episode_0285

Eastern District.

Pleasure District.

Yoo-shin Jung looked down at the wheezing Gibson.

Gibson, who had soiled himself, had fainted. It seemed like he couldn’t even breathe properly due to the potency of the paralysis poison.

Screeeeeak.

The gambling den door creaked open, and a beauty with long, purple hair appeared.

It was obvious at first glance.

Succubus.

Not Jebella, who had clung to Luther.

A much stronger opponent than Jebella.

Even a little more beautiful.

But.

Beautiful thorns always have poison.

The woman standing right in front of him was the one who poisoned Gibson.

Yoo-shin Jung stood up and bowed his head.

“Thank you.”

The succubus smiled, pushing her flowing purple hair behind her ear.

“It wasn’t a big enough deal to receive thanks.”

“Yes.”

Yoo-shin Jung’s wariness soared.

Even if Gibson was drunk and out of it, and obsessed with gambling, he was a member of the hero’s party.

‘To poison a guy like that to the point where he can’t even move?’

It means she’s not just anyone.

It would be strange not to be wary since she easily neutralized such a person.

The succubus woman gave a charming smile.

“My introduction was late. I am Bellua, the leader of the Nightless Clan, 5th in the Eastern District. I have the Succubus Queen imprint.”

Yoo-shin Jung was taken aback.

‘A bigger figure than I thought has popped out?’

Before finding Gibson, he had asked Aldaine, the head of the monster dismantling center, for help.

He said he needed help catching Gibson.

Aldaine immediately gathered personnel and sent them to the Eastern District, but a strange answer came back.

A monster woman clan said they would help.

They said Gibson had been harming their clan members, so they wanted to lend a hand.

The plan, which was finalized with Yoo-shin Jung’s consent, ended easily enough to be anticlimactic.

Why?

Because Gibson was lying there in front of him.

Yoo-shin Jung just made eye contact with the Succubus Queen and turned his body.

“Snub-nose, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Snub-nose carried Gibson on his back and followed Yoo-shin Jung.

Bellua watched Yoo-shin Jung’s back with a faint smile.

“Our clan members have suffered a lot because of that hero party guide, are you just going to let him go like this?”

Bellua smiled again at her subordinate’s question.

“Don’t worry too much. I’ll take care of it.”

* * *

“Ptoo-uh-uh-huht!!!”

Gibson opened his eyes, gasping for breath, and looked around.

“Wh, where is this…?”

The front yard of a building, thick with the smell of blood.

He had been poisoned, fainted, and dragged somewhere, but he couldn’t figure out where this was.

“You’re awake?”

He turned his head at the voice he heard.

In the corner of the yard. A man was sitting in front of a quietly burning bonfire.

There was also a boar beastman, standing quietly and glaring at him.

Gibson’s pupils shook.

He realized the identity of the man sitting by the bonfire.

“S… Scar.”

Scar was sitting around the bonfire, looking at the sky.

Gibson raised his voice.

“Wh, what on earth is going on?!”

Scar lowered his head and looked at Gibson.

“What do you mean, what’s going on? Don’t you know better than anyone?”

“…Is it because I ran away from the 20th floor?”

“…”

Scar poked at the bonfire without answering.

“Even so, isn’t this too much?! I won’t deny that I deserve to be criticized for abandoning my party members out of fear, but how can you tie someone up like this?! And use poison? Is it okay to treat the Empire’s hero party like this?!”

Gibson became more and more elated as he continued to speak.

“Is this bastard…!”

Snub-nose tried to step forward, unable to listen anymore, but Yoo-shin Jung raised his hand to stop him.

“Hold it.”

“Yes.”

Gibson’s eyes flashed.

‘I see.’

The fact that Scar had been deceiving him until now was surprising enough to make his heart jump out, but that was it.

He had a strong feeling that he wouldn’t hurt him.

“Scar, do you think you can get away with deceiving our hero party?”

“…”

“What will happen if the hero finds out? Will he leave you alone? Untie these ropes. It’s not too late now. This can end well.”

Gibson urged in a gentle tone.

However.

There was no answer from Yoo-shin Jung.

Gibson was about to open his mouth with a frustrated expression when.

Thud. Thud.

A group of humans appeared from over there.

Gibson’s eyes widened.

“Y, Hero!”

The hero party.

Cyan, Luther, and Sebastian emerged from the darkness.

Cyan approached with a stiff face.

“Scar.”

Yoo-shin Jung looked around at the hero party and smiled.

“You’ve come?”

The atmosphere among the party members was heavy.

Especially Luther and Sebastian.

Yoo-shin Jung inwardly clicked his tongue.

‘It’s not easy.’

They didn’t come straight to the inn where he was staying even after finding out he had deceived them.

Rather than rushing in and bombarding him with questions.

He must have thought it was a better decision to assess the situation and gather information about him.

And.

Yoo-shin Jung’s prediction was correct. Fear was written on Luther and Sebastian’s faces.

Luther opened his mouth.

“You, you were a fearsome man.”

Yoo-shin Jung smiled as he put firewood in the bonfire.

“Me? I’m just an ignorant Barbaroi who doesn’t know anything.”

“How could that be?”

“…”

“I’ve heard everything you’ve done in the Labyrinth City so far. The Butcher of the Labyrinth City, and the representative of the small and medium-sized clan gatherings. I also know that you talked about war in front of the Crown Prince during the summit.”

Yoo-shin Jung turned his head and looked at Luther.

“Our priest has studied a lot.”

“Why did you deceive us?”

Yoo-shin Jung didn’t answer Luther’s question and looked at Sebastian.

“Wizard, calm your magic.”

“…”

“Do you want to die here?”

Sebastian’s magic, which had been on edge, gradually subsided.

Luther stepped forward.

“The reason you deceived us…”

“Luther Bernstein. Senior Inquisitor belonging to the Central Inquisition. He openly claimed that Cyan, the hero who received the divinity of Lux Aeterna, has a higher status than the Emperor of the Empire.”

Luther’s face turned white.

“H, how?!”

“It all comes out if you investigate.”

“I, I…”

He had never openly claimed that.

It was just a slip of the tongue during a theological debate.

But his words were severely distorted and spread.

He was branded as someone who denied the legitimacy of the Emperor.

Nevertheless, he did not take back his words.

‘I’m not wrong! It was a fact according to doctrine!’

Yoo-shin Jung left the confused Luther alone and looked at Sebastian.

“Sebastian Terbane. The third son of the Terbane family, a high-ranking noble family of the Empire. One of the disciples of the Empire’s Magic Tower Master. He has excellent talent, but caused several major conflicts within the Magic Tower due to his arrogant personality. Some conflicts caused significant damage to the Empire’s Magic Tower. Furthermore, he is suspected of murdering another disciple of the Magic Tower Master.”

The flustered Sebastian raised his voice.

“Th, that guy started it first!!! It wasn’t my fault!!”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t there.”

Yoo-shin Jung shrugged and continued.

“But I know one thing. The Crown Prince sent you here to die.”

Thud!!!

People were shocked.

Yoo-shin Jung turned his head and looked at Cyan.

“Is that all? Cyan, who has obtained a divinity comparable to that of the Emperor, has become a political enemy without even realizing it.”

“…”

Cyan bit his lip tightly.

“It’s also possible that the Emperor of the Empire really sent Cyan to protect the Labyrinth City. But.”

Yoo-shin Jung pointed his finger at Luther and Sebastian.

“You guys were sent to die. Looking at you now, you were guys who deserved to die. You had decent skills, so you were perfect for covering things up.”

“…”

Yoo-shin Jung looked down at Gibson.

“Lastly, Gibson. He served in the ranger unit in the northeastern mountains of the Empire. His pathfinding skills and trap detection abilities are top-notch even in the ranger unit. He would rape beastmen women, release them when they were pregnant, and enjoy hunting them.”

The blood drained from Gibson’s face.

“And there’s one more thing. He conspired with the Vaisis Clan and tried to get involved in the slave trade. Who would become slaves? It’s obvious he would catch those without names or power in the Southern District.”

Gibson’s voice trembled.

“H, how?”

“How am I so sure? An executive from the Vaisis Clan came and told me. To close my eyes and plug my ears. Is that all? He committed disgusting acts against ‘people’ with monster imprints and the Ein in the Eastern District.”

When the party members, including Cyan, looked at Gibson, he lowered his head.

“…”

Silence passed over the bonfire.

“Do you understand now? You guys are guys who deserve to die. The Crown Prince misunderstood my personality and tried to cause a moderate amount of discord to gain political advantage, but he underestimated me too much.”

Yoo-shin Jung stood up and drew his longsword.

Swish.

The cold blade flashed in the light.

Luther and Sebastian were startled and stepped back.

“Scar! Wh, why the sword all of a sudden?!”

“Gibson will die here.”

“…”

People gritted their teeth.

“You’ve all heard what he did. Step forward if you have any complaints.”

No one stepped forward.

Although it was a short time, Luther and Sebastian had come to realize.

That the Ein, whom they had oppressed and despised so much, were also ‘people’ after all.

Both of them realized this more vividly because they had mixed flesh with monsters.

Therefore.

They had no intention of defending Gibson, who had hunted and killed pregnant Ein.

Besides, wasn’t he the guy who ran away without looking back when a life-threatening crisis struck on the 20th floor?

They didn’t feel any sympathy at all.

Yoo-shin Jung brought his longsword to Gibson’s neck.

“Gibson, farewell.”

Gibson raised his head and shouted.

“P, Priest!!! S, Sebastian!!! I was wrong!!! I’ll live cleanly from now on!!! Pl, please, just spare m, my life…!”

“Let’s go cleanly.”

With that indifferent reply, Yoo-shin Jung raised his sword.

“Wait a moment.”

Someone walked out of the darkness.

The succubus woman he had seen a little while ago. Bellua, the leader of the Nightless Clan, 5th in the Eastern District.

Jebella and Seti were also standing next to her.

Luther and Sebastian’s faces stiffened.

Bellua walked over and opened her mouth.

“Scar, would you mind handing that person over to us?”

“Why?”

Despite the short question that lacked any politeness, Bellua’s expression did not change.

“I heard everything you said, Scar. This man named Gibson killed a lot of Ein, didn’t he?”

“That’s right.”

“Then how about making him give birth as much as he killed? I think it would be better than death.”

Yoo-shin Jung was silent for a long time before finally opening his mouth.

“Gibson is a man.”

“Hehe. There are many ways for a man to have a ‘child’.”

Yoo-shin Jung’s expression crumpled.

‘Crazy.’

As expected, the Labyrinth City is a place where extraordinary things happen.

He doesn’t want to know or hear about it.

Yoo-shin Jung quietly looked down at Gibson.

Gibson’s cheeks trembled.

“S, Scar, just kill me. Now I see that I’ve committed a crime worthy of death. Just cleanly behead m, me…”

Yoo-shin Jung squatted down and patted Gibson’s shoulder.

‘Poor bastard.’

It would be better to have a story that he was reformed and realized the importance of life than a rumor that he killed the hero party.

Anyway.

He’s really getting proper karma.

After finishing his thoughts, Yoo-shin Jung opened his mouth.

“Gibson.”

“Pl, please!!!”

“Be happy.”

Bellua’s subordinates appeared from the darkness and grabbed Gibson.

“Aaaah!!!! I’m a man!!!”

Gibson screamed and struggled, but Bellua’s subordinates carried Gibson away without changing their expressions.

“Then see you later.”

The succubus woman smiled and retreated with her subordinates.

However, Jebella and Seti remained in their places.

Cyan moved his lips and opened his mouth.

“Luther, Sebastian. I’m disbanding our party.”

Luther’s eyes widened.

“Wh, what are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Didn’t you hear everything from Scar? And I’ve lost all my power.”

“Wh, what do you mean?!”

Cyan gave a bitter smile.

“I used all of Lux Aeterna’s divinity. I think I know now. My mission was to restore the Ezdrass seal.”

“…”

“I’m just an ordinary swordsman now. I’m disbanding the party. Go home.”

Yoo-shin Jung stepped forward.

“If you go back to the Empire now, you’ll die, right?”

Sebastian stepped forward, trembling.

“B, Barbaroi, what does that even mean?!”

“Think about it. They sent you to get rid of the Empire’s troublemakers, but you came back alive? How would they feel?”

“…They’re not those kinds of people.”

“That’s right!!! Don’t you know my status and position?! Who would dare…”

Yoo-shin Jung shrugged.

“What would I know? You guys know better. I’m just telling you because we’ve been together for quite a while.”

“…”

Luther and Sebastian grabbed their chins and fell into deep thought.

As if they were guessing something, the expressions of the two men gradually stiffened.

Yoo-shin Jung put his sword away and crossed his arms.

“There’s no need to decide right now. Isn’t it just a matter of staying in the Labyrinth City for a while and assessing the situation? You can go back if you’re sure it’s safe.”

“Right?”

“That’s a good idea.”

Seti and Jebella approached and said.

“Why don’t you two stay in the Labyrinth City and join our party?”

“…”

Luther and Sebastian looked at Cyan instead of answering Jebella’s invitation.

Cyan smiled bitterly and shook his head.

“Don’t worry about me. Decide comfortably as you please.”

Luther blushed and cleared his throat.

“Ahem!!! Even so, how can the priest of Lux Aeterna be with a monster…”

“Hee-eung?”

The succubus Jebella approached Luther and whispered.

“Who was the one who was sucking on my breasts like a baby? And I think I said it before, but I’m a ‘human’ with a succubus imprint.”

“Cough-cough-euhm!!! I, I understand for now. Pl, please step away a little.”

“Yes.”

Jebella answered with a smile, but didn’t step away and rubbed her breasts against Luther, hooking her arm around his.

Seti came to Sebastian and put her arm around his shoulder.

“The priest agreed. What about you, wizard?”

“I’ll find a party separately.”

“Really?”

Seti smiled slyly and gently nibbled on Sebastian’s earlobe.

“Keu-euht?!”

The surprised Sebastian struggled, but was blocked by Seti’s strong arm and couldn’t move.

Sebastian surrendered to Seti’s blatant flirting.

“St, stop!!! I’ll temporarily accompany you, so stop it!!!”

Seti chuckled and stroked Sebastian’s head.

“You should have done this sooner. You lost your virginity to my body. Why are you resisting?”

Sebastian blushed and glanced at Cyan.

“…”

Yoo-shin Jung scratched his head.

‘What’s with the sudden love comedy atmosphere?’

“Then shall we go? Good bye, Scar!”

“Goodbye.”

In the end.

The hero party’s Luther and Sebastian left the monster dismantling center with two monster women.

Yoo-shin Jung and Cyan watched the departing couple’s backs.

Jebella was whispering something, clinging to Luther’s body.

And Seti was slowly stroking Sebastian’s butt, smacking her lips.

Is it just his imagination that he can somehow foresee the fate of the two?

“It’s really over.”

Cyan murmured with a hollow expression.

Yoo-shin Jung smiled.

“It’s just beginning. I told you. Let’s go together.”

“Even though I’ve lost most of my divinity? I’m not a hero anymore. My mission is over.”

“You never know. Maybe Lux Aeterna will find you again.”

Cyan, who was pondering, blushed and hesitated for a moment.

“Th… Scar.”

“Why?”

“Would it be okay if I stayed at your inn for a while?”

Yoo-shin Jung smiled.

“As much as you want.”

“Thank you.”

The end of winter.

A quiet dawn.

The two men and women, with their shoulders touching, moved their steps to Darumon’s inn.