episode_0010

The road to the Hero Leon’s hometown, the Prune Kingdom.

Thanks to my transcendental stats, I don’t get tired even if I walk all night for a few days.

For meals, it was enough to just pick up and eat a few pieces of meat while walking.

However, for Baek-ryeon, who is still in the human realm, walking day and night for 3 days seemed too much.

“You look really tired.”

“I’m, okay, sir.”

She looks exhausted no matter how you look at it.

Looking at Baek-ryeon’s condition, her legs were wobbly, she was sweating profusely, and the focus of her eyes was not right, so her vitality was gone.

She looks like a zombie moving like that.

“Why don’t you rest if you’re tired?”

“I’m, okay, just, a little.”

“Okay, my foot. You’re even cutting your words off now.”

“Young master, seems, tired, too.”

Looking at Baek-ryeon, who was obviously tired no matter who looked at her, but still answered without giving in, I sighed.

The beautiful skin she had when I first saw her was rough, dry, and cracked.

Her peerless appearance had faded, and she looked like a patient, with dark circles under her eyes as if she hadn’t slept properly for 3 days.

Even though she was close to a walking corpse, her firm will had not disappeared.

She grew up without knowing anything for revenge, grabbed a sword and practiced it for revenge, and eventually reached a level of skill that was not inferior to being called a swordsman.

‘Time is….’

The sun has already set and the moon is rising, and the red glow is painting the sky.

It’s just the right time to rest, so I roughly settled down on the side of the road.

As I, who had been walking, sat down on the ground, she looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“I’m going to rest. I don’t know where you have to go, but it seems like it’s pretty urgent if you’ve been walking for 3 days and nights. Go ahead if you want to go first.”

“….Then, I’ll, rest, for a while, too.”

Only then did Baek-ryeon collapse and sit down. How tired she was, Baek-ryeon collapsed like a doll with its strings cut, and took a breath that had been built up, and stroked her swollen legs.

“Why are you following me?”

“Following…, I’m just…, on the same path.”

“You’re on the same path, so you followed me for 3 days without resting?”

She seemed to have nothing to say about that, and Baek-ryeon turned her gaze away without saying a word.

3 days ago.

I met her for the first time and refused Baek-ryeon, who asked me to put her in the party.

So I thought she would just go her own way, but she started following me.

‘Why are you following me?’

‘Following? I’m just on the same path. It’s a coincidence that I’m on the same path as young master, so isn’t it nice to have a chat and walk happily together? It’s good for each other?’

Truly shameless remarks.

But I decided to just let it go. It’s not like she’s following me to stab me in the back, so I don’t need to pay attention to her.

I thought she would fall off on the way if I walked hard, but that was the story 2 days ago.

I never thought she would follow me to the end in that state.

“I’m going to rest here for a day.”

“….”

“Keep that in mind.”

“Young master is so kind.”

Baek-ryeon said that and staggered up from her seat.

“Where are you going?”

“Are you curious?”

“It’ll leave a bad taste in my mouth if you wander around in that state and get hurt.”

It’s your own fault, but it’s also my fault that Baek-ryeon is in that state.

If something goes wrong in that state and something big happens, it’ll leave a bad taste in my mouth. It’s different if I have nothing to do with her.

“I feel stuffy from walking all the time. I heard water nearby, so I’m going to take a bath. Or do you want to go with me?”

“…No, I’m okay.”

The sound of water. I didn’t pay attention to it, but if I listen now, I can hear the sound of water not far away.

She’s quite sensitive.

“Well, that’s that. Is it almost the Prune Kingdom?”

If I go at this speed, I’ll arrive in a few days, but if I go while watching Baek-ryeon’s condition, it will be quite long.

Even though I wasted time wandering around the labyrinth, I still have plenty of time, so I don’t need to go in a hurry…., in a normal case, there should be a messenger to tell me the news of the Prune Kingdom, but this time there is no such messenger at all, so it’s hard to confirm the exact situation.

“The Prune Kingdom’s large-scale attack may have been averted, like when I first met Baek-ryeon.”

Even such a small action changes the story I knew, so I should think carefully about my future plans and act.

‘First of all, the demon army that is leading this attack is probably….’

* * *

『The Black Dawn Society』

It is a group of magicians who believe that the world ruled by the Demon King will come.

They claim that forbidden truths must be pursued through equality under the rule of the Demon King, and are made up of various races.

The Dawn Society is composed of 3 stages: First Order, Second Order, and Third Order.

Starting from the lowest Third Order, the number decreases rapidly as you go up to Second Order and First Order. The First Order has a total of 5 magicians, and the 5 magicians are at the pinnacle of magic. At the same time, they are treated as criminals in the world for breaking taboos.

One of those at the pinnacle of magic, occupying one seat of the First Order. 『The One Who Calls Death』 Lich Elfenletto was looking at the capital of a small kingdom.

“….Has the message come from the foolish ones?”

“There is still no response. First Order.”

“….Poor things.”

Elfenletto listened to the Second Order’s report and turned his body away from the kingdom’s capital.

Countless soldiers surrounded the kingdom’s capital, waiting only for his order to charge.

Most of them were already dead undead.

Elfenletto, who summoned the undead with the Lich’s ability and brought them here, clicked his tongue.

“It’s 1 day away. If they don’t surrender in 1 day, all the soldiers will charge and destroy the capital of that small kingdom.”

“What if they surrender before that?”

Elfenletto closed his mouth for a moment at the Second Order’s question.

After thinking for a while, he opened his mouth.

“Even so, nothing changes. In order to break the spirit of the Sword King’s successor, the Hero Leon, behead everyone and hang their bodies.”

“I understand. First Order”

The immortal army surrounding the Prune Kingdom.

The reason they suddenly started acting was simple.

The Black Dawn Society’s cherished Demon King. It was triggered by a revelation conveyed to them by 『Witch』 Timael.

【The successor of the Sword King has appeared. Break the spirit of the Sword King’s successor, the Hero Leon.】

Hero Leon.

The First Orders thought it was ‘unexpected’ that he became the successor of the Sword King, but that was all.

Most of the First Orders are made up of people who have lived for at least 200 years.

Therefore, they know exactly what the 【Sword King】 means.

It is said that the power of the Sword King is comparable to that of the Demon King, and in fact, some of the First Orders have directly experienced that power.

That’s why they would have been wary if the Sword King himself had moved, but the Sword King has already stopped acting and has been silent for 200 years.

In that situation, a successor.

The successor is a hero.

That may be dangerous, but the problem is that the successor hero is Leon.

‘No matter how much an incompetent hero inherits the Sword King’s skills, it will not be a threat to us.’

That was not just Elfenletto’s opinion.

It was the common opinion of all other First Orders. However, it is not right to ignore the revelation given directly by the Demon King they are loyal to.

That’s why Lich Elfenletto, who can command undead that are advantageous in siege warfare, came here alone.

“Well…, it would be nice if he came to find me. Hero Leon. Your despair will be the cornerstone to paint the world black….”

Although he couldn’t laugh properly in the state of a skeleton, Elfenletto said mockingly to the Sword King’s successor, the incompetent hero Leon, who was somewhere.

A hero who despairs after failing to protect his country.

“F, First Order!!”

“? What’s wrong? Did the foolish ones send a messenger?”

“N, not that…. It’s an attack!”

“Hooh. An attack. So the ones who escaped called for reinforcements. Well, who came to help? It’s too far for the Holy Kingdom to come.”

The Second Order couldn’t answer his question properly.

No, he seemed to be wondering whether he should answer or not.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“T, that is…, there are 2 attackers.”

“….What?”

For a moment, he thought he had misheard.

Not 2000, not 200, not even 20….

“2 people?….”

“Y, yes! But they are so strong that I can’t stop them…..”

Kwaang!!!

At that moment, the sound of battle was heard clearly, though far away.

Only 2 attackers.

Could it be the other 2 heroes? No, but I knew the locations of the other heroes. There is no one who can come here right now, and the only hero who can arrive quickly is Hero Abel.

In the first place, the hero would create his own party.

A hero party of only 2 people?….

“…Could it be…”

At that moment, Elfenletto had a revelation that flashed through his mind.

It was a revelation that he and all the other First Orders knew. The revelation that led him to come here.

【The successor of the Sword King has appeared. Break the spirit of the Sword King’s successor, the Hero Leon.】

“Could it be…, Hero Leon?….”

* * *

“What should I do….”

The King of the Prune Kingdom. Adomos Prune sighed and looked at his vassals.

But the vassals did not easily answer the king’s question, but only looked at each other and hesitated.

Seeing that, Adomos trembled without hiding his dark complexion.

“A hero was born in the kingdom, and everyone was happy…, but the hero was called an incompetent hero and was ridiculed by everyone in the world, and now the demon army is right in front of the capital and threatening us…, what should I do…”

A lament-like word.

But everyone agreed with the king’s words.

A hero is not just a symbolic existence.

Overwhelming power to defeat the Demon King. That power is the military power of the country.

In particular, the Prune Kingdom is a weak country that receives a lot of pressure from the surrounding area. The story that a hero was born in such a country made not only the people in the palace but also all the people very happy.

But as time passed, and the other 2 heroes were playing a big role in their respective positions and raising their fame, Hero Leon did not gain any fame and was just called an incompetent hero.

Everyone in the kingdom could not hide their sadness. In particular, when the news that Hero Leon had disappeared without even participating in the exchange meeting about a month ago reached the Prune Kingdom, the current king, Adomos Prune, collapsed.

“First of all, we need to discuss how to deal with the demon army surrounding the castle walls. Fortunately, we have confirmed that the messenger safely escaped through the undead army. If we run like this and ask for support from the surrounding countries and the Holy Kingdom, we must desperately defend the castle while waiting for that time.”

“Didn’t you see the number of undead armies outside the castle walls? Siege against that number! No matter how many advantages siege has over attacking, it is only possible with a certain realistic number. Moreover, they are undead. If you don’t have divine power, they will revive even if you kill them!”

“Then what do you want us to do, surrender like this? Do you think the vicious demon army will spare us if we surrender?”

Soon, the situation was divided into ‘We must defend the castle until support arrives.’ and ‘We must surrender to plan for the future.’

Each of their statements had convincing grounds, so it was not easy to decide on one side.

As the meeting gradually became heated, the king slammed the round table.

Bang!

“Silence!!”

“”….””

“I have gathered you to discuss what I should do. Not to blame and criticize each other!!”

At the king’s words, the defensive faction and the surrender faction bowed their heads without saying anything.

Originally, this was not the issue that was being discussed here.

Hero Leon went missing, and the party prepared by the kingdom for Hero Leon was absorbed by other heroes.

The talents prepared by the kingdom to support Hero Leon were transferred to other countries.

At least Tirith, who was a knight of the Prune Kingdom, returned to the kingdom, but she missed Hero Leon’s whereabouts.

Also, we would have been discussing whether to hold her accountable for letting the Prune Kingdom’s talents pass to other heroes in vain.

If the demon army had not suddenly surrounded the kingdom.

As he reached that point in his thoughts, the king slowly looked around the quiet conference room and opened his mouth.

“I will surrender.”

“Your Majesty!…”

“How long can we last here if we don’t surrender! Are you just going to let innocent people die meaningless deaths because of our pride!”

“…..”

I can’t help it.

This is the best choice to save many people.

The king, who had judged that, was about to call someone to send a messenger when a soldier came to the conference room.

“Hey! Do you know what kind of place this is now! How dare you come here so impolitely!”

“S, sorry! But I have something urgent to tell the king!….”

One of the nobles who was there scolded the intruding soldier, but the soldier shouted, even at the expense of such rudeness.

“There has been a change in the movement of the demon army that was stationed outside the capital!”

“!!”

“Are they attacking us!”

Everyone was confused by the soldier’s words.

But at the soldier’s additional remarks, they all froze.

“It seems that the demon army is currently engaging in combat with something! With something that broke into the rear of the demon army…., I couldn’t confirm it properly because it was so far away, but it seems that the enemies are agitated to the point that they can’t even maintain the encirclement properly!!”

“!”

If this is true, this may be an opportunity to counterattack.

But at the same time, this may be a trap to lure us out, who are focused on defending the castle.

Go out of the castle and join the forces fighting the demon army, even though it may be a trap.

Or lock the castle gates as they are and wait for what will happen later in fear.

Once again, the king was at a crossroads of choice, and the king chose.

“Sort out the soldiers who can move. If it’s support from outside, we have a duty to welcome them.”