Chapter 60: The Second Trial #3

Chapter 60: The Second Trial #3

“Everyone’s late.”

Mitchell sighed, looking up at the dark night sky.

This was the hill where the Estel party had promised to meet.

Fortunately, their starting point was close by, so Mitchell arrived at the meeting place first.

“What is that?”

Bang- Pow-

A red flash flickered in the sky.

Mitchell casually watched the fireworks.

“Did someone set off fireworks out of boredom? It seems there’s someone else who’s not busy besides me.”

Not knowing the details, Mitchell could only think that way.

Stomp, stomp.

Footsteps were heard from the darkness.

The air around Mitchell instantly changed.

Instantly switching to a defensive posture, Mitchell glared into the darkness.

“Two people… Who is it?”

“Mitchell, it’s me. Wagner.”

Only after confirming Wagner’s face did Mitchell relax her shoulders.

But there was someone else behind Wagner.

A familiar face.

It was Maria from the Adventurer’s Guild.

“She’s an examiner? What’s she doing here?”

“I met her by chance on the way here. But when I heard her speak, it seemed like the situation was more complicated than it appeared.”

“Huh?”

Mitchell looked bewildered.

Maria walked diligently without paying attention to Mitchell.

Her path was in the direction where the fireworks had just exploded.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

“⋯I don’t know exactly what’s going on. But that signal means it’s an emergency. So the trial is over.”

“Trial over? Suddenly?”

“All emergencies happen suddenly and without warning. If you meet other people, tell them what I said.”

Maria’s face was grim. Unlike her usual self, she didn’t seem inclined to pick a fight with Mitchell.

‘Only Jack could have sent that signal. What on earth happened…’

Maria bit her lower lip.

Worry and fear churned relentlessly in her heart.

But if she panicked, there would be no one left to manage the situation in this test area.

A sliver of duty forced her legs to move.

“What? Why are you following me?”

Maria said sharply.

“Didn’t you hear? The trial is over. I’ll inform you later, so you two go back to Garden.”

“We’ll help.”

“What?”

Wagner shrugged his shoulders.

“It seems like you’re in a difficult situation. If I go with you, maybe I can help with something.”

“Hey. Help who with what…”

“Agh- Hey, Examiner. Stop acting so high and mighty and accept the help with a thank you.”

Mitchell glared.

Maria narrowed her brow for a moment, then let out a deep sigh.

“⋯You’re right. It’s not the time to be proud. Honestly, I’m not confident either.”

“See?”

“But don’t blame me if something happens. You’re the ones who volunteered to come.”

Maria snapped.

They began to run, cutting through the darkness.

***

-You are too radical.

This was something Eden had heard since he was young.

-Cherish and love others.

The priest who looked after young Eden had told him many times.

Perhaps he had long ago realized that there was a great problem in Eden’s heart.

If the priest hadn’t left Eden’s side early due to illness, perhaps Eden would have developed a proper character like other ordinary children.

But now, it was a meaningless hypothetical.

“Wh-why are you doing this…!”

An adventurer, having fallen on their backside, desperately crawled backward.

Eden walked towards him expressionlessly.

‘Why am I doing this?’

Eden raised the Holy Sword above his head.

‘Because this is the fastest way.’

Swoosh.

The adventurer’s head rolled away. His eyes were still wide open.

He had already cut down twelve adventurers.

There was still no Lich among them.

There was no need to rush. The night was long.

‘If Mr. Michael were here, he would have done it more skillfully.’

Eden realized his own shortcomings.

Hero Michael.

The one who perfected Eden, who was a blunt and dull sword of Justicia.

Eden, who was as wild as a beast, finally found his path in life after meeting Michael.

Only after hearing his words did he understand the meaning of God and what he had to do.

-Listen carefully, Eden. The end justifies all means. So you have no need to fear.

-Is that alright?

-What do you mean?

-Everyone avoids and shuns me. They call me a demon. If you stay by my side, you will surely suffer misfortune someday.

-Ha, ridiculous. Do you think I’m afraid of a wretch like you? From now on, you don’t need to think about useless things. Just follow what I tell you, and you’ll have no worries.

Michael was right.

He always presented simple and certain answers and was full of conviction.

Eden followed Michael, watching him become a hero.

Even if he killed a hundred people as Michael commanded, he didn’t have to pay for his sins.

This matter was the same.

Even though the blood of countless people was spilled, Michael would somehow sort it out.

As always.

“Where to next?”

Eden wiped the blood from his face.

He could feel a slight fatigue in his body, but there was still a long way to go. He had no time to linger here.

Murmur, murmur.

Voices were heard from nearby.

Eden moved towards the sound.

Four armed adventurers. And one girl.

‘A girl.’

There was a possibility that it could be Estel.

The Lich was taking the form of a girl. Of course, she could change her appearance at will, but the last witnessed appearance was like that.

‘What about this time?’

Eden approached the adventurers, concealing his presence like a predator lurking in the darkness.

“Excuse me – how about we resolve this through conversation?”

The girl spoke in a distressed voice.

Eden paused for a moment and observed the situation before him.

“Four against one seems a bit unfair… Hello? Are you all listening to me?”

The armed adventurers silently approached the girl, one step at a time.

Although Eden had only witnessed a single scene by chance, he could easily guess the situation.

‘Survival of the fittest.’

Whether human or beast, their ecology was not fundamentally different.

The weaker become prey.

Humans simply add complex decorations like laws and ethics to this simple logic, skillfully hiding it.

The girl looked weak at first glance. She was outnumbered.

If left alone, she would surely be eliminated according to the laws of nature.

Was Eden’s intervention here a stroke of luck for her, or misfortune?

‘Perhaps both.’

Eden grasped the rosary with both hands like a sword hilt.

And, swung it with force in the darkness.

Swoosh-

With the sound of cutting through the wind, the necks of the adventurers approaching the girl were simultaneously severed.

“⋯Huh? H-hey?”

The girl’s eyes widened.

The girl, perhaps not yet fully grasping the situation, stared blankly at the headless adventurers.

“H-hey, everyone? You don’t have heads! You’re… you’re not dead, are you? Is everyone okay?”

Eden swallowed a wry smile internally.

This girl was definitely not the Lich.

If that idiotic imitation was acting, she would be a great actress.

‘But that doesn’t mean I won’t cut her.’

After all, everyone gathered here tonight was destined to die by Eden’s sword.

Simply for being in the same space as the Lich.

It couldn’t be helped to blame misfortune.

How many people in the world want to die?

They just have to accept it.

Stomp-

Eden walked out of the darkness.

The girl, who had fallen into a panic, looked up at Eden with vacant eyes.

“H-help me! These people suddenly lost their heads…”

She’s truly an idiot. Eden was convinced.

Even if Eden were an adventurer full of good intentions, he wouldn’t have the skill to help people whose heads were cut off.

However, Eden still asked politely.

“Have you ever met a Lich?”

“Huh?”

“Estel Frostwind. Do you know her?”

“E-Estel?”

But at that moment.

Surprisingly, the girl’s pupils wavered.

‘This girl knows the Lich…?’

Eden held his breath.

It was a completely unexpected reaction.

He had thought she was just a clueless, simple-minded girl, but this girl had seen the Lich before.

“Yes. Estel. Where is she?”

“Wh-who are you? Why are you asking about Estel?”

The girl hunched her shoulders like a frightened herbivore.

This made it clear.

Beyond knowing the Lich, she clearly had a personal connection.

Eden realized his own good fortune and continued to ask questions.

“Did you come to take the trial together?”

“⋯.”

“She’s around here, isn’t she?”

The girl didn’t answer, but Eden knew that her silence meant affirmation.

Maintaining silence is not something anyone can do.

It requires a certain skill to give no clues to the other party, which seems simple on the surface.

It’s not just about keeping your mouth shut.

Trembling eyes.

Disrupted breathing.

Eyes that deliberately avoid contact.

All of these were answering in place of words through various non-verbal signals.

‘This girl is probably Estel’s acquaintance.’

Eden smiled faintly.

It was laughable that a monster that couldn’t die even when it died had made friends and connections in such a short time.

She’s imitating humans.

Even though she’s not human.

She’s utterly wicked.

‘I will cleanse everything thoroughly.’

Everything that Lich’s dirty hands have touched must be purified.

That is the will of Justicia.

Eden raised the Holy Sword above the girl’s head.