On a thin branch near the top of a tall tree, a man gazes at the sky. He was dressed in a dark robe. His hood was pulled over his eyes and his mouth was covered with a cloth, obscuring his features.
In the distance, he watched a black dragon pass over a mountain and clicked his tongue.
(Harkim’s troops haven’t reached there yet, I guess. Then it must have been that village girl?)
She drove the black dragon away, huh.
He couldn’t believe it at first glance. Although she was unusually strong for a girl living in a peaceful remote village, her strength was on par with that of Count Harkim, who had taken it easy on her. This was the conclusion based on the distant observation from the village.
He didn’t think that she could have gone toe-to-toe with that black dragon.
(But that village …… had strange barriers.)
A numbing pain ran through the body as he approached. He couldn’t go any closer because he was afraid that something worse would happen if he went any further.
Why was it that the troops were able to pass through unhindered, but just they couldn’t get in?
It was not a simple qualification of being armed.
There was a possibility that special conditions even involved emotions they had.
He did not see any logical reason why a village in the middle of nowhere would have such advanced warding.
(Come to think of it, that village is …….)
The name of a certain criminal came to mind, but the man immediately shook his head.
That criminal does not have the magic power to construct such a high level of barriers. He knew the formula, but he didn’t think the villagers, including the strong girl, would be able to pull it off.
Whatever the case may be, the mission here has failed. They were to move on to the next plan.
The man drew up a plan in his mind.
After a while, he imitated a predetermined bird’s cry to call his companions.
(Hmm? No response.)
The next moment, he wondered.
“Wa!?”
He was seized by the head. And he was dropped downwards, snapping even the thickest branches.
“Bubbe!”
Somehow, he was able to activate his defensive magic, but he was unable to kill the momentum, and his face hit the ground hard.
“You are not from Sir Harkim’s unit, are you? What are you doing sneaking around?”
A somewhat familiar man’s voice came down. He fumbled through his memory and recalled the one man who had just crossed his mind.
But immediately denied it.
(There is no way that man could have approached me without giving any presence at all, and knocked me down.)
He was a former commoner with a sharp mind who had no skill with a sword or magic.
“Agh!?”
One of his arms was crushed. With his head held down, the man flapped his legs.
“You’re going to have to answer some questions. I need you to tell me who you are and what you were doing and under whose orders.”
He couldn’t possibly say. At the very least, he knew that if he answered ‘whose orders?’, he would eventually be killed by that person.
“Well, can’t you just blabber on and on? But you know –“
His head was lifted.
“GGG……!?”
The sight in front of his eyes stunned him.
People in robes similar to the man were lying on the ground, not even twitching. There were four of them. All of them were his companions.
“Don’t worry. They are still alive. In short, you aren’t the only one I need to hear from.”
How many of those four would be willing to give up their lives for loyalty? Even though he was afraid of his employer, he wanted to blurt it out if there was a guarantee that his life would be spared.
The cloth covering his mouth was pulled down. The man looked into the young man’s face and shuddered.
“Ahh, I knew it. I thought your voice sounded familiar. You are Lord Davon’s subordinate, aren’t you?”
The man knew him, too.
They had met and exchanged words on the battlefield several times before.
The man’s master was the one who sentenced him to the frontier. He was Duke Dabon, who had presided over the grand trial for the murder of the Hero.
“Is that old man up to something again? I guessed from the circumstances that it was an assassination attempt on Lord Harkim, but it’s strange. He has already dropped out of the power struggle.”
An indescribable fear shook his whole body as the man went into the heart of the matter in an indifferent manner and said only one word.
“Mathis, Lutius. …….”
Why is he here? He should not be able to leave the village.
Why is he not wearing the collar? If he took it off, he would be charged with treason.
And the biggest mystery of all, why is he so powerful that he can overpower him and his companions?
Neither of these questions will be resolved forever.
Because there is no way that he will be allowed live once he discovers the fact that ‘he appeared here without the collar’. ……
“I’ll tell you everything. So–“
The man pleads through a fearful, drawn-out smile.
“Give me an easy death. ……”
“Yeah, if you tell me everything honestly.”
The dark-haired young man finally responded, removing the mask of the Supreme Sage.
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