EP.59 Behemoth
I sighed deeply as I watched Isabelle spit out a ferocious wind blade.
I can’t even dry it.
“Aren’t you going to go look for him like that?”
“What?”
Judging by the look on her face, what does it matter?
Are you going to go on a trip with your nails broken and the soles of your feet bleeding?
Holding back a sigh, he pointed his finger at the stairs to the second floor.
“Have you seen my colleagues? Go up, say my name, and be healed by a nun named Ophelia. You also receives surplus equipment.”
“What do you mean?”
“What do you mean? Are you going to find Mars? You’re not going to die. Then go and get treatment.”
Isabelle narrowed her eyes.
“…What do you mean really? Up until now, there was a lot of trouble because you couldn’t drop me and Mars, but now you’re helping me find him?”
“I still don’t want you to mess with Mars. But it doesn’t seem like you’re going to stop when I dry you out, and you’re going to die if you go out like that. And if you die, Mars will blame me. That’s the specification. So go climbs up, gets treated, gets some simple gear, and then comes down. I’ll tell you the direction Mars left after that.”
“…”
Isabelle was skeptical, but knew she wasn’t in her shape, so she went up to the second floor.
After a while, Isabelle, who was healed and lightly armed with leather armor and a rapier, came down.
“Now tell me. Where did Mars go?”
“The Empire of the North. He probably went to the city of Raimar.”
“…Are you sure? Maybe it’s not a lie, is it?”
A ferocious wind around Isabelle grew stronger.
“What would you do if it was a lie? Even kill me? Regardless of whether you have that kind of ability, are you confident that you won’t be blamed by Mars?”
Isabelle bit her lip.
“…if it’s a lie, leave it alone.”
After saying these words, she left the inn.
I also watched her as she left the inn and left for the north.
Of course, the direction I was given to Isabelle was false.
Mars headed to the eastern kingdom of Carta.
For that reason, the two will not see each other for a while.
For the time being…
‘I do not know what will happen in the future.’
My plan to get Mars and Isabelle to go their separate ways has already been twisted.
Isabelle will actively seek out Mars, and they may one day be reunited.
If that’s a happy future for Mars, that’s fine.
But.
‘If it’s a tragedy…’
I might be a little bit angry with the Goddess.
I sighed and turned my back after Isabel was out of sight. And I was a little surprised.
Because Neria with a pale complexion was leaning against the inn wall.
“Neria, was that you? You wasn’t in the room… What are you doing here?”
I knew someone was eavesdropping in front of the inn, but it was Neria. Neria was greatly embarrassed by my question and stuttered her words.
“Oh, no… that… I didn’t mean to overhear… I couldn’t go in… ah, I couldn’t…”
“Yes? Well, things were a bit like that. Let’s go in and have breakfast. We will leave immediately after dinner.”
“Cloud, that’s it… Can’t we just stay one more day? I’m not feeling well…”
“Condition? What…”
I wondered what she was talking about, and then I smelled the strong alcohol flowing from her.
The brow frowned.
“Did you come here after drinking all night? Even if I said I didn’t know when I was leaving?”
“Oh, no, that’s… Mi, I’m sorry…”
Tears like chicken poop flowed from the corners of her eyes.
“No, until I cry again… Ha, okay. We’re leaving tomorrow, so go in and rest.”
“Sorry sorry…”
No matter how many times I said it was okay, and no matter how many times I asked her what was going on, her tears couldn’t stop.
Neria kept muttering that she was sorry.
* * *
-Then why didn’t you talk about that conversation earlier?
‘I wanted to do it too. But if that happens, Cloud, I’m afraid you’ll be in danger…’
– You’re naughty.
– Protection? what are you
‘I’m your childhood friend. because i like you That’s why I promised to keep it.’
– At some point, that mentality must have been established. Oh, he’s a lower grade than you. It’s a child you need to protect.
‘I… I never thought of that.’
Neria denied Cloud’s words.
It was meant to a pink-haired woman who didn’t know who she was, but it felt like he was blaming herself, so she couldn’t help but deny it.
However, he could not deny the following Cloud’s words.
– You were more precious than anyone.
– The feeling of being abandoned by such a precious person… Can you predict it?
– It feels like a hot fire is boiling in my head, and my eyes feel like turning over.
– Do you know what comes out instead of tears? blood. Tears of blood come out
– Something big like this sticks in your chest? this hurts so much It feels like something precious in my heart is falling apart.
A large nail was driven into Neria’s chest.
For each word Cloud spoke, the hammer struck the nail. Her heart broke little by little.
Of course I knew he must have been hurt.
But I haven’t thought deeply about it.
because I was afraid.
Neria was afraid to imagine how great the wounds she had inflicted on Cloud, so she ran away.
Just thinking that one day she’ll be able to hug him again.
But the truth Cloud shoved directly into her head negates her optimism.
– Tackle!
The pink-haired girl ran out of the inn in a different outfit than when she entered. The girl left the village and ran towards the forest.
Cloud also came out of the inn and watched the girl run. It wasn’t until about the time the girl was gone that he sighed and turned around, startled to find Neria.
“Neria, was that you? You wasn’t in the room… What are you doing here?”
“Ah…”
Neria shut her mouth to answer something.
What should I say?
Originally, Neria was trying to talk to Cloud.
Because she thought that if she shared her true feelings and what happened so far, we would be able to become as close as we was before.
But it wasn’t.
Everything was different from her expectations… and not her optimism.
What would happen if she told Cloud the truth in this situation? How will he take it? Wouldn’t that just make the wound more aching?
Could it be that the current relationship, let alone repairing it, is ruined?
Could it be that we end up falling apart like Mars and that pink-haired girl?
Neria was afraid.
“Oh, no… that… I didn’t mean to overhear… I couldn’t go in… ah, I couldn’t…”
So she ran away again.
* * *
After staying one more day in the village, Cloud and his party moved to the southern part of the Prona Kingdom.
The destination was the Duke of Oler.
The Lord and great landowner in the southern part of the Fromm Kingdom.
“The Hero Cloud..? Now, wait a minute!”
It was evident that he was a calm valet until he entered the reception room. However, after checking the Hero’s plaque, he hurriedly left the waiting room without hiding his agitation.
I think I’ve waited quite a while. Should I wait longer?
As it was a sudden visit, there was nothing I could do about it.
Cloud was trying to drink tea when he found Eri with a very bad expression on his face.
‘By the way, Eri’s relationship with the family was not good.’
I remember that it was the reason why she was ignored by her family because she was a maiden.
‘I’d better get out of this house as soon as possible.’
As Cloud was thinking about it, the waiting room door opened and a middle-aged man entered.
Seeing two armed knights following him, it seems that the man was the head of the Duke of Oler.
The duke sat at the top, and the knights were seated behind him on either side of him.
“When I heard from the butler, I doubted my ears, but it was true. Cloud, you must have come here.”
“Is it such a surprise that I visited? Duke Oller?”
The Dike’s eyebrows twitched.
‘Is this kid speaking low to me now?’
The incompetent warrior of the Prona Kingdom dared to this Duke of Oller?
Halstion, his knight, who noticed that the Duke’s heart was broken, took a step forward and warned Cloud.
“Even though Cloud-nim is a hero, Duke Oller is a great lord with a vast territory even in Prona. Please give him an example.”
Duke Oller gave a happy expression to the knight’s words. On the other hand, Cloud tilted his head as if he did not understand. He asked the driver who issued the warning.
“What is your name?”
“I’m Halstion.”
“Yes, Sir Halstion. Did you just tell the duke to be polite?”
“That’s right.”
“Then let me ask you one thing. What rudeness have I committed to the Duke? did you insult him? Have you dishonored him?”
“The hero did not commit such a great disrespect. You just committed a small disrespect to the Duke. I hope you will raise your voice in the future.”
“Would you like to speak up?”
Cloud crossed his arms and fell into trouble.
As soon as he finished worrying, he relaxed his arms and said.
“I don’t see the need for that.”
At the same time as Cloud’s answer, the energy emitted by the knights made the surroundings cool. The servants who served them froze.
On the other hand, Cloud, as well as his party, were not affected by the knights’ energy.
Even if they were the elite knights of the Duke of Oller, they were nothing compared to the intimidation of the Minotaur who was roaming the depths of the dungeon.
Cloud looked at Halstion and spoke in a flat tone.
“Are the Heroes lower than Prona and the Dukes of the Kingdom?”
“…”
Halstion did not answer.
If it was just one Cloud, he used the word ‘Hero’. If you affirm this, you will attract not only the three other heroes, but also all the heroes of the continent’s history.
Seeing Halstion’s unwillingness to answer, Cloud asked again.
“You can’t answer. Then ask differently. Is Cloud, the Hero of Prona Kingdom, lower than the Duke of Ollaire?”
Halstion thought he could answer that question.
Cloud is a Hero, but unlike other Hero, he doesn’t have any special achievements.
His origins are humble, and he has no supporters.
Compared to the loser in the southern part of the Prona Kingdom and his master, the Duke of Oller, his rank is inferior.
Halstion, who is very loyal, thought so, and tried to answer that way.
“Stop.”
Had it not been for his lord the Duke of Olaire to block it himself.
“Duke?”
“Sir Halstion, stop it.”
“However…”
“Didn’t I tell you to stop?”
Halstion trembled at Duke Oller’s subdued voice.
“Sin, sorry!”
Halstion immediately bowed his head and stepped back. Upon seeing that his own knight had retreated, the Duke of Olero looked at the hero and smiled.
“I hope you will forgive my knight’s rudeness. He’s a good guy, but he’s young and full of energy.”
“…”
Cloud didn’t answer, as if this was the end.
Duke Oller sighed.
Then he bowed his head slightly toward Cloud.
“I’m sorry. I apologize for Sir Halstion’s disrespect.”
“Accept the apology.”
“Thank you.”
Cloud drank tea. Duke Oller looked at Cloud like that.
‘If Halstion just answered hastily, I’d be annoyed.’
It is true that Cloud has no achievements compared to other heroes. Everything from poor origins to commoners and no supporters.
But he is a The Hero.
A human being chosen by the holy sword crafted by the goddess Iries herself.
And a hero representing the Prona Kingdom.
Then try to tell him that Halstion is lower than Duke of Olaire.
Of course, the church will become hostile to him, and other nobles or king who mistakenly believe that the Duke of Oller is trying to put a hero under his feet may try to contain him.
A very annoying thing can happen with just a single word.
“I think the rumors I heard were true. A lot has changed since the last time I saw you.”
Not long ago, Duke Oller heard of an incident that took place in the Imperial Social Gathering.
It was a story that Cloud assaulted Gis unilaterally, and that Cloud was surrounded by the imperial hero Frilite.
It was a story that was hard to believe.
“Because I’ve been through a lot. Even if you don’t want to change, you have to change.”
Looking at that relaxed attitude and calm eyes, he couldn’t help but realize.
Three years ago, there were no more incompetent warriors who had their tails lowered by the threat of knights.
What was in front of him was a true hero.
“Stop talking more useless than that and get back to the point. I heard that the number of beasts and monsters in the duke’s estate has increased rapidly. Did you find out the cause?”
“I haven’t been able to figure out the exact cause. I’m just guessing it might be the work of a named monster. I also found some evidence.”
Named monster.
It’s like the boss of a monster, and even if you kill it, it doesn’t disappear. Someday, another monster will take over that karma.
“If it’s a named beast, Behemoth is probably the most powerful. Did you call the other Heroes?”
Duke Oller nodded his head.
“I have already called all three warriors.”
now i gained intrest