CHAPTER 111

The world of voice is a world of intense colors.

Within the amber stone of Alicia, which he had seen through that world, was a scene of autumn.

A maple tree standing tall amidst wide wheat fields.

Vlad still remembered the falling leaves in the red twilight.

It was vivid and beautiful, yet somehow the landscape also seemed sorrowful.

"Still, I can see a little now."

Vlad closed his left eye and looked at the amber stone embedded at the end of the handle.

Though not as clearly as in the world of voice, he could confirm the sight of the maple tree swaying in the wind.

"Where could this be?"

Vlad, who was already talking to himself, sat on the bed and muttered quietly, but there was no one answering his words anymore.

Only the blue moonlight streaming through the window embraced Vlad's shoulders.

Crackle—

A small spark leapt from Vlad's closed left eye.

When the voice had proposed meeting in a deeper world, Vlad couldn't bring himself to respond.

But if the voice were to ask again now, he could surely give a definite answer.

Yes, let's meet again in a deeper and wider world.

In the dimly lit room illuminated only by moonlight, a single streak of white lightning fell upon Vlad's eyes.

※※※※

"How is it?"

Count Bitskaya, sitting behind a table laden with vegetables and fruits, raised a warm teacup as he inquired.

Although he ate a healthy diet that only elves would eat, his face was full of frowns and wrinkles after he finished eating.

"It's confirmed that the knight named Vlad is a dragon slayer."

Confirmation of a task was never enough, especially when verifying suspicious individuals.

"And?"

"...His skills have been confirmed as well. Among our remaining knights, there is none who could rival Sir Vlad."

Only five knights had been pitted against Vlad in sparring matches.

And among them, three had been so thoroughly beaten that they would be unfit for duty for a while. In a real battle, their heads might have rolled.

"And what about you?"

The Knight Commander bit his lip in response to the Count's question, almost as if provoked.

"Nine times out of ten, I will win."

"······If you fight ten times, you might lose once or twice."

Count Bitskaya recalled vividly how much gold the knight standing before him, currently running a hand through his hair, was receiving.

'Just an 18-year-old…'

Even his own knight commander, who was quite famous when he was young, cannot guarantee a complete victory.

So, it goes without saying that he could not rely on the youngsters who can not even use the aura.

"How about we hang a few of the guards as a warning?"

"Pardon?"

It was a real knight, but he didn't recognize him.

Given how coldly he was kept outside, it wouldn't be easy to sway him.

"It would be nice if I was a little more conscious..."

Knights valued honor above all else.

What he did was clearly rude, but there would still be a chance.

The Count only hoped that the young knight had at least a semblance of understanding of how the world worked.

※※※※

"..."

Vlad stared at the tea dripping down in front of him.

A brilliant green light that sparkles in the sunlight.

Vlad unconsciously brought his head closer as the color of the tea showed through to the bottom of the teacup.

He didn't know what was brewed, but the scent of fresh leaves wafted into his nose, cooling his eyes.

"It's not common to drink tea like this in the North, is it?"

"I'd rather grab a bottle than drink brewed leaves."

Though his words were blunt, Count Bitskaya smiled contentedly, watching Vlad, who couldn't tear his gaze away from the tea.

Even a savage northerner would surely be intrigued upon seeing this tea.

"It's elven tea. It's a specially processed product taken from a forest in the far east."

"Elves..."

As soon as he heard the word "elves" from the Count, Vlad instinctively licked his lips with his tongue. 

But soon, he straightened up, as if nothing had happened, and looked at the Count.

He shouldn't reveal his desires during negotiations.

That's what Shoara's rose, Marcella, had told him.

"One of the main businesses in our territory is dealing with these elven specialties. Those in the capital can't get enough of anything related to elves."

Until now, the Count Bitskaya family had been no different from a family in the countryside, but the Bitskaya family had become completely different since the current Count Bitskaya ascended.

He gambled for the declining family and eventually became one of the few channels connecting elves and humans.

"For example, the tea in front of you is valued more than the same weight in gold."

"...?"

Elves are a long-lived race, and their mysterious ecology was enough to arouse the curiosity of the central nobles.

Even the tea placed in front of Vlad was rumored to extend one's lifespan.

"Is it really worth that much?"

"I can't say if it truly extends lifespan, but it's certainly good for the body. Especially effective for coughs."

Rumors tended to exaggerate, and elven tea wasn't some mystical herb that extended lifespans.

But unlike elven tea, which was said to really extend life, the blonde knight before him was indeed a dragon slayer, so the Count had to be careful in dealing with the real deal.

"Shall I get you one?"

It was only after hearing the Count's words that Vlad finally raised his head.

For a moment, he seemed distracted by the idea that it was good for the body and especially effective for coughs.

"Am I worth that much?"

Vlad asked, looking at the Count with a slight smile.

There must be a reason why the Count called him and showed him favor.

"Indeed, the knights from the North are quite straightforward! I like that about you!"

The Count realized that Vlad was ready to listen to his proposal, smiled and raised his teacup.

He had thought the newcomer from the North would be a stubborn fellow, but surprisingly, he was someone with whom he could communicate.

"I admire your ability to even slay a dragon. So, there is something I would like to ask of you…"

His tricks are shallow and his actions are capricious.

But if both parties had something to gain, there was no need to hesitate to join hands.

"Lately, there's been a scoundrel lurking on the trade routes, plundering my goods. Quite a headache."

"Bandits?"

Vlad raised the cup to his lips and took a sip.

It didn't taste good.

"Probably not bandits."

Count Bitskaya smiled as he looked at the northern knight, who was holding a teacup and making a troubled expression.

That smile actually contained many meanings.

"Because, my knights who were escorting the caravans all fell flat."

It may have been a lie, but there was no shame in the Count's words at all.

He was someone who didn't hesitate to extend a hand to even the knights he had previously ignored if it meant seeking help.

"Even the knights?"

"Yes, that's why I'm in such a bind."

At the mention of even the knights being unable to handle the situation, Vlad's expression darkened.

The skills of the Bitskaya knights, as gauged through the sparring, were certainly not remarkable.

Rather, through this sparring, he was able to get a real sense of what kind of place Bayezid is.

"Even if your knights couldn't handle it, do you think I could, Lord Count?"

Still, Vlad didn't hesitate to voice his doubts.

Like the Count before him, the knight from the back alleys was a man who didn't mind showing weakness to increase his value.

But with just a smile, the Count effortlessly dispelled Vlad's doubts.

"Vlad of Shoara, and the Slayer of Lindworm."

"..."

"If you're recognized not only by San Rogino but also by various Northern families, I believe you're capable enough to handle this."

With those words, the Count reached out a small black pouch.

Partially opened, the pouch emitted a glimmer of golden light.

"I'll reward you even more if you manage to defeat the unknown looter."

"It might be difficult for me alone."

"That's fine."

Count Bitskaya looked at Vlad with a deep smile.

The Count had endless strings of gold, but the unknown looter was blocking those strings.

It might be manageable for now, but if this continued, it would eventually tighten around his own neck.

"I'll be satisfied as long as you chase them away for a while."

Even if the lad before him was a dragon slayer, there were many knights in the Central region who possessed similar skills.

While it would be ideal to resolve everything completely, it wouldn't hurt to hold out until a truly renowned knight could be recruited.

".....Understood, Lord Count. I'll do my best."

Vlad finally smiled sincerely at the Count.

"However, I'd like something other than gold."

With those words, Vlad took out only a few coins from the open pouch and quietly returned them to the Count.

"....Do you have something specific in mind?"

Value is relative.

To the Count, gold coins were in abundance, but Vlad was not someone who moved by money alone.

"As a wandering knight, I want to see the vast world."

Even when standing in the back alleys, Vlad strived to not lose himself.

Even if he was soaked in the filth of alleyways, he tried to look at the brightness of the boy's soul.

"Having come this far, I can't just pass up the chance to visit the elven city."

He promised to find a name for the voice.

That promise was heavier than the pouch of gold coins in front of him.

"I'd appreciate it if you could also provide a box of elven tea, which is said to be good for health."

There might still be a man in Shoara suppressing his cough with warmed wine.

He had sworn to be faithful to that man.

The frail cough of Josef always weighed heavily on Vlad's heart.

"...You want to enter the elven city?"

Watching Vlad make an unexpected request, Count Bitskaya leaned back deeply in his chair.

Indeed, those who possessed unwavering integrity were not tempted by sparkling gold.

"If that's the condition, merely uncovering their identity won't be enough."

The Count furrowed his brow as if he was troubled.

Although Vlad spoke easily, it wasn't just a matter of accommodating one person.

Interacting with the elves was a small hole pierced through the future of the family and the entirety of his lifetime, so the reward Vlad demanded was nothing less than a significant burden on the Count.

"I'll handle it."

However, Vlad couldn't yield on this matter either.

Now that Vlad knew that no one could enter the elf city, he had to somehow get cooperation from the count.

"To ensure that the unknown looter never again covets your trade routes, Lord Count."

The count of the central region and the knight from the North locked eyes.

As long as they had something to offer each other, they could smile over bitter tea and show kindness to those they disregarded.

"Agreed."

That was the essence of a deal.

Their joined hands were shaking quietly on the gold coin pouch.

※※※※

On a dark night, on a stone bridge crossing a very high cliff.

The coachman trembled in the thick fog that made him wet just by breathing.

The reason the coachman was shaking was not simply because the atmosphere was eerie.

"Uh, uh..."

Right in front lay men sprawled across the bridge as if dead.

Amidst them, the Bitskaya banner hung limply, swaying.

All those who had fallen were knights handpicked by the count.

"Are there any elves' goods inside?"

"Uh, y-yes..."

A figure shrouded in a gray hood down to the knees.

His sharp, scraping voice induced an intense sense of revulsion in the listener.

"Yes, please spare me!"

The coachman quickly fell to the ground and cried loudly.

The thick fog seemed to swallow his voice whole.

Kiiiiing-!

A chilling sound echoed from behind, but the coachman remained flat on the ground, not daring to look away.

He was afraid that if he opened his eyes, he would run into a man wearing a hood.

In the thick fog, a faint light was falling from a thin stone bridge down the cliff.

Along with a heavily laden carriage.

As the faint light vanished from the bridge, darkness once again enveloped everything.