52. Act 1, The Abandoned Mine Haunted by Undead (3)
*
“Thank you for offering to accompany us… but I’m afraid this journey won’t be one that satisfies you.”
Kailen looked at the servants repairing the broken carriage and spoke. The carriage had lost most of its functionality due to the troll attack. They had no choice but to camp out and request support from the caravan. The losses were severe.
“Don’t worry about that. I don’t have any urgent business at the moment.”
“Are you on a pilgrimage?”
“For now, yes.”
“Then it might be a good idea to visit Count Jest. I heard that Sir Baimeer has been staying there recently.”
Kailen spoke cautiously, noticing that Fernandez showed no reaction.
“Uh… Sir Baimeer of the Round Table Council.”
“Huh? Ah. Aha. Right. Is that so?”
Fernandez nodded vaguely, unsure how to react. Who the hell is Baimeer? He couldn’t remember all the royal knights of the Round Table Council, let alone know who its members were in this era.
“That sounds like a great honor. Thanks for the info.”
With a serious expression, Fernandez nodded, deciding to stick to the act. After all, his plan required him to clash with the Round Table Council at least once during this journey.
-If I were even half as strong as in my past life, this would be tough.
‘If knights of that caliber were gathered, the Dane Kingdom wouldn’t have fallen so miserably.’
In his past life, the Dane Kingdom, led by Vicente II, Helga, and Smire, among other great knights of the Round Table, had literally ‘crushed’ the demonic armies and advanced like madmen. Among the knight orders of that era, only the Imperial Iron Side of the Empire could rival them.
The end of human civilization was, paradoxically, the age of heroes. As demons appeared in the Material World and the Temple of the Gods crumbled, kingdoms of civilized society burned one by one, and more heroes were born than at any other time in history.
The end of humanity burned brightly. Fernandez fell into thought, recalling the heroes who had perished by his hand. Did the era create them?
“How long until the next town?”
“There’s an abandoned mining village nearby… but it would take at least half a day to reach a village suitable for a knight to stay. It’s already too late… Would you like to camp out?”
“Abandoned mining village?”
“Well… It’s not a story suitable for your ears… but it’s a settlement created by lower-class people who couldn’t bear the tax rates. It’s not a suitable place to stay.”
The wartime tax rate in the Dane Kingdom is seventeen percent. For commoners, it’s almost nineteen percent, a heavy burden. Thus, during famines or when relief is insufficient, commoners occasionally create unauthorized settlements.
Without the protection of royal law, they are vulnerable to nearby bandits, so they often form well-armed vigilante groups. These illegal settlements are practically no different from bandit hideouts.
“Interesting.”
“I wouldn’t recommend it. If the villagers find out you’re a knight, they might attack.”
Kailen’s expression darkened. As merchants, they wouldn’t attack first since the villagers needed supplies, but with a knight present, things would be different. However, Fernandez smiled.
‘Abel will be annoyed, won’t she?’
-Probably.
‘Hmm’
An abandoned mine in the Barves Barony. Even if it wasted some time, it wouldn’t hurt to investigate. Thinking of Abel waiting for him in a nearby city, Fernandez spoke to Kailen.
“Do they deal in venison?”
*
They arrived at the abandoned mining village two hours later. The servants and mercenaries carried the goods themselves, transporting them directly to the settlement. Fortunately, there were plenty of food supplies, so they could sell them in the village. At least exchange them for lighter items.
The abandoned mining village was a shabby settlement surrounded by wooden fences. It was larger and more heavily guarded than Fernandez had expected. It was more like a bandit den than a village.
“What brings you to our village!”
A skinny man shouted from atop the fence, threateningly fiddling with an axe. Kailen stepped forward.
“It’s Kailen! Trolls appeared nearby, and our carriage was destroyed. Can we stay for a night? We have some trade goods left, so we can do business!”
“Kailen? Ah, that merchant! Alright, alright. It’s been a while since we had some meat!”
-Screeeech.
The gate opened with a loud noise. Inside, there was an unpaved dirt road and half-ruined wooden houses lining the path.
Behind the fence, children with dark expressions and their parents watched nervously. The villagers, with haggard faces, kept glancing at them. Occasionally, children who made eye contact with Fernandez would panic and hide in their mothers’ skirts.
It was a desolate village. It had been a long time since he’d seen such a place. Compared to this, the Sernerd Territory was like heaven. Fernandez held the reins and pondered.
Then, a large man with an eye patch appeared.
“Who’s that?”
“Watch your mouth! This is Sir Albert of Sernerd!”
“Sir…? A, a knight?!”
The man’s eyes widened, and the vigilantes around them gripped their weapons. To the illegal villagers, a knight was no different from an executioner!
“You brought a knight to our village?! Do you want to die, Kailen?!”
“I suggested coming. Commoner. This merchant is innocent.”
“…Sir Knight. If you leave without a word, we’ll stay quiet too. We’re just poor, starving beggars!”
They didn’t look particularly starved… Fernandez observed the man’s oily face. He was large and sturdy, not the complexion of a starving serf in early spring.
“No, show us to a place to rest.”
“…Are you bold or just crazy?”
“Now, now! Watch your mouth!”
Fernandez, sitting on his horse, stared at the man. The man shrank under Fernandez’s imposing presence. Even if he was the strongest and most influential in this village, he was still just a peasant at heart. He wasn’t bold enough to meet the gaze of a real knight and shout back.
This much was already impressive. Probably because he had to take responsibility for the village. But Fernandez’s eyes were drawn to the butterfly-shaped necklace hanging around the man’s neck.
It was probably made of copper or brass. A small trinket, crudely carved, glistened with grease stains. As Fernandez silently stared at the necklace, the man nervously adjusted his sleeve, and the necklace disappeared into his clothes.
“Decayders…”
Faijashi muttered with interest.
‘Is it a coincidence?’
“In a village like this, it’s possible a few might be hiding. Either way, it’s not bad.”
At his words, Fernandez nodded. What he needed was fame, and the best targets for building fame were monsters and demons. For someone like him, who had considered summoning and killing a demon, this wasn’t a bad turn of events.
As Fernandez stood still, the man stammered.
“Just one day, Sir Knight. Please have mercy on us… Just let us rest for one day and then leave. We just want to live quietly.”
The man kept glancing at the troll head hanging from Fernandez’s saddle as he cautiously led the way. Most knights were essentially killing machines, and wandering knights like this were a curse to peasants.
Even if luck was on their side and they managed to deal with this knight, how many villagers would be sacrificed in the process? He couldn’t even imagine.
He just hoped they could quietly step aside. The man led Fernandez to the cleanest house in the village.
*
Night deepened. Fernandez sat cross-legged on the bed, not touching the food offered by the frightened villagers. The cold touch of the longsword resting on his thighs seemed to sharpen his mind.
“Let’s try again. Still nothing?”
‘Looks like I’ll have to give up for now.’
During the Infermur incident, after reviving Abel, using the grip of the Five Thrones, and even stealing King Guimerin’s Great Magic, the Bronze Throne’s condition had become unstable. The magic circuit was severely distorted, making it impossible to conjure magic.
Still, being an ancient relic, it hadn’t completely stopped functioning or been destroyed, but it would take a long time to restore it to its original state.
“This is why you shouldn’t rely on objects. It’s really inconvenient.”
‘Should I carve a new magic circuit into my body?’
“Can your body even handle magic flow right now? With the Diemonica Baptism, it seems unlikely.”
‘There’s always a way.’
The first idea that came to mind… replacing a part of the body with something else? The preparation would be complicated to avoid side effects, but it wasn’t impossible. It was one of the options worth considering.
As he pondered this, Faijashi frowned.
“Isn’t it contradictory to abandon the body you gained by giving up magic, just to seek magic again?”
‘It’s just one option. If that doesn’t work, maybe find Chainling’s Staff or strengthen the Bronze Throne with other relics.’
Relics compatible with the Bronze Throne would likely be found in the central regions, and Chainling’s Staff was owned by the High Council of Aseas. Meaning, there was no immediate solution.
“*Rustle*”
Then, a faint sound was heard. Clearly, the sound of a sword being drawn. Fernandez slowly opened his eyes and gripped the hilt of the sword resting on his knees.
‘Peasants?’
“Or maybe the Decayders. Whatever it is… Oh, behind!!”
‘Huh?’
“*Thud*”
A cold blade rested on his shoulder. Fernandez flinched and tried to turn around, but the blade threateningly grazing his neck made him face forward again.
There was definitely no one in the room. If there was someone in this village who could deceive his senses, the commotion at the village entrance didn’t make sense. Decayders? No, it wasn’t them. There was no smell of a demon.
If they wanted to kill him, they would have stabbed him already. Fernandez quietly spoke.
“Who are you?”
“I’ve been watching the situation in the village with interest, Sir Albert. First, know that I have no hostile intentions.”
Unexpectedly, a clear voice was heard. The sensation of the blade disappeared from his neck. Soon, a woman appeared before him.
Slender figure, restrained eyes, and tightly tied-up hair. She was a beauty with the posture of a soldier. She slowly raised her empty hands and stood opposite Fernandez. She gave a short salute and spoke.
“Please call me Angela. Due to circumstances, I cannot reveal my real name, so I ask for your understanding in advance.”
“I am Albert of Sernerd.”
“Is that your real name?”
“I have a certificate from the Vaitas Church in my pocket. Shall I show it to you?”
“Even if I see it, I doubt I’d believe it. Sir Albert. There’s no need for that. I believe you’re at least a knight.”
Angela spoke in a stiff voice and handed him a small document. Fernandez, with a puzzled expression, took the document. Neatly written letters in Leviathan language were visible.
“By Imperial Decree No. 3, I request local assistance.”
Then, Angela lowered her voice slightly.
“I am from the Imperial Iron Side’s Gray Circle. Or you can call me the Imperial Special Forces.”
“The Imperial Special Forces??”
He didn’t know exactly how the Iron Side’s hierarchy worked, but the Gray Circle was a notorious group of fixers. A pack of hunting dogs that carried out any dirty task under the Emperor’s command.
“I understand your surprise. Our motto is ‘Fear, Rumor, Achievement.’ But don’t worry. As long as you’re not an enemy of civilized society!”
Strangely, Angela spoke with a proud, inorganic expression. How she could make such an expression was a mystery, but her emotionless face and confident demeanor coexisted.
‘What’s with this woman? Is she stupid?’
‘Faijashi, that’s harsh for someone we just met.’
Fernandez, forcing a composed expression, cautiously asked.
“Do your colleagues also call each other brothers?”
“…What?”
“Never mind. It’s nothing.”
Why do all special forces members from this era seem to be cut from the same cloth? Fernandez felt a strange sense of déjà vu and shivered.
Could there really be another Diemonica out there?
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