62. The road to Hell was paved with good intentions
My mind is hazy, like a swift beast messing with my head. Even if I try to say something, it doesn’t connect in my head, only fragmented words float around.
The young man looked up at the person sitting by his bedside, blinked slowly at his eyes, and finally uttered that hoarse voice after a long time had passed.
“······Sister.”
“Wake up, brother.”
A very friendly voice. But, on the contrary, a grim expression. That expression, infinitely similar to the one lying on the bed, belonged to his family, but belonged to his sister, whom he had no contact with so far.
The first of their brothers, the eldest son of the Hairir family, was a cunning heir who dared not surpass him. So when he disappeared, was it a mistake to hastily covet power?
“I’m not feeling well, so you better not wake up yet.”
No, but seeing my sister smiling as tenderly as a female cat, the result of any choice he made would not have changed.
With his mind restored to complete clarity, Alud, who had been defeated in the power struggle, lifted his heavy body.
“Did my sister do it?”
“Oops, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that there was an unfortunate kidnapping accident. You fell down in the aftermath, and now you just got up.”
Is she correct? She briefly reminisces. Hosting a banquet with a hero, drinking too much, being kidnapped by someone, and feeling an electric current running through your body.
And then, the figure of himself lying in bed like an invalid. His sister and the leader of the Knights of the Hidden are entering his room, which should be strictly guarded, in place of his aides.
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“How many days has it been?”
“Well, is the date important? A considerable amount of time has passed. I······.”
With that said, Lelan showed off a signet ring that looked like it had been made not long ago, and a family treasured sword that had once belonged to him.
“Enough to complete the title succession process.”
“Keuuu”
Only the rightful owner of the title had the right to create a new seal. Lelan, the sister with whom he fought over power, was no longer the Viscount’s second daughter-
Lelan von Heair. He was the new Viscount who was in command of this territory.
“Be grateful to the warrior. If he hadn’t used his hand, you wouldn’t get up again, or you’d be an idiot if you woke up.”
What did the warrior he recruited do? Anger and resentment surged in Alud’s heart, but that did not change the reality.
Allud knew that the one who sent the lightning that knocked him out in the first place was the hero. There was no star priest so powerful in this territory.
“Was it all planned from the beginning?”
If you listen to her words now, her hero must have already been subsumed by her. No, maybe from scratch. Alud thought of the hero as a string that would lead him to power, and captured it…
Looking at my sister laughing softly, it might be the string the puppeteer deliberately sent down. He was a puppet that had been dancing all along without even knowing it.
“Don’t get me wrong. Anyway, isn’t the hero not someone you can handle so easily?”
Lelan explained to Allud what had happened in brutal detail, point by point. The hero only took his side because he didn’t wake up.
In the few days after he fell, the title succession ceremony had already ended, and all of his close aides were either executed or kicked out. No one is coming to rescue him.
“Damn it…”
“Shouldn’t you keep your aristocratic dignity, dear brother?”
Aristocrats who failed to win in the struggle for power were in worse shape than commoners. After confining him here, the sight of her teasing her made Alud’s reasoning go out for a moment.
I lost everything. And, the person who lost everything is now in front of him. The hero was also the object of resentment, but she was not in front of him right now.
“Cheer!”
However, Alud, who was blinded by anger and rushed forward, was pushed to the ground by the leader’s ferocious power. Lelan didn’t blink an eye at the sudden action, and just trimmed his fingernails at leisure.
As if she knew she would become like this. Alud was suffocated by the captain’s weight crushing me and the captain’s cool eyes looking down at him.
“Let’s do that, my beloved sister would have known enough about my subject.”
However, the huge mountain, which did not budge no matter how much Alud struggled, backed away like a dog tamed by his sister’s words. Instead of ashes, a sense of defeat piled up in his heart that had been burning with ambition.
“Allud. I will not kill or sell you out of consideration for blood ties.”
As if that was enough to see, Lelan raised her body in her graceful posture. Like a huge wall, the leader of the Silver Knights escorted the legitimate owner of the territory.
“But you will have to live here for the rest of your life as well. Don’t worry too much I will have the servants take care of you.”
There was no place for him within those walls.
I dared not even dream of escaping. The nominal servant she was talking about would actually be a watcher attached to Alud. Watching him lest he dream of vain dreams again.
The scenery of the room left alone after his sister left was unfamiliar. It must have been where he lived, but was it so lonely and cold? The cold of the mind, not the body, was eating away at him.
Wanting to escape the solitude, the cold, Allud curled up like a child. Tears, runny nose, and saliva between his hands and knees. Indescribable liquids mixed and flowed down.
“Damn it… Damn it… If it was going to be like this…”
His life, everything he had accomplished, spilled over.
“If I hadn’t woken up… If only I had become an idiot… It wouldn’t have been so miserable.”
A puddle pools under his feet.
What the mirror reflected was the distorted face of a loser with nothing left.
*
“I, Heir, will never forget the help you gave me.”
[Now, then, should we settle?]
It’s definitely convenient to have Lelan as an ally. They didn’t ask us to do anything, and it would be better for us to stay still and not go around.
There were no more special incidents, and things went smoothly without our intervention. Thus, the girl who was an ordinary nobleman until yesterday has officially become a Viscount today.
Has a middle name phone that is only allowed for the owner, spouse, and successor of the title.
[Let’s see. Once we did…]
And, inheriting the title is in line with the meaning of acquiring everything in that territory. Of course, no matter how noble you are, you can’t really do everything on your own.
At least, it will be more than enough for us to pay our overdue wages. There are so many things to eat, but at most, if I get enough and shake my hand, my adventurer spirit will cry.
[Return Jajak Castle from Lee Gye-hwa, save the boy from kidnapping, and knock out the kidnappers. Besides, you said that if you handed over the boy, you would give him more than he promised, right?]
“That, that…”
[Hey, it’s funny that I, a demon sword, say this, but my opponent is a warrior, not a street vendor. Don’t you dare to bargain with the hero, disrespectfully?]
“That can’t be!”
It’s funny how I, a demonic sword, bring up blasphemy, but what if it’s for more money?
[Yes, yes, judge wisely.]
If it wasn’t for Cream right away, this is a high-difficulty quest that would have required a special mercenary or platinum-level adventurer. Even as a warrior, she has an advantage in remuneration.
Employing a hero for petty money is something that only comes from old stories, and considering the religious status of a hero, poor treatment will incur the wrath of the Great Gods and the Church of the Three Gods.
“First of all, I will fully acknowledge the ownership of everything my brother has given me.”
Of course, we are not on good terms with the Great War, but it’s hard to imagine that a noble in that country would even know such information.
[What if it’s completely recognized?]
“It is not a semi-permanent rental, but a complete transfer. It would not be wrong to say that it is another territory within my territory. Within that tower, the hero will have equal rights with me.”
A concept commonly referred to as a manor. However, considering that such a manor is generally given only to a family of knights who have been loyal to one family for generations, this alone was a great privilege.
“And for Heilhender’s price, we provide enough gold coins and gems. And finally, I’ll give you access to my family’s Vigo.”
[Note?]
“Yes. Even though it’s just a village territory, we’re also the world’s closest land to Daeshinjeon, so there will surely be something the hero can use among them.”
It was a rather attractive proposal. Well, as Lelan said, this is a country estate, so there’s not much to eat here.
“Aside from that, as a guest seat in the manor, you will be treated with dignity wherever you go in Hair, and if you wish, you can be ordained a knight…”
[Where is this modified?]
It’s not unreasonable for a hero to be a guest of a certain territory, but if he becomes a knight under the lord, it’s a big problem. Even though Lelan knew about it, he couldn’t resist the temptation and stabbed it once.
If you succeed, you will have the sharpest sword in your hand that can threaten even the king of my country. Knowing that fact, I growled and warned.
[It’s good to understand the subject well. If you don’t want to rule the ghosts instead of people.]
Relan nodded his head with a pale face, apparently understanding the meaning of my menacing Joe.
[Well, I decided to pay for that rudeness later… Shall we start with remarks?]
“Yes, Lord Arc. Please guide the hero and his companions.”
Who is Ark? But when I saw the tall man standing up behind her, I realized. Oh, you were the leader.
I didn’t have a chance to say aloud, and everyone around me called me the leader, so I naturally did that too. Well, I’m not interested in the boy’s name.
“Please follow me.”
Two other knights replaced Ark’s place and escorted him, and we left the Viscount’s room after Arc. His footsteps headed underground.
[Chit, is it a barrier?]
“Master! He’s talking nonsense again!”
It’s not just underground, it’s a place hidden through sophisticated devices that are incomparable to those in the Wizard’s Tower. It is probably also connected to the secret passage in the city of Weinan.
So, to the place we arrived at, there was a fairly high level of divine magic unfolding, to the point where we wondered why we didn’t detect it. Its nature is camouflage and denial.
Only those with qualifications and those guided by those with qualifications will be able to enter beyond this.
[No, but I can’t go in.]
“Why?”
[Just looking at it, it’s overflowing with divine power. I am a magic sword.]
Take me in there is like putting me in a boiling furnace. I’m still under the constant negative influence of Cream, so I’m crazy and go in there?
[Leave me here and go by yourself…!]
I tried to say it in a stern tone, but it had no effect. As Cream dragged me across the threshold, I exclaimed urgently.
[No, it’s really dangerous! Do you want to see me smashed?]
To think that I’m taking myself as a hostage and terribly threatening me, I feel miserable living like a real demonic sword. But Cream usually listens to me well, and shows affection for me for no reason.
As expected, Cream stopped before entering the barrier. Phew, I almost crossed the Nether Road.
“A lot, too bad?”
[That’s right! Oh my, there is no place where I don’t get a sore during the hair removal. My head hurts, my back hurts, my arms…]
“Blood and sword.”
Cream seems to have noticed that my actions are cruel, but it seems that he has decided to listen to my life. Cream stopped at the boundary of the barrier and said.
“Come on, Choco.”
“Huh? Who is the owner?”
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“I, here, should be.”
After saying that, Cream pointed at me hanging from her waist. Hmmm, Choco’s stare at me is quite stinging.
“Eh, just kill a sword like that…”
“It’s chocolate.”
“Hey. No, though! If you’re really worried, can’t you just leave it there?”
Choco, who was about to pour out abusive words that would hurt my fragile heart, was soon met with glare from Cream. However, the guy soon rebelled, as if it was very unfair.
To be honest, I sympathized with Choco’s second words. There’s no way a beast that doesn’t even know what’s up and down will have eyes to see the treasure, and I wish I had cream and a holy sword so I could bring the right one…
“Come.”
However, Cream put a hand on Cream’s back in a voice that did not allow for a counterargument.
“Evil! Ah! Master!”
[Take care of yourself as much as possible!]
Then I pushed him straight through the light. Choco, who was complaining to her master, was soon swallowed up by the barrier of light. Um, is that okay?