Chapter 34

Chapter 34

34. Plan (4)

─Creak, thud.

Drenor left alone burst into a hollow laugh.

“···Hot.”

Because the child’s reaction was something he had not even thought of the reaction rather came out one step late.

So, what should one call this···.

“······It is a feeling of being dumped before even confessing.”

But rather than that being unpleasant or absurd it was pleasant.

As the child’s words forcing belief on others is something that must not exist.

That is why he did not try to force Jenkinson or Hodge into the frame, and originally went around looking for a successor whose intentions match.

The old knight recalled the child’s back appearance seen just before the door closed.

‘He trembled.’

Like a newborn goat kid.

It was also so in the Great Forest.

Even though the expression and actions were clearly signs of not wanting when Drenor pressed with authority he followed reluctantly.

So he did not expect such a reaction.

That he said all the words he had to say without bending even while trembling with fear like that, was unexpected and also praiseworthy.

At the same time unprecedented interest arose.

If the previous interest was the interest when discovering a talented raw stone the interest the old knight has now touched a more human side.

‘On earth what life does one live to be able to be like that at that age?’

While knowing how to flexibly respond according to the situation and opponent, depending on the time he also carries out the intention.

That was an advantage the old knight did not possess.

Drenor had never bent even for a moment while living. He lived with the single-mindedness that he will not bend even if he breaks.

Because he believed that is the correct path.

Even now there is no regret. But recently regret remained.

If he had been flexible just a bit, just a very little bit, even if the intentions differ wouldn’t he have been able to make a close friend of the degree of walking the same path.

If so wouldn’t he have been able to protect the deathbed of the beloved wife, and the respect of the less beloved child.

‘···I have gotten old.’

Perhaps because of that, greed arose.

Even though he is a child who looks skilled in various ways as if living life twice, still a child is a child.

That is it means the growth period where thinking is flexible.

While teaching the sword as Benrik requested if one slightly shows a cool appearance from the side there is no way influence will not go to the child’s value formation.

‘Good, it is not bad. It is not forcing and just showing a cool appearance what.’

When the old knight left alone in the leader’s room was happily plotting.

Benrik was in confusion.

“······.”

[Acquired the remains of the noble Lucian.]

When he came up to the room and took out the brooch from the drawer, it is the message that floated.

The meaning was clear.

Lucian’s death.

─There seems to be a person who will help. Because I also did not only incur resentment and go around.

It meant that the guy who spoke awkwardly and went out became a cold corpse.

Countless assumptions flashed.

Did he go around self-introducing? Or was he unluckily caught by a thug? Or was there resentment when he went to the person he found?

One does not know.

Lucian did not even say a clue of who he is going to meet.

What the guy left was only one cloak brooch with the Belmore family crest boldly engraved that is hard to dispose of.

So he tried to entrust the disposition to Drenor.

Because he did not want to get involved in unnecessary gossip by carelessly selling something with a noble family’s crest stamped.

The second thing that made the child flustered was the fact that the privilege floated itself.

According to Benrik’s guess the privilege acquisition conditions are two.

One, it must be the remains of the dead Two, there must be emotional exchange.

If asked whether there was no emotional exchange with Lucian at all, one does not know well.

He sympathized about 20 percent, and also pitied about 20 percent.

The remaining 80 percent···.

‘···Hmm, did he dislike?’

What one can assert is the point that it was not the kind of emotion that can attach a positive name.

Even now honestly the child’s death was more the thought that what was coming came and fluster rather than sad.

‘Do negative emotions also fulfill the condition?’

Thinking about it there was not particularly an opportunity to confirm.

In the village there was not particularly a matter worth hating someone, and after coming down the mountain range···.

‘There were only two.’

The pickpocket Marcus and Giles.

He did not separately take care of Marcus’s remains, and Giles is still alive.

Benrik who thought for a while shook his head.

‘Let’s confirm this step by step.’

First now···.

[You can absorb Lucian's Empty Grandeur (C). Will you absorb? <​Remaining slots: 1>]

─The young noble Lucian grew wearing the dignity, poise, majesty, and momentum of a noble like armor. [Technique: Empty Grandeur (C)]

···What does one do with this.

‘Empty Grandeur···.’

Looking only at the name of the privilege honestly it did not look useful.

If it was a name like noble’s dignity, noble etiquette, noble’s knowledge.

He would have absorbed without anything to ponder. Bluff was a passive that anyone who is a mercenary possesses. It was also something Benrik already possessed like basic cultivation from very young.

Hmm···.

Actually even so, the choice was only one. Because there is no need to empty the slot unnecessarily.

‘Absorb.’

The leaf-shaped gold brooch became smoke and scattered, and a phrase was engraved in the air.

[Absorbed Technique: Empty Grandeur (C).]

─Oren···? Who are all those guys···?

Along with a voice filled with fear high-density memories surged in.

***

The leader’s room door opened along with a creaking noise.

“It took long.”

Probably because he was calming the tension. Drenor continued the words while holding a smile as warm as possible.

“While you were absent I thought carefully. The thought that the burden would have been great for you entered.”

Drenor continued the words as if making a big determination.

“I will respect your opinion. I will teach the sword, no only the sword.”

Benrik did not show a particular reaction.

It would be correct to say there is no leisure to react. Because of the child’s memories that surged in like a tide a little while ago.

‘He froze tightly.’

Drenor who clicked his tongue turned the topic.

“Come to think of it didn’t you say Lucian left something?” “About that.”

Only then Benrik’s mouth opened.

“Is there a problem?”

The child who made an expression of pondering for a while continued.

“Anyway it seems I lost it, so about that can I receive a bit of help?”

***

─Tok tok···! Tok···!

One hawk that flew across the reddish sky knocked on the office window of the lord’s castle.

When the count extended his hand out the window, it politely bows its head and places the paper on the hand. It was an appearance hard to see as a mere creature.

「─<​Scattering Rat Swarm> tracking report Author: Beautiful Hawk

The colony scale has swollen to more than double compared to the initial and the damage is also on an increasing trend.

Currently heading south after crossing the Red Mist Hills.

The damage confirmed from the first sighting until now is as follows.

Thirteen farms on the outskirts of Delmar, numerous losses of livestock such as goats and cows, sheep. All fifteen households of Haran Village residents died.

The movement speed of the colony is similar to the initial, expected to reach the center of Delmar within half a month.」

Silvan Bromwood who confirmed the report left by his another ‘hawk’ swallowed a low groan.

‘Already crossed the Red Mist Hills···’

He thought that if it fills the stomach to some extent it would change direction or the speed would slow, but it seems it was too hopeful a thought.

The Scattering Rat Swarm was a newborn magical beast that has not even been reported to the magical beast society.

First sighted on the northern outskirts of Delmar territory it made a small village into a mess and steadily headed south, extinguishing the fire of all life it passes and swelling its power at a frightening speed.

Habits, weaknesses, subjugation and hunting methods all ungraspable.

He even sent Drenor Vinter to subjugate the guy but it stopped at the line of reducing the power.

Because they were cunning guys who know how to scatter and protect the body according to the name if they feel a threat.

‘He should have caught it before swelling the body. Tsk···.’

Missing the appropriate subjugation timing because of the fairy-kin kidnapping incident was the failure.

It takes four months to come from the capital where the society is to here even if running the horse without resting.

Above all it was unknown whether they would move that briskly. The high-nosed central guys would clearly regard this as a small disturbance that occurred in the outskirts.

‘Hmm?’

The eyebrows of the count who was reading down the report with complicated eyes twitched.

Postscript 1 It seems Ivan Delmar will visit Bromwood soon.

Postscript While stopping by for today’s report I met that child. I witnessed him trying to perform a request alone at the adventurer guild, the request content was to obtain clothes a virgin wore for one month. I leave it short because you would be curious.

‘That guy.’

There was only one child who intervened in his life recently.

Gerik’s son, and the child who might become the successor of the knight he trusts the most, Benrik.

‘Should I have even brought up words hintingly.’

Actually the reason he invited Benrik to the castle was to entrust the request about the Scattering Rat Swarm.

Because if what he heard is fact Benrik seemed more erudite about magical beasts than ordinary magical beast hunters.

Even if he does not know about the Scattering Rat Swarm if he is a child who lived in the notorious Golden Mountains, he thought he might be able to find a method.

After confirming that he is Gerik’s son he gave up the heart.

If he entrusts a dangerous matter and it goes wrong the head would hurt. Even if a count he did not want to be at odds with Gerik, that ignorant barbarian.

‘By the way···.’

The grayish-white pupils once again turned to the end of the report.

‘Virgin’s···.’

Silvan Bromwood raised his head and looked outside the window.

Indeed, it was not only the ashen hair that resembled.

While thinking such things.

The time he came to know the fact that the adventurer guild’s request bulletin board also serves as an advertisement bulletin board was after not a little time passed.

***

“Yerik.”

A hand like a pot lid cleaved the air.

─Smack!

The child who straightened the head bent almost at a right angle answered

“···Yes.” “Answer quickly.” “The time to answer···.”

─Whooong!

He thought he barely avoided, but it was not. The chin the fingertips brushed stung.

“······.”

Yerik blankly looked at the red blood clearly seeping.

‘···?’

Was what he swung just now not a hand but a knife? Is the intention to bury him while out and return alone?

It was when Yerik’s thoughts were deepening. Gerik who was twitching the bridge of the nose pointed at the end of the horizon.

“That is Bromwood. Go and be there first.” “Alone?” “Yes.”

That was the end. There was no kind explanation. Gerik walked east without even looking back once.

Yerik looked at the receding Gerik with an absurd expression and muttered.

“······Yes!”

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