episode_0009

After the undead extermination operation was completed,

I washed the blood off by the nearby stream and returned to the village.

Due to the intense battle, my clothes were practically in tatters.

Fortunately, I had enough money to buy spare clothes, so I could avoid the worst-case scenario.

“The problem is that I’ve already been discovered by someone from the Kinel Empire…”

When she called my name, it felt like my heart and veins froze.

I thought that after hiding for 8 years, few people would recognize me even if I showed my face, but I was mistaken.

“Was there such a person in the Empire?”

She was a woman who exuded beauty and nobility just by looking at her.

With flowing platinum hair, exquisite beauty, and a fairly prominent aura of sanctity.

Her appearance seemed to captivate the hearts of many wherever she went.

“And even the clothes she wore were all luxurious, right?”

I remember it being attire suitable for someone of at least noble status.

I threatened her with a sword, grabbed her hand, shook it vigorously, and finally slapped her bare shoulder.

Yeah, I messed up.

I asked her not to reveal my presence, but looking back at what I did, I was in trouble.

It wouldn’t be strange for the Empire’s pursuit team to come after me soon.

If they come looking for a fight, I won’t back down, but I prefer not to make eye contact if possible.

If rumors spread that I fought with them, the demon bastards would rush to kill me as well.

“Well, I’ll manage somehow.”

With a mindset to annihilate them all, I walked the blood-stained path of Sura.

***

“Good morning, Aaron.”

“Good morning.”

“Did you sleep well last night?”

“I didn’t get much sleep.”

Lian, who fought undead all night and washed the blood off her body, went to bed late.

She could have ended it earlier, but she seemed to have been caught up in the thrill of battle.

“I’m sorry. As a merchant like us, we have to wake up early and move busily, so I’m afraid we can’t consider your sleep time, Aaron.”

“It’s okay. It was my fault for staying up late thinking I would do something. And don’t worry, I don’t sleep during the escort duty, even if I sleep less than usual.”

“Haha, your words are reassuring.”

Lian accepted the luggage from Fabiel and loaded it into the carriage.

Fabiel, who had made a quick profit in the village the day before, rented the carriage.

Although it was a shabby carriage with poor riding comfort, it was much better than walking.

“By the way, where is Rama?”

“Rama went to buy provisions for a moment. Since the next destination is quite far, she is preparing provisions for camping.”

“Considering the distance, are you planning to go east?”

“Yes. Our guests from yesterday advised that we could sell our goods at a higher price in Preluish. So, I’m planning to go east and try our luck there!”

The goods Fabiel handles are herbal medicines commonly used in the Eastern Kingdom.

These herbal medicines were not for treating injuries but for increasing vitality and metabolism.

They would sell like hotcakes to the miners and blacksmiths in Preluish, where there were more mines than stars in the sky.

“That’s great.”

“Oh, by the way! I forgot to ask Aaron, but would it be okay for you to accompany us to Preluish? If you have somewhere else to go, we can adjust our route to pass by there.”

“No, I don’t have anywhere else to go, so let’s just head straight to Preluish.”

From Lian’s perspective, it was actually better.

The day before, Lian realized that the Thongs Trading Company had headed southeast, as indicated by the dying message left by Rich.

To find Maxwell, it was inevitable for them to head south.

However, unfortunately, the south of their current location was within the territory of the Kinel Kingdom.

Chasing after the Thongs Trading Company recklessly would lead them straight into the jaws of the kingdom.

Therefore, it was most ideal for Lian to first head east and then slowly descend south.

“The road down from Prelidshu is right on the edge of the Kinel Kingdom’s border….”

If they were careful, they could pass through without encountering any of the kingdom’s people.

“Alright, Ramah is returning at the perfect time, so let’s depart.”

“Yes.”

And so, Lian set off on a journey to the east with the merchant lady.

“Aaron, is the road to Prelidshu also treacherous?”

“The terrain is somewhat complex, but there are hardly any dangerous creatures. If anything, the only thing to watch out for would be the wolves living on the mountainside.”

In the central and eastern parts of the northern snowy plains, there were no abnormally threatening creatures like Ice Smilodons or Wendigos.

They used to inhabit the area without distinction, but that was a thing of the past due to human expansion into the north.

Therefore, Lian believed that they could get by without much trouble for the time being.

It wasn’t until a day into their journey that they received unexpected news.

“What? You’re saying a Drake horde has appeared?”

“Yes, currently, travel to Prelidshu is impossible due to the appearance of Drake hordes.”

“By Drake, do you mean the wingless dragons?”

“Yes, the Drake you’re thinking of is correct.”

Drakes were a variant derived from dragons.

They looked similar to dragons but lacked wings and were much more ferocious in nature.

As the top predator in an ecosystem that viewed all creatures as prey, some individuals even breathed fire like dragons.

Therefore, it was natural for Drakes to be classified as much more dangerous than Wendigos or Ice Smilodons.

“Aaron…?”

Didn’t he say it wasn’t dangerous?

But Ramah was looking at Lian as if demanding an explanation.

Caught off guard, Lian scratched his cheek awkwardly.

In order to handle the situation, he intervened between Fabiel and the guards.

“This is quite strange. Not only have we never heard of Drakes living in Prelidshu, but the news of them forming hordes is unheard of.”

“We are also facing this situation for the first time, so it’s very perplexing. For now, we have halted all operations to avoid provoking the Drakes.”

“Is there a plan?”

“We have officially requested assistance from the guild to resolve the issue. However…”

“There probably aren’t any volunteers. Dealing with a single Drake might be manageable, but how do you defeat a group of Drakes instead of just one?”

“You are exactly right.”

While Drakes may not be as powerful as dragons, they were still derived from dragons.

Even the knight order, which had fought together for years, couldn’t guarantee victory against multiple unpredictable monsters.

It was a situation where a large-scale expedition by the country was necessary.

Even then, considering the significant losses, the appearance of the Drake horde was almost like a natural disaster.

“What about the neighboring countries or lords’ reactions?”

“I heard they are all trying to avoid this issue and pass it on to others. It’s as if they’ve forgotten the favors we’ve done by supplying them with high-quality weapons!”

The guards who had been blocking the way finally lost their temper.

Lian understood his feelings.

When necessary, they flatter and fawn over others to avoid getting into trouble, but when faced with a real crisis, they pretend not to know anything.

Having seen countless opportunists like them before, Lian was not surprised.

“Anyway, for that reason, you can’t pass through here. I recommend you hurry back, as we never know when a group of Drakes might show up.”

Lian and his companions were refused passage for valid reasons.

With no other choice, Rama and Fabiel grimaced and tried to turn the carriage around.

Unlike the ladies, Lian couldn’t easily accept the current situation.

Normally, he would have acquiesced and turned back, but he had a compelling reason not to do so now.

“If we turn back now, we’ll eventually clash head-on with the Kinel Empire…!”

Fighting against the Drake group equivalent to a national power? Quite literally fighting against a national power?

There wasn’t much of a difference, but from Lian’s perspective, the former was much more appealing.

“Well, it’s a shame to leave it like this. I’ll go persuade the guard and come back.”

“What? Ah, Aaron?”

“I just want to go to Phreldeush, so don’t worry too much. I’ll be back soon.”

Lian jumped out of the moving carriage and returned to the guard he had just spoken to.

The guard, who thought Lian would leave quietly, was curious about his return.

“Did you leave something behind?”

“No. I came back because I think I can solve the problem you mentioned about the Drake group.”

“Hmm?”

“I have a way to deal with the Drakes. Could you clear the way for us?”

“Ha…! Phreldeush is currently facing an unprecedented crisis! In the midst of talk of abandoning this land, such jokes are not welcome!”

“It’s not a joke, it’s a sincere statement.”

“You, who don’t even have proper weapons, think you can solve a problem close to a natural disaster? If that’s not a joke, then what is it?”

“How about listening once and then deciding? You never know, right?”

“Hah! Not worth listening to. Stop being arrogant and go back quietly!”

The guard not only ignored Lian’s words but also subtly dismissed him.

In response to the guard’s attitude, Lian smiled wryly and spoke up.

“The average size of a Drake is 4 meters. They can range from 3 to 5 meters in size.”

“What are you doing now?”

“Their temperament is generally gentle, and they are omnivorous animals that eat meat, grass, and even ore.”

“Who doesn’t know that much information!”

“They like dark places like caves, and their dorsal fins are located in the middle between the neck and chest, although the position may vary from individual to individual.”

“Dorsal fins…?”

“They groom their tails twice a day and shed their skin once every two months. The scales that fall off are buried in the ground at that time.”

“Is that true?”

Lian laid out a wealth of information about Drakes as if it were common knowledge.

Having hunted Drakes occasionally since awakening his sword, he knew a lot about them.

He wanted to use that knowledge to solve the problem and, as part of that, gain the guard’s trust first.

“They dislike salted and smoked meat, but they love pork foreleg with honey.”

“Wow…!”

With such a vast amount of information, the guard began to wonder if they were actually a Drake in disguise, but soon shook their head.

After all, wasn’t every piece of information rather uncertain?

Just as they were about to dismiss Lian and tell him to go back, thinking it was too hard to believe at the moment.

Lian delivered the final highlight information.

“What Drakes love so much that they go crazy and die for it. That is… ”

“That is…?”

“Using carriages for sexual gratification.”

It was truly a nonsensical statement, but the guard couldn’t help but feel a sense of credibility in it.