episode_0017

***

▶Another Tale◀

This is another story.

***

[She was a hero]

[He helped to drive away a huge part of the darkness and bring about an era of peace]

[The crowd chanted the hero’s name]

[Looking up at the pride of the city, he cheered]

[“””Bendel!”””]

[“””Bendel!”””]

[Ladola Bendel]

[The crowd gathered in the square cheered wildly as she raised her hand]

[The world now knows her face and her name]

[I knew Bendel]

[Under the hero’s deeds and glory, Bendel and the city will now enjoy endless glory]

[The hero was delighted at the bright future that welcomed him with open arms]

[-Bendel…]

[It was then that I heard a voice that seemed to be transmitted through my entire body’s skin rather than my ears]

[-Isn’t it quite manly?]

[-What a great hero]

[-I wish you could see yourself right now]

[-The sight of that reckless brat who didn’t know his place is no longer visible]

[Bendel tried not to show it, even though he was shivering from the unpleasantness that seemed to be engraved into his very existence]

[No one should know]

[his relationship with this terrible being]

[-I suddenly became curious]

[-How will they react]

[-If you find out that the so-called great and upright hero is actually a mean idiot]

[-If you knew that you had kissed the back of the hand of a monster the world despised and achieved glory…]

[-If you find out that you are a worm willing to sacrifice your future for personal glory…]

[shut up!]

[The hero shouted inwardly.]

[After that, no more voices were heard.]

[The hero lived in glory, never once shaking off anxiety]

[I’m afraid that the glory I’ve achieved will crumble away in an instant one day]

[… something that never happened in the end]

[It was one morning when everyone – even Ladola – took Bendel’s glory for granted]

[Good news spread throughout the continent]

[The forest night is over]

[night]

[It was the name given to the most evil beings on the continent]

[And the night of the forest was the one who made a contract with Bendel Ladola that no one knew about]

[Ladola regained peace while recalling the anxiety she had forgotten]

[Through this, the glory of Bendel will last forever]

***

The illegitimate child ran away from the mansion against the will of the family head.

And that too with Miss Loera.

Gerhen’s face turned pale as he relayed the facts, including his own mistakes.

“Okay, then back off for now.”

Idor Bendel, left alone in the room, let out a deep sigh.

He got up from his seat and went to the window.

Through the window, I took in the garden of the mansion – and the statue occupying its center.

[In memory of the greatest Bendel, Ladola Bendel]

The glory of Bendel is the value achieved by our great ancestors.

Our mission is to continue that glory.

This was the mindset that the head of the Bendel family must have.

“I… went too far… ”

Idor’s love for Loera is genuine.

This remains true even though she went against her father’s wishes and caused him great disappointment.

however.

Idor was the head of the Bendel family.

Before he was Loera’s father.

Bendel’s illegitimate child and young lady lost respect for their master.

They will both get it back.

With this, Risir will marry Dintal as planned, and Loera will have a more devoted heart towards her family.

With a willing heart.

That was the moment when Idor made up his mind.

-It’s an intrusion!!!

An urgent voice is heard outside the window.

Idor doubted his own ears.

Invasion?

Here, at the Bendel Mansion?

Who dares?

Idor immediately left the office.

Gerhen, who was waiting in the hallway, was talking to the soldiers of the family.

“Go, my lord!”

“Report it.”

“Intruder!”

“What is the size?”

The soldier who came to report opened his mouth with difficulty, watching the owner’s expression.

***

As the details of the report continued, Idor’s confusion grew.

“The size of the intruder… As of now, it is known that there is only one person.”

“The intrusion route, as he himself revealed, was through the main gate of the mansion!”

“The current trend is, in the garden… looking at the garden…”

“I requested an interview with the owner… and until the owner agrees to the interview, I will be quietly looking around the garden…”

Both the soldier reporting and Idor listening looked like they had no idea what was being said.

“And, as a special feature, he is a dark elf.”

But as the story continues, Idor’s expression changes.

He immediately opened the window in the hallway and jumped out.

Even though it was five stories high, the landing was as soft as a feather.

And the subsequent rush was as fierce as an arrow.

Gerhen followed immediately, but by the time he landed, Idor had already disappeared.

In a move that made even knights with physical abilities outside the ordinary category look shabby, Idor, the head of the Bendel family, arrived at the mansion garden in no time.

The purple robe, made of a tight mesh material that seemed transparent but wasn’t, gave off a mysterious and secretive vibe.

Her voluminous silver hair, reaching down to her waist, looked like a cascade of silver.

And most of all, those pointy ears.

Those ears, dyed a cursed color.

As the soldier reported, there was a dark elf wandering around the garden and looking around.

With a leisurely look, as if I was strolling through my own courtyard.

“My lord…!”

The troops already stationed at the mansion had gathered around.

Even just reading the articles, it was a force of such a level that it would be difficult to resist an invasion, even if it was a bold one.

“What are you guys doing! How dare you let that bastard leave his dirty footprints on Bendel!”

Idor’s roar. The soldiers understood Idor’s anger very well.

They too were extremely offended by the fact that the cursed being had so arbitrarily invaded their pride, Bendel.

Yet the reason they didn’t do anything until the master arrived.

“…”

The head of the household turned his gaze to a part of the garden.

It was a decoration carved from a thicket of bushes in the shape of a woman.

“Moriye.”

As Idor said, the decoration was modeled after Morye, one of the knights of Bendel.

And Idor noticed immediately.

That’s not some kind of grass decoration modeled after Moriye, it’s Moriye covered in grass.

“Moriye~ That’s the name~ Thank you? For letting me know. I asked the person in question, but no matter how many times I asked, there were things that didn’t answer, right? It was so difficult because the conversation just wouldn’t continue.”

That happened. It was really awkward.

It was as if he had met an acquaintance on a walk and was chatting leisurely.

There, a lively smile like a field full of flowers.

All of this, combined with the story of Bendel’s knight Morye, who was unraveling before his eyes, created a strong sense of incongruity.

“Ugh… Ugh…”

The trainees were already terrified and had lost their will to fight.

“I, a curse… a curse…! The curse of the dark elf…!”

Some of the apprentice knights didn’t even think about drawing their swords.

“Wake up, Humton!”

The knights pressed them.

“Don’t forget that you are in front of the Lord!”

“…!”

It was like a magical language filled with some kind of power.

Their mood changed as they belatedly confirmed the existence of the owner of the house due to the knight’s urging.

They straightened their stance again, drew their swords, and aimed them at the dark elf.

Now there was not even a hint of fear on their faces.

That was the presence of the Bendel family.

The spirit that Idor radiated completely dominated the place.

“Everyone, step back.”

Balgeom. Idor took up his stance.

He was the first to raise his senses and sense the surrounding area.

“Alone.”

“Because it’s something I can handle on my own.”

“Now. Are you going to challenge our Bendel with your own body? Do you think you can handle all of this by yourself?”

“Hmm~”

The dark elf pointed at them with the tip of his finger.

Gaju. Knight. And. And-

The dark elf points to the three knights including the head of the household and shakes his head.

” Dealing with all of this – probably difficult? But wouldn’t it be okay? I’m not really trying to challenge Bendel or invade Bendel. ”

Exactly. The dark elf snapped his fingers.

At the same time, the grass that had covered Moriye disappeared.

“Ah…”

Blurry eyes.

“Ehehe…”

She walked back to her colleagues with a staggering gait.

“What did you do to her?”

“I just wanted to give you a little help to calm down? Did you know? White bird flowers are very helpful for calming the mind and body? Oh. And I added some strong visual effects to make things more efficient, so please understand? See? You and I are already face to face, having a polite conversation? This is a very good flow. Let’s quickly finish our business and go our separate ways.”

“You are too arrogant. Dark elf. Do you think I, the one who would send you back like that? You who dared step on the main gate of Bendel without permission with those dirty feet. ”

“To correct this, it’s not that I didn’t get permission, but I’m in a position where I don’t need permission?”

Nonsense.

Just as Idor was about to rebuke, the dark elf pulled out a scroll of parchment from his bosom.

“Bendel? It is time to fulfill the contract. As your agent, I will make sure to hand over the most precious treasure in Bendel as promised. ”

“You are spouting madman’s nonsense, as befitting a cursed race.”

“Oh my? Why are you ignoring me? No? You don’t seem to be ignoring me? What the hell is going on?”

hmm.

A dark elf taps his lips with his finger, lost in thought.

“Ah!”

She waved her fingers cheerfully in recognition.

“Surely, that guy. Did Ladola Bendel not say anything?”

“I will warn you for the first and last time. Dark Elf. Do not let his name be spoken in your filthy mouth. ”

“Right. That’s why contracts must be written down. Isn’t that right?”

The dark elf responded to Gaju’s murderous rage with a lively smile.

She unrolled the parchment and unfolded it with both hands. Then she showed it to Idor.

The superhuman’s eyesight allowed him to read the contents of the parchment without difficulty, even from a distance.

[I, Radola Bendel, swear by the night in the forest]

[When the castle built with borrowed power reaches the highest point, it will give out the most precious treasure.]

The expression on Gaju’s face was filled with shock.

Night in the forest.

Because it was none other than the Seven Worst Axes that reigned during the Age of Chaos.

Further conversation is pointless.

No. It’s dangerous.

Gaju ran towards the dark elf without hesitation.

“Soras.”

What stopped the family was a single plant zombie that had emerged from the ground.

The zombie that once burst into nothingness at the blow of an illegitimate child-

“…!”

He took the poison with his bare body, containing the will of the head of the household to kill him in one blow.

The owner moved his arms with all his might.

The sword stuck in the plant zombie’s shoulder could no longer advance or retreat.

“My lord!!!”

“Support the Lord!!!”

The soldiers skillfully formed an immediate encirclement and pressed the dark elves from the flanks.

The dark elf once again uttered a name that wasn’t even funny.

It was a plant zombie that was noticeably larger than before.

The thing called Muummu lifted its arms with all its might and struck the ground.

bang!

One loud noise.

“Ewww!!!”

“What is this!!!”

And the screams of stillbirth.

The earth is literally shattered into pieces.

Numerous cracks appeared, and countless vines grew through them.

They had the will to tie the limbs of the soldiers.

So two again.

The dark elf approached Idor.

Idor swung his sword with all his might.

A diagonal line starting from the shoulder split the zombie’s body apart.

Finally, the sword of Idor was freed.

…and the zombie’s body that had been split in two was restored as if nothing had happened.

Idor realized that the plant zombies were a type of golem.

In order to completely destroy it, it was necessary to destroy the core hidden somewhere in the body.

Or just blow it all away with overwhelming force.

Idor’s sword was set on fire.

At first glance, a clear and strong mana energy rose up.

The Bendel series.

It was at that moment that Idor’s sword was about to devour the plant zombie.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

The dark elf continued to spout out ridiculous names.

Idor couldn’t smile at all.

A plant zombie that blocked Idor’s sword attack with its own body.

They started to appear one after another.

The giant zombie named Muumum, who had previously subdued all the soldiers, was sitting on the ground, looking at the flowers that had bloomed.

“…”

Idor’s fighting spirit dispersed and turned into laughter.

“Yes, you bastard…!”

The stern knight’s eyes were no more.

Idor’s eyes, looking at the dark elf, were soon shaking with fascination.

The dark elf answered with his usual cheerful smile.

“As I said, you are the agent of the contract? You have no relation to the person called Forest Night.”

I could tell at a glance that it was a lie.

However, Idor did not have the courage to dig in.

“Okay, then. Bendel? What do you want to do now?”

The dark elf closed the distance.

Idor tried to move away, but vines sprouting from the ground restrained his movements.

“…What do you want?”

“What should I do~ You didn’t even listen to what I said~”

The dark elf made a comical shriek and whispered in Idor’s ear.

“Do you want the world to know the truth? Bendel. That your great ancestors were, in fact, liars. That your true roots lie not in the great heroes, but in the worst villains of the past.”

“That’s…!”

Idor’s frustration was not simply due to the oppression of force.

He felt the power contained within the parchment.

The mysterious powers of the dark elves, some of which were rooted in parchment.

She was truly an agent of the contract.

Bendel was truly the subject of the contract.

Great Ancestor Ladola.

She was truly a coward who sought power from the most evil being.

He was a liar who hid the fact and pretended to be an honorable hero.

“Hmm~”

Suddenly, the dark elf stared at Idor right in front of him.

Strangely enough, Idor felt no interest from her at all.

The dark elf was clearly looking at Idor, but he was looking for someone else in that face.

Soon she let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness~ They don’t look alike at all~”

The dark elf suddenly felt better for some reason and handed the parchment to Idor.

“Let’s not complicate things any further. As I said, I’m just an agent for the contract. I could expose your shameful faces, but if I get what I want, there’s no reason to do that.”

“…Say it.”

“As I said, I’ll take the most precious thing from Bendel?”

“That’s…what is it…”

“You may not understand, but there is a child named Risir.”

“…!”

Idor’s eyes widened.

His expression was filled with bewilderment.

“I will comply with your request.”

Then it was covered with Ando.

Idor saw new possibilities in Risir.

I saw the value he could bring to the family.

But if it can solve the problem at hand, there is no greater possibility or value.

“…”

The dark elf, looking at Idor like that, lost his lively smile for a moment.

***

Pamon was even more annoyed by Idor’s reaction.

The most precious thing Bendel has.

What is that reaction when I tell him I’ll take Risir in return?

I’m really upset.

If only I had my heart set on taking not what was most precious by my own standards, but what was most precious by that person’s standards.

‘no.’

It’s stupid.

How can you have personal feelings toward such a lowly human being?

Pamon didn’t like this man.

That’s why I was thinking of taking Risir from him even more.

Pamon turned his attention completely to Idor and handed him the parchment.

The thorns of the vine pricked Idor’s thumb, causing it to bleed.

After a moment’s hesitation, Idor stamped his fingerprint on the parchment.

“Okay, then let’s use this to re-… Huh?”

Pamon checked the parchment urgently.

“Oh my, oh my, oh my.”

She covered her mouth with her hand in delight.

“You stupid people. You should have taken better care of them.”

“What…?”

Despite the imprint of Idor, the parchment contract was not fulfilled.

Lisir.

Because he was no longer Bendel’s property.

A promise known only to the Bendel family and their illegitimate children.

A promise that if the illegitimate child wins the duel, he will be allowed to leave the family.

That promise, which I had taken lightly because it was a promise to an illegitimate child, has now taken effect.

“…!”

As if he had guessed, Idor’s eyes opened wide.

“Okay, wait!!! If you give me a little bit of an explanation-”

“No? I’m a bit busy, you know? Since the order has already been given, I’ll just pick whatever I want and take it.”

“What the-…uhm!!!”

The vines covered Idor’s mouth.

Pamon left the Bendel mansion with brisk steps.

Because there was no more business here.

There was no pursuit.

“My lord. Regarding the young lady…”

“…Forget it.”

“Yes?”

“Forget everything that happened today.”

The pursuit of dark elves.

The pursuit of the illegitimate child and the young lady who left the mansion.

Idor tried hard to forget what had happened today.

He hoped that his illegitimate child and daughter, who went out with the cursed dark elf, would not return-

I hoped nothing like that would happen.

As our respected ancestors did in the past.

The price of a promise.

It was a long and winding road until we finally arrived in Bendel.

It was a downfall.

It was as fast as it was late that it began to eat away at Bendel.

***

Several hours after leaving the Bendel mansion.

Risir reunited with Pamon at the promised place.

And then I heard something very unexpected.

“So then, my disciple. Tell me what you want?”

“…Huh?”