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—the 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. ☜