meet the devil (3)
After spending the night in the city, the two of them headed west as soon as it was light.
Lewis was uneasy about the murder of the player yesterday, but Chris, the actual culprit, acted proudly in front of the guards.
I don’t know if the murdered person is a citizen of the city.
The player in the example was an adventurer no matter how you look at it.
It wasn’t uncommon for adventurers to incur a grudge, and players were more likely to build a grudge.
Because of that, the guards didn’t show much enthusiasm.
Of course, as long as a person died in their territory, they would do a minimum search.
But that’s all.
Armed with the spirit of civil servants, we should not expect more from them.
Louis spat out as if he was dumbfounded immediately after safely exiting the castle gate.
“Policy in this world is a real mess.”
“It gets better when you go to a bigger city.”
Chris left out the fact that there was nothing special about the adventurers’ circumstances.
Adventurers who do not pay taxes do not deserve the protection of the guards.
So, to pretend to be an adventurer, you must be able to take care of your body at any time.
Lewis, who had become accustomed to horseback riding, asked with little expectations.
“Then are we going to that city?”
“No, we should rather avoid places like that.”
“Where the hell are you going… … .”
Louis let out a small, disgruntled voice, but got no answer.
The truth is, even Chris didn’t know exactly where to go.
I just follow the traces of the target by following rumors and stories.
After that, it was a long and tedious journey for a while.
In fact, there was not much difference from the duration of the trip so far, but since nothing happened, it was understandable.
Of course, that didn’t mean Louis’ mouth was still shut.
“But I really can’t go home?”
“If returning to Earth is so simple, why am I still here? Don’t talk nonsense when you haven’t even adapted to this world yet.”
“… … .”
The journey, which had been long, became more and more strange with each passing day.
Lewis tilted his head as the travelers as well as the peasants rushed in the opposite direction.
It looked like they were going to evacuate, but there were not one or two such processions.
On the other hand, the number of people heading west like the two men decreased day by day.
By the time the number of farmers abandoning their land increases, and finally two different flags can be seen running side by side.
Louis couldn’t stand it any longer.
“Are we on the right track? It looks like some kind of war broke out here… … .”
“If there was a war, you and I would have fought back rather than abandoned the land and fled. You’ll see some mercenaries… What lies ahead is not a war, but a massacre.”
Chris said that, but didn’t turn his head.
* * *
That night.
The two men entered an inn along the main road.
Originally, it was a place that seemed to be lively, but now it is full of worried expressions.
Farmers stranded because they couldn’t abandon their land and those who belatedly started evacuating are sipping beer here and there.
Louis sat down and spoke in a serious voice.
“I’ve never seen an innkeeper so restless even though the business is doing so well.”
“Even if I earn money, it will be over if I run away.”
“Now tell me. Where the hell are we going?”
Lewis’s patience was running out, but Chris didn’t care.
What will this guy do if he can’t hold back his curiosity?
Still, I thought it would be a good idea to ask in advance, just in case.
“Yes, I will teach you. Instead, just listen to me.”
“… What is it?”
“If you meet him later, just keep your mouth shut. Got it? Whatever happens, you have to shut up.”
Louis then realized that they were going to meet someone.
The guy nodded reluctantly, though he couldn’t hide his slightly dissatisfied expression.
“I will try.”
“It’s not about trying, just do it unconditionally.”
“Because I know… So, who is that person that we are selling our footsteps like this… … .”
Before Louis could finish his words, a wolf howled from afar.
The sound was so loud and eerie that almost everyone in the inn froze.
Chris put down his beer mug, sighed and shrugged.
“Here.”
“What came… Yes?”
While Louis was wide-eyed, black smoke began to seep in through the walls and windows of the inn.
The residents hurriedly retreated from the window after seeing the ominous-looking smoke, but the smoke suddenly hit them as if it had eyes.
Everyone who came into contact with the black smoke showed different symptoms.
One suddenly developed a rash all over his body and fell ill, while the other vomited and spurted blood.
The refugee next to him scratches his body nonstop, piercing his skin and tearing out his flesh.
Chris took the bewildered Louis and raised his mana to the fullest.
Thanks to that, the surrounding air was pushed out, but that was only for a moment.
But aren’t the black smoke avoiding the place after recognizing his magical power?
Others noticed it belatedly, but it was already too late.
The types of symptoms varied, but they were all fatal.
After a sip of beer, only Chris, Louis, and the corpses were left in the inn.
The smoke finished all the work and went back to its owner.
“Eh, what is this… … .”
Stunned by the horrific sight, Louise rose from her seat in a fit of panic.
Chris makes him sit back and puts his index finger to his lips.
It meant not to forget his request.
Before Louis could protest to him, the inn door slowly opened.
A woman dressed in black enters the inn with a leisurely gait while the burly soldiers enter first and remove the corpses.
Wearing a hat with a large brim, she was a beauty with a glamorous atmosphere.
A woman dressed as a witch advertised as a witch came up to Chris’ table and sat across from him without asking permission.
Louis, who was sitting next to him, is startled and moves next to Chris.
She laughed like a snake when she saw him move away as if running away.
“Why are you taking a group with you?”
“This is a player who was summoned a while ago. I was able to use the status window even now.”
Chris talked to her casually.
I’m not sure, but it was clear that she had exterminated the people here.
It was something that Lewis couldn’t understand.
The witch continued talking, not paying attention to his reaction.
“Ah, come to think of it, all of you people said that you lost that petty power. How are you today?”
“Good. There are more players killed in the last month than there were players killed a month ago.”
When the witch raised her hand, the lady-in-waiting outside brought wine and glasses on a silver platter.
The handmaiden was so beautiful that she barely fell short of a witch, but her skin was so pale that she looked inhuman.
After passing a sip of the wine the maid poured out, the witch was greeted by Chris.
“Elgar-sama, why did you come to a place like this?”
“It’s me, I’m in the war of conquest as usual.”
Louis, who secretly used a search spell, shuddered when he saw soldiers strewn about outside the inn.
The numbers aren’t great, but each one looked very strong.
The massacre Chris mentioned must have been caused by these men, to be precise, the witch who seemed to be their leader.
In the end, Louis, who couldn’t stand it, threw a word.
“Brother, wait a minute. Now that everyone is dead, what are you talking about… … .”
“Louis!”
Chris raised his voice on rare occasions and tried to cover his mouth.
But the witch has already taken an interest in him.
She raises her hand slightly to block Chris, then watches Luis with her enchanting eyes.
Then, as if he had become a frog in front of a snake, Louis automatically stiffened.
“why? Do you have any complaints?”
“Why did you kill everyone here? Looking at it, I don’t think you’re an ordinary wizard.”
It’s not even a soldier, and it’s definitely an act worthy of criticism for slaughtering civilians.
However, the witch answered very calmly, without showing any signs of distress.
“That’s because I wanted to be alone with Chris quietly.”
“yes?”
“Normal people make all sorts of fuss when they see me. I didn’t want to see that, so I killed him in advance.”
Lewis wasn’t satisfied with her answer, but he was sure of it.
This woman is not a match for words.
He turned his arrow at Chris instead.
“Hyung, why are you suddenly looking for someone like this?”
“That’s right, because this person is the strongest witch, the demon lord, and the highest authority on black magic. Shut up now… … .”
“no. No matter what!”
Chris slowly gave up and covered his eyes with both hands.
I want to die like this, so I’m making a mess, but it wouldn’t be polite to stop it.
The witch raised her hand again to block the guy’s words and spoke leisurely.
“I have helped Chris in many ways since before. I also made the secret magic trick that Chris uses.”
“The magic of sucking?”
“It absorbs the victim’s mana and makes it one’s own. Without that method, how could Chris have accumulated this much magic? Well, actually, it wasn’t given out for free, but it was used as a test subject… … .”
No matter how much it was a test subject, Chris was just grateful.
Elgar may be a fearsome demon king to others, but it is a very healthy partnership with him.
When Louis heard the news, he was even more shocked.
“Did you do business with this person?”
“It wasn’t exactly a deal, it was help. Why don’t you like that?”
Chris, recalling the past, frowned and annoyed.
Early on, he asked for help here and there, but no one reached out to those who only walked the path.
As if it was his duty to remain still.
For the sake of the order of the world, his sacrifice was irrelevant.
Even Luana, who helped him escape from prison, is notorious as an outlaw in Pochinki Kingdom.
Chris was driven mad by Louis’ one-dimensional way of thinking.
How comfortable it would be if people in the world were divided into good and bad people.
But that doesn’t work, so isn’t everyone living a difficult life?
However, Lewis did not change his attitude and criticized him.
It’s as if you’ve been betrayed by someone you trusted.
“Of course I don’t like it! He is the one who just kills innocent people!”
“I am not killing. Isn’t that what happened?”
Chris’ cold reply left Louis speechless for a moment.
Was Chris originally like this?
Or has this world changed him this way?
Perhaps the fact that he killed a player not too long ago was a simple way to vent his anger rather than for justice.
no. Seeing what he is saying now, it is clear that he is angry.
The witch, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between the two, clapped her hands lightly and asked Louis.
“Then do you have any more questions?”
“… … .”
Louis nodded reluctantly and went upstairs to leave.
But before he can take a step, a dull pain strikes his heart.
He then realized his mistake.
Elgar is the kind of person who kills everyone at the inn, saying that he wants to be with Chris quietly.
There was no way that such a demon king would save Louis, who had been causing a fuss.
His death was probably predestined from the moment he said the first word.
Chris sat and watched Louis fall to his death.
Then I saw him come back to life as a zombie and leave the inn.
Elgar poured wine into a glass and handed it to Chris.
“It’s a little quieter now.”
“He was a good guy… … .”
“Originally, the nicer you are, the faster you go. I will take good care of him.”
Chris took the glass and quietly passed the contents.
A delicious wine feels slightly bitter than usual.
Wth is this, you are even killing an important experiment?