but a flash. Afterward, they heard the sound of metal clashing against metal, and then they saw Count Hatres on the ground. ¡®What did we just see?¡¯ ¡®Is this a dream?¡¯ If it were, it was the worst nightmare possible. Their only hope, Count Hatres, had lost. Moreover, he never even got the chance to face the King of Maren. He was knocked out by a single blow to the head by the elf princess responsible for the defeat of the great warrior as well. The eyes of the Assir nobles unwittingly followed Princess Lilisain¡¯s back as she returned to her tent. Eugene came out to greet the princess, and he took a single glance toward where the Assir nobles were seated. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Ugh! Uah¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes blazed for an instant, and the nobles of Assir started to tremble. The same thought came to their minds after making eye contact with Eugene for only a moment. ¡®H-he knows!¡¯ ¡®The king already knows everything!¡¯ They were certain, though they could not explain it. ¡°T-this is not the time.¡± ¡°We must hurry out of here¡­ N-no, first, let¡¯s collect the Holy Light Seal and¡­¡± The nobles rose from their seats in a hurry. ¡°Distinguished guests from Assir.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The eyes of the nobles filled with shock when they saw a group of knights approaching them. The knights were wearing armor similar to the elven princess. ¡°His Majesty the King would like to speak with you, sirs. I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but please keep your seats until the competition is over.¡± ¡°Ah, t-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I implore you, sirs. Please accept His Majesty¡¯s favor.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± The knights were extremely courteous, but their hands rested on their hilts. *** Madrica lost by a narrow margin after lasting more than ten minutes with his opponent. ¡°Uaaaaaaaaahhh! Huaaagh!¡± Madrica collapsed on the spot and started bawling like a baby. It was quite shocking for the people of Maren to see their knight in such a state when that same knight had always been noble and honorable. However, he had fought his best for the duration of two days, and even those who didn¡¯t favor him were applauding him for his achievement. Although he had lost in the round of 16, he was still an honorable and brave knight of Maren. On the other hand, Edmund broke through the round, then came to face Princess Lilisain in the quarterfinals. Just like all of her previous opponents, he also suffered defeat without exchanging more than three blows with her. It was simply impossible to stop the power of Aura with shields and armor. Moreover, Princess Lilisain¡¯s swordsmanship was superb, and even Swordmaster Pranbow acknowledged her skills with the blade. Once she finally reached the semifinals, the spectating nobles finally came to a realization. They finally realized how powerful she was as a knight, and how fraudulent the ability known as ¡®Aura,¡¯ which could only be utilized by pure-blooded elves ¡°Eland! Do you know anyone in Eland?¡± ¡°We must win over an elven knight of Eland! A pure-blooded one if possible!¡± ¡°Use all your connections! It might be difficult to ask the king, so ask the governor to lay a bridge between Eland and us!¡± The lords were desperate to somehow establish a relationship with the elven knights, although they didn¡¯t even know where Eland was located. There were many famous and outstanding knights in the world, but Princess Lilisain was simply overwhelming. However, the people interested in her weren¡¯t just the lords looking for powerful knights. ¡°Kyaaah! Princess! Over here! This way, please! Please look over here!¡± ¡°Princess Elf! Ahhhk! She looked at me! Oh my gosh!¡± The attention and admiration of women were concentrated on the princess. After all, she had achieved consecutive victories against big, burly male knights. As such, it was only natural that a strong, beautiful princess knight was popular with both men and women of all ages. Unfortunately, one individual possessed a rather unhealthy affection toward the princess. ¡°Kieeeeeeeehhh?! Get lost, you little bitches! The princess knight is mine! Get out! Get! Kieeeeeehkkkkk!¡± ¡°Insane bastard.¡± ¡°Kieh?!¡± Eugene subdued the spirit and prevented her from running rampant with jealousy by shoving her inside her leather pocket. He turned his head after hearing a disturbance. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Count Hatres was walking toward him after denying the help of his aides. His eyes were sparkling, and it was hard to believe that they belonged to someone who had just lost. CH 249 Shhk. Princess Lilisain moved closer to Eugene and stared at Count Hatres with a cold gaze as the latter approached. Her hand was already on the pommel of her sword. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so vigilant. What could I possibly do to His Majesty when I lost to you?¡± Count Hatres said with a bitter smile. Princess Lilisain took a step back. However, her hand remained on the handle of her sword, ready to draw the blade at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Count Hatres called out. ¡°Lord Hatres,¡± Eugene accepted the count¡¯s greeting. Not only was the count no match for him, but Eugene could also not feel any hostility coming from the man. Count Hatres shared a gaze with Eugene before taking off his gloves. Eugene was slightly puzzled, but he simply watched. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Eugene¡¯s eyebrows wiggled. It was because of the rings that Count Hatres had on the index fingers of both his hands. Soon, the count took off the rings one by one. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ Eugene immediately recognized that the rings were extraordinary, although their appearance wasn¡¯t anything special. ¡°Your Majesty, do you know what these signet rings are?¡± Count Hatres asked. Eugene answered, ¡°No, it¡¯s my first time seeing them. But I can feel an unusual mystery coming from them.¡± ¡°As expected¡­¡± Count Hatres gave a light sigh before looking down at the pair of Holy Light Seals with a complicated expression. Then, he held them out toward Eugene. ¡°Take them.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene was slightly taken aback by the count¡¯s sudden gesture. The count continued, ¡°In the first place, I received them from someone else as well. I never got the chance to use them, so it appears I never had the right to own them in the first place¡± ¡°Use them?¡± Eugene asked. It was an unbefitting word to describe some rings. ¡°The person who gave them to me described them as being magical tools that will allow one to destroy all magic and mystery just once. The ring is called the Holy Light Seal,¡± Count Hatres explained. ¡°The Holy Light Seal¡­¡± Eugene frowned. Indeed, he had noticed how unusual the rings were at first glance, and they turned out to be magical objects. On one hand, he wondered. Although he had spoken to Count Hatres for the first time today, Eugene knew a little bit about the count. He had heard many stories during his time at the royal castle of Caylor, and the delegation of the royal nobles of the Caylor Kingdom had willingly volunteered information regarding the count when they arrived at the dukedom. It was a blatant attempt by the nobles to undermine their competition, but Eugene had obtained sufficient information from them to come to a conclusion regarding Count Hatres. Count Hatres was extremely inflexible, and he was a traditional knight who pursued integrity above all else. Eugene was convinced that the count was unlike any other nobles. The fact that Count Hatres would leave the territory to his successor and personally take command of the capital¡¯s defense forces proved his peculiarity. ¡®Someone like him would rely on the mystery of a magical object?¡¯ Every knight dreamed of possessing magical armaments, but it was literally a desire limited to ¡®armaments,¡¯ such as swords, spears, and armor. As such, it felt quite odd that a man recognized as a traditional knight by all was in possession of two such rings. ¡®Ah¡­ So that¡¯s what it was.¡¯ Count Hatres started to speak, ¡°The one who gave me these rings was¡­¡± Eugene interrupted him, ¡°That yellow[1] bastard. No, the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire, right?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Count Hatres couldn¡¯t conceal his shock when he heard Eugene referring to the crown prince as such. ¡°Just because that bastard¡¯s eyes are so yellow. Anyway,¡± Eugene explained with a grin. He turned his eyes to the group of Assir nobles in the distance before speaking. He could see that the Assir nobles appeared quite lost and flustered to be surrounded by elven knights. ¡°Since there are two, those idiots over there must have handed one over to you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Count Hatres was at a loss for words. He couldn¡¯t see Eugene as a simple human being. It felt impossible for Eugene to know everything even though they had met only a while ago. Obviously, and in fact, Eugene was a vampire. Count Hatres happened to glance over Eugene¡¯s shoulder. He noticed Princess Lilisain and how she never took her eyes off Eugene¡¯s back. ¡®Ah! Could it be?¡¯ His expression stiffened at a sudden thought. He looked alternatingly between Princess Lilisain, who was maintaining an ideal posture for drawing her blade at any moment, and Eugene. He then sighed. ¡°Your Majesty. Did you know?¡± Count Hatres said. ¡°About what?¡± Eugene asked with a puzzled expression. Count Hatres explained with a complex but relieved expression, ¡°When I first heard about Your Majesty from Sir Winslon, I didn¡¯t believe the stories. Even if it were true that Your Majesty was a great, unrivaled knight, I thought it was nonsense that you were also as brilliant in mind as Sir Winslon. I simply thought that Sir Winslon was trying to confuse me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But now, I know. Sir Winslon was mistaken. No, perhaps he didn¡¯t want to lose. And the same was true for me as well,¡± Count Hatres continued. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Eugene asked in an indifferent voice. Count Hatres answered bitterly, ¡°When I first arrived at the royal castle, the nobles of the castle and the holy knights of the central church were arguing. That was Your Majesty¡¯s work, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about,¡± Eugene responded calmly, though he felt slightly guilty. Count Hatres turned his gaze toward Princess LIlisain with a faint, understanding smile, ¡°The same with how Eland¡¯s Princess was assigned to be my opponent. I was the only one of the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s powers whom you couldn¡¯t do anything about, so you had the princess subdue me. Haha¡­¡± Count Hatres was incredibly perceptive. He was supposed to have kept his distance from the politics of the royal castle, so how did he notice? No, rather, had he made a tactical judgment as a strategically outstanding captain of the capital¡¯s guards? ¡°You have quite the imagination,¡± However, Eugene still feigned ignorance. ¡°It was truly an outstanding plan. However¡­ I¡¯m thankful to you as well. I have been enlightened thanks to Your Highness and the Princess. This is the truth,¡± Count Hatres said before politely bowing to the two. Eugene was quite surprised and convinced by the unexpected behavior of the strongest sword of the Caylor Kingdom. Eugene came to realize that Count Hatres was truly an ¡®honorable knight¡¯. ¡®Hmm. Many things could have changed if I met this man first.¡¯ Eugene had purposefully created conflict between the holy knights and the nobles of the Caylor Kingdom in hopes that they would fail to unite and be engulfed in chaos for as long as possible. Simultaneously, Eugene had hoped that Count Winslon would stand at the center of the kingdom if it ever became whole once again. After all, Count Winslon was a reasonable, well-spoken noble who had helped him in many ways. Regardless of who ascended the throne, if Count Winslon took power, Eugene believed that the Kingdom of Caylor would choose coexistence rather than conflict with Maren. However, after getting to meet Count Hatres, Eugene was convinced that the count was a reasonable, viable candidate as well. Although Eugene was an insidious demon king who stopped at nothing to get what he wanted, he rather liked knights as brave and honorable as Count Hatres. ¡°Although I am unsure what you are talking about, I am glad that you obtained something. Anyway, are you saying that you will give me the rings?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. I can¡¯t explain exactly why, but I have a feeling that Your Majesty is better suited to be the owner of these magical tools than I am. Plus¡ª¡± Count Hatres paused, then continued with a cold gaze, ¡°Your Majesty has treated me with honor as a knight, but the Crown Prince, no, the yellow bastard regarded me as nothing more than a pawn of his chessboard.¡± Count Hatres was convinced. He finally knew that the possibility of him ever defeating Eugene was nonexistent, and he also realized that Crown Prince Voltaire would have never kept his promise even if he had managed to defeat Eugene. Rather, Crown Prince Voltaire would have milked him all for his worth for the former¡¯s scheme to expand the Roman Empire¡¯s influence in the Caylor Kingdom. He had only realized this when he was freed from his delusion after his defeat against Princess Lilisain. ¡°Your Majesty, I am ashamed to say this as a loser, but could I ask you for a favor?¡± Count Hatres said. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Eugene nodded. Count Hatres held out the two rings before continuing, ¡°Please destroy that honorless, yellow bastard.¡± *** ¡°Hmm.¡± Voltaire frowned. He was sprawled out on his soft bed located inside his carriage under the care of his slaves. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Your Highness?¡± Count Maruk asked. Crown Prince Voltaire shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. My ears are just a little itchy, that¡¯s all.¡± As soon as he spoke, a beautiful half-naked slave carefully started cleaning his ears with a cotton earpick slightly soaked in the melted liquid of a superior-grade refined mana stone. ¡°Anyhow, where are we now?¡± Voltaire asked. ¡°We are currently passing through a territory ruled by a high lord of Caylor known as Winslon. By the way, with all due respect, Your Highness, wouldn¡¯t it be better to reroute and travel through the sea?¡± Maruk responded. Though there were dozens of heavily armed imperial knights and secret escorts protecting the delegation, Count Maruk was still concerned about the crown prince¡¯s safety. He could not understand why Voltaire had insisted on traveling through land, even though it was much faster and safer to travel by ship. Crown Prince Voltaire answered, ¡°No. We will continue like this. It will be nice to meet some foreign nobles, right?¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. Sir, I am set to take the throne, so don¡¯t you think it¡¯s just right for someone like me to visit another nation with a delegation of the empire?¡± Voltaire asked. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Crown Prince Voltaire continued, ¡°Do you understand now? Do you understand why His Majesty the Emperor had allowed me to personally lead the delegation? It was my personal goal to see the King of Maren and Localope. His Majesty would not have sent me for such a reason. In fact, His Majesty doesn¡¯t care even the tiniest bit about the Dukedom of Maren. It simply served as a great excuse.¡± ¡°Then the real reason why Your Highness was tasked with leading the delegation¡­¡± Count Maruk muttered. "To distinguish the enemies and to establish control,¡± Voltaire responded. ¡°¡­!¡± Count Maruk¡¯s eyes widened. The prince¡¯s words were short, but the meaning contained within his words was significant. ¡°We will come in contact with prestigious nobles of each nation on our way back to the empire through land. The delegations to Maren? Do you think they would ever tell me about the true situation in their countries? Those people were madly searching for anything to take for themselves,¡± Voltaire said. He waved away his servants as if his ears were no longer itchy, then continued in a cold voice, ¡°It will be significantly better to meet with the nobles who are stuck in their territories rather than the sneaky raccoons who had planned everything even before coming to Maren. Moreover, their kings won¡¯t be able to complain. Why? Because I¡¯m simply returning home.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Count Maruk could proudly say that he knew quite a bit about the crown prince after spending their childhood together. However, he was truly shocked by Voltaire¡¯s plan. He felt even more awe and fear toward the emperor and the crown prince. ¡°Of course, there are other reasons as well,¡± Voltaire said. He leaned back comfortably before giving a mysterious smile. ¡°Those dispatched on the gate opening plan. We should be seeing results soon, right?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The gate opening plan. It was a top-secret plan, and even in the heart of the empire, less than five people were privy to it. Count Maruk took on a serious expression at the mention of the plan. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s about time for the agents to return. The one sent to Maren should be the first to return,¡± Maruk answered. ¡°The one favored by Helmond, right? Their name¡­ what was it?¡± Voltaire asked. ¡°Christian. It was Christian Helmond,¡± Maruk responded. ¡°Good. Hoho! It will be a sight worth seeing. An infestation of evil monsters in a land ruled by a vampire,¡± Voltaire spoke with a chuckle, not knowing that the person in question had already transformed into someone else¡¯s loyal hound. ¡°No, let me correct myself. Even his beloved wizard should be a cripple by now, so this will become even more of a spectacle. How disappointing! How disappointing that I won¡¯t get to see it in person. Hahahahaha¡­¡± *** Uweeeeeh¡­ Huweeeh¡­ Lord Markus took on a pitiful expression at the faint, strange, grotesque mixture of what sounded like screaming and crying. The sound originated from a side of the beach he stood on. ¡°It appears Miss Romari is still extremely prone to seasickness, sir,¡± Markus stated. ¡°She was completely fine even when she was kidnapped, but she¡¯s crying out like that because of motion sickness. Hehe,¡± Galfredik answered while revealing a satisfied smile at the sight of Romari emptying the contents of her stomach. Markus asked carefully, ¡°By the way, how did you deal with the one who kidnapped Miss Romari?¡± Kidnapping Eugene¡¯s wizard was a serious crime. However, the identity of the kidnapper posed a problem. The kidnapper was a vampire high lord of the empire directly subordinate to the crown prince. ¡°I just scuffed them a little. Why? Was the master worried?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°It¡¯s not that, but¡­¡± Markus hesitated. Eugene had been far from worried about the perpetrator. Rather, Markus thought it possible that Eugene might take it upon himself to see the kidnapper ¡®scuffed¡¯ up. ¡°That¡¯s fine, then. Anyway, he¡¯s just shoved up in the coffin, so just move the whole thing,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, understood,¡± Markus bowed. He felt a chill run down his back. A vampire high lord wouldn¡¯t be greatly affected by the sea. Even if they were wounded, it was possible for them to move around on a ship after spending a few days in their coffin. So, why were they still in their coffin, even though they had already landed? ¡®So he didn¡¯t only scuff them after all.¡¯ Markus had experienced Galfredik¡¯s power before, so he quickly came to a realization. ¡°Anyway, Chri¡ªwhat was it? That other fellow who was caught trying things in the dukedom?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°Yes. A high lord of the empire. Now, he is absolutely obedient to His Majesty,¡± Markus answered. ¡°I see. The one lying in the coffin and that one too. They are just dead wood trying to stick to the master''s side. I don¡¯t like it,¡± Galfredik commented with a frown. Markus gulped with anxiety. If vampire high lords were just pieces of dead wood, then what was he? ¡®Let¡¯s not think about it. Let¡¯s just focus on how I can live for the great one, how I can survive as quietly and as long as possible.¡¯ He was even less than dead wood, but Markus was quick to grasp reality. 1. Yes, yellow as in cowardly. ? Favorite CH 250 ¡°I-I lost...¡± ¡°Good match, sir.¡± ¡°It was truly an honor for me to face Your Majesty¡¯s blade,¡± The knight from the Kingdom of Kabala responded politely with an emotional look. He was greatly moved that a figure as legendary as the King of Maren was treating him kindly. The knight was both excited and pressured before the match started, as he had seen just how the king demolished the knights he had faced yesterday. Those knights had their arms ripped out by a spear and their legs were crushed as well. The knight had been scared at the possibility of ending up the same as those knights, but he also had the desire to make a name for himself. Unfortunately, he failed to exchange more than ten blows with the king before losing the battle. However, he did not suffer any serious injuries, though his helmet was blown away, and he was tossed to the ground. In addition, the King of Maren acted extremely honorable by personally helping him up from the ground and wishing him well. The knight had been roaming the world for the past few years after being born into a humble family, and he couldn¡¯t help but be greatly moved by the King of Maren¡¯s actions. ¡°Sir Telo! That was amazing!¡± ¡°I always knew how great His Majesty was, but that knight was great as well!¡± ¡°Sir Telo!¡± He was eliminated in the quarterfinals, but he had still achieved a great feat, as he had defeated several opponents to get here. The crowd generously cheered on the defeated knight. Moreover, judging by the glimmer in the eyes of several nobles, it appeared that the knight would finally conclude his wandering life and become an official, proud territorial knight. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Princess Lilisain, Madrica, and Edmund approached Eugene when he returned after winning. The three wore curious looks. ¡°Have you known that knight for a long time?¡± they asked. ¡°I saw him for the first time today,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Oh, is that so? We just couldn¡¯t help but notice that you seemed to be taking care of him, unlike any of your previous opponents. So, we assumed you were acquainted with him.¡± ¡°Hmm. Come to think of it, Sir Balboa from before also avoided any serious injuries. He only suffered a broken arm.¡± Madrica and Edmund commented while sharing a gaze, and Eugene resolved their curiosity with a grin. ¡°Those two didn¡¯t pick a fight with me, while the others just didn¡¯t stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I-I see¡± To think that it was so simple¡­ It was a rather petty reason for someone as noble and high-status as the king, but the knights immediately came to an understanding. Come to think of it, Eugene had always been like that. ¡°Besides, it would have been troublesome if something happened to them, as they will be coming to Maren, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°What? That means¡­¡± Madrica and Edmund quickly turned their gazes to the knight returning to his spot. They could see that five or six nobles were approaching the knight, as he had displayed outstanding skills even though he had lost. Among the nobles was a person the two were very familiar with. It was Trevik, the conscription officer and the personnel officer of the dukedom. The knight didn¡¯t even spare a single glance at the other nobles and greeted Trevik after seeing the emblem of Maren embroidered on the chest of Trevik¡¯s shirt. Afterward, the two men put their arms around each other¡¯s shoulders and headed toward the gathering place of several knights, including Balboa, with large grins. The nobles who had come to recruit him were left behind like dogs chasing after chickens. ¡°He will be your colleague from now on, so take good care of him, Sir Madrica,¡± Eugene said. Madrica responded, ¡°Please leave it to me. On behalf of Your Majesty, I shall make sure that your brilliance as the symbol of chivalry and the reflection of honor is maintained within Maren¡¯s¡ª¡± Eugene interrupted him, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get some lunch.¡± He left Madrica immediately upon sensing the oncoming of an unnecessarily long speech, then headed into his tent. The semifinals, which could be called the main event of the competition, would start in the afternoon. As such, there was some time to have lunch and check one¡¯s condition before then. The spectators created a ruckus as they left the stadium to the nearby pubs and restaurants to fill their stomachs. A group of guards quickly cut through the crowd and approached Eugene¡¯s tent. The captain of the guards called out, ¡°Your Majesty. Something has arrived for you.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Eugene received an object from the guard captain. It seemed that they had rushed over, judging by the slight flush on the man¡¯s cheeks. It was a sealed letter, and the red seal was in the form of a roaring dragon. ¡®It¡¯s Delmondo.¡¯ Eugene confirmed that it was the seal he gave Delmondo before he departed for the empire. After removing the seal, he checked its contents, and Eugene read the entire letter with a blank face before raising his head. While observing the nobles heading to their respective accommodations or to the nearby pubs in pairs or small groups, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°Sir Edmund, Sir Madrica. Bring the Governor and the members of the parliament.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty,¡± the two knights immediately answered before departing. They quickly realized the significance of the situation. Princess Lilisain moved closer to Eugene before asking, ¡°With all due respect, I¡¯m curious as to what is going on.¡± Eugene answered, ¡°Things have begun in earnest.¡± ¡°Things?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. ¡°Monsters have started to mobilize in various parts of the kingdoms bordering the Roman Empire,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Mobilized? The monsters are mobilizing?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. To mobilize meant to raise a military force. It was an awkward, unbefitting word used to describe the actions of monsters. But since Princess Lilisain was bright, she quickly came to a realization. ¡°Perhaps the entrances located in the hearts of evil lands have opened¡­¡± said Princess Lilisain. ¡°We should assume that¡¯s true, though I don¡¯t think Delmondo knew that when he wrote his report,¡± Eugene responded. It had been quite a while since Delmondo, a former official of the empire, was dispatched to a large city of the Roman Empire on Eugene¡¯s orders. Delmondo had disguised himself as a wealthy noble with a tight relationship with the royal family of Brantia, and his task was to establish a base in the port city of the empire and to collect information. The highlighted information sent in his first report was regarding the ¡®mobilization of monsters.¡¯ Of course, Eugene didn¡¯t really care whether other countries would get trampled by monsters or not. There was no need for him to care. Nevertheless, Eugene called for the governor and the parliament because of this very issue. ¡®How can I turn this into an opportunity and maximize my gains?¡¯ A mysterious smile appeared on Eugene¡¯s lips as he watched the foreign nobles waddling away with arrogance. *** ¡°What? Is that really true?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from my territory administrator. Take a look, everyone.¡± Eugene held out Delmondo¡¯s report to the governor. He had no need to keep it a secret. The governor and the members of the parliament read the report one by one, then took on expressions of disbelief. ¡°This is a big deal. However, the situation of the other kingdoms had nothing to do with us, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not like they don¡¯t have their own troops.¡± Most responded in ways expected of merchants. It was clearly a tragedy that the number of monsters had grown to the extent of using the word ¡®mobilize.¡¯ However, the tragedy belonged to those residing in the affected lands. It really had nothing much to do with Maren, which was located far, far away from those places. At best, Maren could dispatch some mercenaries and sell supplies, but it wasn¡¯t very realistic, considering the distance to the affected countries and the existence of large merchant associations closer to those countries. ¡®Hmm. It seems like it¡¯s about time I revealed the truth.¡¯ Eugene sensed that the time had come. He looked around at the governor and the parliament before speaking, ¡°Governor, and many sirs. I¡¯m sure all of you know that I have eradicated hundreds of roamers while I toured the dukedom, right?¡± ¡°Of course. We are always grateful for your generosity in trying to keep the peace and stability of the dukedom, and we are also sorry that we couldn¡¯t offer much help.¡± Eugene was certain they were more thankful for the increased numbers of mana stones and by-products, but he nodded anyway. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Anyway, there was something I didn¡¯t mention at the time because it was only a gut feeling,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°What? What do you mean by that¡­?¡± Eugene explained, ¡°The increased number of monsters wasn¡¯t a natural phenomenon. No matter how much I looked at it, someone had to have intervened and artificially created that phenomenon.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The governor and the parliament took on shocked, serious expressions. Eugene turned to the side, ¡°I know you won¡¯t doubt what I say, but it¡¯s always better to receive a second opinion. Princess Lilisain.¡± ¡°Yes, please give me your orders,¡± Princess Lilisain stepped forward and responded. The governor and the parliament felt slightly nervous to see Princess Lilisain, knowing that she had defeated a number of representative knights from various regions in a row. ¡°As you all know, the knights of Eland are veterans when it comes to hunting monsters. The words of the princess who represents the knights of Eland should be credible. Give us your testimony regarding the number of monsters we previously hunted and their actions as well,¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. First of all, the number of monsters that His Majesty and the knights of Eland killed¡ª¡± The expressions of the governor and the members of the parliament gradually stiffened as Princess Lilisain continued with her testimony. There was a significant difference between roughly knowing a story and hearing the realistic testimony of someone who directly hunted the monsters. ¡°¡­So, it¡¯s sufficient to conclude that the movements and behaviors of the monsters were abnormal. Moreover, the residents of each village testified that the number of monsters appeared to have increased by at least twofold, up to four times compared to the previous years,¡± Princess Lilisain concluded. ¡°A-all of them?¡± Eugene answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. All the territories and villages we passed by. All of them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The expression of the governor and the members of parliament became completely stiff after hearing Eugene¡¯s answer. Silence descended upon the meeting. Eugene looked around before continuing, ¡°Now, do you understand? The same situation that riddled the territories of our dukedom not long ago is being reproduced in the kingdoms located near the empire. Moreover, they are facing an even bigger problem, as monsters that have never seen before have begun to appear as well.¡± Indeed, Delmondo¡¯s report contained a statement explaining that unknown breeds of monsters had begun to appear as well¡ªmonsters unknown to Delmondo, the people in the afflicted area, and the governor and the members of the parliament. However, Eugene had a rough idea of their identities. ¡®They must be from the Demon World.¡¯ Demonic creatures and demons¡ªEugene was certain that a portion of them had broken through the passage connecting the hearts of the evil lands to the Demon World. ¡°Your Majesty, with all due respect¡­¡± After contemplating for a while, the governor hesitantly said, ¡°I understand that the report sent by Your Majesty¡¯s administrator is true and that someone has been artificially evolving and releasing monsters. Judging from your words, I think you are suggesting that Your Majesty and Maren can benefit from this situation. Am I correct?¡± The governor was quick-witted. It was exactly what Eugene had expected from the man who had taken the leap of faith to gift him expensive plate armor back then when he was still a knight with no fame and name. Eugene nodded. ¡°It is just as you say, Governor. I see this as a huge opportunity. In fact, it¡¯s an even bigger opportunity than my victory in the competition.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± A light glimmered in the eyes of the governor and the members of the parliament. The founding ceremony wasn¡¯t the end by any means. Although everyone pretended to congratulate and celebrate Maren¡¯s founding, international relations were complicated. A brother today could well become tomorrow¡¯s enemy. Moreover, many forces and countries were targeting Maren, as they were known for their extreme wealth. As such, there was a need to continuously display an overwhelming presence to suppress and subdue such forces. Such was the reason why Maren¡¯s leaders greatly encouraged Eugene¡¯s participation in the knight competition since there was no greater demonstration of force than for Maren¡¯s King to defeat the strong warriors of each country in a competition held by Maren. But now, the king was guaranteeing an even greater opportunity. ¡°I think that the kingdoms will never be able to take care of this matter, no matter how many excellent knights and experienced mercenaries they have,¡± Eugene said. ¡°With all due respect, I would like to know the reason, Your Majesty.¡± Eugene explained, ¡°It¡¯s because the areas where the monsters are popping up should be near a body of water responsible for supplying water to a large area.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Everyone seemed puzzled and surprised by Eugene¡¯s statement. ¡°We should be getting more information soon, but I can assure you. The water source located in some of the areas mentioned in the report should already be contaminated or destroyed. What do you think will happen then?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­!¡± The governor and the others finally realized what Eugene was trying to say. Their eyes quivered with shock. The issue wasn¡¯t just limited to the increased number of roamers and the appearance of new, dangerous monsters. The destruction of a water source meant that the surrounding areas would no longer be hospitable to life. It was a true catastrophe. What could they possibly do even if they hired knights and mercenaries? ¡°By the way, sirs, the brave knights of Eland and I had experienced this crisis before, and we fought all the way to overcome it. I believe everyone knows what this means,¡± Eugene added. ¡°Ah!¡± Indeed¡­ According to the report, many kingdoms and territories were currently facing a great threat they found difficult to handle. However, Maren had already escaped the crisis before it even began, thanks to Eugene¡¯s efforts. And Eugene was the only person who knew how to overcome it. ¡°I will call the delegations of the countries right away!¡± CH 251 A place was prepared in the city hall for the gathering of the leaders of each delegation. It was a sudden request from Maren¡¯s governor. Only a few days ago, a large portion of the delegations would have felt somewhat offended by the request or even dismissed the request. But now, every delegation either sent their leader or one or two high-ranking nobles equivalent in status. Even though it was an unscheduled meeting, everyone seemed rather curious about the reason behind the gathering rather than feeling offended. The reason was simple. It wasn¡¯t only the governor present in the sitting room, but King Eugene as well. His presence alone was reason enough for all the delegations to send representatives to the meeting. After all, it was common knowledge that Eugene had left all matters relating to the dukedom to the governor and the parliament, so his presence here had to be for something significant. ¡°First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has willingly responded to the sudden, unscheduled invitation,¡± the governor said. The foreign nobles straightened their postures before responding. ¡°Not at all...¡± ¡°It must be an important issue, right?¡± The nobles gathered in the seating room were people with high status and reputation in their own country. Each of the invited kingdoms had intended to crush Maren under the pretext of congratulating their founding, so they had sent nobles of sufficient status. In fact, most of the nobles had mistakenly assumed that they could take a superior position against the newly founded nation of Maren, even if they could not directly form a tributary relationship with Maren. However, their attitudes changed significantly after they personally experienced Maren¡¯s wealth and confirmed the strength of Maren¡¯s king, as well as his knights. Their pride and arrogance were now replaced with a sense of fear and vigilance. Of course, such wasn¡¯t the case with everyone. Some of the nobles came from powerful kingdoms with millions of citizens and tens of thousands of elite soldiers. They still possessed challenging, defiant looks in their eyes. ¡°I have taken the liberty of inviting all of you here, at the risk of overstepping my boundaries, because His Majesty the King has discovered a great danger that could possibly threaten the entire world,¡± the governor explained. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± The foreign nobles frowned with doubtful expressions. What kind of nonsense was the governor spewing after calling them all together? However, the governor would not have gathered the representatives of the delegations just to fool around. ¡°It is an issue of utmost seriousness and importance. As such, from now on, His Majesty will speak,¡± the governor said. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Eugene. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you all,¡± Eugene began while looking around. He was armed in plate armor, and tension could be seen in the eyes of the nobles. They no longer regarded him as someone who simply got lucky or as the puppet of Maren¡¯s merchants. Everyone had seen or experienced his power in person. In fact, there was even a rumor circulating around that the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire had returned urgently because of the king. No one knew the exact details, but it could be said that the King of Maren was a figure who had directly confronted the next absolute ruler of the Roman Empire. None of the nobles present were capable of doing something like that. Eugene continued, ¡°I think there will be some among you who will not believe what I am about to say. However, I can promise you one thing¡­¡± Eugene paused before looking around. His gaze was focused on the about 20 nobles staring at him with challenging eyes. He continued, ¡°Neither I nor Maren will easily lend our help to the countries that reject my advice, or offer.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± His remark was beyond firm and was very much arrogant. The expressions of the nobles distorted at once. ¡®No! What is he thinking?¡¯ Even the governor looked nervous. However, Eugene did not care. After all, he had nothing to lose from this exchange. ¡°This is a letter I received from one of my retainers who had some business to do in the Roman Empire. Listen carefully,¡± Eugene said before unfurling Delmondo¡¯s letter in front of the representatives. He started reading the letter. As he continued, the faces of the nobles changed. They no longer looked as if they wanted to burst out of their seats and out the door. Some stared at Eugene with stiff faces, while others had pale expressions. ¡°And that is all. If you have any doubts, please see for yourselves,¡± Eugene said while placing down the letter on a table and pushing it toward the nobles. A hot-tempered noble quickly picked up the letter, and five or six people surrounded them. ¡°Hmm!¡± Their expressions grew darker as they confirmed that Eugene¡¯s words corresponded with the contents of the letter. ¡°B-but we don¡¯t know if this has been confirmed as the truth yet, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! We can¡¯t make a judgment with a single letter.¡± ¡°Even if there are more monsters, how much could their numbers have possibly increased by¡­?¡± Some of the nobles expressed their doubts. All who raised questions were those who came from nations stronger than the former Kingdom of Caylor. Eugene gazed at them with cold eyes. ¡°2,274 of them.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°The number of monsters the Knights of Eland and I have killed while touring the territories of the dukedom for a month. There were more than 50 intermediate and high-ranking monsters alone,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Many of the nobles exclaimed with shock. Eugene continued, ¡°I¡¯m not telling you this to brag about my achievements. And if any of you doubt my words, you can head to the Palin Association and confirm it with them. I have been dealing business with them for a long time. They can validate my words. Anyway, the important thing is¡ªthe duration of my travel, the number of monsters, and the size of the dukedom.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Silence filled the room as the nobles took on stupefied expressions. They already knew that Eugene had recently killed many monsters while patrolling the dukedom and visiting the various nobles and lords. However, no one had ever imagined that he had killed such an unbelievable number of monsters. More than 2,000¡ªit was a mind-boggling number. Moreover, there had been more than 50 intermediate and high-ranking monsters. Three or four of such monsters were sufficient to create an absolute mess out of a territory, so how could fifty of them have been residing in the relatively smaller lands of Maren? ¡°In other words, our territory was no exception to the urgent situation mentioned in the letter. We were simply lucky, as the Knights of Eland and I managed to take care of the disaster before it even began,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene looked around at the quiet nobles, then continued, ¡°All of you are capable of standing as representatives of your nations, so you should be able to realize what this represents. What will happen when roamers at the level of those who appeared in the dukedom start to make an appearance in the locations mentioned in the letter?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Those who flinched were those belonging to countries with the mentioned territories. They would obviously have to mobilize troops equivalent to wartime. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a problem for the local lords to worry about?¡± one of the nobles raised their voice while looking around for affirmation. A few nodded their heads, but most took on stupefied expressions instead. ¡°Do you really think roamers only stay in one area? Where do you think they will go after devastating the said territory?¡± ¡°Did you not just hear what His Majesty said? It¡¯s not dozens, but thousands. And how broad is the area of activity for ogres and trolls? We also have to think about the monsters that get pushed out in battles for territory.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe someone like him is a noble¡ª¡± ¡°He has probably never managed any territory of his own before.¡± ¡°W-what?! How dare you?!¡± The reprimanded noble raised his voice with a red face. ¡°Ah, this is not the time to argue!¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! Eugene slammed the table to quench the disturbance, then spoke once more. ¡°If it had been something that the lords were capable of handling, I would have left it to the lords of our dukedom instead. But in reality, everyone was completely occupied trying to protect their castles and villages. Of course, I didn¡¯t hold them accountable, as that was the reality of the situation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And shall I tell you something even more important? It has already been more than ten days since my tour of the dukedom. This letter was probably sent around the same time as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?!¡± Some nobles took on ghastly expressions. They realized that the number of monsters in their kingdoms was growing exponentially even at this moment. ¡°Let¡¯s just disregard all variables and say that there are three thousand of them. There are seven locations alone that are mentioned in the letter. By simple calculations, 21,000 monsters had to have already appeared in your home countries or in nearby areas. And that¡¯s excluding the monsters already there. 21,000 monsters,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°¡­¡± He noticed that some of the nobles were even breaking out in cold sweat. Eugene spoke in a declarative manner, ¡°Now, do you still think this isn¡¯t a huge danger that could threaten the whole world?¡± The nobles had expressions of disbelief and doubt when the governor first spoke, but now, they were all stiff like statues. Over 20,000 monsters. Of course, not all of them were gathered in a single place. However, even if there were three thousand monsters in each of the seven locations, as Eugene had mentioned, the nobles couldn¡¯t imagine how many troops they would have to mobilize. Moreover, tactical strategies employed in territorial disputes and wars would not be effective against monsters. There was no negotiation, and there were no honorable duels between representatives. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the worst part of it all¡­ ¡®If there are thousands now¡­ How many will there be in the future?¡¯ ¡®Considering the rate at which monsters multiply, in a year, there will be five¡­ No, there could well be ten times the number of monsters!¡¯ The vague sense of fear capturing their hearts transformed into concrete concern. The backs of the nobles started to soak with cold sweat. ¡°I-I must return immediately and¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, honorable sirs, I apologize, but I-I should also get going.¡± The nobles of countries whose territories were included in the areas mentioned in the letter rose in a hurry. Eugene stopped them. ¡°Sirs, I know exactly how you feel, but it will be better for you to listen to everything I say before you leave.¡± ¡°W-what¡­?¡± Eugene turned his gaze away from the nobles standing awkwardly, then gestured toward Princess Lilisain before continuing, ¡°I said I wasn¡¯t bragging earlier, but now I must boast a little bit. As I have said, I have killed over 2,000 monsters with Princess Lilisain and the Knights of Eland.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Do I need to say it again? I¡¯m saying that I killed over 2,000 monsters with just these people alone.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The nobles appeared startled. Suddenly, the door to the sitting room opened, and elven knights of Eland entered behind two animals the size of a hound. ¡°What?!¡± The nobles squealed when they saw the two griffon cubs. The two creatures had grown twofold in just a month. Keeee! Kieeee! The griffons even had a leash around their neck decorated with jewels, as if they were simple pets. As soon as the griffon cubs entered the room, they flew toward Princess Lilisain. ¡°N-no!¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± Some people shouted and screamed with horror. Although they were cubs, even baby griffons were capable of facing off against dangerous beasts. However, their worst nightmare never came to fruition. The two cubs started to rub their beaks against Princess Lilisain as if they were puppies. ¡°Huh¡­¡± The nobles were flabbergasted by the unexpected turn of events. Eugene spoke, ¡°I brought them just in case some of you still don¡¯t believe me. the Knights of Eland and I have captured them during our hunt.¡± The nobles were quite surprised. There had been cases where monster cubs were caught and tamed, but there was almost no precedent of domesticating a monster as fierce as the griffon. Bang! Eugene struck the table once more, and the nobles were jolted awake. They turned their eyes toward Eugene once again. Princess Lilisain calmed the griffon cubs before lining up behind Eugene along with the other elven knights. ¡°As you can see, I think the Knights of Eland and myself will be of considerable help to the crisis of your respective countries. I wonder what you all think about this?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­!!!¡± The nobles realized what Eugene was trying to say. The King of Maren was bargaining with them. ¡®How are you planning to respond to a crisis that might place a region or even your entire country in danger?¡¯ ¡®Here, I have reliable, trustworthy fixers! You have also witnessed their skills with your own eyes up until this morning!¡¯ The captain of the fixers parted his lips with a mysterious smile. ¡°There¡¯s only one me, so it will be first come, first served.¡± Favorite CH 252 ¡°¡­¡± Silence suddenly descended upon the room like a lie. The nobles quietly gulped while staring at Eugene and the elven knights. Rustle. After a moment, the very slight sound of someone¡¯s collar was heard as they raised their hand. ¡°Argyle first!¡± ¡°No! Our country is closer to Maren, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Parthion is only five days away from Maren by boat!¡± ¡°In consideration of your friendship with Her Excellency Archivold, please come to the peninsula first¡­!¡± The room quickly tumbled into chaos. Nobles stemming from countries in possession of the affected areas were the most fervent, but nobles from nearby nations also eagerly raised their voices. However, not everyone had jumped into the fierce competition. The Kingdom of Weiss, Republic of Terra, and Kingdom of Lobel¡ªthese three countries were considered the four major powers alongside the Roman Empire. The delegations of the mentioned countries rose from their seats with flabbergasted expressions as they watched the chaos. ¡°The knights of my country are unrivaled. Roamers are nothing but puny monsters weakened after leaving the influence of evil energy. We will eradicate them within a month.¡± ¡°Ehem. I¡¯m quite certain that the brave mercenaries of the republic have already eliminated those monsters. We will send troops to neighboring countries on relief missions if we can afford to.¡± ¡°What could monsters possibly do when faced with the blades of the White Knights of Lobel? In any case, what could you possibly achieve with only ten people? What a joke.¡± The delegations of the three countries left the room after declaring haughtily. Indeed, all three nations had tens of thousands of troops that could be mobilized at a moment¡¯s notice, and their influence and power were no less than the Caylor Kingdom at its prime. It wasn¡¯t strange for the representatives of the three countries to believe that they possessed sufficient strength to overcome the crisis on their own. However¡­ ¡®The monsters you will encounter when you return home won¡¯t be ones you are familiar with¡­ Well, it¡¯s none of my business.¡¯ Eugene laughed inwardly as he recalled the demons and demonic creatures gazing at him from the other side of the translucent barrier. Although it had only been for a short moment, the demons and demonic creatures had sensed his presence and even directed their energy toward him. Each of the creatures had been equivalent in strength to the superior-rank monsters of evil lands. Eugene wondered how the three countries would deal with such monsters. But for now, there was something more pressing than praying for the fate of the three powers. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Our kingdom first!¡± ¡°I am willing to offer three thousand gold coins as downpayment¡­!¡± ¡°Please state your conditions, and we will¡­!¡± ¡°Now, now. Sirs, please organize yourselves. Line up. Let us proceed one by one,¡± Eugene said. He had to take care of his anxious customers first. *** The spectators were greatly disappointed to learn that the knight competition was suspended. However, they understood that Eugene and Princess Lilisain had to set out on an expedition to eradicate the rapidly multiplying roamers. In addition, Maren had also announced a magnificent feast to ease the people¡¯s disappointment. Surprisingly, the knights who reached the semifinals alongside Eugene and Princess Lilisain weren¡¯t disappointed, and they didn¡¯t complain. It was only natural since already knew that Eugene and Princess Lilisain were leagues above them. So, even though the competition only lasted up until the semifinals, the knights were satisfied that they were able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the two giants¡ªEugene famous as an unprecedented knight¡ªand Princess Lilisain, a master capable of utilizing the mysterious power known as Aura. Moreover, they received large sums of money, an insignia of honor, as well as armor produced by the best craftsmen in Maren. In any case, the curtains were finally drawn over the knight competition, and all seemed well¡­ except for one person¡¯s disappointment. ¡°This is unfair,¡± Princess Lilisain said while sulking. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not my fault, is it?¡± Eugene said. ¡°This princess is extremely disappointed with the king,¡± Mirian spoke solemnly while standing on Princess Lilisain¡¯s shoulder with her hands clasped behind her back. The princess was pouting with her little lips protruding. The spirit continued, ¡°She expected a battle of love and honor with the king, but what awaited her was nothing but betrayal. Who shall relieve her of the grudge higher than the sky and deeper than the sea?¡± Honor¡ªEugene understood, but what was this talk of love? Why was the princess blushing? Eugene felt an ominous sensation. He quickly responded, ¡°Fine. Then I will have three matches with you next time.¡± ¡°Not enough.¡± ¡°¡­Five times.¡± ¡°Negotiation complete.¡± ¡°Stop talking in her place.¡± ¡°Huh?! Are you getting mad right now? This humble one is simply acting in full as an agent entrusted with complete authority by the princess knight¡­ Kiek!¡± Eugene flicked away the annoying spirit with his finger, then asked with a troubled expression, ¡°What would you like me to do? Tell me what it is that you want.¡± ¡°Is this a wish coupon?¡± Princess Lilisain muttered. ¡°Huh? Wish coupon?¡± Eugene said with a frown. However, he felt sorry to see Princess Lilisain with a dejected expression. ¡®Come to think of it, Princess Lilisain has been a great help to me. And I think I might have worked her a little too hard. She is a princess, after all.¡¯ In fact, he hadn¡¯t just worked her a ¡®little too hard.¡¯ It was impossible to know how much time it would have taken to eradicate all the monsters in the dukedom without her and the elven knights. Princess Lilisain and the elven knights were masters of hunting monsters. Killing monsters in an evil land and hunting roamers in the outside world were entirely different activities, and the elven knights of Eland were professionals when it came to the latter. In addition, they were sincere and faithful to their duties. They had always fought their best without complaining as long as they were fed and provided adequate equipment. Eugene could not have asked for better slav¡ªworkers. ¡°Good. I¡¯m not entirely sure what that is, but I will give you a wish coupon. I swear it on my honor and blood,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Negotiation complete!¡± Princess Lilisain immediately exclaimed with a wide grin. Eugene was relieved, though he felt a moment¡¯s regret and anxiety when he saw a glimmer of fire in the princess¡¯ eyes. *** ¡°We should start with the Carls Baggins Peninsula?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Considering the most optimal route of travel, it would be best to stop at the Carls Baggins Peninsula before heading to the other kingdoms,¡± the governor answered. Eugene nodded, ¡°I see. Let¡¯s do that.¡± The expression of the noble representing the peninsula brightened at once. The noble was none other than Gabriel, Essandra¡¯s younger brother, and Eugene had previously taught him a lesson. He had led the delegation under Essandra¡¯s orders. ¡°My sister will never forget Your Majesty¡¯s generosity and loyalty. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Your Majesty,¡± Gabriel said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. By the way¡­ why does it seem like you¡¯ve changed? Have you been having a hard time recently?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, yes.¡± Gabriel¡¯s expression dampened at once, but he forced a smile. It was the first time the governor and the foreign nobles were seeing Gabriel in person, so they weren¡¯t sure what Eugene was talking about. However, Mirian had been with Eugene during his last encounter with Gabriel. As such, she recognized the change. The spirit whispered, ¡°Even if you are the king of the dukedom, you shouldn¡¯t make fun of someone¡¯s hair loss. That¡¯s a sin.¡± Oh¡­ The crowd poured out a sigh of regret and pity when they heard the spirit¡¯s whisper. Indeed, the man¡¯s forehead appeared a little too wide for his age, but for him to be experiencing such pain¡­ ¡°In truth¡­¡± Gabriel looked up at Eugene with eyes filled with an unknown sadness. He continued, ¡°My sister recovered Your Majesty¡¯s territory in the peninsula due to the scandalous incident in the past, right? She was very worried that it would negatively impact the friendship between Your Majesty and Archivold. As such, she pestered me to make sure to ask Your Majesty over if you had the time¡­¡± Could such things cause baldness? It seemed a little suspicious, but the Archivold Marquisate had always been one of his active supporters, and their delegation had been unlike those from other countries. Instead of always looking for chances and opportunities to take advantage in every situation, the delegation of Archivold had always stayed true to their original intention of celebrating the founding of the dukedom. ¡°My friendship with Archivold will last forever. Now, we should depart as soon as we are ready without delay,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± Gabriel said with a bright expression. On the other hand, the expressions of the other envoys were still grim. If Eugene¡¯s story was true, the number of monsters and the resulting damage would still be on the rise, even at this moment. The situations in their countries would only worsen as time passed. In particular, the representatives of weaker countries appeared quite anxious. ¡®Should I return now?¡¯ ¡®No. Even if I did, it¡¯s not going to help.¡¯ The return of the delegations would not magically cause the monsters to disappear. Rather, it would be better for them to stick by the side of Maren¡¯s King and observe him eradicate the monsters. That way, they could also strengthen their positions in their respective countries after their return. ¡®And it¡¯s cheaper, too...¡¯ The nobles sent as envoys were those considered rather smart. They weren¡¯t dumb enough to accept Eugene¡¯s suggestion without thinking. In fact, most of them had already completed their own calculations. If they rallied their own forces to deal with the monsters, they would need to hire thousands of troops. Just the mere thought of the monetary cost made them dizzy. On the other hand, the King of Maren promised to eradicate the monsters with less than 100 troops. Although it would cost a fortune to hire the king and the elven knights, there would be a significant difference in the cost of supplies. There was no better choice than this for nations with weaker armies. ¡®It will take a little more time, but it¡¯s better to take the clear path.¡¯ ¡®I just hope we can reach our kingdom within half a year¡­¡¯ ¡®Carls Baggins. I¡¯m jealous!¡¯ ¡®Damned connections!¡¯ The representatives of the delegations were jealous that Gabriel had received priority due to his ¡®personal connections¡¯ with Eugene. They stared at Eugene like baby ducks following their mother without even daring to think about complaining. *** ¡°Sir Eugeneee! Uhaaaaannng!¡± ¡°Get lost,¡± Eugene said while pushing Romari away with his finger. The wizard was shamelessly running toward him while pretending to cry, even though he couldn¡¯t see a single tear. ¡°What?! I was kidnapped because of a certain someone, so aren¡¯t you being too harsh? I had such a hard time after being taken by those brutal vampires¡­¡± Romari whimpered. ¡°You look fine despite that,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hmph!¡± Romari wiped the teary expression off her face, then clicked her tongue. Eugene smirked, then hesitated before speaking with an awkward expression, ¡°Even so¡­ You did a great job, wizard.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Romari¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She quickly squirmed away from Eugene. ¡°W-who are you?! You¡¯re not the Sir Eugene I know. Identify yourself!¡± she shouted. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene stared at her, dumbfounded. Romari was pointing at him with a trembling finger. After a few seconds, he spoke in a cold voice, ¡°Go return her to the kidnappers.¡± He wondered why he had even rescued her. Perhaps, it would have been better to leave her alone and let her get sold to the empire or wherever. ¡°No! Please! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Romari immediately started groveling. Eugene observed her with keen eyes before speaking, ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve gained some weight. I guess you must have been eating well.¡± ¡°T-this is because of the beowulfs¡­ It¡¯s because they insist on eating only meat¡­¡± Romari explained. ¡°Kieh? That¡¯s right, the raccoon got a little chubby. She has become a pig-raccoon! Kieeek!¡± Mirian squealed. As expected, no one was capable of besting her when it came to teasing and annoying. Eugene was certain that the spirit had irked many individuals from her birth. ¡°Master¡­¡± ¡°Galfredik,¡± Eugene greeted his vassal. It was as if the two had never been separated. ¡°Great work. How was everything?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Hehe! Nothing exciting. Anyway, is that him?¡± Galfredik asked after turning his gaze a little further away. Christian was standing a little distance from Eugene with a pale expression. Eugene responded, ¡°That¡¯s right. A high lord of the Helmond Clan. Well, no, a former high lord of the Helmond Clan.¡± Galfredik waddled over to Christian while listening to Eugene¡¯s words. ¡®W-what is it?! Who is that man?!¡¯ Christian felt his heart pounding as Galfredik approached him. It was an unexplainable phenomenon, considering that vampires naturally possessed a heart rhythm many times lower than humans. ¡®I-I¡¯m scared? I¡¯m scared, even though he¡¯s not even the great demon king?¡¯ Christian broke out in cold sweat. His hope of becoming Eugene¡¯s second-in-command was instantly shattered. He had no idea that another high lord named Rohime had been completely pummeled by the savage-looking knight. ¡°Little bastard. You look a little weak,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°¡­¡± It was obviously a taunt, but Christian couldn¡¯t dare to retort. In addition, he was struck with great shock. It was because of the Fear he felt emanating from Galfredik. ¡®He¡¯s stronger than Master Helmond? This can¡¯t be true!¡¯ But contrary to his thoughts, Christian bent his shaky knees. ¡°Please guide and lead me in the future! I am determined to not bring disgrace as a member of the tribe! I will do my best to serve you and the King of Darkness!¡± His dream of becoming second in command had disappeared without a trace. Favorite CH 253 ¡°It¡¯s too easy¡­¡± Eugene broke out laughing after seeing Galfredik treating Christian, a vampire high lord as if he were nothing more than a novice mercenary. ¡°Come to think of it, Galfredik has gotten stronger.¡± The Fear Eugene felt from Galfredik while he was scolding Christian was much greater than when they had been together in Brantia. Since his relationship with Galfredik was that of a blood oath, it seemed that Galfredik had grown stronger in proportion to his own growth. ¡°That¡¯s right. Gal¡¯s face has definitely grown stronger,¡± Mirian commented. ¡°Not his face, you brat. Stop talking nonsense and get inside,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kieee¡­¡± The spirit squired around for a moment, but she eventually crawled back into her leather with a dejected expression. Eugene saw the imperial knights and the crew unloading an object from a ship¡ªit was a gray sarcophagus embossed with a large sickle. ¡°Is that it?¡± Eugene asked. Romari nodded immediately. ¡°Yes. The one who kidnapped me is inside. There¡¯s going to be a few more coffins with vampire knights in them.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene started walking toward the coffin, and the sailors hurriedly bowed with surprise when they saw him. They didn¡¯t know who he was exactly, but they could gauge Eugene¡¯s status just from his appearance and armor. However, the imperial knights were different. Although they knew exactly who Eugene was, they only lowered their heads slightly. They did not show proper courtesy and respect that a king deserved. ¡®Bastards¡­¡¯ Eugene smirked and disregarded their attitude. He had no time to waste on such insignificant pests. However, it appeared one person was bothered by their discourtesy. ¡°You! Disrespectful fools!¡± Christian rushed forward like the wind with a deafening roar. The imperial knights flinched when they saw that Christian was wearing plate armor crafted in the empire¡¯s style and using the Roman Empire¡¯s language. He roared, ¡°How dare you take such an attitude knowing who this is! Even His Highness the Crown Prince shows courtesy in front of this esteemed figure!¡± ¡°...?!¡± The eyes of the imperial knights filled with shock. However, soon, the knight who appeared to be in charge stepped up with a frown and spoke solemnly, ¡°Show some honor, sir. Who are you to tell us, the imperial guards, what to do?¡± ¡°Who am I? I¡¯m Viscount Helmond,¡± Christian responded. ¡°¡­!¡± The expressions of the imperial knights stiffened at once. They belonged to the imperial guards, but they weren¡¯t completely free from the hierarchy of the empire. Moreover, Helmond was one of the two vampire clans that had been awarded titles and fiefdom by the imperial family. ¡°I greet the viscount. Please forgive my impudence,¡± The leader of the knights hurriedly placed his hand on his left chest and saluted. Helmond was a vampire monarch known to be a secret aide of the crown prince, the next absolute of the empire. A viscount with the same last name meant that he was one of the highest-ranking vampires serving under Helmond. The vampire noble standing in front of them was an existence the imperial nobles could not treat lightly, regardless of how high in rank they were. ¡°Do not ask me for forgiveness, ask it from him instead. How dare you act impudently toward someone whom even the crown prince shows respect to¡­¡± Christian responded. ¡°I-I apologize. I sincerely apologize. Please have mercy,¡± the leader of the knights said. Eugene answered with a grin, ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to kill you or anything, so what¡¯s this about mercy?¡± The knight¡¯s face turned pale. Eugene continued, ¡°There¡¯s nothing else for you to do, right? Then get out of here.¡± He was openly disregarding them, but the imperial knights weren¡¯t able to retort. ¡®We¡¯ll see about this. I won¡¯t leave you alone if you come to the empire.¡¯ ¡®I will definitely report this back to His Highness Voltaire.¡¯ The imperial knights climbed on their respective horses while gritting their teeth. ¡°Oh, by the way, please say hello to the yellow bastard for me,¡± Eugene said nonchalantly. ¡°¡­?¡± The imperial knights could not understand who the ¡®yellow bastard¡¯ was. He continued, ¡°I let him go since it was our first meeting, but he should be careful next time. Tell him that I won¡¯t let him off the hook if he fucks around again, even if he is the crown prince.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± It was an outrageous statement incomparable to his previous words. The cheeks of the imperial knights twitched as immense fury consumed them. However, they weren¡¯t idiots. The king¡¯s knight had completely destroyed Rohime, who was above them in status and strength, and one of the crown prince¡¯s subordinates was showing outright submission toward Eugene. The knights did not know exactly what had happened between Crown Prince Voltaire and Maren¡¯s king, but it appeared that the crown prince had ended up in an extremely disadvantageous state as a result. ¡®The glorious golden blood¡­¡¯ ¡®Lost?¡¯ The imperial knights felt goosebumps rising on their arms. They knew well the incredible mystery contained in the golden blood after serving members of the imperial family in close proximity. As such, they scurried away while feeling a great sense of defeat and dread. ¡°Hmm. Didn¡¯t you scare them too much, Master? They¡¯ll make sure to prepare thoroughly for the next time,¡± Galfredik said. Eugene answered calmly, ¡°I came to realize after facing the yellow bastard. He¡¯s someone who¡¯s bound to keep coming unless I break every part of him thoroughly.¡± ¡°Hooh? Really?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°And the funny thing is that there¡¯s really no real reason to do it. He just thinks he¡¯s the best, and it¡¯s the same with the kidnapping. He ordered Romari to be kidnapped as a thoughtless, meaningless act. He just wanted to break my spirit before we met, and Romari happened to be a good target,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What? Really?¡± Romari¡¯s eyes widened as if she was shocked. But then she stomped the ground while fuming. ¡°Who in the world does something like that? He thinks he can do everything he wants just because he¡¯s the crown prince?¡± ¡°Pffft! Of course, he can. He¡¯s the crown prince. He¡¯s in a class all by himself, even among the nobles.¡± Galfredik pointed out. ¡°Oh, right, but¡­ Sir Galfredik, you know you sound like a snob right now, right?¡± Romari said. ¡°Really? I¡¯d rather be a snob than someone who got coincidentally kidnapped,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Such a turnoff¡­¡± Romari muttered. Eugene left the two to their bickering and turned around. Boats continued to come and go from the large ship floating on the sea. Once the coffins of the vampire knights were taken to the beach as well, the figures Eugene was waiting for finally came by boats. ¡°Kwuooooooooo! Is this the atmosphere of the continent?¡± ¡°It smells good! The meat here has to be delicious since it smells so nice!¡± ¡°We can eat some proper meat now, right?¡± Eugene couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile when he heard the beowulfs excitedly talking about meat immediately after arriving. The other ace up his sleeve, along with the elven knights, had arrived to participate in the great monster war. *** ¡°It¡¯s all finished. If you need more, you can procure it from Moffern. I¡¯m sure they are waiting for your expedition as well,¡± the governor said with a bright smile, although he looked haggard after preparing for the expedition for the past three days. Nine delegations had requested Maren for help, and the down payment from the delegations was close to the dukedom¡¯s quarterly budget. Of course, the governor and the parliament weren¡¯t only excited about the money. Having more money didn¡¯t hurt, but there were things in the world money simply could not buy. Fortunately, this expedition would bring such valuable things to Maren. ¡°I sincerely hope that the name and honor of Your Majesty and the dukedom will become known over the entire world after this expedition.¡± If Eugene¡¯s expedition was successful, Maren could overturn its label as a new nation built and managed by money and money alone. ¡°Have you finished talking with the delegations?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. The situation described by Your Majesty¡¯s agent is being told by foreign merchants who have recently entered the port. It caused an uproar with the delegations,¡± the governor answered. He wasn¡¯t necessarily overjoyed by their misfortune[1], but his happiness was inevitable. He felt pleasure seeing the representatives of the delegations rushing to ask him for contracts after belatedly realizing the truthfulness of Eugene¡¯s words. ¡°I see. They all want the same thing?¡± Eugene asked. The governor responded, ¡°Even the countries and territories that are not experiencing a growth in monsters are asking for contracts as well. As you know, it¡¯s a no-brainer that the monsters will spread over time.¡± And that was the scariest part of the current predicament. Unlike natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, and earthquakes, a catastrophe of monsters wasn¡¯t limited to just one area. The monsters pushed out of conflict zones would spread in all directions without caring for borders. ¡°Weiss, Terra, and Lobel?¡± Eugene asked, recalling the nobles of the three powerful nations who confidently left their seats without even fully listening to his suggestion. The governor answered, ¡°They have not come to see me yet, but news has it that they are delaying their return dates and setting up a plan at their accommodations.¡± ¡°Why? They were so confident, right? I heard that they have tens of thousands of troops available to be mobilized,¡± Eugene said. ¡°That is true. However, it will be more advantageous for them as delegations to get whatever they can before their return. Their countries will make plans anyway, so they probably don¡¯t want to return without any results,¡± the governor answered. He continued with an insidious smile. It appeared Eugene¡¯s smile was contagious. ¡°If the countries that made contracts with our dukedom are seeing improvements, while the Kingdom of Weiss, the Republic of Terra, and the Kingdom of Lobel aren¡¯t getting any better, who do you think will be held accountable?¡± ¡°They will ask the delegations what they were doing when everyone else was busily signing their contract.¡± Eugene pointed out. ¡°Haha! Exactly! However, they had already displayed their attitude toward Your Majesty, and that¡¯s why they are teetering around in their little corners. On that note, Your Majesty, what do you think about this? Why don¡¯t you give those idiots a chance?¡± the governor said. Smaller countries were important, but it was much more advantageous to establish solid international relationships with larger, more powerful countries. As such, the governor desired to form contracts with the three nations as well. However, Eugene¡¯s intent was more important in the matter. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah! Then I will get on it immediately and¡ª¡± the governor started. ¡°So, I will leave on the expedition right away,¡± Eugene interrupted him. ¡°What? Are you suggesting we don¡¯t form contracts with the three?¡± The governor blinked with a dazed expression. He had been cheering inwardly. Eugene had faced and dealt with numerous nobles and merchants as he became stronger after removing his tattoos. As such, his wit and insidiousness had also increased in proportion to his strength. He wagged his fingers. ¡°Tsk, tsk. Think about it. If I leave with the expedition, who do you think will feel rushed?¡± ¡°Ah! Ah¡­!¡± The governor¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°Just what I would expect from Your Majesty! I will make sure that the parliament and myself take our time deliberating before we sign the contracts with the three idiots. Hahaha!¡± There was a limited supply¡ªonly one, in fact¡ªbut the demand was overwhelming. It was only natural for those late to the party to pay the highest price. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± As such, the governor of the nation built on money could laugh carefreely. *** The elven knights and the beowulf warriors boarded the large galley one by one. The warriors were armed to the teeth with weapons and armor created by the best craftsmen in Maren, who could be considered one of the best on the entire continent. They were filled with energy. In particular, the beowulf warriors had received new sets of plate coats. The specially-made armors were layered with troll hide, which was known to be resilient and tough, and were made with metal plates thicker than regular plate armor. The only problem was that the armor weighed twice as much as a set of plate armor, but it didn¡¯t pose any issues for the beowulf warriors. ¡°Kuhehehehe!¡± ¡°Good! Good!¡± The expressions of the beowulf warriors were bright, perhaps because they were given strong armor any weapons would not easily pierce. ¡°As expected, the continent has the best meat dishes!¡± ¡°We must keep the Brantians out of the kitchen! From now on, I¡¯m going to kill any Brantians who hold kitchen knives!¡± The reality of the situation was slightly different, but the warriors were energetic nonetheless. ¡°Sir Eugene. Sir Eugene,¡± Romari hurried toward Eugene while calling out. He was standing on deck after being the first to board the ship. ¡°What is it? Are you not feeling sick?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah! I had some time left, so I made some medicine and took it. But that¡¯s not the important thing,¡± Romari responded. She looked around before lowering her voice, ¡°That magical tool you gave me before.¡± ¡°The skull incense burner?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Eugene had given Romari the incense burner he had taken from Christian. And he had also given her the incense burner from the black wizard in the Carls Baggins Peninsula. She had been researching it all along. ¡°What about it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I found out how to use it,¡± Romari answered. ¡°¡­!¡± Eugene took on a shocked expression. Romari¡¯s eyes, which had heavy bags under them, curled into crescents as she whispered, ¡°You know that undead twin-headed ogre you killed before? I think I can move it with the incense burner you gave me.¡± 1. schadenfreude, basically. Fun fact, apparently there is an English equivalent for the word ¨C epicaricacy. I considered using it, but thought better of it, as I¡¯m sure there¡¯s only half a person among the readers who know what that means. ? Favorite CH 254 ¡°Is that true? Can you really use black magic?¡± Eugene asked. It was a surprise, but Eugene was more concerned than happy. The magic of controlling undead monsters was strictly forbidden in all religions, regardless of what school the wizard belonged to. If it became known that his wizard was dabbling in black magic, he would make an enemy out of everyone. ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± Romari asked. ¡°The incense burner. It¡¯s a magical tool related to black magic, isn¡¯t it? Should you be using it carelessly?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Oh, I know what you are talking about,¡± Romari responded with a grin after noticing Eugene¡¯s suspicious gaze. She then continued with a solemn, serious expression, which was a little different from her usual self, ¡°Are all knives made to kill people?¡± ¡°What?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s not the case, right? No one is afraid of a chef who cooks with a knife in the kitchen. Although everyone knows that a knife is a tool capable of hurting and killing people, no one says anything about it when it¡¯s in the hands of a chef,¡± Romari said. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same with the incense burner you gave me, Sir Eugene. No, rather, it¡¯s the same for all magical tools. It all depends on the identity of the user, just like how it¡¯s different for a robber to hold a knife compared to a chef,¡± Romari explained. She was revealing aspects of her identity as a truth-seeker for the first in a long time. ¡°¡­You know you¡¯re sounding like a bit of a snob right now, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡®You little raccoon!¡¯ ¡°Oh my¡­¡± She slouched for a moment after hearing Eugene¡¯s honest opinion, then inched closer to Eugene before whispering, ¡°Anyway, I think I can move it, so just tell me whenever you might need it. Undead are just like knives. What matters is who is using them. You can also use the undead to do good things, after all.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s true¡­¡± Eugene muttered. In the first place, that was the reason why he had dressed the undead twin-headed ogre in priestly clothes. Even though it was a monster black magic had revived, it was now serving as a symbol of faith and miracle as a ¡®converted¡¯ monster. ¡®If I can make good use of this¡­¡¯ Eugene pondered how he could make use of it all. Currently, the undead was nothing more than a symbol since it had been rendered immobile after the black wizard¡¯s death. Romari spoke once more, ¡°Anyway, Sir Eugene. Are you going to keep those vampires with you?¡± Eugene turned his gaze to where Romari was gesturing. He frowned when he saw Christian, who stuck by Galfredik¡¯s side after being completely dominated, and Rohime, the half-slave who had finally recovered. Eugene then answered, ¡°I intend to do so for the time being.¡± ¡°Are you okay with that? Both are vampires with relationships with the Crown Prince, right?¡± Romari said. ¡°That¡¯s why I should keep them even closer. Besides, I don¡¯t think they will leave even if I tell them to leave,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What?¡± He continued, ¡°Think about it. I caught both of them right in the midst of their doggery. Moreover, they¡¯re in perfectly fine conditions considering the sins they have committed. What will happen if they return to the empire unscathed? What do you think the person who sent them will think?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Anyone would become suspicious. No, rather, they would obviously be unable to escape untouched. ¡°And they know that. Aside from that, the vampires they serve are lesser than me, right? That¡¯s why they decided it would be better to serve me instead,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Is that so? The masters of vampire high lords should be Origins, just like yourself, Sir Eugene¡­¡± Romari said. ¡°Well, I guess not all Origins are the same,¡± Eugene responded. He had contemplated the same issue. According to the words of Romari and the other vampires, it appeared that the ones called the ¡®monarchs¡¯ of the vampire clans were Origins. However, the masters of Christian and Rohime seemed weaker than himself. In fact, he had a hunch that they were even weaker than Galfredik. ¡®It would be nice if I could use Charm on them. What a shame.¡¯ He attempted to extract information regarding the monarchs from Christian using Charm, but it was ineffective due to the Covenant of Blood made as members of the tribe. ¡®Well, since these two failed, they¡¯ll send others. I¡¯ll eventually come to an answer if I keep destroying them one by one.¡¯ There was no need for him to take the initiative and step foot inside the enemy¡¯s base. Considering Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s personality, Eugene didn¡¯t think he would give up so easily. He was certain that the arrogant, yellow bastard would definitely try something else. ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have to worry about them anymore. They¡¯ll have to be obedient if they want to keep their lives. Moreover, they should be quite useful as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Well, they should be strong since they¡¯re vampire high lords. You are going to use them to fight monsters, right?¡± Romari asked. ¡°No,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°What? Then what will you do with them?¡± Romari asked. Instead of answering, Eugene turned his gaze toward the two vampire high lords. The two figures were scurrying after listening to Galfredik. Romari¡¯s eyes followed along. ¡°Huh? No way¡­¡± Romari¡¯s eyes filled with realization. Eugene grinned. ¡°That¡¯s right. There are no better bodyguards than them when it comes to protecting the prince.¡± Christian and Rohime stood in front of Prince Localope and bowed politely. Prince Localope had a grim expression, but he nodded in response to the greeting of the two vampire high lords. Eugene had already informed him of the arrangement earlier. ¡°Are you going to have them escort the prince?¡± Romari asked. Eugene answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. Those targeting the prince are either vampires or wizards, so there is bound to be a limit for regular knights. I guess you could call it fighting poison with poison, as vampires know vampires best.¡± But he also had another reason for making the two serve as Localope¡¯s bodyguards. ¡°And those two are related to Crown Prince Voltaire in some way. Since he is after Localope, what will happen if we make them Localope¡¯s bodyguards?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Knowing the Crown Prince¡¯s personality, he will blow his top. Wow! Sir Eugene, you truly have a heavenly talent for teasing and screwing people,¡± Romari exclaimed. It explained why his contracted spirit was the way she was. Like father, like daughter, was it? ¡°Don¡¯t you think that maybe none of this would have happened if that yellow bastard hadn¡¯t kidnapped you?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Wow! I didn¡¯t know that you¡­ Sir Eugene!¡± Romari cried out. Eugene turned toward Galfredik, who was coming this way, then spoke, ¡°Are all the delegations on board?¡± ¡°They should be about done boarding that ship. Dammit. Why the hell do they even have more luggage than us? We¡¯re the ones leaving on an expedition,¡± Galredik complained. It was decided that the delegations of the countries contracted to Maren would join Eugene on the expedition. The various representatives had already confirmed the power of both Eugene and his subordinate knights through the knight competition, but due to the gravity of the current issue, they wanted to be with Eugene every step of the way. ¡°Be nice to them. They¡¯re valuable customers financing the expedition,¡± Eugene said. ¡°In other words, pushovers. Hehe!¡± Galfredik sniggered. ¡®It¡¯s so obvious that they are master and vassal. Although they look different, they look exactly the same when they laugh.¡¯ Romari shook her head while watching Eugene and Galfredik chuckle with insidious expressions. Now that the founding ceremony had concluded, the delegations were simply foreign nobles from the moment they left Maren. Foreign nobles following the expedition of Maren¡¯s king? Eugene wouldn¡¯t stop them, but he had no obligation to guarantee their safety. So, when Eugene notified them of this fact, the nobles offered to pay a large, separate sum for Eugene to protect them. In other words, the nobles had paid a large sum for Eugene to eradicate the monsters in their own countries, as well as a separate sum to guarantee their safety. Naturally, they weren¡¯t happy to waste so much money, but what else could they do? They were the ones with the most to lose, after all. ¡®Make money and kill monsters. While taking care of the yellow bastard and the imperial vampires. Nice.¡¯ ¡°Raise the anchor! To your positions!¡± Uwwooooo! The sailors roared in response to their captain¡¯s command. The vampire smiled contently. He had never made a loss, and he wasn¡¯t planning on doing so in the future. *** After a smooth voyage along the coast, the expedition arrived at the Port of Moffern in the Carls Baggins Peninsula. ¡°Aaaah! Your Majesty! It has truly been a long time!¡± Moffern¡¯s mayor threw a grand welcome for Eugene by mobilizing the guild leaders. At one point, he had coveted Eugene just as much as the governor of Maren. ¡°Have you been well?¡± Eugene asked. The mayor replied, ¡°Yes, of course! Ah, right! Once again, congratulations on the founding of the dukedom! I should have gone personally, but Her Excellency Archivold was simply so strict.¡± The City of Moffern could not help but show consideration for Essandra, the conqueror of the Carls Baggins Peninsula. Since Essandra had sent her younger brother as an envoy, it could have been seen as a challenge to her authority as the master of the peninsula if Moffern had sent their own delegation. ¡°That¡¯s fine. The governor, the parliament, and I know too well that Moffern¡¯s friendship with the dukedom is unwavering,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah! You are as generous as ever! Truly honorable!¡± the mayor exclaimed while rubbing his hands together. He seemed to have gained more weight since the last time Eugene met with him. Although both were port cities, Maren and Moffern had different standings, even when they still belonged to the Caylor Kingdom. Now that Maren had taken in its surrounding territories and declared itself as a dukedom, the gap had only widened even further. As such, the mayor felt the need to maintain a tight, harmonious relationship with Maren. Naturally, though he was smiling on the surface, he was incredibly upset inside. ¡®Keugh! Only if I had caught Sir Eugene first¡­ Only if I had been more aggressive¡­ The position of Maren¡¯s governor would have been mine!¡¯ Unfortunately, it was much too late. Therefore, he judged that it was in the best interest of his city to provide Eugene with the best treatment possible, as it was unclear when Eugene¡¯s next visit might be. ¡°Your Majesty. If there is anything you need, please let me know. I dare not translate the friendship between Your Majesty and me, and the relationship between the Dukedom of Maren and Moffern into gold and silver, but I will not disappoint you,¡± the mayor said. ¡°Huh? Are you saying you won¡¯t take any money?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Of course, of course. Friendship! Loyalty! That¡¯s the motto of Moffern, is it not? Hahahaha!¡± the mayor roared. Naturally, there was no such motto. The mayor had come to a decision after being briefed about the number of people accompanying Eugene, immediately after the expedition arrived at the port. The number was much lower than what he had expected. ¡®High-efficiency investment is what it is. Hehe!¡¯ The mayor grinned while hiding his innermost thoughts. Eugene said, ¡°I¡¯m grateful. Then I will take you up on your offer. I would appreciate it if you could prepare meat-based meals that would last a month for about three hundred people.¡± ¡°W-what? T-three hundred?¡± the mayor asked, dumbfounded. He had already confirmed that there were less than one hundred people, including the foreign nobles. He had also heard that the foreign nobles would be taking care of their own supplies. So, what was this ¡®three hundred¡¯ all about? Eugene answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. Our friends over there; they really eat a lot.¡± ¡°Our friends¡­?¡± Eugene gestured, and the mayor turned his head. He saw a group of men and women flocking the dock. They were all clad in blackish plate coats much larger than their own bodies. Although they seemed huge, how much food could about ten people possibly¡­ ¡°Oi! Beowulfs! The mayor here is going to supply meat. If you have anything you want, say it now!¡± Eugene shouted. Kwuooooo?! The figures immediately turned their heads at Eugene¡¯s shout. Kwarararararara! ¡°Hiek?!¡± ¡°W-w-what is that?!¡± The beowulfs grew twofold in size and grew gray manes as well. The mayor and the residents of Moffern on the dock shouted in shock. The beowulfs charged at Eugene with sparkling eyes after transforming into lycanthropes. ¡°Meat! Meat! Kuwuuuuugh!¡± ¡°Anything is fine? Really?¡± ¡°Hieee! Hieeeeeee!¡± The mayor slowly retreated when he saw the drool of the beowulfs dripping from their large, sharp fangs. Eugene placed his hand on the mayor¡¯s shoulder with a smile. ¡°I will leave it to you, Mayor. Moffern¡¯s friendship and loyalty; I am looking forward to it.¡± ¡°Meat is loyalty!¡± the beowulfs exclaimed. Kwuooo! The mayor was left with no choice but to nod fervently as he watched the flickering tongues of the hungry wolf-humans. *** After receiving ten carts of food from the City of Moffern out of friendship and loyalty, Eugene decided to leave for Castle Archivold the next day. Delmondo¡¯s letter mentioned that the situation in the peninsula wasn¡¯t extreme. However, it was much faster to travel by ship to reach the countries adjacent to the Roman Empire; and to do that, one had to circle around the Carls Baggins Peninsula. Eugene judged it would be better to stop by the peninsula and take care of Essandra¡¯s worries and strengthen the bond of trust between them as well, as Essandra had always been favorable toward him. However, just before the fairly large expedition left Moffern in the morning, knights and nobles holding the flag of the Archivold Marquisate came to Eugene. They brought shocking news. ¡°The delegation of the Holy Empire was kidnapped by pirates?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. They sent us objects belonging to the high priest and are demanding ransom. It seems that they contacted us after learning about the relationship between Your Majesty and Her Excellency Essandra. They are demanding five thousand imperial gold coins¡­¡± ¡°No wonder the delegation from the Holy Empire was late!¡± ¡°What should we do about this? It¡¯s a high priest of the Holy Empire.¡± Everyone castigated the pirates while worrying about the high priest of the Holy Empire. ¡°How infuriating. Those damned pirates dare¡­¡± Eugene expressed his anger as well. The foreign nobles looked at him with admiring eyes. ¡®Although he¡¯s from another race, he has faith. He¡¯s worried about the high priest.¡¯ ¡®The king really is no different from us.¡¯ ¡°They dare to bargain with me for ransom? I will tear them all to pieces.¡± Eugene¡¯s expression turned grim. For the first time in his life, someone was trying to rob him in broad daylight. CH 255 ¡°I don¡¯t have even a single coin to spare on those guys.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was he mad because of the money, rather than faith? Eugene ignored the confused expressions of the nobles and asked Essandra¡¯s messenger, ¡°Who are the pirates keeping the high priest captive?¡± ¡°They are known as Dragonborn,¡± the messenger answered. ¡°Dragonborn?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. They are pirates mainly operating around the Cape of Pilo, but the currents on their home island are very fast and complicated, so it hasn¡¯t been easy to track and wipe them out,¡± the messenger answered. ¡°How many of them are there?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure, but we know they usually use five or six medium-sized galley ships in their pirating activities. There has to be more than a hundred of them,¡± the messenger replied. Since the members of the pirates would take turns pirating, their actual number would be about two times greater¡ªit was a considerable group of pirates. However, it seemed to Eugene that the southern lords of the peninsula could have eradicated them if they so desired. As such, he asked, ¡°Why did Lord Achivold leave them alone? And there are other cities and territories in the south as well, right?¡± The messenger was also a noble, so he stuttered in response, ¡°W-well, the pirates aren¡¯t only humans.¡± ¡°Are you saying there are members of other races among the pirates?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. There are a number of lizardmen and merman as well,¡± the messenger responded. That explained why they hadn¡¯t been annihilated yet. Both races were helpless on land, but they thrived in water. ¡°But a high priest should have been with many escorts, right? They should have been prepared to face pirates while traveling by sea,¡± Eugene said. He simply couldn¡¯t understand how the high priest had been kidnapped. Even if they had to face lizardmen and merman, how did mere pirates defeat the holy knights of the Holy Empire and even kidnap the high priest? ¡°T-that¡¯s the mystery. For all we know, we think there might be a hidden power involved in the matter as well¡­¡± the messenger said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene frowned. Indeed, they lived in a world where black wizards and high-ranking vampires made undead and evolved monsters to release them in the wild. It wouldn¡¯t be weird if there were others involved in such a disturbing matter. ¡°So, did Her Excellency Archivold ask me to take care of the issue with the high priest?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well, it was a delegation sent to participate in Maren¡¯s founding ceremony¡ª¡± the messenger muttered. ¡°But the incident took place on the Carls Baggins Peninsula. And the peninsula is the territory of the Archivold family,¡± Eugene interrupted him. ¡°¡­¡± The noble was forced to immediately shut his mouth. Eugene had immediately seen through how the noble was attempting to shift the blame. Eugene was truly a tough individual, both in the past and even now. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene frowned once again. He wanted to steer clear of the whole issue, but the situation was rather complicated. He was indebted to Essandra, and he couldn¡¯t simply ignore the religious position the Holy Empire held, even if they were just a toothless tiger. ¡°Well... Her Excellency apologized for not being able to provide troops to support you and sent this instead,¡± The messenger gestured, and two workers placed down a box. Click! ¡°¡­!¡± The box opened with a heavy thump and everyone¡¯s eyes widened. The box was filled with gold bars that emitted a brilliant glow. ¡°Kieeeeeeeeeeh!¡± The spirit of desire had been sprawled about out of boredom, but she immediately jumped and charged into the box like a moth to a flame. ¡°Moreover, she has also sent orders to the lords of the coast to actively cooperate with Your Majesty. By the time Your Majesty arrives at the Cape of Pilo, the lords will spare nothing to assist you. And Her Excellency said that the territory and the mine she has kept for a while will be returned to Your Majesty,¡± the messenger concluded. ¡°Good. I will take it. They were guests to Maren, so it¡¯s only natural that I take care of it,¡± Eugene answered. He had started to change his mind when he saw the gold bars, but he became completely convinced once he heard about the other conditions. Oooohhh¡­ The nobles of the delegations let out a sigh of relief. Although he was slightly materialistic, the King of Maren was still an honorable knight. ¡®Anyway, who are they really? I don¡¯t think they are regular pirates¡­¡¯ The pirates had been bold and strong enough to capture a high priest of the Holy Empire. Eugene was determined to not let his guard down. *** ¡°What in the world is this bread? Did you bring such a thing for the high priest to eat?¡± ¡°Well¡­ As you know, this is an island, so it is very difficult to procure proper bread,¡± Ukre, the head of the pirate group, ¡®Dragonborn,¡¯ groveled with a forced smile unbefitting his ugly appearance. However, he was on the verge of exploding with anger. ¡®These dog-like ###### ### I should just¡­¡¯ Unfortunately, he did not dare to voice his thoughts to the hostages, let alone retort to their words. ¡°The high priest is different from lowly things like you. He is someone who receives the protection and grace of the three gods. And¡­¡± The holy knight, an aide to the high priest, continued with a cold glimmer in his eyes, ¡°If anything happens to the high priest, not only the holy knights of our empire, but the holy knights of all kingdoms will set out to find you. If you do not want to face the judgment of divine retribution and the servants who serve the gods, you better behave well.¡± ¡°O-of course. I will definitely pay more attention starting this evening,¡± Ukre answered. ¡°Hmph! You better, if you don¡¯t want to face eternal damnation in hell. Now, get out,¡± the holy knight said ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Ukre and the pirates left while bowing repeatedly. ¡°Motherfucker! Fucking dogshit!¡± Ukre fumed while screaming angrily after getting a safe distance away from the building where the high priest was staying. His subordinates spoke carefully while surreptitiously gazing at the building, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just let them go, boss? They aren¡¯t hostages. They¡¯re acting like the masters of this place, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s just give them plenty of water and food and send them away.¡± ¡°You little bastards! What do you want me to do when they say they won¡¯t go?¡± Ukre shouted. ¡°¡­¡± The hostages didn¡¯t want to be released. It was a ridiculous situation, but this was the stark reality. Ukre continued, ¡°They¡¯re saying that they need to cleanse our island. That haughty high priest is saying that god¡¯s will is here, so what the hell am I supposed to say? He says he¡¯s not going anywhere until he converts all the lizardmen!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The pirates shut their mouths. It had only been a few days since the arrogant high priest had spoken of ¡®converting¡¯ their lizardmen and merman comrades, which had almost ended up in a battle breaking out. Since ancient times, the two races had faith in the god of the sea, Posma. Asking them to convert was akin to telling them to commit suicide. ¡°Then if we just kill the lot of them¡­¡± One of the pirates glanced at the high priest¡¯s residence and murmured. He appeared to be a little dim. ¡°Hey, you dickhead,¡± Ukre called out while glaring at him. He then continued, ¡°Do you not know who those guys are? Six holy knights of the Holy Empire! Even if a hundred guys like us rushed at them, we won¡¯t be able to even scratch them. Do you want to die? How about I just kill you instead?¡± ¡°N-no, boss!¡± Ukre gritted his teeth as he watched his subordinate hurriedly retreat. ¡°Even if we get lucky and manage to take care of them, everyone who believes in the three gods, starting with the Holy Empire, will come after us if they found out what we have done. Even the great Posma won¡¯t be able to stop them, you damned idiot.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ha! I can¡¯t believe I have such idiots as underlings¡­ I should have never listened to you guys in the first place. Fuck,¡± Ukre muttered. In the first place, Ukre never had any intention of attacking the ship carrying the high priest. Even if Dragonborn was a notorious group of pirates in the Cape of Pilo, they couldn¡¯t openly attack two large galley ships flying the flag of the Holy Empire. Doing that was literally rushing to get themselves killed. As such, Ukre simply waited and wished for the ships of the Holy Empire to disappear from the cape, so that he could finally resume his business. But for some reason, the galleys of the Holy Empire continued to hover around the cape for more than ten days. It was almost as if they were sightseeing, traveling from here to there, from island to island. Naturally, the pirates became discontent after having their operations disrupted, and even their supply of food started to dwindle. The pirates were enraged. Even if they were from the Holy Empire, they were blatantly disregarding and disrespecting the ruler of the Cape of Pilo, Dragonborn. So, the pirates strongly advised Ukre to attack the Holy Empire¡¯s galleys with anger and resignation. They had no other choice, as they may starve to death if the ships of the bloody holy empire didn¡¯t leave. Ukre had no choice but to accept their request, knowing that rejecting their demands could lead to a revolt. So, they bet their lives to attack the ships of the Holy Empire. However, the result was simply mind-boggling. The ships of the Holy Empire immediately raised white flags and surrendered to the pirates. Ukre and his subordinates were dumbfounded, but they were also relieved and overjoyed. In the first place, their main objective had been to drive away the ships of the Holy Empire. However, Ukre came to realize something was wrong the moment he heard the words of the holy knights and priests after they crossed over to his ship. ¡°A high priest of our empire, who is protected by the divine grace of the three holy gods, is on board this ship. He was on his way to the Dukedom of Maren as a representative of His Holiness the Pope.¡± Ukre instinctively realized at that moment. Was he fucked? He knew he should have immediately jumped into the sea and escaped to the island, but he ended up returning to the island with the delegation of the Holy Empire with fear under the intimidation of the holy knights. In fact, the large galleys of the Holy Empire had been escorted back to the island with five pirate ships. The current predicament was the result. ¡°Is there no news from the Archivold Marquisate yet?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of the death of our messenger yet, but there¡¯s nothing else as well.¡± ¡°Fuck. To think we have to worry about our lives instead of receiving ransom¡­¡± There was no helping it. As with all pirates operating in the waters of the Carls Baggins Peninsula, Dragonborn had no choice but to be wary of the female marquis. They knew well that the blade of the marquis would turn toward them if they ever overstepped their boundaries. "I hope she accepts¡­ No, she has to accept¡­¡± For the first time, the hostages had set their own ransom to be received, and Ukre desperately prayed again and again that the marquis would accept it. That was the only way he could get rid of the bloody hostages¡ªor rather¡ªtheir masters. *** ¡°What do you think about returning home?¡± one of the holy knights asked. He was the same knight who had reprimanded Ukre. A woman wearing a white priest¡¯s uniform with a pure silver rosary necklace around her neck answered calmly, ¡°How many days has it been? Since we arrived here.¡± ¡°Almost twenty days. I think it would be best for us to return before we face any trouble. We have almost achieved our goal as well,¡± the holy knight responded. ¡°Hmm. Shall we?¡± the woman asked. ¡°Yes. The pirates have sent their messengers to Marquis Archivold fifteen days ago, so news must have reached the king¡¯s ears by now. Although it won¡¯t happen, if the King of Maren brings his troops, it will cause a problem,¡± the holy knight explained. ¡°Hoho! You¡¯re speaking as if he is going to succeed¡­¡± The woman pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m only saying that there is no need to bolster the reputation of Maren¡¯s King any further. Isn¡¯t that the will of His Holiness as well?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m only performing in this dishonorable play because of the Holy Father¡¯s will,¡± the young, beautiful high priest responded with calm eyes. Ukre had guessed right, they had purposely let themselves be captured by Dragonborn. CH 256 A toothless tiger¡ªit was the perfect term to describe the Holy Empire. The Holy Empire had an enormous territory comparable to that of the Roman Empire, and its influence could be found in all kingdoms. However, they started to walk the path of decline more than 100 years ago. There were many such reasons for their decline, but it all started with the appearance of evil lands and mana stones. The evil lands weren¡¯t explained in the scriptures, and as such, the Pope and the clergy at the time had labeled the evil lands as ¡®entrances of hell¡¯ and insisted on their eradication and closure. No one could deny the authority of the Pope, the representative of God himself, so numerous knights, mercenaries, and priests entered evil lands to fight against monsters, and just as many people died inside the evil lands. It was to the point where there had been tens of thousands of casualties in just one year. The Holy War! The endless war began under the leadership of the Holy Empire, and it continued for more than a year, and once it was discovered that the cursed stone¡ªthe mana stone¡ªcould be purified and turned into refined mana stones, many things changed. It became known that eternal life, which could never be achieved even through strong faith, could be within reach through the consumption of the cursed stones. When taken, the refined mana stones recovered one¡¯s energy and healed their wounds. There was even a case where a member of the royalty was cured of leprosy after consuming refined mana stones for more than a year. In addition, the use of by-products gained from the corpses of monsters developed over time as well. The things found and obtained from the entrance to hell had started changing the world for the better, even though the Pope and the clergy had cursed and attacked them. Their sermons lost their power, and their believers started to scatter one by one. But even then, the Holy Empire refused to acknowledge anything that came out of the evil lands, claiming that they were excrements of the devil. They criticized lords who purified mana stones and attacked royal families that commercialized the subjugation of evil lands. However, although they denied mana stones and by-products on the surface, the church made huge amounts of money by having hundreds of priests purify mana stones in secret. Eventually, the matter concerning the evil land subjugations exploded into a dispute between the Holy Empire and the opposing kings and lords, and the Holy Empire was defeated after five years of war. The pope was forced to officially recognize the existence of refined mana stones as well as allocate purification and sales authority to kings and lords. And although the name of the empire was maintained due to the strong blood ties and relationships they had with various nobles over the long years, the empire¡¯s territory and power had been reduced to one-tenth of its prime. As such, the Holy Empire was reduced to nothing more than a toothless tiger for the last eighty years. The Holy Empire had labeled members of other races as children of the devil. But as they had been weakened, they could no longer interfere with the interaction between humans and creatures of other races, even after climbing the hierarchy of the ruling class. They could only exert what little influence they had over a few countries, including the Caylor Kingdom. The pope changed three times in the meantime, but they had been helpless and could only reminisce of their old glory. However, not long ago, a golden opportunity arose for the toothless tiger. A city known as Maren was declaring its founding as a dukedom, but there was a rumor that the king of the dukedom¡ªwho was also a duke of Brantia¡ªmight be a vampire. It had been a long time since other races, such as orcs and vampires, had been incorporated into human society. However, they had always remained under the control of the hierarchy. But if the rumor was true, the King of Maren would be the first member of another race to step up as a great noble under no one¡¯s control. Of course, the Holy Empire was unconcerned up until then. After all, Maren was distant from them, and it was impossible for him to become king without the consent of many lords. There was nothing for the Holy Empire to gain from meddling. However, the attitude of the pope and the highest-ranking priests of the Holy Empire immediately changed when they received an oracle regarding the King of Maren. *** ¡°The Monster War will erupt once again and drape the entire world in darkness. When that time goes, the Holy Empire will once again stand at the center as the flagbearer of faith¡­¡± High Priest Laerina quietly recited the oracle that had been passed down to the pope. The holy knight nodded with determination. ¡°That¡¯s right. We must suppress any potential threats as much as possible, those who might interfere with us when the time comes.¡± ¡°And the greatest threat is the King of Maren?¡± she asked. ¡°That is what His Holiness said,¡± the holy knight answered. ¡°I see. But¡­ Honestly, I do not understand,¡± Laerina said. ¡°Huh? What do you¡­¡± The holy knight became wide-eyed. It was shocking that a high priest of the Holy Empire, who was also the current saintess, had actually made a remark expressing her doubt toward the oracle. ¡°Even if he is the most famous knight and king of recent times, Brantia and Maren, where he is based, could be considered to be the outskirts. There are many others in the world who are more prestigious than him, however¡­¡± she paused. ¡°Since they have a long history, wouldn¡¯t they be more of a hindrance in us gathering faith once again? Maren and Brantia¡ªwhat kind of a position do you think those two will occupy in the army of god? Sir, you know much better than I do when it comes to armies. What do you think?¡± Laerina asked. ¡°¡­¡± Laerina¡¯s question was just criticism in disguise, and the holy knight could not find any words to respond. She was correct. ¡®If an army for a holy war is organized, the long-established and prestigious royal families and nobles will have a much bigger voice and power.¡¯ And they would not follow the instructions of the Holy Empire. Even if the Holy Empire was the one that raised the cause and the flag, the actual command and control would obviously not belong to them. ¡°We have fulfilled His Holiness¡¯ instructions, but I still don¡¯t know for sure. Perhaps it might have been better to bring him over to our side and give him Seriveta¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°T-that! We cannot do that, ever!¡± the holy knight shouted when Laerina mentioned Seriveta¡ªone of the Holy Empire¡¯s three holy artifacts. ¡°The holy sword is a symbol of faith! H-how could we entrust something like that to a member of another race, to a member of the Tribe of Darkness? By no means¡ª¡± the holy knight continued. "As the rumors have it, if the King of Maren is one of the highest-ranking nobles of the Dark Clan, or rather, if he is an existence above the monarch, then neither pure silver nor weapons containing divine power can harm him. The blood of the Dark Clan is also contained in Seriveta, and the holy artifacts do not reject vampires,¡± Laerina retorted. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Of course, this is all just a figment of my imagination. Something like that is never going to happen,¡± Laerina concluded with a gentle smile, and the holy knight gave a sigh of relief. ¡°Phew¡­ You always get me into trouble. Anyway, let us return. The pirates seem to be running out of patience. If we hold out any longer, we may see their blood,¡± the holy knight said. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that. Meaningless murder is a sin. Anyway, what we have done must have hurt the face of Maren¡¯s King quite a bit. He failed to rescue a delegation that had been captured while trying to participate in his country¡¯s founding,¡± Laerina said. ¡°Considering the reputation that the king has built up so far, it will be his first and greatest disgrace. He failed to save you, a high priest,¡± the holy knight responded. That was why Laerina and the delegation of the Holy Empire had deliberately let themselves get captured by pirates. If it became known that the king had failed to save a guest who came to celebrate the founding of his country, in particular, one of the most important guests along with the Roman Empire¡¯s delegation, then it would be a fatal flaw to his honor. Now, all they had to do was express regret after returning to the Holy Empire. After having just declared the founding of his country, the King of Maren would have no choice but to apologize. And he would become desperate for the recognition of the pope. In other words, this was an important plan to suppress the king and keep him under the influence of the Holy Empire. ¡°But why did the oracle come several days after the visit of the Roman Empire¡¯s Crown Prince¡­?¡± Laerina muttered. ¡°What?¡± the holy knight asked. Laerina shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. For now, prepare to return, and as soon as the messenger returns from the Archivold Marquisate, let us depart. As the will of the three gods,¡± Laerina drew the holy symbol while trying to suppress her lingering suspicion. ¡°As the will of the three gods...¡± *** Eugene and the expedition killed a great number of monsters while crossing the Carls Baggins Peninsula. However, the monsters he encountered were neither stronger nor evolved as if they had been tampered with by a vampire high lord like Christian. ¡°Even so, it feels like they have been affected by something¡­ Are you sure they didn¡¯t send someone like you to the Carls Baggins Peninsula?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°As far as I, your humble servant, knows. The territories ruled by powerful lords were excluded from the plan,¡± Christian answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene became certain. Christian had no idea that a black wizard had been active here before. And it meant¡­ ¡®Are they thoroughly isolated from each other? Or perhaps the one who planned everything was cautious¡­¡¯ Almost no one knew that Eugene had killed a black wizard in the evil land of the Archivold family in the past. It had been left as a secret in consideration of the honor of Essandra and the Archivold family. Of course, one could discover the truth by tracing back the appearance of the undead twin-headed ogre, but no one would be bold enough to do such a thing while Essandra was watching everything on the peninsula with blazing eyes. ¡®They designed it so that everything will look like they are their own separate issues, and they only worked in remote or chaotic areas to avoid detection. Amazing. Whoever they are, they are truly amazing.¡¯ Even the unusual gathering of monsters would have remained a secret for a while if Eugene hadn¡¯t sent Delmondo to collect information. It would have only become known that the number of roamers was increasing in certain regions. The lords of the regions would have been completely occupied putting out the fire in their faces and would never have thought to delve deeper into the issue. In the end, everyone would have assumed their predicaments to be isolated, separate issues. However, the delegations in the founding of Maren had come to realize the abnormality of the situation. ¡®In about a month, all of the messengers sent by the delegations should arrive at their respective countries.¡¯ Eugene was convinced that a lot would change depending on how each country would react after receiving the report. He was pretty sure that the same would hold true for the mastermind behind the entire operation. ¡®If the yellow bastard is behind this, then he will soon find out that I have left on an expedition to take care of the monsters. Hmm. I¡¯ll have to be prepared for that.¡¯ Of course, it didn¡¯t matter even if that was false. The issue concerning the rallying monsters was also taking place in many countries adjacent to the Roman Empire. As long as Eugene took care of the countries one by one, he could face the empire once again or even end up entering it. ¡°Localope! Your Highness!¡± Eugene shouted. ¡°Did you call, Your Majesty?¡± Localope stretched out his neck from the group of nobles he was traveling with. ¡°Let me talk to you for a minute,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Sure,¡± Localope answered. He quickly turned his horse toward Eugene. In the first place, he had already suffered enough pestering from the nobles. As soon as he left, the eyes of the surrounding nobles became filled with disappointment. They had been eager to establish a friendship with the prince after recognizing that he shared an unusual relationship with Eugene. However, no one was stupid enough to barge into a conversation between the prince of the Roman Empire and the king of Maren uninvited. ¡°Have you gotten close to the other sirs?¡± Eugene asked. Localope answered, ¡°I think I¡¯ve done as much as Your Majesty expected.¡± His tone was a little curt, even though he was one of the few Eugenophiles. He was a little upset since Eugene neglected and left him to deal with the foreign nobles alone. ¡°Keep it up. From their point of view, you are the only corridor to the Roman Empire since the yellow bastard has returned. It¡¯s a big opportunity for you as well,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I know. And¡­ I¡¯m grateful to Your Majesty,¡± Localope said. He truly was thankful to Eugene, even though he was a little exhausted by the expected, repetitive conversations he had to have with the nobles. ¡°When I return home, I will repay your kindness at all costs,¡± Localope added. ¡°What kindness? All you have to do is stick to the contract. Anyway, there¡¯s only a formal relationship between the Roman Empire and the Holy Empire, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s mutual respect, but as you say, there¡¯s definitely nothing more than that,¡± Localope answered. ¡°Then what about this? What if I told you that I can have the Holy Empire indebted to the Roman Empire?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Indebted¡­?¡± Localope asked with a puzzled expression. Eugene gave a mysterious smile. ¡°Saving the high priest of the Holy Empire. Let¡¯s say that the prince of the Roman Empire has strongly insisted and carried it out.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°So, to the Holy Empire¡¯s delegation, we didn¡¯t leave on the expedition because of the monsters, but to save the high priest at the strong request of Your Highness,¡± Eugene explained. He already had enough honor and achievements. Eugene laughed because he could give up such a small achievement if he could confuse the enemy. However, he had no idea of the aftermath his decision would create. CH 257 ¡°How many did we get today?¡± ¡°A little over 70 low-rank, and two intermediate-ranks.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene nodded after hearing Princess Lilisain¡¯s report. In total, they had killed more than 500 monsters over six days while traveling through the Carls Baggins Peninsula. ¡°This is certainly strange. There weren¡¯t this many roamers before,¡± Galfredik said with a shrug. Eugene responded while looking down at a map, ¡°They must have crossed over the mountain range. Los Pine is supposed to have had an increase in the number of monsters.¡± The territory of Los Pine was one of the areas mentioned in Delmondo¡¯s report where the number of monsters had significantly increased. It was located at the northern end of a long mountain range along the eastern coast of the Carls Baggins Peninsula. It appeared that the monsters were being pushed down from the area. ¡°Even so, the situation on the peninsula seems to be a lot better than in other places,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°I suppose so,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Hehe. That¡¯s all thanks to you, Master. I wonder if Her Excellency Archivold knows that you have saved the peninsula twice,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Probably not. And even if I told her, she probably wouldn¡¯t take my word for it,¡± Eugene responded. Princess Lilisain intervened in the rather baffling conversation between Galfredik and Eugene, ¡°Question. Have you eradicated roamers here before? Are you talking about subjugating an evil land?¡± ¡°Aha! So you don¡¯t know. A while ago, Master subjugated an evil land belonging to the Archivold Marquisate¡­¡± Galfredik stepped up and answered her question. Princess Lilisain was quite surprised to hear that Eugene had once entered an evil land belonging to Essandra¡¯s younger brother and that he had even killed an evil black wizard who had been working together with Gabriel. ¡°Then it means that the current uprising of the monsters is related to the evil scheme from back then,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°I suspect so,¡± Eugene answered. In fact, he had no choice but to think so. Although there was no clear evidence connecting the two events, he could not help but have his suspicions. ¡®And it¡¯s not like just any wizard could turn a twin-headed ogre into an undead.¡¯ Eugene turned back and observed a custom-made, large cart in the procession of the expedition. The cart was twice as big as the supply carts, and it carried the undead twin-headed ogre. Romari had boasted that she could mobilize the undead twin-headed ogre with the skull incense burner, and it seemed as if she were still trying things in the carriage. However, it seemed as if it would take some more time before she was done. ¡°Anyways, what is the best thing that I could do with that¡­?¡± Eugene muttered. Everyone¡¯s gazes turned toward the carriage at his words. ¡°What¡¯s there to think about? You dressed it in a priest¡¯s uniform, so I think everyone would be filled with faith and awe to see it destroy monsters,¡± Galfredik said. He had come to a simple, ignorant judgment, as was expected of him. Edmund carefully chimed in, ¡°It should be fine to make use of the undead in the Dukedom of Maren and Brantia. Marquis Archivold and her subordinate lords are favorable to you, so it should be fine here as well. However, the other countries may be averse to the idea.¡± ¡°Averse? Why?¡± Eugene asked. Edmund answered, ¡°Because you are a foreigner with a remarkable reputation.¡± ¡°What? I understand that they might be wary of foreigners, but what¡¯s wrong with having a good reputation? What¡¯s wrong with a knight building up his achievements and gaining fame?¡± Galfredik asked. Edmund responded with a bitter smile, ¡°Well, fame is not the issue. The problem is jealousy. Your Majesty is a foreigner solving a crisis threatening their nation, which means Your Majesty will incur the nobles¡¯ resentment.¡± ¡°Crazy bastards. They should be thanking us on all fours.¡± ¡°Ungrateful. They are bad people who don¡¯t know honor,¡± Even Princess Lilisain expressed her discontent. Edmund responded, ¡°They truly are bad people. However, it is also true that they are the ones in power. What will happen if they discover that His Majesty can control even the undead? They are already burning with jealousy, so it will provide the perfect excuse for them to act on it. Just look at the delegations over there. Don¡¯t they look worried?¡± Everyone turned their heads at Edmund¡¯s words. The nobles belonging to delegations from all over the world had turned their attention to the undead twin-headed ogre, after having made progress with Localope. To be exact, they looked worried. The corpse had been somewhat emptied of its evil energy and was even dressed in a pious attire of a priest, but the undead twin-headed ogre was still a terrifying monster that filled ordinary people with fear at a single glance. It was to the point that some of the curious nobles had wet their pants after taking a look with curiosity. Of course, if it remained unmoving as it was right now, it was a valuable trophy representing the ¡®victory of faith,¡¯ but it would cause an uproar if the undead started moving and killing. The nobles of the delegations had agreed to bring the expedition back to their home countries to solve the problem of the monster uprising, but they didn¡¯t want to take any responsibility for the actions of the undead monster. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene observed the nobles busy whispering among themselves while stealing glances at the carriage carrying the undead twin-headed ogre. A sudden thought came to Eugene¡¯s mind, and he turned his head. ¡°Those nobles. Do all of their countries believe in the three gods?¡± ¡°Although they are of different denominations, from my understanding, yes. In the first place, most of the existing religions of today have their roots in the Holy Empire,¡± Edmund answered. ¡°Hoooh. So in terms of religion, at least, they regard the position of the Holy Empire as being the most important?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. They may harbor some dissatisfaction inside, but on the surface, they will obey and follow the pope¡¯s teachings. That¡¯s their religious honor and tradition, and the prestigious noble families consider it to be very important as well,¡± Edmund answered. ¡°I see. I understand.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Edmund took on a puzzled expression. He understood? Understood what? Was that all he was going to say? ¡°I will take care of the issue concerning the undead twin-headed ogre. Don¡¯t worry about it, sir, and focus on increasing our speed. I think it would be better for our prince to rescue the high priest as quickly as possible,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah, yes. As you wish, Your Majesty¡­¡± Edmund saluted. He still had no idea about what Eugene was planning, but Eugene had never failed to solve a problem after declaring his intent to tackle it. *** ¡°Sirs, are you sure it will be all right?¡± The nobles of Assir began talking to the other nobles after a long time. Ever since they were shamed for conspiring against Eugene with Crown Prince Voltaire, they had been shunned by the others. The nobles of Assir continued, ¡°There is no problem at all with His Majesty and the expedition, but that monster is an entirely different matter, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Sirs, do you really intend to bring an undead monster back into your home country? If it causes any problem at all, you will have to bear the responsibility, as you were the ones who signed the contracts.¡± ¡°Huhu! We will be fine since Assir is not being plagued by the monster uprising, but I am certainly worried about you lot.¡± The nobles of Assir had worried expressions, but they felt pleased as if they had devoured cheese to their fill. The other delegations were accompanying the expedition as guests and companions, but the nobles of Assir had been half-forced by the King of Maren. They weren¡¯t receiving any unfair treatment, but the nobles of the other countries had shown blatant disregard toward them after realizing the truth of their situation. The nobles of Assir were upset, but they had been helpless to do anything about it. But now, the issue concerning the undead twin-headed ogre had popped up. They felt their stress dissolving when they saw the distorted expressions on the faces of the other nobles at the mention of the monster. ¡°If the undead causes any damage to humans, the clergy will not stand still.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The King of Maren is a foreigner, so he could just give sufficient compensation, but what about all of you sirs?¡± ¡°Well, maybe they can follow His Majesty and naturalize to Maren.¡± ¡°Aha! What a wonderful idea!¡± The nobles of Assir continued to exchange words with feigned worry. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± One of the other nobles raised their voice with annoyance. The nobles of Assir took on worried expressions. ¡°Why are you getting angry? We are only voicing our concern because we are worried about you sirs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Phew! My heart sinks every time I see that undead, and if that monster starts moving¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s scary just imagining it.¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The nobles of the other countries found themselves running out of patience. However, they had also felt dizzy when they first laid eyes on the undead twin-headed ogre, so it was difficult for them to refute the words of the Assir nobles. ¡°The sirs from Assir do have a point. Sirs, shouldn¡¯t we prepare some measures?¡± ¡°Hmm. What if we suggest to His Majesty to stop using the undead?¡± ¡°He assured us that there would not be any problems, so do you really think he would listen? It would be no different from us telling His Majesty that we do not trust in him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was simply impossible for them to express their doubt when someone like the King of Maren had promised on his honor. They would have nothing to say even if the king reacted by unsheathing his sword. However, they were still uneasy about bringing such a terrible undead into their countries. Although the King of Maren was an unrivaled knight, how could he possibly maintain full control over an undead monster? Moreover, they had doubts about the king¡¯s wizard, who was still isolating herself in the carriage studying the undead. The female wizard was always murmuring to herself with heavy bags under her eyes, which made her look similar to a raccoon. It was impossible to tell if she was born that way, but none of the delegations would accept her even if she was offered to them for free. ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see for now. He said he would get the undead moving before we left the Carls Baggins Peninsula, right? If it causes any problem before then, I¡¯m sure His Majesty will dispose of it accordingly.¡± ¡°Well, as long as it¡¯s not in our kingdom but in the peninsula instead¡­¡± one of the nobles murmured, and everyone nodded with the same thought. ¡®As long as it¡¯s not me!¡¯ *** ¡°High Priest! Sirs! The messenger sent to the Archivold Marquisate has returned!¡± Ukre shouted, exposing his yellowed teeth, while hurriedly running into the building. ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! The messenger made sure to show them the holy object and the demands¡ªthey did so without any mistakes! They made sure to relay everything!¡± ¡°Do not act so imprudently in front of the high priest. Yes, so what did the Marquis of Archivold say?¡± the escorting holy knight of Laerina spoke with a cold gaze. Ukre flinched before bowing his head. He wanted nothing more than to rip out the arrogant knight¡¯s mouth and kill him, but he knew that he would last no more than ten seconds if the holy knight unsheathed his sword. ¡°Ah, yes. They said it will be difficult to pay the ransom right away, so they will notify us after a discussion. The messenger observed them for a few days and reported that it appeared as if they would send an envoy to the pope,¡± Ukre responded. ¡°Pope? Address him as His Holiness, you ignorant pirate,¡± the holy knight said. ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± ¡°Anyway, I understand, so get out,¡± the holy knight continued. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ukre bowed before leaving. Uaaagh¡­ That little¡­ Parma¡¯s eyes turned colder when he heard the frustrated shouting from the distance. ¡°I will make sure to take his head before returning home,¡± he said. ¡°There is a saying that even the Holy Father curses when he is alone. Don¡¯t worry about it too much,¡± Laerina said. ¡°¡­.Yes. Anyway, I¡¯m glad things worked out. As expected, Marquis Archivold has not yet turned her back on faith,¡± Parma said. ¡°It¡¯s a relief. I was worried since they have a bad relationship with the central church of the Caylor Kingdom,¡± Laerina said. Parma responded while drawing the holy symbol, ¡°That is the fault of the Caylor Kingdom¡¯s central church. The Holy Empire and the three gods are always righteous and just.¡± ¡°Then, shall we return right away?¡± Parma asked. ¡°Well, if Marquis Archivold is sending an envoy to the empire, we should have some time, right?¡± Laerina asked. ¡°That¡¯s true. However, the founding ceremony had already ended some time ago. There is a possibility that the King of Maren has already heard about our situation. If he becomes involved in this matter unnecessarily¡ª¡± Parma said. Laerina interrupted him, ¡°Sir. Wouldn¡¯t the involvement of King of Maren in our affairs be an honorable act based on chivalry? What do you mean unnecessarily?¡± ¡°I spoke without thinking,¡± Parma hurriedly apologized after unknowingly expressing his true feelings. However, Laerina¡¯s expression remained stiff. It was a commendable, honorable act for the king to personally make a move to rescue a delegation that had been on their way to attend the founding of his country. So, how could someone who called themselves a knight think of such act negatively? ¡®Faith has gone, and only corrupt politics remains. Ah! God! Is this truly the right path?¡¯ ¡°In any case, it won¡¯t be good for us if the King of Maren makes a move personally. It will be better for us to return as soon as possible,¡± Parma said. ¡°But it will be suspicious if we immediately left since the messenger has just returned from the marquis,¡± Laerina responded. ¡°We can just get rid of all the pirates. It will be as though we saw an opportunity and escaped on our own,¡± Parma said with an icy expression. Although he was a holy knight, it seemed as if he considered human lives as though they were without value. ¡°Sir! That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°I will suffer damnation and go to hell. My only desire is for the divinity of the empire to stand upright. That is why I volunteered to guard you and to participate in this matter,¡± Parma interrupted. ¡°¡­¡± It was a twisted, misguided loyalty and faith, but Laerina could not retort. She knew that something like this would happen. At the least, she was unqualified to reprimand the holy knight. ¡°Phew. Then, let¡¯s stay for two more days. The Marquis of Archivold is an extraordinary person. We should try to avoid any suspicion,¡± Laerina said. ¡°¡­I understand. Well, in any case, we should come up with a proper plan if we want to get rid of all the pirates.¡± Parma¡¯s eyes glinted with murderous intent. Laerina could only sigh and turn her gaze away. She had no idea what would happen in the next two days. CH 258 ¡°When do you think the King of Maren will arrive?¡± ¡°Well, maybe in fifteen days? I think it should take about thirty days at the latest.¡± ¡°As if. It would be a miracle if he arrives anytime within the year. No, actually, he would just send his knights instead of coming personally.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. He should be pissed drunk on the gold coins the merchants have handed over to him with the founding of the country and all.¡± The three lords of the northeastern part of the Carls Baggins Peninsula, where the Cape of Pilo was located, conversed in a relaxed manner. Five days ago, they received a letter from Essandra Archivold, the official monarch of the peninsula. The letter asked them to actively cooperate in case the King of Maren arrived to negotiate the ransom of the Holy Empire¡¯s delegation with the pirates. For that very reason, the local lords had gathered at the castle of the Groll territory, which was located closest to the Cape of Pilo. ¡°The marquis is too harsh. A high priest of the Holy Empire was disgraced by those wicked pirates, shouldn¡¯t she have left the matter to us?¡± ¡°Exactly! Does it make sense that she has no trust in the lords loyal to her and the marquisate? Even though the high priest was on their way to attend Maren¡¯s founding ceremony, the kidnapping took place here after all.¡± The lords were unhappy. The King of Maren had provided Essandra with great help and had made a name for himself several years ago, but he was still an outsider. The territory he had briefly occupied in the Carls Baggins Peninsula had already been handed over to the Archivold Marquisate, so he had no real connection to the marquisate other than the fact that Essandra¡¯s niece was the aide of his knight. Nevertheless, Essandra often showed more trust in the King of Maren, an outsider, than in her own vassals. No matter how famous and reputable the King of Maren was, this was simply disrespectful and a blatant display of disregard for the lords. ¡°We can¡¯t simply wait. Sirs, let us gather our troops. This is a matter of honor before it is of pride. Does it make any sense that we can¡¯t even save the high priest from those shabby pirates? How will the other nobles regard us when this becomes known later?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± The lords took on stiff expressions. The most important things for nobles were honor and reputation. The nobles wanted to appear honorable and prestigious in others¡¯ eyes, even if that weren¡¯t actually the case. A great priest of the Holy Empire was being held hostage and harassed by pirates right in front of their noses and in their own territories, to boot. So, how could they simply stand by and suck on their thumbs? ¡°¡­I¡¯m ashamed just thinking about it. It¡¯s just as Sir Groll said. This is not the time to be standing still.¡± ¡°My knight, Sir Etron, is a master of naval warfare. I will contribute Sir Etron, thirty soldiers, and a hundred gold coins to the cause.¡± ¡°Then I will personally participate and contribute two hundred gold coins.¡± ¡°Then, Leave it up to me to procure the ships and mercenaries. Let us take this as an opportunity to destroy the Dragonborn pirates once and for all and have our honor on display for everyone in the peninsula to see!¡± ¡°For honor!¡± ¡°For the safe return of the high priests!¡± The congenial lords raised their glasses and cheered. Even if it was impossible to do alone, they could surely destroy the pirates if they joined hands. And they would then get to boast about rescuing a high priest of the Holy Empire. The three lords were confident, at least, until Eugene¡¯s expedition arrived at the Groll Castle later that afternoon. *** ¡°¡­¡± The three lords were completely mesmerized when they saw the King of Maren in person. The confident attitude they showed half a day ago was nowhere to be found, and they simply stared at Eugene and the expedition with entranced eyes. They couldn¡¯t tell whether this was a dream or not. ¡°Why are you all standing around like that? Hmm. Is it because I didn¡¯t bring enough troops? I only brought so many because I didn¡¯t think we would need more,¡± Eugene said. ¡°N-not at all, Your Majesty.¡± The lords hurriedly waved their hands after being jolted awake. Not enough troops? It was somewhat true considering the number of those armed among them, as there were only about fifty of them including the king. However, it was an entirely different story if ¡®armed¡¯ meant being armed like knights. In addition, about half of the troops were beowulf warriors or elven knights. Words weren¡¯t even necessary anymore. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it... ¡°T-they look like knights from the Roman Empire, right?¡± ¡°Look at their clothes. It doesn¡¯t belong to the Caylor Kingdom, so they have to be nobles from other countries. The equipment of the escorting knights is a little different from ours as well.¡± ¡°Look at him, the one who looks the most youthful. It seems to me that he¡¯s being guarded by those who look like they¡¯re knights of the Roman Empire¡­¡± The lords quietly whispered among themselves while stealing glances at the nobles wearing luxurious clothes and colorful ornaments. Eugene smirked while eavesdropping on their conversation with his heightened hearing. Eugene spoke, ¡°Oh, come to think of it, I haven¡¯t introduced everyone yet. Everyone, give your greetings. This is His Highness Localope, the third prince of the Roman Empire.¡± ¡°Hiek?!¡± The three lords gasped at the same time. Their shaky eyes remained glued on the figure of Localope as he walked toward them with his escorts. ¡°Nice to meet you, sirs,¡± Localope said. ¡°I-it¡¯s an honor!¡± ¡°I cannot believe that I get to meet a descendant of the glorious golden blood in person!¡± The lords were deeply touched when they saw Localope hold out his hand first. They responded by bowing. ¡°Kieeee. Did we arrive? Is the party ready? I¡¯m so tired and whatnot,¡± The spirit slowly poked her head out of her leather pocket after lazily lounging around the entire day. It was a spectacular sight to see her chubby figure. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I-is it an evil spirit?!¡± The lords exclaimed. Eugene responded, ¡°It can be a little confusing, but she¡¯s not an evil spirit. She¡¯s a spirit I have formed a contract with.¡± The lords expressed their awe, and Eugene picked up the spirit by her head with his fingers, then spoke with a mysterious smile, ¡°And you have to work for your meals, right?¡± ¡°Kieh? What¡¯s that?¡± the spirit asked while tilting her head to the side, pretending to be cute in an abominable way. Eugene continued while pointing at a certain place, ¡°These are the grateful sirs who will support me and the expedition. Isn¡¯t it only natural that we give them a small gift?¡± Eugene was pointing at a well being used by the people of the Groll territory. ¡°N-no, s¡ªKieeeh!¡± Eugene showed no mercy and threw the spirit into the well before speaking, ¡°While we were busy dealing with the monsters, you were lazing around and shoving food into your stomach. So, you better purify this well.¡± Kieeeee¡­ The three lords broke out into a cold sweat when they heard the echoing cries of the spirit as she fell deep into the well. ¡®How could he handle a precious spirit like that?¡¯ ¡®And that¡¯s a spirit he had signed a contract with, right?¡¯ ¡®He shows no mercy to anyone who¡¯s useless, even if they are one of his own. W-what if he acts like that toward us as well?¡¯ The three lords quickly shared gazes. ¡®We would have thrown ourselves off a cliff if we had carelessly set off to eradicate the pirates.¡¯ The plan to eradicate the pirates and rescue the high priest completely disappeared from the minds of the lords when they saw how Eugene had treated the spirit¡ªa creature practically impossible to hire even with a thousand gold coins. *** ¡°What? You will be setting off tomorrow?¡± ¡°Is there any reason not to? Dragon bone or lizard marrow, whatever they are¡ªyou said their base is visible from the Cape of Pilo, right?¡± Eugene asked. One of the lords responded, ¡°T-that¡¯s right, but¡­¡± They were dumbfounded. The soldiers accompanying the king were truly great, but the lords couldn¡¯t help but think that Eugene was a novice when it came to naval warfare. ¡°Excuse me, Your Majesty, with all due respect, sea routes are different from normal roads. On a good day, it is indeed possible to see the base of the pirates from the Cape of Pilo. However, the current around the island is extremely harsh, so it is difficult to approach with just any ships and sailors.¡± ¡°In addition, there are hidden reefs everywhere. You have to recruit a captain and crew who are familiar with the area¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying you sirs haven¡¯t even prepared a ship and its crew? I¡¯m sure Her Excellency Archivold gave you orders to actively cooperate with me.¡± ¡°...¡± How could they have known he would arrive so soon!? However, the lords didn¡¯t dare to utter their thoughts. They only glanced at Eugene with cautious eyes while remaining silent. ¡°First, send someone to arrange a ship and crew right away. My expedition will be enough troops,¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Ah, I-I understand.¡± The lords quickly bowed in response. The door opened and a figure walked in. ¡°Sir Eugene¡­¡± Romari slowly slithered forward. She was one of the few people who could come see him without prior notice. ¡®Can she act like that toward the king?¡¯ ¡®Who in the world is that wizard?¡¯ The lords were unaware of the relationship between Eugene and Romari. As such, they were surprised, but Eugene did not care about their reaction at all. ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I did it¡­¡± Romari answered. ¡°Did what?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°The twin-headed ogre. I can move it now,¡± Romari responded. ¡°Hooh.¡± Eugene rejoiced at the good news. As expected, the raccoon functioned best when nagged. He had been urging her every day since she received the undead twin-headed ogre from Moffern, and it appeared that she had finally succeeded. ¡°But there is a little problem¡­¡± Romari muttered. ¡°Problem?¡± Eugene asked with a cold gaze. Romari hurriedly explained, ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that¡­ It moves, but I can only make it move literally according to my commands. I¡¯m ashamed, but my powers are still quite weak. It¡¯s not like I can just accept the mystery of black magic just like the one who created the undead, right?¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s true,¡± Eugene said. Regardless of school, all types of magic followed one absolute rule¡ªequivalent exchange. Black magic was no exception. In addition, black wizards all paid the same currency in exchange for power: their life and soul. Eugene couldn¡¯t simply ask Romari to sacrifice her life and soul. ¡°Well, then how do we get it to move at the same level as it did when I fought it? Is there no way?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Oh, yes, well, there is a way, but¡­ But there¡¯s a tiny little problem,¡± Romari responded. ¡°Stop beating around the bush. Just tell me,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Uh¡­ I just need Sir Eugene to share a little bit of your precious blood¡­¡± Romari said. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s so hard about that? I¡¯ll give it to you right away,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Well, no, what I¡¯m saying is that you need to make it your servant¡­ No, your thrall,¡± Romari explained. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene was struck speechless. He had never imagined that he would have to take an undead as his vassal. ¡°Ah! Of course, it would be different from Sir Galfredik! You could say that it would essentially be a slave. You could say that it would be a loyal servant who only takes your orders after taking your blood. A-anyway, that¡¯s what I expect to happen,¡± Romari said. ¡°Expect to happen? So, you¡¯re saying that it might not work at all. You¡ªdo you know how much money and time you¡¯ve wasted so far?¡± Eugene asked while staring at her expressionlessly. He was looking at her as if she were helplessly incompetent. Romari jumped up in surprise and quickly responded, ¡°Oh, it will work! I¡¯ve performed all kinds of experiments, and I¡¯m certain it will work!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± Eugene said. Of course, he couldn¡¯t fully trust her words. If he could mobilize the undead twin-headed ogre, it would help in successfully completing the mission of rescuing the delegation of the Holy Empire and eradicating the pirates. ¡°Then let us go. Sirs, why don¡¯t you come along? There¡¯s nothing else you want to add to my plan, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah, yes. Of course.¡± The lords could only smile awkwardly while nodding. ¡®I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying, so I¡¯ll stay the fuck still.¡¯ It was one of the truths of life. *** The beowulf warriors stood guard. Eugene entered the carriage containing the undead twin-headed ogre along with Romari. The sight of the undead twin-headed ogre sitting in the middle of a bizarre magic circle was grotesque, to say the least. However, it seemed even more freakish that a monster with two heads and four arms was wearing a luxurious priest uniform. ¡°First, you have to let your blood flow on the incense burner,¡± Romari said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene took off his gloves, deactivated Black Scales, then drew a line on his palm with Wolfslaughter. A thin line of red quickly appeared. ¡®A-as expected¡­¡¯ Romari was amazed at the faint mystery emanating from Eugene¡¯s blood. It wasn¡¯t just any blood, but the blood of an Origin vampire. It was blood of enormous value, something that every wizard would die for even a drop. Drip, drip, drip¡­ Eugene squeezed his fist, and the droplets painted the skull incense burner. Although he had cut himself with Wolfslaughter, a king among swords, he knew his wound would heal in just a couple dozen seconds. As such, he quickly moved his hand and let his blood drip on the other incense as well. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Thank you so much. Now¡­¡± Romari took her place in front of the undead twin-headed ogre. And the ritual of the Origin vampire and the successor of the Blood Shadow School finally began. CH 259 ¡°What are they doing so late at night? They¡¯re supposed to set out tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°It appears His Majesty¡¯s wizard has told him that she could move the undead.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes. But she required His Majesty¡¯s participation in the magic ceremony. So that¡¯s why they¡¯re here at this time.¡± Oooh¡­ The gazes of the nobles were filled with curiosity, expectations, and anxiety as they stared at the carriage from afar. They were curious whether it was actually possible to animate the undead with something other than evil black magic or not. They wondered to what degree the undead would move if it were reanimated. Finally, they were anxious at the possibility that the undead might become hostile to the living. ¡°But His Majesty and the other knights are here, so we should be fine, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There are even beowulf warriors here. It won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Haha. Everyone seems quite worried. Right, it¡¯s not like that ogre is going to eat us.¡± Hahaha¡­! Everyone laughed at someone¡¯s joke. But unlike their relaxed and bold expressions, the nobles were busily retreating while keeping their upper bodies immobile. ¡®I-I¡¯m not joking! What if it suddenly jumps out and starts eating people?¡¯ ¡®The undead is hostile toward anything living, right? If the King of Maren is actually a member of the Dark Tribe as the rumors have it, then he might have nothing to worry about. But what about us? We could be in some real trouble.¡¯ The nobles maintained their smiles while quietly scurrying to the sides of their escorting knights. Rattle! ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°By the gods!¡± The carriage located more than ten meters from them suddenly buckled, and the nobles jumped out while shouting. They quickly hid behind their knights and screamed with fear while drawing the holy symbol in the air. The carriage jolted a few more times before suddenly going quiet. The nobles peeped their heads over the shoulders of their knights and stared. Suddenly¡­ Booooom! The carriage exploded with a thunderous boom. ¡°Uaaagh!¡± The nobles scrambled for their lives while the Beowulfs surrounding the carriage immediately erupted with their Fears and prepared for battle. The dark aura obscuring the area subsided; and three figures, large and small, could finally be seen. ¡°D-did they succeed?¡± ¡°His Majesty is safe!¡± The nobles expressed relief when they saw Eugene standing proudly in front of the undead twin-headed ogre. A bright crimson light filled the undead¡¯s eyes instead of a lifeless gray. Booom! Boom! Boom! The undead twin-headed ogre started following after Eugene¡¯s footsteps, and the faces of the nobles turned pale once again. The fear in their hearts intensified when they saw the monster move. After all, it had been scary enough when it was immobile. Their legs started trembling to the point where it seemed like it was a miracle for them to have remained standing even now. Eugene spoke to them in a calm voice, ¡°Be at ease, everyone. The ogre will only follow my orders from now on.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Wasn¡¯t that more of a problem? What if he ordered the monster to kill them immediately? Then it would carry out the order, right? However, the nobles could not voice their true thoughts. They nodded while forcing awkward smiles on their faces. ¡°C-congratulations, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°This couldn¡¯t be a bigger victory for magic and faith!¡± ¡°I-i-it truly is the epitome of mercy and faith! It is clear that the three gods are always watching and protecting Your Majesty!¡± The nobles hurriedly congratulated Eugene in an extremely respectful tone, making sure to emphasize his ¡®faith¡¯. Although it was likely that their worries would never come true, there was no harm in being prepared. Eugene responded with a faint smile, ¡°Thank you all for your kind words, but my true faith and the faith of this fellow will be proven tomorrow.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± The nobles muttered with confused expressions. Eugene tapped the twin-headed ogre emitting hot breaths from its noses and mouths. ¡°I¡¯m going to put it to work in rescuing the Holy Empire¡¯s delegation.¡± *** Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The twin-headed ogre took the lead, and the two griffon siblings followed right behind. The two cubs had considerably grown up and were now the size of a calf. Eugene followed right behind the three alongside Princess Lilisain. He turned his head and spoke to the princess, ¡°It seems your horse has gotten used to them.¡± Horses were the favorite food of the griffons, and horses were always agitated and disturbed by griffons. However, the two griffons only looked and moved forward triumphantly. They neither seemed interested in Silion nor Princess Lilisain¡¯s horse. Princess Lilisain responded, ¡°Yes. It¡¯s because those children perceive me as their mother.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t they target other horses, then?¡± Eugene asked. Princess Lilisain answered, ¡°There have been times like that, but they always glance at you before giving up.¡± ¡°Really? So, they¡¯re pretty smart,¡± Eugene said in a disappointed voice while gazing at the back of the two griffons. He had been planning to teach the two griffons a lesson if they ever targeted a horse. The two griffons suddenly shuddered, but their gazes weren¡¯t directed toward Eugene. ¡°Kieeh! If they ever try anything to subordinate number one, I won¡¯t stay still! Underling number one! You just trust in me,¡± Mirian exclaimed. Neiiigh! Silion cried out as if responding to the spirit¡¯s words. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene observed the spirit and the steed for a moment before snatching Mirian out of the air. ¡°I just had a good idea,¡± he said. ¡°K-kieh?!¡± Eugene continued, ¡°You¡¯re in charge of their education from now on.¡± ¡°W-what do you mean by that?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°Neither the princess nor I can watch and take care of them forever, right? So, you should take the responsibility for educating them,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°K-kiek! S-sir, you can¡¯t do that to me. This statement is directly in contradiction to the providence of nature and¡ª¡± Mirian retorted. ¡°A spirit of water going crazy about wealth is not particularly aligned to the providence of nature, is it? But you still exist, right? Take good care of them. If they ever try something, I won¡¯t stand still. You¡¯re my subordinate after all,¡± Eugene interrupted. ¡°No, I¡¯m your contracted spirit, not your subordinate¡­ Kieeee!¡± Eugene ignored the spirit and threw her toward the griffons. Half a day later, the group arrived at the entrance to the Cape of Pilo. It was no longer possible to continue with carriages and carts, so the expedition decided to set camp in a suitable location. ¡°We¡¯ve given instructions to procure suitable ships and crew as soon as possible, so we should see a ship ashore within a few days.¡± ¡°Since we do not have many troops, we can use a boat and board the ship.¡± ¡°In the meantime, what do you think about taking a rest and devising a plan?¡± The three lords gave polite suggestions. After seeing the mobilization of the undead twin-headed ogre, their fear and awe toward Eugene had significantly grown. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene turned his gaze away from the lords without giving an answer. He then looked over the Cape of Pilo before speaking, ¡°¡­It¡¯s a fine day.¡± ¡°What? Ah, yes. That¡¯s right.¡± The lords weren¡¯t sure why Eugene was suddenly talking about the weather, but they still nodded. Eugene continued, ¡°On a day like this, the pirate¡¯s island is supposed to be visible from the end of the cape, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. On a day like today, it should be visible to the naked eye,¡± one of the lords answered. ¡°Yes. I can see it very well. Is it about thirty kilometers from here? There are two small islands and one big island,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­???¡± The three lords were confused by Eugene¡¯s words. It was getting harder for them to comprehend Eugene¡¯s words. After looking over the islands of the pirates once more using his heightened vision, Eugene turned toward the three lords and the knights. ¡°You said that none of you have ever been to the pirates¡¯ base before, right? Because the current is strong and there are too many reefs,¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Eugene continued, ¡°Then there must not be much information about their base. You should have no information regarding exactly how many troops they have, what their defenses are like, and the existence and locations of hidden traps on the islands.¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re ashamed, but that¡¯s right,¡± one of the lords answered. ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t it be better to reconnaissance first?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°You are quite right. However¡­ we don¡¯t really have a¡­¡± one of the lords muttered. They weren¡¯t idiots. If they could, then they would have done it long ago! The lords inwardly complained while simply gazing at Eugene¡¯s face with awkward expressions. ¡°Ah, Perhaps¡­?!¡± Prince Localope stepped forward while clapping his hands. His eyes were filled with curiosity. ¡°Your Majesty, are you planning on using them?¡± Prince Localope asked while pointing, and everyone¡¯s gazes went over to where he was pointing. Keeeek! Kieeeeng! The two griffons were acting cute while showing their bellies in front of Princess Lilisain as if they were some kind of a pet. The eyes of the nobles glimmered when they saw the two creatures. ¡°Griffons! They have wings, so it might be possible to reconnaissance with them!¡± ¡°And they are obedient to the princess! Oohhh!¡± The nobles exclaimed. ¡°Tsk, tsk. Even if none of you have ever seen an intermediate or a high-ranking monster in an evil land before, isn¡¯t this too much? Sirs, how could you be so ignorant about monsters?¡± Eugene said while clicking his tongue. ¡°What¡­?¡± Eugene explained, ¡°Griffons are not capable of flying long distances. Even a fully grown griffon can only glide for a few kilometers at most. Aside from that, they¡¯re still young, so they can only fly a few hundred meters at best.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The nobles took on disappointed expressions. ¡°Then how are you planning to scout ahead?¡± Prince Localope asked. Eugene responded while staring at the twin-headed ogre. The creature stood tall in front of the garrison like a guardian statue. ¡°We have him, right?¡± ¡°¡­???¡± Everyone took on confused, bewildered gazes. They were at a complete loss about what Eugene was talking about. ¡°Come here,¡± Eugene muttered to the undead twin-headed ogre¡ªno¡ªto his first ¡®thrall¡¯. Even though the creature was located well over a hundred meters away, it immediately turned to Eugene and began to briskly walk over to him. Ohhh¡­ ¡°What a wonder¡­¡± ¡°It certainly obeys His Majesty¡¯s orders without fail.¡± ¡°But¡­ how is His Majesty planning to use that for reconnaissance?¡± The twin-headed ogre moved very quickly, betraying its large size, and it was definitely and tremendously powerful. However, it could only be used in battles. In the first place, it made absolutely no sense to use such a large monster for reconnaissance, as reconnaissance required secrecy, and the twin-headed ogre was anything but covert. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not necessarily just reconnaissance. I suppose you could also call it a preemptive strike in addition to reconnaissance. Anyway, if it¡¯s this fellow, no, it¡¯s only possible with this guy,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Uh¡­¡± So, just how exactly were you going to do that?! The nobles shared the same thoughts. Eugene scanned the nobles before speaking, ¡°You don¡¯t necessarily need to fly or take a boat to scout an island, do you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the water isn¡¯t very deep here, is that right?¡± Eugene asked with a grin while pointing at the fluttering sea. *** Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°¡­¡± Boom! Boom! Fwoosh! Thuwap! Thuwap¡­.. ¡°...¡± The members of the expedition; regardless of their status, gender, and race, stared at the beach with their jaws agape. The scene unfolding before their eyes was truly shocking and amazing. The two-headed monster king was walking into the sea as if it were trying to drown itself. Soon, the twin-headed ogre¡¯s two heads were completely submerged. Prince Localope finally removed his gaze from the monster and spoke with a dumbfounded expression, ¡°I have heard quite a few stories from minstrels, but I swear I have never heard of an ogre going into the sea before.¡± ¡°Well¡­ In the first place, ogres usually live in mountains or valleys. It would be rather difficult, or rather, impossible to see one near the sea.¡± ¡°T-there are also no records of an ogre being able to swim.¡± Eugene spoke with a smirk, ¡°As an undead, it doesn¡¯t need to breathe. There¡¯s no fear of drowning, so it would be strange if it couldn¡¯t go into the sea. Besides, it¡¯s not quite swimming, is it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Indeed, Eugene¡¯s twin-headed ogre wasn¡¯t swimming across the sea. It was extremely ridiculous, but it was fulfilling Eugene¡¯s order to ¡®walk¡¯ through the sea¡ªin a straight line¡ªall the way to the pirates¡¯ base. ¡°The once undead twin-headed ogre will play a big role in rescuing the priests of the Holy Empire. What do you think? Won¡¯t the distrust disappear? And you never know, the high priest may even bless it or something.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± How ridiculous! But what if Eugene¡¯s plan really succeeded? ¡®It¡¯s¡­ entirely possible!¡¯ CH 260 Krrrrruu¡­ The twin-headed ogre¡ªthe king of monsters¡ªadvanced through the water. Its movements were dampened because it was underwater, but the twin-headed ogre crossed more than ten meters with each leap, and groups of fish scattered in surprise every time. Larger creatures of the sea hovered around and either poked or bit the ogre, but the ogre didn¡¯t care. There was no way for any of the fish to actually penetrate its steel-like skin when even swords and spears were incapable of doing so. More importantly, the ogre was without self-will. Only the voice of its master, Eugene, continued to completely dominate its soul. - Get on the island and kill everything that attacks you first. Don¡¯t touch anyone that leaves you alone or runs away. - Take a good look. If anyone is wearing anything similar to this, leave them alone. - And if you do see people wearing something similar to this¡­ The twin-headed ogre kept its crimson eyes fixated in the distance to fulfill the three absolute orders of its master. The creature¡¯s eyes were filled with Fear, instead of evil energy. *** The sun was starting to be buried behind the darkening sky of the west, in the direction of the Pilo Cape. ¡°Huaaaah!¡± A pirate gave a long yawn while guarding the entrance to the small bay into the island, where more than ten galley ships and small boats leisurely floated. ¡°You¡¯re going to rip your mouth at that rate, you little bastard. Don¡¯t doze off and focus on keeping watch.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t dozing off, you crazy rat. And I can¡¯t see jack shit. There¡¯s nothing around here except seagulls, so what am I supposed to keep a watch for?¡± the pirate responded in an irritated voice to his colleague¡¯s criticism. ¡°Motherfucker¡­ How long do I have to keep up with this bullshit? It¡¯s because of those fuckers crazed about the three gods¡­¡± the pirate muttered. ¡°Bastard. Could you say the exact same words in front of those fanatics?¡± his colleague said. ¡°Are you crazy? I¡¯ve never seen anyone so haughty. Hostages my ass. Fuck! I hope they get out of here as soon as possible. Fuck the ransom,¡± the pirate responded. ¡°I heard they called for five thousand imperial gold coins, right? If they succeed, we will be getting twenty each,¡± his colleague said. ¡°Ehehe! Fuck, I could go to the port and fuck around with a prostitute for half a year with that money,¡± the pirate said. ¡°Keke! Maybe if you¡¯re into cheap women with gonorrhea. You¡¯ll be robbed clean in a month if you keep an expensive girl like Leache.¡± The colleague pointed out. ¡°Crazy bastard. And do you really think a girl who acts hard to get like Leache deal with you?¡± the pirate asked. ¡°The power of gold is great, my friend,¡± the colleague replied. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. Gold can make even monsters dance. Anyway¡­ Huh?¡± The pirate abruptly stopped speaking with surprise in his eyes. He frowned at the reflection of the sun in the waves, then stretched out his neck before muttering. ¡°The water. What¡¯s wrong with the water?¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± his colleague asked. ¡°Look over there,¡± he said and pointed. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The colleague¡¯s eyes widened when he turned his gaze. The waves had been moving strongly toward a single direction until not long ago. However, the direction of the waves had changed at a certain spot. But that wasn¡¯t all¡­ A straight line could be seen on the surface of the water toward the bay where the ships were floating. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­ Is it a shark?¡± It couldn¡¯t be a shark. The water around the island was only three to four meters deep. There were many hidden reefs and strong currents surrounding the island as well. As such, even predators like sharks and killer whales did not recklessly approach the island. The only creatures capable of freely crossing the rough current were the colleagues of the pirates: lizardmen, and mermen. ¡°How strange. You don¡¯t think it could be a monster, right?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? There aren¡¯t any sea monsters around these parts. We haven¡¯t seen a single one in over ten years, so what monster are you talking about?¡± ¡°Right?¡± It was one of the reasons why the pirates had taken the island as their base. There weren¡¯t any marine monsters residing in the vicinity. There was no way that a monster would suddenly appear after more than ten years of complete absence. ¡°And sea monsters don¡¯t usually come onto land either. And we have those three god fanatics, right? If something happens, those great holy knights will slice and dice for us, so what¡¯s there to worry about?¡± ¡°Uhehe! Those leeching, pompous folks can finally¡­ Huh?!¡± The pirate started to giggle before sharply inhaling. A black stone had suddenly appeared on the surface of the water. ¡°W-what is that? Is it a turtle?¡± He said. ¡°Uh¡­ Isn¡¯t it a little fast for a turtle? And have you ever seen two turtles move side by side like that?¡± The gazes of the pirates remained glued on the two unknown dark objects as they cut through the current. Suddenly¡­ Shuaaaack! The two turtles suddenly burst into the air. ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°Uaagh!¡± They weren¡¯t turtles after all. Rather, the figure that burst through the air while cutting through the currents was a monster with two heads and four arms. ¡°W-w-what is that?!¡± ¡°Huah¡­¡± The pirates had lived most of their lives on the water, so they had no way of identifying the monster. However, they could be certain of one thing. Their island¡ªtheir base¡ªwas about to get fucked. *** Dong! Dong! Dong! ¡°Huh? What is that?¡± Laerina raised her head with a surprised expression at the sudden sound of a bell. She had just finished praying. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the sound of a bell?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the pirates.¡± ¡°Could something have happened?¡± The priests and the holy knights had been kneeling in front of her in prayer. They also buzzed at the sudden commotion. ¡°I will look into it,¡± The holy knight Parma hurriedly pulled out his sword and departed with two of his fellow knights. The bell continued to ring nonstop, and even screams and shouts began to resound in the far distance. The expressions of the priests grew grim as they became restless. ¡°High Priest, shouldn¡¯t we go out there as well?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that,¡± Laerina answered, noticing that something was unusual. The members of the Holy Empire¡¯s delegation crowded outside. Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! The bell continued to ring frantically. ¡°It¡¯s a monster!¡± ¡°Uahh! Uaaagh!¡± ¡°Run away!¡± ¡°Where are we going to go? Fight, you bastards!¡± Pirates were running chaotically while screaming and cursing. The entire island was embroiled in chaos. ¡°Great priest!¡± Parma and the holy knights rushed back to Laerina after forcibly capturing a few pirates and inquiring about the situation Laerina asked in a hurry, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s wrong with these people?¡± Parma answered, ¡°A monster appeared from the sea.¡± ¡°Ah! Do you mean a sea monster?¡± Laerina asked. ¡°That seems to be the case since it apparently came from the water. For now, please get to a safe place with the high priest, everyone. Sirs, protect the high priests and the others. I will deal with the monster with Sir Letom and Sir Moliva,¡± Parma said as two holy knights moved to his sides. ¡°Oh. I am glad you are here with us, sirs.¡± ¡°May the blessing of the three gods be with you sirs!¡± The priests finally took on relieved expressions. Unlike the holy knights of the other kingdoms chosen based on their families and connections, the holy knights of the Holy Empire were chosen purely based on their faith and qualities. In a sense, they were true holy knights. ¡°No. I will be going with you, sirs.¡± Laerina stepped forward while shaking her head. ¡°¡­!¡± Parma¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Never. We don¡¯t know what monster we are facing. The high priest¡ª¡± ¡°Sir Parma. If one of you sirs falls into trouble, who can help you?¡± Laerina asked. ¡°Hmm.¡± Parma flinched before easing up. She was correct. Although she was a young maiden who seemed feeble and weak on the outside, there was one crucial reason why she became a high priest of the empire and a ¡®saintess¡¯. It was because of the powerful mystery she exclusively possessed. ¡°I will aid you with Sacred Song. Of course, it would be best if it doesn¡¯t come to that,¡± Laerina said. ¡°¡­I will do my best to prevent that from happening.¡± Parma bowed politely before unsheathing his longsword and turning around. ¡°Let¡¯s go, brothers!¡± ¡°Please be careful, High Priest!¡± ¡°The three gods bless you! The holy faith be with all of you!¡± Laerina and the three holy knights ran toward the dock, leaving behind the priests to climb the mountain with the other holy knights. *** Huaaaaaghh! The monster burst into a grotesque roar. ¡°Huaag!¡± ¡°Kuagh!¡± Many of the pirates fell on their buttocks and pissed their pants just from hearing the monster¡¯s roar. Pirates were rough and cruel after having experienced all sorts of things in the sea. However, none of them had ever seen a monster as terrifying as the twin-headed ogre. It felt as if their very souls were escaping their bodies when they met the gaze of the horrifying monster. The eyes of the monster were each as big as a fist, and they glimmered with a red light. Any thought of retaliation disappeared when the pirates saw the four maces held in the four thick, trunk-like hands of the monster. ¡°You cowards! Fight! Fight!¡± Several senior pirates rushed at the twin-headed ogre alongside Ukre. Fwoosh! Shoosh! The ogre¡¯s four maces moved in all directions. Bang! Thuuck! The pirates struck by the deadly weapons were thrown back; they weren¡¯t even able to scream as they splattered. Pew! Pew! Dozens of lizardmen pirates fired their crossbows and threw their harpoons. Titing! However, the projectiles were deflected as if the monster was wearing armor inside the strange priestly garment, which looked even more bizarre after being soaked in water. Immediately afterward, the twin-headed ogre charged the lizardmen while roaring and swinging its weapons. Kuaagh! Keek! ¡°Ugh! No! No way!¡± ¡°Run! Get to the mountains!¡± The pirates lost their will to fight and were about to flee. ¡°S-sirs! Holy knights!¡± ¡°Please help us! Help us!¡± ¡°I will convert immediately! Sirs!¡± ¡°High Priest!¡± The pirates shouted desperately when they saw Laerina arrive at the dock with the holy knights. They had considered the priests and the holy knights to be nothing more than bloodsuckers draining their supplies. But now, the holy knights had become no different from their saviors, or the manifestation of the three gods themselves. ¡°If you want to live, get lost.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°You will be blessed! God will protect you forevermore!¡± The pirates shouted whatever came into their minds out of their desire to live, then fled in a hurry. Parma and the two knights took on a triangular formation and observed the monster. However¡­ ¡°A twin-headed ogre?¡± ¡°But this is an island.¡± The holy knights took on stupefied expressions. They lived in an era where religious disputes were mostly nonexistent. As such, the main task of the Holy Empire¡¯s holy knights had turned into dealing with intermediate and high-ranking monsters. As a result, they knew monsters well and were well aware of their unique characteristics. ¡°Where did it come from? Was there an evil land here?¡± ¡°N-no, sirs. That¡¯s not the problem right now. Look, isn¡¯t it wearing clothes?¡± ¡°Huh¡­!?¡± The eyes of the three knights filled with shock. It had been hard to identify since the monster was covered with unidentifiable sea creatures and blood, but the twin-headed ogre was definitely wearing clothes. However, that wasn¡¯t the most shocking... Huaaaaghh! The twin-headed ogre had become Eugene¡¯s thrall after receiving his blood, so it felt an instinctive sense of repulsion toward the weapons of the holy knights, which were filled with divine power. It beat its chest with its four arms while trembling. As a result, an object hidden during its journey across the sea was revealed. ¡°A holy artifact? A monster has a holy artifact?!¡± ¡°W-what? How could this be?!¡± The holy knights were stupefied when they saw the object, which was embedded with a red jewel at its center and glistened silver. ¡°L-look closely at its clothes! It¡¯s the mark of the church!¡± Even the determined Laerina was shocked. Indeed, the terrible monster in front of them was dressed very similarly to a holy knight. ¡°¡­¡± Laerina and the holy knights took on dazed expressions. It was as if the very reality of their world was being shattered into countless pieces. And although they were ignorant, the moment of hesitation allowed them to keep their lives. It was because of the three orders Eugene had given to the twin-headed ogre. - Get on the island and kill everything that attacks you first. Don¡¯t touch anyone that leaves you alone or runs away. The holy knights had stopped trying to attack the twin-headed ogre in disbelief and shock. - Take a good look. If anyone is wearing anything similar to this, leave them alone. In addition, both Laerina and the holy knights had the ¡®holy artifact¡¯ the twin-headed ogre had also received from Eugene, and it was hanging around their necks or engraved in their armor. And lastly¡­ - And if you do see people wearing something similar to this¡­ Huaaaanng¡­ The twin-headed ogre was absolutely obedient to the commands given by its master. So, once it saw Laerina wearing an object almost identical to the one it had received from its master, it drew the holy symbol in the air in a polite, reverent manner as if it was a priest. ¡°¡­!!!¡± It was already unbelievable that a terrible monster was wearing the clothes of the clergy, but when the monster even drew the holy symbol, Laerina and the holy knights were thrown into a new realm of confusion and shock. CH 261 ¡°Great work¡­¡± ¡°Not at all, Your Majesty. We only fulfilled our duties as lords of Carls Baggins to the best of our abilities.¡± ¡°It is our duty to carry out Her Excellency¡¯s orders.¡± The three lords gave humble answers to Eugene¡¯s compliment. Eugene responded while nodding his head with satisfaction, ¡°I will make sure to let Her Excellency Archivold know of all your hard work.¡± It wasn¡¯t just empty words. The three lords had proven themselves to be pretty capable in many ways, unlike their first impression. It was certainly commendable for them to have secured a ship and crew two days after arriving at the Cape of Pilo. ¡°It¡¯s difficult for large ships to approach because of the rocks and reefs, so we only prepared one large ship and smaller galleys similar to the ones used by the pirates,¡± one of the lords said. ¡°It must have been hard to recruit a suitable crew, right?¡± Eugene asked. Eugene predicted that it would have been difficult to recruit capable sailors, as it was a voyage to face off against pirates. However, the ship had been filled with a sufficient number of sailors and workers, which Eugene found quite unexpected. ¡°It¡¯s all because of Your Majesty,¡± one of the lords answered. ¡°Me?¡± Eugene asked with a puzzled expression. The foreign nobles also took on curious expressions, wondering what the three lords were talking about. One of the lords continued, ¡°Thanks to Your Majesty¡¯s reputation, the sailors weren¡¯t afraid of facing off against pirates. If it were another knight, we wouldn¡¯t have had half of the applicants.¡± The three lords had been rather startled by the outcome. They had long been with Essandra¡¯s side ever since the Carls Baginns Peninsula was divided due to the actions of the previous marquis. They valued legitimacy and had immediately taken to Essandra¡¯s side. There were nobles and lords who sided against her, and they had been decimated by Essandra¡¯s army. In addition, the army responsible for their demise was mainly composed of the knights and mercenaries who had personally seen and experienced Eugene¡¯s incredible skills and power. The same knights and mercenaries had talked about Eugene wherever they went. ¡®Knight Jan Eugene¡¯ had become renowned as an undefeated knight honored by even Marquis Archivold and her knights. And such a famed knight had returned to the peninsula after becoming a king in just a few years. The return of the legendary knight coupled with the active cooperation of the local lords was more than sufficient for many to assume that it was an impossible fight to lose. As such, the sailors and workers had actively applied with the excitement of working together with a legend. Naturally, the biggest reason for their cooperation was¡­ ¡®Money.¡¯ ¡®They came because they would receive ten silver coins each, from us.¡¯ ¡®Only if we hadn¡¯t actively encouraged them to apply¡­¡¯ The three lords sighed inwardly while having similar thoughts. However, if Eugene really did succeed in destroying the pirates, or even if he just succeeded in saving the delegation of the Holy Empire along with the high priest¡ªthey would bask in the merit as well. The honor and recognition they would gain with Essandra were invaluable. It was something money couldn¡¯t buy. The three lords comforted their bitter hearts with such thought and forced a smile on their faces. Eugene then turned around and said, ¡°Shall we go?¡± Galfredik turned to the waiting troops on the beach and shouted, ¡°We¡¯re departing! Let¡¯s go!¡± Knights and warriors from the three races: vampires, elves, and beowulfs boarded the boats. The foreign nobles, including Prince Localope, also boarded a boat headed to a galley along with their escorts. ¡°But vampires can¡¯t cross the ocean, can they?¡± one noble whispered while watching the vampires casually boarding the boats. Another noble responded while clicking their tongue, ¡°Tsk, tsk. Even if they belong to the Tribe of Darkness, high-ranking nobles are not greatly affected as long as they¡¯re at a distance where land is still visible. In the first place, you¡¯ve seen them completely unaffected under the sun, so what are you on about now?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The nobleman responsible for asking the question took on an awkward expression. Other nobles surrounding the two stared at Eugene, Galfredik, and the two vampire high lords with renewed gazes. ¡®Come to think of it, aren¡¯t vampires capable of walking around during the day very rare even within the Dark Clan?¡¯ ¡®How many of such vampires does the King of Maren have under his command?¡¯ In addition, there were even elven knights and beowulf warriors. Each and every one of them could easily slaughter more than ten times their number in groups of threes or fours. ¡®It¡¯s truly a small group of elites.¡¯ ¡®I wonder if it would be possible to match them even if I gathered all of our country¡¯s knights.¡¯ The number of troops was a very important factor in combat, but everyone recognized that the same principle did not necessarily apply to Eugene¡¯s expedition. And if the situation with the Holy Empire¡¯s delegation was successfully resolved¡­ ¡®No one will be able to berate me for signing a contract to resolve the situation with the monsters.¡¯ Many of the foreign nobles had always been afraid of being admonished and held accountable when they returned to their respective countries. As such, they prayed with one heart that Eugene¡¯s expedition could rescue the delegation of the Holy Empire and the high priest without any issues. *** Four hours later, the expedition¡¯s fleet arrived in the vicinity of the island of the pirates where the mass was in plain sight. According to the crew, it was difficult to advance even further due to the currents and reefs. As such, they were on standby. ¡°This is strange.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite strange.¡± The nobles aboard the largest of the ships were gathered on the deck and were staring at the island. They expressed their confusion with puzzled expressions. The distance between the fleet and the island was about one kilometer. The ships should already be in clear view, so the pirates should be able to see them by now. It was expected for the pirates to have reacted to the fleet¡¯s appearance, whether to prepare for battle or initiate a conversation. However, there was no movement from the pirates at all. ¡°Did the pirates know we were coming? Maybe they ran away?¡± ¡°They even sent a messenger to the Archivold Marquisate to ask for ransom, so how could that be?¡± Even for a group of criminals like pirates, it was an unwritten rule to abide by basic moral principles. High-ranking individuals capable of trading for ransom were to be kept unharmed, and once negotiations were offered, they were required to go to the table. It was an unwritten law of the pirates. In this case, the pirates had been the ones to suggest a negotiation with the Archivold Marquisate¡ªthe master of the peninsula. They were required to keep their word unconditionally, since breaking their promise would be an act of serious threat to the Archivold Marquisate¡¯s honor and reputation. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait and see for a while?¡± ¡°Hmm. I wonder¡­¡± the nobles continued whispering. All of a sudden, the ship at the head of the fleet began to move unhesitatingly toward the island of the pirates. It was the ship Eugene was on. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why is he being so hasty¡­?¡± ¡°What is he planning to do if the boat gets caught on the rocks?¡± Even if Eugene was an excellent knight, they were currently at sea. Eugene was clearly acting recklessly in an environment where he could not display his skills as a knight to the fullest. However¡­ ¡°What? What?¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± The nobles were stunned when they saw the boat cross through the water. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say the current was strong?¡± ¡°And there are supposed to be many reefs as well, right?¡± ¡°A-are the sailors on that boat especially skilled?¡± That shouldn¡¯t be the case. If there truly were such skilled sailors, the three lords or local knights desiring fame would have already set out to attack the pirates. ¡°I-is he receiving the protection of god?!¡± one nobleman exclaimed with disbelief. The other nobles expressed their agreement with excited voices. ¡°That¡¯s possible! He has set out to rescue a high priest of the Holy Empire, after all, right?¡± ¡°A brother of faith is on his way to save the flagbearer of faith! It wouldn¡¯t be strange if he really were under divine protection!¡± ¡°Huh, huh¡­!¡± Except for the few who were completely convinced, the rest were still half doubtful. However, they could not come up with any other plausible explanations for the phenomenon. The boat was passing through the dangerous water filled with rough currents and reefs without any problem at all. Was the King of Maren really under the protection of the three gods? Was it really possible¡ªeven if he was a member of the Dark Clan? A new topic of discussion emerged, which gave headaches to the nobles. Naturally, the truth of the matter was completely different from their assumptions. *** ¡°M-my god¡­!¡± The crew of the ship carrying Eugene, the vampires, and the elves cried out. None of the sailors could hide their disbelief, regardless of whether they were rowing or moving the sails. They were currently experiencing something that could not be explained unless it was divine intervention. ¡°Just follow the lights. Then everyone will be safe,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± The captain eagerly nodded while looking ahead. There was a round green sphere shimmering up about ten meters ahead in the water. The green shimmering light wasn¡¯t simply pinpointing the path to avoid the reefs. Rather, a current flowed around the boat with the sphere as its head. An invisible force was enveloping the entire ship, preventing the rough currents flowing near the island from coming close to the ship. It was a mystery even the most experienced sailors on the boat could not explain. It was literally a situation that could not be explained by anything other than a miracle of god. The sailors knew well that the miracle began with Eugene, who stood at the stern of the boat. ¡®The King of Maren is a prophet! He¡¯s a saint!¡¯ ¡°He¡¯s loved by the god of the sea. No, by all the gods!¡¯ The sailors were no less than mercenaries when it came to believing in superstitions. They couldn¡¯t help but be in awe of Eugene. However, the few who knew the ¡®truth¡¯ along with Eugene stared at the ball of light with stupefied faces. ¡°I thought she only knew how to eat and seek out treasures, but it turns out she¡¯s pretty good, right?¡± ¡°She¡¯s still a spirit of water¡­ Bweegh! Since she has evolved, then¡ªUweeeegh!¡± ¡°Disgusting¡­¡± Galfredik grinned while patting Romari¡¯s back. The wizard was still extremely prone to seasickness. ¡°As expected from the master. He wasn¡¯t worried at all about invading the island because of the spirit, right?¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Well¡­ Yes.¡± Eugene shrugged, although it wasn¡¯t technically true. In fact, he had been pondering whether he should call back the twin-headed ogre or transform into a monster to cross the sea. During his contemplation, he happened to see the spirit hanging around the bow while scratching her stomach. He threw her into the sea out of curiosity and doubtful expectation. Since she was a spirit of water, he expected that she wouldn¡¯t have difficulties navigating through the water. Moreover, he had thought it might even be possible for her to block or move currents after evolving. However, he had never actually expected that she would be able to do so¡­ ¡®I have no idea as well.¡¯ ¡°Kweegh! Kieeeegh! Even freshwater fish can¡¯t live in the ocean¡­ Kiweeegeh! Sir, you¡¯re really the¡­ d-demon king¡­ Kweeeegh!¡± It was ridiculous how she distinguished freshwater from the sea as a ¡®spirit of water,¡¯ but she was still serving her purpose. In any case, Eugene was satisfied that the spirit had finally proved useful after having been lazing around and devouring food. *** ¡°Kieehhh¡­ Kieeh! Bweeegh!¡± The spirit buzzed around with a crying face. Her stomach was bloated as if she had drunk a little bit of seawater. She then spoke with a dying look, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m dying. I need to get some rest.¡± Eugene responded with a cold expression, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Kieh?¡± ¡°Go bring the other ships as well,¡± Eugene commanded. ¡°F-freshwater fish¡­¡± ¡°You did it once, didn¡¯t you? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to die,¡± Eugene said curtly. ¡°You vicious man! Kieeeeehhhh!¡± Eugene ignored the spirit as she threw a fit after finally making herself useful in a long time. He looked around the dock. ¡°Hmm. How strange.¡± Both his hearing and sense of smell could not sense anything on the dock and the surroundings. It was as if he were on an island of ghosts. ¡°Let¡¯s start searching,¡± Eugene commanded. The troops quickly divided into two groups and headed deeper into the pirates¡¯ village. It didn¡¯t take long for them to discover people. All the people of the island were gathered in the largest and most proper building on the island. And even though it was an island of pirates, holy knights equipped in proper attire were guarding the building. ¡°¡­?!¡± The two holy knights took on surprised expressions when they saw Eugene¡¯s group. However, they quickly lowered their guard and hurriedly approached after seemingly recognizing the flag Selena was hosting. ¡°Might you be King Jan Eugene Batla, the rightful monarch of Maren?¡± one of the holy knights asked. Eugene felt a little puzzled, but he nodded. ¡°Well, for now. Do you sirs belong to the delegation of the Holy Empire?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m finally getting to meet a true brother of faith!¡± the holy knights exclaimed. ¡®Have they gone mad?¡¯ Eugene and his group were greatly taken aback by the reaction of the holy knights. They were clearly in awe. ¡°Please come in! The high priest and our other brothers have been eagerly waiting for Your Majesty!¡± one of the holy knights said. ¡°Wait, where are the pirates¡­?¡± ¡°Haha! They have repented! It¡¯s all thanks to your sincere faith. Hahaha¡­!¡± ¡°Please come in, Your Majesty. And you sirs as well!¡± What nonsense were they spewing now? Eugene suppressed his inner thoughts and followed behind the holy knights. And what they saw was¡­ ¡°Oh, gracious gods¡­!¡± ¡°I believe! I believe now!¡± ¡°You have always protected me! The three gods have always been guiding me! Now, please become the master of my heart¡­!¡± More than a hundred pirates were huddled together on their knees; and regardless of their race, they prostrated in worship with their arms stretched out toward the twin-headed ogre. CH 262 The lizardmen had bodies covered with green scales, while the mermen had the lower bodies of fish and the upper bodies of humans. The members of both races were praying together with the human pirates. The mermen were situated in wooden barrels filled with seawater. It was truly a strange, bizarre sight. Moreover, the mermen and the lizardmen weren¡¯t praying to their god of the sea¡ªPosma¡ªbut to the three gods. To be exact, they were showing reverence toward the twin-headed ogre whose eyes shone red when Eugene entered the building. ¡°They¡¯re out of their minds¡­¡± Eugene muttered under his breath when he saw the fanatics crying out. The holy knight seemed like he hadn¡¯t heard Eugene¡¯s words as he looked around with pride and excitement before speaking, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the monster Your Majesty sent¡­ Ah! Please excuse me. The warrior of god you sent. The pirates repented when they saw that people carrying holy artifacts or wearing clothes with the symbol of the three gods weren¡¯t being attacked. Ah! There comes the high priest.¡± A group of priests in white clothes walked through the fervently praying pirates along with holy knights. ¡®A woman?¡¯ Eugene was slightly surprised to see that the person leading the group was a woman. High Priest Laerina took her place in front of him and spoke, ¡°The humble servant of the gods, Laerina, gives her greeting to Your Majesty Jan Eugene Batla, the rightful monarch of Maren, a man of true faith, and the honorable knight blessed by the gods.¡± She proceeded to draw the holy symbol in the air in such a reverent way that it made it seem as if she were practically glowing. Eugene repeated the gesture unknowingly at the moment. ¡°I see¡­ So, you¡¯re the high priest of the Holy Empire. I am Jan Eugene Batla.¡± Officially, high priests of the Holy Empire were commoners with no title, but technically, they were still above the cardinals of various kingdoms in terms of status. In that sense, Eugene¡¯s words could be considered rather impolite. However, Laerina seemed to be unconcerned about Eugene¡¯s attitude. ¡°I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. The warrior that Your Majesty sent has saved us and led the sheep of this island to the path of faith.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I simply did what I could and had to do,¡± Eugene responded. He wasn¡¯t trying to be humble; he was simply telling the truth. Eugene had judged that the Dragonborn pirates were strong enough to capture the delegation of the Holy Empire. As such, he had sent the twin-headed ogre to gauge their power and check if they had any hidden cards. And since he couldn¡¯t risk harming any members of the delegation, he had instructed the ogre not to touch anyone possessing holy artifacts or those with the symbol of the gods. Lastly, he instructed the ogre to draw the holy sign to prevent the holy knights from attacking it. But it appeared his instructions had led to an incredibly strange result. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how humble you are¡­!¡± ¡°Oh! Though you have the spirit of a hero, you are also a wanderer of the wilderness and a seeker of truth who pursues faith.¡± The bursts of admiration from the priests were enough evidence. ¡®This feels a bit burdensome¡­¡¯ He felt most bothered by the high priest. She had her hands tightly clasped and was looking at him with glistening eyes as if she were praying. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± she started. ¡°Please speak,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Your Majesty has led a monster to the path of faith, and although I cannot compare to you, I am also someone who treads the same path of faith,¡± she responded. ¡°...?¡± Eugene wasn¡¯t sure what she was building up to, but he remained quiet and allowed her to continue. ¡°With the authority granted to me by His Holiness the Pope, I would like to bless Your Majesty and your warriors. Will you allow me?¡± she asked. ¡°Huh?!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Exclamations of shock echoed from the surroundings. Amidst the surprise, Parma quickly stepped forward from behind Laerina. ¡°High Priest! Even though we are indebted to His Majesty, for you to give your blessing is¡­¡± ¡°His Holiness has said that he trusts my judgment and decision,¡± Laerina responded. ¡°B-but¡­¡± ¡°I am in charge of the delegation, Sir Parma,¡± Laerina said. ¡°¡­¡± She was displaying a calm, determined attitude, which was different from how she treated Eugene. Parma stepped back while biting his lips. ¡®I don¡¯t know what the hell they are doing.¡¯ Eugene was flabbergasted as well. He was completely fine with the fact that the situation was unexpectedly resolved thanks to the great performance of the twin-headed ogre, even though the result was quite strange. It was truly bizarre that the pirates had repented and converted, but the Dragonborn pirates were eradicated and the Holy Empire¡¯s delegation was saved. It was surprising that a young female high priest had offered to give them her blessing, but it wasn¡¯t that bad. It wasn¡¯t rare for priests to bless people, and a high priest of the Holy Empire wouldn¡¯t be so stingy that she would withhold her blessing from her savior. So, why were the priests and holy knights so surprised? And why were they trying to dissuade her? ¡®Is there something more than meets the eye? She¡¯s just a little girl, right?¡¯ Eugene¡¯s gaze was indifferent as he stared at Laerina. He couldn¡¯t feel anything similar to the aura of a strong knight or a wizard from her. The special people Eugene had seen so far were unique, but they all possessed the aura and energy befitting their power and mystery. However, he couldn¡¯t feel anything similar from Laerina. Instead, he could only feel a burdensome gaze filled with favor and goodwill toward himself. ¡°A blessing of the Holy Empire¡¯s high priest. This is quite valuable,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­???¡± The priests and holy knights standing behind Laerina took on dazed expressions after hearing Eugene¡¯s words. Very valuable¡ªit was true, but why were they annoyed? But despite their reactions, Eugene remained calmly gazing into Laerina¡¯s blue eyes. Laerina looked slightly surprised, but she soon gave a soft smile. ¡°Although it is rare for me to personally bless someone, it¡¯s not that valuable. Then¡­¡± Laerina raised her hand and Eugene slightly lowered his head, knowing well what she was about to do. It didn¡¯t matter if the other party was a high priest of the Holy Empire. He was the King of Maren and an Origin vampire. He could not kneel. Even if the pope were here in person, he would still never kneel. Parma slightly frowned at Eugene¡¯s attitude. Laerina¡¯s refreshing voice resounded. ¡°Oh, thou three holy gods, who care for all creatures and all things. This humble servant was allowed to borrow the authority of the master of all heaven and¡­¡± Eugene felt his mood worsening as Laerina continued. He could not feel any hostility coming from her, but it felt as if there was a bug crawling inside his head. Eugene experienced an incessant and indescribable unpleasant feeling. After a while, he came to a conclusion about Laerina¡¯s ¡®blessing¡¯. ¡®It feels like I¡¯m listening to a scammer trying to fraud me with some nonsense.¡¯ Indeed, the discomfort he felt was due to the fact that he had to continue listening to her words, even though he knew well that they were complete rubbish. ¡°¡­So I dare implore you. Bless Jan Eugene Batla, the rightful monarch of Maren and the knight of true faith and noble honor. Anoint him with a blessing that permeates all the land within your reach.¡± Paaaaaa¡­! A pale light appeared from the tip of Learina¡¯s hands when she finished, and it wrapped around Eugene. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Eugene wriggled unknowingly. The unpleasant sensation was being transmitted throughout his body. Thankfully, it quickly dispersed, and Eugene raised his head after sensing that the blessing of the high priest had ended. ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene was puzzled. Laerina had blessed him with a voice as clear as the sky and as refreshing as morning dew. However, she had a confused, flustered expression. ¡°T-this shouldn¡¯t be¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡± This shouldn¡¯t be? What was she saying after giving her blessing? ¡°A-ah! P-please excuse me, Your Majesty. You have been blessed¡­¡± Laerina quickly corrected herself. ¡°Is that so? Anyway, thank you. It¡¯s an honor,¡± Eugene responded before turning around, perhaps due to the lingering, unpleasant feeling. Princess Lilisain and the elves were as calm as ever, while Galfredik and the two vampire high lords looked slightly stiff as if the high priest¡¯s voice had bothered them. However, there was one person with a stupefied look and it was Romari with her mouth agape. ¡°Ah¡­ T-that¡­¡± Romari stuttered as if she wanted to say something, but then she quickly approached Eugene while patting her robe. ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Sir Eugene, Sir Eugene. This is a jackpot,¡± Romari said. ¡°Jackpot?¡± Eugene asked. It was unlike her to be so excited. ¡°Yes, yes. The blessing that you just received is¡­¡± Romari cupped her hand over her mouth before whispering something in Eugene¡¯s ear. Eugene¡¯s eyes widened as he asked, ¡°Is that true?¡± Romari answered, ¡°I¡¯m ninety percent sure. As far as I know, if the blessings of the three gods were given to a member of the Dark Clan, it¡¯s the only possibility. It¡¯s a piece of information that has been passed down from the founder of our school, so I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Hmm. This is¡­¡± Eugene took on a slightly troubled expression as he desperately stopped himself from grinning. He could finally understand why the high priest had been so flustered after giving her blessing, and why she had uttered such words. ¡°I feel like I received a precious gift, even though it¡¯s just my duty to save everyone,¡± Eugene said. ¡°A-ah, n-not at all. W-well, I¡¯m a little tired, so¡­¡± Laerina stuttered before turning around with an obviously flustered expression. ¡°Brothers, and sirs. I will leave the matter of returning home up to you. S-sir Parma, if I could speak with you for a moment¡­¡± Laerina said. ¡°What? Ah, yes.¡± The delegation of the Holy Empire suddenly became busy preparing for their departure. Eugene could only smile with satisfaction after receiving an unexpected gift in an unexpected situation, and in an unexpected place. *** ¡°This is a little¡ªno, it¡¯s quite the trouble,¡± Laerina said. ¡°Sigh! That¡¯s why I¡ªno, never mind. Anyway, why are you acting like this? What kind of a blessing was it?¡± Parma stopped himself from rebuking Laerina and asked. Judging from the way she was reacting, it seemed that the King of Maren had been given an unusual blessing. ¡°Well, the blessing¡­ No, more importantly, as soon as the blessing was given, I heard their voices,¡± Laerina responded. ¡°What?! Are you saying that a divine proclamation came down?¡± Parma asked. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Divine proclamation¡ªit was a miracle similar to an oracle in which the gods had personally spoken to a believer. Naturally, an oracle was the command and will of a god and was considered more important than anything else. And a divine proclamation was also a message from a god, so it was considered the utmost honor for any believer to experience it even once. There were only very few special people who could hear the voices of the gods more often than others, and Laerina was one of them. It was how she had become a high priest and a saintess of the Holy Empire at such a young age. ¡°So, what did they say?¡± Parma asked with slight agitation. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Laerina hesitated while biting her lips. Just as Parma was about to say something out of frustration, Laerina spoke with a sigh, ¡°Well, they¡­ they asked if I was crazy.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard them asking me¡­ if I was out of my mind,¡± Laerina said. The gods had asked their own saintess if she was out of her mind? ¡°W-what? What kind of blessing was it that the gods would say such craz¡ªno, such unexpected words¡­¡± Parma quickly corrected his words. Laerina looked as if she were about to cry as she responded, ¡°If it¡¯s a place within the reach of the three gods¡­ The King of Maren can now enter anywhere he wants, without the owner¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°Huh? What does that even¡ªwhat?!¡± Parma exclaimed after belatedly realizing the significance of her words. It was the most powerful constraint of the Dark Clan¡ªthey could not enter a city or a building without an invitation from the owner. That was why they had to cooperate and sometimes bow to humans, elves, dwarves, and others from time to time, even though they were so powerful. But now, the only shackle binding the King of Maren and the undefeated duke of Brantia had disappeared. ¡°¡­I have never agreed more with the words of the gods until today, High Priest,¡± Parma said, thinking that he would have uttered the same words if he were a god. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Favorite CH 263 ¡°Is that really true?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m telling you.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The two vampire high lords were struck with absolute disbelief after seeing Romari¡¯s conviction. ¡®T-this is crazy. That high priest has done something crazy!¡¯ Rohime was utterly stunned. It was natural as unlike Christian, Rohime had been properly tenderized by Galfredik before he was taken under Eugene¡¯s wing, albeit somewhat forcibly. In the first place, the King of Maren Jan Eugene Batla had shown him an absolute, overwhelming Fear during their first meeting. As soon as Rohime stepped out of his coffin and met Eugene¡¯s gaze, he was struck with an indescribable pressure. He had been unable to even think about rebelling. His instincts as a vampire had been screaming at him to bow in reverence, and Rohime had stayed faithful to the voice. However, Rohime had never experienced Eugene¡¯s true self and had assumed that Eugene would try to speak with the crown prince and the masters of each clan when he headed to the Roman Empire. His assumption stemmed from the fact that, regardless of Eugene¡¯s strength, he was still bound by the restriction of ¡®being unable to enter places without the invitation of the owner¡¯. As such, he believed that Eugene would be left with no other choice but to consult and reconcile with the powerful humans, just like what the masters of the vampire clans had done. However, Eugene¡¯s restriction had been undone due to the blessing of the Holy Empire¡¯s high priest. He was now a member of the Dark Clan who could freely go anywhere he wished. The only rein keeping an ¡°Origin¡± in check had been broken. It was impossible to know how this transformation would change the future course of events since Eugene¡¯s power was essentially boundless. ¡®I-it¡¯s not a problem for just His Majesty the Crown Prince. Even the Emperor¡­¡¯ Rohime¡¯s eyes quivered violently like the surface of water faced with a violent storm. Of course, the emperor was surrounded by wizards and guards armed with powerful magics, mysteries, and extraordinary techniques. However, the strongest defense against members of the Dark Clan was the restriction on their mobility. It was for that exact reason that newly crowned emperors had always declared the imperial castle as their complete private property in front of the three gods. It was all to prevent powerful vampires from entering the imperial castle at will. However, such preventative measures were now useless. In the ruling class, even those without faith would offer their gratitude and worship the gods when they attained their status. Whether they liked it or not, they were still admitting that their honor and power originated from the gods. The Emperor of the Roman Empire was no exception, and as such, the empire and the imperial castle were considered to be under the sphere of influence of the ¡®three gods¡¯. In other words, the King of Maren was now free to travel to and from any place in the empire, even including the imperial castle. ¡®And the problem isn¡¯t just with the empire either. Those people¡­¡¯ Rohime turned his gaze to the nobles of the foreign nations as they landed on the island of the Dragonborn pirates. He knew well that the nobles had signed an agreement with Maren over the issue of the monster uprising. From what he had heard, even the nobles belonging to countries unaffected by the monster uprising had signed contracts like they were pushovers. However, Rohime knew; he knew that they weren¡¯t pushovers at all. They weren¡¯t stupid, and any noble with enough status and ability to participate in a mission to a foreign country wouldn¡¯t sign an agreement involving serious international affairs without thinking things through. Clearly, the nobles knew¡ªeven if the King of Maren had different ideas, they could not be threatened or robbed as long as Eugene was under the restriction all members of the Dark Tribe shared. This was one of the significant reasons why the nobles had signed the agreements, even though they knew they would look like pushovers. Unfortunately for them, the situation had changed with the blessing of the high priest. ¡®They may become real pushovers now.¡¯ They would have no possible way to control the Origin vampire when they literally would have to bring him back to their countries. Rohime was at a loss about what the future would bring. However, what he felt was nothing compared to what the person responsible for the blessing was feeling. *** ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Laerina could not find any words to say. She simply bit her lips. ¡°Why did you have to give such a blessing¡­ Haaa¡­¡± Parma let out a sigh. Laerina responded, ¡°I had no idea¡­¡± She continued furiously, ¡°I just blessed him the same way as I always did. You should be aware that I have no idea what kind of blessing will be given, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Parma trailed off. The effect of the blessing was random. Some were granted good health, some were presented with a tiny bit of luck, and others were blessed with wealth. Usually, the effect was somewhat related to whatever the blessed most desired, but overall, the blessing¡¯s effect was still decided randomly. She could have never imagined that the King of Maren would receive a blessing that counteracted the greatest and most powerful weakness of the Dark Clan. ¡°You should have never blessed him in the first place,¡± Parma said. ¡°A knight faithful enough to cause a monster to repent and convert saved us. We couldn¡¯t touch the hearts of the pirates for almost an entire month, regardless of what we did. But in a single day, he transformed their hearts and caused them to kneel and pray before the three gods,¡± Laerina responded. ¡°That¡¯s because they would have been killed by the twin-headed ogre if they didn¡¯t¡­¡± The pirates had carefully observed the twin-headed ogre as they fled once the holy knights stepped forward. They were shocked to see that the ogre didn¡¯t attack the holy knights and members of the clergy. And they were stupefied when they saw the monster greeting the holy knights while drawing the holy symbol. Although the pirates were ignorant, they had come to realize the simple reason behind the monster¡¯s actions. In the end, they made the choice that ensured their survival. ¡°That may be true for us humans, but have you seen other races convert in the face of death?¡± Laerina asked. ¡°¡­¡± Parma could not find any words to say. He had also been shocked to see the stubborn lizardmen and mermen crying and praying to the three gods. ¡°If I didn¡¯t bless the knight responsible for all that, what would the others think of me? Don¡¯t you think they would have doubted the generosity of His Holiness?¡± Laerina added. They would have surely done that¡ªthey would have doubted the pope, called him petty, and cursed the Holy Empire for not knowing grace. ¡°We just had to bless him then go back. The reputation of Maren¡¯s King would have soared even more, contrary to our expectations, but we could have established a good relationship with him. We could have weighed him in with the Roman Empire when the time mentioned in the oracle arrived,¡± Laerina said. ¡°You made the right decision.¡± Parma had no choice but to agree. Since things had completely deviated from the original plan, it certainly had been the best alternative to establish a good relationship with the King of Maren. A blessing given by the saintess had been the most appropriate response and show of trust. ¡°Haaa¡­!¡± Parma let out a long, dejected sigh as a deafening silence descended. All of a sudden, the door burst open, and a group of priests rushed in. ¡°High Priest!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Laerina asked. She was slightly puzzled by the seemingly excited priests. ¡°The king¡¯s expedition has completely landed on the island,¡± one of them responded. ¡°¡­?¡± Was that really something to be so excited about? He obviously had other troops as he was a king. ¡°The expedition includes other nobles, the delegations of many kingdoms, and the third prince of the Roman Empire.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, when we asked, we found out that¡­¡± the priests quickly explained what they learned about Eugene¡¯s expedition. After listening to their summary, Laerina nodded her head with glistening eyes. ¡°I understand. I will meet with them. For now, I think it would be good for all of you to say hello to them first on my behalf.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the priests responded before heading out excitedly. The opportunity to share their ¡®faith¡¯ with nobles prestigious enough to be sent as members of delegations was very hard to come by. As soon as the priests disappeared, Laerina turned her head. ¡°Sir Parma,¡± ¡°We must return to the Holy Father as soon as possible and inform him,¡± she continued. ¡°Yes? Ah, yes,¡± Parma replied. ¡°And I think it will be better for us to keep the issue of the blessing a secret for the time being,¡± she added. ¡°Why would we¡ªAh!¡± Parma exclaimed in realization. Laerina nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. If this becomes known, the aftermath will be tremendous. Regardless of the circumstances and our intentions, we will be held responsible for it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but it will come out eventually. If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± Parma hesitated. ¡°Then we can invite the King of Maren to the Holy Empire,¡± Laerina responded. ¡°What?¡± Parma¡¯s eyes widened. It wasn¡¯t rare for the Holy Empire to invite royalty or prestigious nobles. Inviting those religious and contributors to the church to the Holy Land and rewarding them with direct praise was also a way to maintain the authority and dignity of the Holy Empire. However, it was unprecedented for a member of another race¡ªespecially a vampire¡ªto receive an invitation. Although the Holy Empire recognized them officially, they weren¡¯t particularly favorable toward other races. ¡°High Priest, please reconsider. Inviting the King of Maren will only serve to increase his reputation. No, even without that, the Roman Empire and the other kingdoms will definitely say something about it. The backlash¡­ How will you deal with it?¡± ¡°What if there¡¯s no backlash?¡± Laerina asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about the Roman Empire, but it should be fine as long as the other kingdoms accept it, right?¡± Laerina asked once more. ¡°Of course, but that¡¯s impossible, right?¡± Parma mumbled. ¡°No, it will be possible¡­¡± Laerina responded. ¡°How could that possibly¡­¡± Parma muttered with disbelief. Laerina calmly replied, ¡°You heard the priests just now, right? The King of Maren formed the expedition to resolve the issue of the monster uprising, not to rescue us. That¡¯s why he was able to arrive here much earlier than we had expected.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Laerina then continued, ¡°Anyway, the nobles of the delegations should already know that I blessed the King of Maren.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I said it would be hard to keep the blessing a secret,¡± Parma answered with a grim expression. There was no guarantee that the King of Maren would keep his mouth shut even if he and Laerina remained silent. However, Laerina shook her head. ¡°No. We just have to stay silent. The King of Maren shouldn¡¯t know the effect of the blessing, and even if he knows it, he will stay silent.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Parma hurriedly said, ¡°Surely! The disappearance of the restriction will be the most powerful weapon for the king, and if it becomes known, the kingdoms with faith will try to keep the king in check.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He will never reveal exactly what he had received as a blessing,¡± Laerina said. ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s say that¡¯s true. But it will definitely become known one day.¡± Parma pointed out. Even if the effect of the blessing would remain a secret for the meantime, it was only a matter of time before it became known. Everything would be revealed one day, and the kings and nobles all over the world would criticize and blame the Holy Empire. The root of the problem was still there. ¡°There¡¯s a simple way to take care of that,¡± Laerina spoke with a smile, then continued in a quiet voice. ¡°Hmmm. Well¡­ Oh! Ohh!¡± Parma¡¯s expression brightened as he listened. *** ¡®No way.¡¯ ¡®Those ignorant pirates are repenting? The lizardmen and mermen have been converted?¡¯ The foreign nobles could not believe their eyes after they landed on the island and greeted the priests of the Holy Empire. The ignorant and savage pirates had been edified to become similar to those people who dedicated their entire lives to worship in monasteries. And all of them had been converted in just a single day. More importantly, even the pirates of other races had been converted. ¡®Is the King of Maren really protected by the gods?¡¯ The nobles had been half doubtful even when they saw Eugene¡¯s ship sail through the rough current and the reefs. But now, they had no choice but to take the matter seriously. As the nobles started making complicated calculations in their heads, Parma and Laerina showed up. ¡°Ohhh! That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°The High Priest of the Holy Empire!¡± Among the envoys in the founding ceremony of the Maren Dukedom, the High Priest of the Holy Empire was the most distinguished guest along with Crown Prince Voltaire. It was extremely difficult to see a high priest, and Laerina was famous as a saintess as well. The nobles could not hide their excitement as they greeted her with excitement and expectations. ¡°It is a great honor to meet so many of you sirs. Although the current situation is somewhat exceptional, I believe this is also the will and the protection of the three gods,¡± Laerina said. ¡°I believe¡­¡± ¡°As the holy will of the three gods¡­¡± The nobles imitated Laerina¡¯s holy symbol while nodding. As she said, they could only regard the current situation as being the ¡®will of god¡¯. The delegation had been rescued, and the pirates had been converted. ¡°As all of you know, the three gods have sent His Majesty the King of Maren, an honorable knight and the flagbearer of faith, to rescue me,¡± Laerina continued in an elegant, pious voice. The nobles turned their eyes toward Eugene. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. As I said before, I only did my duty as a knight,¡± Eugene stated. ¡®That high priest. I like her.¡¯ Eugene lightly nodded while staring at Laerina with a friendly look. He was grateful to her because she had removed his restraint. ¡®How audacious! How cheeky!¡¯ Laerina suppressed her boiling emotions. Eugene was responsible for the unbelievable divine proclamation of ¡®are you out of your mind?¡¯. While sweeping her gaze at the nobles, she continued, ¡°But I do not think that this is the end of their holy will. The deep and generous will of the gods continues.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The nobles took on puzzled expressions. Laerina drew the holy symbol in the air once more as she continued, more pious than ever, ¡°The uprising of monsters is prevalent everywhere. That is the reason I blessed His Majesty, who is trying to save everyone from the crisis.¡± Ohhhh¡­! ¡°Yes. I dare declare that I have been entrusted with full authority from the Holy Father. Blessed be His Majesty as he fights against the monster uprisings, and the Holy Empire will join in the holy war as well. In addition, in the holy name of the three gods, I hereby invite His Majesty Jan Eugene Batla to the Holy Empire,¡± Laerina declared. The high priest had given her blessing before the holy war with the monsters began. From now on, the King of Maren would bring glory to the Holy Empire with every victory. If you couldn¡¯t beat them, join them¡ªthat was the conclusion the high priest reached after accidentally giving an unexpected blessing. CH 264 ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene watched as the ship carrying the Holy Empire¡¯s delegation disappeared into the distance. ¡°You must have mixed feelings, right? Still, I think it¡¯s a relief and that we achieved the best result possible,¡± Prince Localope said after sneaking up to Eugene¡¯s side. Eugene glanced at the prince before turning his eyes back to the ship of the Holy Empire. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I just find it a little strange,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Strange? What do you mean?¡± Localope asked. Eugene answered, ¡°That ship. It looks too untouched, no matter how I look at it.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Prince Localope turned his gaze toward the disappearing ship. He couldn¡¯t make out the details like Eugene could, but it certainly seemed rather pristine. ¡°Well, it seems like it. But what about it?¡± Prince Localope asked. ¡°Are ships usually left like that after being attacked by pirates?¡± Eugene pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°There were no scratches at all. There¡¯s not even a trace of a single arrow hit,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Prince Localope fell into contemplation. It was certainly strange. Even if the pirates had intended to take the delegation hostage, it would have been normal for them to fire harpoons or arrows to intimidate. ¡°Moreover, you must have seen the holy knights accompanying the high priest and the others, right? What did you think of them?¡± Eugene asked. Prince Localope responded, ¡°Judging from their unusual spirit and eyes, they¡¯re truly a group of elite holy knights of the Holy Empire. I¡¯m certain that they¡¯re outstanding knights.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Meanwhile, the dragon-whatever had many members, but there wasn¡¯t anyone particularly eye-catching or strong among them,¡± Eugene said. Only a few members of the Dragonborn pirates knew how to properly wield a sword. Those members included several ex-mercenaries and their leader had been the child of a small, unknown family of knights in the countryside. Still, even the Partec of the past could have handled them all. ¡°So, what I¡¯m saying is that it should have been possible to wipe them out with just three or four of the Holy Empire¡¯s holy knights,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°¡­!¡± Prince Localope¡¯s eyes slightly widened. Eugene continued, ¡°And did you see whether any of the holy knights had been injured? Moreover, not even a single pirate had received injuries from the holy knights.¡± ¡°Are you saying¡­ that there was no battle at all?¡± Prince Localope asked. ¡°I speculate so,¡± Eugene said in a quiet voice. He then turned before speaking once more, ¡°Sir Edmund. Bring me the leader of the pirates.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Edmund answered. Soon, Ukre approached Eugene with a servile smile unbefitting his ugly appearance. ¡°Oh, honorable and, uh¡­ great, and¡­ uh¡­ Ah! Intelligent¡ª¡± ¡°Never mind. Let me ask you something,¡± Eugene said after stopping Ukre¡¯s pathetic attempt at imitating a noble¡¯s way of speaking. He then continued with a cold gaze, ¡°What were you thinking when you attacked the delegation of the Holy Empire?¡± ¡°What? O-obviously, we were trying to capture them and get some ransom¡­¡± Ukre stammered through his answer. Eugene placed his hand on Wolfslaughter before saying, ¡°No more chances. Speak nonsense one more time, and your head will fly.¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Ukre immediately wiped the smile off of his face and straightened his posture. ¡°Why did you attack the delegation? From the beginning to the end. Tell me everything,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes! So what happened was¡­¡± Ukre quickly gave an accurate, clear account of the events. After hearing Ukre¡¯s story, Eugene raised his hand from Wolfslaughter¡¯s sheathe and stroked his chin. ¡°Hmm. So they were loitering around the nearby area for more than fifteen days? And because of what they had done, you were unable to operate, or rather, pirate?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s right. As I told you, this humble one really, really didn¡¯t want to attack them. However, my subordinates were so angry that¡­ Well, as Your Majesty should know very well, in our line of work, you always have to be careful of the underlings and the possibility of revolt¡ª¡± ¡°You dare! His Majesty does not understand the circumstances of a vicious pirate like you!¡± Edmund angrily interrupted. Ukre quickly raised his hands and waved while shouting, ¡°No! That¡¯s not what I meant! Please, I made a mistake!¡± ¡°Calm down, Sir Edmund,¡± Eugene said. ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty,¡± Edmund said while backing down. Eugene spoke once more, ¡°Anyway, you had no choice but to attack them because they were interfering with your business, right? You didn¡¯t have any intention of actually capturing them; you only wanted to chase them away?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. That¡¯s right. We¡¯re not crazy enough to attack a delegation of the Holy Empire,¡± Ukre answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene¡¯s curiosity was finally resolved. It would have been natural for the Holy Empire to pay great attention to the security of a delegation containing a high priest of their empire. Eugene had assumed that the pirates had to have a trick up their sleeves to have captured the delegation of the Holy Empire, but he had been mistaken. ¡®They had purposely let themselves be captured.¡¯ Eugene finally discovered the truth. He waved to Ukre. ¡°I understand. You can go now.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± ¡°Oh, wait,¡± Eugene called out as Ukre walked away with his head drooping. ¡°Do you¡­ have something else to say?¡± Ukre asked as he was struck by a feeling of unknown anxiety. Eugene responded while spreading open a leather pocket, ¡°You may have repented, but it doesn¡¯t mean that the sins you have committed have disappeared. Well, Marquis Archivold will decide what to do with you and your subordinates, but you had been quite a nuisance to me as well. Shouldn¡¯t you pay the price for that?¡± ¡°Of course! You¡¯re absolutely right!¡± ¡®Dammit! You were there when the high priest forgave us!¡¯ Unfortunately, the high priest was long gone, and Eugene was now the man in charge. Ukre had no choice but to hide his true feelings and bow in a servile manner. ¡°I will show you to the safe.¡± ¡°Sir Edmund. I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Understood, Your Majesty,¡± Edmund answered. ¡®Hehe. Even if you are a member of the Tribe of Darkness, you¡¯ll never find what we hid underground.¡¯ Ukre found some relief in the fact that he wouldn¡¯t lose everything. After all, such feats were only possible for dwarves. He headed toward his residence with Edmund. However¡­ ¡°You should go, too. Make sure you don¡¯t miss a single coin,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kihehe! Leave it to me. Kihohohohoho¡­¡± The evil, golden spirit slowly crept out of the leather pocket with a burst of creepy laughter. The spirit was unmatched when it came to sniffing out gold, silver, and treasures. And she excitedly followed after the leader of the pirates. Localope nodded with a peaceful expression while looking alternatingly between the spirit and Eugene.¡± Even though you have been blessed, you haven¡¯t changed at all, Your Majesty. I¡®m relieved that it¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene wasn¡¯t sure exactly why Localope was relieved, but it somehow annoyed him. *** Eugene fully robbed the Dragonborn pirates of their possessions, then left the island two days later after confirming that the troops of the three lords had arrived on the island. Unlike how they entered, the ships of the expedition exited the waters near the island without any problems. The reason was simple¡­ Boom¡­ Boooom! Every muffled explosion coming from below the sea caused the remains of the destroyed reefs to float up to the surface before sinking. The water near the island''s coast was only five to six meters deep, and the twin-headed ogre was destroying all the reefs in the vicinity. Naturally, the monster couldn¡¯t destroy all the reefs, but it cleared the water near the small cape the pirates had been using as a dock. ¡°This will stop the pirates from hiding on that island.¡± ¡°And with the reefs gone, the current has slightly changed as well. It¡¯s a regular island now. Huh! Anyway, I can¡¯t believe that he actually thought of using a monster to do such a thing¡­¡± Boom! The twin-headed ogre crawled up to the waiting galley after completing its task. ¡°Uaah?!¡± ¡°Uah¡­¡± The ogre did not harm anyone unless it was ordered to do so by Eugene, but its overwhelming presence still caused the sailors to fall into fear and anxiety. But even that only lasted for a moment. The sailors on board the ship took something out of their pockets before hanging it around their necks. The objects were holy artifacts made of wood. The sailors had rushed to make the objects after learning that the fearsome monster did not attack believers, then hung the objects around their necks. The ogre stood tall on the deck as it glanced over the crew with its four red eyes. The sailors gulped with fear and tension. The ogre drew the holy symbol in the air toward them. ¡°¡­!¡± The members of the expedition, the foreign nobles in particular, were astonished at the sight. It was something they would never believe something like this if they hadn¡¯t seen it with their own eyes. Eugene watched the scene play out with a pleased expression. ¡°This is rather good. I will have to keep that order.¡± ¡°Kuku! That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a little hard to look at, but it¡¯s definitely effective,¡± Galfredik responded. ¡°It is actually pleasing to the eyes. Anyone will consider the ogre to be a warrior of god rather than a monster. Nice and strong. Haa. Haaaaa.¡± Princess Lilisain responded while revealing her eccentric taste. ¡°More importantly, the repulsion the foreign nobles felt toward the twin-head ogre has completely disappeared. Even a high priest of the Holy Empire gave her blessings.¡± Laerina had blessed the twin-headed ogre as well before departing. However, unlike Eugene, there was no way of knowing the blessing¡¯s effect. ¡®Well, that¡¯s not really important. The fact that no one will doubt its existence from now on is a more important fact.¡¯ Eugene was completely satisfied that no one would be able to express their doubts about the twin-headed ogre in the future. What if someone did talk nonsense about the twin-headed ogre? It would be akin to insulting a high priest of the Holy Empire, and in turn, insulting the Pope and the Holy Empire as well. They would be blatantly denying the three gods and the church. ¡°Maybe I should have taken care of their travel expenses. I feel sorry to have received so much without giving anything in return,¡± Eugene said. He was only grateful to Laerina and the delegation of the Holy Empire. Of course, he was still slightly bothered that they had purposely allowed themselves to be captured by the pirates, but he could figure out the reason over time. ¡®And I have my suspicions as well...¡¯ A certain individual had come to mind as soon as Eugene heard the truth about the delegation from the leader of the pirates. ¡®The yellow bastard.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure why, but he had a hunch that Crown Prince Voltaire had some involvement in the issue. ¡°Hoho¡­¡± Eugene chuckled when he thought of Crown Prince Voltaire. For some reason, he had a hunch that the crown prince would become involved with him when he headed to the areas affected by the monster uprising. The crown prince was arrogant enough to kidnap Romari just for the sake of provoking him. And although there was still no clear evidence, the crown prince was a man¡ªviolent and dangerous enough to scheme using evil lands. ¡®But I have already made him suffer defeat several times.¡¯ The crown prince wouldn¡¯t just stand still. In addition, all of Eugene¡¯s destinations were adjacent to the Roman Empire. Unlike Brantia and the Caylor Kingdom, those kingdoms were under the significant influence of the Roman Empire. ¡®I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve prepared, but it won¡¯t go your way. Why?¡¯ Fwoosh! Eugene¡¯s hair was scattered by the sea breeze as he stood on the deck of the ship. He gazed at the land in the far distance. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be invited anymore,¡± he muttered. Eugene smiled as he looked in the direction of the Roman Empire¡ªthe base of Crown Prince Voltaire¡ªas well as the various vampire clans. *** Eugene¡¯s expedition finally arrived at a place known as Moyna Port after a three-day voyage. Eugene had agreed with Maren¡¯s parliament to prioritize helping the kingdoms that offered the largest compensations, as well as those who had asked for help first. As such, the purpose of the expedition was to go from place to place and uphold their end of the contract, starting with the Dukedom of Viseche. ¡°Your Majesty. Your mind and body must be tired from the long journey, so why don¡¯t you relax at the banquet today?¡± The nobles belonging to the delegation from the Dukedom of Viseche suggested. ¡°No. Thank you for your suggestion, but I think it would be better to head straight to the affected area,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°What? But¡­¡± The nobles were startled by Eugene¡¯s unexpected response. They had been seeking to pursue their own benefits by introducing Eugene, the princess of Eland, and the prince of the Roman Empire to the others. Eugene spoke to them in a stern manner, ¡°Even at this very moment, the people of your country must be suffering because of the monsters, right? By now, their size must have grown significantly, so I don¡¯t think we can afford to relax and enjoy a banquet. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Truly¡­ Truly honorable and generous, Your Majesty!¡± The nobles of Viseche were truly touched by Eugene¡¯s concern. He was sincerely worried about them, even though this place wasn¡¯t even a part of his own country. Of course, Eugene¡¯s true thoughts were somewhat different. ¡®If I agree to all of their invitations, I feel like I might play right into a ploy of that yellow bastard. Besides, I have heard that the Dukedom of Viseche is one of the Roman Empire¡¯s lackeys.¡¯ The best strategy in a game wasn¡¯t to play into the opponent¡¯s hand. Eugene was sure of it. ¡®If it comes to it, then you should be the one playing into my hands.¡¯ CH 265 ¡°What? The King of Maren wants to leave right away?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He wants to save the people suffering from the monsters as soon as possible. He said he will depart right away after filling up the supplies. He is indeed an honorable knight.¡± The expression of the knight reporting to the governor and the nobles of the Moyna Port of the Dukedom of Viseche was filled with joy. However, the governor and the nobles could not hide their shock and disappointment. ¡°Huh! Even if that¡¯s the case, he should at least meet with us, the purebloods of Viseche!¡± ¡°We even omitted the process of entry into the nation for him, so this¡­¡± The eyebrow of the knight wriggled when he saw that the nobles were disappointed. ¡°Sirs. What do you mean by all of that? The safety of the dukedom is no different from a candle in front of a storm. Shouldn¡¯t we obviously prioritize exterminating the monsters?¡± The nobles coughed awkwardly after hearing the knight¡¯s criticism. Although they were the leaders of Moyna Port, the knight in front of them was a man of high standing¡ªsomeone with a high enough status to have been included in the delegation of the Viseche Dukedom. ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t say anything about that, did we? But when it comes to such things, there is always an order that has to be followed.¡± ¡°We¡¯re only saying this because we are disappointed. If he came to talk to us first, then we could have provided him with support to help him with the subjugation.¡± The nobles explained. Naturally, they were just making excuses. Most of them aimed to become acquainted with the King of Maren and the prince of the Roman Empire. After all, there were numerous rumors surrounding the two figures. In addition, although it was true that the number of monsters had suddenly exploded in the inner part of the dukedom, in truth, it had little to do with the City of Moyna. To be honest, the nobles of Moyna even hoped that the monsters would create a bigger mess. That way, the nobles and lords inland would have to ask for help from the Duke of Viseche, and the duke would have to step up to solve the issue. However, it would be difficult for the rather incompetent duke to take care of the problem, which would naturally cause the duke¡¯s influence to weaken. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be better to take this chance and split?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not like they are doing anything for us aside from collecting taxes.¡¯ ¡®What if we take advantage of this opportunity? There¡¯s no saying that we can¡¯t follow Maren¡¯s example, right?¡¯ The Dukedom of Viseche was no different from a simple coalition of cities and territories. They weren¡¯t under the domination of a strong, central power. Moreover, the City of Moyna was the richest city in the dukedom. As such, it was only natural for the leaders of Moyna to have thoughts of independence. ¡°So, did the King of Maren leave the gate already?¡± ¡°Not yet, but he will depart before the sun sets,¡± the knight responded bluntly. However, the nobles boisterously laughed in response to the knight¡¯s bluntness. ¡±Ah! That¡¯s good. If we invite him directly, he will have to accept.¡± ¡°Let us send someone right away. We made an effort to prepare a banquet, so we can¡¯t just let him leave. We can enjoy the banquet today and have an in-depth meeting tomorrow.¡± ¡°Right. He¡¯s a guest who came all this way to do something great for us, so it¡¯s natural for him to meet and talk with us, who do great things in Moyna.¡± Hahahaha¡­ The knight was speechless at the sight of Moyna¡¯s leaders laughing harmoniously. ¡°Everyone¡ª¡± the knight started. The captain of the guards quickly came up to the group and interrupted the knight. ¡°Your Excellency, sirs, His Majesty the King of Maren has just left the gate.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A-already?¡± ¡°All of them? All of the expedition members left?¡± The atmosphere quickly changed, and the captain of the guards responded, ¡°Yes. All of the people who entered the country left, saying that this was urgent.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A moment of silence followed the guard captain¡¯s incredulous answer. ¡°How could someone be so tactless?¡± ¡°And to think he was so famous for being an honorable knight! What honor?¡± ¡°Sirs! Isn¡¯t this outright disrespect toward the City of Moyna?¡± Their disappointment quickly flamed into anger. Naturally, beneath their anger were their anxious hearts. They were worried that the King of Maren, who was also known as an unparalleled knight, would actually take care of the problem of the monster uprising. If that came true, then their plan to make use of the situation to strengthen Moyna¡¯s position in the dukedom and even argue their independence would all come crumbling down. That was why the governor and the nobles had attempted to keep the King of Maren and the expedition in the city as long as possible. ¡°Hmm. Sirs. May I say something?¡± Baron Lusa, the head of the most prestigious family in Moyna and the owner of the only evil land located near the city, stepped up and spoke solemnly. ¡°Oh, please speak, Sir Lusa.¡± It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the city was heavily reliant on the by-products and the mana stones from the dungeon of the Lusa territory. As such, even the governor was very respectful toward the baron. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, the King of Maren doesn¡¯t have any particular reasons not to meet with us. And if he really wants to save the people as soon as possible, a day¡¯s delay won¡¯t make any difference,¡± Baron Lusa said. ¡°That¡¯s right. Sir Lusa has a point.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s a war going on. A single day isn¡¯t going to make any difference¡­¡± The nobles with an amicable relationship with him voiced their agreement. Baron Lusa nodded before continuing, ¡°That¡¯s right. And yet, he rushed out of the city without even saying hello to us, right? I don¡¯t know what it is exactly, but doesn¡¯t it seem like he wants to hide something from us?¡± ¡°Hooh!¡± ¡°Something he wants to hide¡­¡± Baron Lusa explained, ¡°For example, the monster that Sir Palo, the one who was on the delegation to Maren, wrote about. The twin-headed ogre. I just can¡¯t comprehend how one could make an undead monster repent and make use of it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The expressions of the noble stiffened when Lusa spoke of the twin-headed ogre. The story of the King capturing a twin-headed ogre on the Carls Baggins Peninsula during his time as a knight had been a pretty hot topic in Moyna as well. Most of the stories and rumors circulating in Moyna originated from the City of Moffern, as the two cities traded with each other. The twin-headed ogre was called the king of monsters. It was already unbelievable that someone had managed to capture an undead twin-headed ogre created by a black wizard, but to let it repent with faith? Although it had been a hot topic of discussion, everyone considered it nonsense. It was clear to everyone that Essandra Archivold was spreading unreasonable rumors about the knight she had hired to justify the peninsula¡¯s unification. As such, the rumor about the twin-headed ogre quickly disappeared after a brief moment of spotlight. But a few years later, there was news that the King of Maren was once again trying to awaken the monster with noble faith. Moreover, rumor had it that the King of Maren would bring the monster with him on his way to take care of the monster uprising in Viseche. It was a truly ridiculous piece of news, and it came from Baron Palo¡¯s letter, a man whom Duke Viseche had enough trust in to send the former as a representative of the delegation. The leaders of Moyna wanted the duke¡¯s influence to weaken, so the story was simply unbelievable and unreliable for them. ¡°So, Sir Lusa, you are saying that the King of Maren has left the city so soon without meeting us because there¡¯s something wrong with the monster, is that it? He didn¡¯t want us to discover that there¡¯s a problem with it,¡± one of the nobles said. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but I cannot think of any other possible explanation. Why else would the King of Maren, who is supposed to be so honorable, turn a blind eye to the leaders of Moyna?¡± Baron Lusa said. Everyone nodded, seemingly in agreement with Baron Lusa¡¯s clever words. However, a few nobles shared mysterious gazes. They had a rough idea of why Baron Lusa was saying such things. ¡®He had a private meeting with a messenger of Crown Prince Voltaire, right?¡¯ ¡®The messenger didn¡¯t even meet with the duke. Why else did the crown prince send a messenger to Sir Lusa? He¡¯s obviously intending to lend our city the strength in declaring our independence.¡¯ Baron Lusa had been communicating with the empire¡¯s imperial family for a long time, and Crown Prince Voltaire, the next ruler of the Roman Empire, had openly sent him a messenger to share his thoughts. The leaders of Moyna could clearly see the intent behind the crown prince¡¯s actions. ¡°Hmm! Sirs, after listening to Sir Lusa¡¯s words, it certainly seems that the King of Maren has alarming intentions. If that monster is dangerous, then as the governor of Moyna¡­¡± the governor declared. Although their cooperation was made to pursue a goal earlier, Baron Lusa was still inwardly happy when the governor sympathized with him. ¡®With this, my family¡¯s dungeon is safe. When the turmoil subsides in the future, my family will be the exclusive supplier of mana stones and monster by-products.¡¯ The corners of Baron Lusa¡¯s lips started to curl up when he recalled the conversation he had with the messenger of the crown prince. All of a sudden, a voice could be heard. ¡°Ha! This is so pathetic I could die!¡± ¡°W-what?! Sir, what did you just say?!¡± ¡°Where do you think you are for you to dare¡­!¡± The knight who had accompanied Baron Palo on the delegation made a sarcastic remark to himself, and the nobles immediately retorted with fierce expressions. However, the knight didn¡¯t hide his sneer as he looked around the nobles. ¡°I said that I could die because this is so pathetic,¡± he said ¡°What? T-that man dares¡­ Sir¡­!¡± One of the nobles started yelling. The knight interrupted him, ¡°Ah! Come to think of it, none of you sirs knows yet.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that¡­?¡± ¡°There has been a blessing!¡± the knight continued. ¡°Bles¡­sing?¡± ¡°What does¡­¡± The nobles hesitated at the unexpected words. ¡°Yes. A blessing¡­¡± The knight nodded. He then straightened his posture and continued triumphantly, ¡°The High Priest of the Holy Empire! High Priest Laerina also known as the Saintess of the Holy Empire has blessed His Majesty Jan Eugene Batla. And she also blessed the twin-headed ogre, which you sirs described as a monster.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The nobles immediately ceased their criticism as their eyes filled with shock. Baron Lusa was also stupefied, but he quickly shook himself awake before responding, ¡°W-what do you mean by that? The blessing of the Holy Empire¡¯s high priest? The High Priest has been captured by wicked pirates and¡­¡± ¡°Yes, but His Majesty the King rescued her,¡± the knight replied. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Aha, so it appears that the High Priest did not stop by Moyna on her way back to the Holy Empire. Well, she is a busy person, so no wonder she didn¡¯t stop here,¡± the knight remarked. ¡°N-no, sir. Tell us the details. S-so you¡¯re saying that the High Priest has already been rescued and is currently on her way to the Holy Empire?¡± The knight explained, ¡°Yes. That was already three days ago. The Dragonborn Pirates were thoroughly destroyed through repentance and conversion. His Majesty played a huge role with his twin-headed ogre, and the High Priest personally decided to bless them. Moreover¡­¡± ¡°Moreover?¡± the nobles asked while staring at the knight with bewitched eyes. The knight felt rather exhilarated as he continued in a proud voice, ¡°The High Priest bestowed the twin-headed ogre with the title: Messenger of God. But what did you say? The twin-headed ogre is a dangerous monster? The king¡¯s intentions are suspicious?¡± The knight openly scoffed at the nobles. They looked to be even more flustered and shocked compared to when they heard Eugene¡¯s departure. The knight delivered the final blow in a low, cold voice. ¡°Sirs¡­ Can I consider this as a challenge to the Holy Empire, the Holy Father, and the gods?¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The nobles took on pale expressions. The nobles of Moyna dared to dream of independence due to the opportunity provided to them by the monster uprising. However, the approval of the Holy Empire was absolute for them. What was the use if they shouted independence by themselves? The moment the Holy Empire rejected them, or even labeled them as heretics, their hope of independence would become nothing more than a vain dream. And just a moment ago, they had spoken out against the subject of the high priest¡¯s personal blessing. ¡°Shall I tell you all something even more important?¡± the knight asked. ¡°W-what do you mean by¡­¡± The nobles stared at him with quivering eyes. The knight continued, ¡°His Majesty has been formally invited to the Holy Empire. It also turned out that it was the first time in history that a member of the Tribe of Darkness had received an invitation to the Holy Empire. I¡¯m sure all of you know what this means. Well then, I must get going to escort Sir Palo to the dukedom¡¯s castle.¡± After finishing his remarks, the knight turned around without even saying goodbye. Numerous thoughts flashed by the minds of the governor and the nobles in the short moment when the knight took his first few steps away from them. ¡®What if that knight returns to the King of Maren like this?¡¯ ¡®Then the king would hear about the things we said about him!¡¯ ¡®And that means¡­ both the Dukedom of Viseche and the Holy Empire will find out as well!¡¯ The nobles and the governor came to an immediate decision. ¡°Well!¡± ¡°Sir Buildemain! Why are you in such a hurry?!¡± ¡°N-now, now, please wait a moment! Although he has already left, you must convey our sincerity to His Majesty the King!¡± ¡°Siiirrr!¡± The nobles began to chase after the knight. ¡®As expected, His Majesty was right.¡¯ Buildemain, the knight of the Viseche Dukedom, had reached the semifinals of the knight competition. He had been completely enamored by the strength and chivalry of Eugene and Princess Lilisain. He stopped himself from bursting out into laughter before turning around. ¡®Even these junkies can be used financially...¡¯ Buildemain was reminded of Eugene¡¯s words¡ªhe should ignore those unhelpful, but take everything without missing a single drop from those who could help out in resolving the monster uprising. ¡°These are the words of His Majesty the King. He looks forward to seeing the sincerity of you sirs as the purebloods of Viseche.¡± CH 266 ¡°Great work, Sir Buildemain.¡± ¡°Not at all. I only spoke a few words.¡± Buildemain shook his head humbly at Eugene¡¯s compliment. He felt ashamed to be lauded for doing a small favor for someone who had come to help his nation. ¡°So, the governor of Moyna and the nobles showed considerable sincerity?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. When I told them that Your Majesty has already secured all the basic supplies, they gave me other types of goods,¡± Buildemain responded before turning his head toward a cart filled with boxes. ¡°Open just one of them,¡± Eugene instructed. A few beowulf warriors excitedly opened one of the boxes. Ohhhh¡­! Everyone exclaimed with wide eyes when they saw the box filled to the brim with silver. ¡°There are gold coins, gold bars, silver bars, and refined mana stones,¡± Buildemain said. The boxes lining the cart were filled with various forms of ¡®sincerity¡¯ sent by the leaders of Moyna. ¡°They are honorable people who care deeply about their country. As expected, they truly are purebloods,¡± Eugene commented while nodding with satisfaction. It felt good to grow stronger, and it felt good to take revenge. Of course, it also felt good to gain more wealth. ¡°¡­¡± Buildemain barely stopped himself from retorting. It was true that he had been greatly disappointed by the leaders of Moyna, but they were also nobles of the Viseche Dukedom. He couldn¡¯t voice his disagreement when the King of Maren was trying to save them face. ¡°Anyway, the nobles of Moyna won¡¯t be sending anyone here, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. They think that Your Majesty and the expedition are already quite a distance away from Moyna,¡± Buildemain answered. It certainly made sense. Eugene had left the gates of Moyna along with the expedition before sending Buildemain to the governor, and that was already half a day ago. It would have been normal for the expedition to have traveled dozens of kilometers in the meantime. But in truth, Eugene and the expedition had stopped after traversing for about an hour after departing from Moyna, then waited for Buildemain. Eugene had successfully avoided the annoying invitations of the Moyna nobles while also receiving the full extent of their ¡®sincerity¡¯. He had perfectly killed two birds with one stone. ¡°Then let¡¯s get going,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes. We can stop by the villages on our way to procure food. Since the rate of consumption is so high, it would be best to resupply once every three days,¡± Buildemain answered. ¡°It¡¯s because they eat so much,¡± Eugene said while observing the beowulfs busy ripping through jerkies. When the beowulfs noticed Eugene¡¯s gaze, they grinned while waving. ¡°Hehe. At least they¡¯re worth what they eat.¡± Although it was expensive to feed the beowulfs, they were definitely worth more than the expense. Otherwise, there would have been no reason to let the beowulf warriors join in on this expedition. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Galfredik shouted, and the expedition started to move once again. Baron Palo, the representative of the Viseche Dukedom¡¯s delegation, came to Eugene¡¯s side with Buildemain. ¡°Your Majesty. I have something to discuss with you. Is that all right with you?¡± he asked. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Eugene answered. With Eugene¡¯s permission, Palo gestured at Buildemain. Buildemain stepped forward and spoke, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s just a feeling, but some of Moyna¡¯s nobles were acting a little strange.¡± ¡°Acting a little strange?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. As Your Majesty expected, some nobles used disparaging words to describe Your Majesty before I brought up the story about the Holy Empire¡¯s High Priest. But the one who started everything was someone unexpected,¡± Buildemain continued. ¡°Hmm. Who was it?¡± Eugene asked. When Eugene showed interest, Baron Palo stepped up and responded, ¡°Baron Lusa, the lord of a territory north of Moyna. He is the only one with an evil land inside his territory.¡± ¡°Hooh¡­¡± ¡°As you should know, Baron Lusa has a strong voice and influence in the City of Moyna, as he¡¯s the only one with an evil land. The mana stones and by-products coming from the Lusa territory¡¯s dungeon are responsible for much of the city¡¯s economy. The problem is that Lord Lusa has nothing to gain if the number of roamers keeps increasing and the resolution of the situation is delayed,¡± Palo continued. ¡°Since that will only make it difficult to properly subjugate the dungeon. His territory will have to make a loss in the meantime, and he would also lose influence in the City of Moyna. But the Lord of Lusa was actually the first to disparage me?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what I find so weird.¡± It was certainly strange. Any nobles with their own evil land would welcome Eugene and the expedition with open arms, as the resolution of the monster uprising was directly linked to their own interests and profits. And yet, Lord Lusa had attacked Eugene with his words? ¡®Hmm. Perhaps?¡¯ An idea suddenly crossed Eugene¡¯s mind. Eugene asked, ¡°By chance, this Lord Lusa, is he close to the Roman Empire, or rather, the imperial family?¡± ¡°What? Ah, yes. Certainly, his family has had quite a few exchanges with the imperial family starting from the previous generation. But how did Your Majesty possibly¡ª¡± Baron Palo was one of the closest aides to Duke Viseche. As such, he was competent at gathering intelligence and was also bright when it came to the state of affairs. ¡°Well, I have my guesses. Anyway, if he¡¯s a noble with a relationship with the imperial family, then His Excellency Viseche shouldn¡¯t like him very much, is that right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. He has always kept a close eye on Baron Lusa,¡± Baron Palo answered. The Dukedom of Viseche was a coalition of cities and territories, and the nobles of Viseche had many close relationships with foreign nobles. However, having a close relationship with the imperial family of the Roman Empire was a slightly different matter. It was a widespread fact that the Roman Empire had always been trying to suppress its neighbors and project its influence. Baron Lusa showing off his friendship with the imperial family of the Roman Empire was inevitably an eyesore for the Duke of Viesche. When Eugene lowered his voice, the baron also followed suit while crouching slightly. ¡°Sir Palo. What if¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Eugene continued, ¡°Would the Duke of Viseche be pleased if I dealt with Sir Lusa?¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Baron Palo flinched before quickly nodding. He then responded, ¡°Of course. However, the issue of the monster uprising is a greater predicament for our nation right now. I¡¯m worried if Your Majesty could afford the time. Moreover, I¡¯m also worried that if you personally took care of Sir Lusa, the other nobles might consider Your Majesty¡¯s actions to be meddling in internal affairs¡­¡± It was definitely understandable for Baron Palo to be worried, as he had signed an agreement with Eugene on the dukedom¡¯s behalf and brought them back to his country. A foreign noble¡ªa supreme leader of a country taking care of one of their lords in their own territory was a matter that would affect their national pride. Baron Palo and Duke Viseche would naturally be held responsible, as they brought Eugene here. ¡°I understand what you are worried about. But what if I could take care of the justification as well?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­Then I have no worries,¡± Baron Palo hesitantly answered. Eugene¡¯s assurance wasn¡¯t enough to absolve him from all of his worries. It appeared he wanted to prioritize the monster uprising. ¡°Anyway, I understand. First, let¡¯s focus on taking care of the monster problem. I will keep the promise I made on my honor, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I trust Your Majesty,¡± Baron Palo answered. He returned with Buildemain to the group of foreign nobles. Edmund and Galfredik slowly guided their horses to Eugene¡¯s side. ¡°Master, is there another problem?¡± Galfredik asked. Eugene answered, ¡°It looks like the yellow bastard has left his shit in this place as well. Well, it¡¯s only a hunch so far.¡± ¡°Crown Prince Voltaire?¡± Edmund asked. ¡°Yes. There is a man, Baron Lusa, in Moyna¡­¡± Eugene relayed the story he had heard from Baron Palo. He then instructed Edmund, ¡°First of all, sir, take some elven knights and go to the Lusa territory. Find out the status of the roamer monsters and whether the dungeon subjugation is proceeding smoothly or not.¡± ¡°Understood. I will return in three days,¡± Edmund answered. ¡°Good. I will see you at the Bemos territory,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Edmund departed with two elven knights. The expedition continued to head toward the Bemos territory, the place where the monster uprising was taking place. *** Two days later, the expedition arrived in the vicinity of the Bemos territory. While the servants and slaves set up camp, Eugene gathered the nobles. Unlike when they had first departed from Moyna, the expressions of the nobles were completely stiff. ¡°The number of roamer monsters has definitely increased by a significant amount. We have already killed more than two hundred monsters today¡­¡± ¡°With the current state of things, it would be difficult to even go from territory to territory without hiring dozens of mercenaries.¡± The nobles could not rest easy after personally confirming the reality of the situation. Their worries grew when they imagined that similar things were happening in their own countries. ¡°And there might be a limit to just recklessly killing the monsters we encounter without a proper plan.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not like we can wander around aimlessly until we come across their base. This is a problem.¡± It was one of the biggest weaknesses of having a small group of elite soldiers. The roamers were far too spread out that the individual strength of the warriors didn¡¯t matter so much. And taking care of the monsters one by one would take too much time, which would cause an even greater prevalence of monsters in other regions and countries. The nobles of other countries who had signed agreements with Eugene could not help but feel like they were in a predicament. They felt hurried. As the gazes of the foreign nobles slowly gathered toward Eugene, Prince Localope stepped forward. He had unofficially become the pivotal figure uniting the foreign nobles. ¡°Ehem. Your Majesty, how about you share with us a detailed plan on how to take care of the monsters? The many sirs gathered here are quite worried. Ah, of course, it¡¯s not like we doubt Your Majesty¡¯s honor. Isn¡¯t that right, sirs?¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± ¡°We have no doubts about Your Majesty¡¯s honor and bravery. However, time is of the essence in this matter, right?¡± The nobles¡¯ worries weren¡¯t unwarranted since they had paid a lot of money to ¡®hire¡¯ Eugene. Eugene responded while looking around, ¡°I¡¯ll explain.¡± The expressions of the nobles somewhat brightened at Eugene¡¯s answer. They wondered what kind of plan the King of Maren had in mind. After all, he had already proven himself by employing an unorthodox tactical strategy when he rescued the high priest of the Holy Empire. ¡°We are going to hit the center,¡± Eugene said. ¡°The¡­ center?¡± ¡°There is something I didn¡¯t say until now because I was worried it would cause confusion,¡± Eugene said before turning his head. Princess Lilisain stepped forward. Even if he told the complete, unadulterated truth, no one would fully believe in him as long as he was a vampire. However, Princess Lilisain was a member of the elven royalty, and she did not tell lies. As such, they would obviously be more confident in her words. ¡°I swear in my own name and the name of Eland¡¯s royal family. I swear that the testimony I am about to give is only the truth,¡± Princess Lilisain said. Although she was a little unique, Princess Lilisain¡¯s noble honor was comparable to her beauty. The nobles were rather surprised by her determined attitude, but they nodded in response to her words. ¡°The place where the monster uprising originated in the Dukedom of Maren was a place called the Tywin territory. At the dungeon there¡­¡± Princess Lilisain testified dryly to the things she had seen and experienced at the dungeon of the Tywin territory. As she continued, the faces of the nobles turned pale. After a while, the nobles stood as still as stone statues, and Princess Lilisain drove in the final wedge. ¡°It was an evil mystery that was completely different from the Fear unique to powerful monsters. Neither I nor the knights of Eland could handle it. Only His Majesty the King was able to reach the heart of the dungeon while facing the strong malice.¡± ¡°The heart of the dungeon¡­!¡± No knight had ever reached the heart of an evil land. Rumor had it that several holy knights of the Holy Empire had accomplished the feat, but the truth couldn¡¯t be confirmed with the Holy Empire¡¯s refusal to comment. As such, the nobles couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked. ¡°The heart of an evil land. In that place was¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s calm voice quickly drew the attention of the nobles. The nobles felt exhilarated and agitated at the same time, thinking that they would be the first ones to finally learn the evil lands¡¯ biggest secret. Eugene continued, ¡°There was a translucent wall. At the appointed times, monsters would come out.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°And beyond it was a world of monsters, demonic creatures, and demons. I decided to call that place the Demon World. I couldn¡¯t think of anything else to describe a place as evil and cursed as that.¡± ¡°D-Demon World¡­!¡± The nobles shuddered with great shock. Everyone was stunned speechless. After a short moment, Prince Localope, who had already heard the story from Eugene, stepped up once again on behalf of everyone. ¡°Then¡­ Are you saying that the heart of all evil lands in the world is connected to the Demon World?¡± he asked. Eugene replied, ¡°I believe so. However, the monster uprising is due to issues within the hearts of specific evil lands.¡± ¡°S-specific evil lands? What does that mean?¡± Baron Palo asked with an anxious heart. Eugene turned toward Baron Palo before answering, ¡°The evil lands located close to water sources are responsible for entire regions. I believe that should be the case with the Bemos territory as well. Am I correct?¡± Baron Palo became wide-eyed, then answered helplessly, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right.¡± ¡°If a problem occurs with an evil land located near a water source, then the water source will become contaminated. When that happens, the problem will not remain localized. Since all of you are responsible for the larger issues of your countries, you should know what I¡¯m talking about,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°¡­!!!¡± The nobles started trembling even harder. ¡°At the end of the day, we must take care of the evil land located near the water source in Bemos. We can leave the rest of the monsters to the knights and mercenaries. They would take care of it step by step,¡± Eugene said. The nobles became slightly relieved by Eugene¡¯s words. And as if something had come to their mind, one of the nobles suddenly spoke, ¡°Ah! Then the reason why Your Majesty said that only you could take care of the problem was¡­¡± Eugene nodded with a smirk, ¡°That¡¯s right. The only ones capable of entering the heart of evil lands, which are filled with evil energy even elves can¡¯t handle, are me, and¡­¡± Eugene turned his gaze toward Galfredik, Rohime, and Christian before continuing, ¡°Daywalkers, the highest nobles of the Dark Clan.¡± ¡°Kieeeh. I can basically hear it. I can hear the sound of the vampires¡¯ market value shooting through the roof,¡± the spirit whispered while giggling in a voice only Eugene could hear. Surprisingly, she immediately understood Eugene¡¯s inner thoughts. Veela: We¡¯re going to the moon! CH 267 ¡°Dammit! A high priest of the Holy Empire gave their blessing to a member of the Dark Clan and a monster? Are they mad?¡± Baron Lusa shouted angrily while returning to his territory. Unlike when he was with the leaders of Moyna, he was only accompanied by a small number of nobles he was pretty close with, so he abandoned his fake demeanor. ¡°What if Sir Buildemain lied? Buildemain is a knight of Duke Viseche. Moreover, wasn¡¯t he a part of the delegation along with Sir Palo? He brought the King of Maren back to our land. Protecting the King of Maren would be protecting Sir Palo, and the Duke of Viseche as well. So, maybe¡­¡± ¡°Sir Buildemain is a highly reputable knight. He isn¡¯t a shallow man who would try to trick us with trivial lies. Besides, he¡¯s not a fool. Why would he lie if the truth will be revealed sooner or later, anyway?¡± The man who spoke first shut his mouth with a reddened face at the response of another noble. ¡°Now, now. In any case, it will be impossible to call out the King of Maren regarding his faith since he has received a blessing from the Holy Empire¡¯s High Priest. Does anyone have any other ideas?¡± Baron Lusa asked. ¡°¡­¡± Unfortunately, only silence greeted him. The baron couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment as he clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk! I wonder what His Highness Voltaire will have to say about this.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Now that things have come to this, why don¡¯t we just attack the King of Maren and the expedition directly?¡± one noble suggested carefully. Baron Lusa responded with a frown, ¡°Do you think that makes any sense at all? The King of Maren was invited by Baron Palo, who was acting on behalf of Duke Viseche. Are you asking me to go to war with Maren?¡± ¡°N-no! That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± The noble quickly shook his hands, then continued in a quiet voice, ¡°The inland is a mess right now because of the monsters, right? I¡¯m suggesting that we hire a moderate number of mercenaries and ambush them. Couldn¡¯t we hold them back, even if we can¡¯t outright defeat them?¡± ¡°Hooh¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t a bad idea. No, it was a pretty good idea. In the first place, Crown Prince Voltaire had simply wanted to delay the King of Maren as much as possible. It didn¡¯t matter if it was done by inviting him to a banquet or sending mercenaries to attack him as long as the results were the same. ¡°But what about the money to hire the mercenaries?¡± Baron Lusa asked. ¡°¡­¡± The nobles became silent once more. Normally, they would have willingly offered hundreds of silver coins, but their pockets were currently empty after having just shown ¡®sincerity¡¯ to the King of Maren. ¡°Tsk! I¡¯ll hire them with my money first. Send me the fund later after you return to your families, sirs,¡± Lusa said. ¡°Oh! You are as generous as you are honorable, Lord Lusa.¡± ¡°Sir Lusa is truly the only one befitting to lead the independence of Moyna.¡± ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s write a promissory note,¡± Baron Lusa said. ¡°¡­¡± The nobles swallowed their disappointment, then started writing promissory notes. They had been lauding the baron while hoping for a different outcome. ¡°By the way, Sir Lusa,¡± one of the nobles called out. ¡°What is it?¡± He answered. ¡°Your dungeon will really be safe, right?¡± the noble asked. The other nobles stared at Baron Lusa with anxious gazes as well. At a time when monsters were literally pouring out of the evil lands located inland of the dukedom, nothing was happening to the Lusa territory¡¯s dungeon. It was like a lie. However, if something did happen to the dungeon, they would clearly suffer a tragic fate, as they were located adjacent to the Lusa territory. How could they hope to stop hundreds of evolved monsters with a few knights and dozens of soldiers? Baron Lusa had been so loud when he boasted, and nothing had happened thus far as well, which was why the nobles were following him. However, their worries hadn¡¯t completely disappeared. ¡°Haha! There is absolutely nothing to worry about. My territory¡¯s dungeon will be safe even if all the other evil lands in the dukedom explode. Of course, all of you; my dear neighbors, will be safe as well. If you still harbor doubts, feel free to leave right now,¡± Baron Lusa said. The noble responsible for asking the question shook his head while breaking out into a cold sweat. ¡°H-how could I have any doubts? Ha, haha¡­ My words were unnecessary. My apologies.¡± Baron Lusa continued, ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. Anyway, you sirs simply need to watch and eat the cake after everything¡¯s done. Once there is only one evil land to be subjugated on this land, which is mine, then who else would I cooperate with to subjugate it? Who else but all of you sirs? After all, our faith was built over many generations, right?¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a given!¡± ¡°The friendship between my family and you, sir, will last forever!¡± Hahaha¡­! Baron Lusa and his followers were overjoyed as they laughed. The brutal situation that threatened the very survival of the people inland was nothing more than just a lucky break for them. *** ¡°My god¡­¡± The nobles accompanying the expedition repeatedly drew the holy symbol in the air. The village located closest to the Bemos territory was completely devastated. The smaller buildings were in ruins and bloodstains were everywhere. However, what scared the nobles the most was that there were no human corpses, which meant only one thing. ¡°The monster must have dragged all the residents away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Everyone fell into silence after hearing someone¡¯s comment. Monsters weren¡¯t intelligent, so they wouldn¡¯t take slaves like humans. There could only be one reason why they had dragged the humans away. ¡°Bwegh¡­! Uweeeegh!¡± One of the nobles started vomiting on the spot after having a certain thought. The other nobles took on pale expressions after having similar thoughts. They had traveled with Eugene¡¯s expedition and had already witnessed several battles. However, humans killing monsters was completely different from monsters devouring humans. ¡°Master. We can¡¯t just turn a blind eye to this. Let¡¯s go slaughter all of those bastards,¡± Galfredik said. He usually remained cool-headed as an outstanding knight, but even he could not hide his anger this time. Eugene nodded. ¡°Marloff, Ilaf. Look for their traces.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Two beowulf warriors answered before running out like wild beasts. The beowulf warriors were superior to even vampires when it came to their sense of smell. They could surely discover traces of the monsters that attacked the village, as well as traces of the captured villagers. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Princess Lilisain and Romari finally returned. They had gone to look around the village with the elven knights. ¡°There¡¯s no sign of any magic for now. I¡¯m sure there were only monsters,¡± Romari said. ¡°In terms of the debris and fur, there were only goblins and knolls for lower-rank monsters. The number should be over two hundred. In addition, there were long strands of fur as well. And from the footprints they left behind, I believe there were five or six lycanthropes present here as well. Lastly, there were three trolls, one of whom is judged to be the head of the group that attacked the village,¡± Princess Lilisain reported. The nobles were astonished that Princess Lilisain and Romari had gathered such extensive information regarding the monsters in such a short amount of time. On the other hand, the expressions of the knights guarding the nobles became quite serious. ¡°There are too many of them. And the monsters are traveling in groups regardless of their species?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe His Majesty¡¯s words were true¡­¡± Unlike the ignorant nobles, the knights were well knowledgeable about monsters. It was extremely rare for monsters to travel together with other types of monsters. Although there were cases where intermediate or stronger monsters overwhelmed groups of lower-ranking monsters and mobilized them with force, it was unprecedented for large groups of several different types of monsters to travel together. Although there had been a precedent in the Carls Baggins Peninsula, wherein a group of dominant monsters ruled over another group of monsters, there had never been a case of more than three different types of monsters grouped together. ¡°The term monster uprising was quite accurate after all,¡± Buildemain commented. The other knights nodded in agreement as well. The knights initially thought Eugene had been slightly exaggerating when he described the situation as an uprising of monsters, but it turned out to be quite appropriate. As far as they knew, it was unprecedented for monsters to gather and attack human settlements systematically on such a large scale. ¡°Christian. Rohime,¡± Eugene called. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The two vampire high lords came to Eugene like the wind before kneeling. Eugene continued, ¡°You two will escort His Highness the Prince and the other sirs. You two should be capable of dealing with intermediate-rank monsters as well, right?¡± ¡°I alone should be sufficient to deal with an intermediate-rank monster. And if it¡¯s the two of us, even a high-ranking monster shouldn¡¯t pose a threat,¡± Christian answered confidently. Several nobles looked at the two vampire high lords as if they were surprised. Two or three skilled knights could handle one intermediate-rank monster, while high-ranking monsters were rarely found even in evil lands. They couldn¡¯t help but be shocked after hearing the two vampire high lords regard high-ranking monsters as if they were nothing more than just random mutts on the street. ¡°Romari, you wait here. Evil spirit, stay with her,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Yes, Sir Eugene.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± The two answered. ¡°Dark Lord! We found it!¡± The two beowulf warriors returned after discovering traces of the monsters. They then continued, ¡°Those bastards headed in the same direction, and they left a strong, pungent trail behind them.¡± ¡°It has only been a day since they left¡­¡± ¡®A day?¡¯ The nobles shared puzzled gazes. Monsters did not travel on set paths like humans. How could they possibly chase after monsters when those monsters moved through mountains, forests, valleys, and other places difficult for humans to traverse? It wasn¡¯t that ¡®only¡¯ a day had elapsed¡ªone day had ¡®already¡¯ passed. Prince Localope recognized the nobles¡¯ concern and spoke on their behalf, ¡°Your Majesty. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to leave them alone for now and head to the Bemos territory? I think it might take too much time.¡± ¡°His Highness is right. There¡¯s the problem with time as well, but aren¡¯t there simply too many of them? If we want to annihilate them all¡­¡± Vizak voiced his agreement as well. Selena, who had become quite close to him, responded with a smirk, ¡°Is it because you¡¯ve lived a comfortable life in a castle? You really don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°Ha! What did you just say?¡± Vizak retorted. ¡°You¡¯ve grown quite a lot, Selena. Maybe it¡¯s because Galfredik has been working you so hard until now,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°I¡¯m flattered, Your Majesty,¡± Selena answered. Vizak stopped himself and retreated slightly after hearing Eugene¡¯s words. Eugene turned toward Localope and the nobles, ¡°Although a day has passed, the monsters had been dragging the villagers from here in the meantime. They will obviously have to travel slower than usual.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Eugene continued, ¡°And judging by their size, I think it¡¯s likely that this is the most powerful group among the monsters that originated from the Bemos territory. And that means, if we track them down, we should be able to find the one responsible for causing the monster uprising in this area. Above all else¡­¡± Eugene looked around at the nobles, then settled his gaze on Baron Palo, who was standing with a particularly grim expression. ¡°This is the land of the Viseche Dukedom, and the villagers who were taken away are the people of the dukedom, right? I think it is my duty to save them according to the contract. Don¡¯t you agree, Sir Palo?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­!¡± Baron Palo¡¯s eyes widened for a moment before he nodded with a touched expression. ¡°That¡¯s right. You are truly honorable. Your Majesty¡¯s mercy and generosity toward the people of my nation. I will never forget it,¡± Baron Palo responded. With the representative of Viseche giving his affirmation, the other foreign nobles could say no more. They could only hope that Eugene would defeat the monsters as quickly as possible and save the villagers. ¡°Ah, and one more thing,¡± Eugene said after mounting Silion and pressing down his helmet. ¡°You sirs won¡¯t have to wait here for that long.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± What was he going on about now? It would take at least two to three days to track down and exterminate all the monsters. ¡°Half a day,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!!!¡± ¡°I will take care of this tonight and return,¡± Eugene declared. ¡®I¡¯m not going to kill all the monsters, anyway. And I have a job for them as well...¡¯ Saving the people of the Viseche Dukedom? It was a noble act, but Eugene was not interested in it. It would be nice if he could save them, but it couldn¡¯t be helped if he couldn¡¯t do so. However, he was interested in the hundreds of monsters responsible for taking the villagers. The village was located outside the Bemos territory where the monster uprising began. No one would be suspicious even if the group of monsters happened to spread elsewhere. Everyone must be praying that their own territory would be spared, but they would simply count themselves unlucky if the monsters came. ¡®Lusa or Rosa. He¡¯ll think the same way.¡¯ Eugene slapped Silion¡¯s reins as he schemed to damn the nobleman who clearly had a relationship with Crown Prince Voltaire. CH 268 Krrrr¡­ A troll was heading into a thick forest filled with trees towering more than twenty meters tall. The creature had rough, gray skin, and it was a little over three meters tall. The troll had crude leather armor made from animal hide, and its appearance made it seem like a thick log. Moreover, the monster was even holding a large oak club the size of an adult man. The troll continued striding through the dense forest without hesitation before suddenly coming to a stop and turning its face. The troll¡¯s hideous face distorted into a frown when it saw something. Kuwuugh! Kwugh! Two smaller trolls and a group of about ten lycanthropes stopped at the roar of the leader troll. They had been following right behind the large troll. They acted similarly to trained troops. Their behavior would have been completely shocking to anyone who knew anything about the typical behaviors of monsters. Lycanthropes formed herds like wolves, and they were hostile to other species of monsters. Even when they were faced with larger, stronger monsters than themselves, lycanthropes would never bow their heads. They would always choose to either fight or flee, but they would never obey the orders of other monsters. But now, it appeared as if the lycanthropes were obeying the orders of the troll. It wasn¡¯t just them either¡­ Krreee! Kyarrr! Hundreds of goblins and knolls followed behind the larger monsters. When the troll roared, the goblins and the knolls halted their march as well. A group of more than three hundred monsters belonging to several different species was following the orders of a leader troll in perfect order. ¡°Ughhh¡­¡± ¡°Hu, huguuu¡­¡± ¡°Hiee¡­. Hieee.. Hieek!¡± About fifty humans collapsed while crying and tightly embracing each other. Their naked bodies were littered with wounds. The humans had already lost their minds due to extreme fear. There were hundreds of monsters surrounding and staring at them with vicious eyes. They could feel that the gazes of the monsters were filled with murderous intent and hunger. As such, it would have been rather strange if they managed to remain sane. Krrrr¡­ Krr. The leader troll stared at the humans, or rather, the livestock with vicious eyes. Weaklings¡­ If it hadn¡¯t been for these humans, there would have been no need to move this low, nor would there be a reason to take a break. The troll wanted to shred the weaklings to pieces and devour them right this instant, but it had to suppress its instinct. The weak livestock would now serve and continue to provide them with food. The one responsible for sending it out of the evil land¡ªits master¡ªhad taught him so after bestowing it with various knowledge. And another thing that its master had taught it was to not cross the river located near the village where it captured the humans. Krrr! Krrrrrr! The leader troll looked back with regret. It knew that there was so much more livestock and food to be taken, but the master¡¯s orders were absolute. It had no choice but to put up with it. Kuwuuugh! The leader troll roared to express its anger before resuming its march again. The hundreds of monsters and ¡®livestock¡¯ began to follow after the troll once again. If they went a little further, they would finally arrive at their base. Even steel-clad humans would find it difficult to approach them once they were back at their base. The monsters continued their march while revealing their sharp teeth. They were filled with joy and anticipation at the thought of holding a feast that would last several days with the livestock they had captured. Unfortunately, their excitement wasn¡¯t destined to last long. Boom¡­ Boom¡­ Boom¡­ The monsters stopped. Their five senses were much more developed compared to humans, and they could feel a weak, steady vibration coming from deep in the forest they were passing by. Krrr? The leader troll turned around. It also felt the vibration. Boom¡­! Boom¡­! The vibration quickly grew stronger. Kuwugh! Kuwuuugh! The leader troll roared while looking around at the other monsters, and the monsters started to move in response. Shockingly, the monsters were moving into formations. The leader troll and the two smaller trolls took the lead ahead of the various monsters. Boom! Boom! Boom! The rumbling grew louder, and the monsters glared in the direction where it was coming from while baring their teeth. Craack! Crunch! Booom! Several giant trees five or six times larger than the leader troll noisily fell down. Fwoooosh! Twigs and leaves were pushed aside like debris, along with a giant tree. Kuuuuuuuwuuuugh¡­! The roar of a monster larger than the leader troll shook the entire forest. Twin-headed ogre. The army of monsters instantly froze at the appearance of a superior-rank monster. It wasn¡¯t because they were shocked and startled. Rather, it was their instinct. The instinct imprinted on their souls from birth had stopped them in place as soon as they heard the roar of the twin-headed ogre. Even the leader troll could not escape its instinct. As such, it remained frozen even when the twin-headed ogre was already charging at it and was only thirty meters away. It was only when a huge steel mace, which was designed and crafted by Moffern¡¯s craftsmen, started to fall toward its head that the troll belatedly recognized the situation and started to move reflexively. Booooooom! The leader troll¡¯s oak club was instantly smashed apart. However, the momentum of the steel mace was still there, and it continued to fall on the leader troll¡¯s head. Fuuuwack! The leader troll¡¯s head exploded like a watermelon. Even then, the steel mace continued forward and made a mess out of even the troll¡¯s collarbone. Huuuuuuuuuughhh!!! The twin-headed ogre roared victoriously. Even though their leader had been killed, the two remaining trolls were still frozen in place. However, the gazes of the two trolls weren¡¯t directed at the twin-headed ogre. Instead, they were staring at a horse galloping like the wind through the trail of the twin-headed ogre¡¯s rampage. *** Eugene galloped his horse with a pair of blood-red wings made of Fear. He threw Madarazika with one hand. Fwooosh! Madarazika drew a sharp arc as it sliced through the air with a fierce sound. Craaack! The spear bent like a whip in the air and immediately penetrated the shoulders of the two trolls before returning to Eugene¡¯s hand. Kuweeegh! Eugene removed his gaze from the squealing trolls. He shouted at the elven knights and the beowulf warriors, who had just arrived at the scene. ¡°Don¡¯t kill them all! Our purpose is to drive them in the direction I had mentioned!¡± Uwaaah! The elves and beowulfs answered with a roar before quickly spreading out to both sides. They dug through between the giant trees and began attacking the monsters. ¡°Galfredik!¡± Eugene shouted. ¡°Got it!¡± Galfredik answered. The two vampires pierced into the center of the monster army. In an instant, the monsters¡¯ formation collapsed as they screamed and roared. However, they could not attack Eugene and Galfredik. In fact, it was already an impossible feat for the monsters to even face the powerful Fear of the two vampires. Instead, the monsters tried to attack the elven knights and beowulf warriors. However, low-ranking monsters like goblins and gnolls were no match against the elven knights of Eland, who had roamed the forest and hunted monsters for decades while perfecting their horsemanship. The pedigree of the elven knights¡¯ horses was as good as Silion''s, and they lived up to their masters¡¯ expectations by storming through the monsters while dashing between the large trees. Some of the more agile lycanthropes managed to catch up to the elven knights or evade the attacks by jumping to the sides. However¡­ ¡°Dog-headed bastard!¡± Clang! Armed with better armor than before, the beowulf warriors tackled the bare-bodied lycanthropes. Although they could beat the lycanthropes to death, the beowulfs limited themselves to inflicting non-critical blows to fulfill Eugene¡¯s instructions. Still, they were able to force the monsters to flee while whimpering. Meanwhile, Eugene and Galfredik arrived at where the villagers were being held captive. Shuack! Eugene released the humans from their shackles with a swing of Madarazika, then turned around once again without saying a word. After briefly meeting Galfredik¡¯s gaze, Eugene immediately mustered all of his Fear. Kwaaaaaaaa! The Fear of the Origin and his Vassal arrested the fleeing monsters on the spot. More specifically, the Fear prevented the monsters from fleeing in certain directions. With elves and beowulfs coming from the sides, and Fear even more intimidating than their dead leader emanating from behind¡­ Kieeee! Kieeek! Kieeeeek! The monsters could only make one judgment after being completely dominated by overwhelming fear. The monsters let out frightened screams before naturally flocking in one direction¡ªthe direction which Eugene and the expedition had plotted for them to escape toward. Tududududududu! Kuwwwwugh! The monsters ran for their lives to escape the hoofs of horses and roars of the beowulf warriors. Eugene shouted while pulling on Silion¡¯s reins, ¡°We¡¯re going to start herding the monsters!¡± Hundreds of monsters dashed across the forest. However, their excitement and joy at the expectation of a feast of human flesh were no longer there. Only their survival instinct remained. The direction in which the monsters were headed was toward the Lusa territory. *** The orange sky soon dimmed into darkness. Torches and bonfires started blooming into existence as if they were awakened from their sleep, providing light to the campsite made of carriages. ¡°This is¡­ Well, it¡¯s good to rest, but at this pace, when will we enter the Bemos territory and subjugate the evil land there?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine since Sir Palo accepted it? He¡¯s the representative of the land¡¯s lord, so it¡¯s not like we can say anything about it.¡± ¡°Even so. I¡¯m only saying this because we keep delaying the issue. Aren¡¯t you worried as well, sir? Am I truly the only one who is concerned?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The nobles fell silent. As their peer had said, every day was important. No matter how great the King of Maren and his expedition were, it was simply impossible to track and annihilate hundreds of monsters overnight. They thought that it would have been preferable to stick to the original plan and head to the evil land where the issue originated. However, the nobles could not express their dissatisfaction. It was because of Prince Localope, the wizard of the king, and the two vampire high lords. Even discounting the wizard and the vampire high lords, they simply could not openly express their discontent when even Prince Localope was silent. Rather, all they could do was huddle as such and complain in quiet voices. Tududududududu¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Horses? Who could it be?¡± The nobles rose from their seats one by one. They could hear a faint rumbling coming from a distance. ¡°H-his Majesty?¡± The nobles became wide-eyed when they realized that it was Eugene, Princess Lilisain, and the elven knights. Only six hours had passed since they departed, so why were they already coming back? ¡®Did they fail?¡¯ ¡®That must be it. It¡¯s not dozens, but hundreds. And they left yesterday¡­¡¯ ¡®Well, it¡¯s a good thing for us, anyway.¡¯ The nobles shared such thoughts with their gazes before welcoming Eugene. ¡°You¡¯ve returned!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you came back safely, Your Majesty!¡± Baron Palo and Prince Localope broke through the nobles and took their place at the front. ¡°Your Majesty. Did you get any results?¡± Baron Palo asked. Eugene took off his dusty helmet before answering, ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of their leader, and the rest should be disposed of soon.¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s great! As expected¡­ Huh? But where are the beowulf warriors¡­?¡± Baron Palo asked with a puzzled expression. The nobles were confused as well. Come to think of it, they couldn¡¯t see any of the beowulfs. The way Eugene¡¯s crimson eyes glowed in the moonlight made them look even more mysterious as he spoke in a regretful voice, ¡°They are chasing the surviving monsters. This is, well¡­ I didn¡¯t intend to do so, but one unfortunate territory might be in a bit of trouble. The monsters are all flocking in that direction.¡± ¡°T-that territory¡­ Do you mean the¡ª¡± ¡°The Lusa territory,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°¡­!!!¡± ¡°Once again, I never intended for this to happen. Of all places, the monsters had to flee there. I feel sorry for Sir Lusa.¡± Eugene sighed as if he were truly sorry. However, no one took his words at face value. The King of Maren they knew and saw until now wasn¡¯t someone who would allow such things to happen unless he wanted it. CH 269 Kaspar was the captain of the Red Axe Mercenaries, a group actively operating in the Dukedom of Viseche. As the name of the group suggested, his weapon of choice was a large axe, and he was nicknamed the Red Axe because his axe would always be soaked red with blood every day. Kaspar had been employed in territorial disputes between lords, and he had even defeated several renowned knights. In addition, he had participated in evil land subjugations and had made quite the name for himself. Before he knew it, he became the captain of a mercenary group with more than a hundred men. Unfortunately, a popular mercenary captain with so many subordinates was an ideal target for the nobles to keep in check. In particular, the Dukedom of Viseche was made up of numerous small territories, so the lords were even more cautious. Although they called themselves a group of mercenaries, if things turned for the worse, they could transform into bandits capable of easily taking over territories and castles. As such, Kaspar had been thinking about moving to another nation to avoid the lords or simply attacking and occupying a decently-sized territory. But all of a sudden, he had received an urgent request from the Bemos territory a couple of months ago. It was a request asking for the extermination of monsters in the Bemos territory due to a sudden, significant increase in their numbers. The Bemos territory was a fairly large power in the Dukedom of Viseche, and they even possessed an evil land. Kaspar judged it to be an opportunity. He would accept the request and look for an opportunity to occupy the Bemos territory or capture the nobles of the Bemos territory to extort a large sum of money from them. However, his ambitious plans crumbled before they even began. There had been simply too many monsters in the Bemos territory. Moreover, they weren¡¯t only formidable in terms of numbers. Rather, each of the monsters was stronger and fiercer than the monsters they had ever encountered in evil lands. The most shocking thing was that the monsters were moving in an organized fashion. As soon as the number of casualties passed thirty, Kaspar fled. He then headed to the City of Moyna and spread the news regarding the reality of the Bemos territory. This was because he had to inform the various nobles of the shocking situation he had never experienced while serving as a mercenary for more than a decade. However, the nobles of Moyna reacted strangely to his words. Rather than becoming shocked and preparing for the situation, they acted nonchalantly. In fact, there were even several nobles who acted as if they had already known about the situation. This was especially the case with the unofficial, indirect leader of the city¡¯s nobles¡ªBaron Lusa. Baron Lusa pretended to praise and encourage Kaspar in front of others, but he asked to hire him in secret. However, the baron¡¯s purpose in hiring Kaspar wasn¡¯t to eliminate the monsters of the Bemos territory. Rather, Baron Lusa offered Kaspar 300 silver coins every month as a salary to serve him. Kaspar had been planning to rest for about a month, so he accepted the offer. And as he gathered more men while taking a break, he received the first order from his employer. The King of Maren had led an expedition from the Dukedom of Maren, and he was instructed to keep them busy for a while. Kaspar had once been the leader of more than a hundred mercenaries, and he had faced countless nobles in battle as well. For him, such a mission was a piece of cake. There was nothing easier than provoking knights from prestigious noble families and luring them into a trap before destroying them. Moreover, it was said that there were less than fifty warriors in the group from Maren, so it was an even easier job. Even if all fifty happened to be knights, the geography of the area would make it difficult for horses to move around. As such, they could not possibly do anything against Kaspar and the Red Axe Mercenaries, who were basically the natives of the surrounding areas. As such, Kaspar led his men in high spirits. Although he was following Baron Lusa¡¯s orders, he had his own purpose as well. He would increase his own reputation by defeating and capturing the King of Maren, then trade the king for a huge amount of ransom. If he did well, he could even become a real noble. Kaspar thanked the gods for the great fortune that had landed in front of him as he left the Lusa territory. However, what awaited him were¡ª Kuwweeeeeghhh! Kieeeek! Kieeeeeeeek! Kuwwwwuugh! ¡ªHundreds of crazed monsters rampaging in his direction. And it wasn¡¯t an army composed of just lower-ranking monsters like goblins, but it was a group with even lycanthropes and trolls. The entirety of the Red Axe Mercenaries had to be mobilized to face even two or three such monsters. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­ Guwuuuuuughh¡­!!! Kaspar and his subordinates hardened like statues as a terrible roar resounded. It felt as if their very souls were frozen. An ogre with two heads wielding a black iron bar was coming toward them at the rear of the rushing monsters. Kaspar came to a realization at that moment. What had landed in front of him wasn¡¯t a lucky break, but the greatest misfortune of his life. *** ¡°116 mana stones. As for the by-products¡­¡± Baron Lusa nodded with satisfaction after listening to the report of a territorial knight who had just returned from subjugating the evil land. ¡°Great work. It¡¯s more mana stones and by-products than before. The casualties are fewer as well. I can see how hard you¡¯ve worked, sir. Please go get some rest,¡± Baron Lusa said. ¡°Yes, my lord. However¡­¡± The knight looked around before bending over slightly and lowering his voice as he continued, ¡°I heard that you hired more than a hundred mercenaries. And that you¡¯ve sent them off somewhere. Are you perhaps preparing for a territorial war?¡± Baron Lusa responded, ¡°I have other uses for those mercenaries. You don¡¯t have to worry about it, sir.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? I understand,¡± The knight saluted before leaving. Baron Lusa leaned back under the care of his maids and grinned. ¡®Since there are 120 of them, it should be more than enough to tie them down for a while. The King of Maren is supposed to be a knight of honor, so he shouldn¡¯t attack preemptively. And even if there¡¯s a fight, there won¡¯t be that many casualties.¡¯ It was said that the actual number of troops in the expedition was around 30 to 40. Even the King of Maren would be at a loss when a group of mercenaries outnumbering them by many times picked a fight with them. Baron Lusa had no idea what the King of Maren had been thinking to bring a booger-sized group to resolve the monster uprising, but it was ultimately a good thing for Baron Lusa. ¡®That mercenary captain. He won¡¯t sell me out, would he?¡¯ Baron Lusa frowned slightly as he recalled Kaspar, then soon shook off his worries. Kaspar wasn¡¯t an idiot; he was a rather ambitious man. The mercenary captain should know well that he couldn¡¯t mess with Baron Lusa if he wanted to keep working as a mercenary in the city of Moyna and the nearby areas. Moreover, he had been compensated five hundred silver coins for an easy task of bothering the King of Maren and the expedition for six days. There was no doubt that the sellsword would do his best to complete the mission. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Baron Lusa laughed in satisfaction without realizing it. The inland was in turmoil because of the monsters, but the nearby areas, including the City of Moyna and the Luna territory, were at peace. Moreover, the dungeon of the Lusa territory was the only evil land that could be subjugated normally, so everyone was starting to depend on him as the days went by. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to His Highness Voltaire. Of course...¡± It had been the greatest decision of his life to align himself with the crown prince. Duke Viseche, the monarch of the dukedom? The man had done nothing for himself and the Lusa territory except receiving taxes every year. As such, there was no reason to stay faithful to the duke and the dukedom. ¡°However, Crown Prince Voltaire has supported my independence and Moyna¡¯s independence.¡± Indeed, was there a reason why he couldn¡¯t become the king of a dukedom? Even the King of Maren had wandered as a free knight before becoming a duke and a king, so why couldn¡¯t he do the same? After all, his bloodline was much more noble and pure. ¡°His Majesty Lusa the King¡­¡± Baron Lusa muttered while shaking with excitement. If he faced lucky encounters in the future and Crown Prince Voltaire gave him even more support, then he could even think of seizing Duke Viseche¡¯s¡ª ¡°M-my lord! My lord!¡± The guard captain of the castle rushed in, shattering Baron Lusa¡¯s sweet imagination. ¡°Tsk! What is it? Keep your dignity!¡± Baron Lusa shouted with an irritated voice. However, the guard captain raised his voice regardless, although he would have apologized immediately in normal circumstances. ¡°T-there¡¯s trouble! M-monsters¡­ The roamer monsters have entered our territory!¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s the big deal about that? Why the fuss?¡± Baron Lusa said. The Lusa territory was large. As such, there was also a considerable number of monsters in their territory. Although they stayed in areas devoid of human activity, if he had to count, there should be a good number of monsters in the¡ª ¡°There are hundreds of low-ranking monsters alone! All of them are armed! And there are lycanthropes and trolls as well! My lord!¡± the guard captain exclaimed. ¡°W-what did you say?¡± ¡°A-and¡­¡± That wasn¡¯t the end? What else was there? Baron Lusa stared with his jaws agape as the guard captain continued, ¡°T-the mercenaries¡­ The Red Axe Mercenaries have been annihilated!¡± ¡°Uaagh¡­!¡± Baron Lusa collapsed on the spot with shock. *** Keeeeeek! Kieeeeeeek! The twin-headed ogre¡¯s mind was filled with the orders of its master as it stared at the fleeing monsters. - Drive the monsters away with the beowulf warriors. When the beowulf warriors stop, you stop as well. - If the monsters start slowing down, kill only the ones at the back. - If armed humans attack you, kill them. The twin-headed ogre was faithful to the orders of its master. That was why it had stopped alongside the beowulf warriors. ¡°This should be good, right?¡± ¡°Right. But who the hell were those guys from before?¡± ¡°The mercenaries? I¡¯m not sure. Did they notice that we were luring the monsters?¡± ¡°Kuhe! They were brave and honorable for mere mercenaries of the continent. They tried to stop us knowing well that they were going to die, right?¡± ¡°I guess so, right? I commend their courage, but I felt kind of sorry for them, so I shouted at them to run away.¡± ¡°What? Dog-brain, you know how to speak the language of this place?¡± ¡°I know the taste of meat, but not the language. I just shouted in our language.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they wouldn¡¯t have understood the language of Brantia. So they probably had no idea what you were saying, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why they attacked me when I shouted. So, I just beat them up instead.¡± ¡°Is that going to be a problem? The dark lord said not to attack people.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all dead, anyway. And I only beat them up. The ones who killed them were the monsters.¡± ¡°Then that should be fine.¡± ¡°Right? Kyah! I¡¯m feeling like meat! Let¡¯s go get cooking!¡± ¡°Hey! Ogre, you come with us too!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that bastard understands what you¡¯re saying.¡± ¡°The dark lord ordered it to follow us. It was doing super well with that.¡± ¡°Then we can just go.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go grill meat!¡± ¡°Meat!¡± The twin-headed ogre stood still behind the drooling beowulfs, then started to follow after them with large steps. As such, the two-day chase finally came to an end after they crossed multiple mountains, forests, and fields. Naturally, that was only from the beowulf warriors¡¯ perspective. From the perspective of the Lusa territory, they were literally facing a sudden invasion of hundreds of monsters like thunder on a clear day. *** ¡°¡­So the Lusa territory¡¯s in turmoil.¡± Eugene grinned after hearing about the Lusa territory¡¯s situation from Edmund. The knight had returned exactly according to Eugene¡¯s schedule. ¡°That¡¯s good. The City of Moyna won¡¯t stand still, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°That should be the case. According to what Sir Buildemain had said, the leadership of Moyna and Baron Lusa seemed to be riding on the same boat,¡± Edmund answered with an uncomfortable expression. Edmund spoke cautiously, ¡°By the way, Your Majesty...¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Eugene said. Edmund continued, ¡°About the Lusa territory. Even if their lord has wronged Your Majesty, the people there¡­¡± It appeared that Edmund was worried about the innocent people of the territory. It was fully understandable for him as an orthodox knight to worry about the people. However, Eugene gave a cold smile in response, ¡°I only care about myself and my people, Sir Edmund.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what happens to the Lusa territory. Honor? Mercy? Why do I have to show such things to someone who has been acting like a dog? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. The people of the Lusa territory should blame themselves for serving the wrong lord,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°I made a slip of the tongue. Please forgive me, my lord,¡± Edmund hurriedly said. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. However, sir, just worry about me and my people from now on. That¡¯s how I am, so that¡¯s how you should be as well. In that sense, don¡¯t show mercy when we¡¯re dealing with the Roman Empire¡¯s yellow bastard and his henchmen. Remember that you¡¯re my knight, sir.¡± Eugene said. ¡°I will commit that to my memory.¡± Edmund bowed as his heart burned with emotions. ¡°Then let¡¯s get going,¡± Eugene said before turning around. The dungeon of the Bemos territory was waiting for him. He began to wonder what kinds of monsters would be waiting for him inside the dungeon, and what kind of spirit was living in the water source of the Bemos territory. But above all else, he wondered¡­ ¡®The demons and the demonic creatures. Especially the humanoid ones¡­¡¯ Eugene smiled when he recalled the demons who had cast challenging eyes toward him from the other side. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but he had a hunch that they would inform him of something related to his past. And judging from the amount of time that had passed thus far, he had a hunch that the demons and demonic creatures had to have already started crawling out from the corridor. CH 270 Eugene met with Lord Bemos, who had been waiting near the entrance of the dungeon in advance. ¡°Sir Palo. Your Majesty. It¡¯s good to see both of you.¡± Lord Bemos gave a light bow to Baron Palo before turning to Eugene and bowing deeply. It was the utmost courtesy he could show to someone who had come to rescue his territory from an unprecedented crisis. ¡°I¡¯m Jan Eugene Batla. By the way, you seem to have quite a few guards,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped with the current situation. I have nothing to say,¡± Lord Bemos responded. He had three knights and about seventy soldiers guarding him. The situation was so bad that the lord had to use almost all his forces just to travel only half a day¡¯s distance from his castle. ¡°¡­¡± Lord Bemos took on a stiff expression and closed his mouth. He felt quite uneasy after finally coming to see Eugene in person. The rumor was true, and the King of Maren was truly much too young and beautiful. All the outstanding knights he had encountered up until now had been manly and rugged. And Lord Bemos thought that true knights would have rough, strong appearances at first glance. However¡­ ¡®Even if he is a member of the Dark Clan¡­ Isn¡¯t he basically just a pretty-looking boy?¡¯ In fact, the knights standing behind the nobles representing the different countries, including the prince of the Roman Empire, looked to be stronger and more trustworthy than Eugene. Lord Bemos felt that he would have been more relieved if one of them was the expedition¡¯s leader instead of Eugene. However, Lord Bemos couldn¡¯t express his true thoughts. Regardless of the circumstances, he could not afford to show disrespect to a great noble who had traveled so far just to assist them. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sir Bemos,¡± Baron Palo called out when Lord Bemos remained silent. Baron Palo was quick-witted, and he had already realized the source of Lord Bemos¡¯ worries. ¡°Two days ago, His Highness the King defeated a large number of monsters in the territory of Bemos,¡± Baron Palo said. ¡°What? What are you¡­¡± Lord Bemos took on a puzzled expression, then took on a bitter smile. It appeared that Baron Palo wanted to flaunt the King for having eliminated a dozen or so monsters. Lord Bemos responded. ¡°Sir Palo. Do you know how many monsters there are on my territory? I can¡¯t say for sure, but it¡¯s probably more than thousands. And they are going around in groups. At least fifty and up to two or three hundred monsters are¡ª¡± ¡°His Majesty and the expedition have eradicated one of the large groups. They had been driven out of your territory, so they won¡¯t be returning,¡± Baron Palo said, interrupting him. ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°I can guarantee that on my name.¡± Localope stepped forward and turned his head, ¡°And exactly how many of them had been driven away?¡± Princess Lilisain took off her helmet and responded, ¡°There were about two hundred lower-ranking monsters, twelve lycanthropes, and three trolls. The beowulf warriors eliminated some of them while they were driving them out of the territory, so there would have been more than three hundred.¡± ¡°Oh, this knight is Princess Lilisain of Eland,¡± Baron Palo introduced. ¡°What¡­?!¡± Lord Bemos forgot his dignity for a moment and gasped. He had mistakenly considered her to be one of the prince¡¯s escorting knights, but it turned out she was also royalty. However, it was even more shocking that the King of Maren had already killed hundreds of monsters. Even the Red Axe Mercenaries broke their contract with him and fled, but the King¡¯s expedition had already achieved something so great only two days after arriving in his territory. ¡°H-how could I ever repay this kindness¡­¡± Lord Bemos muttered. ¡°There is no kindness to repay. I am only keeping my promise with His Majesty Viseche and his representative, Sir Palo,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Keeping a promise was an honorable act in itself. Lord Bemos knew well that people who practiced true chivalry¡ªpeople who didn¡¯t only run their mouths but truly considered their honor as important as their lives¡ªwere rare. Trust was the most important thing for mercenaries, but didn¡¯t they run away without looking back? ¡°So, you should thank Sir Palo and His Majesty the Duke of Viseche. Just as I kept my promise with the two, you sir should continue to do your best as a lord of the dukedom,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Oh! I will carve those words into my heart.¡± Lord Bemos bowed with a deeply touched expression. A satisfied smile appeared around Baron Palo¡¯s lips. Lord Bemos¡¯ loyalty to the dukedom and the duke would surely strengthen after this event. If a lord wasn¡¯t loyal to a monarch who had fulfilled his obligation to his subjects during a time of crisis, then who would be loyal to him? ¡®Signing a contract with His Majesty had been the right choice.¡¯ The King of Maren had even helped calm and strengthen the vassals shaken by the crisis. Aside from that, there was another thing he had to be thankful for. ¡°Sir Bemos,¡± Baron Palo called out. ¡°Yes, Sir Palo,¡± Bemos answered. ¡°I hear you don¡¯t get along very well with Sir Lusa. Is that correct?¡± Palo continued. ¡°It¡¯s true... As you know, the only evil lands in the vicinity of Moyna belong to my territory and the Lusa territory. He had always been trying to keep me in check. If it weren¡¯t for this sudden increase in the number of monsters, we would have fought against each other in a territorial battle one day. No, I¡¯m certain that he will once again pick a fight with me after this crisis is resolved,¡± Lord Bemos responded with a grim expression. ¡°Haha. That probably won¡¯t happen,¡± Baron Palo remarked. ¡°What?¡± Baron Palo grinned and turned his gaze toward Eugene before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s very unfortunate for Sir Lusa, but the monsters that His Majesty the King and the expedition had defeated happened to have fled toward the Lusa territory.¡± ¡°What?! Is that true?¡± Sir Bemos asked, stupefied. Eugene shrugged in response, ¡°Well, things simply turned out that way. Since it was my first time in the Viseche Dukedom, I wasn¡¯t too knowledgeable when it comes to the geography of this place. I simply drove them away in a direction, and it happened to be in the direction of the Lusa territory.¡± A lie! Although he was honorable, the King of Maren held grudges! The surrounding nobles had the same thought, but no one expressed it. After all, the King of Maren was more reliable than anyone else when he was by their side, so why would they risk antagonizing him? ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. You truly are¡­ honorable and generous.¡± Lord Bemos expressed his gratitude once more with tears in his eyes. He then continued with a determined expression, ¡°Once this situation is resolved, I would like to personally express my gratitude to Your Majesty and the brave expedition. I will surrender all rights to the monsters that Your Majesty and the expedition have defeated. I will also allow Your Majesty and the expedition, as well as anyone who comes to my territory with the flag of Maren and Your Majesty, to subjugate my evil land under the same conditions.¡± ¡°Hooh!¡± ¡°It is the motto of our family to always repay the grace we were shown,¡± Lord Bemos added. ¡°Sir Bemos, unlike the others, you truly know honor. Great,¡± Eugene responded. He hadn¡¯t expected Lord Bemos to express such ¡®sincerity¡¯ with but a few words. Eugene smiled happily, thinking that the world would have been a more peaceful place if it was filled only with nobles like Bemos. ¡°In that case, I will have to enter the dungeon right away in exchange for your sincerity,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I would be even more grateful. Ah, and I will show the other sirs to my castle. We don¡¯t know when the monsters might strike here, and it will be difficult to keep everyone safe as well,¡± Lord Bemos responded. ¡°No. There won¡¯t be a need for that. They will protect you sirs,¡± Eugene said while pointing, and Lord Bemos turned his gaze. Many slaves and servants were sweating as they grilled meat over a bonfire, while the beowulf warriors were scrumptiously ripping into their meals after having thrown off their platecoats. ¡°Those warriors? Weren¡¯t they going to enter the dungeon with Your Majesty?¡± Lord Bemos asked. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about everyone¡¯s safety with the beowulf warriors, but who would enter the dungeon then? Lord Bemos wasn¡¯t the only one concerned, as the other foreign nobles were worried as well. Eugene¡¯s gaze headed elsewhere, and soon, about a dozen figures gathered behind him. The group consisted of Romari, Galfredik, Rohime, Christian, Princess Lilisain, and elven knights. ¡°This isn¡¯t a typical dungeon subjugation. The heart of the Bemos Dungeon¡­ we have to delve deep into the dungeon,¡± Eugene commented. ¡°B-but how long would it take¡­¡± ¡°A day will be sufficient,¡± Eugene said. ¡°A-a day¡­!¡± He would take care of it as soon as possible. In the first place, that was why he had chosen to bring only a small number of elites. ¡°You stay behind and take care of them,¡± Eugene said while looking at the griffons. Mirian threw a fit. ¡±Kiek! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a nanny for hire or¡ª¡± Eugene interrupted her, ¡°Would you rather face monsters while navigating at the forefront or take care of them?¡± ¡°I am highly specialized in taking care of little brats. Please call me a professional nanny spirit from today on,¡± Mirian hurriedly said without hesitation. Such a change in attitude was nothing new for Eugene. *** Keeeeek! Kyaaahk! Kuwuuugh! The dark, damp dungeon was filled with the screams of monsters. The monsters ran while drooling after catching a whiff of fresh meat when the dungeon opened, but unfortunately for them, the fresh morsel they smelled were elves. And they weren¡¯t just ordinary elves either, but elven knights who were veterans in hunting and killing monsters. In fact, they had hunted monsters for a longer amount of time compared to how long the monsters had lived in the dungeon so far. In addition, nobles of the night capable of seeing through the dark were with them. The vampires exuded Fear much greater than that of the monsters. An Origin, his vassal, and two highest-ranking nobles of the Dark Clan¡ªhigh lords¡ªwere with the elves as well. Most of the monsters had grown significantly stronger through evolution, but they still didn¡¯t stand a chance. The blood-craving, slaughter-hungry monsters began to flee into the deeper depths of the dungeon. However, Eugene didn¡¯t chase all of them down as they ran through the complex cave. Eugene only rushed toward the directions where he could sense monsters that were intermediate-rank or stronger. Since everyone with him was aware of his true identity, he didn¡¯t have to hold back. As such, Eugene made full use of his vampiric powers and capabilities as a knight as he massacred monsters while heading deeper into the dungeon. Kuweeeeeenggg!!! Finally, a minotaur, one of the dungeon¡¯s rulers, appeared with a loud roar. ¡°Hooh?¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered with interest. He had defeated the same bull-headed, axe-carrying monster in the past. At that time, he still had quite a few tattoos left on his body, so he exerted himself quite a bit just to defeat the monster. But now, the minotaur was naturally no match for Eugene. However, it was a bit strange that the minotaur did not shrink back even whilst facing Eugene¡¯s overwhelming Fear. ¡°Huh? That¡¯s weird. Is the monster high on drugs or something?¡± Galfredik remarked while placing his longsword over his shoulder. Romari responded, ¡°It¡¯s something similar. That monster has been completely stained with evil energy.¡± ¡°Evil energy? Aren¡¯t all monsters in an evil land stained with that?¡± Galfredik asked. Monsters in evil lands were greatly influenced by evil energy, which was why they were typically more fierce and aggressive than roamers. However, they still had their consciousness, so they could still feel fear when facing a much stronger enemy. ¡°It¡¯s a little different from that. That monster must have been completely eroded by evil energy. It¡¯s highly likely that only the intent to kill is the only thought remaining in its mind,¡± Romari answered. ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s like the twin-headed ogre then?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°You can consider it almost the same,¡± Romari said. ¡°I see. Christian,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes, oh great one,¡± Christian responded. ¡°The monsters you evolved in the Tywin territory. Were they similar to that?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Slightly different, my lord. My humble self simply focused on evolving and releasing the monsters. I suspect that someone with deep knowledge of black magic may have been working in this place,¡± Christian answered. Eugene nodded after hearing Christian¡¯s testimony and Romari¡¯s explanation. Christian had directly participated in the monster uprising, while Romari had studied the twin-headed ogre for a long time. ¡°So, we got lucky from the very start. It means that we may get to secure another skull incense burner, right?¡± Eugene grinned. Shing. He held Madarazika and Wolfslaughter as he stepped forward. Christain and Rohime immediately prostrated themselves before him with wide eyes. ¡°Please leave that measly thing to our humble selves. You can make use of us as much as you want in this place, even if you couldn¡¯t do so outside due to the watching eyes.¡± Even masters of vampire clans rarely dealt with monsters directly. Furthermore, even Galfredik, Eugene¡¯s vassal, was stronger than the clan masters. It was inevitable for the two high lords to be anxious when they saw that Eugene was planning to take care of the minotaur himself. However, Eugene shook his head. ¡°No, I will take care of it myself.¡± It was the obvious decision for Eugene. He had no intention of giving up the chance to obtain a red mana stone. After all, he could use it to erase the few remaining tattoos he had on his body. ¡®What will happen to me once all the tattoos are gone? I¡¯m so curious.¡¯ It was one of the most important reasons why he had agreed to take care of the monster uprising. CH 271 ¡°Sir Palo,¡± Lord Bemos called out. ¡°Ah, Sir Bemos. You¡¯re still awake?¡± Baron Palo responded with a smile. He had been deep in thought while gazing at a campfire. Lord Bemos had come out of his tent without any guards or servants. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be strange if I could easily fall asleep? I can¡¯t do such a thing when guests had to enter a dungeon to save my territory from a crisis,¡± Lord Bemos said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. Here, please have a seat,¡± Baron Palo said. ¡°Yes, then please excuse me,¡± Lord Bemos responded. Baron Palo felt rather favorable toward Lord Bemos, who was one of the few lords with unyielding loyalty to the Dukedom of Viseche. In fact, if that monster uprising had started elsewhere¡ªsuch as Baron Lusa¡¯s territory¡ªBaron Palo didn¡¯t think that he would have signed a contract with the King of Maren. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry too much. His Majesty the King is truly an unparalleled knight. I could only walk the path of the sword for a short while, but in my humble opinion, knights capable of facing off His Highness could only be counted on one hand,¡± Baron Palo said. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°In addition, he is an honorable man who always keeps his word. There is a good reason why the nobles of the other kingdoms followed His Majesty all this way after heading to Maren as delegations for their nations,¡± Baron Palo continued. Lord Bemos responded, ¡°It certainly seems that way. They are figures of great status in their own kingdoms. Moreover, even His Highness the Prince of the Roman Empire is here as well.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s¡­¡± Baron Palo started, then stopped himself. It would be a diplomatic discourtesy to speak of the matters between two nations aside from his own. Moreover, he had a hunch that Prince Localope¡¯s future may change as long as he remained by the side of Maren¡¯s King. ¡°Anyway¡­ do you really think it¡¯s possible for them to finish within today? Ah, of course, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust His Highness the King and yourself, Sir Palo. However, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s a little¡ª¡± Lord Bemos hesitated. ¡°Far-fetched? Overexaggerated? Is that what you want to say?¡± Baron Palo interrupted. ¡°¡­¡± Lord Bemos showed silent affirmation, and Baron Palo gave a smile. He cast his eyes on Buildemain, who sat at a distance and was looking around the surroundings with sharp eyes. Buildemain explained on Baron Palo¡¯s behalf after receiving the latter¡¯s gaze. ¡°When His Majesty said he was going to save the High Priest of the Holy Empire, everyone thought it was impossible. Rather, they thought he would pay the ransom to rescue them. After all, fighting on the sea and fighting on land are completely different things.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Buildemain continued, ¡°But he did it. He did it in an extraordinary way without losing a single soldier. Furthermore, he was recognized for his achievement and was blessed by the High Priest of the Holy Empire.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Before arriving at the Bemos territory, everyone thought it would be difficult when he declared that he would deal with a group of monsters that had devastated a village. Everyone thought it was absurd when he said he would take care of it in three days. This time, for sure, the king couldn¡¯t possibly keep his word. But he succeeded once again. In addition, he even inflicted a big blow on Sir Lusa, who was being disloyal to the duke.¡± ¡°...¡± Lord Bemos had a stupefied expression. Bulidemain shrugged. ¡°So, he will do it again. And even if everything that His Majesty has done until now had been a stroke of luck, what if his luck kept on going? Doesn¡¯t that mean that he¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°He is chosen by the gods¡­¡± Lord Bemos concluded. ¡°Yes.¡± Once could be called chance, twice an inevitability. Three times and the person was chosen by the gods. ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°What I just told you were things that happened after His Highness offered to resolve the monster uprising. It doesn¡¯t include any of his other, past achievements. Sir, you know some stories about the king, right?¡± Buildemain asked. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Even if half of the stories are true, I don¡¯t think there is any need for us to doubt him. What do you think?¡± Buildemain continued. Lord Bemos had no choice but to nod. ¡°I will have to believe in his promise and wait.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s enough. For the rest¡­¡± Buildemain was interrupted by the movements of big, black shadows in the dark. It was the beowulf warriors. ¡°Uh¡­ I think those monster bastards are coming. You folks rest,¡± Selena translated the Brantian words of the beowulfs to the two people. ¡°Monsters?!¡± ¡°T-they are coming here? How many of them¡­¡± Buildemain jumped to his feet, and Lord Bemos asked urgently. ¡°Well, I think there are quite a few,¡± a beowulf warrior said while scratching his head. He then continued with a wide grin, ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter how many of them are here. This is why the dark lord left us behind. Let¡¯s get to work.¡± Papapapapat! The beowulf warriors dashed into the darkness like beasts without waiting for Selena to finish interpreting their words. ¡°We should get ready as well.¡± ¡°L-let¡¯s do that.¡± Buildemain got busy. The soldiers of the Bemos territory and the guards of the nobles were alerted and awakened. Torches started to bloom to life, and shouts erupted around the campsite as well. The overall atmosphere of the encampment became quite tense. Nobles entered the safe area within the perimeter of the carriages, and soldiers got into formations on the outside. Soon, silence descended once more. The soldiers and knights secured adequate vision by throwing torches near their surroundings, then carefully observed the vicinity while holding on to their weapons. The chirps of the grass bugs only added to the tension. The suffocating silence lasted for a while. But even after a few minutes, there was neither sound nor any movement. ¡°Hmm. Perhaps the beowulf warriors were mistaken¡­¡± one of the knights muttered. It was then¡­ Kyaaaaaaah¡­ A desperate cry erupted from somewhere far away. The soldiers became alert and tightened their grasp on their weapons. Kyarr¡­ Kyeeer¡­ Kyaaah¡­ Pained screams, which were clearly not human, continued to resound at more frequent intervals. Those with weaker hearts trembled at the terrible screams. The mere sound made their hair stand on end as chills ran down their spines. ¡°Where is it coming from? H-how many of them are there?¡± ¡°Sirs. Shouldn¡¯t we get away from here?¡± some of the nobles asked with fear. The knights shook their heads. ¡°No. It¡¯s too dark to travel by horse, and we don¡¯t know where they might be hiding. It¡¯s best to stick together like this.¡± ¡°Please follow our instructions, sirs.¡± ¡°Sirs. We have that. Please don¡¯t worry,¡± Buildemain stepped forward, then spoke while pointing in a direction. Everyone turned their gaze toward where he was pointing. The nobles felt slightly relieved when they saw the twin-headed ogre standing in place with glowing red eyes. Indeed, they would be safe with the monster king on their side. However, they were still fearful. After all, they knew that the only one capable of giving orders to the powerful monster was absent. At that moment, the nobles came to a realization. Although they had experienced many unexpected predicaments on their way here, they had neither been worried nor fearful, and they finally realized why. ¡®Jan Eugene Batla¡­¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s because the King of Maren was by our side!¡¯ His absence alone drove them to great apprehension. Time continued to pass as they trembled with fear and anxiety in the dark. About ten minutes later, black shadows quickly approached the encampment from the far forest, and the soldiers quickly raised their crossbows. But when they realized that it was the beowulf warriors, the soldiers showed relief. ¡°Ugh!¡± Several nobles grabbed their noses when the beowulf warriors came near. They reeked of sweat and blood. Although it was a disrespectful gesture, the beowulf warriors ignored it and approached Prince Localope, according to Eugene¡¯s instructions. ¡°We got them all. Oh, well, we didn¡¯t get them all, but the rest ran away, so they won¡¯t come around anymore,¡± one of the beowulfs reported. Prince Localope responded, ¡°Is that so? But how many of them were there?¡± ¡°Uh, well, I¡¯m not that good with numbers¡­¡± The beowulf warrior scratched his head while looking back at his colleagues. The other beowulfs either avoided his gaze or shrugged their shoulders. The beowulf warrior clicked his tongue with a disapproving gaze, then suddenly took on a bright expression and said, ¡°That thing. If you have about a dozen of those, you should be able to load all of the dead monsters.¡± Prince Localope and the nobles turned toward what the beowulf was pointing at. There stood the largest carriage in the expedition¡ªa vessel capable of carrying more than ten people. ¡°¡­!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes widened in shock. If the beowulf warrior was speaking the truth, didn¡¯t that mean they had killed about a hundred monsters in that short period of time? In addition, they had done so on a dark night without even a single torch. ¡°Oh, what a waste of energy. My stomach¡¯s growling.¡± ¡°Me too. I¡¯m suddenly craving meat.¡± ¡°You too? Hey, me too!¡± ¡°Should we grill?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s grill!¡± It was unbelievable. The beowulfs had done a ridiculous thing in less than thirty minutes, but they quickly got their appetite back. However, the bewilderment of the nobles lasted for only a short moment. Prince Localope and the nobles spoke to their subordinates with relieved expressions. ¡°Why are you cooking meat yourselves?¡± ¡°What are you guys doing?! Are you going to let those brave warriors grill the meat themselves?¡± ¡°My friend! Leave such trivial tasks to our servants!¡± Their fear had disappeared. It was replaced by bustling noises and the smell of grilled meat. ¡°It might be possible¡­¡± Lord Bemos muttered while watching the scene play out with a blank gaze. ¡°What?¡± Buildemain asked. ¡°O-oh, no. It¡¯s nothing,¡± Lord Bemos hurriedly turned his gaze while waving his hands. However, his expression was very bright, unlike before. *** Kuweeeeeegh! The troll lord fell backward with a scream. It had been posing as one of the rulers of the Bemos dungeon alongside the minotaur. Splat! Eugene pushed his left hand deep into the troll lord¡¯s heart, then pulled out the monster¡¯s heart. As the troll lord¡¯s life faded away and the evil energy dissipated, the heart started to turn black. Eugene squeezed the mass and gulped down the blood that poured down like a waterfall. As energy surged through his body, Eugene tossed the heart away. ¡°Dismantle it,¡± Eugene ordered. ¡°Yes!¡± The two vampire high lords answered before they started cutting the troll lord¡¯s body apart with knives. Although it was beneath them to perform such meager tasks, they were nothing more than meek sheep in front of Eugene. They had originally been obedient, but they became absolutely subservient after seeing Eugene¡¯s ¡®true form¡¯ inside the dungeon. It was especially true with Rohime. Unlike Christian, Rohime had never faced Eugene directly. As such, he had been hoping to return to his clan once he returned to the empire. However, his plan was thrown aside less than an hour after entering the dungeon. The masters of the clans or even he could also fight against these monsters. However, that was only possible if he used both his power as a knight and a vampire. It was a different situation entirely with Eugene. Both Eugene¡¯s skills as a knight and his powers as a vampire surpassed the clan masters. ¡®His equipment. No, he could wipe out the clan masters with that sword alone.¡¯ An evolved troll lord was a powerful monster, and it was difficult to defeat even with a weapon of pure silver. One had to defeat the troll lord in a battle of pure strength, or through Fear. However, Eugene had finished off the monster with a single swing of his spear and sword. Fear? How could one possibly describe a Fear that could stretch to every corner of the complex dungeon to navigate and track all the monsters? It was truly an unimaginable mystery for Rohime, who could only stretch his Fear out for dozens of meters at most. Moreover, ¡®That¡¯s not his limit. That person is¡­ truly the King of Darkness.¡¯ When Christian first referred to Eugene as such, Rohime thought it was due to the overwhelming presence Eugene had displayed during their first meeting. After all, even he was forced to prostrate. Nevertheless, the loyalty he had toward his father¡ªthe master of his clan¡ªas well as the strand of pride he had left, didn¡¯t allow him to completely submit to Eugene. But now, everything had changed. Submission. As a member of the Dark Clan, who else could he submit to except the true King of Darkness? ¡°Here it is, great one,¡± Rohime kneeled on one knee before presenting the troll lord¡¯s mana stone with trembling hands. ¡°Tsk.¡± Eugene clicked his tongue, and Rohime felt his heart drop. It was the same reaction Eugene had shown after obtaining the minotaur¡¯s mana stone. ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s just a regular mana stone again, Master,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°It must be because they were artificially evolved. Well, I had been extremely lucky, anyway,¡± Eugene responded. He was a little disappointed that the mana stones of the minotaur and the troll lord weren¡¯t red. Strangely enough, it was getting more and more difficult to acquire red mana stones recently. It was almost as if there was a shortage of red mana stones compared to the past. ¡®Is there a secret here as well? Hmm.¡¯ Eugene looked down at Christian and Rohime with cold eyes. He found them a bit pathetic, as they didn¡¯t know much about red mana stones, even though they were high lords. ¡®And they¡¯re supposed to be right beneath the clan master. Maybe even the clan master bastards are nothing much.¡¯ CH 272 Eugene quickly dismissed such thoughts. After all, the clan masters had long established a relationship with the imperial family of the Roman Empire, and they were the leaders of large, powerful forces. However, their relationship with the imperial family wasn¡¯t between a lord and their subordinate. ¡®Moreover, I¡¯m sure that whatever the yellow bastard has been up to has more to do with the vampire clan masters rather than the emperor. I¡¯m sure they were responsible for the current predicament as well.¡¯ With growing confidence, Eugene retrieved the troll lord¡¯s mana stone before turning around. ¡°I think this one was the gatekeeper,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Then, will you be heading into the heart of the dungeon?¡± ¡°Only me and Galfredik will go. Princess Lilisain, destroy the remaining monsters with the other knights of Eland,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Honor,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. The elven knights already knew that they couldn¡¯t enter the heart of the dungeon. As such, they immediately turned around and departed to the other side of the dungeon with Princess Lilisain. Eugene turned to the two high lords, who were still kneeling on the ground, and said, ¡°You two should go look for traces of the one responsible for manipulating this dungeon. Christian, it¡¯s what you were doing before, so you should be able to find them, right?¡± ¡°I will not let you down,¡± Christian answered with a bow, thinking that whoever was responsible for this dungeon would have employed similar methods as him. Soon, the two vampire high lords seeped into darkness while Eugene headed in another direction with Galfredik. *** ¡°Hooh? This is quite amazing,¡± Galfredik commented while descending down a steep hill with Eugene. An energy that could only be described as pure evil was emanating from the end of the corridor. ¡°It¡¯s evil energy. Princess Lilisain and the elven knights couldn¡¯t endure it from this point forward. Are you doing okay?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not too bad,¡± Galfredik responded with a grin. A crimson Fear was fluttering all over his body. It wasn¡¯t that he was emanating it on purpose, but rather, the Fear was responding to the growing evil energy and had naturally emerged to protect him. ¡°Master, even the two imperial goons should be able to withstand this much,¡± Galfredik commented. ¡°As expected from them. That¡¯s why they chose vampire high lords or black wizards,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hmm. So the one responsible for this entire matter is someone who knows about the heart of evil lands?¡± Galfredik asked. Eugene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know who they are, but they seem to have done their research on evil lands.¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be an ordinary person then. Besides, they must have some powerful subordinates if they managed to crawl in all this way¡­¡± Galfredik muttered. ¡°A mere lord couldn¡¯t have done it. At the very least, it¡¯s someone on par with a king in terms of status,¡± Eugene said. ¡°So, it¡¯s that crown prince. But it could also be someone great enough to receive the support of the crown prince. But what are they possibly hoping to gain from this?¡± Galfredik asked with a puzzled expression. Eugene responded with a cold smile, ¡°Most of the kingdoms and territories affected by the monster uprising are adjacent to the Roman Empire. Either that or they are considered crucial locations by the empire. In the face of a crisis that even the lords and monarchs couldn¡¯t handle, who would they turn to for help?¡± ¡°¡­That crown prince bastard. He has really outdone himself with this one,¡± Galfredik said as if he were flabbergasted. The Roman Empire wouldn¡¯t offer help out of the goodness of their heart. Rather, they would only act if there was something to be gained, or if they could profit from it. Perhaps they could exert a stronger hold over the kingdoms and territories in return for offering them help. ¡°Ha! Now I see why you¡¯ve decided to take those imperial goons with you instead of killing them,¡± Galfredik said with a grin. Eugene responded, ¡°I will have them testify later. Well, I still don¡¯t have any evidence proving that they¡¯re directly related to the yellow bastard.¡± Rummmmble! A powerful boom resonated from the other side of the corridor. Eugene and Galfredik stopped their conversation and glared at the passage with their hands on their weapons. ¡°Is this it? Is this how the monsters crawl out from the wall in the Demon World?¡± Galfredik asked, recalling the story regarding the passage to the Demon World he had heard from Eugene. ¡°It seems to be¡­ But it¡¯s a little different from what I had seen and experienced in the Tywin territory¡¯s evil land,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°What do you mean, different?¡± Galfredik asked. Eugene spoke as his eyes glimmered even colder, ¡°They¡¯re not just ordinary monsters. This doesn¡¯t feel the same as when I saw ordinary monsters cross over. This is¡­¡± Eugene paused. He remembered the ¡®things¡¯ that had been carefully observing him or staring at him defiantly from the other side of the translucent wall. Eugene continued, ¡°Demonic creatures, or¡­ demons.¡± The two shared a gaze before quickly running through the passage. The evil energy grew strong enough to sting their skin, which was being protected by both armor and Fear, but Eugene ran without care. Similarly, Galfredik followed Eugene without hesitation, although his expression had turned rather stiff. Soon, Eugene could see the same translucent wall he had previously seen in the Tywin territory¡¯s dungeon. The two came to a stop simultaneously. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Galfredik muttered with a sharp gaze. Although Eugene looked relatively calm, he was also quite surprised as he observed the entrance to the Demon World. What stood in front of the translucent wall wasn¡¯t a monster. Rather, it was a humanoid creature with gray skin and ice-blue eyes. ¡°Demon¡­¡± Eugene muttered after instinctively realizing the creature¡¯s identity. The demon had two short horns protruding from its forehead, and it was holding a strange sword in both hands, while a pale, luminous platecoat made of an unknown material was wrapped around its body. The creature turned its head toward Eugene and Galfredik before meeting Eugene¡¯s gaze. The demon¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, and it stumbled backward. Anyone could tell that the creature was greatly flustered. ¡°This feeling¡­ A count? No, perhaps even beyond a duke?¡± the demon muttered. Although Eugene had never heard the language before, he could understand the creature¡¯s words. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Eugene was surprised. The ability of interpretation he had gained from killing the drake back then wasn¡¯t the reason why he could understand the demon. ¡®It¡¯s¡­ a language I already knew?¡¯ He was astounded, but it was true. It felt completely different from understanding a foreign language. Rather, it was a language originally imprinted on his mind. Moreover, it felt as if he could speak the language as well. Eugene parted his lips with conviction. ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°What?¡± Galfredik turned toward Eugene with surprise. The demon also continued staring at Eugene. It looked even more flustered, or rather, scared of Eugene. ¡°I asked a question. What are you?¡± Eugene repeated himself. ¡°Ah, I¡­ No, m-my¡­¡± the demon stuttered. Rumbleeeee! The translucent wall to the demon world once again emitted a loud boom as it shimmered. Soon, various demons emerged from the surface of the wall, which was riddled with dozens of expanding holes. ¡°We have finally arrived at the breeding grounds!¡± ¡°Hooh! There¡¯s more evil energy than I thought.¡± ¡°Are we the first to arrive?¡± The dozen-or-so demons chatted loudly for a while. As their voices gradually died down, their gazes naturally turned to Eugene and Galfredik. They displayed a similar reaction as the first demon upon seeing Eugene. Eugene spoke coldly, ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The demons appeared greatly perplexed as they kept their silence. Eugene took a large step toward them. ¡°Well, I should be able to get an answer if I leave one or two of you alive.¡± Kwaaaaaaah¡­! A crimson current soared upward from Eugene¡¯s eyes as it surged above his shoulders like a gushing waterfall. ¡°Kehehe! I prefer this to a sword.¡± Simultaneously, Galfredik began to overflow with Fear after sheathing his sword. He retrieved two maces from his back, and a red haze began to flow from inside his helmet. The demons hesitated for a moment. They shared a brief gaze before reacting. Kuwuuugh! Kyaaahk! The demons emitted terrible screams before rushing toward the two. Any ordinary person would have received great injuries in their spirits just from hearing the terrible screams. At the same time, the bodies of the demons morphed in a bizarre way. Their blunt horns instantly grew five or six times longer, and their faces, which had been no different from a human, became strangely distorted. There were some who took on forms similar to an insect like the praying mantis, some who grew two more heads, as well as others who stretched out their transformed, rock-like limbs. Monsters¡­ The demons took on different forms based on typical monsters, then aimed their fangs and claws, which were overflowing with evil energy, toward Eugene and Galfredik. Eugene simply watched them indifferently as he fully extended his Fear before suddenly moving both of his hands. KyaaaaaahkkK! Kwarararak! Madarazika and Wolfslaughter painted a crimson flash, and the demons were swept away by the brilliant light. Eugene hadn¡¯t utilized any of his powers as an Origin. Rather, he had simply projected his Fear through Madarazika and Wolfslaughter. However, the weapons of pure silver and meteoric iron sliced through the bodies of demons like cheese. The demons caught in the attack were dissected into dozens of meat pieces that were immediately blown away. ¡°Kuweeh¡­?!?¡± Some of the demons escaped with their lives, though portions of their bodies had disappeared. And they retreated whilst screaming. However, Galfredik was waiting for them. ¡°Kuhaaaap!¡± The vampire swung his maces with a powerful roar. Shuack! Sharp shockwaves unbefitting a blunt weapon resounded through the air, and the beating of the surviving demons began. ¡°Kuhuuung!¡± The demons were in disbelief. They did not know pain. They had been able to survive in a world filled with battle and slaughter. As such, they didn¡¯t flinch even when their limbs were severed. However, there was something different about the attacks of the knight enveloped with an explosive aura different from evil energy. Every blow was accompanied by a terrible pain that attacked both their bodies and souls. ¡°Kuaagh! Kuagh!¡± ¡°Kuweegh!¡± The demons were pounded into pastes with every swing of Galfredik¡¯s maces. Although the accumulated evil energy had detached them from pain and filled them with nothing but killing intent and hostility, it was of no use here. Like so, the heart of the dungeon was transformed into a space filled with only the sounds of dull strikes and screams. After a few minutes, only two vampires and a demon remained. And they were surrounded by unrecognizable pieces of flesh and corpses. ¡°Huaaah¡­¡± The demon kneeled while grabbing the stump where its arm had once been. The demon had reverted back to its original appearance, perhaps from the pain or fear. Tap. Tap. Eugene slowly walked toward the demon, then expressed one of his authorities as an Origin for the first time. Kwaaaaaaaa¡­! His Fear was expressed to the limit, and it transformed into a mist of blood that completely eroded the space. The blood of the dead demons rose into the air, and the countless grains of crimson were absorbed into the mist of blood. ¡°¡­!!!¡± The demon took on a stupefied expression. Eugene opened his mouth as a brilliant crimson light emitted from his eyes, which sharply contrasted with the eyes of the demon. ¡°I will ask again. What are you?¡± At that moment, the only surviving demon came to a realization¡ªit had finally recognized the identity of the existence in front of it. The only King of Darkness who had left the Demon World to head to the ¡®other side¡¯. A name that had long solidified into a legend due to the difference in the flow of time between the two worlds. ¡°D-drakan. Eugene, King of Darkness¡­¡± the demon muttered. ¡°¡­!¡± One of the few things that had remained in Eugene¡¯s memory was his name¡ªEugene. However, it wasn¡¯t the name of a vampire who had lost his memories. Instead, it was his true name that wholly represented his existence. CH 273 ¡°There is such a legend¡­¡± The demon, who revealed himself as Altums, finished his story. ¡°If it¡¯s a legend, it must have happened a long time ago. When was that?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I-it¡¯s just a long time ago. The reign has changed four times in the meantime,¡± Altums responded. ¡°So how many years is¡­ No, so how many times did the sun rise and set?¡± Eugene decided to change the way he asked questions. In the Demon World, there was no concept of time in terms of months or years. The ¡®reign¡¯ that Altums spoke of referred to the period of time when the highest-ranking demon, in other words, the king, ruled the world. The reign changed once the demon in power was killed or deposed by another demon. ¡°Thousands, no, tens of thousands? N-no, even more than that¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Well, Eugene couldn¡¯t blame the demon. Who in their right mind would count the number of times the sun rose and set? Moreover, the Drakan that Altums had mentioned, the King of Darkness Eugene, was a figure of a time long before Altums had even come into existence. ¡®At least hundreds of years? If that¡¯s the case¡­ If I¡¯m actually the King of Darkness¡­¡¯ Did that mean he crossed over into this world hundreds of years ago? Eugene shook his head. He couldn¡¯t assume that the flow of time in the Demon World was the same as in this world. ¡®This is a little complicated.¡¯ Eugene decided to stop worrying for now. The only thing that was clear was that he had the same name as the King of Darkness Altums had mentioned and that his heart had thumped the moment Altums spoke the name. However¡­ ¡®I think that is actually me.¡¯ And that was enough for now¡­ Eugene looked down at Altums, who fervently avoided eye contact with him. The overflowing evil energy from the demon¡¯s transformed form was nowhere to be found, and Altums¡¯ eyes kept darting around nervously as he stole gazes at Eugene. ¡®They¡¯re different from vampires.¡¯ Vampires submitted as soon as they realized the power gap between them and their enemy. They wouldn¡¯t dare to have any other thoughts, and they would thoroughly surrender. However, demons were somewhat different. At first glance, they appeared submissive, but it was clear that they would try something if given the chance. Eugene could tell just by the way the demon¡¯s eyes darted around. ¡®They¡¯re creatures you cannot, and should not trust. Evil itself.¡¯ Although it was only his first time meeting demons, Eugene was already sure of some facts about their race. His eyes turned bleak. However, since he didn¡¯t have that much information about the Demon World, he couldn¡¯t kill the demon for now. ¡°There was something interesting that one of the other ones said earlier,¡± Eugene said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Breeding grounds,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Altums hesitated for a moment while turning his eyes away. Eugene¡¯s crimson eyes met the demon¡¯s blue eyes in the air. Altums immediately gave up his schemes as soon as he saw the emotion in Eugene¡¯s eyes. It was an emotion the demon knew very well. After all, he had also looked at the monsters in the Demon World the same way. ¡®He considers me even lower than an insect. I¡¯m dead with a single slip of the tongue.¡¯ No, it wouldn¡¯t be just death, either. This wasn¡¯t the Demon World, so Altums would be extinguished. It wouldn¡¯t simply be his body; his soul would literally get deleted as well. ¡°T-that¡¯s what we call this world. Breeding grounds. Sometimes we call it a hunting ground as well,¡± Altums answered. ¡°Explain,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Altums hesitated for a moment. Eugene focused his Fear on the demon without warning. ¡°Keugh! Agh!¡± Although the heart of an evil land was filled to the brim with evil energy, the Fear of an Origin nullified all conditions. Altums was unable to even breathe properly due to the overwhelming pressure. Even though Altums could be considered an intermediate-rank demon among the demons, he could not even lift a finger in face of the overbearing mystery. That wasn¡¯t the end of it as well. As Altums¡¯ body twitched, Eugene used Charm. It was a power that allowed Eugene to hypnotize and instill a deep sense of trust in subjects favorable to him. However, it also allowed him to inject fear into subjects, who were afraid of him. ¡°K-Keugh¡­!¡± Altums¡¯ gray skin turned darker as he experienced overwhelming fear and despair for the first time. ¡°Explain,¡± Eugene said. Altums stammered. He was almost drooling as he faced the red eyes. ¡°I-it¡¯s because we regard e-everything living in t-this world as prey, regardless of race¡­¡± ¡°You bastards don¡¯t even know your place, huh? What kind of predator gets beaten up by prey on a hunting ground?¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And what do you mean when you said you were the first? Are you saying that others could cross over to this world through these passages?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s probable that¡­ No, it¡¯s most likely. Because¡­¡± Altums had become almost certain of Eugene¡¯s identity as ¡®Drakan¡¯ after experiencing Eugene¡¯s Fear. As such, he hurriedly spoke in desperation, ¡°The divine power of some passages has recently weakened. As such, even the living have been allowed passage. It was said that the time of adversity has come¡­¡± Altums started to explain everything he knew about the recent changes in the demon world. However, he was interrupted. Ruummmmmmble! Booom! The translucent wall to the Demon World emitted a rumbling noise once more. However, the scale of the tremor was incomparably greater than before. In fact, the entire passage shook as if there was an earthquake. Were other demons crossing over? Eugene turned away from Altums and quickly prepared for battle once more. Rummmmble¡­!!! The translucent wall shook. However, unlike the previous instances, there were no visible ripples on the wall. Rather, the surface began to distort thanks to an invisible force. It was as if someone was slicing the wall. Craaack! Crunnnch! The warped walls began to collapse upon themselves. In an instant, the wall folded in dozens of layers before quickly taking the form of a long, thick, straight line. It almost looked like a black spear, and even Eugene was unable to react to what happened next. Fwoosh! ¡°Kuaaaaaagh!¡± The black spear pierced Altums¡¯ chest in the blink of an eye. Crack! The demon¡¯s body instantly scattered into black particles. Simultaneously, the black spear disappeared without a trace as well. ¡°What?!¡± Galfredik was stupefied by the sudden turn of events. The translucent wall had disappeared without a trace. And only a rock surface, similar to the walls of the passage leading to the heart of the dungeon, remained. ¡°Master! What was that just now?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°How would I know?¡± Eugene responded in vain. There had been many things he had been planning to ask the demon, so what the hell just happened? ¡°Was it magic? No, if it were, there should have been a caster nearby.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene clicked his tongue before looking around. Nothing remained. The entrance to the Demon World¡ªthe translucent wall¡ªwas nowhere to be found. It was clear what the unexpected change represented. ¡°Master. This¡­ Has the dungeon been cleared?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°It seems that way,¡± Eugene answered. It was unfortunate for Lord Bemos, the owner of the dungeon, but it appeared that the dungeon of the Bemos territory had come to meet its end. In fact, the evil energy that once filled the entirety of the passage could no longer be felt. It was nothing more than a regular cave now. ¡°Ha¡­ I would have never imagined that I would see an evil land disappear,¡± Galfredik commented. ¡°Has this never happened before?¡± Eugene asked. Galfredik responded, ¡°Yes, this has never happened as far as I know. In the first place, you¡¯re the first one to ever reach the heart of an evil land.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you think the one responsible for the monster uprising knew about this?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s possible. Ah, or maybe they induced this situation,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene fell into contemplation while stroking his chin. However, it was impossible to get a good grasp on the confusing situation. There was only one thing left for him to do. ¡°I think¡­ we need to find the one responsible for this mess,¡± Eugene said. The one who knew that passages to the Demon World existed at the hearts of evil lands. The one who allowed demons to pass through the passage instead of monsters, though it was unclear how it worked. The one who could even destroy the passage that allowed an evil land to serve as an evil land. It was unknown whether the one responsible had planned everything or not, but it was clear that they knew secrets and important truths relating to evil lands. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have started the monster uprising. And perhaps¡­ ¡®They might know about me as well.¡¯ The one behind the curtains probably knew much more about Eugene, the Drakan King of Darkness and the Origin vampire. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here for now,¡± Eugene said. Although knowing one truth led to even more questions and secrets, Eugene wasn¡¯t discouraged at all. After all, he already knew who was keeping the truth related to the current situation. ¡®Yellow bastard. And the vampire clan masters.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t know for sure if they were the mastermind or just pieces, but he could surely obtain some answers from them. *** ¡°My apologies. I found traces, but it seemed that they left the dungeon a long time ago after finishing their work,¡± The two vampire high lords reported back while kneeling in front of Eugene. They had failed to find the one manipulating the Bemos dungeon. ¡°I see,¡± Eugene responded. He did not blame the two vampire high lords. He had expected it to a degree. A few months had already passed since Christian manipulated the dungeon of the Tywin territory. If the one responsible for the Bemos dungeon had arrived at a similar time, they would have already left after achieving their purpose. ¡°However, given the various circumstances, we believe that the one responsible is not a member of the Dark Clan, but a wizard.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°As was the case with myself, members of the tribe rarely move alone. If it were a high lord of the Dark Clan, they would have been with knights and butlers. However, we could not find any traces suggesting that they were accompanied by others.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see. Good work,¡± Eugene responded. The two vampires bowed as if they were touched, then stood up. Princess Lilisain, who had returned after leaving to eliminate the rest of the monsters in the dungeon, asked, ¡°With all due respect, I have a question. What happened to the heart of the dungeon? I detected a strong vibration during the subjugation.¡± It appeared everyone had felt the powerful vibrations. Eugene thought for a moment, then answered while shaking his head, ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the time to explain. I will tell you later. However, what I can tell you now is that¡­ This place is no longer an evil land.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± ¡°C-confusion!¡± Princess Lilisain shouted. The other elven knights and vampires appeared greatly shocked and puzzled as well. However, the shock they felt was nothing compared to the ¡®owner¡¯ of the dungeon. *** ¡°W-w-what do you mean? The dungeon¡¯s life span has expired?¡± Lord Bemos asked. ¡°Just as I said. This is no longer an evil land.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Lord Bemos stood stunned for a while, then hurriedly asked, ¡°Y-you couldn¡¯t be saying that monsters won¡¯t be appearing, right?¡± ¡°¡­It turned out that way,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°H-how could that be¡­?¡± Lord Bemos slumped to the ground in shock. It was definitely a good thing that the situation had been resolved, as the entire territory had transformed into a monster paradise thanks to it. However, the fact that his dungeon was no longer functioning was an entirely different matter. As was the case with most nobles and lords with their own evil lands, Lord Bemos based his wealth on the by-products and mana stones obtained from the monsters in or near his dungeon. However, the one thing that differentiated his territory from others had actually disappeared overnight. ¡°T-that¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡± Lord Bemos muttered in a voice seeped in despair and disbelief. The other foreign nobles whispered while watching him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s going to happen to us as well?¡± ¡°What?! A-are you saying we¡¯re going to lose our evil lands?¡± ¡°The evil lands may have to be sacrificed to put an end to the monster uprising. The results are telling us, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The nobles were filled with shock and urgency. Almost all territories and kingdoms considered mana stones and monster by-products as the biggest contributor to their economies. What would happen if a large number of evil lands suddenly disappeared? ¡®We could really be in trouble¡­¡¯ The nobles were filled with worries and unease. Eugene spoke in a calm voice, ¡°Sir Bemos. I¡¯m sorry that the dungeon has lost its function and disappeared. But if the monster uprising were allowed to continue, your territory would have been completely ruined.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lord Bemos nodded with a miserable expression. It was an undeniable truth. Eugene continued, ¡°Moreover, there are still many monsters remaining in the territory. This incident has also caused an increase in the number of monsters possessing mana stones. If you plan well, you could continue to harvest mana stones and by-products, though not as much as before.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lord Bemos became wide-eyed. He immediately clapped his hands, ¡°Ah! We can manage the roamers!¡± Eugene responded, ¡°That¡¯s right. You can herd them into a specific place and manage their numbers appropriately. I think it should be possible, as the Bemos territory is fairly large.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s possible. Ah¡­ But who could possibly¡­¡± Lord Bemos muttered as his expression darkened once again. However, a small hope glimmered in his eyes as he looked at Eugene. ¡°I will do it for you. In the first place, getting rid of the monsters was stipulated in the contract,¡± Eugene said. ¡°How honorable! You are truly generous!¡± Lord Bemos praised Eugene. The foreign nobles were quick on their feet and joined in the praise. ¡°Then with our kingdom¡­!¡± ¡°Your Majesty! If you could please do the same for us¡­¡± CH 274 The evil land disappeared with the closure of the passage to the Demon World, but there were still hundreds of monsters remaining in the Bemos territory. The monsters were mainly attacking travelers in the mountains and fields, but no one knew when they might start attacking villages similar to the one Eugene had stopped by before entering the Bemos territory. To take care of the potential problem and to keep his promise to Lord Bemos, Eugene decided to send the elven knights and the beowulf warriors with Princess Lilisain as their commander. ¡°You are more adept when it comes to hunting monsters, so I believe you will do well, Princess,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I will do my best to live up to your expectations, Your Majesty. And it won¡¯t be just us either. The twin-headed ogre and the coco siblings will be with us as well, so it shouldn¡¯t be difficult,¡± Princess Lilisain responded. ¡°¡­Right.¡± Princess Lilisain often summoned the griffons by making sounds similar to a chicken. It appeared that she had decided on a related name for them. ¡°But the griffons. Why don¡¯t you give them official names? Why are you just referring to them as¡­ the coco siblings?¡± Eugene asked after suddenly becoming curious. Princess Lilisain answered without any change in her expression, ¡°You can get attached to them if you give them names. They should be the first ones to be sacrificed in the event of an emergency, so I couldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡± Eugene was surprised to hear her apathetic words. He looked back at the coco, or rather, the griffon siblings, just in case, and found that the griffons looked rather nervous, as if they had understood Princess Lilisain¡¯s words. ¡°Good. Get going right away,¡± Eugene said. Once the elven knights and the beowulf warriors left, Eugene looked back at Prince Localope and the other nobles. ¡°I think it would be better for you sirs to stay in Lord Bemos¡¯ castle. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem getting there with all of your guards and the troops Lord Bemos brought with him,¡± Eugene said. The nobles took on bright expressions. Although they felt reassured when they had Eugene by their side, it was obviously much safer to be inside a castle rather than to travel outside. ¡°Hmm. Are we the only ones going? Will you not come with us, Your Majesty?¡± Prince Localope asked. ¡°I have something else to do,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°And what is that?¡± Eugene turned toward Lord Bemos and responded, ¡°The current situation won¡¯t come to a resolution just because we¡¯ll take care of the remaining monsters in the territory. We should return the water source to its original state as well.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lord Bemos nodded along with the other nobles. The current predicament wasn¡¯t just a matter that involved fiercer, evolved monsters coming out of the evil land in droves. The bigger problem was that the water source had become contaminated. As a result, the areas in the vicinity of the water source were in great danger. Even if all the monsters were eliminated, a large portion of the land would face an unprecedented disaster, unless the water source was returned to its original state. ¡°But how are you going to find the water source¡­?¡± Lord Bemos asked. As the lord of the land, he knew the approximate locations of the rivers and lakes on his territory. However, he didn¡¯t know exactly where the water source was located. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Eugene said with a smile. He then continued, ¡°I have someone who is as good at finding water as she is finding treasures.¡± The order of his words appeared to be in reverse, but he wasn¡¯t exactly wrong either. *** ¡°Sir, it¡¯s that way!¡± the spirit exclaimed while excitedly leading the way. She was back to performing her original duties as a water spirit for the first time in a while. Mirian navigated through the deep, dense forest while locating the water flowing underground. Eugene, Galfredik, Christian, and Rohime diligently followed behind the spirit. The road was rough and unsuitable for humans to travel, so Eugene sent Selena and Edmund back to Lord Bemos¡¯ castle with the other nobles. ¡°It¡¯s getting shadier and shadier. Oi, evil spirit. Are you feeling anything like the energy of your kind?¡± Galfredik asked. Mirian answered angrily, ¡°I¡¯m not an evil spirit! And no, I don¡¯t feel anything like that at all. This is kind of weird. I think we¡¯re almost at the water source, but I don¡¯t feel any barriers.¡± ¡°Hmm. Right, that is a bit strange,¡± Eugene commented before expanding his senses outward. Mirian¡¯s original wetland was currently being protected by a barrier erected by Juseppel, who had taken over her duties. Similarly, another water spirit on a similar level as Juseppel should be in charge of this water source as well. As such, the area should have a barrier protecting it. However, Eugene couldn¡¯t feel a thing. They were obviously approaching the water source, but instead of coming across a barrier, the atmosphere kept getting gloomier and shadier as they closed in. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going for now. Mirian, are we not at the water source yet?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I feel like¡­ I feel like we might be almost there, maybe, we may be almost there,¡± Miran answered. ¡°¡­Say it more clearly, you incompetent goon,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kieek! It¡¯s only because this one is groundwater! And the water dried up because of the monsters!¡± Mirian fussed. ¡°Anyway, do your best,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hmph! Hnnnng! Whatever!¡± Mirian continued to diligently search for the water source while grumbling. Meanwhile¡­ ¡®I-is that spirit out of her mind?¡¯ ¡®Is she crazy? Or does the spirit have a huge secret that I¡¯m unaware of?¡¯ The two high lords didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or to cry at the spirit¡¯s attitude toward the great Origin. *** ¡°Right here. The water source is right under here,¡± Mirian said with a victorious smile after finally coming to a stop. It took her around two more hours to locate the water source. ¡°Kihehehe! What do you think, everyone? This is just a glimpse of my true abilities. Hmm?! Other spirits may not even be able to find this! This was only made possible by my competence!¡± Mirian declared. ¡°Yes, good work.¡± Eugene half-heartedly praised the pretentious spirit before looking down at the ground where Mirian had pointed at. The soil was soaked with moisture, and he could see water spewing out from various places, though the streams were very weak. Judging by the traces of water, there was obviously more water here in the past. Moreover, the water was filthy. A single glance was enough for anyone to judge that it was undrinkable. The state of the water was evidenced by the fact that no living creatures could be found in the surrounding areas. ¡°Can you not sense the spirit who should be guarding this place, even now?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s the really weird part. This is strange. There should be one for a water source this size,¡± Mirian answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene looked around for a moment before turning his head. The two vampire lords immediately came to attention when they met Eugene¡¯s gaze. ¡®Come to think of it. They haven¡¯t really done anything until now, right?¡¯ ¡°You two, come this way,¡± Eugene called out with an idea in mind. ¡°Yes, Great One,¡± they answered. ¡°I have something for you two to do,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ohh! Please give us your orders!¡± The two vampire high lords bowed deeply, rejoicing at the anticipation of finally getting to do something. The two vampires hadn¡¯t been given the chance to contribute after submitting to Eugene, even though they were nobles of the empire and vampire high lords. They normally escorted Prince Localope, and even though they had helped in fighting against monsters, most of the work was usually performed by the elven knights and the beowulf warriors. In addition, they had failed to perfectly accomplish the mission that Eugene had bestowed upon them in the Bemos dungeon. It was just natural that their pride was hurt. Eugene was going to give them an order at the opportune moment. This was the perfect chance to redeem themselves. ¡®I will succeed no matter what!¡¯ ¡®I will accomplish this task to perfection with my honor and life on the line!¡¯ Rohime and Christian burned with determination. ¡°Dig,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­What?¡± The two made the mistake of questioning the orders of the great one. They immediately bowed. ¡°F-forgive us! Please give us your orders again!¡± ¡°Dig the ground,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­.¡± The two vampire high lords took on dazed expressions. Eugene pointed at the ground spewing contaminated water and continued, ¡°If we want to check it out, then it needs to be dug out. Get to it. I will give you until sunset¡± ¡°H-honor!¡± Regardless, it was a task entrusted to them by the great King of Darkness. ¡°Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!¡± The two vampire high lords extended their claws before beginning to dig like crazy. ¡°Wow! Look at them go. They¡¯re basically a pair of moles!¡± ¡°Human moles! No! Vampire moles!¡± Galfredik and Mirian exclaimed while resting comfortably on the ground. ¡®C-calling us moles¡­¡¯ ¡°What humiliation!¡¯ Unfortunately, the two high lords weren¡¯t in a position to retort or complain. As such, they pretended as if they couldn¡¯t hear the comments and focused on the task at hand. ¡°That¡¯s right. You guys are quite useful, aren¡¯t you?¡± Eugene commented. ¡°I¡¯m flattered!¡± ¡°For the King of Darkness!¡± Whenever Eugene praised them, the faces of the two laborers would instantly shine with gratification. Thanks to the efforts of the vampire high lords, who possessed superhuman strength, stamina, and grit, more than ten meters of the ground was excavated in just less than an hour. Crack! Craaaa¡­! A stream of water soared upward with a roar. It appeared that they had finally found the water vein. When the water slowly died down, the vampire high lords resumed digging. Soon, a large hole was made in the ground, where mud and debris drizzled down. Christian pushed his head inside the hole. ¡°I found it. It seems to be a large, hollow underground lake,¡± he said. This seemed to be the true water source of the Bemos territory. ¡°Let¡¯s descend.¡± The four vampires and the spirit descended down the hole one after another. *** The dark underground cave was without light, but it wasn¡¯t a problem for the vampires. Moreover, although the surface of the water was large enough for it to be called a lake, it was very shallow. As such, Eugene and the vampires easily waddled out of the water. ¡°No bats, no fish,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything alive here. I can¡¯t detect any life,¡± Christian chimed. He had just returned from scouting the vicinity with Rohime. ¡°So it¡¯s a dead lake,¡± Eugene said after taking his helmet and looking around. He stroked his chin. He had already realized that there was no life nearby even before Rohime and Christian left to scout the surroundings. ¡°Sir. I don¡¯t have a good feeling about this,¡± Mirian stuck closer to Eugene as her wings trembled somewhat exaggeratedly. ¡°Stay in your pocket,¡± Eugene responded. Normally, he would have smacked her away, but this time, he was protecting her as her contractor. It was because he had also felt a strange sensation the moment he entered the underground lake. And when he realized that no sound could be heard aside from the noises his group made as they moved around, Eugene finally discovered the identity of the strange feeling. ¡®It¡¯s similar to the wetland where I first met Mirian.¡¯ Of course, there were fish and other creatures in that wetland, but the feeling was very similar. And that meant¡­ ¡®Something had already swallowed them up.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what it was, but it was most likely a monster. ¡®No, not a monster.¡¯ No matter how much stronger it had become after evolving, a monster couldn¡¯t possibly break the barrier of a spirit and transform a water source to this degree. The monster in Mirian¡¯s wetland had also been unable to kill the spirit, so it had chosen to suppress her with force instead. So, how could a monster completely take over a water source when a proper water spirit like Juseppel would have been protecting it? ¡®It would have been impossible. And it would have been hard to go underground in the first place. In that case¡­¡¯ The moment he found a hint¡ª ¡°¡­?!¡± Eugene jerked around. He could feel an energy emanating from a winding corridor opposite from where his group was standing. It was a passage of smoothed rock. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought¡­¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°Hmm? That¡¯s what you thought?¡± Galfredik asked with a puzzled expression. Shhhhhh¡­.. A strange, eerie sound reverberated from down the corridor. ¡°¡­!¡± Galfredik and the two vampires unsheathed their weapons like lightning. Shhhhhhhh¡­ Shhh¡­.. The expressions of the three vampires hardened. The unpleasant noise was enough to make all the hair of an ordinary person stand on end. An Origin¡¯s vassal and vampire high lords had failed to detect anything until now. They weren¡¯t sure what it was, but it certainly couldn¡¯t be an ordinary enemy. However, Eugene seemed to know the identity of the mysterious enemy. ¡°Demon. No, a demonic creature.¡± The water source of the Bemos territory¡ªthis place was transformed into a lake of death by a ¡®demonic creature¡¯ that had crawled out of the Demon World. In addition, the monster was strong enough to kill a spirit of water. CH 275 It was a giant snake. The sharp slits in the creature¡¯s bright yellow eyes were like swords, and its eyes could clearly be seen even though the creature was far away. In addition, the creature¡¯s body was covered with dark gray scales, and dozens of semicircular-shaped fins lined the tip of its tail. The snake was about twenty meters long, and upon its inverted triangular head were five white pointed horns. The creature looked as if it were the king of all snakes. Moreover, unlike regular snakes, the creature did not slither across the ground but raised about half of its body from the ground as it traveled. It was imposing and intimidating. The creature was humongous as well. The drake Eugene had faced in the past could be considered a child compared to the size and aura of this monster. ¡°S-sir. I¡¯m scared!¡± Mirian squealed while trembling and dug herself deeper into Eugene¡¯s arms. It was quite rare for the spirit to show fear toward monsters. Eugene became certain once more that the giant snake wasn¡¯t an ordinary monster, but a demonic creature. ¡°What is that?¡± Eugene asked while turning toward the two vampire high lords. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a monster before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s entirely possible that¡­ it¡¯s a basilisk,¡± Christian answered. ¡°Basilisk?¡± Eugene asked. Christian responded immediately, ¡°Information regarding the monster has only been passed down by word of mouth. I heard that a basilisk had made its appearance during the time when evil lands first started appearing in this world. There is a legend that several territories had gotten destroyed because of a basilisk.¡± ¡°What? And they left it to run havoc until then?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s just how powerful it was. In the end, several heroes of the time stepped forward and finally drove it out,¡± Christian said. ¡°Drove it out? They didn¡¯t kill it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°It¡¯s only a legend that has been passed down by mouth, so I¡¯m not entirely sure about the details¡­ I apologize,¡± Christian said while dropping his head. However, some information was better than none. Shhhhhh¡­! Slurp¡­ Slurp! The basilisk came to a stop at the other side of the underground lake. It gazed across the surface of the water while making a chilling sound. There was a strange energy contained in the creature¡¯s eyes, which made its eyes look like yellow flames. As the highest-ranking members of the Dark Clan, the three vampires could sense the ominous energy. ¡°Getting rid of it¡­ Even though it was a long time ago, those heroes couldn¡¯t have been weak.¡± ¡°And all of them couldn¡¯t have been human either,¡± Eugene commented. Everyone nodded their heads in affirmation. They were facing a monster that a group of outstanding warriors from various different races in the past had only succeeded in driving away but failed to kill. ¡°Judging by its scales, I don¡¯t think we can even leave a scratch on it with ordinary weapons. Do we have to get close and aim between the scales?¡± Galfredik suggested. As an outstanding knight, he was evaluating the current situation accordingly. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be the most optimal way? The two of us will approach it first.¡± Although the basilisk was a legendary monster, the two of them were vampire high lords. Christian showed his determination by emanating his Fear. Rohime took his place next to Christian while holding a longsword and a dagger in each hand. The two were confident in killing the basilisk by using their vampiric abilities. ¡°Poison,¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°¡­?¡± The three vampires turned their heads toward Eugene with puzzlement. ¡°That creature must be poisonous. It¡¯s evidenced by the fact that there are no living creatures here. It even looks like a big viper, right?¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right!¡± Why did they seem so amazed at such a simple deduction? ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how strong the monster¡¯s poison is...¡± Rohime and Christian were still confident. One of the greatest strengths of vampires was their strong resistance to poison. There was a good reason why vampires above the lord rank were feared and respected by the nobles of other races. However, Eugene shook his head. ¡°There are no monsters here but that snake. And did you both forget the identity of this place¡¯s original master?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The two vampires hesitated. As Eugene hinted, the underground lake was originally a water source guarded by a spirit of water. It was clear that the spirit had been defeated by the snake, and there weren¡¯t even any signs of other monsters, even though monsters were naturally resistant to poison. These facts indicated that the basilisk¡¯s poison was strong beyond imagination. ¡°Moreover¡­¡± Eugene continued, and all gazes turned to him once more. ¡°If the snake is so great and powerful that warriors in the past had failed to kill it, then it doesn¡¯t make sense for it to only have poison, right? If the snake¡¯s poison is the only thing to watch out for, then any member of the Dark Clan around your levels could just approach it and attack between the gaps in the scales, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Indeed, vampires possessed strong resistance to poison. If they equipped themselves with sturdy armor and engaged in close combat, even the king of snakes wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Moreover, all vampire high lords were capable of utilizing one or two powerful mysteries of the Dark Clan. And yet the outstanding heroes of various races had to be satisfied with simply driving the monster away? ¡°Then there is only one answer. They couldn¡¯t get close. We should assume that one of the powers it hides prevents enemies from approaching it,¡± Eugene concluded. ¡°That makes sense...¡± ¡°It certainly does.¡± Everyone nodded in agreement. Eugene¡¯s reasoning was solid and difficult to refute. ¡°Then that leaves us with long-ranged attacks. Should I try throwing a spear?¡± Galfredik asked. The heroes of the past had obviously attempted to use spears or bows. But since there was no harm in trying, Eugene allowed it. ¡°Yes, do your best.¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Galfredik stepped forward with a grin. He was overjoyed to leave Brantia and accompany Eugene. A knight¡¯s fate lay in battle, and he was a knight who was more true to his destiny than anyone else. However, the pleasure he felt had somewhat faded over time. And it was all because he had never found a single opponent that could give him a challenge. It was still the case even though he only used his skills as a knight without revealing any of his abilities as a vampire. For Galfredik, who was desperate for true battles between life and death, fighting those weaker than him was bound to grow dull over time. But now, he was faced with a monster, or rather, a demonic creature that even heroes of the distant past had failed to defeat. It was only natural that his blood was boiling right now. Galfredik took out three javelins and thrust two into the ground before loading one into his spear thrower. ¡°Phew¡­¡± He exhaled lightly before extending his arm to the fullest. A red glow flamed in his eyes. Simultaneously, Fear climbed down his shoulder and flocked to the spear as cracks began to form on the weapon¡¯s steel surface due to the pressure. ¡®W-what?!¡¯ ¡®Nonsense! I¡¯ve never even heard of anything like that!¡¯ The two high lords were stupefied. Although they weren¡¯t as skilled as Galfredik, the two were also capable of utilizing Fear. Vampire nobles usually used customized weapons. It was especially true for bannerets, who specialized in combat, and the highest-ranking aristocrats¡ªthe high lords. In particular, those who belonged to clans would try to obtain the most suitable weapons for themselves by giving the best materials to outstanding craftsmen. Although a part of it was to boast of their status, it was also to let stronger vampires have better control over their Fear. Similarly, Galfredik¡¯s weapons would have been designed for such a purpose as well. But now, the spear was about to break without being able to withstand its master¡¯s Fear. Judging by the sound, it was clear that the cracks weren¡¯t only on the surface of the weapon, but in its entirety. Craccck! Another crack appeared on the surface. ¡°Huaaaaaaaap!¡± Galfredik threw the javelin with a powerful roar. Kwaaaaaaaaah!!! The spear sliced through the air along with a powerful gust of wind, threatening to tear apart anything in its path, even the king of snakes. However, as the spear split the shallow lake in half, the basilisk opened its large maw. Fwoosh! Black flames sprang from the mouth of the basilisk. ¡°Keugh?!¡± The two vampire high lords faltered. Even though they were almost a hundred meters away from the monster, they could still clearly feel the terrifying energy contained in the flames. Soon, the two vampires widened their eyes in shock. The javelin containing Galfredik¡¯s powerful Fear had disappeared without a trace. Thack! However, they quickly realized what happened when they saw a black lump falling into the water. ¡°Ha! What is that¡­?¡± Galfredik muttered as if he were flabbergasted. ¡°I-it melted?¡± ¡°Is it because of the heat?!¡± The two high lords expressed their shock. Eugene responded, ¡°No, the poison melted it.¡± Longbows or crossbows would obviously not leave even a scratch on its scales. Moreover, if the creature were capable of melting even Galfredik¡¯s javelins, then long-range attacks would be ineffective as well. ¡®No wonder they had so much trouble.¡¯ Kiiiiing¡­ Eugene could feel Madarazika¡¯s quivering. It was begging Eugene to throw it. ¡®Should I throw it?¡¯ Eugene stared at the basilisk for a minute, then gave up on his thoughts. The basilisk was standing in place like a king. Until now, monsters had reacted in one of two ways when they came to face Eugene. They either attacked or fled. Moreover, Galfredik openly engaged the monster by throwing a javelin. A fierce monster fit to be called the king of snakes should have reacted by now with a counterattack, but the basilisk remained motionless. ¡®Something¡¯s off.¡¯ If the enemy were a person, it could have been dismissed as great patience. However, the opponent was a monster and a demonic creature at that. ¡®I¡¯m sure that it¡¯s up to something. It¡¯s almost as if it¡¯s wanting us to come at it.¡¯ Ziiiiiing! His spear cried out once more, but Eugene gently pressed down. His intuition, which had been completely accurate until now, was warning him not to throw Madarazika. He couldn¡¯t lose a precious weapon just to fight against a demonic creature. ¡°Hmph! In the end, the only answer is to fight up and close. Hehe. A little snakey bastard is making us go through all this trouble,¡± Galfredik said before drawing his longsword energetically. ¡°We will assist you,¡± The two high lords took their places by his sides. ¡°Master, can you leave this to me? No, let me be the one to kill that bastard,¡± Galfredik said with eyes full of killing intent. Eugene hesitated for a moment before nodding. Galfredik was his vassal. At times like these, he had to have faith in his vassal and build him up. ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t get too close, though. I¡¯m worried that it¡¯s just waiting for us to attack,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Hehe. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Galfredik responded with a vicious smile before turning to the two vampire high lords. ¡°you two have the ability to change into that weird thing, right? Use it. Distract that bastard,¡± Galfredik commanded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The three hit the ground at the same time. Papapapapapapa! The three vampires crossed the shallow water with draping energies of crimson behind their backs. The basilisk¡¯s eyes glowed even darker. The creature¡¯s purple tongue slithered before it opened its maw once again. Simultaneously, the bodies of the two high lords became engulfed in Fear. In an instant, the two transformed into black smoke, and hundreds of bats formed from the smoke flew toward the basilisk on both flanks. Each of the basilisk¡¯s bright yellow eyes spread to both sides, and at the same time, the creature exhaled a venomous breath from its maw. Kwaaaaaaa! ¡°Hmph!¡± Galfredik dodged the breath with beastly movements. Ssshhhh! However, the powerful fumes of the poison melted a part of Galfredik¡¯s armor. Even a portion of his helmet was starting to dissolve. ¡°You bastard!¡± The distance between them was about ten meters. Galfredik revealed a side of his face, which had turned purple, and pushed his Fear to the limit before attempting to charge forward. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Galfredik came to a sudden stop. He was a veteran knight and a vassal of an Origin. His instincts were warning him not to approach any closer. Unfortunately, the two vampire high lords were still flying toward the basilisk¡¯s flanks. No, rather, it was already too late when they attempted to stop. Tututututututung! It was both a shock and a mystery. Hundreds of bats fell to the ground in unison. ¡°Petrification?!¡± Eugene started moving as soon as Galfredik cried out. He had finally realized why the monster had simply been waiting for them without moving. And it was all because whenever anyone approached it past a certain point, its bright yellow eyes would transform its enemies into stone. CH 276 ¡°Huaagh!¡± ¡°Kuagh!¡± The two vampire high lords returned to their original form and crashed into the shallow water. ¡°¡­?¡±! Galfredik was appalled to see that their originally pale, tight skin was withering and crumbling like sand. Although members of the Dark Clan were known to be immortal, they weren¡¯t truly everlasting. The highest-ranking nobles of the Dark Clan had lifespans of hundreds of years, but they did have a fixed lifespan. However, all vampires were unageing in terms of appearance regardless of their status. They retained their appearance from when they were transformed into a vampire until the day they died. But now, the appearance of the two vampire high lords had changed like old men. It wasn¡¯t just their wrinkled faces either, but their confident physique had definitely become smaller as well. Shhhhh! Right then, the basilisk began to move for the first time. The creature moved unbelievably fast for a being more than twenty meters long. It moved at a speed that normal knights could never hope to even cope with. However, Galfredik was a veteran and the vassal of an Origin. Ziiiing! As soon as the basilisk started to move, his senses were heightened. Every movement, sound, and smell of the creature was captured, and Galfredik¡¯s concentration became several times greater than usual due to the Fear he had pushed to the limit. Galfredik¡¯s heightened concentration caused the basilisk to slow down. Naturally, the creature hadn¡¯t actually slowed down, but it almost felt like time had become sluggish. Even the tiniest quivering of each of the monster¡¯s scales and the direction of its bright yellow eyes went unmissed as Galfredik¡¯s eyes burned bright red. It was all useful information, and Galfrdik quickly grasped the snake¡¯s intentions before reacting in a way that surpassed instinctive behavior. ¡®Distance!¡¯ He couldn¡¯t simply dodge the basilisk¡¯s attack. The vampire high lords had been transformed into stone because they had entered an area within the creature¡¯s affective area of vision. As such, Galfredik jumped off of the ground with all his might. Ziiing. He could feel the tremors in the air. Galfredik could clearly feel that there was something invisible in the waves¡ªa powerful petrifying mystery approaching him. He instinctively raised his left arm and defended himself. His gauntlet vibrated gently, and a chilling sensation shot down his arm. And it appeared to be an indication that his arm was about to turn into stone. ¡®Am I too late?¡¯ The thought crossed his mind at that moment. Kwaaaaaaah! Suddenly, a strong storm of spirit erupted from behind him. The energy passed through Galfredik¡¯s figure like a powerful gust. Just as Galfredik felt that dozens of blades were brushing him by, a crimson barrier was erected in front of him. Boooom!!! A roar erupted. ¡°Get back,¡± A quiet, but reliable voice resounded from behind him, and Galfredik kicked off of the floor once again and jumped back. Kwaaaaa¡­! A hazy current fluttered over the tall, solid barrier. Paracletus¡ªit was the magic shield of the Batla Duchy. Eugene unsheathed Wolfslaughter while protecting himself against all kinds of magic and curses with the shield. Shhhh! The basilisk opened its maw with shock and anger as poisonous purple breath poured out. Fwoooooosh! The Fear covering Paracletus burned together with the breath. Kyaaaaahk! The basilisk uttered a cry for the first time, perhaps feeling angry that both of its attacks had been nullified. However, the creature was still completely confident of its victory. As long as its enemy was still holding up the big, weird shield, it meant that its enemy¡¯s vision was obscured. Attacking was impossible without vision. In fact, they may not even be able to defend properly, let alone attack. Shiiiiiii The basilisk rushed toward Eugene while emitting a bloodcurdling sound. It could either crush its enemy with its large body or use its sharp, poisonous tail to go over the shield and attack the enemy. Unfortunately, the creature was unaware of what kind of being it was fighting against. Paaaaa¡­ The stems of Fear emanating from Eugene¡¯s body instantly stretched out in all directions. Thousands of thin threads of Fear quickly dominated the space. As long as he was protecting himself with Paracletus, he could not see the basilisk. However, he could utilize his Fear to accurately sense the creature¡¯s every movement. The information he gathered transformed Eugene into a superhuman state, or even a state of being able to predict the future through his extraordinary senses. Shuack! The basilisk directed its tail above Paracletus and aimed at the top of Eugene¡¯s head. Eugene¡¯s figure blurred for a moment. He had predicted the creature¡¯s actions without actually seeing them. Boom! The tail smashed the place where Eugene stood a moment ago with a loud blast. Simultaneously, Eugene leaped like lightning and neared the basilisk in an instant. Papapapa! Eugene climbed the basilisk¡¯s long body like an animal. He arrived at the creature¡¯s head in the blink of an eye. He saw the creature¡¯s reverse scale in between the five horns on its head. Eugene stabbed Wolfslaughter into the palm-sized scale, and it felt as if he were slicing cheese. Eugene concentrated his Fear on his sword. Wooong! Wolfslaughter vibrated lightly, and the snake¡¯s large head rattled for a moment. Soon, it completely stopped moving, and that was the end of it. The basilisk¡¯s head stiffened like an old tree, and it collapsed. Boooom! As its heavy head fell to the ground with a large sound, its huge body drooped as well. A creature that had only been seen twice in history¡ªthe same creature that the heroes of the ancients had failed to defeat¡ªhad finally been killed. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene stood up from its head after realizing that the basilisk was completely dead. His Fear retracted at his will, and it was absorbed into his eyes.¡¯ ¡°Heuugh! Heugh¡­¡± Eugene heard pained moans as he calmed his breathing. He turned his head. The two old, wrinkled vampire high lords were looking up at him with eyes of pain and awe while sprawled on the floor. ¡°O-oh great one¡­¡± ¡°I have no regrets. I have finally seen the majesty of your true power with my humble eyes.¡± Even while panting with pain, the vampire high lords worshiped Eugene. Eugene knew well why the two had become like this. The hundreds of bats were a realization of their Fear, the source of their power. Each one could be considered their clone. And since all of their bats were petrified, the majority of their power and vitality as members of the Dark Clan had basically disappeared. That was why they had taken on such old, miserable appearances. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Eugene contemplated for a moment. He neither had the sense of loyalty nor obligation to care for the two vampire high lords. After all, one of them had been caught making a mess out of the Tywin territory, while the other kidnapped Romari. He couldn¡¯t care less even if they died right there and then. ¡®But they are still useful...¡¯ Eugene made a decision and approached the two high lords. Then, he grabbed them by their napes and raised them up. ¡°Huah?¡± ¡°Why are you so surprised? I¡¯m not going to eat you,¡± Eugene said with a smirk before throwing them forward. ¡°Huaagh!¡± The two vampires shot through the air before falling to the ground right where the basilisk¡¯s head was. The demonic creature¡¯s hot blood had formed into a pool beneath the creature¡¯s head. ¡°Drink it. When you two are revitalized, search for a mana stone,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!!!¡± The wrinkled eyes of Christian and Rohime widened with shock. Soon, the two vampires began to carefully drink the basilisk¡¯s blood with emotional faces. ¡°Drink hard! Then you can work like cows for Sir Eugene! Kekekekekeke!¡± The spirit laughed in an annoying manner. She had come out of hiding after the monster¡¯s death. But for once, the two vampire high lords weren¡¯t offended by the spirit¡¯s words. Eugene had willingly offered them the blood of a monster that had only appeared twice throughout history. Even their own clan masters had never shown them such generosity. In other words, although Eugene was simply trying to ensure that the two could continue working by saving them, his action had a profound, tremendous meaning for them. Moreover¡­ ¡®M-my powers¡­¡¯ ¡®The mysteries of the clan are returning!¡¯ Christian and Rohime began to return to their original form as they absorbed the powerful energy contained in the basilisk¡¯s blood. The patchy spots on their heads were quickly covered by luscious hair, and their wrinkled skin quickly became firm once again. And that wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­ The two vampire high lords could clearly feel that the power circulating through their bodies had become greater than before, and they were thrilled. It felt as if they were being transformed into members of the Dark Clan all over again. As such, the awe and loyalty they felt toward Eugene proportionately grew as well. ¡°You go and look for mana stones. Just in case,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kieyeap!¡± Mirian saluted before buzzing away. ¡°Fuck. I almost fucked up¡­¡± Galfredik muttered. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I would have become a rock if you had been a little late. Anyway, this is embarrassing. I can¡¯t believe I couldn¡¯t handle a single snake by myself¡­¡± Galfredik mumbled. He looked genuinely ashamed, and indeed, he would have been petrified if Eugene had intervened a tad bit later. Eugene shook his head. ¡°No, there was no helping it since you didn¡¯t know how to deal with it. I¡¯m sure there had been similar issues when the basilisk first appeared because of its petrifying gaze.¡± Long-ranged attacks were ineffective, and the basilisk either petrified or melted anything that approached it with its poisonous breath, so how could one deal with such a monster? ¡°Anyway, the demonic creatures must be more dangerous than the demons. There should be other monsters stronger and more dangerous than the basilisk, right?¡± Galfredik asked. ¡°I suppose so,¡± Eugene answered. Just as Galfredik said, the bigger problem was that he didn¡¯t know how many more of such dangerous demonic creatures were there. Even Galfredik and the two vampire high lords had struggled against the basilisk, so ordinary knights and mercenaries would obviously not stand a chance. Of course, not all demonic creatures would have crossed over to this world, but even a few more creatures at the level of the basilisk meant trouble. ¡®I¡¯ll have to see the yellow bastard and the clan masters sooner than later.¡¯ To do so, he would need to take care of the monster uprising as soon as possible. The Bemos territory was now cleared, but there were still six more places. ¡®No. Rather than simply eliminating the monsters¡­¡¯ Eugene mulled over an idea that came to mind while thinking of Crown Prince Voltaire. ¡®Good. Let¡¯s do that.¡¯ Mirian flew back with a pout. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no mana stone. Kieeeh¡­¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Eugene nodded. Although he was a little disappointed, it had been somewhat expected. He hadn¡¯t found any mana stones in the demons, so it made sense that the same was true for the demonic creatures. ¡®Then that means¡­¡¯ It could be concluded that demons and demonic creatures also consumed mana stones found in the monsters. In fact, it could even be the source of their strength and why they were powerful. ¡°Sir, are we leaving now? Let¡¯s hurry up and go back, so we can get all the treasures from the land¡¯s lord!¡± Mirian said. Eugene thought for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°We have to purify this place first. If we leave it like this, it won¡¯t be able to act as a water source anymore.¡± ¡°P-purify? How could I¡­ Kieeh¡­ I-I¡¯m suddenly feeling tired. All the strength is leaving my body¡­ Kieeek!¡± The spirit started to slowly crawl back into her pocket, but Eugene snatched her out of the air. ¡°You have to do it. Who else could?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too mean!¡± However, it couldn¡¯t be helped. He had to come up with a better solution than simply taking care of the monster uprising as stated in the contract. ¡®If we only fulfill the contract, we will become beings worthy of trust. But what if we went even further beyond?¡¯ They would feel gratitude and grace¡ªsuch was the debt of gratitude. And the ones who would harbor such feelings toward him were the territories and kingdoms surrounding the Roman Empire. That meant that as many as seven countries would stand on the side of Eugene and the Dukedom of Maren. Naturally, some of them might shamelessly turn their backs on him, but Eugene could simply show them¡­ ¡®If you think you¡¯re entitled to goodwill, then you¡¯ll get fucked.¡¯ In the end, Eugene was still a crafty vampire. CH 277 ¡°What should we do with the by-products? It¡¯ll fetch a good price, and I think it might come in handy,¡± Galfredik asked while pointing at the corpse of the basilisk. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Eugene shrugged while looking alternatingly between the dead basilisk and the hole they used to go down. ¡°It might be impossible to take everything with us, so let¡¯s just take a good amount,¡± Eugene said. ¡°There has to be another way out, right?¡± Galfredik said. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste. This is underground. And just because there might be a waterway doesn¡¯t mean we could pass through it either,¡± Eugene retorted. ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s a shame, but there¡¯s no helping it,¡± Galfredik said with a grin, then began dismantling the corpse of the basilisk with the two vampire high lords. After a while, the three knights approached Eugene with some of the basilisk¡¯s scales, horns, and teeth. ¡°Master, this is great. I can¡¯t even scratch it with my sword.¡± ¡°It is the same with the horns and the teeth. If you turn the scales into armor and use the horns and teeth to make weapons, they will surely be rare, superior-grade armament.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Eugene took the horns and teeth from Christian and Rohime and put them to the test. As they said, he couldn¡¯t scratch the materials even with Wolfslaughter, and they didn¡¯t break even with an appropriate amount of force. ¡°Hmm. Wait a minute¡­¡± Eugene muttered before stepping in front of the three knights. Eugene threw Madarazika at the basilisk with all his might. Boom! The spear collided with the basilisk¡¯s corpse with a loud explosion. Eugene was greatly surprised when he approached the corpse and observed the point of contact between the spear and the monster. ¡°This is amazing,¡± he commented. Madarazika was slightly embedded in the scales of the basilisk, but it had failed to fully penetrate it. The spear managed to dig a finger¡¯s length into the scales. Considering that the basilisk¡¯s scales were slightly thicker than that, it certainly provided great defense. ¡°It will be impossible to do any damage without using Aura. Plus, it¡¯s lighter than iron.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s impossible to make armor due to its thickness, it will be the perfect material for a shield. It would be best to make the teeth and horns into a spear,¡± Galfredik stroked the basilisk¡¯s scales and teeth with a pleased expression. He wasn¡¯t very materialistic, but as a knight, he could not help but be greedy for excellent equipment. Christian and Rohime also stole glances at the by-products while kneeling. It appeared that they also coveted the materials. Aside from the fact that the by-products of a basilisk could be made into excellent equipment, it would be of utmost honor to possess the by-products of a monster that had never been caught before in history. Regardless of one¡¯s race and status, anyone who called themselves a knight would covet such honor. ¡®Hmm. I did kill it, but it¡¯s not like they didn¡¯t help at all. I discovered the monster¡¯s abilities thanks to them.¡¯ Naturally, he could have also killed the basilisk even if he were alone. However, he could not make a decision when it came to ranking the contributions of the three vampires. In the end, Eugene decided¡­ ¡°You guys can have it.¡± ¡°Hooh!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± The three vampires were startled by Eugene¡¯s words. Eugene continued, ¡°You said it would make the perfect shield, right? I already have Paracletus, so I don¡¯t need it. Take a good amount and make it into a shield. Ah, I think I¡¯ll need some to give as gifts, so keep that in mind.¡± Taking too much would cause the materials to no longer be rare and scarce. It would be best to take just the right amount to show off. ¡°Uhahahaha! This is great!¡± ¡°The unending grace of the great one! We will not forget it until the day we die!¡± Galfredik roared with delight, and the two vampire high lords bowed once more. *** After a day filled with Mirian¡¯s complaints and moans, the water source finally recovered to an extent. In the future, it would slowly recover thanks to the power of nature. As such, Eugene exited the underground lake. ¡°So will a new spirit of water be coming here?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Mirian answered. ¡°When?¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± Mirian retorted. ¡°¡­Do you have a problem?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Oh my! How dare a humble spirit like me complain to a great man like you? I simply live to waste away doing what I¡¯m told to do. Please treat me like a workhorse. Oh, my back, my knees. Kieeeh¡­ From the way they ache, perhaps it¡¯ll rain tomorrow?[1] Never mind. It¡¯s just that I worked so hard that my body¡¯s¡­ Uaahghgah!¡± Mirian said while creating wrinkles on her face like an old man. Furthermore, she even formed a cane out of water and coughed like a dying person, or rather, like a dying spirit. Anyone could tell that she was completely sullen. Eugene thought for a moment before speaking to the spirit in a quiet voice, ¡°I will tell the lord here that you purified the water source and returned it to its original state.¡± Mirian responded, ¡°Do whatever you want. As if you care about what I think...¡± ¡°And as you know, returning the water source to its original state was not mentioned in the contract,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Kieh? But what about it?¡± Mirian said, showing a bit of interest. Eugene continued, ¡°I¡¯m saying that Lord Bemos will be very grateful to you. Of course, he won¡¯t express his gratitude with words only.¡± ¡°K-kieeh¡­ Ah!¡± The spirit listened attentively before flinching and putting her small hand on her chest. ¡°S-sir! M-my heart is going da-doomp all of sudden!¡± It was a reaction expected of the spirit of desire. When it came to her love for wealth, she was worse than a monster starved for several months. ¡°It should be a considerable show of sincerity. And you know what¡¯s even more important?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°W-what is it? What¡¯s more important?¡± The spirit of desire asked with rapacious eyes after her attitude changed at the speed of light. Eugene continued, ¡°There are still six more areas being affected by the monster uprising, so imagine¡­¡± Eugene¡¯s voice became more subtle, while the spirit¡¯s expression became more and more ecstatic. ¡°How much wealth do you think you will accumulate every time you purify a water source?¡± ¡°K-kieeeeeeeehhhhhh¡­!!!¡± In the end, the spirit fell backward, submerged in euphoria. *** The next day, Eugene arrived at the castle of Lord Bemos with Galfredik and the two vampire high lords. Lord Bemos and the nobles were shocked to see that Eugene had returned so quickly. Some even harbored doubts that Eugene had finished the job half-heartedly. One of them, of course, was Lord Bemos. ¡°W-what? A-are you saying that you have eliminated the monsters and have also returned the water source to its original state?¡± Lord Bemos asked. ¡°It¡¯s not perfect, but it should be back to normal in half a year. Of course, the water coming from there won¡¯t have any issues now. You should be able to confirm it in a few days.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± Lord Bemos¡¯ eyes reddened with tears. He barely managed to open his quivering lips. ¡°H-how could I ever repay this kindness¡­¡± Lord Bemos could not continue. He was completely overwhelmed with emotions. The contract formed between Maren and Baron Palo was resolving the issue of the monster uprising. Purifying a contaminated water source was never mentioned in the contract. In the end, the King of Maren would have fulfilled his responsibility even if he had simply eliminated the monsters and left right there and then. He would have been praised as an honorable monarch who knew how to keep his promise. However, he did not stop there but even took care of the ¡®aftermaths¡¯ of the issue. Honor? Grace? Generosity? Lord Bemos couldn¡¯t express what he felt toward the King of Maren with mere words. Although the King of Maren was expressionless, it felt as if a halo was wreathed around his head. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, Eugene appeared like a saint to Lord Bemos. Indeed, a highest-ranking member of the Dark Clan, a race known for their insidiousness and trickery, felt like a saint for him. ¡°Y-your Majesty¡­ I really¡­¡± Lord Bemos muttered with a teary expression. Eugene tried to maintain a solemn expression as he brought up the words he had prepared in advance. ¡°Sir Bemos. Maren never turns a blind eye to a friend in trouble.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Finally, tears started flowing from Lord Bemos¡¯ eyes. The foreign nobles were also touched by the scene. Although he was a bit secular and eccentric, the King of Maren was truly an honorable knight who could only be seen in fairy tales. He was the incarnation of chivalry. ¡®This is too easy¡­¡¯ Eugene was slightly startled. The nobles reacted stronger than he had expected. As such, he turned his head. ¡°Sir Palo.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Baron Palo answered with a determined expression. It almost felt as if he were a loyal servant of Maren, rather than a vassal of the Viseche Dukedom. ¡°My friendship is not limited to the territory of Bemos. You should know this very well, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty!¡± Baron Palo answered. Eugene continued, ¡°I believe you will convey my will to His Majesty Viseche. Maren will never consider Viseche a stranger.¡± ¡°Ohh¡­!¡± Baron Palo nodded fervently as he felt his heart pound violently. Eugene turned his head toward the other nobles after confirming that he had won over Baron Palo, the representative of the Dukedom of Viseche. Eugene then continued, ¡°And I should not make exceptions to all of your kingdoms as well. I promise you as the King of Maren. In addition to taking care of the monster uprising, I will also take responsibility and return any contaminated water sources back to their original states. Of course, this is on the premise that the leaders of each kingdom will allow¡­¡± ¡°Of course, you can!¡± ¡°Please, I implore you!¡± The nobles shouted without hesitation. There was nothing for them to lose. Only utter fools would reject such a proposal. No, even absolute fools would unconditionally accept it. ¡°Thank you for your decisions, sirs. Ah, and this is a little gift from me¡­¡± Eugene said before gesturing. The two vampire high lords put down two large boxes with proud faces. Clack. Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to the two opened boxes. ¡°This is¡­?!¡± The nobles expressed shock. ¡°It¡¯s the by-products of the monster killed in the Bemos territory¡¯s water source. A monster known as the basilisk. It should be sufficient to symbolize the faithfulness and friendship between Maren and all of your respective home nations,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Basilisk¡­?¡± Some expressed their puzzlement at the unfamiliar name. However, Prince Localope could not hide his excitement, and he shouted as soon as he heard the name basilisk. ¡°B-basilisk! The monster that appeared only once, more than two hundred years ago! It was driven away by the three great heroes!¡± ¡°Huh? Do you know something about the monster, Your Highness?¡± one of the nobles asked. Instead of answering, Prince Localope hurried to the box with an expression of disbelief. He took out a large, hard scale before practically spitting out his following words, ¡°It¡¯s real! It¡¯s really the scale of a basilisk! There are only five of these, even in the imperial family!¡± Ohhhh¡­!!! The nobles exclaimed at once when they saw the huge scale. If there were only five even in the imperial family of the Roman Empire, it could truly be regarded as a treasure among treasures. ¡°We only managed to procure it when the three heroes chased the monster away. It truly is an object impenetrable by anything!¡± Prince Localope exclaimed before looking excitedly around at the nobles. He slightly loosened his outerwear. ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯m wearing right now¡ªarmor made from a basilisk¡¯s scale.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± It was more than proof that a prince of the Roman Empire was wearing it. The shock quickly disappeared from the eyes of the nobles, and greed took its place. There weren¡¯t just one or two such objects in the boxes, but rather dozens. ¡°There aren¡¯t too many of them, so each of you should only take a couple. I would appreciate it if all of you could regard it as a small sign of my friendship with your monarchs,¡± Eugene added. ¡°Your Majesty¡­!¡± A hot wave of emotions engulfed the Bemos Castle. ¡®With this, I have secured strong allies for myself.¡¯ Eugene was inwardly making an insidious smile that completely contrasted the generous, benevolent smile he had on the surface. They weren¡¯t just ordinary allies either. Instead, all of them were nations located between the Roman Empire and the Dukedom of Maren. He had secured himself seven strong shields money couldn¡¯t buy. However, this wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­ ¡®Shields can always be turned into weapons at any time¡­¡¯ Eugene¡¯s smile deepened at the thought of smashing Crown Prince Voltaire¡¯s face with his seven new shields. 1. Something that old people say in Korea. Mirian¡¯s basically complaining that she¡¯s sore and overworked. ? CH 278 ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°Your Excellency.¡± Dozens of servants and maids dressed in neat, clean clothes politely bowed following the butler¡¯s greeting. ¡°Yes,¡± A pale-faced man wearing a feather-topped hat nodded in response while leaving through the open door. He was holding a staff plated with pure gold. ¡°The Baron of Balik has sent an invitation. He is asking you to attend his daughter¡¯s engagement. Lord Malta¡­¡± the butler said. ¡°Tell Sir Balik that I will not be able to attend because I¡¯m busy. Take care of the rest as well,¡± the man answered. ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± the butler answered while opening the doors to a carriage waiting in front of a large, elegant fountain. The carriage soon departed. The two horses pulling the carriage slowly circled the fountain once before heading down a small road and passing through the front gates. A swordsman standing in front of the gate took off his hat and sent off his employer. The front gates closed with a squeak after the departure of the master. There were stone statues of a dragon lining both sides of the gate. The Black Dragon Manor¡ªthe manor was widely known as the Black Dragon Manor, and the one who had left through the main gate was none other than the manor¡¯s master, Count Delmondo. *** ¡°Ah! Your Excellency, you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Thank you for inviting me, Sir Ilocke,¡± Delmondo took off his hat and returned a polite greeting at the welcoming words of an old, bald noble. ¡°Hahaha! Is there a need for such formality between us? Now, now, come on. Come this way.¡± Delmondo entered the banquet hall following Sir Ilocke¡¯s warm welcome. The sight of the banquet¡¯s host personally guiding a guest drew attention from all directions. Many people recognized Delmondo, a celebrity of Petrucca¡ªone of the three major port cities of the Roman Empire. They quickly approached him with a welcoming look. ¡°Sir Delmondo! How long has it been?¡± ¡°Sir Levien.¡± ¡°Haha! Is it our first time seeing each other since Veritas? How have you been until now, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°Sir Obreo. It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Sir Delmondo!¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± In an instant, more than ten nobles surrounded Delmondo and busily chatted away. Delmondo, who had grown a thick mustache, personally responded to everyone¡¯s greetings with a smile that slightly revealed his fangs. Everyone present knew well that he was a member of the Dark Clan. In fact, some of them were also vampires who had been living in Petrucca for a long time. However, it was a surprise how such vampires actively approached and attempted to build a rapport with Delmondo. ¡°Sir Delmondo. I have recently received some healthy and beautiful slaves from Pasaton. Would you like to choose one? They would be great slaves to feed on.¡± ¡°One of the high lords of Larsamaine wants to meet you. When will you be available?¡± The vampires acted kindly toward Delmondo as if he were a part of their clan. It was quite surprising, considering that vampires often closed themselves off to outsiders, even to other vampires. Naturally, they hadn¡¯t been acting so favorably toward Delmondo from the very beginning. In fact, some of them even wanted to kill Delmondo. However, the situation changed dramatically in just a few months. He was fluent in the language of the Roman Empire, and his graceful words and actions clearly represented his prestigious background. On top of that, he was filthy rich and a count of Brantia, which was an official country, though it was located on the periphery. Such conditions allowed the vampire count to quickly become a celebrity in the port city of Petrucca. However, above all else, there was another reason why the nobles of Petrucca wanted to make friends with Delmondo. ¡°Your Excellency Delmondo. I chanced upon a rumor, but is it true?¡± ¡°Hmm? What are you talking about?¡± Delmondo asked with a puzzled expression. His appearance was that of a dignified, prestigious noble, which contrasted with how he looked when he first met Eugene. Baron Ilocke, the host of the banquet, spoke in a loud voice so that the surrounding, curious nobles could hear him. ¡°The one that Your Excellency serves, His Majesty Jan Eugene Batla of Maren.¡± Ohh¡­ The nobles of Petrucca quietly gasped when Eugene¡¯s name was mentioned. Indeed, one of the decisive reasons why Delmondo quickly became one of Petruccas¡¯s most distinguished figures was that he was serving the King of Maren. When he first arrived in Petrucca, Eugene had only been considered a lucky knight with some reputation in the countryside. But now, everyone knew the name Eugene. It wasn¡¯t limited to the City of Petrcca either. Rather, his name had become known in numerous cities and territories across various kingdoms and countries. ¡°You mean my master? What about him?¡± Delmondo asked. He feigned ignorance even though he knew exactly what Baron Ilocke was about to say. Baron Ilocke was overjoyed at being the first one to distribute the ¡®latest information¡¯. He excitedly looked around Delmondo and the nobles before speaking, ¡°No, well¡ªthey say that His Majesty the King of Maren was blessed by a high priest of the Holy Empire!¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± ¡°I-is that really true?¡± ¡°No, how could he have¡­?¡± ¡°Which great priest of the Holy Empire?¡± Exclamations of shock and questions erupted from all over the place, and Baron Ilocke continued excitedly, ¡°The saintess! Ah, you all know that she was kidnapped by evil pirates, right? There had been some talk about sending soldiers from Petrucca because of that as well, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So what?¡± ¡°Ah! Perhaps¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s exactly what you all are thinking. His Majesty the King has personally led his knights and warriors to destroy that evil, vile group of pirates! Hahaha!¡± Ohhh¡­! Bursts of admiration filled the hall. The heat immediately descended upon Delmondo. ¡°Congratulations, Sir Delmondo. A blessing of the Holy Empire¡¯s high priest! The one you serve has truly been honored!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a first for a member of the Dark Clan? Haha! It¡¯s certainly a call for celebration!¡± ¡°Please congratulate His Majesty on my behalf. Haha!¡± The nobles fought to offer their congratulations, and Delmondo bowed humbly in response. ¡°Thank you, sirs.¡± The thrilled Baron Ilocke burst out laughing and stepped forward again. ¡°Hahaha! By the way, that¡¯s not all...¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Baron Ilocke enjoyed how the eyes of the nobles flocked to him. He continued proudly as if it were his own achievement. ¡°The high priest of the Holy Empire has invited His Majesty to the Holy Empire. To the papacy, sirs.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± An even greater shock filled the nobles. It was within the realm of their understanding for a high priest of the Roman Empire to give her blessing to the King of Maren. Although the pirates wouldn¡¯t have laid a finger on the delegation unless they were completely out of their minds, it remained true that the king had rescued the high priest. Therefore, since the king himself had come in person, the high priest¡¯s blessing was totally understandable, even though the king was a member of the Dark Clan. However, inviting him to the Holy Empire, and to the papacy no less, was an entirely different matter. No member of the Dark Clan¡ªeven the great clan masters¡ªhad ever been to the Holy Empire. No, they actually couldn¡¯t go there. It was due to the unwritten law that came into existence when the pope officially recognized the Tribe of Darkness. However, the unwritten law had finally been broken. Moreover, the invitation couldn¡¯t be withdrawn, not when a high priest, who was also the saintess, had personally invited him to the papacy. After all, high priests had the greatest status in the Holy Empire aside from the pope. It was clear what this situation meant¡­ ¡®The Holy Empire¡­¡¯ ¡®Are they trying to empower the King of Maren?¡¯ The eyes of the nobles glimmered. The Holy Empire was still the Holy Empire, even if it had long become a toothless tiger. It was the religious center and a place protected by the three gods. It was the land of faith and glory, and its title held enormous value. No tyrant in history had ever denied the Holy Empire. Even when priests and holy knights were killed, no one ever touched the pope. Even if one could depose and raise a new pope, denying the Holy Empire and the pope was akin to denying the gods and religion itself. The people would rise if that happened, rather than the knights and the nobles. The one responsible would have to face the curse of the entire world, and they would be labeled a sinner. No one would willingly follow a person whose entire existence could only be described by the word ¡®sinner¡¯. Although it was toothless, the Holy Empire still had a profound influence on kings and nobles thanks to its powerful claws. Therefore, an invitation to the papacy had never been handed out freely. In the first place, not just anyone could visit. But now, the King of Maren had received the very first invitation after so many years. It was safe to say that the Holy Empire wanted to provide support to the King of Maren. ¡°So, will His Majesty be heading to the Holy Empire?¡± ¡°When is that going to be? Ah! He has to stop by Petrucca to head to the Holy Empire, right?¡± ¡°Sir Delmondo! Has His Majesty found a place to stay when he comes? My mansion is¡ª¡± ¡°The finest inn of my family is¡ª¡± ¡°I would like to invite His Majesty¡­¡± The nobles swarmed Delmondo. As the leaders of Petrucca, they were directly or indirectly involved in various businesses around the city. Friendship with the King of Maren had only been something to boast about. However, that was yesterday¡¯s news. Today, his prestige had increased yet again by several levels. A highest-ranking vampire noble with the support of the Holy Empire¡ªit meant that he could not be touched in any nation or territory, even in places that regarded vampires as evil and ominous beings. Rather, everyone would have to do their best not to offend him so that they wouldn¡¯t receive a ¡®message of regret¡¯ from the Holy Empire. It was hard to predict what benefits he would gain with his newly found support. As such, the nobles of Petrucca desperately held on to Delmondo, the only connection they had to the King of Maren. ¡®Uhahahahahahaha!¡¯ Delmondo boisterously laughed inside. He suddenly remembered how he had been when he first met Eugene. His past self could not be compared to who he was now, and it was all thanks to his great, exalted master. He was trembling with exaltation, but Delmondo tried hard to suppress his emotions and put on an elegant smile. He had to stay calm. His master was watching, so he needed to fulfill the order his master gave him for this place. ¡°I am not sure when my master will come. Of course, he will definitely be in contact with me. When that time comes, I will make sure to deliver all of your words. My generous master had always listened to my humble self,¡± Delmondo said. Ohhh¡­!!! The nobles of Petrucca burned with even more determination. They were wealthy and prestigious, but they pursued even greater profits and honor. And right now, Jan Eugene Batla, the King of Maren, was the one most capable of allowing them to satisfy their desires. ¡°However¡­¡± Delmondo glanced at the eyes of the nobles, which were glistening with desire. He stopped his gaze at the vampires of Petrucca and continued with a wistful expression, ¡°If I am to do something here, wouldn¡¯t I need permission from the clan masters which you sirs serve? Even if my master is the Duke of Brantia and the King of Maren, he is still a stranger here as a member of the Tribe of Darkness.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The eyes of the vampire lords and bannerets of Petrucca filled with surprise. Why was he suddenly saying such things? The vampires acted according to their instincts and quickly looked around at the nobles. ¡®This is¡­!¡¯ ¡®Dammit¡­¡¯ Even though they used monsters and slaves, they still consumed human blood. However, the gazes of the other nobles made it seem as if they were the prey instead, even though they were vampires. ¡®We¡¯re fucked.¡¯ ¡®If we were to reject him here, then...¡¯ The vampire lords and bannerets realized that they had no choice in the matter. ¡°I-I will bring this to the high lord.¡± ¡°I will also write to the clan and¡ª¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Delmondo sighed with regret after hearing their response. ¡°This might prove difficult. I apologize. I think I have made a difficult request for all of you.¡± ¡°N-no, that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Sirs!¡± Baron Ilocke shouted in an agitated voice. ¡°What¡¯s so hard about that? Why are you hesitating, sirs?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Isn¡¯t His Majesty also a highest-ranking aristocrat of the Dark Clan?¡± ¡°Exactly! He could even establish his own clan with the status he has, right? Someone like him will be visiting Petrucca, so the clan masters should¡­¡± The other nobles voiced their agreement with Baron Ilocke. ¡®Good. Good, good!¡¯ Delmondo became filled with confidence as he inwardly grinned. He had no idea which of the clan masters would arrive, but one or two clan masters should show up by the time his great master arrived. CH 279 On Eugene¡¯s fourth day of stay at Lord Bemos¡¯ castle, Princess Lilisain returned with the beowulf warriors after successfully driving out the remaining monsters from the territory. A feast was held upon their return. Nearly eight hundred monsters had been killed in total, and the restoration of the water source of the territory had also been confirmed. Although the Bemos territory still hadn¡¯t completely returned to normal, it was in the gradual process of doing so. And that wasn¡¯t the only thing that made Lord Bemos happy. Thanks to Eugene and the expedition, he had secured a large number of mana stones and monster by-products¡ªnearly five or six times the amount that could be acquired from a single dungeon subjugation. According to principle, they all belonged to Eugene. However, Eugene had neither room nor time to bring with him so much baggage. As such, Lord Bemos decided to buy the mana stones and by-products from Eugene with gold. He had to pay an enormous sum equivalent to half a year¡¯s worth of the territory¡¯s finances, but he did not consider it a loss at all. After all, the benefits of letting the remaining monsters be driven to certain areas were much greater. *** ¡°Did you say Vermont Forest?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The princess cleverly drove the monsters toward that place,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Ohh¡­¡± Lord Bemos rejoiced at Eugene¡¯s words and gazed at Baron Palo. The corners of the Baron¡¯s mouth were also curled upward, and he nodded his head in approval. Vermont Forest was a place that stretched across the border of the Bemos territory, and beyond the small river bordering the forest was the Lusa territory. Following Eugene¡¯s actions, Princess Lilisain had also driven the monsters toward the Lusa territory. ¡°It¡¯s a great misfortune for Lord Lusa.¡± The misfortune of others was one¡¯s happiness. Moreover, if the one afflicted was someone who had shown an irreverent attitude toward the Duke of Viseche, then it went without saying. As such, Baron Palo continued to grin as he mentioned Baron Lusa. ¡°Well, the monsters won¡¯t be able to easily leave the forest, but he will have no choice but to pay attention to it. For the foreseeable future, he will be fully occupied fighting monsters,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes. It should take at least half a year. And that¡¯s under the assumption that the local nobles of Moyna would show their full support for the Lusa territory. They would have to hire mercenaries in the thousands as well,¡± Baron Palo responded. The cost of hiring mercenaries in the thousands was an astronomical amount. Moreover, it wouldn¡¯t only be for a couple of months, but for at least half a year. Even if the Lusa territory was financially stable, it would still be a massive blow. ¡°Hmm. Is there any chance that he might redirect the mercenaries he hires to attack this place after he has taken care of the monsters?¡± Prince Localope asked. It was a question about whether Baron Lusa would try to make up for his losses with war or not. ¡°Hmm. I certainly think that it¡¯s a possibility,¡± Lord Bemos answered with a grim expression. There was a slim, or rather, a good chance that something like that could happen. However, Baron Palo¡¯s smile deepened as he answered, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about that, Sir Bemos. Rather, if Sir Lusa does react as such, it will be for our benefit.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lord Bemos ased. Baron Palo turned his gaze, and everyone followed suit. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Your Majesty?¡± He asked. Eugene felt a little lazy, but he gave an answer while looking around at the nobles. ¡°I assume that His Majesty Viseche will muster his forces and send them here as soon as Sir Lusa hires mercenaries.¡± ¡°What? S-sir Lusa and the City of Moyna will greatly object to that.¡± Even if he were a monarch of a dukedom, he couldn¡¯t convene a large-scale force and send them to a specific place without any justification. It would cause angst among the lords of the territory, and it could even lead to a civil war. ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­?¡± Eugene explained to resolve Lord Bemos¡¯ confusion, "It is a monarch¡¯s natural duty and obligation to save a city in crisis and the territory of his vassal. They have no ground to stand on in terms of justification.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Ah!¡± ¡°In addition, the forces of His Majesty VIseche won¡¯t directly intervene in the Lusa territory¡¯s crisis. They will simply be stationed right outside in case of an unexpected outcome. Therefore, the argument that the monarch is arbitrarily meddling in the internal affairs of his vassal¡¯s territory is invalid,¡± Eugene finished. ¡°I see!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± The nobles of the Bemos territory let out bursts of admiration. Baron Palo stepped forward with a smile; he had just realized that Eugene was as smart as he was strong. ¡°In the end, even if Sir Lusa takes care of all the monsters, he won¡¯t be able to provoke us so easily. However, it would be even better if he provoked us, as we would be presented with a justification. It is entirely possible that the duke wants Sir Lusa to provoke us after resolving the current situation.¡± Baron Palo suddenly hardened his expression, then continued in an icy voice, ¡°It will be an opportunity to crush a disloyal vassal.¡± In other words, Lusa would become an example to the others. Baron Lusa and the City of Moyna would be crushed as a warning for the other nobles. After all, they had been teetering on the line of disloyalty. And in the process, the Bemos territory would receive Duke of Viseche¡¯s protection. ¡°If Sir Lusa and Moyna chose to make the foolish choice, they will be faced with even greater misfortune than now. However, it will come as a great fortune for you, Sir Bemos.¡± ¡°A great¡­ fortune? For me¡­? Why would¡­ Ah!¡± Lord Bemos muttered with a puzzled expression, then exclaimed after coming to a realization. ¡°That¡¯s right. Who will the duke entrust the Lusa territory to once it loses its master? A chance should be given to the reliable vassal who had always remained loyal in good times and bad times.¡± ¡°Ohh¡­!¡± Lord Bemos was thrilled, even though the outcome was only one of the many possibilities. ¡°Maybe in the near future, you may receive an official title, Sir Bemos. Haha! I hope that day comes soon,¡± Baron Palo said. Lord Bemos eagerly nodded with tears in his eyes, though he couldn¡¯t give a verbal response. Baron Palo was known as one of Duke Viseche¡¯s close aides, and he could have said such words only in good faith, but Lord Bemos was glad nevertheless. And the one responsible for his great joy was¡­ ¡°I will value our friendship until the day I die, or even after I die, I will leave a will for my descendants to continue the friendship with Maren and Your Majesty forever. I promise you the true friendship of our family! Please consider us your bloodsworn ally!¡± Lord Bemos declared. ¡°That¡¯s great to hear,¡± Eugene responded. He gave a satisfied smile, even though he wasn¡¯t particularly happy about it. The value of his smile was worth exactly the amount Lord Bemos had presented him with. *** After taking care of the monster uprising in the Bemos territory, Eugene and the expedition set out for the Viseche Dukedom¡¯s castle. Originally, Eugene planned to immediately head to another area afflicted by the monster uprising, but he had resolved the issue in the Bemos territory earlier than expected. Moreover, Baron Palo had also pleaded with him to meet with Duke Viseche. Of course, Eugene did not change his schedule simply because of Baron Palo¡¯s desperate plea. ¡®If I want to make a shield, I should do it thoroughly.¡¯ It was the first time Eugene was meeting the monarch of another country since he became king. The opponent would be aware of this fact as well. It was probable that they would be rather pleased to be each other¡¯s first. The atmosphere should be pretty cordial, considering that Eugene was a hero who had saved the country from a great threat. And hopefully, the friendly atmosphere would allow for a ¡®small request¡¯ of the hero to be granted. *** The Viseche Dukedom¡¯s castle was located about sixty kilometers from the Bemos territory. As such, Eugene and the expedition took about two days to travel to the castle. ¡°You are most welcome, Your Majesty Jan Eugene Batla!¡± ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty,¡± Eugene responded. The Duke of Viseche was an extremely polite, nobleman in his late thirties. ¡®Hmm. It seems Baron Palo wasn¡¯t wrong.¡¯ It was said that the Duke of Viseche, who was a man with a large frame, was quite refined as a knight as well. There was a possibility that Baron Palo had simply been praising his own monarch, but according to his words, Duke Viseche was an intelligent, generous, and brave monarch. In any case, a grand welcoming ceremony took place, and the members of the expedition received the utmost hospitality, regardless of their gender or status. It was inevitable because the members of the expeditions were either knights and warriors directly responsible for taking care of the monsters or distinguished nobles of various nations, including Prince Localope. They wouldn''t dare to treat anyone of them recklessly. Naturally, it was Eugene and Prince Localope who received the biggest welcome. While the members of the expedition continued to eat and drink to their hearts¡¯ content, Eugene and Prince Localope conversed with Duke Viseche. To be exact, they talked about a specific topic. ¡°I would once again like to thank you both for accepting my invitation,¡± Duke Viseche said. ¡°Of course. By the way, there aren¡¯t many listening ears, so why don¡¯t you speak comfortably? Sir Palo has told me that Your Majesty is a very generous, hearty man,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hahahaha! That man, he¡¯s¡­¡± Duke Viseche gave a pleasant laugh, then continued with a pleased expression, ¡°Let¡¯s do that. Let¡¯s just address each other as ¡®sir¡¯ and talk comfortably. Ah, if it¡¯s alright with you, Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Please treat me comfortably as well. The duke is someone who has succeeded the blood of Viseche, Calcht, and Rosenberg,¡± Prince Localope responded while bowing politely. It was rather hard to believe that a prince of the Roman Empire was bowing to a duke of another country. However, neither Duke Viseche nor Eugene found it strange. It was because of the families Prince Localope had mentioned. ¡°How fortunate is it that His Majesty Rosenberg¡¯s bloodline has persisted in the empire¡¯s allied nation of Viseche?¡± Indeed, the Viseche Duchy was a noble family with the blood of one of the Roman Empire¡¯s most respected emperors. In addition, the blood of the Calcht royal family, which once unified the southern part of the empire in the distant past, flowed in the veins of the Viseche family. Lastly, Viseche also produced a pope of the Holy Empire. In other words, the Dukedom of Viseche had an orthodox, traditional family standing at its head that could represent the Roman Empire, as well as the kingdoms and territories surrounding the empire. Therefore, even though the territory of the dukedom was relatively small and wasn¡¯t economically strong, it had a considerable influence on the Roman Empire and the various kingdoms. It was also for that same reason that the governor of Maren and the parliament chose the Bemos territory as the first territory to sign a contract with. Other kingdoms would be hard-pressed to object even if the Viseche Dukedom was the first one to receive help, and the promotional effect would reach its peak after helping the dukedom resolve the monster uprising. Moreover¡­ ¡®It¡¯s also the country that the other countries around the Roman Empire would most likely follow, so if I can win it over¡­¡¯ This was the decisive reason why Eugene had pretended to give in to Baron Palo¡¯s request to come all the way to the castle. If he could win over Duke Viseche, the others would naturally follow suit. And if he could make the duke project his influence over the territories and nations where the monster uprisings were taking place, Eugene would then have a line of shields surrounding the Roman Empire. CH 280 ¡°I have heard of your reputation for many years now. I first looked into the matter when I heard that there was a particularly notable free knight wandering around like a wildflower. What I found was truly amazing. Honestly, I did not believe the stories at first, and I¡¯m ashamed of it. I apologize for that,¡± Duke Viseche said. Eugene was slightly surprised. He couldn¡¯t believe that a great noble¡ªmonarch of a nation¡ªwould recognize their mistake and apologize for it. It was the first time he experienced such a thing after Count Winslon. ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing new, so there is nothing to apologize for,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Hahaha! You are truly as generous as I¡¯ve heard.¡± Duke Viseche laughed, then gestured while looking around. His escorting knights and other subordinates quietly left the room. Only he, Eugene, and Prince Localope were left in the spacious room. ¡°I have roughly heard about the monster uprising from Sir Palo. It¡¯s said that someone went into the evil lands and deliberately evolved the monsters there before releasing them. Is this true?¡± Duke Viseche asked. ¡°I am certain,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Duke Viseche sank into thought with a solemn expression. He thought for a moment while tapping the armrest of his chair, then spoke with a cautious expression, ¡°To tell you the truth, I had also looked into the matter on my own when the situation first began in the Bemos territory.¡± ¡°That fast?¡± Localope asked, surprised. Unlike Eugene, the prince used honorifics when speaking to the Duke of Viseche. It was a natural courtesy, considering that Duke Viseche could be considered to have seniority when it came to the bloodline of the imperial family running through his veins. ¡°Hoho. Our dukedom is quite small. There was no guarantee that the issue would remain contained within Bemos unless it was quickly resolved,¡± Duke Viseche responded. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I had to decide whether to provide support or not, and I also had no idea when would be the right time to send troops if I did decide to send them. I have inherited the blood of Viseche, Calcht, and Rosenberg, so it would have greatly tarnished my family¡¯s honor if I couldn¡¯t even be that responsible,¡± Duke Viseche explained. ¡°As I would expect from a man such as yourself, Your Majesty,¡± Prince Localope spoke without hiding his admiration. The Duke of Viseche wasn¡¯t someone who simply relied on his bloodline to expand his influence to other countries. Rather, he was a monarch who truly understood the responsibility that came with authority better than anyone else, and he put his principle to practice as well. ¡°Anyway, I found out that similar things were happening in areas aside from Bemos. And shortly after I discovered this fact, I received a letter from Sir Palo. I was surprised when I found out that you, sir, had told them the same story,¡± Duke Viseche continued. Eugene was inwardly astonished. It was his first time meeting a great noble since Count WInslon who saw fit to gather his own information without simply relying on rumors and gossip. What was even more surprising was that Duke Viseche had the ability or an organization to gather fast accurate information. Such a thing wasn¡¯t built in a day. As if noticing Eugene¡¯s curiosity, Duke Viseche spoke with a bitter smile, ¡°I guess you are curious about how I managed to obtain that information. Unfortunately, please understand that I cannot reveal it, as it¡¯s one of the most important legacies of my family.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Eugene responded. Eugene understood that there was a decisive reason behind how the Dukedom of Viseche, which was rather small and relatively weak, was able to exert its influence on various countries. In addition, no one would be willing to reveal the aces they had hidden up their sleeves. ¡°Your Majesty. Did you manage to discover the one responsible for this issue?¡± Prince Localope asked. Duke Viseche shook his head. ¡°No, I did not. It was impossible in the first place. Only the gods could possibly get to the bottom of an issue that was simultaneously affecting multiple countries within the span of a month.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Prince Localope was slightly disappointed. However, Eugene was already pretty certain who was behind the veils, so there was no change in his expression. Duke Viseche¡¯s eyes glimmered with light when he saw Eugene¡¯s reaction. He continued, ¡°And Your Highness might not know yet, but it¡¯s much better to focus on the ¡®why¡¯ than the ¡®who¡¯ when it comes to these issues.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Why... Why¡­ If you look for the reason and follow it, you will be able to catch a glimpse of the one responsible for this,¡± Duke Viseche said. ¡°What do you¡ª¡± ¡°Look carefully,¡± Duke Viseche said while pointing his baton at a large round table. Like the tables of other great nobles, a model of his nation and the nearby areas sat atop the table. Duke Viseche continued while pointing at a certain location with his baton. ¡°Firstly, this is the territory of Bemos. This is the Countdom of Hisain. And this is¡­¡± Duke Viseche placed a small red flag at the location where his pure gold baton, which symbolized the majesty of the monarch, was pointing. Soon, a total of seven red flags were on the model. ¡°These are the places affected by the monster uprising,¡± he said. ¡°Hmm. I see¡­¡± Prince Localopee nodded while closely examining the model. It wasn¡¯t anything new for him. He already knew exactly where the monster uprising was taking place, as the nobles on the expedition with him were nobles from these respective territories and nations. Duke Viseche bitterly smiled and said, ¡°Take a closer look. Don¡¯t focus on the Viseche Dukedom, but rather on your motherland, the Roman Empire.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Huh?¡± Prince Localope muttered with a puzzled expression, then stopped. His eyes grew bigger in surprise. ¡°T-this is¡­¡± Realization dawned upon him as he stared at the model. Duke Viseche spoke in a quiet voice, ¡°That¡¯s right. The affected areas either share their borders with the Roman Empire, or their rulers are directly related to the imperial family of the Roman Empire. And they are toward the west of the Roman Empire as well. Countries with no other choice but to rely on the empire for help whenever they are faced with serious internal issues. There is only one place that doesn¡¯t fit these criteria.¡± Duke Viseche placed down one last flag with his baton¡ªit was the Dukedom of Maren. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Prince Localope¡¯s eyes filled with utter shock. Duke Viseche took his eyes off the prince and stared at Eugene, who remained standing in place without any change in expression. ¡°Sir, you already knew about this, right?¡± Duke Viseche asked. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene did not answer. If he gave an affirmation, his plan to use the various countries as shields against the empire would be revealed. Since the Duke of Viseche was already favorable toward him, it would be better to remain quiet without affirming or denying anything for now. ¡°Hoho.¡± Duke Viseche chuckled as if he had seen right through Eugene¡¯s thoughts. He then turned toward Prince Localope, ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Please speak,¡± Prince Localope answered. He was still astonished. Duke Viseche spoke in a calm, but powerful voice, ¡°You must be quite startled by all this. I was the same when I first came to learn of this as well. But do you really think it¡¯s just a coincidence? The affected places either share their border with the Roman Empire or have deep connections with the imperial family, so why is the Dukedom of Maren the only place afflicted that does not meet these conditions?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Duke Viseche continued, ¡°However, the locations of these monster uprisings are too precise for them to be a coincidence. In addition, Maren¡ªthe only place located far from the empire and unrelated to the imperial family of the Roman Empire¡ªjust happened to be¡­ Ah, please excuse me for saying this, but the deported prince just happened to have stayed there. Could we really consider this as a mere coincidence?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Prince Localope could not say anything. Numerous thoughts and assumptions continued to fill his mind. Eugene stared at Prince Localope for a while before speaking curtly, ¡°Removing one¡¯s rival and expanding one¡¯s influence.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°And there are only a few who would want to do such a thing and can put it into action.¡± Prince Localope clenched his fist, and Eugene stared at him apathetically. Duke Viseche watched the two closely before speaking, ¡°It seems that you and I had similar thoughts, sir. And to be more precise, I think there are only two people who would want to do such a thing and are also capable of doing so.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s His Maj¡ª¡± Duke Viseche cut off Prince Localope¡¯s words. ¡°No, it should not be His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°His Majesty the Emperor had never once interfered in the matters of other nations during his reign, so why would he suddenly start doing that now? It doesn¡¯t make any sense. But it¡¯s not like he would be completely unrelated to the matter. For example¡­¡± ¡°Spectating, staying silent,¡± Eugene answered. Duke Viseche said with a smile, ¡°Precisely¡­¡± Eugene had contemplated this very issue ever since his encounter with Crown Prince Voltaire. The status of the emperor¡¯s successor, the next absolute of the empire was certainly great. Neither great nobles nor kings could act recklessly toward the crown prince. However, status alone did not necessarily guarantee power. Even Luke, who had become the King of Brantia, was in a position where his power and authority couldn¡¯t be guaranteed without Eugene. In the first place, Luke had only ascended the throne thanks to Eugene. The current situation with the monster uprisings was similar in a way. From the conversation they held, it appeared Duke Viesche was also almost certain that Crown Prince Voltaire was responsible for the monster uprisings. However, it didn¡¯t make sense that the crown prince could have planned and implemented something that required breaking into the evil lands of other nations, evolving, then releasing monsters. Moreover, there was one more requirement that the crown prince had to satisfy before implementing this plan¡ªthe silence and non-involvement of the current emperor. It was pretty clear that the Duke of Viseche had deduced such facts while looking into the matter of the monster uprisings. ¡®He¡¯s a lot better than I thought. No wonder the governor and the parliament chose the Viseche Dukedom as the first place to go to and sign a contract with.¡¯ Eugene felt that it had been a great choice to delegate all political matters to the governor and the parliament. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that you have thought that far, Sir Viseche,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Relief?¡± Duke Viseche asked. ¡°What you said just now. I thought I was the only one who thought so,¡± Eugene replied. ¡°Haha. So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t give me an answer when I asked you earlier. No, rather, you couldn¡¯t have answered. You would have been treated like a madman if you told a foreign noble during your first meeting that you think the Crown Prince of the Roman Empire is behind the monster uprisings. Or¡­¡± Duke Viseche continued with a fierce gaze, ¡°In the case of some monarchs, they would have delivered your words straight to the imperial family, which would have placed the third prince in a precarious position.¡± ¡°¡­Sir, do you happen to be one of us vampires?¡± Eugene asked. It was obviously a joke, but Eugene was deeply impressed nevertheless. It was the first time he met such a wise and intelligent nobleman since Count Winslon. Eugene once again realized that not just any monarch could have significant influence in multiple kingdoms. ¡°If that were true, could I be sitting and speaking with you here like this? I would have prostrated myself right away,¡± Duke Viseche responded. It was likely that Baron Palo had already informed him that Eugene had two vampire high lords under his command. Duke Viseche then continued, ¡°In any case¡­ I personally believe that the imperial household¡ªthe crown prince to be exact¡ªis deeply involved in the matter and that His Majesty the Emperor is turning a blind eye to it. However, it¡¯s not like I can simply wander about and spread this news. The instant I do, the sword of the imperial army will point toward me. However¡­ I could speak of something else to the monarchs whose land has been affected by the current predicament. For example...¡± He paused for a moment, then continued with a stern look befitting the monarch of a country, ¡°I could ask for us, those who were affected by this issue, to band together. For us to lift restrictions and to freely cooperate with one another. Something like that¡­¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°However, once again, if I say such things openly, it will easily lead to a misunderstanding. They might assume that I¡¯m trying to build a kingdom or an empire, or something along those lines. And the timing isn¡¯t so good as well,¡± Duke Viseche said. He shrugged when he saw Prince Localope¡¯s surprised expression, then turned to Eugene with a mysterious smile. ¡°However, I thought that it would look more plausible if someone else¡ªsomeone from afar and is headed to the empire¡ªinsisted on the same thing. Of course, I will handle the political side of things as someone who succeeds the blood of Viseche, Calcht, and Rosenberg¡­¡± ¡°Y-Your Majesty, a-are you speaking of¡­¡± Prince Localope stuttered with disbelief. Duke Viseche stared into the prince¡¯s eyes before saying, ¡°That¡¯s right. I want to form an alliance with Maren, Viseche, and the six other nations. It¡¯s pretty clear to me that this would be much preferable compared to a neighbor who breaks into other nations and yours to release monsters.¡± CH 281 ¡®What¡¯s this about? Well, it¡¯s good for me anyway.¡¯ Eugene was bewildered but satisfied. His original plan had been pretty simple. Starting with the Dukedom of Viseche, he would make sure that the other territories and countries would become indebted to him. Afterward, he would hint at the fact that Crown Prince Voltaire was behind the monster uprisings, then use them as shields to keep the Roman Empire in check. But what was this? Eugene had never expected that one of his potential shields actually had the same thought as him. Moreover, they even went a step further and were thinking of an alliance! ¡°D-do you really think that something like that is possible? If His Majesty the Emperor finds out about this¡ªN-no, in the first place, I also inherited the golden blood of the Roman Empire, so how could I¡­¡± Prince Localope muttered with a pale expression. The Roman Empire was strong; it was known as the strongest nation after all. However, if the countries Duke Viseche had mentioned came together to form a coalition, even the Roman Empire could not ignore them. And if all the countries happened to wage a war against the empire at the same time, the empire would be stuck trying to deal with so many fronts. Even if they possessed tens of thousands of troops, the power of numbers could only truly be expressed when they were gathered together. If the soldiers had to be redirected to many different borders, it was inevitable for there to be an increase in unknown variables. And even if it didn¡¯t necessarily result in war, if seven nations, or rather, eight including the Dukedom of Maren, united, they could inflict significant damage to the empire¡¯s economy, which would make it extremely difficult for the empire to act against them. ¡°Anyway, I will pretend that I heard nothing, so¡ª¡± Prince Localope spoke out in hopes of avoiding the issue. Duke Viseche interrupted him, ¡°The fact that I said such things to Your Highness would put you in a difficult spot, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Prince Localope muttered with a dazed expression. Duke Viseche continued with a smile, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t His Majesty the Emperor feel very uncomfortable if he heard that we discussed such an issue in the presence of an imperial prince? Of course, you would be placed in a rather precarious position as well, Your Highness.¡± ¡®Precarious¡¯ was an understatement. Prince Localope would be branded as a traitor to the empire. He would have to live under the constant threat of assassination, and he would never be able to return to his homeland. ¡°It was just a thought, so please don¡¯t make that kind of an expression. Hoho¡­¡± Duke Viseche said. Prince Localope couldn¡¯t believe the nerves of the duke to say that it was only just a thought after describing his plan in detail. Prince Localope suppressed the urge to burst out of his seat. The Duke of Viseche was a great noble with legitimacy equivalent to or greater than that of a direct descendant of the imperial family. As such, Prince Localope knew that he could never show him any disrespect. ¡°If the alliance is actually formed, the imperial family will express concern. However¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you just trying to say that we simply need to have the empire recognize the current state of things? Perhaps it¡¯s because you are a cautious man, but you have a habit of beating around the bush with your words,¡± Eugene directly said. He had no need to show consideration for the imperial family of the Roman Empire. ¡°¡­!¡± Duke Viseche¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, but he then responded with a chuckle, ¡°Hahaha! You are right. I am kind of like that.¡± ¡°Well, I understand your position, sir. You must have many things to consider, as your bloodline is quite complicated. Anyway¡­¡± Eugene responded. Localope stared with his jaws agape. He couldn¡¯t believe that Eugene had described the historical, honorable heritage of Duke Viseche as simply being ¡®complicated¡¯. Duke Viseche stared at Eugene with interest. ¡°In conclusion, you¡¯re implying that I should head to the empire and stir things up? In the meanwhile, you, sir, will provide support by uniting the other nations affected by the monster uprisings. And we can decide whether to actually form an alliance or not depending on how things turn out, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Exactly¡­¡± Duke Viseche responded. ¡°And for His Highness the Prince¡­¡± Eugene muttered while turning his gaze to Prince Localope. Prince Localope flinched. ¡°I guess you can watch from the side and partake in the bread,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Hooh!¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Duke Viseche exclaimed, and Prince Localope asked with a confused expression. ¡°Do you still not understand why Sir Viseche has included Your Highness in a discussion that could be seen as rebelling against the Roman Empire?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Prince Localope had no answer. Just as Eugene said, Prince Localope had no idea why he had been placed in such a difficult position. In fact, he felt like going mad because of it. Was it because they trusted him? Did they really think he was going to betray his own country just because he had been driven away by the crown prince? Were they planning to do something to him if he didn¡¯t participate? Numerous thoughts and ideas clashed within his brain. He wanted nothing more than to burst from his seat and escape. ¡°First, if the alliance mentioned by Sir Viseche is actually formed, the empire will attempt to speak with the alliance first. After all, they will need to know what the alliance wants and thinks before reacting, right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°T-that¡¯s right,¡± Prince Localope responded. International affairs weren¡¯t child¡¯s play. Furthermore, the relationship between the Roman Empire and its neighboring nations was pretty complicated due to their shared interests, as well as the periods of peace and chaos they had shared until now. The empire could not and should not recklessly start a war. In the end, even though the empire would not welcome the formation of such an alliance, it was highly likely that they would attempt to converse. After all, there was more to be had from pummeling an opponent while knowing their intentions. ¡°Then, who do you think the Roman Empire will entrust with that task? Would it not be the sensible choice to pick someone who can represent the empire and the imperial family? Someone¡­ who is reasonably knowledgeable about the alliance?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Then that would be¡­ Huh?! A-are you saying¡­¡± Prince Localope exclaimed in shock. ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t you think you would be the perfect pick, Your Highness? You have been with me for a long time, and you have become well acquainted with the nobles of the nations and territories affected by the monster uprising, right? Why would I even ask you to get along with those nobles without any reason?¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!!!¡± Prince Localope initially assumed that Eugene was simply trying to avoid the hassle of interacting with those nobles, but to think he had such a deep purpose! Prince Localope fell into a daze as if he had been struck on the head with a hammer. Of course, the truth was consistent with his original assumption, Eugene had indeed been trying to pass the bothersome work onto Prince Localope. ¡°And even if the empire decides to send someone else, they won¡¯t be able to disregard your words. Eventually, you will serve as a bridge between the alliance and the Roman Empire,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­I understand. But what happens if the alliance wasn¡¯t formed? You said you would first put on a show and see how the empire would react, right? I will certainly be considered a traitor¡­¡± Prince Localope expressed his concern. ¡°How frustrating. That¡¯s when you change your position,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Change¡­ my position?¡± Prince Localope asked. ¡°You can just say that the alliance wasn¡¯t formed because Your Highness fiercely opposed it, right? Or rather, we can say that you, Prince Localope, expressed great concern and opposed the formation of the alliance from the very beginning. You were trying to convince us by expressing the empire¡¯s stance,¡± Eugene explained. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Prince Localope¡¯s eyes widened in realization. Eugene then continued, ¡°Nevertheless, His Highness Localope failed to prevent the formation of the alliance. However, since he knows the intentions of the alliance better than anyone else, he is willing to step forward as a bridge of dialogue between the Roman Empire and the alliance. What do you think? I think it goes without saying that Your Highness¡¯s presence in the empire will grow significantly after this.¡± It was a matter of course. Even though he wasn¡¯t a hero who had sacrificed himself for the country, everyone in the empire would show approval for Prince Localope. Prince Localope trembled with excitement. However, Eugene was still not done yet. ¡°And what if it turns out that the yellow bastard, or rather, the crown prince is really involved in the monster uprising? We could paint a picture of the younger brother struggling to clean after his older brother¡¯s shit. And once that happens¡­¡± Prince Localope¡¯s eyes quivered at Eugene¡¯s words. Eugene then drove the final nail into the coffin with a grin. ¡°If it were me, I might even seriously consider replacing the crown prince. Given the seriousness of the issue, wouldn¡¯t the crown prince have to step down?¡± ¡°T-t-that¡¯s¡­!¡± Prince Localope stuttered with a ghastly expression. Daring to discuss replacing the successor of the empire wasn¡¯t simply scandalous. It was a felonious topic that even members of the imperial family couldn¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t discuss. However, it just so happened that someone present here was one of the few people the emperor had sought opinions from before the current crown prince¡¯s appointment. ¡°Creating a threat by releasing monsters in other nations¡ªneighboring nations to be exact¡ªis an unforgivable crime, even if it is the crown prince. If the alliance is actually formed, the truth will come to light afterward,¡± Duke Viseche muttered. Eugene nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. There would be no better justification.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± What would happen if someone who had created an overload of monsters in numerous countries succeeded the throne of the empire? No monarch would celebrate, let alone sit still and spectate. Naturally, none of them would actually dare to oppose the empire with their lives on the line, but they could strongly protest the change. In fact, as monarchs, they were even obligated to do so. For the nations and territories that had suffered because of the monster uprising, the best way to protest against the empire was to form an alliance among them. There was nothing better than that in terms of both practicality and justification. ¡°Your Highness. I told you before, didn¡¯t I? That I always keep my promise no matter what,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­¡± Prince Localope¡¯s face was pale and his lips were quivering. Eugene then continued with a grin. ¡°Let¡¯s go there and be confident about it. And since you¡¯re going back there, you should take the chance and aim for a higher position.¡± ¡°I welcome the ascension of an honorable and wise man¡ªa man capable of listening to his neighbors¡ªrather than a man who threatens his neighbors, to the high place of the empire,¡± Duke Viseche took on a smile as well while looking at Prince Localope. The high place¡ªPrince Localope¡¯s trembling intensified. He knew exactly what it represented. But his trembling subsided like a lie after a while. Prince Localope stared at the two with a strange fire in his eyes as he parted his lips. ¡°Screw it. Let¡¯s give it a shot.¡± The fugitive was reborn as a coiling dragon. *** The next day, Eugene and the expedition departed from the dukedom¡¯s castle amid a grand farewell from Duke Viseche and the other nobles. It would have been customary for the group to have stayed for a few more days, but they were in a rush to resolve the monster uprising for the other affected nations as well. A few hours after Eugene and the expedition left through the gate, a noble and his escorting knights departed from the castle carrying a secret letter from Duke Viseche. Their destination was the Countdom of Hisain. It was a nation also afflicted by the monster uprising, similar to the Bemos territory, and it was Eugene¡¯s next destination. ¡°Your Majesty. What did you write in the letter?¡± Baron Palo cautiously asked while standing on the spire as he watched the envoys leave. Duke Viseche watched as the three horses grew smaller in the distance. He then turned around and answered with a smile, ¡°Nothing much. I just said to lend a listening ear to the King of Maren if he takes care of the monster uprising.¡± ¡°What? With all due respect, that¡¯s it? Count Hisain is¡­¡± Baron Palo muttered. ¡°I know. He¡¯s a miser, and even more stubborn than the tendon of an ogre. He also hates members of the Dark Clan. Of course, he should listen to the King of Maren considering the man¡¯s status, but in all likelihood, it will be in one ear and out the other,¡± Duke Viseche said. ¡°K-Kehem!¡± Baron Palo coughed at the duke¡¯s unbefitting choice of words. However, Duke Viseche¡¯s smile only deepened as he continued, ¡°But I put it on the honor of Calcht.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Baron Palo exclaimed. Calcht¡ªit was the name of one of Duke Viseche¡¯s predecessors, who was also one of the previous popes. The Roman Empire respected the Duke of Viseche because of the name Rosenberg, but other nations revered him because of the name Calcht. ¡°The King of Maren was invited to the Holy Empire by a high priest, right? By now, the news must have reached the Countdom of Hisain as well. And I even mentioned the honor of Calcht. How do you think Lord Hisain will react?¡± Duke Viseche asked. ¡°¡­He will unconditionally obey the King of Maren¡¯s words since the Hisain Countdom desires the permission of the church¡¯s reinstitution the most,¡± Baron Palo responded. ¡°Obviously. And the way I see it, it won¡¯t just end with them unconditionally following his words,¡± Duke Viseche said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The King of Maren. He took what he wanted, or maybe even more, without saying many words. Am I the only one who is looking forward to how much he will take from Hisain? You should know better, sir, since you had spent much time with him,¡± Duke Viseche continued. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Baron Palo quickly took on a regretful expression. The way he saw Jan Eugene Batla was as a master of negotiations. To be a little blunt and rude, he was a master of schemes. ¡®I can¡¯t help but think that the spirit, or the golden evil spirit, must have turned out like that because she was influenced by the King of Maren. Anyway, this is the first time I have ever felt sorry for Count Hisain.¡¯ Baron Palo made a very accurate judgment as he prayed in advance for the fate of the infamous miser Count Hisain. CH 282 ¡°We have news. The King of Maren has successfully destroyed the monsters on the Bemos territory and has left the Dukedom of Viseche.¡± ¡°Destroyed? Is that true? Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be more than a thousand monsters? He eradicated all of them?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct according to the report of the mercenaries. The number of monsters on the Bemos territory has plummeted, so the merchants are once again resuming normal operations and travel.¡± ¡°Ha¡­!¡± A noble with a silver crown on his half-bald head exclaimed. The man was quite small, and he wore clothes made out of high-quality material but were rather short-sleeved and tight. His name was Nadalo Feberg Hisain. As the monarch of the Hisain Countdom, he was also a prestigious count of the Roman Empire. Although the countdom could be considered a subordinate state of the Roman Empire on the surface, it was actually independent in all areas, including politics, economy, laws, and military. The Countdom of Hisain was nicknamed ¡°small powerhouse,¡± despite having a small territory and a population of only 100,000. The reason for their power lay in the fact that like the Viseche Dukedom, they were located right between the Roman Empire and the neighboring nations to the west, including the Caylor Kingdom. Moreover, although the Countdom of Hisain was similar in size to other great territories, it took the form of a centralized state managed by Count Hisain himself with appointed officials managing internal affairs, instead of having the land divided into subsections for various lords to manage. For that reason, the Countdom of Hisain possessed a relatively great number of regular troops, and all the power was concentrated on the count. Naturally, there was a risk of imminent collapse with an incompetent monarch in charge, but the current count possessed rather favorable qualities as a leader, though he wasn¡¯t exactly prodigious. Unfortunately, he had one flaw¡­ ¡°How much did they give him?¡± Count Hisain asked. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°The price. How much did they pay the King of Maren for taking care of the monster uprising?¡± Count Hisain asked once more. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not too sure about that, but from the stories of the mercenaries, it seems as though they paid him three or four boxes filled with gold coins¡­¡± ¡°What?!¡± Count Hisain jumped up from his seat, wide-eyed. ¡°T-that means they paid him a-at least two thousand coins, right?¡± Count Hisain asked. ¡°Yes, yes. Maybe so,¡± the noble responded. He was the minister of internal affairs for the Countdom of Hisain. ¡°How preposterous¡­! He received that many coins for killing some monsters? Besides, all the mana stones and by-products from the monsters must have gone to the King of Maren as well, right?¡± Count Hisain said. ¡°P-probably so. The ownership of all things obtained through eliminating monsters outside of evil lands goes to whoever was responsible for killing them,¡± the noble answered. ¡°Ridiculous¡­ Isn¡¯t that daylight robbery? He¡¯s getting paid to get rid of the monsters, but the ownership of the mana stones and by-products has to go to him as well. Ha!¡± Count Hisain scoffed before taking his seat once more. His face was filled with regret and greed. Count Hisain was a decent monarch, but his greatest flaw was that he was a huge miser. When it came to wealth, although he could not be compared to the emperor of the Roman Empire, he was the richest among the monarchs of the neighboring countries. And most importantly, he was a greedy man. The silver crown on his head had been inherited over five generations, and the clothes he wore also belonged to the previous count. At first, it had fitted him fine, but as he aged and grew fatter, the clothes had become rather tight. Even so, Count Hisain continued to adorn the clothes his father owned. It was an extremely unbefitting, undignified behavior for a monarch, a great noble. In fact, other nobles had been pointing their fingers and mocking him behind his back, but Count Hisain did not care at all. No matter what anyone said, he had a clear purpose to achieve by collecting wealth through any means possible. ¡°The loss will be too severe¡­ Sirs, can you think of any solutions?¡± Count Hisain asked while looking around at the officials gathered in the hall. However, everyone avoided his gaze while staying silent. They couldn¡¯t think of any ¡®solutions,¡¯ and they also felt that seeking one in itself was quite problematic. ¡®Even so, how could you suggest that we hold our spending back for those who are coming to help our country?¡¯ ¡®There are thousands of victims in Demeire right now. Shouldn¡¯t we worry about that first?¡¯ Thousands of monsters were currently running rampant in the area of Demerie due to the monster uprising. In addition, the residents of the Demeire region had stopped farming and fled to the nearest cities or large villages due to the contamination of the region¡¯s water source. The problem was that large villages and cities also drew water from nearby rivers or dug wells. The contamination of the water source was starting to affect the middle and lower streams of the rivers. The wells fared somewhat better, but the river water became so dirty that even animals¡ªlet alone humans¡ªcouldn¡¯t drink from it anymore. Thousands of people would have already died without the capital¡¯s support. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°Oh, Sir Popran. Go ahead,¡± Count Hisain answered. Baron Popran, who was similar in age to Count Hisain, was a prestigious noble of the Countdom and was serving as the count¡¯s secretary as well. Although Count Hisain was stubborn, he always heeded Baron Popran¡¯s words. As such, the other officials watched in anticipation. ¡°Since Sir Blanc has represented our nation to make an agreement with the King of Maren and the parliament we must keep our promise,¡± Baron Popran said. ¡°Hmph. Who doesn¡¯t know that? However, an agreement can always be amended, right?¡± Count Hisain responded. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s possible with a mutual agreement. However, would the King of Maren actually agree to amend an agreement that has already been signed? Moreover, he is one of the highest-ranking nobles of the Dark Clan, right?¡± Baron Popran said. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s even more problematic,¡± Count Hisain said with a fierce gaze. He hated vampires. His grandfather, the previous to the previous count, had fallen into the scheme of one of the empire¡¯s vampire clan masters and committed a grave sin against the Holy Empire, which led to the ex-communication of the Hisain Countdom from the papacy. Later, the bishop of the Hisain Countdom was summoned back to the Holy Empire, and all clergy was banned from holding sacraments for the monarch. Of course, it wasn¡¯t detrimental to the countdom and the monarch in terms of internal affairs, but the scandal came as a huge political and diplomatic shock to the count¡¯s family. The countdom was very powerful, and the monarch was wealthy, but the ex-communication was fatal to the ¡®honor¡¯ of any nobles. It was only natural for Count Hisain to harbor resentment toward vampires¡ªthose who had been responsible for running his family¡¯s honor into the ground. ¡°An insidious vampire received the blessing of a high priest? The world is going mad!¡± Count Hisain shouted angrily with a red face. While he was working day and night to have the ex-communication withdrawn and the family¡¯s honor restored, a vampire¡ªfrom the same race that caused his family¡¯s crisis in the first place¡ªhad actually received the blessing of a high priest! ¡°Honor and justice have fallen to the ground. There is no truth to be found. How could they have blessed a member of such an insidious race¡­¡± ¡°But we must entrust the restoration of the Demeire region to that member of the Dark Clan since Sir Blanc has already signed the agreement,¡± Baron Popran said. ¡°I mean, isn¡¯t that the problem? Let¡¯s just mobilize our army! It¡¯s not too late!¡± Count Hisain declared. As the one holding all of the countdom¡¯s power, he could order the soldiers of the countdom out on a mission. However¡­ ¡°To get Demeire out of the woods, we would need at least a thousand, two thousand to be sure. Even if it takes only a month to have the situation resolved, do you know how much money we would have to spend?¡± Baron Popran said. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Money. Money was the problem. It was expensive to maintain troops, and it was also expensive to mobilize them to fight. In addition, the monster uprising wasn¡¯t a problem only for the Hisain Countdom, but for their neighboring nations as well. There were already dozens, or rather, hundreds of refugees at the border. If he sent 2,000 out of the 3,000 soldiers of the countdom to Demeire, it would only be a matter of time before the border collapsed entirely. There was also no guarantee that the other nations would sit still without launching an invasion during the chaos. ¡°On top of that, how much money would it cost to re-supply the army if we suffer casualties?¡± Baron Popran asked. ¡°So, are you suggesting we just put our faith in the King of Maren? And that we should just pay him and hand over all the mana stones and by-products to him? He¡¯s supposed to have less than a hundred troops, right? Even if they are elves and beowulfs, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s impossible to handle so many monsters with only a hundred people?¡± Count Hisain asked. ¡°The monsters in the Demeire region have already scattered, so they will be more difficult to handle compared to the Bemos territory,¡± Baron Popran answered. ¡°Exactly! So, you should come up with a solution! Tell me how to take care of the monster uprising while paying as little as possible! That¡¯s what I¡¯m asking for!¡± Count Hisain shouted. The greatest effect with the smallest cost¡ªit was a ridiculous idea that wicked merchants could think of. However, Baron Popran served Count Hisain all his life. As such, he patiently said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you send Sir Carmier and the Knights of Dawn?¡± ¡°Huh? The Knights of Dawn?¡± The Knights of the Dawn was the Hisain Countdom¡¯s light cavalry, a strong force representing the countdom. Although they were called knights, the members weren¡¯t truly knighted. Instead, people with talent in horseback riding and spearmanship were selected and trained to become members of the Knights of Dawn. However, Captain Camier and the three squad captains under his command were knights of the count. They were talented and loyal knights. ¡°Although the Knights of Dawn are the representative units of our countdom, the absence of three hundred will not be that significant,¡± Baron Popran explained. ¡°That¡¯s true. But why do you want me to send them to the King of Maren?¡± Count Hisain asked. ¡°First, it will have the effect of imprinting the dignity and the strength of our soldiers on the King of Maren. Second, Sir Camier will most likely ask the King of Maren for a duel under the guise of training,¡± Baron Popran answered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Camier was a knight who was as proud as he was loyal. He had been quite upset after hearing that Sir Blanc had signed an agreement with Maren to resolve the issue of the monster uprising. Any danger that the countdom was facing was one that should have been addressed by the army of the countdom. He found it unacceptable to ask others else for help, especially asking a mere port city like Maren. Camier would obviously try to pick a fight with the King of Maren. ¡°And what good will come out of Sir Camier dueling with the King of Maren? It¡¯ll be fine if he wins, but it would still be a diplomatic discourtesy. And if he loses, it will just be a huge disgrace for us,¡± Count Hisain said. ¡°We need to have him put the command on the line. If Sir Camier wins, he will win over the command of the king¡¯s expedition. And if we have one of our knights commanding the expedition, we could negotiate and reduce the cost of what Sir Blanc has agreed to,¡± Baron Popran explained. ¡°Hooh!¡± Count Hisain¡¯s eyes glimmered. ¡°And if we lose?¡± Count Hisain asked. ¡°Then the Knights of Dawn will help out in taking care of the monsters. A whopping three hundred troops. Even if the warriors of the expedition are strong, our warriors should be able to greatly contribute, if not even overshadow the expedition¡¯s efforts,¡± Baron Popran answered. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Count Hisain exclaimed. ¡°We can then suggest a compromise of the agreed payment to the King of Maren,¡± Baron Popran said. ¡°Ohh!¡± Count Hisain exclaimed with delight. This was truly an infallible scheme that would allow him to save money no matter the outcome. It was just what he had expected from Sir Popran! ¡°Send Sir Camier and the Knights of Dawn at once!¡± *** The expedition circled around the foot of the Bellnas Mountains, which ran from the Roman Empire down to several neighboring nations. After a few hours of following a small river that began in the mountain range, they finally saw a bridge. Beyond the bridge was the Countdom of Hisain. ¡®Everywhere seems more like a collection of great territories rather than countries.¡¯ Eugene had such thoughts while crossing the old bridge. Similar to the Dukedom of Viseche, the Countdom of Hisain was tiny compared to the Kingdom of Caylor. Even the Carls Baggins Peninsula was slightly bigger and richer than the two nations. ¡®The other five are supposed to be similar as well, right?¡¯ Any of them alone would fall short of the Caylor Kingdom, but the monster-infested nations combined would surpass Caylor. If the alliance suggested by Duke Viseche truly came to life, even the Roman Empire could not disregard it. ¡°Sir Blanc. You said that the army of the countdom was three thousand,¡± Eugene said. ¡°That¡¯s correct, Your Highness. They are all well-trained and disciplined,¡± Sir Blanc answered with pride. The countdom¡¯s army was two to three times larger than that of armies belonging to other great territories similar in size to the countdom. And this was only made possible because the Hisain Countdom was a centralized nation. ¡°They couldn¡¯t all be infantry, so are there many knights?¡± Eugene asked. Blanc responded, ¡°There are less than twenty titled knights in the countdom. All of them are in charge of their respective units. However, there are three or four knights in special units as well.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Among them, the Knights of Dawn¡­¡± Baron Blanc started to answer proudly, excited about the chance to brag about his country. However, he was interrupted by a beowulf rushing back from scouting a few kilometers ahead. ¡°Dark Lord! There¡¯s a huge group of knights up ahead!¡± the beowulf shouted. ¡°Knights?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. A few hundred. All of them were armed with armor made of chains. Some have plate armor, but the knight who looked like their captain¡­¡± The beowulf hesitated before continuing with a shrug, ¡°When we told him that we are serving the dark lord, he asked for a fight right away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Eugene frowned. What nonsense was waiting for him? CH 283 With the beowulf warriors at the forefront, Eugene and the expedition rode for about ten minutes before reaching the low hills surrounding a small village. There were already hundreds of horsemen waiting for the arrival of the expedition. ¡°Hooh. Light cavalry. Their equipment doesn¡¯t look too shabby either. They look elite,¡± Galfredik commented after commanding his horse closer to Silion. ¡°I think they must be the Knights of Dawn. I heard that they are quite powerful as the most elite unit in the countdom,¡± Edmund commented. He was knowledgeable regarding the countries neighboring the Roman Empire, as he was originally from the empire. ¡°They look quite menacing. How disrespectful,¡± Princess Lilisain stated while looking over the group of horsemen. As she said, the large group of cavalry was emitting a fierce energy without restraint, as if they were silently protesting. Even if Eugene and the expedition were foreigners, it wasn¡¯t an appropriate attitude to take toward a group that was here to provide assistance. ¡°E-excuse me, Your Majesty. They are¡ª¡± Baron Blanc started explaining with a bashful expression. Eugene interrupted him in a cold voice, ¡°I think they have something they want to say to me, so I will take care of it.¡± ¡°What? Y-Your Majesty! Your Majesty¡­!¡± Baron Blanc called out in distress. However, Eugene disregarded him and headed to the group of horsemen with only Galfredik. ¡°Here he goes again.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t anything new, I¡¯m amazed every single time.¡± ¡°He could have just sent Sir Galfredik.¡± The nobles of the expedition commented when they saw Eugene and Galfredik head toward the hundreds of cavalry. They knew well how powerful the two men were, but it was still a daunting experience to advance into hundreds of troops. The nobles were in awe. Moreover, the respect of the nobles for Eugene only grew at the fact that Eugene always took the lead in all situations, even though he held the status of a king. It had always been difficult for the nobles to understand it, but it was still awe-inspiring. ¡°Judging by the atmosphere, I don¡¯t think they came out here to welcome us¡­¡± ¡°Come on, do you really think they would pick a fight? We¡¯re here to help them out according to the agreement, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And since His Majesty stepped forward personally, it should end well.¡± The nobles weren¡¯t worried as they watched Eugene and Galfredeik come to face the knight leading the cavalry. It only made sense that Count Hisain sent the cavalry to show off his nation¡¯s strength and to welcome Eugene and the expedition. It had never occurred to anyone that they would be struck with both shock and confusion only a minute later. *** Sir Carmier, a prestigious knight of the Hisain Countdom and the captain of the Knights of Dawn, narrowed his eyes. ¡®The King of Maren¡­¡¯ He was pretty famous in the Countdom of Hisain as well. The man¡¯s plate armor was unusual at a glance, and his steed seemed to be no ordinary horse either. If there were a competition to pick the most successful knight as of late, the winner would undoubtedly be Jan Eugene Batla, the man who was riding his horse toward Carmier. He was the first Wyvern Slayer, the knight who won the knight competition hosted by a famous count of the Caylor Kingdom, and the knight who had conquered Brantia to become a duke. He had killed hundreds, or rather, thousands of monsters until now, and he was considered to be a hero of the centuries. ¡®Even if that¡¯s true, all of his achievements are from nowhere. Brantia? Maren? I wonder if any of those country bumpkins have ever seen a real knight before.¡¯ Sir Carmier sniggered while having such thoughts. The obnoxious thoughts weren¡¯t simply his own either. Those who lived in areas centered around the Holy Empire, areas that had been on the decline for a while, tended to denigrate the kingdoms of the west. The Roman Empire and its neighboring nations were no exception. The same was true for the nobles accompanying Eugene and the expedition as well, but they didn¡¯t express their opinions in front of Eugene, since Maren was an incredibly rich, powerful city. However, those who lived and died by their swords and spears were different from ordinary nobles. Such had been the reason why foreign knights had created chaos without hiding their arrogance during the knight competition held in honor of Maren¡¯s founding ceremony. Of course, the responsible knights had been beaten to enlightenment by Eugene and Princess Lilisain, but it was different with knights who only heard the stories, including Carmier. In the first place, knights did not base their judgments simply on rumors. As such, Carmier was quite doubtful about many of the stories regarding Eugene, especially those of his supposed achievements. To be exact, Carmier wasn¡¯t only suspicious of Eugene. Rather, he hated Eugene. ¡®Sir Blanc did something completely unnecessary. But what could I possibly expect from the nobles from the castle? They know nothing but fear.¡¯ Carmier had constantly requested for himself and the Knights of Dawn to set out to eradicate the monsters ever since the monster uprising started. However, their departure was suspended indefinitely when Baron Blanc signed an agreement with the King of Maren as a representative of the countdom. Carmier wanted to eliminate the monsters for his country and for his own honor and merit, so his anger was expected. Obviously, his irritation and anger were directed toward Eugene. Although the decision had been made by his lord, Count Hisain, he couldn¡¯t possibly direct his frustrations toward his monarch. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for you¡­¡¯ Sir Carmier burned with fury as he glared at Eugene¡¯s growing figure. Although Eugene finally came to a stop about ten meters in front of him, Sir Carmier didn¡¯t even take off his helmet, let alone give a polite greeting. It was a huge disrespect toward a foreign monarch, but he didn¡¯t care. The internal minister of the countdom, Baron Popran, reassured him earlier before he departed. ¡°Are you His Majesty Jan Eugene Batla? I am¡ª¡± he started. ¡°So you want to fight with me?¡± Eugene interrupted him abruptly. Carmier¡¯s expression became slightly distorted. ¡°That¡¯s right. I have heard over and over about your reputation. Let us¡ª¡± Eugene interrupted him once again, ¡°What do you want to place on the line?¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Carmier became wide-eyed. He then responded with a ferocious expression, ¡°How disrespectful. Are you that confident in your¡ª¡± ¡°Did you really expect me to play nice with someone who blocks my way, knowing well who I am? Are you out of your mind?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°W-what¡­?¡± Carmier muttered with a dazed expression. The commander of the Hisain Countdom¡¯s knight order had never been subjected to such disrespectful words before. However, he quickly regained his composure and shouted with a red face, ¡°Did you ask what I would place on the line? The command of myself and my knights! So you should also place the command of your troops on the line as well, including you!¡± Things had taken a strange turn, but Carmier simply had to adhere to Baron Popran¡¯s plan. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene looked over the Knights of Dawn without a word. His gaze came to a stop on Carmier. ¡°Aren¡¯t the stakes too low when you¡¯re picking a fight out of the blue?¡± Eugene said. ¡°What does that¡ª¡± Carmier muttered. Eugene cut him off, ¡°Anyone who blocks the way of a knight is an enemy, are they not? Receiving command of the enemy¡¯s troops after a victory? What kind of nonsense is that?¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!¡± Carmier¡¯s face stiffened. He had realized that something was wrong. Things weren¡¯t just taking an unusual turn. Instead, it was heading in a direction he had never even expected. ¡°The winner takes all. That is how it should be in a battle between knights,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Not a bad idea...¡± Carmier¡¯s lips curled up into a sneer as he responded. In fact, he had been eyeing Eugene¡¯s plate armor and his horse. Moreover, he would obviously obtain a huge ransom if he defeated the King of Maren. He wouldn¡¯t be left with just the command of the expedition, but enormous fame and massive profits as well. ¡°Then let us begin. I am¡ª¡± Shing. ¡°I am not curious about the name of someone who is bound for death,¡± Eugene interrupted once more before drawing Madarazika from the side of his saddle and pointing his sword at Carmier. ¡°What did you say?!¡± Carmier finally exploded with rage. He had never been subject to such humiliation in his life. He snatched a spear from his aide and started his charge toward Eugene. Or rather, more specifically, he attempted to charge toward Eugene. Kyaaaaaahhhhhk! Madarazika left Eugene¡¯s grip while emitting an eerie cry. Thuck! The resounding sound was different from the sound of metal clashing against metal. Neigggghh! Carmier¡¯s horse howled and reared. It was a trained warhorse, but it couldn¡¯t overcome the fear caused by the Fear contained in the demonic spear Madarazika as it passed by. However, the horse¡¯s master didn¡¯t even have enough time to feel afraid. Knight Carmier remained motionless on his saddle with his spear still in his hand. Ziiing. Madarazika emitted a low cry after piercing the knight¡¯s head. After a moment¡¯s delay, Carmier¡¯s helmet split in two before falling to the ground, and almost at the same time, Carmier¡¯s body fell backward with Madarazika still embedded in his forehead. Sir Carmier, the renowned knight of the Hisain Countdom and the proud captain of the Knights of Dawn had died in the blink of an eye. ¡°¡­!!!¡± The nearly three hundred warriors of the Knights of Dawn stiffened at the shocking, unbelievable situation. Killing an opponent in a confrontation between honorable knights never happened aside from accidents or unless they were at war. Even on a battlefield, it was customary for the winner to treat the loser honorably as a prisoner of war. However, their commander had just died at the hands of a foreigner. It was something that shouldn¡¯t have happened. However, the person responsible for causing the shocking incident remained calm and composed. Ziiiing! Madarazika pulled itself out of Carmier¡¯s head and returned to Eugene¡¯s grasp. ¡®A magical spear!¡¯ The Knights of Dawn finally recognized Madarazika. However, they were still stupefied. Eugene shook the blood and brain fluid off of his spear before speaking while looking over the Knights of Dawn. ¡°I won. From this moment on, all of you are my prisoners. And as my prisoners, I have the right to all of your lives.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The Knights of Dawn stared at him with flabbergasted expressions. However, the moment of frozen time only lasted for a short while. ¡°Uaaaah!¡± Some of the warriors attempted to unsheathe their weapons with anger. However¡­ ¡°Your Majeeesssty! Everyoneee! Stop!¡± Someone howled while madly rushing toward the scene on their horse. The knights hesitated when they recognized the newcomer as Baron Blanc, one of Count Hisain¡¯s trusted nobles. Tutututututu! The first thing that Baron Blanc saw was the disfigured, unmoving corpse of Carmier. Blood was still flowing from the hole in the dead knight¡¯s head. And Baron Blanc trembled with shock and despair when he saw that. He turned to Eugene and spoke with a quivering voice, ¡°Y-Your Majesty. How¡­ How could you¡­¡± ¡°Huh? How could I what?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°W-what do you mean?! This knight is the commander of the countdom¡¯s knight order!¡± Baron Blanc shouted with despair. He failed to keep his composure at the death of his nation¡¯s knight. The current situation wasn¡¯t simply a diplomatic problem, but something that could easily burst into war. However, Eugene looked calm. It was impossible to believe that he had just offed a knight from another nation. ¡°Oh, really? But what about it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°¡­?!¡± Was there something wrong with his ears? Baron Blanc stood there in a daze as if his soul had left his body. ¡°He blocked my way and asked for a fight. Moreover, he said he would bet everything on the battle. Isn¡¯t it common sense that his very life was included as well?¡± Eugene said. ¡°W-what?!¡± Baron Blanc exclaimed before looking back at the Knights of Dawn in a hurry. Galfredik had been staying still on his horse until now. He turned his murderous gaze to Carmier¡¯s subordinates and spoke in a ferocious voice, ¡°If you all consider yourselves real knights, speak the truth with your honor on the line. What did your captain put on the line in his battle with my master?¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The knights flinched. The murderous glint in their eyes had disappeared. There was no possible way that Baron Blanc would miss their momentary hesitation. And it was then that he finally realized the truth of the situation. ¡®You crazy knights¡­!¡¯ He had assumed that the knights had come to either greet the expedition or intimidate them. However, it turned out that they actually caused a monstrous incident instead. ¡°Sir Blanc,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°¡­¡± Baron Blanc turned his head toward Eugene. The former¡¯s face was still painted with disbelief. ¡°Our agreement is a separate matter. As of now, all of them are my prisoners, and they will have to strictly adhere to my orders as prisoners of war. If they don¡¯t like it, they can duke it out against my expedition,¡± Eugene declared ¡°Y-Your Majesty. That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Ah, and I will return them when I¡¯m done with everything here, so tell Lord Hisain to prepare their ransom,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°¡­!!!¡± What would be an appropriate ransom for three hundred well-trained cavalrymen? Baron Blanc¡¯s mind went blank. CH 284 ¡°This is unacceptable!¡± ¡°The King of Maren murdered Sir Carmier. How could we let a dishonorable murderer command us? Instead, we should even take revenge.¡± The commanding knights of the Knights of Dawn reacted violently. Unlike the other members of the cavalry, they had shared years of friendship with Carmier as fellow knights and friends. After witnessing the murder of their close friend, they couldn¡¯t even stay calm, much less let the murderer command them. ¡®Ha¡­ This is driving me crazy.¡¯ Baron Blanc also agreed that things were completely out of control, but he desperately attempted to persuade the knights. ¡°Sirs. Sirs, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know how all of you feel. But Sir Carmier promised on his honor, right? Are you planning to go against Sir Carmier¡¯s last orders?¡± ¡°Keugh!¡± The knights gritted their teeth. Indeed, they had heard Carmier promising to bet ¡®everything he had¡¯ on the duel. ¡°And another thing. Uh¡­ His Majesty said he had no idea of Sir Carmier¡¯s identity,¡± Baron Blanc said. ¡°W-what did you say?!¡± the knights exclaimed with fierce gazes. Baron Blanc responded while breaking a sweat, ¡°From what His Majesty has told me, Sir Carmier didn¡¯t introduce himself, did he? His Majesty said that he mistook Sir Carmier for a mercenary captain since Sir Carmier had brought with him a large group of soldiers and suddenly asked for a duel.¡± ¡°What nonsense¡­¡± The knights started to make a fuss. ¡°No, don¡¯t just get angry, but tell me. Did His Majesty and Sir Carmier introduce themselves? Did they formally declare their names and background before engaging in the duel?¡± Baron Blanc asked. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Did they not even introduce themselves?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure. I think they might have¡­ Or maybe they didn¡¯t¡­¡± The knights were hesitant as they glanced at each other. ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Baron Blanc let out a long sigh. They obviously hadn¡¯t even introduced themselves. Baron Blanc glanced at Eugene, who was staring from afar, then spoke, ¡°Sirs. From now on, you must calm down and think logically. Firstly, it was Sir Carmier who blocked the road and called out His Majesty, right?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right,¡± the knights answered. ¡°His Majesty told me that he didn¡¯t know you all and Sir Carmier. I didn¡¯t have the chance to His Majesty because he left in such a hurry. However, Sir Carmier didn¡¯t even introduce himself before the duel, right?¡± Baron Blanc continued. ¡°Hmm. That might be correct¡­¡± the knights muttered. ¡°Ha¡­! Then we can¡¯t hold His Majesty responsible for killing Sir Carmier,¡± Baron Blanc said. ¡°¡­?!¡± The gazes of the knights blared once more, and Baron Blanc hurriedly continued, ¡°From His Majesty¡¯s point of view, he had no idea that all of you belonged to the Knights of Dawn. What if you were just a group of mercenaries who took arms during the chaos?¡± ¡°Ha! Mistaking hundreds of light cavalries for mere mercenaries? What kind of nonsense¡­¡± ¡°Oh, how frustrating! As long as that¡¯s what he says, there¡¯s no way to refute his words!¡± Baron Blanc finally raised his voice, and the knights flinched. They were in a state of unprecedented rage at the murder of their captain, but they weren¡¯t completely tactless. Baron Blanc was a prestigious noble and a person Count Hisain trusted to represent the Hisain Countdom as part of the countdom¡¯s delegation to Maren. Even if he wasn¡¯t their direct superior, they couldn¡¯t act carelessly toward him. ¡°So, Sir Carmier suddenly blocked his way and picked a fight! He didn¡¯t even introduce himself! If this becomes known to the world, who would possibly side with you, sirs? Aside from that, the man in question is the king of another nation who has come all this way to help us! What would the other nations possibly think about this? Hmm?!¡± Baron Blanc raged. ¡°¡­¡± The knights had no choice but to stay silent. Everything that the baron was saying was correct. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that their fury toward the King of Maren had lessened. Carmier¡¯s death and what Baron Blanc had pointed out were two entirely different things. ¡°¡­Even so, there was no need to kill him. Sir Carmier was a knight from an honorable family and¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, these bastards are so talkative,¡± Galfredik waddled over while speaking in a disgruntled voice. ¡°Do honorable men pick a fight and block the way of someone who has come all the way to help their country? Without even introducing themselves? Is that the honor the Countdom of Hisain boasts of?¡± Galfredik continued. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You bastards got smashed apart with a single blow, so keep your mouths shut. Aren¡¯t you all just basically trying to say that you¡¯re not going to honor your promise?¡± Galfredik added. ¡°¡­!¡± The knights couldn¡¯t respond, even though Galfredik was hurling insults at them left and right. After all, that was indeed their intention. ¡°N-no, Sir Galfredik,¡± Baron Blanc called out with a pale expression. He knew exactly how strong and vicious this straightforward and blunt knight was. Moreover, he was as bad-tempered as his monarch, the King of Maren. If even Galfredik became involved in the matter, the matter could quickly spiral out of control and become irreversible. ¡°Sir Galfredik. Please, calm down and¡ª¡± ¡°Stand aside, Sir Blanc. This is the only way that knights, including me, can come to a resolution,¡± Galfredik interrupted. His lips curled into a twisted smile as he tapped his longsword. The knights glanced at each other. Although their opponent wasn¡¯t the King of Maren himself, the burly knight was clearly the king¡¯s closest aide judging from the fact that the two of them had come together earlier. If they could defeat the knight, who quite closely resembled a bandit boss, then surely, they could provide consolation to the soul of their captain. ¡°Hehe. That¡¯s what I thought¡­¡± Galfredik muttered with a grin when he saw the knights grabbing their weapons with determined gazes. ¡°Aide, bring it here,¡± Galfredik said. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Galfredik received his favorite steel mace from Selena. He spoke while waving his weapon around, ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you this in advance. You lot have already lost your honor once because you broke your captain¡¯s promise. Do you admit to this?¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The expressions of the knights distorted. They were angry, but they couldn¡¯t retort Galfredik¡¯s words. ¡°As such, if you lose once again, then you are no longer prisoners. I have no intention of treating those who have tarnished their honor twice as prisoners,¡± Galfredik continued. ¡°Hmph!¡± The knights unsheathed their weapons while clenching their teeth in anger. Their pride was greatly hurt. Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Galfredik waved his mace through the air with ease, then glared at the rest of the cavalry behind the three knights and shouted, ¡°If any of you bastards want a piece of this, come at me. I will take you on. Ten of you at once on a first-come, first-served basis.¡± ¡°You little¡­¡± One of the knights started as if he were dumbfounded, but he was never given a chance to finish. As soon as Galfredik spoke, dozens of the soldiers directed their horses toward him. ¡°Hehe! You lot may have no honor, but you sure do have grit. Kuaaagh!¡± ¡°S-sir Galfredik!¡± Baron Blanc called out as Galfredik jumped from the ground. ¡°Huh?!¡± The knights were astonished to see how fast Galfredik was moving. Such movements were unbelievable for a man in plate armor. Like a beast, Galfredik forced his way into the knights¡¯ improper formation and started swinging his mace. Clang! One of the knights fell to the ground along with a heavy metallic sound. His body had instantly stiffened after receiving a direct attack from the mace on his helmet. ¡°You!¡± Shuack! The remaining two knights swung and stabbed with their longswords. They were skilled knights, and they predicted Galfredik¡¯s path as they attacked. However, they had no idea that Galfredik was a vampire with superhuman vision and reflexes as Eugene¡¯s vassal. Clang! Kang! Galfredik deflected the attacks of the knights with the mace in his left hand, as well as his right gauntlet. Then, he rushed at one of the knights. Thud! ¡°Kuaggh!¡± The knight was thrown far back after being struck in his chest with Galfredik¡¯s shoulder. The blow felt as if he had collided against a boulder, and even his armor couldn¡¯t soften the massive blow. Right after tackling the knight, Galfredik rotated and swung his mace. The blunt weapon parted the air in a straight line. Bang! Unlike the other cavalries in chainmail, the knights were armed with plate mail. However, even that was insufficient to negate the unstoppable force of the blunt weapon. Moreover, the one wielding the weapon was the vassal of an Origin with superhuman strength. Bang! Bang! Bang! The knight¡¯s body was bent abnormally at the first blow, but several more followed immediately afterward. He collapsed to the ground while vomiting blood with broken ribs and crippled organs. ¡°Kuaaagh!¡± Galfredik immediately turned and charged with a shout without sparing a glance at the collapsed knight. He was targeting the rest of the challengers. No matter how skilled and strong a knight was, it was reckless bravado to charge at dozens of horsemen. In addition, rather than a spear, he was armed with nothing but two maces. It seemed as if the man was rushing toward his death. However, Galfredik was truly confident in his skills. Moreover, he believed in his armor, which had never been destroyed during his years on the battlefield. Above all else, he believed in the power his master had bestowed upon him. ¡°Kuaaaaaghhh!¡± Galfredik roared, and a wave of translucent Fear stormed over the horses of the challengers. The horses weren¡¯t ordinary. In fact, they had been educated and trained over years to absolute obedience to their riders and to eliminate any fear they might feel on the battlefield. As such, warhorses never retreated, even in the middle of a dangerous battlefield. Unfortunately; however, the warhorses had never been trained against the Fear of vampires¡ªthe Fear of one of the highest-ranking vampires, to be exact. The horses reared when they came into contact with the unprecedented power, which was completely unlike the Fear contained in the roar of intermediate-rank monsters. ¡°Huh?! Uh¡­!¡± The soldiers¡¯ momentous charge was interrupted, and they were quickly thrown into chaos. Galfredik jumped several meters into the air. Fwoosh! He jumped into the midst of the cavalries. The glare emanating from inside his helmet was like sparkling crimson blood. ¡°Uagh!¡± The startled warriors reflexively swung and stabbed with their spears. Simultaneously, Galfredik¡¯s two maces came down like thunder and weaved through the group of soldiers. Pupupuk! Kakakakang! The heads of six spears were broken off from their shafts. It was impossible for the soldiers to leave even a scratch on plate armor with nothing but wooden rods. Galfredik crushed the weapons of the warriors while jumping into their midst, then swung his weapons once again just before he landed. Thuuck! The soldiers were thrown off their saddles like wooden dolls. Had Galfredik not controlled his strength, their limbs would have been torn apart, and their bones shattered. ¡°Kuwuuuuugh!¡± Galfredik let out a beastly roar, aroused by the crimson that blurred his vision. Even so, as a veteran knight, he was constantly willing his body to move in ways to fight the most efficient battle. The soldiers of the Knights of Dawn couldn¡¯t organize a proper formation as they rushed at Galfredik due to his provocation. The most powerful weapon of a cavalry existed in their lance charge, where dozens or hundreds of horsemen charged at once. In their current state, where their horses had halted in the middle of the battlefield, they were even less capable than infantrymen when faced with an opponent with terrifying power and cold judgment. Neiiiigh! With their horses running rampant, their movements were greatly restricted. As such, they were no match for Galfredik. However, some of them still attempted to swing and stab their spears at Galfredik, but almost no one could hit him properly due to his speed. Several attacks found their target by coincidence, but the plate armor wasn¡¯t called the strongest armor for no reason. Tititing! Tiing! Even the attacks that found their marks were harmlessly deflected. In the meantime, Galfredik never stopped swinging his maces, and the soldiers screamed in pain after having their limbs and bones broken. A short, but violent two minutes had passed since the battle began. And only the pained groans and screams of the defeated soldiers could be heard. Galfredik finally stopped his rampage. ¡°Hoo¡­ Hoo¡­ Hoo¡­¡± Galfredik raised his visor while breathing raggedly. He had been exhausted even further by trying to control his strength instead of killing them mercilessly. He finally relaxed and let his maces hang from the side after seeing that the more than twenty cavalries were incapacitated. He glanced at Baron Blanc and the other nobles, who were staring at the scene with absolute disbelief, then turned toward Eugene with his arms crossed while revealing his fangs. ¡°Master, I have secured us some slaves.¡± The Origin¡¯s vassal had perfectly fulfilled his duty. CH 285 ¡°Kieeek! I knew I could count on you, Gal! Kihehehehehe!¡± Mirian screamed excitedly in a voice only audible to Eugene with her head poking out of his armor. Unlike his cold, detached appearance, Eugene agreed with the spirit¡¯s words while inwardly giving a pleased smile. Galfredik had handled the soldiers of the Knights of Dawn without utilizing any of his vampiric powers except Fear. He had overpowered the lot, who had reacted instantly to his provocation and took care of all the unpredictable variables in an instant. Just as expected from his vassal, Galfredik instantly recognized why Eugene had killed the enemy¡¯s knight commander without explanation. ¡®Three hundred elite soldiers. It would have never been viable for me to obtain complete control over them as a foreigner.¡¯ Moreover, judging by the fact that their commander had picked a fight during their initial encounter, there had been a good chance that the cavalries wouldn¡¯t have obeyed him even with their spirits crushed. Perhaps they would have only been detrimental to resolving the monster uprising in the Hisain Countdom. As such, Eugene only had one option. ¡®To cut off their head¡­¡¯ If it was impossible to resolve the situation by subduing their spirit, it was better to boldly kill their commander instead. As such, Eugene killed Carmier, in a way that showcased the overwhelming difference between the two people¡¯s skills. However, Carmier hadn¡¯t been the only problem in the Knights of Dawn. As long as the other commanding knights were present, the group of cavalries could rebel. However, it wasn¡¯t an option to simply kill those commanding knights. Even with full justification, killing all the knights would have only resulted in an irreversible conflict with the Hisain Countdom. As such, Eugene chose Galfredik. His faithful vassal immediately recognized his will and ensured that other than serious injuries that would immobilize them for several months, there would be no deaths among the opposing knights. With their commanding knights all disabled, all that was left was to establish control over the remaining members of the Knights of Dawn. ¡®How should I best work these little bastards?¡¯ Although the cause and the process which led to this current situation were rather absurd and baffling, the results were somewhat satisfactory. As such, Eugene looked over the rest of the cavalry like a predator eyeing his food. *** Eugene made sure to feed refined mana stones to the soldiers and knights Galfredik had crushed. Since there were more than twenty injured, the number of consumed refined mana stones was quite high. However, Eugene was generous with the superior-grade mana stones. The nobles praised his generosity, but Eugene had no need to be stingy. After all, Eugene was planning to recover all his losses from Count Hisain. Even with superior-grade mana stones, the knights would still suffer the fate of being bedridden for quite a while. On the contrary, the twenty-or-so cavalrymen fared relatively better, since they had only suffered a few broken bones. They would clearly recover in just a few days. ¡°All of you are my slaves from now on. If anyone has any complaints, step forward,¡± Eugene said while looking around at the cavalrymen of the Knights of Dawn. He was accompanied by Galfredik and the beowulf warriors. The cavalrymen were as quiet as mice. It was expected since they had just witnessed the utter and complete defeat of their captain, the other commanding knights, and their comrades at the hands of just two people. Moreover, Baron Blanc and the other foreign nobles were witnesses to the fight. Of course, not every cavalryman was quiet because they were afraid. Most of them were either experienced mercenaries or wandering knights from lowly families. They were given horses, armor, and small manors when they settled in the Hisain Countdom. As such, they were extremely loyal to the count. And that was why they were troubled. The King of Maren had completely outclassed them, and they had lost their justification as well. If they mounted a resistance, it could very well cause their monarch a great deal of trouble. Moreover, today¡¯s events would obviously spread as rumors, given that a large number of foreign nobles had witnessed everything. Their commanding knights had already defiled their honor twice, so any further disrespect or dishonorable actions would lead to an irreversible outcome. ¡°No objections, right? Then, all of you, dismount from your horses and show some proper courtesy to my master,¡± Galfredik stepped forward and said. The cavalrymen turned their gazes toward Baron Blanc. The baron gave a long sigh of resignation, then nodded. The cavalrymen came down from their saddles, then saluted Eugene, who was still riding Silion. ¡°We greet Your Majesty!¡± It was pretty obvious that half of them were reluctant; however, Eugene simply nodded in response to the fairly disciplined greeting. ¡°From this moment on, all of you will be under the command of Sir Edmund, Sir Rohime, and Sir Christian.¡± The cavalrymen took on curious gazes at Eugene¡¯s words. Edmund and the two vampire high lords came forward on their horses. The cavalrymen could not help but feel nervous and relieved when they saw the three men. All three were armed with exquisite equipment, and they radiated an intimidating aura. ¡°These three are my knights, and they were born in the Roman Empire. All of you should know well what will happen to disobedient slaves, so act accordingly,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°¡­!!!¡± The gazes of the cavalrymen naturally headed to their commanders, who were moaning in pain while being loaded onto the carriages. In other words, if any of them acted out of line, they could very well suffer even after consuming superior-grade mana stones. As soon as the King of Maren finished his words, the big, burly knight with the maces on his shoulder came forward with a vicious smile. It seemed as if the king¡¯s words weren¡¯t just an empty threat. The king and his men would surely stay true to their words. ¡°A-as you wish, Your Majesty!¡± One man took the lead and shouted. ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty!¡± The cavalrymen echoed his declaration. Eugene nodded with satisfaction. He had entrusted Edmund, Rohime, and Christian with the command of the cavalry because the three were originally from the Roman Empire. Even if the relationship had faded slightly over time, the Countdom of Hisain had originally been an imperial power of the Roman Empire. The cavalrymen would then be less reluctant to be commanded by three knights from the Roman Empire compared to Galfredik, who had destroyed their three commanders. ¡°Sir Blanc,¡± Eugene called out. ¡°Yes¡­ Yes?!¡± Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Baron Blanc was jolted awake from his blank gaze. He hurriedly turned his gaze toward Eugene. The proud commander of his nation¡¯s knight order had been killed, and the other commanding knights had been completely destroyed as well. Furthermore, Prince Localope and the nobles of other countries had witnessed the knights¡¯ dishonorable act. It was no wonder that Baron Blanc couldn¡¯t keep his composure, and Baron Blanc was worried about what was to come. ¡®There¡¯s nothing I particularly dislike about him, and he understands how to converse. I should toss him his carrot.¡¯ With such thoughts, Eugene continued, ¡°Even though it¡¯s the outcome of a fair match, wouldn¡¯t it be rather outlandish for the elite soldiers of Hisain to continue being my slaves?¡± ¡°Y-you are absolutely right, Your Majesty. You are truly honorable.¡± Baron Blanc hurriedly agreed with his words, sensing that the atmosphere surrounding Eugene had subsided. How much money had been spent on organizing and maintaining the Knights of Dawn? Even though the Countdom of Hisain was powerful, it had still been quite burdensome for such a small nation to maintain a standing army composed of three hundred cavalrymen. However, with the current predicament, the ownership of the cavalry had been transferred over to Eugene. As such, Baron Blanc had to do whatever he could to ease Eugene¡¯s mood. ¡°I will hand the slaves over to Lord Hisain after I take care of the monster uprising. Of course, that¡¯s if Lord Hisain wishes for me to do so,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Of course. My lord will definitely¡ª¡± Eugene interrupted Baron Blanc¡¯s words, ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°They are still a knight order, right? I will have to ask for a ransom appropriate for knights for each of the slaves, wouldn¡¯t you say so?¡± Eugene said. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Baron Blanc¡¯s turned ghastly pale. The ransom of knights captured on the battlefield was enormous. Naturally, there were minute differences depending on their families, but the price of their horses, armor, and weapons would still have to be included in the retrieval. In the case of the Knights of Dawn, all of its members were masters of small lands with five or six resident serfs, but they were technically affiliates of the countdom, as it was a centralized nation. In other words, the countdom would be responsible for their ransom¡ªall three hundred of them. ¡°T-t-that¡¯s¡­ I, I¡­¡± Baron Blanc stuttered. His thoughts became jumbled when he thought of how the miser, Count Hisain, would react after hearing about the numbers. ¡°Well, it would be better to talk about that after we take care of the monster uprising,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Y-yes, of course. Your Majesty is truly wise,¡± Baron Blanc groveled. He felt grateful to Eugene for giving him some respite. The unprecedented predicament had made him feel as though his soul would leave his body. ¡°Now, shall we go?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The expedition set off once more at Galfredik¡¯s powerful roar. *** The Hisain Countdom was a relatively small country. In addition, most of Eugene¡¯s expedition was on horseback. As such, the expedition reached the Demeire region in just two days. Of course, the journey hadn¡¯t been without problems. After all, the expedition had three hundred more members, and more than half of the expedition¡¯s food had disappeared after feeding them for just two days. However, just as he had provided the injured knights with superior-graded mana stones, Eugene once again showcased his generosity and ordered that no gold coins should be spared to replenish their supplies. Even the ¡®slaves¡¯ were served meals mainly based on meat. Moreover, Eugene allowed the slaves to keep their armaments and chain of command, and he also wasn¡¯t particularly coercive in how he behaved toward them. What was happening? Why was the devilish acting so out of character? The cavalrymen were confused. They had clearly seen how Eugene had dealt with Carmier and the other commanding knights. They couldn¡¯t understand why the cruel and brutal vampire king was treating them like this. As such, they expressed their curiosity to Edmund and the two vampire high lords, as they felt relatively comfortable around the three men. The three men gave responses as per Eugene¡¯s instructions. ¡°Although our first encounter was ruined by the dishonorable attitudes of the knights, His Majesty considers the Countdom of Hisain to be a friend. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have brought his own troops to provide assistance to a place located so far away.¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Your, or rather, our enemies, are the monsters. It is only natural to provide appropriate treatment to all of you, as you will have a big role to play in fighting against the monsters. His Majesty is an honorable knight, and he knows how to keep matters private and public separate. Sir Carmier and the other knights were only disciplined because they acted dishonorably without provocation.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°The only thing His Majesty is concerned about is how to eliminate the monsters disturbing and threatening the Hisain Countdom. He will naturally receive compensation, but where else could you possibly find a knight so faithful? Don¡¯t you agree?¡± The answers that came from Edmund, a complete Eugenophile, and the two vampires, who were absolutely obedient to Eugene, had a considerable impact on the cavalry. The cavalrymen didn¡¯t know that Carmier had been instigated by Baron Popran, the count¡¯s secretary. They had been enraged to see their captain die before their eyes. However, as they contemplated the issue over time, they wondered if it had really been necessary to act as they had done toward a foreign monarch, a knight who had come all this way to help their nation. Moreover, wasn¡¯t the King of Maren treating them with great honor even after taking them as slaves? Combined with the words of the three men from the Roman Empire, whom they could relate better than the King of Maren¡­ ¡°It was Sir Carmier¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°There was no need to kill him, but I think he deserved it.¡± ¡°I knew Sir Carmier was too short-tempered and arrogant. I knew he would end up throwing himself into a hole one day¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same with the other sirs. They should have reacted honorably after seeing Sir Carmier act so shamefully.¡± ¡°Instead, they were so brazen, so they ended up being pummeled.¡± The public opinion of Eugene was still rather dismal, but they began to place the responsibility of the event on Carmier and the other knights. ¡°Well! I don¡¯t know. For now, let us stay faithful to our duties as Hisain¡¯s knights.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Regardless, we just need to kill those monsters real good, right? Even the king of a foreign country and his knights are working so hard for Hisain. We, the sword of Hisain, can¡¯t just sit still and watch.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m sure the count will take care of the issue with the king.¡± Eugene could finally laugh with ease after hearing about the change in public opinion from Edmund and the two vampire high lords. ¡°We got ourselves a decent army without spending a single coin.¡± Although it would only be temporary, he had been lucky to obtain three hundred well-trained cavalries under his command. ¡°Kieeeek! This is awesome! But, sir, aren¡¯t we spending too much money on feeding those old men on horses? Even those dog heads are going through more food than usual. Are you okay with spending that much on meat? Isn¡¯t it a bit wasteful?¡± Mirian said. ¡°The beowulfs? Let them eat more. Let them eat as much as they want,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Kieeh? Why?¡± Mirian asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to get it all back from Count Hisain anyway, so what¡¯s the problem?¡± Eugene responded. To be exact, Eugene could receive an amount that could be several times the promised amount in the contract, on top of having an army under his command for free. And combined with the mana stones and by-products he would eventually obtain from the monsters¡­ ¡°Ah! Ahh¡­! Kieeeh¡­¡± The spirit collapsed with an ecstatic smile. She looked as if she could already see the gold and silver practically floating in front of her eyes. CH 286 ¡°They just swept through it all. Even Bemos wasn¡¯t as bad as this¡­¡± Edmund muttered with a frown as he looked around at the ransacked village. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Eugene carefully examined the village. They had stopped by to replenish their quickly dwindling food and supplies due to the addition of three hundred cavalries to the expedition. He hadn¡¯t expected to procure enough supplies to replenish their entire supply but had hoped to restock to a certain extent. ¡°This is rather troublesome,¡± Eugene muttered softly while looking over the ruins. He could see crumbling wooden walls and fences, as well as houses partly eaten away by fire. The various household items spread across the ground, and the dark brown stains of blood seemed to tell the tragedy of that day. At least hundreds of monsters had to have attacked the village. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± A group of cavalries returned after scouting around the village. ¡°There are wagon wheels and horse hoofs tracks. It appears that some of the residents succeeded in escaping.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Eugene thought for a moment, then turned around. ¡°Sir Blanc. Where is the largest village closest to here?¡± he asked. Blanc answered with a pale expression, ¡°It¡¯s Byrne. It¡¯s the village under the administration of Sir Grigon¡­¡± According to Baron Blanc, Byrne was the largest village in the Demeire region. It couldn¡¯t be called a city with a population of less than ten thousand, but the entire village was protected by a sturdy wall of about five meters high. As such, many residents of the nearby villages had already fled earlier to avoid the monsters. ¡°If some of the villagers successfully escaped, they would have headed toward Byrne. It¡¯s the safest place around here.¡± ¡°I see. How many villages are there in Demiere?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°About twenty. There are a few that are bigger than this place as well.¡± In other words, an entire region housing tens of thousands of people had been completely ravaged. It meant that the Tywin territory had been headed for a similar destructive outcome without early intervention. ¡®And it will continue to spread to other areas like a raging fire. In the end, a small country will crumble.¡¯ Moreover, most of the affected countries shared borders with the Roman Empire and had a relationship with the empire on many fronts. Like it or not, they would have been forced to ask the empire for assistance without Eugene¡¯s intervention. ¡°You¡¯re a real evil bastard,¡± Eugene said. ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know who you are talking about, but if you¡¯re calling them evil, then they must be so much eviler than you, sir. What an evil, corrupt, hideous bastard.¡± Mirian chimed. ¡°¡­You aren¡¯t wrong, but your words offend me for some reason,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°K-kiehh!¡± Eugene shoved the spirit into the leather pocket and turned around. ¡°We¡¯ll head to Byrne first. We do need to resupply.¡± Eugene¡¯s decision was convincing. After all, with the increased number of troops, their supplies¡ªfood in particular¡ªwere only two days away from being completely exhausted. However, Baron Blanc responded with a perplexed expression, ¡°But Your Majesty. We already know exactly where the monsters are, so why don¡¯t we get rid of them as soon as possible? It¡¯s not too far from here either.¡± Baron Blanc¡¯s words were reasonable. It was because Demiere¡¯s monster uprising was unlike the others, and the monsters¡¯ behavior was different as well. ¡°They¡¯re all there?¡± Eugene asked after turning his face to one side of the sky. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Baron Blanc nodded. Although it was very far away, Eugene could clearly see a giant mountain solemnly standing with a ring of clouds on its head. Mount Felipoa¡ªit contained both the Demiere region¡¯s only evil land and its water source, and it was a dormant volcano as well. About half of the villages in the Demiere region were located close to Mount Felipoa, similar to the village where they were right now. The lake located at the top of the mountain served the land well to keep the farmland fertile, and the volcano itself was tall and wide enough to raise livestock. However, the two sole evil lands of the Demiere region were also located in the middle of the volcano. What was even more unusual about Demiere was that the monsters did not spread throughout the region like in other places. Rather, the monsters took refuge in Mount Feliopa and attacked nearby villages, pastures, and roads whenever they wanted, as if they were a band of bandits. ¡°It¡¯s not like those monsters are bandits¡­¡± Eugene muttered. "Yes, exactly. The count has judged that there¡¯s still time, which is why he did not send in a large number of troops,¡± Baron Blanc responded. If the monsters had spread, Count Hisain would have taken immediate action. And since that wasn¡¯t the case, he had waited for Eugene and the expedition. ¡°If Lord Hisain judged that he could afford to wait, isn¡¯t that the same with us?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Uh¡­ That¡¯s right, but¡­¡± ¡°And you said almost all the villagers near the volcano had already taken refuge, right? Then that gives us even more time. Byrne isn¡¯t that far from here. Three or four days should be enough to head to the volcano after we resupply,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Despite Eugene¡¯s reasoning, Blanc seemed unsatisfied. Eugene noticed his displeasure and asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Sir Blanc. Is there a reason why I shouldn¡¯t go to Byrne? You don¡¯t seem to like it.¡± ¡°A-ah, not at all!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Eugene¡¯s eyes glimmered coldly. Baron Blanc felt his heart sink. After spending some time together with Eugene, he had a rough idea of what Eugene disliked. Among them was the act of keeping a secret and trying to deceive him. ¡®Well¡­ It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it. Truthfully, I am a little worried about Your Majesty going to Byrne,¡± Baron Blanc confessed. ¡°Worried?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes. Truthfully¡­¡± In the end, Baron Blanc had no choice but to confess why he was worried about Eugene heading to Byrne. ¡°Hmm. Hmmm. Hooh. I see. So that¡¯s what it was¡­¡± Eugene responded after listening to Baron Blanc¡¯s explanation. Eugene spoke with a glimmer in his eyes, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that the governor of Demiere is in Byrne and that he is Lord Hisain¡¯s second son. Moreover, he is like Lord Hisain in every aspect?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And aside from everything else, he¡¯s exactly like Lord Hisain when it comes to his prudence with conserving money¡­¡± Baron Blanc responded. Baron Blanc was worried about this. Grigon¡ªthe count¡¯s second son and governor of Demiere¡ªwas as stingy as his father. Naturally, frugalness wasn¡¯t a big weakness as the governor of a region. In fact, thanks to his sound financial management, Demiere was coping very well without experiencing a shortage of supplies despite the crisis attracting thousands of refugees. However, that was a different matter altogether. Baron Blanc had a hunch that he could not allow the eccentric vampire to meet the count¡¯s replica. Otherwise, something big would happen. Baron Blanc already felt as if he were walking on thin ice because of Carmier¡¯s death. He could do without Grigon causing another problem. As such, he couldn¡¯t help but oppose Eugene¡¯s plans of going to Byrne. ¡°With all due respect, I dare to suggest that I could head into Byrne with a portion of the troops and workers to procure the supplies, Your Majesty,¡± Baron Blanc said. ¡°We came all this way, didn¡¯t we? How could we do that? Let us all go together. And since he¡¯s the son of Lord Hisain, it would be better for me to inform him of Sir Carmier¡¯s death and seek his understanding,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± ¡®Damn that Carmier!¡¯ Baron Blanc had to swallow his tears and nod. Thanks to the late Carmier, he couldn¡¯t even squeak. ¡®But why the hell is he trying to go there personally? Carmier¡¯s matter seems to be an excuse¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡¯ Baron Blanc was rather puzzled as he watched Eugene exit the village on horseback. Eugene¡¯s intention was very simple. ¡®He¡¯s exactly like Count Hisain? Then it will be better for me to meet him.¡¯ Although Baron Blanc was a decent man, he was also Count Hisain¡¯s vassal. He would never say anything bad about his own monarch. Even now, he had described Grigon with unnecessary words when he could have simply called Grigon for what he was¡ªa miser. So, if he got to meet the son before the count, he would come to a better understanding of Count Hisain¡¯s true face as well. ¡®In addition, things will work out even better if he¡¯s the count¡¯s son.¡¯ Eugene smiled. He had come up with a good plan after Baron Blanc had described Grigon to him. He felt even prouder and happy to think that he would get to rip off a miser. *** ¡°Sir Grigon! Reinforcements! Reinforcements have arrived! What? What do you¡­¡± Grigon was more bewildered than pleased at the news of reinforcements. Reinforcements wouldn¡¯t have appeared out of thin air, which meant his father, Count Hisain, must have sent them over here. However, he had heard no such news from his father. The Knights of Dawn had set off, but it was to greet the King of Maren¡­ ¡°Sir Blanc and the others have returned together with the expedition of the King of Maren. Haha! They joined forces with the Knights of Dawn when they heard that Demiere was facing a crisis!¡± ¡°Oh¡­!¡± The officials of Byrne were delighted at the news. Byrne essentially served as Demiere¡¯s capital, and the officials were very worried about the monster uprising. They were still doing well regarding the food required to feed thousands of refugees, but they felt faint as they anxiously waited for the day the monsters left Mount Felipoa and invaded their village. Even though news of reinforcements was something to be pleased about, Grigon felt somewhat uncomfortable. ¡®I have a bad feeling¡­ Why is it?¡¯ Grigon¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly. He felt chills similar to when he sometimes had an audience with his father. His obsession with gold¡ªthe miser¡¯s instinct that had been passed onto him through blood was strongly warning him. However, it wasn¡¯t as if he had any other choice but to welcome the reinforcements, especially when there was a foreign monarch and prestigious nobles in the mix as well. ¡°Hurry up and welcome our esteemed guests into the castle. No, I should go myself.¡± According to Baron Blanc¡¯s letter, The expedition of Maren¡¯s King even included a prince of the Roman Empire. As such, he couldn¡¯t be impudent and stay in the castle when such celebrated figures were visiting him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Grigon left the hall with Byrne¡¯s officials. They quickly reached the castle gates with hastened steps. Grigon narrowed his eyes. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Uwaaaaah¡­ He could clearly hear a cheer from afar. He hurried out the castle doors and became wide-eyed. Hundreds of mounted, large warriors were proudly marching across Bryne¡¯s streets. Several knights, considered to be the commanders, stood at the forefront. The Knights of Dawn were clearly at the center of the group. The flag embroidered with their crest was flying at the highest point. ¡°Oh! It appears that the King of Maren thinks very highly of our warriors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I thought they would be a proudful lot because they came from abroad, but they seem to be honorable knights after all!¡± ¡°Or maybe they were intimidated by the majesty of our knights¡­¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s certainly plausible.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­!¡± The officials couldn¡¯t hide their pride as they burst into laughter. Anyone could tell that the Knights of Dawn were the protagonists of the day. ¡®But why?¡¯ However, Grigon couldn¡¯t join in their laughter; his instinct was still warning him. ¡®Why is the energy I can feel from there stronger than my father¡¯s?¡¯ A flag embroidered with the crest of a dragon proudly fluttered right beneath the flag of the Knights of Dawn. Grigon began to sweat when he saw a knight in black armor leisurely riding his horse next to the flagbearer. ¡°Kiehohoho! Unbelievable! Gold power level over 42,000. He¡¯s on a completely different level from the previous monies.¡± Grigon might have even been afraid if he saw the spirit standing on Eugene¡¯s shoulder. The spirit was giggling while wearing a monocle made of water[1] 1. Clearly a reference to¡­ Dragon Ball~! If you didn¡¯t get it, then you made me sad. ? CH 287 ¡°Are you talking about food?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I think it should be enough for five or six days. Ah, and while we¡¯re working on procuring food, I¡¯m hoping to get some other things as well.¡± The exchange of pleasantries was rather brief due to the situation. Eugene headed over to Grigon with Baron Blanc and revealed the purpose of his visit. Grigon became wide-eyed with shock. ¡®How could this be? Was my intuition wrong?¡¯ The number of people from Maren in the expedition was almost one hundred. Including the Knights of Dawn, there were nearly four hundred people in the expedition. They would certainly need an enormous amount of food and supplies. In addition, the expedition had the King of Maren and a prince of the Roman Empire. If even the foreign nobles had to be taken into consideration, just how much would they have to spend? Grigon was suddenly faced with a golden opportunity to make a fortune. Grigon spoke quickly after a brief moment of contemplation. ¡°That won¡¯t be difficult. However, don¡¯t you think it will be better to hire a depot merchant to take care of the entire expedition during the monster uprising?¡± ¡°A depot merchant? Hmm¡­¡± Eugene muttered. ¡°We will handle the troops who will guard the depot merchants,¡± Grigon added. ¡°Really? That¡¯s not bad.¡± Eugene stroked his chin while nodding. Grigon cheered inwardly. There weren¡¯t many depot merchants who could take care of hundreds of troops, and the only merchant capable enough to do so was one of his own. To be exact, the merchant was an agent who ran a business owned by Grigon. In other words, the profit belonged to Grigon. ¡°If Your Majesty so desires, I will immediately seek out the most responsible and reliable depot merchant in Byrne,¡± Grigon said. ¡°Since the son of Lord Hisain is willing to help me out like this, I am looking forward to it. All right. Let us do that,¡± Eugen responded. ¡°You don¡¯t muck about, Your Majesty,¡± Grigon said with a wide smile. Eugene responded with a bright smile of his own. Baron Blanc watching from the side ably hid his puzzlement while awkwardly smiling. ¡®How strange. Everything¡¯s just going to work out like this? Hm¡­ Regardless, I¡¯m glad that everything worked out without a hitch.¡¯ Grigon was having similar thoughts as Baron Blanc. ¡®He¡¯s a man of good character. A very honorable and generous noble, isn¡¯t he? Then that feeling from before¡­¡¯ What could have possibly caused him to check that his coin pouch was tightly sealed? Where had the ominous feeling originated from? ¡®Was I mistaken?¡¯ Well, in the first place, it was impossible for there to be a man who was beyond his father when it came to those matters. He had to have been mistaken. ¡®Wait. No, no!¡¯ No matter how hard he thought about it, the intense feeling had been real. And as far as Grigon was aware, his father, Count Hisain, was one of the top ten wealthiest people in the Roman Empire, never mind the countdom. If that were the case, then perhaps¡­ ¡®¡­The god of wealth?¡¯ The King of Maren was a man of numerous achievements. There was a rumor that the king had accumulated great wealth and honor, as well as followers. In particular, Maren, a port city known for its wealth, was said to be in the process of raising the largest surplus in its history after enthroning its king. ¡°Yes! The King of Maren is a god of wealth. And just as he did with everyone else, he is a nobleman who will bring me an abundance of gold!¡¯ Grigon became even more polite while holding in an even bigger smile. ¡°Then, Your Majesty, how will you pay for the¡­ Ah! Silver? Gold? Anything is fine. Even gold bars will be fine as well,¡± Grigon said. ¡°Pay? What are you talking about?¡± Eugene asked as if he were truly oblivious to what Grigon was talking about. ¡°What? Well, of course, the payment for the food and supplies for the expedition¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? Sir Grigon, what are you talking about? Shouldn¡¯t the food and the supplies be paid for by yourself or Lord Hisain?¡± Eugene said. ¡°What? W-what could you possibly mean by¡­¡± Grigon asked with great surprise. ¡®Ha¡­ As expected¡­¡¯ Baron Blanc held in his sigh as he felt his heart sink. The moment he had been dreading had finally come. Eugene asked as if he truly couldn¡¯t understand Grigon¡¯s reaction. ¡°Although I came here to help the Countdom of Hisain, the mainstay of this army is the Knights of Dawn, is it not?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°And this is the territory of the Hisain Countdom. Moreover, Sir Grigon is the governor of Demiere, as well as Lord Hisain¡¯s blood. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Eugene said. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± ¡°And since the elite soldiers of the countdom have been mobilized, shouldn¡¯t the countdom naturally take responsibility for the supplies? Sir Blanc. Is there perhaps an immoral law in the Hisain Countdom stating that other countries must take responsibility for the supplies of the countdom¡¯s soldiers?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No! No! Absolutely not! There isn¡¯t such a thing!¡± Baron Blanc quickly denied it when the attention was directed toward him. ¡°So he says. Then, Sir Grigon. Do I still have to pay for the food and the supplies?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°O-obviously, it¡¯s mine to pay. Ha, haha¡­ The current situation is simply too chaotic, so I must have forgotten myself. Please forgive me, Your Majesty,¡± Grigon responded. ¡°I fully understand. I might have done the same if Maren were in a similar situation. You must have been so hurried that you wanted to pass the responsibility onto someone else,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes, yes. I apologize once again for the shameful behavior,¡± Grigon said. Although Eugene said those words in a soft tone, the content couldn¡¯t be more acrimonious. Grigon forced a smile as he felt sweat dripping down his forehead. He felt like weeping while banging his fist against the ground. ¡®Food to feed so many troops for five days¡­ And the supplies? Keugh!¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t afford it. However, he felt as if he would go insane to waste so much money. The gold coins and bars that filled his head moments ago had disappeared like a mirage. Grigon wore a strange expression as if he were forcibly swallowing the immense regret and shock simmering in his throat. ¡°Ah, by the way,¡± Eugene said as if he had remembered something. ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Grigon asked with trembling eyebrows. He suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. Eugene gave an apologetic smile before continuing, ¡°There are beowulf warriors in my expedition. They eat mostly meat and very little grain, so please keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Meat¡­¡± Grigon muttered. ¡°And the amount of food they consume is five or six times more than that of ordinary adult men, so I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± Eugene said. ¡°I¡­ Keugh! Understand¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? Sir Grigon, are you crying right now?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No¡­ Is there anything else you want to say¡­?¡± Grigon was currently displaying superhuman forbearance to stop himself from chasing Eugene away as he asked while shedding a tear. ¡°Please take proper care of Sir Carmier¡¯s body, as well as the treatment of the Knights of Dawn commanders,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Yes. Take proper care of Sir Carmier¡¯s¡ªWhat?!¡± Grigon shouted with complete shock. Baron Blanc sighed before stepping forward. ¡°Sir Grigon. The truth is¡­¡± Since Eugene was watching, Baron Blanc gave a recount unaccompanied by any of his personal opinions or thoughts. Anyone who heard the story could conclude that Sir Carmier had picked a quarrel and that the other knights had acted disgracefully. ¡°S-s-such a thing¡­¡± Grigon was stupefied. Carmier was a famous knight he knew well. Both his background and status were prestigious, and his strength was well known in the Hisain Countdom. Someone like that had actually done something inexplicable which resulted in his death, and in a single blow, at that! ¡®This is mad¡­¡¯ Grigon¡¯s eyes quivered even harder as he stared at Eugene. The ominous feeling he could sense from Eugene had become even greater than before. At the same time, he finally realized why the high-ranking nobles of many countries, as well as a prince of the Roman Empire, dared not to act recklessly in front of the vampire king. He had also finally realized why Baron Blanc had signed an agreement with the King of Maren at the risk of additional political burden instead of coming to the elite soldiers of the countdom. In addition, he had also finally come to the realization that the knights of the Roman Empire and the nearby countries had been mistaken when they thought that the King of Maren¡¯s achievements were inflated and exaggerated. ¡®D-don¡¯t tell me¡­ He came here personally rather than just sending Baron Blanc because¡­?¡¯ If the king¡¯s purpose had been to procure food and supplies, it would have been sufficient to send Baron Blanc and an agent to represent him. However, the King of Maren had insisted on leading all of his troops to Byrne, all the while making sure that the Knights of Dawn would receive the spotlight. He had even made sure to make it seem like the enslaved Knights of Dawn were the protagonists of the day. Gulp¡­ Grigon felt as if all the fine hairs on his body were standing on end. He felt so fearful of the king¡¯s eyes, which glimmered with an indifferent light. What would have happened if he had raised an objection or complained about having to take responsibility for the food and the supplies? Even without much justification, he could have made various excuses to avoid responsibility, arguing that the Knights of Dawn had been enslaved; he could have also tried to negotiate on the pretext of Carmier¡¯s death. However, if he had done so¡­ ¡®Then I would have been fucked. I was in the presence of a lion¡­ No, a dragon.¡¯ Grigon gulped once more as goosebumps rose on his forearms. ¡°Byrne and I will actively cooperate with Your Majesty while Your Majesty deals with the monsters. And as you said, I will do my best to take responsibility for Sir Carmier¡¯s body and the other sirs as well.¡± ¡°I am glad to hear that. Thank you for your honorable decision, sir,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Not at all. Is there anything else that I can assist you with?¡± Grigon asked. He was showing a much more polite attitude than at the beginning. Eugene responded once again with an apologetic expression, ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing else, but I had the injured members of the Knights of Dawn consume refined mana stones. Since we brought it for emergency use, we don¡¯t have much¡ª¡± ¡°I will compensate you for all of it,¡± Grigon quickly answered. ¡°Oh! Lord Hisain truly has a fantastic son,¡± Eugene commented. Eugene smiled with satisfaction after obtaining everything he had desired¡ªhundreds of cavalries that he could command free of charge, food and supplies free of charge, as well as compensation for the refined mana stones. *** While Eugene was occupied in a tense negotiation with Grigon, the other members of the expedition were eating and drinking to their heart¡¯s content in the grand welcome. It was the first time in a while that they could relax without worrying about having to stand guard. As such, most of the guards and knights enjoyed themselves. However, not everyone was enjoying the harmonious atmosphere. Munch, munch. On one side of Byrne Castle¡¯s courtyard, two beowulf warriors were busily tearing into a basin of boiled meat brought to them by the servants of the castle. The servants appeared to be extremely scared of them. ¡°Meat is good and all, but it would be perfect if I could have a barrel of ale. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°The other dogheads are coming to change shifts with us later, so let¡¯s hold it in until then. I heard that the clowns and the dancers here play hard. Let¡¯s go watch that later.¡± ¡°There must be other types of meat as well, right? I¡¯m getting a little sick of beef.¡± ¡°I heard that the pigs here are well known. They were raised while being fed apples and honey, so their meat is supposed to be extremely tender.¡± ¡°Kwuooo!¡± Squeak. The two warriors suddenly stopped and turned their heads. The back door of the big carriage they were guarding was slowly opening with a creak. Thud. Tap, tap. ¡°W-what is it?¡± The beowulf warriors retreated several steps after seeing the face of the figure descending from the carriage. It was a rather strange situation knowing the wild, brave nature of the beowulf warriors. However, the yellowed face of the female wizard, the one the dark lord and the golden spirit referred to as ¡®raccoon,¡¯ was much too bizarre. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Her hoarse voice made her seem like she had crawled from the fiery pits of hell. ¡°Uagh! Had she transformed into a lich?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s completely possible. She hasn''t seen sunlight for months now and hasn¡¯t eaten a single piece of meat either, right?¡± ¡°Stop making a lich out of a perfectly normal wizard. Could you call Sir Eugene for me? Or can you guide me to him?¡± The lich, or rather, Romari, spoke while slithering to the two beowulfs with her long robe dragging behind her. The two beowulfs jumped with fear while nodding.¡± I-I got it! I got it, so stop coming toward us!¡± ¡°I will go!¡± Originating from Brantia, the beowulf warriors were greatly reverent toward druids. They considered Eugene¡¯s wizard Romari to be equal to or even greater than a druid. As such, they had been struck with fear when she suddenly appeared with an appearance similar to a lich, and they quickly moved for fear of being cursed. Romari disregarded the beowulfs and crouched down by the fire. ¡°I¡­ I figured it out¡­ The real identity of the incense burner¡­ As a member of the Blood Shadow School, I finally figured it out¡­¡± Romari muttered quietly like a madman while picking up the scraps of the meat the beowulf warriors had left behind. CH 288 ¡°Mana reaction?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°No. Not just mana, but evil energy as well,¡± Romari answered. ¡°¡­¡± Eugene frowned after listening to Romari¡¯s explanation. Her face had become yellowed after spending months stuck in the carriage researching. With Mirian out to create drinking water for the expedition, only Eugene and Romari were in the carriage. ¡°The skull incense burner is a magic tool designed to respond to evil energy. That¡¯s why you were able to find it with a black wizard and inside an evil land. And that means¡­¡± Romari continued. ¡°Are you saying that it might have been made in a different world?¡± Eugene asked. Romari answered, ¡°Yes. I think so. No, I¡¯m sure.¡± She was more serious than ever. ¡°As a result of closely examining and researching the skull incense burners you gave me, Sir Eugene, I was able to confirm that it was made by a single person,¡± Romari said. ¡°A single person?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Eugene was quite surprised. He wasn¡¯t particularly knowledgeable when it came to magic, but he knew that the skull incense burners were exceptional magic tools in many ways. As such, it was mind-boggling to think that only one person was responsible for the creation of the two tools, especially when there were likely more copies as well. ¡°But here¡¯s the thing¡­ there are only two schools that use a large amount of blood and soul to create magic tools or to unfold mysteries. One is my school, the Blood Shadow School, and the other is¡ª¡± Romari explained. ¡°Black magic. Necromancers,¡± Eugene concluded. ¡°Yes. Of course, the Blood Shadow School has never researched or created such magic tools, so that just leaves the necromancers. However, if they were responsible for the creation of these magic tools, they would have already caused a huge incident and made themselves known. The necromancers love to show off, and they have bad relationships with other necromancers, even necromancers from their own school. And their relationship with other schools isn¡¯t that good as well,¡± Romari explained. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the skull incense burners were created by one person, but if a necromancer had created such an exceptional tool, they would have bragged right here and there, right?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes. The first time you came into contact with this was when you killed the black wizard responsible for turning the twin-headed ogre into an undead, right?¡± Romari asked. ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± ¡°So if a necromancer created it, they would have been desperate to put it to use. Just like how that black wizard turned that monster into an undead. Especially even more so, if the creator of the tool was a necromancer,¡± Romari said. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Eugene sank into thought while stroking his chin. After a while, he raised his head and continued, ¡°Isn¡¯t it also possible that someone had taken it from the necromancer who created it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good point. However, whenever a necromancer created something, they would leave a special mark on their creation. I¡¯m a wizard as well, so I can attest to the fact that all wizards are very proud of their magic and mysteries,¡± Romari responded. ¡°So, they would have left a signature or something?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± Wizards were comparable to knights when it came to being prideful. Romari was a bit unusual, but the other wizards Eugene had encountered regarding the mana stones trade were prideful. Of course, the wizards hadn¡¯t acted arrogant in front of Eugene, as he was a member of the Dark Clan and a renowned knight, but wizards disdained even ordinary nobles. And their rarity made them even prouder of themselves. Necromancers were even rarer, and if a necromancer had created an exceptional magic tool like the skull incense burner, they would have certainly left their mark on it. ¡°Knights speak with their sword; wizards speak with their magic¡­¡± Eugene muttered while recalling a proverb he once heard. Romari nodded. ¡°Yes. However, there are no signs or markings on the skull incense burner. No traces of a mark have been erased either. In other words, it wasn¡¯t made by a necromancer. Most importantly¡­¡± Romari took a breath before continuing, ¡°Sir Eugene, you moved the twin-headed ogre with this, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And Sir Eugene is an Origin vampire. But what is an Origin vampire?¡± Romari said. ¡°¡­Stop asking rhetorical questions and get on with it,¡± Eugene said. ¡°An Origin isn¡¯t just a highest-ranking member of the Dark Clan, but the ruler of all undead. Do you recall what you said about the monsters that crossed over from the other world in the heart of the evil lands? How did you say they crossed over?¡± Romari asked. ¡°It looked like they died. Things that looked like souls gathered together and crossed over the¡­ Hmm?!¡± Eugene suddenly exclaimed after a brief pause as if he had come to a realization. Romari was rather pleased to see such a reaction from Eugene, which was quite rare. She then spoke with a smile on her haggard face, ¡°Yes. Essentially all of them are creatures that ¡®died¡¯ once. In a way, you could consider them a kind of undead. That¡¯s why this incense burner reacted strongly to Sir Eugene¡¯s blood.¡± ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is¡­¡± ¡°Yes. This object originally came from the world you saw, the Demon World, and it¡¯s something an undead monarch like Sir Eugene or someone from the other side had created¡­¡± Romari explained. ¡°So, a demon created it?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The smile had completely disappeared from Romari¡¯s face. The wizard was an explorer of mysteries, a pathfinder of stars, and this was the truth that she had uncovered. The discovery was a secret hidden from this world, or rather, known to an extremely small number of people. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t a coincidence that Romari managed to unveil a portion of the secret. It was something that she would have never come across had she never met Eugene. ¡®Fate. It must be fate¡­¡¯ Such were Romari¡¯s thoughts. It was fate that she, a wizard of a school with a highest-ranking vampire as its progenitor, had met one of the few Vampire Origins. At the same time, it couldn¡¯t have been a simple accident, but an inevitability. ¡®Because¡­ Sir Eugene has many secrets.¡¯ Romari knew. Although she had never held a deep conversation with Eugene, she knew that he had lost his past. At first, she simply assumed the Origin was hiding his past intentionally out of amusement, but she had been mistaken. Her fateful encounter with Eugene and the events of the past several years had been a journey for Eugene to recover his past. However, it appeared that Eugene didn¡¯t want to talk about it, and Romari respected his decision. If she belonged to any other school than the Blood Shadow School, she would have never ended up accompanying Eugene on his journey. Any other wizard would have long left the side of the Vampire Origin. ¡®That¡¯s why it¡¯s an inevitability.¡¯ The fact that she was a wizard who belonged to the Blood Shadow School and the fact that Eugene was an Origin¡ªall of it was fate and an inevitability. ¡°By the way¡­¡± Eugene called out in a low voice. ¡°Yes,¡± Romari answered before looking up at him. Eugene was indifferent as usual, but his eyes contained a strange glimmer. Eugene continued, ¡°If what you say is true, the skull incense burner is from the other world, the Demon World. And it only responds to vampires like me or highest-ranking undead like me, right¡­?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Then¡­ doesn¡¯t that mean that I could be from over there as well?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Whoa¡­!!!¡± Romari exclaimed, stupefied. She hadn¡¯t thought that far. Eugene continued with a calm expression, unlike someone who had just made a shocking statement. ¡°Romari. You said that I was a Vampire Origin. You also said that there are only a few Origins in the world. It¡¯s likely that the clan masters are Origins as well. Perhaps not all of them, but some of them are. Is that right?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right¡­¡± ¡°Christian and Rohime have encountered clan masters, and they said that I should be stronger than them. They weren¡¯t completely sure, but they thought that the power and the mysteries of the clan masters were roughly only about the same as Galfredik, rather than me,¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­..¡± Romari¡¯s lips started quivering. She could guess what Eugene was about to say. ¡°But Galfredik is my vassal. He can neither stand up to me nor disobey me. Even if Galfredik attacks me with all his might, it¡¯s a constant fact that I will always win. Galfredik¡¯s growth has always been proportional to me regaining my powers one by one,¡± Eugene continued. As the few remaining tattoos on Eugene¡¯s body disappeared one by one, he regained his memories, as well as his power and mysteries as a vampire. In line with that, Galfredik also became stronger as a vampire. However, Galfredik¡¯s powers as a vampire fell short of Eugene''s. If Eugene unleashed his full Fear, Galfredik would be reduced to nothing but a frog faced with a viper. Galfredik¡¯s excellent swordsmanship and high valor as an honorable knight would be reduced to nothing. However, the two high lords had gauged Galfredik¡¯s powers to be on par with the clan masters. Although Galfredik wasn¡¯t adept at utilizing his authorities due to his short time as a vampire, his Fear was as powerful as the clan masters. And combined with his excellent senses and combat skills, it was judged that he was comparable to the clan masters. ¡°Do you really think that clan masters on Galfredik¡¯s level could really handle me? Such creatures¡­ could they really be called the same Origin as me?¡± Eugene said. ¡°¡­!!!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Of course, it¡¯s possible that there are other Origins, but I believe that most clan masters aren¡¯t Origins. At least, that¡¯s what I think,¡± Eugene added. ¡°T-then¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Just like Galfredik, they must be vassals of Origins. Other Origins like myself may have come from the Demon World,¡± Eugene continued. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The trace of the secret she had grasped rather quickly unveiled more of itself to Romari. It guided her. Of course, it was difficult to tell whether it was the entire truth or merely a part of it, but Romari became certain of one thing even amidst her shock. ¡®I need to¡­ stick with Sir Eugene until the end.¡¯ Was it her sense of mission as a wizard? Her duty as the successor of the Blood Shadow School? No. It was fate and an inevitability. The wizard Romari wasn¡¯t a coward who would shrink and run in the face of fate. Eugene was close to an unexpected, but welcome hypothesis after combining the ideas he had with the information he had just obtained from Romari. ¡®When I killed the demons¡­ The entrance to the Demon World disappeared.¡¯ He had been at a complete loss at the time, but now, he had a hunch. The passages to the Demon World in the heart of the evil lands were deliberately placed there by a certain someone, and the one responsible seemed to have something to do with himself. Eugene had seen the Demon World through the translucent corridor, and the creatures of the demon world had seen him as well. If that were true, he could conclude that the existence responsible for the creation of the corridor had seen him as well. ¡®That¡¯s why they got rid of it. No, maybe it was a warning?¡¯ However, it didn¡¯t really matter. For now, he had no way of crossing over to the Demon World. As such, his first mission was to find those who had information about the corridor to the Demon World¡ªthose responsible for using the skull incense burner in their plans. ¡°Hmm?!¡± Eugene flinched. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sir Eugene? Did something else come to mind?¡± Romari asked with glistening, anticipating eyes. Eugene shook his head. It was still too early to share his hypothesis with her. The idea had come to him all of a sudden, but it somehow seemed very likely that it was true. ¡®It¡¯s very possible that the one responsible for creating the incense burner and the one responsible for the creation of the passages¡­ are one and the same.¡¯ He had revealed a secret, but the truth led to another question. However, Eugene wasn¡¯t impatient. After taking care of the monsters in the Countdom of Hisain, he would have to head to other nations affected by the monster uprising. And to do that, he would have to pass through the City of Petrucca, one of the three major port cities of the Roman Empire. It was the same city where he had sent Delmondo a long time ago. CH 289 Eugene had become privy to an important truth¡ªthe skull incense burners originated from the Demon World, but he didn¡¯t pass the information on to anyone else. Publicizing the truth would only cause unnecessary confusion, and Eugene¡¯s guess was that the one responsible for the current situation had the goal of creating chaos. It was clear that Crown Prince Voltaire was involved, but the exact extent of the situation was unknown, as well as what awaited him behind the smokescreen. Eugene had no intention of playing into his enemy¡¯s hands and helping them create more confusion. As such, he decided to keep the issue regarding the incense burners a secret until he had accumulated more solid evidence. ¡°Are you telling me to stay in Byrne?¡± Prince Localope asked. ¡°There will be no need for Your Highness to come with us to kill the monsters,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Prince Localope hesitated. He couldn¡¯t bear to say that he wanted to witness Eugene fighting with his own eyes. Moreover, he could guess why Eugene was asking him to stay behind. ¡°I understand. I will remain in Byrne. Since the governor here is directly related to Lord Hisain, I should comfort him well,¡± Prince Localope said. Eugene smirked. Prince Localope was no longer a brat. Having encountered many nobles from various countries for more than the year he had spent with Eugene, he now had a clear idea of his role. ¡°Don¡¯t skimp out. Spend lots of money and lend a listening ear to the governor¡¯s sobs,¡± Eugene advised. ¡°Hmm? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to establish a deeper relationship with him instead?¡± Prince Localope asked. ¡°If you get too close to him, it could become rather troublesome for you later when you return to the empire,¡± Eugene answered. ¡°Ah, you have a point. I understand what you mean,¡± Prince Localope said. For all intents and purposes, Prince Localope was only an intermediary. If a coalition did form between the various nations, he would have to stand on the side of the Roman Empire and speak with the coalition. Things could become difficult for him if he had a deeper relationship with the nobles of the nations, so it was best for him to continue a formal relationship with them while keeping his distance. Prince Localope was left behind in Byrne with the foreign nobles, and Eugene set off with the expedition, the Knights of Dawn, and the depot merchants. The residents of the village came out to see off the brave warriors who were setting out to destroy the monsters that disturbed the peace of the Demeire region. Grigon also saw Eugene off and the expedition, even though he had a bitter heart after being robbed in broad daylight. What was done was already done, so he hoped that Eugene would thoroughly deal with the monsters as he watched the group depart. ¡°They¡¯ll succeed, right?¡± Grigon asked with a worried heart. Baron Blanc responded, ¡°His Majesty is much greater than what you experienced¡­. No, he is much more powerful than what you saw from him, Sir Grigon.¡± ¡°Well, he did defeat Sir Carmier in a single blow¡­¡± Grigon muttered as his expression suddenly became grim. Although Sir Carmier¡¯s actions had been inexcusable, he had still been a representative knight of the Hisain Countdom. The aftermath of Carmier¡¯s death in Eugene¡¯s hands would obviously be huge. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s going to happen once news about Sir Carmier becomes known¡­¡± Grigon muttered. ¡°I am worried about that as well. The hot-tempered knights of the capital won¡¯t be able to stand still,¡± Baron Blanc responded with a grim expression. He was clearly in a precarious position due to the incident. ¡°I will mediate between the two sides.¡± ¡°Ah! Your Highness,¡± The two people bowed with respect when Prince Localope stepped forward. ¡°I will personally explain the situation to Lord Hisain. So, I think it would be best if you sirs just tell Lord Hisain what happened,¡± Prince Localope said. ¡°Oh¡­ If Your Highness says so, then we will obey. Isn¡¯t that right, Sir Blanc?¡± ¡°Of course...¡± Even if he was the powerless third of the emperor, he was still a legitimate child of the emperor whose veins ran gold. If Prince Localope spoke on their behalf, neither Count Hisain nor the knights of the countdom would be able to act rashly. As such, Grigon and Baron Blanc took on relieved expressions at Localope¡¯s promise. ¡°Then, how exactly will you¡­ mediate, Your Highness?¡± Grigon asked. ¡°Mediate?¡± Localope said while hiding his panic. ¡°Yes. Ah, well, this is not the right place to talk about this. Why don¡¯t we head inside?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Right, let¡¯s do that.¡± Prince Localope was once again taking care of troublesome work on behalf of Eugene. *** ¡°With all due respect, Your Majesty, how do you plan on proceeding with the subjugation?¡± The representative member of the Knights of Dawn displayed utmost courtesy. All the members of the Knights of Dawn were rather thankful to Eugene. Even though they were his slaves, he had never treated them with disrespect. Moreover, the King of Maren had even allowed them to take the spotlight when they entered Byrne. Although their resentment toward him for the murder of Carmier still remained, they all agreed that Eugene was an extremely honorable knight. ¡°The monsters are concentrated at the Felipoa Volcano, right? We will head there first,¡± Eugene answered. The monster uprising of the Hisain Countdom¡¯s Demiere region was rather unusual. The monster uprising affecting other nations usually saw several large groups of monsters roaming around. However, the monsters of Demiere had gathered in a specific location. The monsters traveled in groups, flocked villages, slaughtered, and returned back to their base with trophies. ¡°As Your Majesty says, the monsters are all concentrated in one place. However, it is quite a large area. Moreover, the geography is rather unsuitable for horsemen like ourselves¡­¡± Mount Felipoa, which meant ¡®giant¡¯s fingernail,¡¯ was a dormant volcano. It was large and rough. Even hunters and herbalists only climbed the mountain when it was suitable to do so, and there were only one or two months a year considered suitable for climbing it. ¡°I already have some ideas, so don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Eugene responded indifferently. In fact, he had no such ¡®ideas¡¯ in mind. Although he was unmatched when it came to strength and power, Eugene was inferior to experienced, veteran knights when it came to tactics and strategy. Until now, Galfredik and the other knights had always provided him with advice as he improvised military tactics based on the situations at the time. He had never been faced with difficulty because of his own power, as well as the power of his subordinates. But even though he was without a proper plan, Eugene wasn¡¯t worried about subjugating the monsters of the Demiere region. The reason was simple¡ªhe was accompanied by Princess Lilisain and the elven knights¡ªwho were veteran monster hunters for dozens of years. ¡®The princess is confident, so I¡¯ll leave it to her.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Eugene said. ¡°Understood.¡± He had no specific plan, but in a way, it was the best plan. *** ¡°Operation hammer and anvil?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Princess Lilisain answered with an indifferent expression. She then continued, ¡°After scouting, we came to realize that the volcanic zone is quite wide. Moreover, the weather is unusual, and the terrain is rough.¡± Princess Lilisain and her group had gotten a rough grasp of the geography after spending half a day in the areas near Mount Felipoa, perhaps thanks to their familiarity with mountains and fields. ¡°So?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°So, it¡¯s impossible to mobilize the cavalry. To be exact, none of the troops will be of help except those belonging to the other races,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. ¡°So, we¡¯re the only ones who can climb the volcano, since vampires, elves, and beowulfs can be active regardless of terrain and weather?¡± Eugen asked. ¡°And please remember that the twin-headed ogre and the griffons are there as well,¡± Princess Lilisain added. ¡°Hmm? I understand the twin-headed ogre, but are you planning to make use of the griffons as well?¡± Eugene asked. Princess Lilisain nodded with a proud expression before responding, ¡°Although they are a little weak because they haven¡¯t fully matured yet, short-haul flights and climbing should be possible for them.¡± ¡°Hooh. So, they can finally show their worth,¡± Eugene said while turning his gaze to the griffons. The two creatures immediately folded their wings and groveled. It was a servile, pathetic display, considering that they were intermediate-ranked monsters. However, they felt threatened by Eugene¡¯s gaze. They knew that the vampire considered them simply as emergency rations, and they had been fully tamed by the princess along with Mirian. As such, their reaction was natural. In addition, the griffon siblings had recently noticed the beowulfs licking their lips and gulping while glancing their way. From the beowulfs¡¯ gazes and the fact that they had recently grown bigger, it became pretty obvious that the beowulfs would fry them like regular chickens at the first chance. As such, the griffon siblings had no choice but to show absolute obedience to Eugene. Eugene was the scariest existence in this world; however, he was the only one who could protect them. The griffons noticed that their scary master seemed disappointed and regretful when he gazed at them, so they instantly realized that they had to do whatever they could to win his favor. ¡°Good. Anyway, tell me the specifics of the plan. How is operation hammer and anvil going to work exactly?¡± Eugene asked. He had a rough idea of what the hammer and anvil tactic meant. However, he couldn¡¯t understand how it would be implemented in mountainous terrain. ¡°Even monsters are not capable of moving around the entirety of the mountain freely. It means that their area of activity is limited,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°I see,¡± Eugene responded. ¡°Which means that it will be possible for us to herd them by blocking the cliff over there and the ridge on the other side,¡± Princess Lilisain continued while pointing at a distance. ¡°Hooh,¡± Eugene nodded after turning his eyes. Mount Felipoa was a giant mountain that looked to be over two thousand meters tall. It looked gentle from afar, but even monsters had difficulty traveling through the mountain because of the strange, bizarre rock formations and the cliffs that measured hundreds of meters. In other words, the monsters had no choice but to travel via set routes like bandits, and it appeared that Princess Lilisain had discovered this very path. ¡°First, the bait¡­ I mean, the anvil. The cavalry will play that role.¡± ¡°¡­Did you just say bait?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°Your Highness is mistaken. You heard me wrong,¡± Princess Lilisain responded with a brazen expression, after directly denying that she had just labeled three hundred people as mere bait. She then continued as if nothing happened, ¡°Anyway, the cavalry and the depot will organize into a formation at the bottom of the mountain and act as the anvil.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± There would be well over three hundred people with the cavalries and the depot workers combined. Moreover, they wouldn¡¯t have a problem maneuvering at the bottom of the mountain. ¡°And the rest?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°I will take care of one side with the sirs of Eland, as well as the beowulf warriors. The other side will be taken by the nobles of the Dark Clan and the twin-headed ogre,¡± Princess Lilisain continued. Elven knights and beowulf warriors could move unhindered even through the rugged terrain of the volcano. Moreover, Galfredik, the two vampire high lords, and the twin-headed ogre could also move without being greatly affected by the terrain and weather. ¡°Then I will¡ªAh, perhaps?¡± Eugene muttered. He had a rough guess about the job he would be assigned to. Princess Lilisain spoke with a smile, ¡°Yes. You will drive the monsters down from the very top. It¡¯s something only Your Majesty is capable of doing.¡± ¡°Princess, you are a genius,¡± Eugene complimented. ¡°I¡¯m still inadequate,¡± Princess Lilisain answered with a shy expression. The representative of the cavalry stared at her with a flabbergasted expression. He then spoke cautiously, ¡°Ah, Your Majesty, and Princess. With all due respect, how do you plan to get to the top?¡± ¡°Mount Felipoa is a monster paradise. If Princess Lilisain¡¯s plan were to be realized, the King of Maren would have to get to the top of the mountain before anything else. Aside from having to face countless monsters on his way, he would cause all the monsters to scatter on his journey up. The plan would go awry before it even began properly.¡± ¡°How is that a problem?¡± Eugene asked. ¡°What?¡± the representative asked; he was confused. Eugene responded with a smile that revealed his fangs, ¡°I can fly there instead.¡± CH 290 Early the next morning, only dead silence accompanied the gloomy mist circling around Mount Felipoa. Clop, clop. More than three hundred horsemen followed behind Edmund and lined the wide plains at the foot of the dormant volcano. On both sides of where the cavalry was stationed, the river meandered through the valleys with a thunderous roar. The water¡¯s currents were quite strong and swollen due to the continued rain from the night before. The muddy ground was rather unsuitable for horses to maneuver, but the ground where the cavalry awaited was solid. ¡°A spirit of water. It¡¯s truly amazing.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe there is a knight who has contracted a spirit. I would have never believed it if I weren¡¯t looking at it in person.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think he was an ordinary person, but this is beyond anything I ever imagined.¡± The cavalrymen of the Knights of Dawn whispered while stealing glances at Eugene, who was looking at the mountain wrapped in mist. It was extremely rare for people to travel to and from far abroad, but most of them knew about the King of Maren, as he was famous in the Kingdom of Caylor and the other nations in the west. The King of Maren had made numerous achievements over the years to eventually become a king. As such, it would have been strange for them to have never heard of the one known as the ¡®knight king¡¯. Even so, it was hard to believe that a highest-ranking noble of the Dark Clan was working together with a spirit. ¡°Kieeeh¡­ This is freaking hard, sir,¡± Mirian muttered. ¡°Great work. Take some rest,¡± Eugene responded. She had worked hard to draw the moisture from the ground, a piece of land wide enough for the cavalry to stand on and maneuver. She slowly crawled back into her pocket after finishing her job. Eugene turned his head toward the cavalry and spoke, ¡°Do not leave the marked area.¡± In the first place, they wouldn¡¯t leave the marked area even if they were told to. Cavalry fighting in the mud was no different from suicide. ¡°Galfredik, Princess,¡± Eugene called out, and the two came forward. ¡°Follow the stream up. Be careful not to get caught.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°As you wish, Master.¡± Princess Lilisain started to climb upward with the elven knights, the beowulf warriors, as well as the griffon siblings at the forefront. Galfredik, the two vampire high lords, and the twin-headed ogre began climbing the opposite canyon. The large twin-headed ogre was slow as opposed to the vampires, who used their protruding claws to climb like spiders. However, the ogre was slow only relative to the vampire. In the first place, it was unbelievable for such a large creature to be able to climb such a steep, dangerous cliff. ¡°Then¡­¡± Eugene observed the two groups as they disappeared into the thickening fog, then stepped forward. The horsemen of the Knights of Dawn watched Eugene with a gaze mixed with curiosity and anxiety. Paaaaaa¡­ A crimson energy began to emanate from Eugene¡¯s figure. ¡°¡­!!!¡± They were wide-eyed at the amazing sight. Although all of them were aware of the existence of vampires, there were no high-ranking vampires residing in the Hisain Countdom because of Count Hisain¡¯s hatred toward them. As such, they didn¡¯t know the true face of the highest-ranking nobles of the Dark Clan. No, rather, for most people, vampire nobles of the highest order were beings that spanned the realm of myth and legend. In the first place, there weren¡¯t many vampires capable of roaming around unaffected during the day. The cavalrymen were seeing for the first time, a physical manifestation of Fear coming from a vampire. Fwoosh! Eugene¡¯s body became engulfed in a crimson flame. The tongues of fire burst and scattered like tens of thousands of dark red grains of sand. Then, Eugene¡¯s body disappeared along with his armor, sword, spear, and shield. ¡°Heuk¡­?!¡± The onlookers¡¯ eyes widened with surprise at the amazing sight. The dark red particles quickly took shape in the air. Paaaaaat! It was a crimson bat. The cavalry stared with their jaws agape at the sudden transformation of the particles. The large crimson bat flew through the fog after taking form. ¡°What are you all doing? The subjugation has just begun. Get into formation,¡± Edmund ordered in a cold voice. His icy voice acted as a whip to quickly awaken the cavalry. *** Eugene felt a strange sensation. His physical body had disappeared, and only his mind remained. He felt rather hazy, but he was surprisingly clear-minded. He was clearly aware that he was flying through the fog to the top of the mountain. In addition, he felt as if something was escaping from his body. ¡®Am I losing my energy? This must be why the vampire high lords don¡¯t use their immaterial forms very often.¡¯ If even he could feel his energy being drained, then the high lords would certainly be affected even more. It could be concluded that using the immaterial form for an extended period of time could be quite dangerous. ¡®I can¡¯t¡­ expand my Fear in this state.¡¯ In his current state, his body had literally transformed into a materialization of Fear. He could be called a body of Fear. This ability was a mystery beyond magic. It was a function that could only be utilized by vampires, particularly the highest-ranking nobility with superhuman capabilities. With such a fraudulent ability, it was no wonder the monarchs from all over the world, including the emperors of the Roman Empire, had always tried to maintain a friendly relationship with the highest-ranking vampire aristocrats. ¡®Or¡­ they would have tried to exterminate us all together.¡¯ They had definitely attempted that first. Unless they had powerful wizards by their sides, it was impossible for nobles to be unafraid of existences with such mysterious powers, as well as resistance to sunlight and silver. However, the situation drastically changed soon after the unofficial recognition of vampires by the Holy Empire. The vampire nobles were then incorporated into the various societies. ¡®By the way, how did my equipment transform as well?¡¯ In the case of the vampire high lord who first used the ability in Brantia, only his body had transformed, leaving behind all of his armor and weapons on the ground. However, all of Eugene¡¯s equipment had transformed into Fear along with his body. ¡®It¡¯s probably because my equipment is special.¡¯ Eugene¡¯s equipment were heirlooms of the Batla Duchy. They were special items designed and crafted by special craftsmen with special materials for a special existence. After hearing the stories related to the equipment and using them for a while, Eugene reached the conclusion that they were made for a special existence among vampires. ¡®It either means that there had been an Origin back then or there¡¯s Origin like me out there.¡¯ He suddenly encountered a strange energy while flying with such thoughts. He appeared to be around the middle of the tall mountain, and he could sense something strange emanating from a place where gray rocks were jutting out. ¡®What is it?¡¯ He wanted to expand his Fear to check it out, but it was impossible in his current state. ¡®Is it the ruler of this mountain?¡¯ There was a good chance that it was. There were two evil lands on the mountain, as well as a lake¡ªthe water source of the Demiere region. It would have been strange if the monsters had no rulers. ¡®A high-ranking monster has never been spotted here before, but¡­¡¯ If the source of the energy was indeed a monster, then it was most likely a high-ranking monster. It was almost impossible to see high-ranking monsters not only as roamers, but even within evil lands until a few years ago. However, things were different now. ¡®Should I deal with it first before herding the others?¡¯ It would take some time, but it wasn¡¯t a bad idea. ¡®No. It will be better to deal with the others first before taking care of it last.¡¯ Intermediate and high-ranking monsters were extremely territorial. It wouldn¡¯t care even if all the other monsters were wiped out. As such, Eugene decided to leave the one responsible for the strange energy until the end. Fwooooosh! Suddenly, the fog that obscured his view disappeared with a gust of strong wind. At the same time, the top of the gray giant made its appearance beneath the bright sunlight. Eugene had finally arrived near the summit of the dormant volcano. Fwoooosh! Fear once again surrounded Eugene¡¯s figure and soared. The crimson pellets slowly fell to the ground in human form. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Eugene took a breath after taking the form of a perfect knight. He definitely felt drained after taking the immaterial form for a considerable amount of time. ¡°I should feed on some blood.¡± Eugene looked around with the thought of catching a suitable monster. The first thing that caught his eye was a huge lake that filled the basin located at the mountain¡¯s summit. Even at a rough glance, the lake seemed to have a circumference of several kilometers. The pollution there had significantly progressed as well. The blue water had turned dark green, and groups of monsters were hanging around the vicinity. Eugene was more than five hundred meters from the lake, and it seemed that the monsters hadn¡¯t sensed his presence just yet. ¡°I should take care of them first before purifying the lake,¡± Eugene said. The fact that low-ranking monsters were hanging around the lake meant that there were no predatory, threatening monsters in the vicinity, and the one responsible for the monster uprising shouldn¡¯t be there as well. He would eliminate the monsters and let Mirian proceed with the purification while simultaneously herding the monsters down. ¡°Get ready to purify¡­ Hmm?¡± Eugene spoke while reaching for his leather pocket, then stopped. It was gone. The leather pouch, which was originally a waterskin but served as Mirina¡¯s mobile home, had disappeared without a trace. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± His body and equipment could be transformed into Fear. However, even though she was his contracted spirit, Mirian was still a spirit. She could not be transformed into Fear. ¡°Then she should have fallen to the floor from the beginning¡­ Ah?!¡± He had continued flapping his wings after turning into a bat. In other words, the leather pouch containing Mirian would have stayed with him. And since the wind coming from the mountain wasn¡¯t so strong in the beginning, it would have stayed with him for a while. And then it would have fallen thanks to the wind at some point. Naturally, he had no idea where it fell. ¡°¡­This is crazy.¡± The spirit had suddenly become a missing child; or rather, a missing spirit. Eugene was dumbfounded. However, after evolving, the spirit was capable of sensing him from a few kilometers away. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult for her to find him on her own. ¡°She¡¯s a tough little thing, so she should be fine on her own.¡± Even if she was a little ¡®lacking,¡¯ she wasn¡¯t weak, and most importantly, she was better than a cockroach when it came to survival. If nothing else, Mirian would come to find him because of the wealth she had steadily collected with him so far. ¡°I¡¯ll get some blood first,¡± Eugene ran toward the monsters by the lake with glittering eyes. *** ¡°K-kieh? Sir?¡± Mirian called out. She had been exhausted after draining the water from the ground where the cavalry would be stationed. As such, she had fallen asleep and was comfortably snoring away after settling in her leather pouch. However, a dull shock suddenly jolted her awake. When she opened the lid of the pocket and stretched out her neck¡­ ¡°W-what is this? Where did you go, sir?¡± The surroundings were filled with fog, and all she saw were dark brown rocks. ¡°Kiehh¡­¡± Mirian was struck with a sudden onset of fear. She shoved her little head in her leather pocket, and her eyes moved around relentlessly with anxiety. ¡°S-sir. I¡¯m shcawed. Where did you go?¡± She was a little lacking and blinded by greed for wealth, but she knew one thing very well¡ªshe was nothing without her contractor Eugene. ¡°Huweeeeeeeeeennng!¡± Mirian shouted with joy after looking around with fear for a moment. Although it was quite far away, she could clearly sense Eugene¡¯s energy. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I have to go there quick.¡± She eagerly flapped her two sets of wings in the direction of Eugene¡¯s energy. However, all of a sudden¡­ ¡°Hooh? An undine in a volcano? I¡¯m lucky.¡± ¡°Kieeeeeeeeekhhhkkk!¡± The spirit screamed in response to the cheerful but rather insidious voice. CH 291 ¡°W-w-what is it?! Kieeeh?!¡± Although Mirian was a little lacking, she wasn¡¯t a complete idiot. She had erased her presence as soon as she realized that she had been left behind. Those capable of seeing her were few and far between, but she had come to develop the natural defense mechanism of a ¡®loser,¡¯ or rather, the ¡®weak,¡¯ after being suppressed by the swamp monster for a long time. However, someone had seen her even though she had erased her presence. They even called out to her. ¡°K-kieh?¡± Mirian attempted to flee as soon as she heard the voice, as it was the best choice of action when under a threat. However, for some reason, she couldn¡¯t even move an inch. The man hidden under the gray hood was emanating an unusual energy. She was certain that he wasn¡¯t an ordinary man by any means. No, in the first place, it was impossible for just anyone to be leisurely wandering around a mountain filled to the brim with monsters. The unusual power emitting from the man was binding Mirian and preventing her from moving. The loser¡¯s brilliance only shone during moments of crisis like these. She immediately came to the most suitable, tactical decision that was appropriate for the current situation. ¡°Oh, my! Esteemed sir! I do not know who you may be, but this little one is just an incompetent, tasteless, insignificant spirit. If this little one has encroached upon your esteemed self¡¯s territory unknowingly, I will leave immediately.¡± ¡°Hmm? That¡¯s strange. You talk as if you are a slave rather than a spirit,¡± the man remarked. It was all because she had been thoroughly enslaved from the beginning. ¡°Oh, my, my! My esteemed sir, if you so desire, this little one is willing to become your slave at any¡ª¡± The spirit suddenly stopped herself in the midst of her groveling. She had been about to tell a ridiculous lie to escape the crisis, but a particular face had come to her mind. ¡°At any, what?¡± the man asked. A hint of amusement could be heard in his voice. Mirian stammered, ¡°Well, uh¡­ well¡­ I was about to say¡ª¡± ¡°Did you mean to say that you would become my slave?¡± the man asked. ¡°Kieeh¡­ T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Mirian stuttered while shaking. She hesitated for a moment before continuing, ¡°This little one has already formed a contract with someone.¡± ¡°Hooh? An undine with a contractor. Then your master must be an elf?¡± the man said. ¡°No, sir,¡± Mirian answered. ¡°Hmm?¡± The man¡¯s voice became filled with surprise for the first time. Although their relationship sometimes involved violence, Mirian recovered her confidence as soon as she thought of Eugene. She started to speak excitedly, ¡°This little one¡¯s contractor isn¡¯t an elf, but¡­¡± She hesitated. Mirian was a little lacking, but she was kind. Because she was lacking and kind, Mirian felt that it was inappropriate for her to speak of her contractor Eugene to the unidentified man in front of her. She didn¡¯t know, but she had a hunch that it would cause trouble for Eugene. Moreover¡­ - If you go around doing foolish things, I will deduct your share of gold and treasures according to the gravity of the matter. Eugene¡¯s threat weighed heavily on her mind. ¡®Kiek! I can¡¯t lose my gold, silver, and treasures!¡¯ As such, Mirian decided to keep her mouth shut out of her loyalty to Eugene and greed for wealth. ¡°Why did you stop talking?¡± the man asked. ¡°K-kieh¡­¡± ¡°Hooh. It¡¯s already amazing that a spirit has formed a contract with someone other than the long-ears, but you even have a sense of loyalty to them. This is truly amazing,¡± the man commented with a grin under the hood. ¡°Huweeeee¡­¡± Mirian shuddered while mewling at the smile. ¡®T-this is too scary!¡¯ She had never been this scared since she met Eugene. She was scared when she encountered a ghost or even a violent high-ranking monster, but it hadn¡¯t been to this extent. It was to the degree that she felt she would have preferred to be in the sea monster¡¯s asshole. She didn¡¯t feel as though her life was being threatened at that time, but now, the image of ¡®death¡¯ was seriously being projected onto her. ¡°There¡¯s a story that eating evolved spirits will allow one to become immortal. Do you know that story?¡± the man asked. ¡°Kieeeeh?!¡± Mirian squealed. The man continued, ¡°Of course, very few beings are capable of eating spirits. However, it just so happens that I am one of the very few.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Mirian froze in place with a ghastly expression, and she stopped flapping entirely. She was already pale, but her face literally turned blue with fear. ¡°If you tell me the target of your loyalty and allegiance, I might let you off.¡± Kwuoo¡­. The man¡¯s mouth was slightly exposed under the hood, and it stretched into a wide smile as his figure overflowed with formidable energy. Slowly, the man raised his hand and slowly removed his hood to reveal his face. The spirit felt her very soul quiver when she saw the eyes of the man shining in vivid yellow jade as if they were made of colored glass. ¡°T-t-this little one is¡­ is¡­¡± The spirit¡¯s eyes quivered like a sailboat faced with a storm. The lacking, but kind spirit was facing the biggest crisis in her life. *** Papapat! Princess Lilisain jumped onto the rocks of the valley like a fierce beast. Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The valley was filled with misty vapor, and the strong torrents swirled downward from all over the place due to the previous night¡¯s rain. The ground was slippery due to the water and the moss, but Princess Lilisain, the elven knights, and the beowulf warriors continued climbing with ease. It was understandable for the beowulf warriors to be so strong and agile, considering that their bodies were similar to wolves in many ways. However, the sight of the armed elven knights maneuvering through the valley without falling behind was quite surprising. Of course, there was a good explanation behind this. The elven knights were experienced hunters well-versed in various environments. They had already changed their boots before starting their ascent. Moreover, they all had specially designed hooks on their hands to allow them to climb quickly without slipping. ¡°Quick break.¡± The elven knights and the beowulf warriors stopped at Princess Lilisain¡¯s words. The elves were slightly exhausted, unlike their counterparts who possessed even more stamina than beasts. Elves were faster and more agile than humans, but their stamina and endurance were similar to humans. Moreover, whilst human knights could replenish themselves with refined mana stones, elves could not do so. As such, they had to get plenty of rest to recover. Naturally, since elves could feel and accept mana, they recovered at a much faster rate than humans. In just ten minutes, they could recover their stamina and strength to normal. However, the situation was slightly different today. ¡°The water source is contaminated, and the flow of mana isn¡¯t regular, Princess.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. We cannot rest for more than ten minutes if we want to stay on time,¡± Princess Lilisain answered. ¡°Hmm. Yes.¡± The torrent descending through the valley wasn¡¯t yellow and brown in color, which was expected from muddy water, but rather an unpleasant green. It reflected the severity of the water source¡¯s pollution. Just like the other places affected by the monster uprising, it seemed that the pollution had significantly progressed here. It was rather fortunate that the heavy rain had slightly diluted the water. Otherwise, it would have been entirely possible that the elves would find it difficult to even approach the water. ¡°Sniff! There are no monsters around. Just as I expected, the bastards must have run off elsewhere, thinking that it was dangerous.¡± The beowulfs reported after scouting ahead. Unlike the elves, they still had plenty of strength. ¡°Thank you for all your hard work. I can see why you are His Majesty Eugene¡¯s trusted warriors. Truly amazing,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°Kuhehehe! Sir Princess really does know what she¡¯s talking about.¡± ¡°But I think I moved a bit too much. I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s eat something before we continue.¡± The beowulfs agreed unanimously and took out jerky from the packs tied to their waists. ¡°Ah, damn it. Why is it so tough?¡± ¡°Just chew it, you dog-brain.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m craving meat.¡± ¡°After you ate so much at dawn?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± ¡°I am¡­¡± The beowulfs muttered their complaints while gnawing through jerkies the size of a human palm. As they chewed, some of them found themselves naturally turning their eyes to a certain place. K-kya¡­ The griffon siblings were standing on both sides of Princess Lilisain. They flinched when they noticed the gazes, then folded their wings before sticking closer to Princess Lilisain while trembling. The scene of two monsters as big as bulls relying on a thin, slender princess was rather comical and ridiculous. However, the two siblings genuinely felt as if their lives were threatened. Even if they were fully grown, they would still have to flee in the face of two or three beowulfs. However, the drooling beowulfs glancing at the two siblings were those who had been freely interacting with the one they were most afraid of¡ªEugene. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯ve gotten meatier as of late.¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll taste like chicken if we fry them?¡± ¡°Even if their heads are like a bird¡¯s, they have a lion¡¯s body, right?¡± ¡°They¡¯re as big as a bull, so shouldn¡¯t they taste like beef?¡± ¡°Then we can just cook their heads, bodies, and tails separately, right?¡± ¡°Whew~! You¡¯re pretty smart for a dog-brain.¡± The trembling of the griffon siblings only intensified as the beowulfs continued their whispers. They couldn¡¯t understand what the warriors were talking about, but they had a rough idea after growing up with humans. Even though griffons were predators in the wild, they were nothing more than emergency food here. In the end, the griffons had no choice but to turn their miserable eyes to their only savior, the one whom they thoroughly regarded as their mother. Kyaaah. Kyahh¡­ The griffons whimpered with even tears in their eyes. Princess Lilisain stroked them with a kind expression, then spoke to the beowulf warriors, ¡°This isn¡¯t an emergency yet. If we run out of supplies, I will butcher them personally, so don¡¯t drool after them yet.¡± ¡°Kwuooo! You really don¡¯t mess around.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t covet their tails and the bigger one¡¯s testicles. It belongs to His Majesty,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°Huh? Why? Is that part especially delicious?¡± the beowulfs asked. Princess Lilisain responded proudly, ¡°It¡¯s excellent for one¡¯s virility. It¡¯s even more effective when cooked according to Eland¡¯s secret recipe.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± The beowulfs looked surprised, while the elves had complicated expressions. It seemed that their princess was already prepared to take care of her beloved¡¯s health. It was then¡­ ¡°Hmm?!¡± Princess Lilisain stopped herself from explaining the excellent efficacy of the griffon testicle, as she suddenly turned her head. ¡°What? What is it?¡± ¡°Princess?¡± The warriors and the knights asked after instantly preparing for combat. Their watchful eyes headed in the direction of the princess¡¯ gaze. ¡°¡­¡± Princess Lilisain stared silently while standing still like a stone statue. After a while, she unsheathed her sword and spoke quietly, ¡°Something¡¯s strange. I feel an energy that doesn¡¯t belong here.¡± ¡°What is it? A monster?¡± ¡°Negative. It¡¯s not a monster. Hmm?!¡± Princess Lilisain became wide-eyed. She quickly turned her head back to the knights and the warriors before continuing, ¡°I also sense the energy of His Majesty¡¯s cutie.¡± ¡°Cutie? Ah! The evil spirit?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°Then we should go rescue the spirit right away!¡± ¡°Negative. All of you should continue your mission. I will go and save the cutie by myself,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°No, but¡­¡± ¡°His Majesty¡¯s strict orders. Are you planning to break them?¡± Princess Lilisain said in a quiet, but powerful voice. The beowulfs stopped in their tracks. Although they were on friendly terms with Eugene, they still respected Eugene and were afraid of him. After all, they had thoroughly seen and experienced Eugene¡¯s fury back on Brantia. ¡°Tsk. We can¡¯t go against the order of the dark lord.¡± ¡°Be careful...¡± ¡°Princess, at least we can¡­¡± ¡°Sirs, don¡¯t even think of tarnishing the honor of Eland,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°¡­Yes,¡± The elves responded with a bow while biting their lips. They had vowed to take Eugene¡¯s orders as their top priority. ¡°I will reconvene with all of you as soon as possible. Then.¡± Papat! Princess Lilisain¡¯s figure quickly drifted away into the thick fog. *** The purebloods of Eland¡¯s royal family could detect spirits. However, it became increasingly difficult to detect spirits the more distant they were and the same was true for Princess Lilisain. However, at a certain point, Princess Lilisain had gained the ability to sense Mirian even at far distances. It all started when she fed Eugene her own blood. She could now see, hear, and feel Eugene¡¯s contracted spirit at any time and anywhere. ¡°More compelling evidence that we are a match made in heaven,¡± Princess Lilisain muttered. She had no choice but to think so. In the first place, she voluntarily provided her blood to Eugene¡ªa vampire¡ªafter making up her mind. And now, she could sense Eugene¡¯s contracted spirit and her personal cutie near the middle of the volcano. Moreover, there was a strange, dangerous presence with the spirit. And she was unfamiliar with the strange energy. ¡°I will save the cutie. Hoo, hoo¡­¡± Princess Lilisain kicked off of the ground. Her sense of duty burned bright like a flame. About ten minutes later, her slightly tired eyes once again burned with fierce energy. She could see a glowing creature and a blurred figure in the fog. ¡®No need for words!¡¯ Shuack! Princess Lilisain was convinced that the figure was a threat to Mirian. She sent a strike containing Aura toward the unidentified figure. Clang! ¡°Kieek?!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The sound of clashing metal, a fussy scream, and a confused shout burst out almost simultaneously. Princess Lilisain had been prepared to follow up with another strike; however¡­ ¡°...?!¡± It was unheard of for a skilled knight to stop their attack in the middle of battle. However, Princess Lilisain had no choice but to stop herself. ¡°Kieh? Sir knight princess? What are you doing here?¡± The spirit was acting cute on the shoulders of the unidentified threat, even though she rarely acted close to anyone aside from Eugene, Princess Lilisain, or even Galfredik, and Romari. CH 292 ¡°¡­Betrayal?¡± ¡°Kieh? What do you mean?¡± the spirit asked with her head tilted. She had an innocent expression. It was quite disgusting that she didn¡¯t even think about coming down from the shoulder of the hoodlum. The feelings of betrayal and jealousy made Princess Lilisain¡¯s lips quiver. ¡°This is why there is a saying that blue-haired spirits should not be taken in,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°Kieh?¡± ¡°On behalf of His Majesty, I will punish the traitor,¡± Princess Lilisain added. ¡°Kieeeeh?!¡± Mirian squealed when Princess Lilisain aimed her sword at the spirit. The mysterious evildoer stepped forward and interrupted, ¡°Whoa, whoa. Wait a minute.¡± ¡°You who enticed the spirit with your evil powers. I will take care of you as well.¡± Paaaa¡­ Princess Lilisain¡¯s sword started to emit mana. The mysterious man muttered with astonishment upon seeing the phenomenon, ¡°I¡¯ve only heard stories about purebloods until now. This is quite amazing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Princess Lilisain maintained a cold expression, but she was rather surprised. It was extremely rare for anyone to know that pureblooded elves belonging to the royal family of Eland were capable of utilizing mana. It appeared that the mysterious enemy was well-versed with the royal family of Eland. The man didn¡¯t look like a wizard, so Princess Lilisain couldn¡¯t help but wonder how he became privy to the information. ¡°I am Lilisain of Eland. Who are you?¡± Princess Lillisain asked in a civil manner, considering that her opponent was rather unusual. She had attacked first because she initially thought that Mirian was in danger, but now was the time for her to regain her cool. Moreover, the opponent hadn¡¯t retaliated even after blocking her attack. It meant that the opponent was someone she could communicate with, regardless of their true identity. ¡°Are you asking for my distinguished self¡¯s true name? That¡¯s something I can¡¯t tell just anyone,¡± the man responded. ¡°...¡± Princess Lilisain couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Even most great nobles wouldn¡¯t refer to themselves with such a grandiose title. Was he out of his mind? Well, it certainly made sense. Even if he were a powerful figure, no one in their right mind would be hanging around in the middle of a volcano completely overwhelmed by monsters. ¡°But you seem to know this one¡¯s master very well, so I will tell you one thing. This distinguished one is Georg,¡± the figure said. The one who introduced himself as Georg continued with a grin, ¡°And I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding here. This undine did not betray her contractor.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± Princess Lilisain became slightly wide-eyed with shock, and Georg glanced at the puzzled Mirian before continuing, ¡°It appeared that this one¡¯s contractor was someone that my distinguished self was acquainted with. I was only trying to help her find them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Sir Princess Knight, mister distinguished self isn¡¯t a bad person,¡± Mirian said. ¡°Traitor. Did you reveal information regarding His Majesty?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. ¡°No! Never!¡± Mirian shouted while urgently waving her hands. She fluttered to Princess Lilisain and quickly explained, ¡°Sir Princess Knight. This little one would never turn my back. At first, mister distinguished threatened me, but I kept my mouth shut until the end. I really didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°The undine is telling the truth. Although she seems to be a little lacking, she is a very loyal fellow,¡± Georg chimed in. However, Princess Lilisain did not withdraw her sword. She observed the two with questioning eyes. Then, Georg turned his gaze to Mirian with a smirk. ¡°Her loyalty is as great as yours. A spirit and even an elf¡­ I envy your master for having such devoted talents around him.¡± ¡°Kiehem! At least you¡¯re not completely clueless. Tru-be-to[1] where could you possibly find another talent like me? Mister distinguished, you need to let my master know exactly what you said just now,¡± Mirian said. ¡°I do not know what you mean by tru-be-to, but I understand,¡± the mysterious man responded. Princess Lilisain was left speechless at the interaction of the two. It was ridiculous how well the two of them seemed to be getting along. However, her hostility toward the man named Georg had considerably declined. He was still quite relaxed, and he hadn¡¯t reacted in any way even though she had attacked him. Seeing as he had no intention of stopping Mirian from coming to her, it seemed he was without any malice. ¡°Changing topic. First of all, what is your purpose? What are you doing here?¡± Princess Lilisain asked in an icy voice. She still harbored suspicions about Georg. Georg responded nonchalantly, ¡°It¡¯s not something I can tell just anyone, but I will brief you since you seem to be particularly well-acquainted with the contractor of the undine.¡± The smile disappeared off of Georg¡¯s face as he continued, ¡°Something has happened in this place, has it not? That¡¯s probably why the contractor of the undine has come.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°The advent of my distinguished self is also due to the same reason,¡± Georg continued. ¡°Unbelievable. There is no evidence that you are not involved in this matter,¡± Princess Lilisain retorted. ¡°You will find out the truth when we meet with the undine¡¯s master. By the way, you seem quite busy. Are you sure you can afford to waste your time wrestling words with me?¡± Georg said. ¡°Hmm.¡± Princess Lilisain hesitated. As Georg said, she had no time to waste. However, she couldn¡¯t simply disregard someone as suspicious as Georg. Although he wasn¡¯t showing any hostility toward her, she didn¡¯t know how he might change once they came to face Eugene. ¡°You are quite the suspicious one, aren¡¯t you? The long-ears used to be so na?ve in the past. Things sure have changed,¡± Georg remarked. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Princess Lilisain asked. ¡°Hoho. It¡¯s just some personal matter. Anyway, if you are suspicious of me, why don¡¯t we do this?¡± Georg raised his hands as if he were surrendering, then continued, ¡°You are going to meet with the master of the undine after you finish your work, right? I will accompany you until then.¡± ¡°¡­!!!¡± ¡°I promise not to disturb you. Well, I can also provide help if you ask as well. You may not know, but my promise is very valuable,¡± Georg said. Princess Lilisain contemplated. Given that Georg had easily blocked her attack, he was definitely no ordinary man. Although it hurt her pride, she had to admit that it was probably impossible for her to subdue the man by herself. However, it would be a different story along with the other elves and the beowulf warriors. Above all else¡­ ¡®If it¡¯s His Majesty Eugene¡­¡¯ The brazen man would be helpless. ¡°I accept,¡± Princess Lilisain said. ¡°Good. Then can you get rid of that sword?¡± the man asked. ¡°Impossible,¡± Princes Lilisain replied. ¡°Long-ears are so strict¡­¡± Georg grumbled quietly before following behind Princess Lilisain. *** Eugene came to stand at a high peak after eliminating all the monsters hanging around the lake and feeding on their blood. ¡°Hmm.¡± He couldn¡¯t secure a good view of the surroundings because of the clouds looming around the top of Mount Felipoa. Eugene took a breath before slowly activating his Fear. The crimson current started circling his body, then began to move along with his gaze. Eugene raised his right hand holding the demonic spear Madarazika. Woooooong! The Fear swirling around him began to gather, and Madarazika trembled with joy. The spear was colored bright red as if it were just taken out of the forge. Craaack! Craack! Fear fluctuated and crackled around the spear like bolts of lightning. Eugene reared back like a bow. ¡°Kuaaaaaaaaghh!¡± Eugene let loose a mighty roar as he threw Madarazika. Kwaaaaaaaaa!!! Madarazika soared upward like a red meteor and penetrated the gray clouds covering the top of the mountain. Fwoooosh! The Fear wrapped around the spear instantly drove away the clouds. A pole with a diameter less than half of a palm had caused clouds spanning tens of thousands times its width to disappear. A huge cylindrical path emerged in the middle of the gray clouds as if a giant had exhaled downward. Shuaaaack! Eugene received Madarazika as it returned after completing its mission, then stared at the sight he had created. As the clouds obscuring the giant volcano parted, bright sunlight pierced the gaps, creating warm paths measuring hundreds of meters. It was truly a spectacular sight. ¡°That really worked. No, in the first place, can I really do something like this?¡± Eugene muttered. He was suddenly struck with a sudden doubt about his power. This wasn¡¯t something a human could do. What he had utilized was an ¡®authority,¡¯ something that existed in a different reality than simply conquering evil lands and accumulating achievements on the battlefield. He wondered how he would react to a being with such powers if he were a human monarch or a noble. He would be afraid because he couldn¡¯t understand, and his fear would soon transform into discrimination. Eugene could finally understand why the central church of the Caylor Kingdom had been so desperate to kill vampires. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that all vampires were as powerful as he, but it was clear that the central church of the Caylor Kingdom and their higher institutions¡ªthe Holy Empire and the Papacy¡ªknew the power and authority Origins possessed. The only difference was that one had decided upon rejection, while the other accepted and attempted to bring it under control before it became a threat. ¡®The reason why there aren¡¯t any Origins in other countries is¡­¡¯ Romari had stated that there were other Origins. The other vampires, including Delmondo, also knew about the existence of Origins. However, Eugene still hadn¡¯t encountered another Origin until now, which brought him to the conclusion that no Origins resided in any of the places he had visited until now. Considering the various circumstances, it was highly likely that the existing Origins were in the Roman Empire. If the other Origins were as powerful as him, the Roman Empire would have done everything in its power to keep them in its boundaries. It was much preferable to embrace an existence capable of challenging a force of thousands, or even tens of thousands, rather than antagonizing them. However¡­ ¡®No matter how much I think about it, it feels like I would be the strongest¡­¡¯ Even though clans represented far more than just blood ties or familial relations, the fact that the vampire high lords had turned their backs on their own clans was enough evidence of that. They hadn¡¯t simply surrendered to a greater power but had genuinely submitted themselves to him in awe. ¡®But Crown Prince Voltaire doesn¡¯t know that. It¡¯s probably the same for the clan masters by his side.¡¯ An irregular. Could he be a mutant? ¡®No.¡¯ Eugene released his Fear once again while looking down. The monsters were left defenseless as the darkness faded and the brilliant sunlight established control once more. ¡°A predator is more becoming than a mutant, right?¡± Eugene still didn¡¯t know who he was and why he possessed such monstrous power. He did not know why he lost his memories and why his powers had been sealed. However, no matter what, he was still himself. It didn¡¯t matter who he was up against, whether it be the Roman Empire, the Holy Empire, the Demon World, demons, or even¡­ ¡®Even gods.¡¯ An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. He would use his power when he wanted, and for himself. He was a predator and an absolute. He was a vampire lord who could afford to do so. *** ¡°¡­?!¡± Galfredik and the vampire high lords stood in awe as the clouds and fog suddenly disappeared, giving way to the brilliance of the sun. Then, they sensed a powerful Fear. ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Oh! Ohh¡­!¡± Galfredik and the two vampire high lords trembled with an indescribable sense of exaltation. Even though they hadn¡¯t been feeding, the satisfaction they felt was greater than when they drank the fresh blood of intermediate and high-ranking monsters. Even the undead twin-headed ogre raised its head with its eyes colored red. ¡°Did you feel it as well?¡± Galfredik asked with slight excitement. His entire body was filled with fighting spirit and awe. The two vampire high lords nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes. The great one has graced us humble ones with his marvelous authority.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s show off our skills,¡± Galfredik said while allowing his Fear to run free. Kwaaaaaaa! The Origin¡¯s vassal and the two high lords released their Fear at once. The crimson stream spread out in all directions like a flame and dispelled the fog. The area of a hundred meters in all directions had become the territory of the vampires. Although they had been incorporated into human society, they were still vampires. They were bloodthirsty creatures of the Dark Clan. They could disregard their title, status, and the gazes of others at this moment and allow themselves to rampage as members of the Tribe of Darkness. After all, their master and sole ruler had given them permission. Kuwuuuuuuugh!!! The vampire knights kicked off of the ground as an authoritative, wild roar erupted from the summit of the mountain. CH 293 Mount Felipoa was a place of numerous legends and mysteries even before the appearance of the evil lands. The path of light began from the top of the mountain, and it was clearly visible to Edmund and the cavalry as well. Shortly after the wailing sound of a gust echoed down the mountain, the thick mist covering the hillside was split like a wave as the light descended. Everyone knew that the light was simply the visualization of the sun¡¯s rays as the clouds parted. Moreover, everyone knew that only a single person was responsible for creating the path of light. However, was it truly appropriate to address someone capable of performing such a miraculous feat as a person? The cavalry stared with blank gazes as the distant path of light and the true figure of the mountain made their appearances. Suddenly, they saw a crimson energy stretching in all directions from the top of the brilliant path of light. Like the wings of a giant bird, the crimson energy embraced a portion of the mountain¡¯s top and began to descend through the path of light at an incredible pace. Numerous monsters began to crawl out of their hiding place and began to flee from the crimson energy, which continued to spread fiercely like a tsunami. A portion of the monsters chose to flee sideways, but the majority of monsters followed their instincts and began fleeing down the mountain. The sight of hundreds, or rather, thousands of monsters flocking down was similar to a herd of ants. This entire phenomenon was caused by a single person. The cavalry simply stared with their jaws agape with their hands barely holding onto their reins. ¡°Everyone, get a grip on yourselves!¡± Edmund cried out. ¡°His Majesty has begun! The other sirs and the warriors will soon be herding the monsters! Everyone, organize your ranks one last time! Front ranks! Raise your shields!¡± Edmund shouted, and the cavalry began to move busily. The ones responsible for causing the unbelievable event were their allies¡ªtheir strong allies who had come to help the Knights of Dawn, as well as the Countdom of Hisain. ¡®W-we can do this¡­!¡¯ ¡®We can win!¡¯ The shocking, even awe-inspiring sight quickly transformed into a sense of conviction for victory and courage for the troops. Similar to those who previously fought alongside Eugene, the Knights of Dawn were slowly falling for him as well. *** ¡°Here they come!¡± Princess Lilisain raised an Eland-made bow made from a rhinoceros horn at the shouts of an elven knight. There were three arrows loaded onto the tense strings. It wasn¡¯t just her either. All of the elven knights had loaded three or four arrows onto their bowstrings. Keeeeeeeek! Kuwuuuuuugh! The infesting monsters that originated from evil lands were different from regular roamers. They weren¡¯t afraid of humans, and they were much more aggressive than the former. However, the fully unleashed Fear of an Origin had injected a powerful terror into their very souls. No living creature could escape the dread brought by the realm of Fear. In the end, the minds of the monsters were only filled with one thought¡ªto escape the ever-expanding tsunami of Fear. Tututututung! Dozens of arrows left their bowstrings. The projectiles of the perfect marksmen created a gentle parabola before finding their mark in the monsters. Every arrow had struck the head or heart of the monsters. Papapapapak! Princess Lilisain and the elven knights picked up more arrows from the ground under their feet and reloaded their bows as fast as lightning before unleashing another storm of arrows. In all, it took less than a second for them to reload before firing. Their movements were fluid, practiced, and without a single hitch. Their rapid fire was godly. Meanwhile, the monsters had lost their reason due to fear. They didn¡¯t care even as the other monsters fell and continued to flee as fast as they could. It was truly a terrifying sight. Hundreds of monsters were rushing down in a half-crazed state. However, the elven princess and the knights continued to repeat their movements like well-oiled machines. Their feet were firmly planted as if they were ancient stone machines, repeatedly loading their arrows and firing. The elves were true knights who felt no fear. Even the beowulf warriors were struck with awe at the courage and spirit of the elves. Krrrrrrr¡­! They were a family of darkness that once shared the same blood as the vampires. The blood of the beowulf warriors began to boil under the influence of their monarch. The eyes of the beowulf warriors glistened red and yellow, and their hot breaths were filled with expectations of slaughter and battle. The gazes of the fighters were fully focused on determining the direction of the monsters¡¯ escape. Meanwhile, the arrows of the elven knights continued to sweep the monsters away, and the barrage that began at a hundred meters in proximity continued until the monsters were only twenty meters away from them. Suddenly, the beowulf warriors opened their jaws all at once. Kuwuuuuuuuuuuunngh!!! A powerful roar seemingly capable of even tearing down mountains echoed. The power contained in the roar drove away the nearby fog, and the beowulf warriors charged. Kwakwakwakwa! In the blink of an eye, the beowulf warriors clashed with the monsters. Battleaxe, mace, morning star, and other weapons specialized for pummeling opponents began to run wild and flesh scattered everywhere. Five or six monsters clung to each beowulf warrior, but low-ranking monsters such as gnolls and harpies were no match for the transformed beowulf warriors. As the low-ranking monsters were ripped to shreds and tossed here and there, larger monsters like dire wolves and lycanthropes followed behind. Kuwuuuuuuugh! The large claws and sharp teeth of the monsters had shredded the bodies of numerous low-ranking monsters and humans. However, they could not penetrate the thick hide of the beowulf warriors. Each beowulf warrior was no different from a moving siege tower. Moreover, the arrows of the elves continued to fly between the rampaging beowulfs. It was impossible for the hordes of monsters to endure, especially since they were without any armor. In addition, the beowulfs were accurately predicting how they would move with their beastly senses, while the elves placed arrows through the gaps to strike them down. Although the elves and beowulfs weren¡¯t landing many critical hits, their actions were more than sufficient to disturb the movement of the monsters. The weapons of the beowulf warriors created a storm in their midst. The elven knights had finally depleted all of their arrows. As if they had timed it, the monsters driven by the beowulfs began to change their direction of escape down the valley. Princess Lilisain unsheathed her sword from its sheath. Shing! The other elven knights began to draw their own swords as well. ¡°In the name of Eland!¡± Princess Lilisain held her sword in front of her chest and gave a vigorous shout. Uwwwwwaaaah! Kyaaaahk! The elven knights and the griffon siblings took after Princess Lilisain¡¯s lead and began chasing after the monsters, even though the number of remaining monsters was still more than ten times their own. Less than five minutes later, only one figure remained at the scene of the overwhelming battle. ¡°I didn¡¯t even need to offer my help¡­¡± Georg muttered softly. He had been watching from behind the elven knights as if he was unconcerned about the situation. Mirian sprawled on his shoulder raised her head proudly and responded, ¡°Kihehe! What did this humble one say? The sir princess knight and the dog-brains are super strong!¡± ¡°And your master is even stronger?¡± Georg asked. ¡°Way, way more! He¡¯s much stronger! Invincible! The King of Darkness himself!¡± Mirian exclaimed. ¡°Hmm. The King of Darkness¡­¡± Georg muttered while chasing after the elven knights with feather-like steps. Even though his footwork was light, he was keeping pace with the elves. Georg glanced at Mirian and asked, ¡°What about the vampires who took the other side? Are they as strong as them? You said there were only three, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s also the twin-headed ogre. It¡¯s undead, but it¡¯s loyal to our sir as a slave. Anyway, those peeps are awesome too! Especially vassal Gal. He can break anyone¡¯s head aside from our sir!¡± Mirian chattered excitedly. ¡°Vassal¡­¡± Georg frowned. The loyalty of the spirit toward her master was admirable, but she wasn¡¯t very smart, which allowed him to acquire some unexpected information. ¡®She could have described him as a subordinate or a slave, but she definitely said a vassal.¡¯ Georg knew that there were only a few members of the Dark Clan capable of having their own vassals. Moreover, the spirit¡¯s master was an existence who had performed the great mystery of parting the clouds and fog before the battle took place. Such an existence was few and far between in the Dark Clan or even among the different races. ¡®Is it¡­ really him?¡¯ Georg hurried after the elven knights with complicated emotions. He was filled with both anxiety and anticipation. *** Rumbleeee¡­!!! Eugene descended the hillside like the wind while listening to the earth-shaking roar. Kieeeeeeeeeee! Madarazika left behind a trail of Fear as it danced in the air and tore apart the monsters at the rear. Hordes of monsters were being devoured and ripped apart by Eugene, but the others kept on rushing down the hill without even looking back, much less resisting. ¡®They are doing well.¡¯ Eugene nodded with satisfaction after looking around. Although there was a slight difference in tempo, both Princess Lilisain and Galfredik were faithfully accomplishing their mission of herding the monsters down toward the middle of the mountain. Some monsters veered off to the side since there were only a few individuals participating in the herding, but it didn¡¯t matter. The strong winds, rapid currents, and the cliffs on the sides provided a natural blockade. It was pretty obvious that even monsters wouldn¡¯t be able to properly escape by going around. And even if some monsters managed to pass the valleys and cliffs to make their escape, they would only be a few of them. The Countdom of Hisain could take care of the remnants on their own. Shuaaack! Thuck! ¡±Hoo, hoo!¡± Eugene breathed heavily while clutching Madarazika. He was exhausted after unleashing the full might of his Fear and power. Even an Origin wasn¡¯t immune to the curse of exhaustion. Even so, Eugene was relaxed. In addition to driving the monsters down the mountain, he also killed many of them by throwing Madarazika. ¡°Suaaaaaaa¡­¡± Eugene drew a long breath, and his eyes began to emit a red glow. His Fear, which had spread out behind his back like a bat¡¯s wings, slowly began to scatter like vapor. The amalgamation of Fear began to wrap around the corpses of nearby monsters. The blood flowing through the earth drifted upward, then transformed into a mist of blood before permeating the Fear. Fwoooosh! The vapors of Fear absorbed the blood of the monsters and formed a path back to Eugene in the form of hundreds of lines, similar to a spider¡¯s web. Blood poured like a waterfall straight into his open mouth. Krrrrrr¡­! The color of Eugene¡¯s wine-like eyes became even deeper. The large amount of blood was quickly replenishing his energy. And as if responding to the absorption of blood, the four great treasures of the Batla Duchy also started to dye crimson. The most dramatic change was seen with the armor. The demonic armor, which could only display its true brilliance in the hands of a vampire, started trembling after absorbing the blood of the Origin. With a strange noise, the metal of the armor became animated like a living creature. Krrrr! Clack! The armor transformed while letting out metallic sounds. The flat chest plate became erect, and the helmet changed shape. Kwaaa! Soon, the blood around Eugene¡¯s figure disappeared like a mirage, and what remained in its place was a red dragon. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Although Eugene could not see himself, he could sense that the shape of the armor had changed. It felt as if he had unexpectedly acquired a new power. The demonic armor kept on drawing blood from his body, but it wasn¡¯t particularly concerning with all the blood he had absorbed just now. In fact, there was no need to worry. After all, he could kill and take the blood of the monsters whenever he wanted. He was the predator and the absolute. A smile appeared around the Origin¡¯s lips. Eugene¡¯s eyes were no longer directed at the fleeing monsters. Rather, his gaze expanded and looked down at the world. His eyes swept over the land¡ªthe land beyond the Countdom of Hisain¡ªtoward the superpower called the Roman Empire.