Chapter 33
“The time I could teach you swordsmanship was limited to one week. That didn’t mean you had to leave immediately after a week.”
“Yes, I know. But I can’t keep imposing on you, Lord Mayor, when I’m not even a resident of this region.”
I spoke firmly to Wolfgang, who was making a regretful expression that felt almost burdensome.
He must have taken quite a liking to me—Wolfgang had even come out to the castle gates at this early hour just to see me off.
“……I’m fine with it, but if you feel burdened, I can’t keep holding you back. Have you decided on your next destination?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you headed?”
“The Drekal Empire territory.”
To be precise, it was a small slum on the western side of the empire territory.
The place where the blacksmith Jackson Steel & Anvil, whom I planned to commission for weapon crafting, was located.
However, I didn’t feel the need to share such details with Wolfgang.
There was no reason to, and above all—
“…….”
I glanced briefly at the sky where crows were flying, then refocused on my conversation with Wolfgang.
“Hmm, Drekal Empire territory means heading west. That’s quite a distance from here. The journey won’t be very smooth.”
“It’s the fate of a wanderer, I suppose.”
“As expected, you’re bold. That youthful vigor of yours will bring arthritis later. Just like me now.”
Wolfgang’s expression was far too serious to dismiss those words as a joke and laugh them off……
As Entur looked at Wolfgang with pitying eyes,
“Take this.”
Wolfgang suddenly had his adjutant hand me an antique wooden box.
Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed he had prepared it in advance specifically to give to me. I didn’t know what it was, though.
“This is……?”
“Open it.”
Click.
As soon as I received permission, I opened the wooden box.
Inside was a single book and a steel plaque stamped with a wolf-head emblem.
“The book on the left is the <Frost Fang> swordsmanship manual.”
“Ah.”
I had forgotten about the swordsmanship manual.
But at this point, I wasn’t sure if I really needed it.
“Didn’t you say I had mastered everything in <Frost Fang>?”
“I did. But it’s enlightenment gained through a mere seven days of cramming. I’m giving this to you so you don’t overly trust my evaluation—take it.”
“……Thank you.”
Wolfgang seemed concerned that the short period of learning might fade, but I wasn’t worried at all.
After all, all five forms of <Frost Fang> had been registered as skills in the system.
That meant that even without this manual, no matter how much time passed, the sensation of executing the sword art would never dull—whether in muscle memory or in my mind.
‘It has just the right thickness. It would make a perfect food tray.’
<You really are a terrible person…….>
‘It’s up to the recipient how he uses a gift.’
After retorting to Entur’s rebuke, I shifted my gaze to the metal plaque next to the manual.
“A platinum plaque stamped with a wolf emblem…… Is this perhaps <Argon>’s identity plaque?”
“Yes. It is a Grade 1 identity plaque that I, as lord, personally bestow upon you.”
“……Grade 1?”
Slightly surprised, I looked at Wolfgang in confusion.
It was only natural to be surprised. Grade 1 identity plaques were mostly given to nobles or high-ranking knights native to the territory.
Yet he was giving it to me, who wasn’t even from <Argon>, let alone a noble. Even after receiving it, I felt dazed.
“I owe you the grace of salvation.”
“…….”
“Teaching you swordsmanship was merely fulfilling the promise from our bet. It is only right that I repay the debt I owe you separately.”
So the sincerity shown to repay that debt was this Grade 1 identity plaque.
I could set the manual aside, but at this point, I couldn’t help but feel genuinely pleased.
Because……
“When the road ahead is long like this time, go to the nearest ‘Transfer Gate’ and show the soldiers this identity plaque. They will immediately clear the way for you, recalling my name—Wolfgang.”
Just as he said.
The ‘Transfer Gate’ was the game’s representative fast travel system.
Just as I had used the Lava Tribe’s Ignition Stone to reach <Argon> in one go,
Using the ‘Transfer Gates’ in each region allowed travel to the opposite side of the continent in under ten seconds.
‘But in the actual game, using the gates required an incredibly high fame score or paying an enormous amount of gold each time.’
For an open-world game, the heavy restrictions on the fast travel system were probably because the developers’ heads were wide open too.
‘Well, that’s no longer my concern.’
Because I now had a Grade 1 identity plaque—a free pass for the Transfer Gates.
Honestly, I had been feeling a bit daunted at the thought of traveling all the way to Drekal, so this was perfect.
After I expressed my thanks once more, Wolfgang suddenly said,
“I’ll be waiting.”
“I will visit again someday.”
“No, that’s not what I mean.”
“……?”
As I tilted my head, not understanding his meaning, Wolfgang placed a hand on my shoulder and laughed refreshingly.
“I meant I’ll be eagerly awaiting the day when the name Ruth Fried spreads across the entire continent.”
“……Ah.”
“And it doesn’t seem like the wait will be very long. Considering the talent you possess.”
To me, Wolfgang’s generous evaluation was nothing new, but it seemed otherwise to the surrounding subordinates.
They were all looking at me with expressions of disbelief.
It was a natural reaction, since Wolfgang was famous for being stingy with praise. After all, he himself was a 9-star expert.
“I will train diligently so that your wait is not in vain.”
I had received everything there was to receive and said everything there was to say.
It was finally time to leave through the castle gates.
***
My destination was the outskirts of the territory where the ‘Transfer Gate’ was located.
To get there, I just needed to pass through the village square and keep walking straight ahead.
However, instead of the square, I headed toward a remote forest far removed from the village.
No matter where I looked, there were only white birch trees with thin branches heavily laden with snow.
Even though I had a long way to go, the reason I came to this desolate forest with no hidden pieces was simple.
Because someone was following me.
A leech.
<I checked from above as you requested. There are only ‘the two of you’ in the forest.>
“…….”
Entur, who had floated up to survey the forest, descended quickly and reported the result.
As long as there was no one else besides me and that person, it was fine.
“You know,”
Swoosh—.
I lightly deployed <Blood Weapon> and summoned a blood-red dagger.
“I really hate crows.”
And then……
Swish—!
I threw the dagger toward the top of a birch tree behind me.
No, more precisely,
I aimed at the red crow perched on a branch, watching me.
Flap!!
The crow hurriedly flapped its wings and dodged the dagger.
Instead of fleeing into the sky, it maintained its flight and looked down at me with clear fury.
I also summoned a new dagger and faced it.
By now, it must have realized.
That I hadn’t simply targeted a ‘bird.’
A human voice filled with bewilderment flowed from the bird’s beak.
“How did you notice?”
Fwoosh—!!
Flames spread across the crow’s body, and it instantly transformed into a woman with red hair as it landed on the ground.
This would be our first meeting for her, but not for me.
I had clashed with this woman countless times in the game.
‘Scarlet Goodwin.’
Warrick Vilroct’s closest aide and a 7th Circle Archmage.
As someone who assisted the continent’s strongest mage, she was still an overwhelming opponent for me at my current level.
“To see through perfect polymorph. As expected, you possess ability far beyond your age, just as I observed.”
“Setting ability aside, when a bright red bird has been circling around me for an entire week, only an idiot wouldn’t notice.”
“…….”
My sharp remark left Scarlet momentarily speechless.
Even though I was pretending to be relaxed, I was actually quite flustered by the situation.
‘I didn’t expect her surveillance to start so soon.’
Scarlet was a hostile NPC who would inevitably become entangled with the player as the game progressed.
The usual timing for encountering her was after passing the mid-point of the story,
When the character’s fame had risen considerably.
From then on, the quest <Vilroct’s Eye> would trigger randomly……
It was a truly shitty quest that perfectly represented the quality of this damn game.
<Sub Quest – Vilroct’s Eye>
Content: The Vilroct faction’s surveillance has attached itself to you. Escape from surveillance within 7 days.
Remaining Time: 16 hours
Success: Acquire 1,500 BP
Failure: ?
It showed up right on time.
There were several differences from the previous quests.
The existence of a time limit, and the fact that failure came with a penalty.
However, just like in the game, the penalty was hidden behind a question mark. For a veteran like me, that question mark was as good as revealed.
‘……Massive increase in Warrick Vilroct’s favorability.’
That was what lay behind the question mark.
Why would increased favorability be a penalty?
Warrick Vilroct loved ‘talented young talents.’
He would then mobilize the family’s shadow unit to kidnap such talents
And kill them.
To use them as materials for manufacturing a certain ‘special reagent.’
Scarlet was essentially Warrick Vilroct’s ‘eye’ for scouting such materials.
“My original mission was to monitor you, but now that my identity has been exposed, there’s no choice. I will take you to him. Come quietly.”
“No thanks.”
“Did my words sound like a suggestion to you?”
Crackle!!
Along with the sound of crackling electricity, the forest filled with pure white snow was instantly dyed red as if bathed in sunset.
A massive lightning spear that appeared above Scarlet’s head scattered ominous red light in all directions.
‘Does this crazy woman plan to take me alive?’
As I widened the distance and glanced behind me, Scarlet let out a mocking laugh.
“Abandon any hope of escaping.”
“…….”
“Even if heaven helps you and you somehow get away from here, I have ways to chase you to the ends of the continent. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.”
Oh, I believe it.
There was a reason Warrick chose Scarlet as his ‘eye.’
‘There must be Chase Perfume hidden somewhere inside that robe.’
Chase Perfume was an artifact that applied a colorless, odorless tracking scent to a designated target.
It was probably on me as well.
Unless I erased the scent or destroyed the artifact, no matter how far I ran, she would continue tracking me indefinitely.
“I will give you one last chance. Ruth Fried.”
Crackle……!
The spear exploded with violent lightning, ready to fly at any moment.
Because my <Rank> had increased and made me stronger, I could feel it even more clearly.
Indeed, with my power alone, there was no way I could defeat Scarlet no matter what I did.
Yes.
With my power alone.
“I also prefer to bring you back in good condition if possi—?!”
Kiiiiii—!!
Eerie cries echoed throughout the forest.
Scarlet, who had been about to unleash her lightning spear while emitting tremendous mana, flinched hard.
It wasn’t ordinary cold—it was a chilling aura that felt as if it froze the soul, sweeping over her without warning.
Ah, aaaah, aaaaaah—!
Hiiii……!
What soon emerged from the shadows between the dense trees and bushes were
Specters emitting white glows and letting out mournful wails.
Specter.
The representative undead monsters of <Soden> that gnawed away at the souls of the living.
The forest I was in was a place in <Argon> where Specters appeared particularly frequently.
“W-what…….”
As the specters instantly surrounded the area, Scarlet withdrew her lightning spear and looked up at the sky.
“It’s still daytime—why are Specters……!”
Just as she said, Specters were monsters that only appeared at night.
Due to their undead nature, they never exposed themselves under the sun.
Just as humans loathed filth, Specters extremely abhorred positive energy.
But even those creatures could not defy
<I, the ancient dragon Entur, command you. All the dead dwelling in this vicinity, gather here without missing a single one.>
[Your subordinate, ‘Entur,’ is exercising absolute command authority over the spirits!]
They could not dare disobey the words of a being far superior to them.
This was one of Entur’s abilities.
She could command spirits of lower rank as if they were her own limbs.
<This is all of them. What now?>
“Sic her.”
<Sic her.>
Hiiiiii—!!
Dozens of Specters swarmed Scarlet all at once, just like my <Devouring Spirit Summon> skill.
“Goddammit!”
Kwarurung—!!
Scarlet, who had maintained a relaxed attitude the entire time, furiously poured barrages of lightning at the specters.
However, the magic she unleashed only temporarily restrained the specters and could not deal decisive damage.
Whether she was 7th Circle or whatever, it wouldn’t be easy.
Those things didn’t die easily unless hit with holy-attribute attacks.
“Damn it! Don’t just stand there—help me! If we don’t deal with these Specters first, you’ll be in danger too!”
“Do I look like I’m in danger?”
“What kind of obvious—huh?”
Scarlet’s eyes widened at the sight of the specters avoiding only the area around me, like the eye of a storm.
She looked like she had many questions, but she had no time for that.
The Specters clung to her persistently and tenaciously, to the point that even I felt a bit sorry for her.
While Scarlet was struggling, surrounded by the specters,
Swish—!
A blood-red dagger formed once again in my hand.
<Good! Kill her quickly while she’s distracted!>
‘Even if she’s distracted by the Specters, do you really think a 7th Circle mage will die so easily? Besides, killing her would cause an even bigger problem.’
<Why?>
‘Her master can read his subordinates’ memories in real time, unbound by space or time.’
In other words, killing her would be no different from turning the entire Vilroct faction into enemies.
It was still too early for that.
<Hmph, then why did you take out the dagger if you’re not going to kill her?>
‘Entur. Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.’
After conveying something to Entur, I shifted my gaze back to Scarlet and
Swish—!
Threw the dagger through a small gap in the swarm of Specters that had gathered like a swarm of bees.
The dagger flew straight, cutting through the air and aiming precisely for Scarlet’s head.
Even while engaged in melee with the specters, Scarlet did not miss my surprise attack.
“Predictable!”
Crackle—!!
Scarlet shot a streak of red lightning from her left hand to knock the dagger away.
But what happened next completely defied her expectations.
Whoong—.
“……?!”
The dagger that had been flying straight suddenly curved in mid-air like a snake.
An impossible trajectory as if telekinesis had been applied.
The moment Scarlet’s eyes widened and the dagger bent toward her waist,
Clang—!
The sound of a glass bottle shattering rang out.
It was the sound of my dagger piercing through her robe and destroying the ‘Chase Perfume.’
<Is this good enough?>
“Yes. Well done.”
At the perfect timing, Entur had created a gust of cold air to alter the dagger’s path.
As expected of an ancient dragon’s precise magical control.
<It feels like I’ve become a pet dog, so skip the praise and just say thank—>
“We need to leave quickly.”
Since the Chase Perfume had been destroyed, the tracking scent on my body should have disappeared as well.
As I hurriedly turned and exited the forest, Scarlet—who was still wrestling with the Specters behind me—shouted at the top of her lungs.
“Ruth Fried! This isn’t over! No matter where you hide, you can never escape my eyes!”
[You have completed the ‘Sub Quest: Vilroct’s Eye’!]
[1,500 BP has been awarded as a reward!]
The system says otherwise?
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