Chapter 79

Chapter 79

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Chapter 79

"Someone was buried here, the blood was spilling. It's clear that they're gone. Looking at the circumstances, they didn't escape on their own, but who took them away?"

After finishing his speculation, similar to Yuder's, Nahan quietly turned his head to look deep into the forest. It was hard to make out footprints from the long-accumulated pile of leaves, but once he knew that someone had been here, several traces caught his eye.

A young branch that looked broken as if someone had bumped into it, weeds growing in the crevices of rocks that had been stepped on, and faint brown shoe prints on a white stone. Perhaps the brown was a footprint left by stepping on blood.

'Two... or maybe three.'

Yuder, who guessed the number of people here through these signs, stood up from his place.

"Do you intend to follow?"

"Yes." Finnd new chapters on nove/lbin(.)com

"Don't you think it would be better to return and come back with your companions? We don't know what kind of enemy lies ahead."

"It doesn't matter who's there."

Unless it was an Archmage who had trained only in attack magic all his life in the Pearl Tower, or a swordmaster with ample battlefield experience, there were few in this world who could injure Yuder. Considering that Yuder had even more practical experience, he would not easily yield to anyone.

It was more important not to miss the traces they had finally found than fearing an unknown enemy.

"If you're scared, go back alone."

"How could you think that? Who do you think discovered this pit? If I were a coward, I wouldn't have followed you guys in the first place."

‘Then why on earth did he ask such an unnecessary question?’ Yuder frowned, thinking him as inscrutable as Kishiar.

He started walking, turning his body as if to say follow if you want, and if not, don't. Shortly after, he faintly heard Nahan's footsteps behind him. The traces led them deeper into the mountains, choosing only the paths less travelled by.

"Doesn't something feel strange?"

Nahan spoke again as they approached a valley, and the radius of the forest began to widen. Yuder, carefully searching for traces, responded roughly.

"What."

"As we go deeper, the path is getting wider."

"It might be a place where the path merges with the one used by the people from the nearby village."

"No. It's a bit different from that..."

As Nahan mumbled something, he suddenly grabbed Yuder's arm. At the same time, the air around them wavered, and the color subtly changed.

"What are you doing."

"Someone is coming."

Just as he said, a few unfamiliar faces appeared from the opposite path moments later. At a glance, they looked like ordinary hunters, but there was no sight of tools such as snares or daggers for dismantling traps, which are commonly carried by hunters.

They seemed completely oblivious to Yuder and Nahan, casually chatting as they gradually approached.

"Still not talking, huh? Such a stubborn bastard."

"Yes. Seems like he thinks he's somebody now that he's received a surname from the Emperor. He's too stubborn to speak a word."

"Although we had covered ourselves with an illusion to appear as trees, there could still be those who were sensitive enough to notice our presence."

A murmuring, as though someone were saying 'like you,' seemed to drift on the edge of hearing.

Just then, one of the men who had silently followed the group, dressed as a hunter, suddenly turned his head and looked toward Yuder and Nahan.

"Over there!"

"What?"

"I heard something from over there!"

It appeared that Nahan's advice had come too late. The men dressed as hunters took up a defensive stance all at once, and the Warden also turned his body, revealing a cold gaze.

"Who's there! Reveal yourself!"

Although they had not yet detected the illusion, it was only a matter of time until they did, now that they knew something was there. Yuder subtly moved his right hand to rest on the hilt of the practice sword loosely hanging at his waist.

"... Count to three and then dispel the illusion."

"Are you planning to handle all of them by yourself?"

"It's not a problem, just keep track of the time."

Yuder etched the number and positions of the people in front of him into his mind and began to count quietly.

"One... two...."

"Ha! Okay, we come out. What now?"

His count to three was cut off. Yuder, hand still resting on the hilt of his sword, turned around. Two people were emerging from behind the rocks near where Yuder and Nahan were standing.

One person was unknown, but the other was very familiar. He was Kiolle Da Diarca, a member of the Diarca family and a knight from the Imperial Knights.

'...Why is he here?'

"You guys are pretty quick on the uptake. What are you doing here?"

"..."

"I am Senior Knight Kiolle Da Diarca of the Imperial Knights. This is one of the places where the Imperial Knights come to train every year, under the auspices of the Diarca family. I have never heard of people like you staying here. Who are you?"

Kiolle's gaze was as arrogant as ever. As he scrutinized the people from the Apeto dukedom, the Warden stepped forward. Yuder could see an intense whirl of emotions stirring ceaselessly within his eyes.

"Ah, so you are the knights of the Imperial Knights. I've heard much about your reputation. Have you come here... hmm. For training?"

"Didn't you hear what I just said? That's right!"

"We're just passing hunters... we'll leave soon. So please don't be too angry."

Given that he didn't know how much Kiolle had heard, the Warden seemed to have decided to play dumb. However, all Kiolle saw in his eyes was a hint of contempt.

"Hunters, huh. Do you think I'd believe that?"

"...It's true. We are......"

"Dogs of Apeto daring to venture this far without fear. You must not fear death. I'll figure out what kind of tricks you've been pulling here and report it to my father."

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