Encounter (5)
‘I have to get some solid information here… How on earth did he manage to pierce through his power and inflict damage on us?’
Combat Bishop Julie twisted her lips into a smirk, pretending to be calm, but inside, anxiety gnawed at her.
Lost Hope.
The group she served and worshipped as a devout follower.
‘Barrier,’ the power bestowed upon her by them, made her body impervious to swords without any training.
Of course, this barrier wasn't invincible.
‘The Sword of the North,’ the man with the hefty backside sitting up there, had easily broken through their defenses.
The barrier had no effect against those who instinctively swung their swords, having slaughtered monsters that constantly invaded the north.
If it weren’t for them, the Empire would have fallen into the hands of Lost Hope long ago.
However, Julie found it utterly inconceivable that someone like Yohaiden, who wasn’t one of those northerners, had broken through the barrier.
‘The promised one is about to arrive, and this happens now of all times!’
Lost Hope had been expanding its influence cautiously from the shadows for a long time.
The time for them to emerge from hiding was near.
The moment was fast approaching when they would no longer need to hide, when they would reveal the true form of Lost Hope to the world and overthrow the Empire.
And then this disaster struck out of the blue.
The men sent on a simple mission to kidnap bandits and slaves had been found dead.
To make matters worse, among them was a bishop, someone of the same rank as her. This was even more shocking.
‘Even if he was a Faith Bishop, not a Combat Bishop… There should have been a wall he couldn't overcome compared to a devout follower like me…’
She couldn't understand it.
‘Whatever skill killed the bishop, I can’t let my guard down. I need to use my trump card here.’
But Julie knew that in moments like these, she had to appear even more composed.
“… Who are you people? How did you kill them…?”
“…”
Despite her question, the Duke’s tightly closed lips showed no sign of opening.
“It’s pointless even if you don’t tell me. The ones you faced back then weren’t trained for combat… The four here are Shadows. They’re children carefully raised by Lost Hope. And I’m a Combat Bishop on a whole different level compared to that guy. We are Lost Hope. Those who serve and worship the Demon King.”
“…”
“Do you know why I'm telling you all this?”
Julie gave a chilling smile.
“Because that’s the activation condition of my ability. By revealing our existence… I’m declaring that I won’t let a single one of you leave this place alive… This is my testament of faith…”
—As soon as her words ended, the sound abruptly cut off.
Her murky silver hair shot up towards the sky, and her jade eyes split vertically.
“And this is why no one has ever known of our existence until now.”
Sssst—
Red smoke rose from her body like a heat haze.
At the sight of the suspicious smoke, Duke Yohaiden finally opened his closed mouth and shouted, clutching his throat.
“Yohaiden Knights! Do not breathe in that smoke! And… Prove the light of Yohaiden!!!!”
“““Prove the light!!!”””
And so, a giant red hemisphere formed in the middle of the nameless forest.
Soon, it blended with the surrounding scenery, erasing everyone from sight.
* * *
“What!? You’re taking me with you…?”
Soi’s eyes widened like a surprised rabbit as she raised her voice.
“Yes.”
Zeke nodded.
“W-wait a minute! Where are we going?”
“A place called the Lyos Mountain Range.”
“Th-that’s… You’re not going there to do something dangerous, are you?”
“…”
A brief silence passed between Zeke and Soi.
She narrowed her eyes, glaring at Zeke.
“I can guarantee you won’t be in any danger.”
“Even if you say so!”
“It’s your fault for not being able to make bread that lasts for two weeks. So I have no choice but to take my bread shuttle with me.”
Zeke said with a straight face.
“B-bread shuttle…?”
Creak—
“Soi…? What brings you here at this hour…? Oh my! Instructor!?”
Just then, startled by the commotion in front of the store, Soi’s mother opened the door and peeked her head out.
She seemed flustered to see Soi and the instructor visiting during class hours.
“Greetings, ma’am. How are you doing these days?”
Zeke greeted her with a nod.
“Ah, I’m doing much better thanks to you. I’m always grateful, Instructor.”
She bowed deeply.
As she said, Soi’s mother’s face looked much brighter than the last time he saw her.
“I’m glad to hear that. Well, it would be better to speak to you than Soi.”
“Yes?”
Soi’s mother opened the door and stepped out.
“To get straight to the point, would it be alright if I took Soi with me on my journey for about two weeks?”
“Journey…? Two weeks? Is it a school trip from the academy?”
“No, it’s a personal trip. Of course, I’ll make sure it doesn’t interfere with Soi’s classes or attendance.”
At Zeke’s words, she couldn’t hide her flustered expression.
“You know that Soi makes me bread every day, right?”
“Yes… You like baguettes, right…? I’m sure you’ll get tired of it if you eat it every day. Are you sure?”
Silia and James, the other family members of the Hillace Bakery, knew that Zeke used the bread as a weapon, but it seemed Soi’s mother didn’t.
‘Then there’s no need to worry her further.’
Zeke grasped the situation and made up a story.
“That’s right. But I’ll be away for about two weeks for this trip.”
“…Yes, but…?”
“And the thought of not being able to eat the baguette Soi makes during that time… It’s more disheartening than I thought.”
Zeke said in a dejected voice, slightly bowing his head.
“M-mom! Uh!”
Zeke blocked Soi’s attempt to interject with his mana.
Soi looked at Zeke with bewildered eyes.
“…Phew, it’s as if I’ve become addicted to Soi’s bread… Now, I don’t think I can last a day without the baguette she makes.”
“Uh… Actually, there were times when people came to buy bread, claiming to have similar symptoms… Could it be that you were the one who stopped her from making the bread…?”
Soi’s mother asked in a voice laced with anxiety.
“It’s not that, so you don’t have to worry. It’s just that the bread was so delicious. And the reason I stopped Soi from making bread was simply to secure time for her training.”
Zeke lied without batting an eye. However, his expressionless face lent credibility to his words.
“Phew… That’s a relief. But what does that have to do with taking Soi on a two-week trip?”
“I’d like to hire Soi as my personal baker for the time being.”
“Ah, I understand now!”
At first, no matter how indebted she was, she couldn’t help but be suspicious of him suddenly asking to take her daughter for two weeks. However, hiring her as a personal baker made sense.
It wasn’t uncommon for high-ranking nobles to hire cooks from their favorite restaurants to accompany them on trips.
“Here is one gold coin for Soi’s employment fee.”
Zeke took out a gold coin from his pocket.
Soi’s mother stared at Zeke with trembling eyes.
“Do… Do nobles perhaps… consider a gold coin as the smallest unit of currency…?”
*
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
Every time he kicked off the ground, a roar erupted, accompanied by a fierce storm.
“Uwaaaaaaaaah—!!!!!”
Caught in the middle of it, Soi clung to Zeke’s back, the wind hitting her face directly.
“Hold onto my back tighter.”
At Zeke’s words, she pressed her face against his back, finally finding refuge from the wind.
No longer surprised, Soi said in a weary voice, “But is it okay to leave so suddenly? I only brought a ton of baking ingredients… What about other luggage like a sleeping bag…?”
Two large bags hung from Zeke’s hands.
Soi’s mother had reached her limit when he said he was taking Soi on a two-week trip as a baker.
“I’ve asked the Adventurer’s Guild Master to take care of that separately, so it’s fine.”
“What about mine…?”
“Use mine.”
“…You mean the same s-sleeping bag?”
Soi’s eyes widened in surprise, and she lifted her head, only to be hit by the wind again.
“Haaaaaaaaaaaaah—!!!”
“Didn’t I tell you to keep your face against my back? Besides, I’m fine sleeping outside.”
“What do you mean…? We’re going to a mountain range…”
Zeke didn’t answer, instead focusing on increasing their speed.
‘I’ve slept outside countless times in my previous life. What’s the big deal?’
After several hours of running at high speed, their destination came into view.
‘Huh? I told the Guild Master I was coming too, to wait here…? Did Duke Yohaiden not listen to me?’
An empty forest devoid of any human presence. Zeke raised an eyebrow.
‘This is…’
Zeke’s eyes narrowed.
At first glance, it looked no different from any other forest scenery, but as he got closer, he could sense it.
‘Spatial isolation magic…’
Zeke put down the large bags and Soi.
Thud!
“Huh?”
“Soi, wait here for a bit.”
“What…?”
“Something came up. I’ll be back soon.”
“B-but, you can’t just leave me here…”
But Zeke had already vanished from sight.
“Magicians… They’re really…”
Only Soi’s grumbling voice echoed through the clearing.
* * *
“Hmm…? What are you all? Why are you so weak?”
Julie scanned her surroundings with a cold gaze.
Of course, using her ability, [Lost Space], had made her and her Shadows incomparably stronger within this space, but even so, they were too weak.
Despite the Shadows numbering only four, they had defeated everyone.
She had postponed finishing off the severely injured to deal with the larger number of enemies quickly, but it was only a matter of time.
Of course, the Shadows weren't unscathed.
But they only had one or two light cuts.
The wounds on their bodies were nothing but laughable scratches.
‘So, I understand the trick they used to break through the barrier. They coated their swords with magic stones… That was certainly unexpected…’
However, was that enough to kill a bishop of Lost Hope without a single casualty on their side?
Even with the mystery solved, Julie couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling of unease.
“Tsk… Is the Adventurer’s Guild Master dead…? That weakling.”
Within Lost Space, the enemy’s stamina would dwindle, while the power of the Demon King’s servants would be amplified. However, Julie clicked her tongue, looking at the Guild Master who had died simply from being caught in her ability.
‘It was strange enough that Yohaiden was here when I followed the Guild Master because he was acting suspiciously… What’s going on?’
Unable to understand, Julie furrowed her brow and strode forward.
Duke Yohaiden coughed violently, leaning against a rock.
“Cough!”
A splatter of blood accompanied his cough.
He could feel his insides were already shattered from the Shadow’s light kick.
Duke Yohaiden lifted his head and glared at Julie with blazing eyes.
“Lost Hope…”
“Yes, I’m Lost Hope. And since the Adventurer’s Guild Master is already dead, I’ll ask you.”
“I have nothing to say to the likes of you.”
Duke Yohaiden gritted his teeth.
“Well… The idea of coating your swords with magic stones to face us was good. Creative. But you’re telling me that’s all it took to kill a bishop? Without a single scratch on your side?”
Julie tilted her head with a chuckle. Her murky gray hair swayed.
“How did you even know about us?”
“…”
“Tell me. Just how did you kill him? Hmm? He wasn’t someone you could handle just by coating your swords with magic stones.”
Julie scratched her head in annoyance.
“No… I’m genuinely curious. I only came here because I had a dream that the Adventurer’s Guild Master might betray us and run away, but this is too strange. Right? Why don’t you tell me since you’re dying anyway? I’ll spare your family if you do. It’s only a matter of time before we find them anyway. Two sons, a wife, and a daughter… Or was it two daughters…?”
Duke Yohaiden’s eyes widened at her words.
Duke Yohaiden forced out, “He was… our informant…”
He was trying to appear calm, but desperation clawed at him.
His daughter, more precious than his own life—no, he would gladly offer up several of his own lives for her.
Selena was near Zeke.
That was why the thought that Zeke Clayman might actually be a member of Lost Hope wouldn’t leave his mind.
“That’s not what I’m asking! I already know that because I followed him here after noticing his strange behavior! What I’m asking is how he knew about the way to break through our barrier! And how you killed the bishop!? I’ll really find each and every one of your family members and kill them!”
A surge of exhilaration coursed through Duke Yohaiden.
What had been tormenting him moments ago vanished with her words.
They still didn’t know about Zeke’s existence and had only come here after sensing something was off about the Guild Master, their informant.
They wouldn’t be using this method if they were trying to extract information from him by driving him to despair.
If Lost Hope had Selena as leverage through Zeke from the beginning, he would have told them anything.
“Khahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! Cough, khahahahahaha!!!!!”
He threw his head back and roared with laughter towards the sky.
The red haze obscured his vision, and he couldn’t see the blue sky that resembled Selena’s eyes, but it didn’t matter.
At least he knew Zeke Clayman wasn’t a traitor!
The Duke had no doubt that Zeke would protect his family, including Selena.
The fact that his second son had died alongside him stabbed at his heart, but at least the worst had been avoided.
Even without him, Yohaiden would continue to stand strong, centered around his eldest son.
“W-what’s wrong with him…?”
Julie frowned, confused by the Duke’s sudden laughter.
He stopped laughing and stared at the gray-haired woman with eyes filled with unwavering resolve and conviction.
“You can take nothing from me but this life, Lost Hope.”
“Sigh… I wish we had a Mind Control Bishop here… But I’ve already used Lost Space… and I have to kill you…”
She scratched her head in frustration.
“…Fine. It’s a waste to use this technique on weaklings like you, but I have no choice…”
She let out a small sigh.
She had used her ability, and there was no avoiding the price that came with it.
Julie pulled out the whip from behind her back and swung it towards Duke Yohaiden’s neck.
Shhhhwiiing!
The whip cut through the air with a sharp sound.
Duke Yohaiden closed his eyes with a satisfied smile.
‘Zeke Clayman, Selena… I leave them in your hands. And Sedan, I’m sorry. I wanted to protect you…’
Just then.
Thwack.
A dull sound.
“Why are you like this every time I’m a little late, Duke Yohaiden? You’re making things difficult for me.”
A low, indifferent voice, one he shouldn’t be able to hear, reached his ears.
***
The moment he stepped through the torn space, he saw a sharp whip flying towards Duke Yohaiden’s neck.
Whizz—
Zeke immediately rushed forward and wrapped the whip with the bread in his hand.
“Why are you like this every time I’m a little late, Duke Yohaiden? You’re making things difficult for me.”
The Duke’s eyes widened as he saw Zeke.
Then, with a chuckle, he said in a joking tone,
“…You really make me wonder if you’re a traitor, appearing at such a crucial moment. Come to think of it, this is all your fault… Cough. I came here as you instructed, and look what happened.”
“Ah…”
Zeke glanced around and saw the Guild Master, already dead with his eyes wide open.
Others were injured, some seriously, but most were alive.
Yohaiden’s second son, the one with silver hair, was lying on the ground with his eyes closed, but his chest rose and fell intermittently, indicating he was alive.
‘Thank goodness… I wouldn’t be able to face Selena if Duke Yohaiden or his son had died.’
He let out a sigh of relief.
“It seems I underestimated Lost Hope. Or maybe their informant was just incompetent…”
If he had come alone as originally planned, or if he had devised a more detailed plan, this wouldn’t have happened.
But he had rushed to rewrite the scenario, and it resulted in this unexpected problem.
This was his fault.
“I apologize. This is my mistake.”
Zeke bowed his head sincerely. The Duke smiled faintly at his apology.
“No, not at all. Knowing that you’re not with them is enough…”
“Please rest for a moment. I’ll take care of this quickly.”
Zeke stood up and unwrapped the bread in his hand, releasing the entangled whip.
“Hmm? And who might you be?”
Crack—Thud!
Julie retrieved her whip with a flick of her wrist, standing in a nonchalant posture.
“You’re asking who I am?”
With those words, Zeke shifted his stance slightly and swung the bread in his hand from bottom to top.
Whizz—
A Shadow, which had approached Zeke’s back unnoticed, suddenly had a red line appear from its head to its groin.
Rip!
The body split vertically like a blooming flower.
Thud. Thud.
The sound of the two halves of the body falling to the ground, separated.
A fountain of blood erupted into the air.
Pitter—patter—
Against the backdrop of blood raining down like rain, Zeke took a bite of the blood-soaked baguette.
“I’m the hero here to catch the Demon King.”
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