Episode 7

Vaillant was a huge intelligence guild based in the eastern part of the Empire and its autonomous districts.

There were many similarities between the Landsvalger Assassins and the Information Guild.

Because there are many agents who move stealthily in the dark and carry out missions disguised as all kinds of people.

It wasn’t difficult to find the Valent Guild, but forming a close relationship was another matter.

‘Cat-eyed Sertine. Valent’s guild master.’

Sertin was the one who emerged as the rising power of Vaillant and took the position of guild leader.

A true darkness whose true nature has never been revealed.

He was such a cruel person that there were even rumors that anyone who saw him died.

However, I knew quite well about Sertin’s identity.

Her grudge against the Disclett Guild was to the extent that the Assassins were keeping an eye on her.

In a way, I was the core of the hostile camp.

In order to catch Sertin’s eyes, he had to find a different way.

“I’ll have to create an identity that will appeal to me.”

* * *

In the eastern part of the Bertos Empire, in the northern part of Beltia Autonomous Region, was the Deisol Wasteland.

Further east from here came a special place called the Forest of the Dead.

In this wasteland, it was impossible to drink even the spring water.

If he did, he would be poisoned by the powerful energy flowing from the forest and die a miserable death.

However, the wilderness was not completely devoid of people.

This was because an important trade route connecting the north and the south passed through.

All right! All right!

“You’re almost there.”

The Curie Merchant was one of the representative groups using the Deisol Wasteland.

Curie, the upper state, traveled between the northern and southern parts of the Revius continent and made a profit from trade.

That’s why they couldn’t give up on this trade route, even if it was a bit risky.

“It’s slowly entering the conflict zone. You have to be really careful from here.”

“It wasn’t a very dangerous road in the past. After Riverrun was destroyed, gangs of robbers ran rampant.”

At the words of the escort captain, Curie shook her head.

Today, it seemed that the coarse sand of the wasteland was clinging more to his graying beard.

“Tell them to pay close attention to the escorts. I’d like some dry weight and water.”

“Yes.”

Curie showed favor to the peddling escorts and mercenaries.

Because he has always been like this, he was able to save his life with the help of his colleagues even when he was in danger.

But somehow it didn’t seem possible right now.

It was because a huge number of cavalry cavalry appeared from the other side of the hill and threatened the peddlers.

“Go, a gang of robbers has appeared!”

“All ready for battle!”

They appeared endlessly along the low ridge.

“It’s on a scale that can’t be matched!”

“Oh, that’s amazing…”

The escort captain drool and looked back at Curie.

Sangdanju was also the first to see such a sight.

“Leave your belongings and run away. Isn’t life more important than money?”

“All right.”

“If only I were alive, it wouldn’t be difficult to pay for the request. Please.”

“Move over here.”

Curie moved to the top of the escort captain’s horse.

Then he looked at the gang of robbers with anxious eyes.

If they abandoned the wagon and left the peddler alone, there would be no big problem.

All the most valuable items were contained in Curie’s subspace ring.

But when it comes to ruthless bastards who want more than that, the story will be different.

There will probably be a death struggle in which lives come and go dozens of times in an instant.

Doo doo doo doo!

The gang of robbers occupying the hill began to move, raising dust.

Speeding down the slope, they passed a peddler and ran furiously in pursuit of the escort.

“Damn it! They’re coming!”

“Run! Get out of here somehow!”

It accelerated like crazy, but there was nowhere for the top group of Curie to escape.

It was because bandits were coming from the front all of a sudden.

“Ahh!”

Seeing the group, Curie and the escort leader put on a stunned expression.

“This, this…”

Eventually, the peddling escorts banded together to form a defensive formation.

Eventually, the gang of robbers slowly approached, completely surrounded.

Seeing them do this, they seemed to know a lot about subspace magic items.

But at that very moment, a sudden commotion broke out at the rear of the gang of robbers.

Push! hooked!

“Kwaaak!”

“Cheuk!”

The screams of death were heard in succession, and the entire gang of robbers wandered around and changed their formation.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Isn’t it that they are fighting among themselves? Like factions splitting up in order to take possession of wealth.”

“So you don’t even know how much our wealth is?”

“Let’s watch for a while.”

Curie and the escort captain rolled their eyes, looking for an opportunity to escape.

Beep! Doo doo doo!

However, isn’t even the band of robbers who blocked the retreat pass through the top of Curie and join as they saw?

It happened after a long whistle sounded.

There were still a few left, but a golden opportunity to escape.

“Now. Let’s go!”

“Yes!”

The Curie Merchants slipped out of the trade route and started running fast.

However, they soon had to slow down.

It was only then that I realized that there was no need to run away.

“I-I can’t!”

An unbelievable sight came into Curie’s eyes as she turned her head.

It was a scene where a man slaughtered a band of robbers alone.

“Go, thank you.”

When the situation was over in an instant, Curie bowed her head toward the man.

However, he only roughly rubbed the sword body on the dead robber’s clothes and didn’t even look at it.

Plain dark brown leather armor and a black cape reminded me of a mercenary who had been active for a long time.

The haphazardly tied gray hair and the scar across the bridge of his nose were quite impressive.

The indifferent way of wiping the blood seemed to lack the least human emotion.

Like a jackal roaming the wilderness alone.

“I… I’d like to thank you for saving me. Please go with us.”

Curie once again politely thanked her.

Only then did the man turn his head and look around at the people on the peddler.

Then, in an insipid tone, he responded by chewing and spitting it out.

“Not required.”

“Well, if that’s the case, please tell me your name at least.”

Curie struggled to express her gratitude in any way.

Then, as if the man had been waiting for this question, he obediently gave me his name.

“Keros.”

That’s how he moved his steps to the other side of the wasteland, leaving behind only aftertaste.

“ah…….”

The members of the peddler looked at Keros’s back for a long time.

It was because the image of the author was so strong.

In time, they gathered the peddler’s wagon and started heading to their destination again.

A few days later, when Curie arrived in Fellard, he was able to confirm the name of a man named Keros.

It was because the name came up every time I went to restaurants and taverns.

Curie asked a question to the merchant next door.

“Is a man named Keros that famous?”

“No, is there anyone in Fellard who doesn’t know Keros, the ‘slayer of Deisol’? I heard he slaughtered another band of robbers not too long ago. In the borough of Aberdeen.”

“Looks like you’re making a name for yourself by slaughtering only bandits, right?”

“If you don’t like it, the peddler is also beaten by him. There have been a few people who have been decapitated as a group while trying to make a profit.”

“ah…….”

Apparently, Keros wasn’t the only person killing outlaws.

Curie let out a sigh of relief at not provoking him and letting him go.

* * *

rattle! chuck.

Keros, the slayer of Daysol, suddenly stepped into a shabby tavern in the corner of Fellard Borough.

The bar was full, but surprisingly it wasn’t too noisy.

The eyes of the people in the bar instantly gathered, but he didn’t care and walked to the bar.

Because there was only one seat left.

“A glass of Belle’s tears.”

“15 geld.”

Cheer up!

It was an exorbitant price for a glass of alcohol, but Keros scattered three gold coins worth 5 gold coins without hesitation.

The bartender opened the door behind him and stared at him.

It meant hurry in.

Keros got up from his long stool and pushed himself through the back door.

As expected, there were stairs leading to the basement.

“It’s classic.”

“It’s also the safest. Follow me.”

A voice came from the darkness, but he was unmoved.

It was because they already sensed that someone was hiding there.

Keros followed him for a long time through a secret passage that twisted around like a maze.

Then, the destination finally appeared.

rattle. Swoop.

Upon entering the fairly large space, a woman in a red dress was smoking a hookah.

The deep cut line of the top showed off her voluptuous body.

“Whoa…”

In the thick smoke, I could feel the strong apple scent.

He could guess the woman’s identity from the attitudes of the men lined up around him.

“Sertine in the Cat’s Eye.”

A faint smile flashed across Keros’ stern face, but it disappeared in an instant.