Episode 006
"Th-This can't be... This is absurd!!"
Baron Jeffrey didn't even have time to wipe the sweat streaming down his forehead as he hastily moved toward his room located inside the prison.
He was a man who ordinarily loathed walking, yet today he moved his feet more earnestly than anyone.
"Seal the corridor!"
"It's no use! R-Run!"
'Why is this happening!! What happened to the Count! No, I need to survive first... The secret passage comes first!'
And no wonder, because behind the Baron right now...
"Kieeeeeeeek!!"
"Where the hell did such a monster come from!"
"Stop it!"
A gigantic demonic beast with grotesque tentacles covering its entire body was devouring the guards.
"Kuaaaaaa!"
"Request support! Hurry!"
That horrific scene was reminiscent of hell descending upon the mortal realm.
"You lot! Hurry and protect Lord Jeffrey!"
"Follow me, quickly!"
'Is this my fault? No! I was merely following the Count's orders!'
Even as he ran without rest, he racked his brain over and over to figure out the reason for this irrational disaster.
'...Could it be that the prisoners I released caused this?'
But no matter how many times he thought about it, no clever solution was in sight.
If he had had enough brains for that in the first place, he wouldn't have been driven out to such a remote frontier from the royal capital.
'Damn it! It was just a show to extract the Hero, how could things blow up this much...!'
He berated himself belatedly, but the deed was already done.
'If news of this leaks out, I'm finished!'
Anxiety crept over his body.
"Lord Jeffrey, we've arrived. Please open the door quickly!"
Startled by the escort knights' shouts, he came to his senses and looked around.
In front of his room's door.
"Huu..."
Only then did he relax his shoulders and let out a sigh of relief.
Yes, it was needless worry.
After all, weren't all the guards of Prison his private soldiers?
'After escaping, I'll hold the survivors responsible for this incident and kill them all. Kekeke...'
For mere commoners to die for their master—
How glorious a thing was that?
They would surely express gratitude even in the underworld.
Moreover, the Magic Tower would want to cover this up as well, so they would definitely help.
"Hehe..."
Reaching that point in his thoughts, Baron Jeffrey put on a grotesque smile of satisfaction.
Thinking his path to success was still open...
Creak—
Clack—
That's what he thought.
"You're awfully late. Do you want to be monster bait?"
At least, before he saw him.
"I-It's absurd. Why the hell are you here...? No, how did you get in without the key!"
He couldn't believe it even after seeing it, rubbing his eyes countless times, but
"How did I get in? I just opened it and walked in."
The man before him waved his hand as if mocking him.
Striking white hair and black pupils.
The Hero, Tanas!
"……."
And he was sitting right in front of the bookshelf...
As if he knew there was a secret passage.
'It can't be. I disposed of everyone involved...!'
It was merely a coincidence.
Nothing else!
His strangely relaxed appearance was especially grating, but Jeffrey steeled his heart and glared at him.
Sring—
Sreureung—
"How dare an inferior Hero scum like you!"
"Such rudeness before Lord Jeffrey... Do you want to die!!"
Seeing the escort knights rushing to draw their swords, his shoulders tensed sharply.
The Hero was nothing but a talentless incompetent.
He could kill him anytime, but he had questions first.
"Where is the Count?"
"Huh? The Count? You mean this guy?"
The Hero smirked and tossed something onto the floor.
It was...
"...The Count's brooch!! You madman! He belongs to the First Prince's faction...!"
He's lost his mind.
How does he plan to handle the aftermath...
In that instant, that bastard stared at me with sharp eyes and brought his index finger to his lips.
Under a silent pressure that gripped my heart, I closed my mouth without realizing it.
"Lord Jeffrey? Your complexion...?"
"Are you alright?"
A cold sensation on the back of my neck.
Avoiding eyes sharp as honed steel, I lowered my head and gulped.
'How can the incompetent Hero be like this... J-Just who is he!'
"Hero, what have you done!"
"Kill him first!"
My heart pounded madly, and sweat poured down my forehead like rain.
'Don't, you fools! Y-You'll die...!'
He quietly opened his mouth.
"...Shut up."
"What?"
"I'm not in a very good mood."
At those words, that bastard raised his hand.
*
*
*
Originally, I was planning to just take the Copy Demon's head and clear the false accusation,
so why did it turn out like this?
"J-Just who are you? I can't believe you're that incompetent Hero..."
The one who kicked me and bullied me,
now bowing his head so humbly...
Power truly is a mysterious thing.
Anyway, I had no obligation to answer.
"I hadn't intended to go this far."
I flicked the blood off my restraints with a few taps and shrugged my shoulder.
"Kuk! Then why... Why are you doing this!"
The pig bastard clutched his missing ankle, tears streaming down.
Why, you ask?
There are two main reasons, but first...
"I hate bastards who don't know their place."
"What do you... I-I don't know anything, I didn't do anything!!"
Baron Jeffrey wailed unsightly, bowing his head again and again.
"……."
Is it just me, or do the Hero's party members and basically everyone in this other world have no conscience?
At this rate, it's no different from Murim.
"Look."
I pulled out a bundle of parchment from my bosom and tossed it in front of him.
Did he realize?
His complexion turned white as a sheet in an instant.
"T-This... Why is this still here!"
"Human trafficking and human experimentation are basic... wait, even children as test subjects...?"
Especially since I hate human sacrifices.
"They say sinners receive punishment. That's the way of the world."
"M-Mr. Hero, I will explain everything, so please..."
"I'll administer the punishment, so accept it gladly."
When I cut off his excuse in one go, perhaps finally realizing it was useless,
"Do you plan to pretend to be righteous now!"
the Baron screamed like a madman.
The Hero didn't say anything, not even a reply.
And for good reason—his task was clear.
"Hold onto your sanity tightly."
It's been a while since I've done this, so I don't know if it'll go well.
Wuuuung—
The ominous internal energy of the Reverse Blood Demon Art surged, emanating a dark and sinister aura.
"D-Don't... Don't do this!!!"
Hey, hey.
Stay still.
You'll end up a vegetable if you move.
"Kuaaaaa...!!"
Listening to his death throes with one ear,
"……."
I pushed my finger into his head.
*
"Open the gate to the Magic Tower."
"Uuaaaak... M-Magic Tower...?"
The Baron had a moment of doubt, but it didn't last long.
"I guess you still have the strength to question."
And no wonder—he wanted to escape this pain even a moment sooner.
What good was knowing the reason?
Right now, he was simply terrified of the Hero.
Though clearly only an instant had passed, his whole body trembled as if he had been tortured for a long time.
"Kuaaaaaak!!!!! I-I'll open it. I'll open it, so please spare my life..."
"No."
"...Yes?"
Tanas answered coldly, shaking his head firmly.
"The greatest mercy I can offer you is death."
"What kind of crazy nonsen— Uwaaaaaaak!!!!!"
Every time he injected turbid energy, a pain like being stabbed and burned all over his body struck him.
Again and again...
Again and again.
"We have plenty of time, so decide slowly."
'Please stop...'
Wouldn't it be fine?
If I could just be freed from this pain...
This bastard would surely torture me endlessly.
"……."
When the pain finally surpassed the fear of death,
"Have you decided?"
"...Yes."
Already half his body ruined, Baron Jeffrey drooled and nodded.
**********
After dealing with the Baron and the gigantic monster in one go,
"Any survivors?"
I slowly turned around, and the one-armed porter answered politely with his head bowed.
"It seems they were all used as test subjects... There was no one."
"……."
Too late.
"I'm sorry."
What do you have to be sorry about?
It's just a bit bitter.
"Forget it. You haven't forgotten what I asked, right?"
"I just need to deliver this, correct?"
The porter nodded and held up a metal container.
Yes.
The Copy Demon's core and head.
If they investigate this, they'll quickly find out that the bastard mimicked the Hero's mana signature.
'Well, at least things went according to plan. That's a relief.'
This is the moment the false accusation of murdering the Princess is cleared.
"However."
"What is it?"
"Wouldn't it be better to leave this with the Royal Special Investigation Unit or the Order of the Three Goddesses? No matter what, they're more professional..."
"……."
More nonsense.
If you'd seen me passing judgment, you wouldn't be saying that.
I waved my hand lazily and continued speaking.
"Even if they're a bit strict, make sure to deliver it to 'that person.' They're one of the few people in the kingdom who can be trusted right now."
"If you say so, brother..."
"Take this too, just in case."
I handed the pendant I had been wearing until now to the porter.
"I-Isn't this the Hero's emblem?"
"If they doubt you, show them this."
The porter hesitated for a moment as if troubled, then clenched his one remaining fist and looked at me.
"...Do you trust me?"
As if I'd trust him?
If it comes to that, I can just burst his heart, so there's nothing to worry about.
But outwardly, I nodded magnanimously and turned my back.
"I keep my promises. You know that, right?"
"Yes... No matter what, I will deliver it."
"Then go. Never appear before my eyes again."
Let's never meet again.
"Hero-nim."
What now.
"You tried to take my life, yet you gave me a chance to live like this... Once again, I thank you."
He bowed his head with a sincere face.
"Forget it."
What are you doing, being so embarrassing.
"I don't know why you hid your power until now, but seeing how you acted when I attacked you with the bandits without knowing my place, and when you saw the terrible sight in the prison, I understand."
"……?"
"You only show your power when saving people in crisis! Not knowing that, I acted rudely when I was in the party, and I sincerely apologi..."
I raised one hand and cut off the porter's words.
"Enough."
"Yes?"
It seems like something is being severely glorified, but...
I guess it doesn't matter.
We won't have any business with each other from now on anyway.
"Hurry up and go."
"I'm sorry. Either way, I will repay the grace of saving my life someday!"
I looked at the departing man once, then moved my steps in the opposite direction.
A brightly shining portal,
which Baron Jeffrey had opened in exchange for his own peace.
The second reason I took my time destroying the prison...
was the blue window shining before my eyes.
When I first opened my eyes in this other world,
when I cut off the Copy Demon's head,
++
[ Quest 'Purification of the Kingdom' completed. ]
= Chain Quest (2/3) Completed =
* A random reward will be granted upon full completion.
++
And the window that popped up after slaying the giant monster.
"……."
To think game quests would be the same too...
Should I consider this fortunate?
If things are like this, there's no way I can miss the hidden trophy.
"This should be fun."
With those words,
I stepped into the portal leading to the Magic Tower.