Chapter 84

Chapter 84 – To Black Swan (4)

“......How sad.”

Narakas, who had been staring blankly in my direction, finally spoke.

“You take such good care of your people, yet you treat me so poorly.”

“You’re not one of my people, though, are you?”

“Hmph.”

“Or would you like to be one of them now?”

“......”

Narakas remained silent, and I let out a chuckle.

“You get everything you’re owed, all the while saying, ‘Client, client’. That’s not something you call one of ‘my people’. At most, it’s a transaction.”

“......You’re really going to say you paid me fairly? Do you even have a conscience?”

“You’ll get everything back eventually. Isn’t that why you’ve stuck with me, thinking of it as an investment in the future? That’s why you’ve gone so far as to take care of my life.”

“......”

Another period of silence followed. Under normal circumstances, I would’ve waited, but I didn’t have that luxury right now.

“Do you not want to do business anymore?”

“......”

“Do you want to go home?”

“......”

“Go home, then.”

At that, Narakas let out a long sigh.

“Damned bastard.”

“So what’s your answer to my question?”

“Haaah.”

Narakas, who had been glaring at me somewhat resentfully, finally answered.

“Just to clarify, the Black Swan isn’t somewhere we can just waltz in. It’s notorious for being a place where no one comes out alive.”

“I get it, so just get to the point.”

“......Even so, who are we? We are the Mask of Night. Aside from me, the strongest within the organization, we sent three of the top indigo masks. Yet they just barely escaped alive after a near-death encounter with a monster. They ended up having to retreat from the outskirts......”

“You’re rambling.”

“Hey, you rotten bastard! If I can’t get paid for this, at least let me brag!”

Narakas breathed heavily, clearly feeling wronged.

“Brag? What’s the point when no one cares?”

“You son of a......!”

At that moment, Narakas clutched his neck in mid-sentence.

“Urgh......”

“Hey! Are you okay!?”

I quickly grabbed Narakas, who was about to collapse backward.

“If you’re going to die, at least answer my questions!”

“......I seriously want to kill you. How did I ever end up involved with someone like you......?”

Narakas straightened himself up in an instant, as if he couldn’t stand to deal with me any longer.

“To be exact, the place where Verdant Vale is believed to be staying is not the heart of Black Swan. The trail leads eastward. Is that enough for you?”

“East? So that means......”

Narakas nodded.

“We suspect a connection between Trevor, the Swordsman of Illusions, and the dwarves.”

***

Fortunately, we didn’t encounter any more monsters while passing through the forest. That’s because Marquis Milon volunteered to act as a scout.

Using flight magic, he floated high above the trees, carefully guiding us along the safest paths.

And above all,

‘We also have the grumpy old man who does all that he has to, despite his grumbling.’

This time, my gaze turned to Marquis Foltaine. The forest was so vast that it was impossible to avoid all encounters with monsters.

At every instance, the old man didn’t hesitate to reveal the full extent of his aura.

Monsters and wild animals are creatures of instinct above all else. They will never challenge an opponent they know they cannot defeat.

Just like how prey freezes at the roar of a predator.

“We’re approaching the edge of the forest!”

Thanks to this, we managed to pass through without any major incidents. I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed inside.

It was one of the few chances I had to push the others to their limits.

“......One thing’s clear. Something is definitely happening here.”

Marquis Foltaine wore a troubled expression.

“How about we turn back now? I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

“Turning back now would be a shame, don’t you think?”

The marquis expressed his concern again.

“Are you sure about this? Moving forward when the enemy’s identity is unclear is risky. Not to mention, we have the princess with us.”

“On top of that, we have the unofficial Master, admired across the continent, Marquis Foltaine, with us too.”

“......”

Marquis Foltaine paused for a moment, giving me a strange look.

“Are you flattering me?”

“No, I’m not.”

“It sounds like flattery.”

“If it makes you happy, then sure, we can call it that.”

“......”

After a brief stare, Marquis Foltaine shrugged his shoulders.

“Looks like I need to score some points with you now.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you insist on going, I’ll come along too. As the marquis admired by the whole continent. I haven’t given up on you yet.”

This old man was really pushing it now.

“Let’s be honest. It’s not me, but those bandits you’d love to get your hands on, right?”

“I can’t lose another child over a dead one.”

I stared at the marquis, taken aback.

“......This feels weird.”

“Do you get how I feel now? There’s no need for us to exchange sentimental words. Look, I’ve got goosebumps all over my arm.”

Marquis Foltaine showed me his thin arm, covered in goosebumps, before continuing with a serious face.

“Still, I meant it when I said we should turn back.”

“They’re just bandits.”

“They’re not just any bandits. Their leader is supposedly one of the five closest who were closest with the Great Hero. If we end up facing him, even I can’t guarantee victory. The difference in skill between a Master from the Empire and one from another country is significant.”

Fear of the unknown is natural. It’s nothing special. Life is a continuous process of confronting the unknown.

But......

“The way I see it, growth comes from overcoming that fear of the unknown.”

I stared off at the barren land that faded into the distance.

“If we avoid obstacles out of fear, we’ll never grow. Life is about facing challenges head-on, overcoming them, and becoming a better person. Don’t you think?”

“Even if that challenge puts your life in danger?”

“If you’re born a man, there are times when you need to risk your life. I’m curious about what opportunities to grow lie ahead.”

Marquis Foltaine let out a small laugh.

“Does growth even mean anything to someone like you at this point?”

“......!”

That was an incredible compliment. his words quickly reached everyone else.

“......It’s the first time I’ve heard the marquis praise someone so much. Who exactly is Prince Andrew?”

“How would I know?”

“The way he calmly examines the corpses and, more than anything, the way he cut down that troll— the scene is still fresh on my mind.”

“Hmm......”

“Did you see it too, captain? Trolls have exceptional regeneration, especially the Black Trolls from this forest. Even an Expert can’t cut one down in a single strike. What he did defies common sense, doesn’t it?”

The knights, who had been gossiping about me from the start, were now joined by the kids.

“Master! I’ve been wondering, how are you so perceptive?”

“Th-That thing you used to cut the troll...... W-Was it mana? How are you so strong, despite your age?”

“......As I’ve said before, nothing surprises me anymore.”

“I wonder...... if I can ever become like that.”

Harun, Kirian, Jan, and Winley each asked me in turn.

Looking at them, I smiled faintly.

“Alright, let’s get going.”

The smile on my face widened slightly.

“My dear little pups, time for you to grow up.”

***