Chapter 26. The Fence (1)[CW: Sexual Assault]
“Young Master, let’s have breakfast.”
The next morning.
As in the past few days, I’m dragged out of bed by Zitri’s breakfast hospitality. Stifling a yawn, I managed to sit down at the table.
‘There’s something about today that makes me think there’s too much food on the table……?’
The table was filled with all kinds of food and meat.
This is strange. This must be leftovers.
As far as I know, this is not how Zitri works.
She calculates and judges with precision.
That must be Zitri…?“Hmmmm~.”
Zitri was even humming as she washed the dishes.
Is something good happening?
I don’t know, but if I continue to eat like this, no matter how much food I have in my subspace pockets, it will quickly disappear.
I suppose hunting could do the trick, but…….
Determined to be careful, I picked up my cutlery and turned to Zitri.
“Zitri, this is a lot of food…….”
“Oh, you’ll have to eat it all, I got up two hours earlier than usual to prepare it by hand.”
“…….”
I couldn’t help but clamp my mouth shut.
She got up two hours earlier than usual to prepare it.
What more can I say here?
Maybe I should just shut up and take it all in somehow.
It’s a lot.
……It’s a lot, but it’s a lot.
“Hoo…….”
After loosening my jaw first to facilitate mastication, I started shoveling meat down my throat. It took me about two hours.
After a long battle, I was able to finish the meal.
* * *
“As you know, the Southern Chasers always experience monster outbreaks like the one we’re having right now during the winter, which is why we’re always requesting funds and troops from the Imperial Court.”
Captain Taigan began to explain in detail.
It was all information I already knew, but I listened anyway.
“Apparently, our village is a bit run-down and there are hardly any adult men left, so we can’t afford to fend off monsters like…….”
“Have you put up any barriers to protect your village?”
I asked.
Taigan nodded obediently.
“Yes. But they are… very old, and in need of repair. Plus, the demons are on a roll. We haven’t seen this many demons in recent years. Some of the villagers have even seen griffins.”
Griffins.
A favorite creature of fantasy.
A beast with the body of a lion and the wings and talons of an eagle.
Not surprisingly, griffins show up in Inner Lunatic as well.
Filthily strong, too.
‘Certainly one of the most important elements of the Chasers’ campaign is keeping them at bay.
In Chasers, the griffin isn’t just a monster for the taking.
It’s not about killing them, it’s about making them retreat.
That’s one of the keys to this year’s Chasers Showdown.
“If it’s Griffins, it’s definitely not a good situation.”
At my words, Grine walked up the other side and leaned back.
“I think he’s too scared. We have a lot of men with us. Plus, we have Ron, the leader of the Knights of Ron, with us. We should be able to repel them.”
A part of me wanted to point out where Grine had been during the fight against the ogres and wyrm, but I restrained myself.
There’s a time and a place for messing with Grine.
For now, it would be best to at least let him run wild.
That way, I’d have more to gain.
“Yeah. It would be great for us, too, if we could capture Griffin.”
“But that’s strange.”
Calmly crossing my arms, I began to play the part in earnest.
“Griffins don’t normally live near Chasers’ Village, and they’re rare in the south. Do you have any idea why they’re here when they’re usually found in eastern Tahalin?”
This is a key question.
Very important in order to complete this sub-quest.
At my question, very briefly, I see both of their faces contort at the same time.
It’s true. My memory wasn’t wrong.
I smirked in assurance.
‘You’re not going to get your way.’
Do you remember the story I told you at the beginning?
Virtue number three, leading a group, fighting demons, and surviving.
Consider whether there are any traitors in my party who might stab me in the back.
Also, I had just found a traitor.
* * *
A subordinate of Grine’s, and the one directly responsible for this ogre outbreak.
Schultz was furious.
Suddenly, the scoundrel of the Reinhafer family, Nox, wanted to take part in the slaughter.
Nox von Reinhaber.
From what he’d heard, he was a worthless scumbag, but he wasn’t worried.
He’s not going to usurp his place, and he’ll just have to serve Grine well enough to get the job done.
…But that was just Schultz’s mind.
Unfortunately, he had fallen for Nox’s ruse and was now in Grine’s sights!
‘How the hell did I manage to be seen by that bastard Grine!’
It’s hard not to be angry.
Grine.
How long did it take him to get under that shrewd bastard’s skin and become his right-hand man?
And all because of a single Nox.
I unleashed an ogre to attack, but he saw through it….
I had to keep fighting the ogres because of his knowledge.
It’s why I still have my arm in a cast.
‘I will not be intimidated.’
Of course, this was not a sentiment he dared to express to the youngest master of the Rinehafer Family.
But he was already half out of his mind.
The thought of the golden tower he’d spent more than a decade building had just crumbled.
As Schultz walked out of his assigned quarters, a figure caught his eye.
“Is that…?
It was a beautiful girl with green hair and golden eyes.
She looked like she’d just come of age, and he’d often seen her at Nox’s side, assisting him. The corners of Schultz’s mouth twitched upward.
“I’m sure you said she was a commoner…….”
A commoner.
He was born into a family of knights and rose to his current position as a noble. However, Zitri’s story is different.
She was excommunicated from her family. She’s a trashy piece of shit who’s been completely pushed aside in the power structure.
Moreover, he is still Grine’s right-hand man. Whatever happens next, he’s not finished with the Chasers yet.
What does that mean?
It means that even as Nox’s maid, she can’t say no to anything he offers her.
Licking his lips, Schultz sneers and moves toward Zitri.
He stands right behind her as she cleans up the dishes.
“Zitri’… did I hear you say you’re serving Master Nox?”
Zitri paused, then looked behind her.
There he was, a large man. A large, scarred, coppery-skinned man.
The man Nox had warned her to watch out for.
Zitri felt a bad vibe coming over him, but she kept her face as cheerful as she could.
“Yes, sir. Of course, but can I help you with something?”
“Lots of things.”
The moment.
Schultz suddenly reached out and grabbed Zitri’s wrist.
A scream escapes Zitri’s lips as her slender wrist buckles.
Her pupils narrow.
“…What did you do?”
“Nothing much. I just need to talk to you for a minute.”
“Well, can you let go of my wrists now?”
Zitri replied as calmly as he could, but Schultz sneered back.
“No, come on, don’t you see what I’m saying? Look at this town. It’s deserted, there’s nothing here. Even though I’m a knight and I serve a master, I still need to have some fun, and so do you. Don’t you think?”
Zitri’s entire body went cold.
Her lips parted as if she were a statue.
What was happening to her now.
This was not something to be taken lightly.
Schultz was consuming her body.
The twisted greed in his eyes was the reason.
“Get your hands off me now ….”
Zitri’s lips parted there, but then stopped.
A million thoughts rush through her mind.
What if she turned him down now?
The Nox she worships might be disowned by her second brother.
And if she does, he’ll do all sorts of damage to the family.
She might be put under scrutiny.
Of course, I know that Nox is not the kind of man who would risk his life to become a patriarch.
But she cannot be someone else to her master.
He saved her life.
He’s the one who lifted me up when I was at my lowest.
That’s why I have to be patient now.
It is inevitable.
I don’t… I don’t want him to suffer.
Zitri’s lips quivered as she spoke.
“Why me?”
“Work on your tone.”
Schultz said arrogantly, pulling Zitri toward him.
His face twisted with greed.
“You lost your family name and became a commoner, or at best, a spy because you caught the eye of the youngest member of the family?”
“It’s not like that.”
“If that’s how I felt, then that’s enough. Don’t you think?”
Unreasonable.
I shouldn’t have to explain myself in this situation, but I did.
Zitri finally said nothing, just shook her head.
“Your master has cost me over a decade of my life. I’m going to make you pay for it.”
Her heart pounded dizzily. Zitri wanted to scream right now.
Time seemed to be moving so slowly, like it had stopped, and this Schultz guy was going to take her somehow.
Perhaps the most upsetting thing was that she couldn’t resist.
Zitri finally closed her eyes.
Thinking about it, this was just one nightmare after another.
She had always been unhappy.
She would never know it, even if it was due to the nature of the game, Inner Lunatic. But at least she knew.
She is unhappy.
Always been the furthest thing from happy, and always would be.
Meeting Master Nox had changed her life a little. But even that couldn’t change her inherent misfortune.
Finally, Zitri gave up.
She’d always been unfortunate, and it was nothing new.
That’s when Schultz reached out his other hand.
“You’ll pay for this.”
A familiar, cold voice sounded before Zitri’s eyes.
Swish!{1}
There was the sound of something being cut, and blood spurted.
Searing heat radiated from a nearby source, carrying with it the thick scent of blood.
Zitri opened his eyes immediately.
A boy emerged from her blurred pupils.
Though still glazed.
A boy who had always seemed like a great man to Zitri.
Nox von Reinhaber was there.
“Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
Schultz suddenly screamed.
His voice echoed throughout the inn.
Zitri stared in shock at Schultz, who had let go of her wrist.
And then she saw.
His left wrist had been blown right off.
‘What the hell…….’
Worry overtook her relief.
The man Nox had just slashed was his brother’s suborinate, the second in line for succession in the family.
Schultz, the right-hand man of Grine von Reinhafer.
How could Nox be okay after attacking such a man?
Worry flashed across Zitri’s face, and his gaze shifted to Nox.
But Nox was nonchalant, raising his sword again, bringing it to Schultz’s throat and slowly parting his lips.
His snow-white hair swayed, and his lavender eyes glowed with formative light.
“Now tell me.”
He laughed.
“How do you want to pay me for this?”
Fear filled Schultz’s eyes at the frail boy before him.
His sword was sharp, as if he hadn’t yet finished growing.
He didn’t even feel the first approach.
No matter which way Schultz looked easy, he was a much stronger swordsman than Grine. Even among soldiers, his skills were quite exceptional.
But this family bastard, the one who said he had no skill, cut him down without a sound?
How could he believe such a thing…….
“I’ll tell you one thing.”
Even so, Nox continued calmly.
“You’ve made an irreparable mistake. I need you to take responsibility.”
“…This is absolutely unacceptable, even for you, Master Nox!”
Schultz shouted at the top of his lungs.
Even if Nox was the head of the Reinhafer family, this was not acceptable.
He hadn’t completely lost his leash on Grine yet. Clearly, Nox had crossed the line.
“Now that I’m in this condition, do you think Master Grine would dare to stand idly by?”
“Are you threatening me with my brother?”
But why?
Nox merely said that as if he had envisioned all of this.
He powers up his sword once more and….
Poof!
Next, his right arm flew off.
He falls to the ground, off balance. Schultz gritted his teeth and shouted.
“This… this is not right, even if you carry the family name on your back…!”
“No. I’m not the one who impudently carried the family name on my back.”
Pow!
“It’s you.”
Knox’s sword pierced through Schultz’s heart.
His body shuddered intermittently, then gushed blood, then stopped completely.
“What the hell is going on?!”
Amidst the commotion, other soldiers began to come out one by one.
But Nox didn’t look at them, instead sheathing his sword and turning to face them, a look of misunderstanding in his eyes.
Just like that. In that moment, no one could find the words.
“Nox… did you kill Schultz?”
Schultz’s master, Grine von Reinhafer, appeared and glared at Nox with fury. He marched toward him, his face showing the most ferocious expression he had ever worn.
“I asked you. Did you kill Schultz?”
“Yes.”
“How dare you…! You may be my flesh and blood, but a scoundrel dares to say that you have slain my knight!”
“Brother.”
Nox’s eyes calm down.
“I think we’re out of order.”
As he says it, a sneer tugs at the corners of his mouth.
“Shouldn’t we start by asking what happened?”
“You son of a…!”
Grine immediately lunged forward, grabbing Nox by the scruff of the neck and using his strength to try and push him away.
But why?
“…Not pushing?”
Nox hadn’t been pushed a single step, and he stood where he was.
Grine gritted his teeth in frustration.
“Why did you kill Schultz? If it wasn’t for a good reason, you won’t escape punishment either!”
“He first attempted to molest my maid, and as a master, how could I stand by and watch?”
“For that reason alone? You are a commoner at best, and you dare to make me lose a valuable soldier because of a woman….Schultz, that is!”
“That word.”
That moment.
Chaaaaaah….
In an instant, the atmosphere in the inn calmed down, and an indescribable aura began to burst forth from Nox.
“Can you take responsibility?”
Next Chapter{1} : This should be the sound of droplets of blood dripping on the wooden floor, but there isn’t an onomatopoeia I know for that
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter