Chapter 126 - The return of the prodigal son (2)

A night where even the clouds hide the moon.

The malicious intent clinging everywhere is sticky.

"Ah…"

Every time I exhale forcefully, the flowing blood slides down my forehead.

However, the old knight, who had become senile, no longer had the energy to raise his hand and wipe it away.

Time was especially cruel to the elderly.

"Sigh…"

The old knight finally reached a dead end and sighed.

They cut and ran to open a path, but in the end, they were led to their intended destination.

"I wish you could rest in peace."

A man approaches among the men surrounding him.

"I didn't even let you retire alone because of this?"

Finally, the moonlight shines upon his appearance.

"…A nobleman has arrived."

Blond hair and blue eyes.

His elegant appearance would have attracted anyone, but the power in his eyes makes him crueler than anyone else.

"You must have had a hard time coming all the way here just for the sake of this insignificant old man."

"It was something worth facing."

Click-

At the man's gesture, the men surrounding August drew their swords.

Politely, as if it were a final courtesy.

"You may be underestimating me. Although I may have lost some teeth, my claws are still sharp."

August's eyes burned coldly as he prepared for the end.

Though he had retired, there was one last mission he wanted to fulfill.

Now that the elves had been blocked, if he could deliver the evidence he had brought to the imperial family, he could inform the world of the harm done to Absilon.

It was a mission that had to be carried out in that way.

"No way."

However, the man in front of him did not lose his composure even in the face of the old knight trying to burn his last flame.

"Isn't that why I came myself?"

Mirshea, the leader of the Dragonslayer Knights.

With his words, the tips of the knights' swords rose towards August.

The killing spirit of the Dragonslayer Knights spilled coldly towards the old knight.

"It's not much, but I hope you enjoy the retirement ceremony we prepared."

The ferocity hidden in the blue eyes stirs.

When he unsheathed his sword, he looked like a noble knight, but when aimed at himself, he looked like a beast with bared teeth.

'Blond hair… blue eyes.'

And cruelty.

A strong personality that started out noble but ultimately turned cruel.

That individuality now looked at him with blue eyes.

'I see.'

Flashes of malice draw near.

Towards the tired, old lion.

Seeing the brightest malice among them, August remembered the young knight he had met in the elves' forest.

"It wasn't his personality."

He was wrong.

The traces of that boy who had a noble start but was cruel in the end.

The cruelty Vlad showed wasn't a personality developed by himself.

It was a predatory instinct running through the blood.

The clouds once again hide the moon.

The movements of someone slowly crumbling in the darkness without even the moonlight.

Inside, green tea leaves flutter sadly.

The truths someone arrived at were spreading so fleetingly.

***

Marcia City.

The only city in the Barony of Rosmitz.

This city, which was not particularly ancient or had anything to boast about as a territory, was truly a common and ordinary place.

And now Vlad and Goethe were walking towards the city of Marcia… but they weren't there.

"Thank you, Captain."

"Well, I was thinking of returning anyway."

Vlad responded hesitantly upon seeing Goethe expressing his gratitude.

That's because the group was not heading to Marcia, but to a remote village four days away.

The place, which had no proper name and was simply called Wisteria Village, was also Goethe's hometown.

"How long has it been?"

"What? Since when have I left? Let me see, I think it's been about 6 years."

"It's been quite a while."

Goethe, who seemed to be in his twenties, so if it was six years ago, he probably left as soon as he became an adult.

Or perhaps it was something that came before, like Vlad.

"I'll make sure my mom and younger siblings are okay before I leave."

"…"

Ultimately, the leader of the group was Vlad, and Goethe was just a squire.

If the two had been an ordinary knight and squire, Goethe wouldn't have dared to ask them to pass through his hometown.

So even now, Goethe was watching Vlad carefully.

"Is your mother good at cooking?"

"…Yes! My mother's potato stew is on a different level from what is served in most inns."

"Really?"

The weather was warm and the breeze was cool.

Since I found a clue about the voice in Ausurin and have a goal in mind on what to do next, I can finally feel like I'm on vacation for a while.

"If it tastes that good, I might stay for a day or two."

"...Perfect!"

Vlad treated others with coldness, but that wasn't the case for everyone.

When Jorge looked at Vlad and commented that he was the kind of guy who would be the leader in any alley, he wasn't just saying it because of his outstanding skills.

"There."

Goethe's fingertips trembled slightly as he pointed to his hometown, which he hadn't seen in a long time.

Green leaves falling beside the village entrance.

The flower buds, which would soon turn purple, welcomed the prodigal son of the village, who had returned after a long time.

***

"Stop!"

A guard without special weapons, but with fierce eyes, blocked Vlad and Goethe's path.

"Who are you? What brought you to our town?"

At first glance, it was a small city, so of course, it wasn't a permanent army.

Perhaps one of the young men of the town acted as a vigilante, but he seemed quite skilled at stopping strangers.

"Thompson. I'm Goethe."

"Goodness? Goethe?"

The guard tilted his head when he saw Goethe cheerfully greeting him from the horse.

"Hey. Millhouse up on the hill."

"Ahh. That Goethe!"

A subtle smile appeared on the face of a guard named Thompson, who now recognized Goethe.

"It's been a few years. Where have you been all this time?"

"Just here and there."

Vlad quietly stroked Noir's neck as they watched the two chat loudly.

Both seemed uncomfortable even though they were talking.

And even the sight of other guards standing silently around.

'I don't think I'm particularly welcome.'

Vlad, who always controlled the atmosphere whenever he arrived at an unknown place, noticed that the attitude of the people greeting Goethe was lukewarm.

Apparently, something was wrong when he left the village.

"Is my mother and younger brother okay?"

"Yes. Nothing happened."

However, Goethe didn't seem to care much about their reactions.

Vlad silently scratched his chin at Goethe's seemingly familiar attitude.

"It's good to see you again after so long. Will you be calm and leave?"

"Yes, I'll leave shortly. Just one or two days."

Goethe tried to smile as he looked at Thompson, who was more cautious than happy to see him after a long time.

"Go see the village chief and greet him first."

Goethe quietly walked past the guards who had sheathed their spears, nodding his head.

"Stop."

"…?"

However, the spears soon blocked the path again.

Although Goethe confirmed his identity, the guards once again were blocking Vlad's way.

"Hey. Thompson. He's my guest."

"Even so, I have to check."

"Thompson!"

This was something guards in a big city would naturally do, but this was a small village and they were just vigilantes.

Goethe, who was a resident of the village, vouched for his identity, so it seemed like they would simply overlook it, but the subsequent reaction was cold.

"What's your name? You look young."

"…Ha."

Goethe was being ignored.

In front of the village where he was born and raised.

The boy from the dark alley inside Vlad felt the unpleasant yet familiar air and lifted his eyes fiercely.

"My name is Vlad."

Vlad removed the cloak given to him by Oksana and placed his hand on the sword hanging from his waist.

The shining sword of the spirits showed that the person in front of them was an unusual person.

"I am the knight of Bayezid. Vlad."

Blond hair and blue eyes.

And the strength of a fierce predator contained in those eyes.

Thompson's back was covered in sweat and he felt like a rabbit standing in front of a wolf.

This was going wrong.

"I don't want anyone like you to ask for my name again."

"I'm sorry!"

Thompson, who was finally released from Vlad's nightmare, sharply bent his back and lowered his head.

For someone with such a fierce personality as the knight in front of them felt, it wouldn't have been surprising if the sword was drawn immediately, which would have been impolite.

Vlad, who easily overcame the guards with just his momentum, looked at Goethe with irritated eyes.

"I'm sorry. Captain."

It wasn't the trouble caused by the guard blocking the way.

Goethe was always smiling cheerfully, but now he only had a bitter smile on his face.

'It's annoying.'

It's been a while since he returned to his hometown, why is he so withdrawn?

Vlad didn't like that look at all.

"Listen."

"Eh?"

Suddenly, Goethe saw a white object flying towards him and quickly caught it.

"…Why is this?"

A white flag fluttering in the wind.

Patterns of numerous nobles and organizations engraved on it looked at Goethe.

"You take the lead. This will never happen again."

It was an indifferent tone, but it contained consideration for Goethe.

I don't know how you were when you left, but shouldn't you look confident when you come back?

"…I will guide you. Sir Vlad."

"Alright."

Vlad nodded slightly as he looked at Goethe, who quickly understood his intentions.

A flag full of honor.

The eyes of the young men of the village became distant as they looked at the standard-bearer hoisting the bright flag.

"Excuse me. Sir, sir. Welcome!"

A wooden fence opened slowly, welcoming the two.

An honorable rider carrying a bright flag.

The prodigal son of the town who left insignificantly has now returned to his hometown as a standard-bearer with a bright flag.

With a ray of smile, Goethe's world was slowly expanding.

***

"Who is that? Who said he had so much success?"

"He's here. The second son of a miller family."

"The fool has returned? Seems like he had success outside."

A small village where only those who leave come back.

Therefore, the news that a new stranger had arrived was silently but quickly spreading through the village.

"Was it worth it for you?"

"…"

"Well, it's better to be a swindler than worth half a penny."

Vlad, who confirmed Goethe's assessment of him from the whispers he heard, smiled faintly.

If he were too cruel or had a complicated past, he wouldn't have been able to keep him around for long.

But if it's around worth half a penny, it'll be fine.

"If you go this way, it's the village chief's house…"

"Let's leave your house first."

"Eh?"

Vlad clearly realized what kind of position he was in by observing and learning from Joseph's side.

This meant that Vlad could now act like a proud knight rather than a rundown alley kid.

"Ask the village chief to come to your house. Because it's complicated to get there."

Excessive courtesy only humiliates oneself.

To be treated properly, you had to know how to behave appropriately for your position.

"Okay."

"Don't go yourself, find someone and tell them."

"Yes."

Anyway, the whole village had come because of Goethe.

So, it might be a good idea to give him a little push while he's here.

"Hey, it's on the hill over there."

"Go see."

Noir, who didn't like having other horses in front of him, this time followed Goethe silently.

The knight and the horse confirmed each other's intentions through the world they found.

"…I guess I'm preparing lunch."

"I know."

There's a lonely house in front of you.

Smoke was coming out of the chimney of a house with an old mill that seemed to no longer work.

"Mom… mom. I'm here."

Goethe carefully opens the gate door.

Goethe's voice gradually fades as he sees that his hometown looks the same as when he left.

"Mom."

A woman came out of the kitchen upon hearing the door open.

She looks tired.

The headscarf tightly tied around her head was clean but very worn out.

Her face has wrinkles of time that cannot be hidden.

They must be deep wrinkles that my poor son couldn't smooth out.

"Go? Goethe?"

The spatula the woman was holding fell to the ground.

"Oh my God!"

"Mom."

Although everyone in the village ignored her, she welcomed Goethe with open arms.

For some, he was a prodigal son who caused accidents, but in this woman's eyes, he was more valuable than anyone else.

"…Is there potato stew for lunch today?"

Seeing the mother and son embracing with tears in their eyes, Vlad patted the ground for no reason.

"Come to think of it, it's been a long time since I had a home-cooked meal."

Vlad lifted his heavy eyes and saw smoke rising from the chimney.

The spicy smell coming from the kitchen seemed to bring back old memories he couldn't even remember.

Today's lunch for Vlad will be a hot stew that his mother will serve to her son.

It must be a taste he hadn't felt in a long time.

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