182 episodes
Milio, who was next to him, clicked his tongue.
“I don’t know what it is because I’m still very young. I can see it clearly in my eyes.”
From the standpoint of a long-lived Dwarf, isn’t even a 100-year-old old man too young?
Ethan had a question like that, but decided to put it aside for a while.
“What do you mean?”
Then Milio didn’t answer to do it, and chuckled slyly.
“Do you think I’m going to tell you straight-forward, sweetheart?”
For a moment, Ethan felt like he was the only fool.
Ethan, who prioritizes efficiency, could not understand why Cynthia was trying to question him.
* * *
After the battle, the Allied Forces entered the castle of Haup, which had become a communist state.
Soon the day was coming to an end.
Taken from n̲o̲b̲l̲e̲m̲t̲l̲.̲c̲o̲m̲
Victory in the war was certain.On the day of the victory, celebrations could not be missed.
“Uh-huh! It’s been a while since I drank, so the alcohol is very sweet!”
“Hey. I heard that the dwarves were very talkative, but that was true. Do something great with me!”
A modest celebration took place at Haup’s castle.
Unlike elves, dwarves were originally a good race.
Because of this, the Dwarves relentlessly snuggled up among the knights and shared a glass of wine.
“Do you know what that guy was talking about when he left Peratem?”
And the Dwarves used Ethan as a snack and talked to the knights every now and then.
In particular, Milio was the most excited.
“Are you going to show your resolve to take revenge? That wasn’t what the priest was going to say. Even against us dwarves without fear.”
At Milio’s words, the knights clashed.
“ha ha ha. It’s really crazy.”
“That’s what I mean! How can a human being who lived shorter than my childhood choose to say such a thing, Won!”
“Priest Ethan was like that when he lifted the curse of the beast we had been caught. In fact, isn’t that all encouraging?”
“Everything is good because the results are good. Come on, let’s toast Milio-sama too!”
“Priest Ethan, don’t sit still, let’s make a toast together!”
In the meantime, Ethan frowned.
Normally, the knights couldn’t even click on Ethan’s words.
However, when alcohol was added, he was full of playfulness and was actively sympathizing with Milio’s words.
He was making fun of Ethan.
‘These guys… … .’
Ethan stared at the knights making fun of him.
But he didn’t say anything and drank quietly.
‘Anyway, we won the battle, so today is over.’
The thrill of winning a battle that was fought with the determination to die could not be expressed in words.
There was no need to break the morale of the knights who had risen in full swing.
This was quite acceptable.
That was then.
“… … ?”
I felt a cool breeze behind my back.
Ethan quickly turned his head.
Cynthia was standing there.
Cynthia said to Ethan with a displeased face.
“Is it okay for a priest to drink so carelessly?”
“It’s not that the church forbids alcohol, and now that the battle is over, we need to release the hospice. That way the soldiers can relax and prepare for the next one.”
It was also Ethan’s experience of the Anti-Magic War.
At those words, Cynthia was speechless.
“Yeah, that’s true, but… … .”
Cynthia muttered a little with a sullen face.
“Did you forget to talk to me?”
However, Ethan’s eyes didn’t show up for this moment.
“Anyway, do you have anything to say to me?”
Then Cynthia felt it.
Even if they pretended not to, the ears of the knights and dwarves stood up.
“Can I go to a quiet place for a moment and talk? It’s a little noisy here.”
“That’s right, what.”
Ethan stood up.
The two headed a little further from the banquet hall.
A cool night breeze blew.
Cynthia spoke first.
“I heard the details from Sir Christopher and Sir Dylan. It was really hard to get a lot done in that short period of time.”
“It’s nothing. I didn’t even struggle that much.”
Ethan replied as if it wasn’t really a big deal.
Cynthia looked at Ethan slowly.
He didn’t look like a person who suffered from hardship just looking at his active role on the battlefield.
It was difficult to gauge how terrifying he was by human standards now.
Cynthia stuttered and barely spoke.
“When I first left the fortress without a word, I was very worried. I’m glad you came back safely though.”
“It is worrying. Thank you for thinking about it.”
“The rebels have also been hit hard, so they won’t do anything special for a while. So how about taking a break?”
But Ethan shook his head.
“no. Next, it’s my turn. I have no intention of being dragged around by the rebels.”
“What?”
“Now that I have entered Haup’s estate, I have work to do here.”
“what is that?”
Cynthia couldn’t figure it out at all.
Then Ethan smiled meaningfully.
“I’m going to check out what Seongju’s scribe left here.”
* * *
next day.
Ethan headed to the cave inside the castle where he went when he infiltrated Haup Castle.
Unexpectedly, this time, the elf, Kalia, also accompanied them.
Upon entering the cave, Kalia covered her mouth and muttered in pain.
“A viciously corrupt energy is overflowing. Heir of the oath, why did you bring me here?”
“I want you to confirm what only elves can see.”
At Ethan’s words, Calia’s mind flashed through what happened in Ferratem.
“Can I do it as if I read the dwarf’s text in the dungeon back then?”
“yes.”
“This time I learned the trick, so I can do better. Don’t worry.”
That was then.
A dog whimper was heard on the floor.
Yes.
Ethan brought not only Calia but also Fenrir here.
But Fenrir didn’t even take a few steps, he just stretched out and held on.
I don’t want to go in!
It was as if he was swarming like that.
Calia, who was staring at it, said to Ethan.
“It seems that Shinsu-nim also sensed the energy of this cave. Even as an elf, I don’t want to go in, but Shinsoo-sama obviously hates it.”
“The introduction is long. You’re not saying we shouldn’t take Fenrir, are we?”
When Ethan responded firmly, Calia’s eyes widened in surprise.
Then I coughed a few times.
“Of course not.”
“… … .”
Ethan looked at Calia with suspicion.
Then Kalia finally confessed the truth.
“sorry. Shinsu-nim is so cute that I don’t even know.”
“If Fenrir doesn’t go with him, what’s in there will bring disaster to the world. We have to stop it before it happens.”
“I was too lazy.”
But Ethan could also understand Calia’s reaction.
In the meantime, Fenrir has been showing weakness to not only Cynthia, but also Nyx, Vivian, and Lomonga’s twins.
Therefore, people who were weak in small and young had no choice but to pass over easily.
But Ethan was well aware of Fenrir’s nature.
“Hey, did you hear everything? Without you, the world will be engulfed in disaster.”
Fenrir’s eyes widened sharply at those words.
Covered in disaster?
responded to this statement.
Ethan nailed it.
“okay. Are there any other great gods who can step out in a situation like this? After work, I will tell you about your achievements and give me snacks.”
Woof woof!
Eventually, Fenrir sprinted behind Ethan.
Ethan looked down at Fenrir with pitiful eyes.
‘This child… … . It must be like this.’
Calia, who watched it, looked at Ethan and Fenrir alternately, as if curiously.
“That’s great. How is it that Shinsoo follows people so well? It’s the first time I’ve seen her since that saint.”
Fenrir proudly held out her chest as she knew what Calia was talking about was Saint Eileen.
It was to express the pride I had with the saint.
Ethan shook his head and walked away.
“I just succumbed to the temptation of snacks.”
Fenrir wept in protest, but Ethan ignored it.
How many more caves would I have walked?
A huge door appeared in front of me.
“It is beyond this door.”
And the door opened.
* * *
Is there anything in the world that shouldn’t be born?
All living things are bound to be blessed at the moment of birth.
But sometimes there were those who didn’t.
“What is this… … ?”
That was the existence in front of Calia right now.
It was surrounded by something like a thin film and tentacles.
Calia took a step back in shock.
Whoops!
Fenrir also stared at what was in front of him and was very wary.
Even if Ethan didn’t have to explain it, he realized that it was unusual for them to be in front of him too.
Ethan approached it and opened his mouth.
“This is a contaminated egg.”
“A tainted egg?”
Calia asked the first word she heard.
“A cursed creature born upon the death of countless lives.”
Ethan stared at the tainted egg with a hardened face.
Contaminated eggs had a slower beat than before.
The rebels who lost the battle withdrew, and even the Plaguemaster died, so obviously no one came here to offer their bodies.
It did not die or die because it was an existence that continued to exist forever, taking the death of other living things as its food.
“If this egg breaks… … .”
“it’s okay. It is an existence that cannot be born and is confined only to eggs. The existence of this egg has only one meaning. To serve as a living sacrifice that amplifies the effects of curses and dark magic, according to the dark mage’s purpose.”
“Dark magic and living sacrifices… … . Was this the dark follower of the rebels?”
“yes. Normally, a living sacrifice dies after fulfilling its purpose. But this tainted egg is not.”
In the first place, the reason why the eggs feed on the death of other living beings is for this reason.
The tainted egg took the role of a living sacrifice by giving away the death it had ate.
Of course, if the role was simply that, the contaminated eggs wouldn’t be of any use.
The egg, which has been taking death over the years, has gradually gained the effect of amplifying dark magic or curses.
It must have been because of this egg that the Plaguecaster was able to cast the Green Death and the Curse of the Beast even with his insufficient ability.
Calia frowned.
“Then how are you going to handle this?”
“From now on, we are going to move this to the new city.”
“Heir of the oath, what does that mean?”
“To do that, we need you and Fenrir’s help.”
“… … ?!”
bruise?!
It was a shocking statement that I had not expected at all.
* * *
“Did you hear the news?”
“then. You said you drove the rebels out of Miles?”
“right. The battle in the Wegen Plain was decisive. Isn’t this really a miracle that the rebels won even though there were more rebels?”
“cancer. don’t say it’s a miracle He said that the rebels suffered heavy damage and retreated from Miles?”
At the tavern, middle-aged people chatted.
It was several weeks after the battle in the Vegen Plains ended.
Rumors of the battle were spreading all over the continent.
The news of the defeat of the Miles Rebels raised the morale of the soldiers of the other six kingdoms.
They too were struggling to deal with the rebels created by the Dark Followers, but there was a glimmer of hope.
So, from all over the continent, the victories of several kingdoms fighting against the rebels were being transmitted.
But not all news was good news.
The flames of war ignited by the rebels had not yet been extinguished.
“By the way, is it true that the rebels are all heading to New Zealand?”