Chapter 46

Chapter 46

HEL SCANS

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It wasn’t just empty talk.

Luke pulled an exact third of a gold coin from the pouch the Hero had given him, and handed the rest to Evergreen.

“This is for you guys.”

“Uh, what?”

“I’ll be on my way then.”

Even though Evergreen looked at Luke with a puzzled expression, he had already turned around swiftly.

A somewhat annoying voice followed.

“I’ll be drinking at a nearby tavern, so come after you finish sightseeing.”

“No, no! Just a moment...”

Evergreen closed her mouth abruptly due to the unexpected turn of events.

‘This seems a bit odd!’

Despite coming together with classmates for a leisure outing, they were wandering separately. Ñøv€l-B1n was the first platform to present this chapter.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a big problem.

It wouldn’t, but...

‘....’

Her eyes, slightly narrowed, were fixed on Luke’s retreating figure.

His long legs made him swiftly move away with each step.

‘Luke, what’s going on?’

She had noticed that Luke’s mood was different than usual, from the moment they set out.

It was because he hadn’t spoken a single word until they arrived at the fair.

Even though they weren’t close, she knew that Luke wasn’t normally that reticent.

During the first class, watching the professor and Gerald spar, he explained things in detail.

So Evergreen had come to think of Luke as a good fellow, a little cocky but good at heart.

‘Going to drink alone like that...’

The gloomy side profile that had been present all day comes to her mind.

Evergreen whimpered and ran over to Luke, gently tugging on his sleeve.

“What’s up?”

“It’s just!”

Despite her bruised pride, there was no other way.

“Well, how are we supposed to navigate through this complex place on our own!”

Luke’s dark black eyebrows narrow.

“What nonsense is this all of a sudden?”

Yet, Evergreen didn’t back down.

“Me! A rustic girl from Solintail! This bustling place is confusing!”

“Not just me, there’s that guy too...”

But Luke’s words are cut off abruptly.

“Ban!”

“......”

“Of course, Ban is incredibly smart and comes from a well-respected family, but! He might not be comfortable in such a busy place, right, Ban?! Huh? You’re like a library-worm!”

Ban raises his head in surprise.

Evergreen adds slyly, “And those... delinquents or something? Yeah, there could be plenty of them. It’s a reasonable concern.”

Luke looked at Evergreen with an incredulous expression.

In a place so crowded that pedestrians could trample each other, delinquents?

And...

‘You wouldn’t be the one to fall victim to delinquents.’

Thinking of her special bow that even an adult man couldn’t pull with all his strength, Luke shivered.

Local delinquents, even if they came in a few carriages, wouldn’t be able to handle that innocent girl.

“So, help me a bit. I had high expectations for today.”

Despite his hesitating reaction, Evergreen, undeterred, persuaded Luke kindly.

Luke’s stiff shoulders suddenly relaxed.

“Ah, seriously, how annoying.”

Life as a grown-up ‘man’ who only had his uncle.

The power of a girl of the same age was more powerful over him than expected.

[PR/N: Relatable moment luke ????]

“Come on.”

Evergreen’s pupils curved like crescent moons.

Motioning to her back, Evergreen said, “Ban, it’s settled! Come quickly!”

Perhaps secretly hoping for Luke’s participation, Ban approached with a charming smile.

Observing the scene of these classmates, Luke, who had been watching quietly, uttered a few words.

“What have you guys been doing all this time, not having any fun?”

“What if I refuse?”

“Well, then there’ll be one more grave in the backyard of Stagnum, won’t there?”

And so, that’s how he ended up in the distant west.

As it turned out, most of the subordinates who were captured together were also in a state where the Demonic church rescued them.

Moreover, with their peculiar methods, they even restored bodies that had become damaged or injured seriously.

‘If I can successfully finish this one task, it’s a fresh start, just this one time.’

Desmond turned his head and looked behind.

“...”

There, leaning against a beautiful tree, there was a ‘silhouette’ calmly gazing at the sky.

A reinforcement sent by the Demonic church to accompany him in this mission.

They joined right after the escape from Stagnum.

Wrapped in a thick, long robe that concealed their entire body and with a voice magically modulated, their identity was an unknown, neither gender nor age discernible.

And next to them.

Kikirurururu-!

A huge monstrous creature lay there, emitting a strange wailing sound.

A malignant bird called Myrmat, was it?

‘At least an upper-grade... no, perhaps a top-grade demon.’

With the appearance of a mixture of a crow and a bat, its wings were bizarrely enormous.

The fact that the group was able to swiftly escape the Imperial Army’s encirclement was thanks to this demon.

They covered the distance from the northernmost tip of the continent to here in less than three days.

‘Demon taming, huh. Those damn followers of the Demon King, doing all sorts of things.’

It was a bizarre phenomenon, a creature he had never seen before, even with his robust knowledge.

Of course, many had attempted demon taming before.

They all ended up in a sorry state.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

Whatever cruel methods they used to gain power, it was entirely unrelated to him.

What mattered now was... just the reward they promised.

Desmond raised his voice.

“Let’s confirm the details of the request one last time. We’re causing chaos for exactly 15 minutes, then we’re out.”

A nod.

“During that time, you’ll find the item or whatever it is, then meet us at the agreed-upon location to escape together. The remaining payment will be settled at that time.”

Another nod.

“...Items captured during the operation will be our property, correct?”

A nod.

Despite consecutive questions, the envoy from the Demonic Church didn’t bother to look at him, only nodding in response.

Desmond had to endure their arrogant attitude, keeping his impatience in check.

‘It’s a chance to change my life.’

The fee they offered for the task was truly staggering.

It was enough to settle his dreary life at the bottom and start anew.

He had already received 30% of the upfront payment. If he could safely receive the rest, a new life awaited him and his subordinates.

‘I don’t like the idea of some unknown thing being the client, but...’

If the situation turned uncomfortable, he could withdraw immediately. His knowledge of the local geography was sharp enough to navigate with closed eyes.

Expelled student Desmond.

He recalled the faded memories from a dozen years ago and twisted a wry smile.

Piiiiing-!

Suddenly, a sharp flute sound echoed.

Urung!

With the sound of the ground vibrating, the demon raised its massive body.

Desmond gestured to his subordinates, “Let’s go!”

Subordinates gathered swiftly.

Each of them was a skilled warrior capable of easily taking down an average knight.

‘We weren’t imprisoned in Stagnum for no reason.’

As expected, even if the security at the exhibition is strict, causing a disturBance for about 15 minutes should be enough.

They had also been provided with powerful artifacts suitable for a convenient ambush.

Desmond, massaging the hefty pouch on his hip, stood in front of the envoy from the Demonic church.

Hi-!

Before Desmond could shudder at the eerie sound of the wind, the next words followed.

“Now, let’s depart.”

The grotesquely modulated voice urged them on with an unsettling tone.

HEL SCANS

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