episode_0067

I slowly calmed my rough breathing, but did not loosen my grip on the rabbit.

Because I already learned the lesson from that mistake the hard way last time.

Maintaining the restraints, he waited for Emma to approach him, clawing her hooves.

She too was approaching me cautiously, without taking her eyes off Aladikh behind her.

“Emma, please hold on to this woman. Because I will take charge of Aladikh again.”

“I understand. Owner.”

In order to catch an expert killer rabbit that is hundreds of years old, it was right to put strength and weight that were clearly superior to technology that could not be matched no matter what.

And Emma, who took on the form of a half-man and half-horse, was better than me in both aspects.

The moment we made eye contact and nodded, I quickly stepped back and watched Emma pounce on the unconscious rabbit once again.

The purpose was to go beyond simply subduing her and confirm whether she had truly lost consciousness.

However, if it were not for the curse of immortality placed on her, the shock would have crushed her internal organs, but the rabbit did not even moan and just fainted.

Even so, I couldn’t completely let down my guard, but at least I could feel more at ease as I trusted Emma.

I left the newly captured game with Emma and walked to pick up the spear that had fallen along with the sword.

After carefully pulling out the sword stuck in the gap to avoid getting poison on my hand, I grabbed the spear and approached another prey.

Aladikh carefully lifted the neck pressed under the female warrior’s ax blade and looked at me with half-resigned eyes.

“..Well… you finally achieved what you wanted. Hunter of the Empire. Was the hunting satisfying?”

“It’s not over yet, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see a little more.”

“It seems like you want me to fill in those shortcomings?”

In response to Aladikh’s response, he pressed the ax with a little more force for a moment, as if trying to silence her.

I quietly made eye contact with the female warrior and shook my head.

There was no need to hold the window any tighter.

The female warrior of this land also remembered the promise she made to me, and she was not a person who did not know honor enough to break her promise.

As long as I keep my promise that no harm will come to her people and the land they live in, she will not interfere with what I do with Aladih.

With a deep breath, she nodded, and as the ax slowly retreated upward, Aladih watched with interest.

“What kind of deal did you make to convince the warrior who came here at the behest of the gods of this land to save me?…

Actually, as the person involved, I should naturally be anxious… but on the other hand, I can’t help but feel curious.”

“Then you will find out soon and you will be happy.”

The female warrior, who had remained silent the entire time, slightly lifted her ax and spoke sarcastically.

While she nodded at Aladikh to stand up, she placed the ax blade on the back of Aladikh’s neck again and urged him to go forward.

I approached Yong A-byeong, who had fallen to the ground and was trying to get his trembling body back up.

“Just in case anyone doubts it, let me say it again: your fall was not our plan.”

She nodded at what I said, but somehow tried to move her motionless hand towards the handle of the sword.

After that, you will know what to say and not necessarily continue.

It wasn’t an intentional betrayal by me, who was basically an enemy, and I had no reason not to take advantage of the misfortune that had befallen her.

Surprisingly, the desperate effort to grab the sword was a trick.

The weak hand, which seemed like there was no need to be on guard, suddenly held the dagger that was hidden in my bosom, struck the ground with a shield, and fired from the end of my body, as if shooting, towards my vital area.

As expected, it could only be said that it was wise for her not to let down her guard against Yong A-byeong, no matter his condition.

He rushes towards her and, under the stabbing blade, digs in underneath her and hugs her.

The body that I had somehow forced to stand up without paying attention to balance for one fatal sneak attack collapsed helplessly under my lunge and hit the floor.

I twisted my arm slightly, dropped the dagger, grabbed the shield, and snatched it away. The only thing Yongahyeong could give me was his fierce gaze.

“…The sisters will come and kill you.”

As I picked her up the same way I had knocked her down and draped her over my shoulder, venomous words flew out of her eyes.

Considering that she herself is addicted to poison, it might be said to be ironic.

“We need to think hard about ways to avoid that.”

In fact, what I was doing now was part of that, but there was no need to tell her that.

When Yongahbyeong was placed back on the floor, others lay down next to her.

“Hmm… I think I know more about what it is now. So… do you want to renew your contract?”

Aladikh looked back and forth between the still unconscious rabbit woman and the dragon soldier who was glaring at her, then turned his gaze back to me and asked.

“That’s right. To be exact, it is a contract that includes those two people.”

As the number of people involved in the contract increases, the restrictions placed on her will become more complex, and that is exactly what we wanted.

This time, I couldn’t allow her to pull another trick.

She herself will be at least at ease if she is tied up in a tangled web.

“What if I refuse?”

The problem was whether Alladih would be obediently tied to the rope.

The question was answered with the added force of the female warrior’s axe, but…

We all knew that that couldn’t be a sufficient answer.

Including Aladikh himself.

As a mythical being of this land, Aladikh possessed considerable immortality and was accustomed to enduring pain in this darkness.

Nevertheless, the reason I was calmly held under the warrior’s axe was because I knew that there was nothing I could gain from enduring the pain until now.

So, I had to be careful about my next offer to her.

“It won’t be so good for either of us. It’s the exact opposite of what it would be like if you accepted our offer.”

I spoke clearly as I looked straight at Aladikh, who was holding his neck to the ax blade and letting the blood flow.

“To all of us… What good thing do you want to offer me?”

“It’s exactly what you were hoping for. Escape out of this space.”

It certainly seemed like an offer she had never expected.

Of course, I brought it up right away in hopes of doing so, but since I had achieved exactly the effect I wanted, I had to take full advantage of it.

While Aladikh was shocked and couldn’t say anything for a moment, I continued talking.

“Of course, I have to tell you that it is not what you hoped.

I don’t intend to lie on that point.

Still, I’m sure it will be much better than being trapped in this darkness forever.”

“…What is the price of this generous offer?”

Alladih was no longer smiling.

Her question was devoid of any composure she had shown so far.

The opportunity for freedom that I thought I almost had, but was thwarted, could not have been possible after being told that the opportunity was still there.

It contained only a pure desire that could not be suppressed.

“…Leaving this land with us completely.”

After hearing the answer to the question, Aladikh remained still for a moment without any reaction, then quietly closed his eyes and remained silent.

As if thinking about the answer I gave, about a place completely different from the land where she was born so long ago.

It was both a new achievement for her and a complete renunciation.

Escaping the darkness and shadows that had been her prison for so long, while also running away from the land she had hoped to one day take over with her clan.

Depending on which of the two means more to her… I might have to pick up the spear again, too.

Finally, Aladikh opened his eyes again and opened his mouth.

“…Good.”

Let me try my best to stretch my rope anew in the land of the ‘empire’ from which you came.

Of course, I believe that what a hunter like you hunts will be enough to satisfy my thirst.”

Her tone of voice had become completely calm, but the desire that had been revealed just a moment ago was still burning in her eyes.

“I also believe that you will be able to distinguish between where you can stretch your rope and where you should not stretch it to quench your thirst.”

Only an answer with a level of determination that could match her desire could satisfy her, so I answered without the slightest hesitation.

And she, too, took action immediately without any hesitation.

As if I had waited too long, as if I could no longer suppress my feelings.

As soon as Aladikh heard my confirmation, he started muttering something quietly.

Words that I couldn’t understand even if I listened carefully were twisted and twisted like a complicated skein of thread.

Until it finally takes shape and hangs outward.

And the words and sentences that became fluttering green threads soon wriggled their way toward the objects they were meant to tie.

Toward the head of the cursed rabbit, the dragon soldier, and Aladikh himself.

The web grew brighter as it wrapped around them all like a leash.

So much so that when it finally rises from the center of the three beings, it almost becomes a cluster of pure light.

Soon, the soaring light changed direction and came towards me, shimmering.

I put the spear I was holding in the ground, and it coiled as if I was being sucked into the grasp that was extended forward, until I was engraved in the grasp.

When the light subsides and I open my hand, only very faint letters sparkle for a moment and then disappear into the darkness.

But we all knew for sure.

At this moment, the magic of the thread that binds the parties is connected more clearly than ever.

Therefore, Aladikh, who had just completed his contract, slowly bowed down and said hello to me.

Since she had honored me and agreed to follow me in accordance with the conclusion of the contract, I also had to keep my promise to her.

“Alladih. Please leave your people aside for a moment.

Since Rubia hasn’t returned yet to stop them… Then…”

I continued speaking, pointing somewhere beyond the darkness with a hand that had light engraved on it.

“Let’s get out of here.”