Dragon Bone Valley (1)
Chapter 89
The Rangers surrounding them on all sides had sharpened their focus.
Jenkins took a step back and tensed his jaw.
His headache was getting worse by the minute.
If he were to fight the Rangers head-on right now, he could probably win.
However, even if he won the fight, making enemies with the Rangers would be highly inconvenient.
If the Rangers decided to harass Phillips County by crossing the Sigini Mountain Range, there would be no end to the trouble.
Should they drive demons towards the villages in Phillips County, the damage would be catastrophic.
Rangers, when committing acts of terrorism, rarely leave evidence behind, and even if Phillips family somehow gathered proof and petitioned the royal court, it was questionable whether the Emperor would give it proper attention.
Thus, Jenkins wanted to resolve the current situation without any unnecessary conflict.
Even if they won a battle, it would inevitably result in losses.
Ray also understood this fact, which was why he didn’t resist and allowed himself to be captured by the Rangers without a fuss.
But judging by how things were going, it seemed like a confrontation was inevitable.
‘Just because they’re called Rangers doesn’t mean they’re not hooligans.’
While elite special forces teams were often imagined as cold and mechanical in executing their missions, reality was different.
‘Then again, even in my past life, so-called elite special forces were involved in everything from desecrating corpses during Canoeing missions to various war crimes…’
If Earth was like that, there was no reason this world would be any different.
The Rangers, who had been accumulating stress while operating in the snowy mountains, appeared ready to vent their frustrations during this opportunity.
Ray quietly prepared for combat.
Avoiding conflict was preferable, but if it came to a fight, annihilating the enemy was essential.
‘With two knights and Luna around, we can definitely protect the kids…’
Perhaps he should tear free from his restraints and snatch a sword from one of the nearby enemies?
Having reached this conclusion, just as he was about to move, a new sound of clicking tongues caught his attention.
“Uh-huh, what’s with this atmosphere?”
Brandil emerged from the shadows, clapping his hands together.
In the silent mountain forest, the sound of applause echoed far and wide.
“Let’s settle this nicely, shall we? After all, we’re neighbors.”
Brandil gave a friendly grin before spotting Jenkins and showing a brief look of surprise.
“Oh! I know you… Jenkins, wasn’t it?”
“It’s been a while, Brandil.”
“Aha, indeed it has.”
Brandil extended his hand.
Jenkins gave a bitter smile as he shook Brandil’s hand.
They had met briefly during a training exercise in the Sigini Mountains shortly after Jenkins received his appointment. The memory of exchanging names during a bout of competitive banter still lingered.
Back then, both were rookies; now, they were seasoned knights and rangers.
Brandil pulled Jenkins closer by grabbing his shoulder.
“Are you here for the kids’ training?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… Your tracks are clearly visible. What do you plan to teach them with those skills?”
“Ugh.”
Jenkins groaned.
Brandil patted his shoulder encouragingly.
“Listen, Jenkins. I can’t go into details, but our mood hasn’t been great lately. It’s sensitive.”
“I understand. I’ll be careful.”
“Good. Try to avoid any unnecessary conflicts for a while. Just stay out of our way.”
“Thank you for the advice.”
“And don’t go blabbing about today’s events.”
“Brandil.”
As Jenkins stepped back and ended the shoulder tap, he continued speaking.
“I assure you, we have no intention of causing friction with the Rangers. The Imperial Capital is far away, but the Sigini Mountains are right here.”
Satisfied with this honest reply, Brandil smiled warmly.
“Great, let’s call it a day. You continue on your way, and we’ll head back.”
As Brandil trudged away, another Ranger approached him.
“Commander, please reconsider. Letting them go like this…”
“Look, let’s not start something unnecessary. If a high-level mage comes back and wrecks an entire mountain, what will you do then?”
“…”
Brandil’s firm stance left the Ranger speechless.
Once more, Brandil issued an order.
“Alright, let’s retreat from the Empire’s territory. Untie that guy over there too.”
One by one, the Rangers disappeared into the darkness.
Finally freed, Ray stretched his body and tidied up his disheveled hair.
Jenkins sighed in relief and smirked at Ray’s appearance.
“You’ve been punished by heaven.”
“Master, is that the first thing you say? Shouldn’t you check if the young ones are hurt first?”
“Seems like you’re fine, judging by your quick tongue.”
“Oh, please, spare me a sword or two.”
Jenkins tossed Ray a spare sword.
Ray secured the sword at his waist and approached where the children were huddled.
Karen waved her hand enthusiastically before quickly composing herself.
She suddenly remembered her state—her face was smeared with black mud, and she hadn’t bathed for days.
A shrill scream escaped her lips.
“Don’t come near me!!”
“Huh? Why?”
“N-no matter what, don’t come close!”
Ray chuckled.
Seeing her panic made him want to tease her further.
“…Shiru? I’m coming closer.”
“No, don’t come near me-!”
Karen began stepping backward as Ray advanced.
Ray clicked his tongue and tried to persuade her.
“Karen, it’s not a big deal if you haven’t showered in a few days and your armpits smell sour…”
“I said don’t come near me!!”
Thud!!
A rock flew toward Ray.
Karen, her ears turning red, threw whatever stones she could grab.
Ray raised his guard and shouted.
“Fine! Fine! I’ll keep my distance, so stop throwing rocks!”
Watching this scene, Johanna relaxed her grip on her sword handle.
Had Ray dared to approach Karen further—or even touched her hair—a real sword might have been drawn.
Ultimately, Ray maintained his distance from the children as they moved through the Sigini Mountains.
After marching hard, they managed to arrive at Phillips County by the next morning.
“We’ve made it!!!”
The children cheered.
Though the journey ended earlier than planned, they were returning home after completing their tough training.
A sense of accomplishment mixed with fatigue washed over them.
All that remained was to tidy their gear, take a bath, and return to the orphanage.
Ray turned his head as the excited chatter of the children filled the air.
Jack, the fruit vendor, was approaching with a startled expression.
“Ray! You’re finally back!”
“Jack, is something wrong?”
“You should go to the church immediately.”
“?…”
As Jack explained the incident from the other day, Ray’s expression stiffened.
*
In well-developed cities, separate treatment facilities existed, but in smaller towns with fewer people, churches often doubled as medical centers.
Phillips County’s religious order had beds set up inside the church to serve this dual purpose.
“No…”
Currently, Ray stood beside the patient bed inside the church, his face contorted as though he’d bitten into something foul.
Bella couldn’t help but giggle at the sight.
“Our son, why the long face?”
“Mom…”
Ray wiped his face.
Being in a church and wanting to avoid the risk of infection from patients, he had hastily cleaned up, leaving him spotless despite his grim expression.
However, Ray’s expression was more crumpled than ever.
“Mom, are you laughing right now?”
Bella’s face was covered in bruises.
Deep marks from being strangled marred her once-beautiful neck, and bandages wrapped around her arms and legs.
“Ahh… This is unbearable.”
“Why so serious? In this line of work, you occasionally meet difficult customers. But you’re not seriously injured, so don’t make a fuss.”
“…”
Ray closed his eyes tightly.
It was true that working in prostitution increased the chances of encountering problematic clients.
Most customers were slightly intoxicated, leading to occasional punches.
But the injuries Bella sustained weren’t the kind caused by a couple of slaps.
“You should retire sooner.”
“Things usually go wrong right around the time someone decides to quit. It’s like shaking off bad luck to start anew. If nothing happened, I’d be more worried.”
Bella was talking about her bad karma.
Ray pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose and waved his hand dismissively.
“Whatever… Just rest fully until you’re completely healed.”
“Do I need to stay here longer? Won’t I have to pay a lot of offerings?”
“Mom, please stop worrying about money. We can always find ways to get it.”
As Ray’s expression soured, Bella raised her hands slightly.
“Alright, son. I’ll stay for about 2-3 weeks and then leave. Come visit me occasionally—I get bored easily.”
“I’ll visit every day, so don’t worry.”
“Will you eat properly even if I’m not home?”
“Don’t worry.”
With an utterly exhausted look, Ray rose from his seat and glanced at Bella’s neck one last time.
The deep, purplish bruise around her throat was particularly noticeable.
“…I’ll go now. Rest well.”
After saying goodbye, Ray left the church.
Arno, a senior member of the Jimmy Family, followed closely behind Ray from the church and spoke.
“You had bad luck.”
Although Arno wasn’t present during the incident, he had been informed of everything.
This accident happened due to sheer bad luck.
Who could have predicted that seemingly noble gentlemen would cause trouble at the brothel?
Well, technically, the man who assaulted Bella might not have been a noble.
Since Bella judged them as such and volunteered to entertain them, it ultimately became her responsibility.
“But it’s fortunate that it didn’t get worse. She isn’t severely injured to the point of disability. Bella will bounce back soon enough. Haha.”
Arno attempted to offer some consolation with these words and laughed briefly.
Suddenly, his vision flickered.
“…?”
His senses were jumbled.
After wriggling around for a while, Arno realized he was lying face down on the ground.
A groan escaped his lips moments later.
“Kk, kkk…”
He tasted blood in his mouth.
His left cheek burned as if it were on fire.
His muscles spasmed, preventing his neck from moving properly.
Only then did Arno realize he had been slapped.
Ray firmly pressed his foot onto Arno’s neck.
“Still feel like laughing?”
A voice as low and grating as metal scraping against metal rang in Arno’s ear.
Gasping for breath, Arno grabbed Ray’s leg and flailed.
Is he thinking of snap my neck?
Pushing aside the impulse to do just that, Ray grabbed Arno’s chin.
“Why don’t you keep laughing?”
Crack!
One of Arno’s teeth broke under Ray’s thumb.
Arno emitted a painful groan and stopped resisting upon meeting Ray’s dry, emotionless gaze.
He instinctively understood.
If he angered Ray any further, he might really die.
Ray wasn’t seeing Arno as a person anymore.
“Are nobles scary to you, but I’m easy prey?”
“Gkk…. Kk…!”
“Listen carefully. I’ll give you two hours…”
Ray’s hollow eyes glowed faintly blue.
Simultaneously, a powerful flow of mana surged, disturbing the earth beneath.
A chilling wind enveloped them.
“Gather everyone who worked at Lilac Evening that night.”
“Gk… Gkk…!”
Arno gasped heavily and barely managed to nod.
Ray added one more sentence.
“Don’t be late. I won’t wait long.”
If even one of them hesitates or tries to escape, I’ll rip out all their jaws.
