Chapter 128

Chapter 128

Ian tilted his head in confusion before suppressing a small laugh.

They are saying that again. We don't look alike at all. Is it because I'm covered in blood...?

Anyway, it wasn't an unpleasant misunderstanding.

A growling breath continued from behind. Glancing back, Ian saw Charlotte frowning. She was ready to start her long and flowery introduction at any moment, so Ian raised his hand slightly with a signal.

As Charlotte stuck out her tongue, the woman kneeled and added.

"I heard you help those who seek vengeance. Please, avenge my dead husband and neighbors...!"

Looking down at her, Ian finally opened his mouth.

"You've got the wrong person."

"What...?"

"I am not the Agent of Vengeance."

"But... but... I'm sure...." The woman stammered, her eyes wide.

She didn't want to believe it. Ian could fully understand her feelings. She had lost her family and friends before her eyes and barely survived herself.

"Being a mercenary is my profession. I don't fight for noble causes like the Agent of Vengeance. I killed them all because they came at me with weapons."

"...."

"So if you want, hire me. Don't ask for a favor."

As Ian's calm voice continued, the light in the woman's eyes faded. She seemed to accept reality.

Just then, an old man, who had been approaching hesitantly, stopped behind her. It was the same old man who had thanked him earlier.

"Stand up. It's rude to behave this way when you should express your gratitude and offer a reward..."

Muttering, he sighed as if pitying her, then looked at Ian.

"Please forgive her rudeness, sir."

"There's nothing to forgive."

"Then please, wait a moment." Yôur favorite stories at novelhall.com

Bowing, the old man turned around. Walking toward a cart on one side of the road, he looked back at the still-frozen villagers.

"What are you doing? Are you just going to let our life savior leave?"

"...!"

The villagers finally moved. Watching the old man rummaging through the cart, Ian smirked and muttered.

"I don't need any reward. I don't want to take from those who have nothing."

I thought he was going to give me a quest.

Ian, who had climbed into the carriage, looked at Charlotte. She nodded and grabbed the reins. The woman, who had been sitting on the ground, clung to the carriage at that moment.

"Sir, may I ask you one thing?"

When Ian looked at her, she continued.

"Did you mean you would accept a request?"

"I meant I would consider it."

"Then, in that case...."

She rummaged through her belongings and held out her dirty, blood-and-dirt-covered hands. A few silver coins glittered in them.

"This is all I have, sir. If it's not enough, I will become your servant to repay you. So please... kill that monster... in the knight's guise."

A quest window finally appeared before Ian's eyes.

[The Knight Bandit of La Drin.]

So it appears when I give up hope.

As he read the details, Ian's eyes twitched.

Time limit...? Did it have this before? I don't think it did.

Anyway, it was a quest he needed to do. The reward included an ability point.

"If the payment is too little... please take this too, sir. It's still insufficient, but...."

Thinking he was dissatisfied, the old man who had stood next to the woman offered a money pouch.

Other villagers arrived one by one around them.

"Sir, please take my money too."

"Take mine as well. It's not much, but...."

"Please, sir...."

It's chaos.

Ian closed the quest window and spoke. "Does anyone know where his base is?"

"I... I know...." One man raised his hand.

Ian nodded toward Charlotte.

"Explain it to her."

"...! Yes, sir." The man who had suddenly opened his eyes wide turned around.

As Ian looked back at the woman, he reached out and picked up the coin that had been placed in her hand.

"The request is established."

"Thank you... thank you, sir...!" The woman clasped her hands as if praying and uttered those words.

Relief and excitement spread across the faces of the others, including the elderly man. Just as another commotion was about to spread, Ian spoke.

"Now, everyone, disperse. Instead of wasting energy needlessly, it would be better to gather your belongings."

The villagers stopped their movements with a flinch, and Ian added with a dry gaze.

"Nothing has been resolved yet."

"... Yes. Though you would never allow it. I know it's not the right choice. I'm just tempted by it."

Ian's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You're considering conversion."

Charlotte flinched as if she hadn't expected him to realize it immediately.

She soon nodded. "Yes. You'd probably call it corruption. And you wouldn't be wrong. The once noble Primal Wildness has been tainted by the chaos of the void."

She had mentioned this story before. The God of the beastfolk was exiled to the outskirts of the void by the Gods of humans.

Ian scratched his chin and spoke. "I don't think serving him would grant you power immediately."

"He probably would. Kruxica cherishes his descendants."

"Descendants?"

"Yes. We are all his descendants. That's why other gods, including the Radiant Goddess, don't bestow divinity upon us. But the Primal Wildness would willingly embrace even the descendants who abandoned him."

"Along with side effects."

"... Of course. Regardless of his will, I have seen many warriors corrupted by the power of the void. Some even became demons. So in the past, I secretly despised warriors who served the Primal Wildness. I thought they were selfish and weak. But now..."

Charlotte growled lowly.

"Now I understand them. I, too, want to get stronger power even if I have to take such risks."

She spoke with a self-deprecating smile, as if confessing.

"I know how this sounds to you, who face the darkness of the continent. But that's why I think you can understand my conflict—"

"Think carefully and decide."

"What...? What did you say?"

Charlotte turned around.

Ian spoke calmly. "I said, think carefully before deciding."

"Are you serious?"

"I think you're doing your part well enough. But if you still feel unsatisfied, that's something I can't fix. It won't go away just because I stop you."

Charlotte, gazing quietly at Ian's eyes, eventually sighed.

"You really mean it, Ian."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you're the holy knight of a Strict Goddess, the Great Warrior of the North, and the saint of the church, the Agent of the Platinum Dragon...?"

"That doesn't mean I serve them. I don't serve anyone."

"...! ... Yeah, come to think of it, Ian, you're also a mage," Charlotte murmured as if she had only just realized.

Being a mage is my primary job, though.

Ian chuckled briefly. To him, the Gods of this world were merely tools to be used. He still had no intention of worshiping what had once been just bits of data. He would simply use whatever power he needed. Just as he had embraced the shards of chaos.

"I don't care who you serve or what power you wield, as long as you can control yourself. That's all that matters to me."

Ian looked into Charlotte's orange eyes.

"But if you become a beast tainted by madness, just know that I won't hesitate to kill you."

"...." Charlotte's eyes flickered with a mix of conflict and relief.

Eventually, she nodded. "Alright... I'll think it over a bit more. And whatever decision I make, I'll let you know."

"Do that." With jerky in his mouth, Ian looked away.

Charlotte added. "One more thing."

"What now?"

"Do you still think I'm more suited to be an assassin than a warrior?"

Did you still hold on to that? Ian smirked and answered without hesitation.

"Of course."

***

The forest grew dense on both sides of the road. The carriage climbed a gentle slope.

At least we're not late.

Ian put on each piece of equipment properly that he had either loosened or taken off. There was still about an hour left before the time limit expired. It wasn't a lot of time, but it wasn't too little either.

"I'll look for a place to stop the carriage soon," Charlotte said.

Ian nodded slightly and secured the shin guards of his steel boots so they wouldn't shake. Soon, the carriage pulled into a clearing on the side of the road. Beyond the tall, leafless, ash-gray trees, a barely discernible watchtower peeked out. The carriage stopped.

"There will surely be those trying to escape. Keep a close watch on the horses," Ian said.

"I will," Charlotte replied, setting down her battle ax and jumping off. She walked toward a nearby tree with a securing rope in hand.

"No matter how many come, not a single one will..."

She stopped mid-sentence as a chilly wind blew down the mountainside. She frowned and looked back at Ian.

"I smell blood, Ian."

"...?" Ian paused as he was adjusting his shoulder guard. He took a deep breath but couldn't smell anything.

Charlotte dropped the rope and turned around. "It seems to be from up there. I'll check it out."

She leaped forward. Ian, frowning, quickly moved his hands.

I have a bad feeling about this.

Soon after getting off the carriage, he ran up the mountain path. From above, Charlotte raised her hand.

"Here, Ian."

The source of the blood scent she had detected was close by. It was, of course, a corpse. However, there wasn't just one. Four men dressed similarly to those they had previously fought lay sprawled with their innards spilling out or their heads split open. Ian's eyes narrowed.

So this is why it had a time limit.

"There was someone here before us."