Chapter 114 – Adversary (5)
Going back in time a bit, just before Escaros and Merlin run into a group of twin sisters and get on the carriage.
ㅡslurreuk.
Escaros and Merlin, who appeared together with a complex-shaped magic circle rising from the middle of the road, looked around for a while.
“Is this the land inhabited by humans? It’s very different from where we used to live.”
“There are not only my own people who have escaped from my hometown, but there are also a few human races such as beastmen and elves… In the case of our continent, the proportion of humans is quite large. Come to think of it, this is the first time that Escaros-sama has come out of the Nation of the Underworld. How do you feel?”
With a squeak, the sound of the armor and helmet that he always wears when engaging in a full-scale battle, Escaros looked up in wonder at the scenery of the bluish sky just before the sunset.
“How can you see the clouds in the sky so well… It was exceptionally beautiful because it was just before the sunset. It was true that the sky outside the Demon Kingdom was blue. I can understand to some extent why the previous demon kings tried to take over the land of humans even by going to war.”
Speaking in a muttering voice, Escaros slowly lowered his raised head and looked at the outskirts of the city, barely visible from a distance.
“Is that the city you were talking about over there?”
“Yes. Originally, I was going to settle in a location slightly away from that city… Because of the distance, they got the coordinates in an ambiguous place. I will move to the nearby forest again.”
After estimating the coordinates, Merlin tried to recite the mass teleport again, but Escaros shook his head and moved forward.
“Let’s go like this. Now, rather than moving all at once with magic, I want to visit while capturing all these scenery.”
“All right.”
Even if it’s late and the gates are closed, there won’t be any problems because there are plenty of ways to get through.
ㅡ rattling.
After finishing their conversation, Escaros and Merlin started walking down the street, and not long after, they inadvertently turned their heads at the sound of a carriage creaking from behind.
Looking at their appearance, they seemed to be a group of travelers, mercenaries, or adventurers. Or they could be robbers. Either way was fine.
Merlin, who watched the carriage gradually approaching, gave out a fishy voice with a grin.
“It went well just in time. Since there are no other eyes around, I will take care of them quietly and take them to the carriage.”
“Well, that’s not too bad. If they try to attack us or pass us by, we’ll deal with them. If they try to talk to us, let’s just listen.”
“Yes.”
Eventually, the carriage stopped right next to the two of them.
The coachman, Finn, who had been looking at Merlin in the form of an ordinary old man, opened her mouth as she bowed her head toward her elder.
“Seniors, we are a group of adventurers on our way back to Barmela Manor.
The first words of pure kindness that Finn gave to Merlin in a soft tone was the moment that saved all four people, including herself.
Merlin stared at Finn for a few seconds at her unexpected kindness, then glanced to her side Escaros nodded her head and gave her a sign not to attack them.
Tsk… !
After canceling all of the attack magic that he had been calculating in advance while clicking his tongue, Merlin smiled like a generous old man and exchanged a few more words. It started.
Junoa greeted the two briefly, and when they arrived, she dozed off to be woken up, while Finn, sitting in her coachman’s seat, clutched the reins and concentrated on driving her horse.
The twin sisters, who met Escaros and Merlin, who are hiding their identities, face to face in the back compartment of the carriage, instead of talking among themselves, brought up an appropriate topic that could be shared without burden even to two people who had never met, and had a nice conversation.
“… After dealing with all the hobgoblins in the mine, I ran into two people on the way back.”
“Colleagues with matching limbs gather together and carry out various requests… Adventurers live that way.”
“It may not be exactly the same, but adventurers generally feel like this.”
Escaros learned the human language from Merlin in advance in preparation for future events, so he was able to understand all of the twin sisters’ words intact.
After the civil war in the Demon Empire ended, was it a reaction that only talked about the stabilization of the city that suffered considerable damage from the civil war, and the meeting about the deployment of troops to suppress high-risk monsters or remnants of hostile forces…? ．
Hearing the story of the twin sisters who introduced themselves as adventurers was more interesting and enjoyable than I thought.
Meanwhile, Merim, who was talking excitedly, glanced at the black armor Escaros was wearing and the great sword hanging from his back.
“The armor and sword the mercenary man is wearing look really good, but you can see a lot of small scratches on them.
“…”
I’m the uncle… ．
Hearing the man’s voice for the first time in her life, he momentarily wondered if he should correct Merim’s words, but it’s a passing relationship that you only see once anyway.
“Yes. I went back and forth with these guys on numerous battlefields.”
“Is it a battlefield? Unlike adventurers who specialize in dealing with monsters, most mercenaries live on war food.”
“I know it’s rude, but wasn’t mercenary work difficult?”
“No… Not at all. There is nothing like feeling alive and heart beating at the same time as the moment when you put your faith and beliefs on each other and sword to sword against the enemy you face on the battlefield.”
“It’s kind of poetic.”
“A mercenary man is like one of two things. Either he is a great bluff, or his job as a mercenary is his vocation.”
“Under… ! It’s a cheeky yet funny word. You guys think what you like.”
With that feeling, a few more conversations between Escaros and his twin sister… Suddenly, the carriage stopped.
Fortunately, they arrived on time, so the gates were wide open. The twin sisters and Escaros’ party passed the checkpoint safely and entered the city, then split into two groups again.
The twin sisters and the others report to the Adventurer’s Guild for completing the quest first, and to return the wagon.
Escaros and Merlin go to Roden’s potion shop.
Just before parting, Escaros spoke a few words of advice to his party, including his twin sister.
“You… If possible, try not to leave the center of the city today.”
“?”
“Anyway, it was not a boring time thanks to that. Enough then.”
Escaros, who turned his back on the twin sisters who were shaking their heads at what they were talking about out of nowhere, started heading to the outskirts of the city with Merlin.
* * *
Loxia, along with Roden, was filling the shelves in advance for the business to resume tomorrow, while looking at the scenery through the window where the sky was turning yellow.
“Are the unnies sleeping outside today?”
“Suddenly it’s getting close to dinnertime, but… Since it is still time to enter the city, shall we wait a little longer before we eat dinner? Just in case they come, but if we eat first, it looks a bit like that.”
“Yes, Master.”
After finishing the finishing touches, the two of them sat face-to-face in the guest seats and started staring at the window blankly, wondering if the twins would return today as they sipped tea.
Then, around the time the teacup was empty, two people were spotted approaching this place. Unfortunately, they are not twin sisters.
As soon as they arrive in the city, it is the appearance of Escaros and Merlin heading to Roden’s shop without hesitation.
Didn’t you hear that there is no business today? Well, I prepared the potions in advance, so there’s nothing I can’t sell.
Roden, who thought of the two strangers as mere travelers, kept his chin on his chin until they came closer… ．
“!!!”
ㅡBuldeok!!
“Master?”
As soon as I met eyes with the old man, who gradually narrowed the distance, I got up vigorously.
Although the face itself is an ordinary old man, Roden sensed an unusual tenacity and hatred in the eyes of the other person. That was an enemy in name and reality.
I didn’t expect that the enemy would attack one after another in less than a day.
Roden considered for a moment whether to tell Loxia to hide in her house, then shook her head inwardly.
“… Loxia. From now on, never leave my side.”
“Yes? Ah, I see.”
Loxia, who obediently followed Roden’s instructions in a very serious voice, followed him and came out of the store together. While looking away for a moment, the owner’s hand held the black sword he had seen the previous day at dawn.
The old man, who leaned lightly toward Roden and Roxia, spoke first.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other again. The feeling when my arm was helplessly cut by that sword is still vivid… By the way, if it’s your current appearance, you won’t know at all. Shall we go back to our original appearance?”
The old man, who covered his face with his right hand, slowly pushed his hand aside as if he were removing makeup with his palm.
The face of the old man that appeared again is the face of a demon with curved horns like a gazelle, and at the same time it is the face Roden remembers.
“Merlin… !”
“I’m glad you haven’t forgotten me either. One thing… No. Are you using the name Roden now?”
Merlin slowly stretched out his arm and pointed at Loxia with the tip of her finger.
“Until now, it seems that the Demon King’s vessel has been decorated well with a human figure, but I can’t fool my eyes.… Get out of the false image. Dispel magic.”
ㅡPeeing!
The thin beam of light shot from Merlin’s fingertips fell directly on Loxia, ignoring the black sword that was about to cut in the middle.
As the magic of the ring that Loxia was wearing was instantly nullified, the girl was also forcibly returned to her original form, a demon with goat-shaped horns.
Roxia, sensing her foreign sensation, looked up at her Roden, touching her own horn.
“What?! Lord, Master. The ring is clearly worn… Why.”
“It’s because he cast a spell that nullifies magic. The artifact is temporarily out of order, so don’t worry too much.”
ㅡSurereung.
At that moment, Escaros, who had been silent by Merlin’s side until now, slowly drew his greatsword.
“It’s surprising that the vessel is a girl. Anyway, to really use the title ‘master’… ．Poor thing. The words that you were brainwashed by that human are indeed true.”
With an angry voice, Escaros grabbed the greatsword and gradually contained his golden aura that crackled like lightning.
Until he saw it, Roden, who assumed that Escaros was Merlin’s subordinate, went off the alarm and instinctively realized that he was a more dangerous enemy than Merlin.
“… If you don’t want to die in one blow, you’d better do your best from the start.”
At the same time as he finished speaking, Escaros’ body quickly disappeared like a flash, then reappeared before Roden’s eyes and swung his great sword.
ㅡKaaaaang!!!
