2.
Heptarion was unmistakably territory of the Kingdom of Rieskan, and true to its na as the Kingdom of Knights, it was full of knights.
They were also known as conquerors.
This place, Heptarion, had been seized in that sa fashion.
A city built after driving out the native inhabitants.
Relations with the natives had been extrely poor at first.
But how could the natives possibly withstand the knights?
They chose submission and tried, sohow, to build so form of interaction.
But the citizens of the Kingdom of Rieskan never welcod the natives.
Discrimination beca widespread.
Still, they weren’t entirely expelled from the city.
After all, every place needs cheap labor.
The natives, with their tougher and stronger physiques compared to regular people, were often dragged into manual labor.
Hauling stones for the new houses being built—those with visibly different appearances.
Their bodies were covered in tattoos, and their skin was bronzed.
Their physiques were so massive compared to others that they couldn’t be mistaken.
A supervisor shouted harshly at one such native.
“Ugh, you think anyone but would hire scum like you?”
“........”
Even in the face of such blatant discrimination, they silently did the work given to them.
They hauled stones. They dug into the hard earth.
Doing three or four tis the work of others.
Yet receiving only half the pay.
And so, after another day of grueling labor, a native walked back, shoulders slumped—until he suddenly turned his head, sensing sothing behind him.
There was nothing to be seen.
But sothing was there.
“......Who... is there?”
He spoke in a slightly unsure tone.
But it wasn’t a fignt of his imagination.
Soone appeared out of nowhere.
Erging from the darkness—a knight wearing the armband of the Tower.
The native’s eyes went wide in surprise.
“Greetings.”
“Ah, greetings to you.”
His speech was a bit awkward.
But it was clear that communication was possible.
The man who appeared in front of the native was, of course, Seong.
Upon noticing Seong, the native tensed up, quickly hiding the day’s pay behind his back.
Seeing this, Seong carefully opened his mouth.
“My na is... Yu-hyeon.”
“Yu-hyeon?”
He had almost said his real nickna.
But with knights still patrolling the streets...
Better to use the alias he used at the Tower.
The native seed to lower his guard a bit and offered his own na.
“Taukan. I am Taukan.”
His speech was stilted, but his eyes were bright and intelligent.
Looking at the native—no, at Taukan—Seong spoke.
“Would you happen to have a mont to talk?”
“......Hmm.”
Though his guard was lowered sowhat...
Taukan still seed uncertain whether he could trust him.
However.
“Ah... alright.”
Seong looked like a knight.
He had no choice.
Though he wanted to clear the misunderstanding...
Doing it here might’ve made things worse.
Looking at Taukan, Seong asked,
“Do you know why the natives disappeared from the forest?”
And then—
“Wh-What!?”
Taukan flinched violently and began to tremble in fear.
Seong was the one surprised this ti.
Did he actually know sothing?
Swallowing nervously, Seong stared at him.
Taukan was shaking, but at least he hadn’t run away.
Then, looking at Seong with a far more wary gaze than before, Taukan asked,
“Wh-Why are you... looking for us?”
Despite the fear, he forced himself to speak.
Seeing that, Seong’s eyes glead as he replied.
“I intend to identify the cause—and eliminate it.”
Taukan shivered at Seong’s words.
Staring into that unwavering gaze, sothing about it made him gulp hard.
Could he trust this man?
That thought briefly crossed his mind.
He quickly scanned his surroundings.
Then Seong casually waved his hand.
A thin veil of darkness enveloped the area, blocking sound from escaping.
Taukan jumped at the sight.
Then gulped hard before speaking.
“We... relocated. Far. Very far. Many tribes vanished... don’t know why. But so brothers saw it. The Land of Blood.”
And with that, a new ssage appeared before Seong’s eyes.
[You have completed the scenario quest: 『The Disappearing Natives』.]
[You have received rewards.]
[A new scenario quest has been generated: 『The Native Tribes』.]
As Seong’s eyes lit up at the ntion of relocated tribes,
Taukan added,
“W-We had to pretend we vanished. Sothing... is after us. That’s why so of us ca to the city.”
So then...
So tribes had relocated.
And to conceal that, so of them ca to the city?
Smart move.
However—
‘If that’s the case... did the demons take over the original village site?’
Just as that thought crossed Seong’s ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) mind,
Taukan said,
“C-Can’t go... to our holand. It’s blocked.”
Can’t go back, huh.
Having gotten that much information, Seong scratched his head, a bit troubled.
If they had gone far away...
Could he even find them?
Well, it wasn’t like canceling the scenario quest was a big deal.
But still, he doubted the demons would leave that place alone.
He also wanted to know where they’d gone.
But—
“We... who ca to the city... don’t know where the others went. I... want to go back to the forest...”
Taukan seed unsure of the location himself.
Though the quest did say to find the relocated tribe,
If it was quite a distance from the city, maybe there was a chance.
“How long has it been since you relocated?”
“B-Been a while. Three moons full and bright have passed.”
So roughly three months.
Not as long as expected—surprisingly recent, actually.
He might still be able to find them... or they might’ve already been attacked by demons.
Taukan didn’t know anything else.
Seong thanked him and handed him so money.
Overjoyed, Taukan bowed repeatedly and went on his way.
‘Should I go looking for the tribe first?’
If he found the tribe, he might also find the demons...
The problem was—he had no idea where to even begin.
Maybe tracking the demons would be faster.
After all, they had definite business with the Tower.
If he just stuck around there, he’d eventually learn sothing for sure.
Though who knew how long it’d take.
‘Might as well search the forest for the village after logging off from work.’
Wouldn’t be a bad idea to have his minions search while he was on duty, too.
Having decided that, just as he was about to log out—
He spotted a woman grumbling loudly along the street.
“What the hell? Why’s that lunatic coming to the Tower???”
That familiar voice made Seong turn his head.
Sure enough, there she was—Serena, the NPC he knew well—grumbling up a storm.
Why was she so irritated?
Curious, Seong listened in.
She continued ranting loudly.
“Seriously!!! Is he a Sword Saint or a Demon Saint?! Why’s he coming to the Tower, huh?!”
“Eek! C-Chief Magician! The knights can hear you!”
“Let them hear!!! Telling us to be ready in four days—what the hell does that even an?! I’m already swamped!!!”
Watching her storm off in frustration, Seong’s expression turned grim.
Who’s coming in four days?
He gulped.
And then—
‘This is bad.’
Of all people, the Sword Saint?
Why was he coming?
‘No way he found out.’
If he had, they wouldn’t wait four days—they’d capture Seong imdiately.
Besides, it didn’t even make sense why soone capable of creating demonic weapons would want one.
‘Co to think of it...’
His sister had ntioned it before.
Demonic weapons had appeared in this area—
And then—
‘The Kingdom of Rieskan collected them all, didn’t they?’
They made it sound so natural.
The fact that they were secretly crafting demonic weapons ant they needed a lot of them.
Maybe this visit was to collect another?
Thinking back to his fight with the Sword Saint—
The man had said he would take all of Seong’s demonic weapons.
‘Maybe...’
Maybe he thinks Seong will show up here.
Or maybe he’s trying to reposition the demons.
Too many possibilities. His head was spinning.
Should he go into hiding?
Seong started to panic.
‘I have to eliminate the demons before then.’
He had no idea what the Sword Saint intended.
But if he dealt with the demons beforehand, the Sword Saint wouldn’t get what he wanted.
Which ant Seong had to find and destroy them as soon as possible.
No way he’d sit back and let that bastard succeed.
‘Let’s go.’
And with that, Seong vanished into the alley.
Shortly after, soone arrived at the spot he’d just left.
A large, tattoo-covered figure with bronze skin.
Taukan looked at the empty spot Seong had stood—
Then disappeared into the shadows once more.
3.
In the rundown slums of Heptarion.
Deep within, where few ever ventured—there, a gathering of large figures sat.
All with bronzed skin and bodies covered in tattoos.
n and won alike, massive and adorned in ink.
Called natives by the city’s people. Discriminated against.
But their eyes—those could not be ignored.
Among them—
An old woman gripping a gnarled staff looked at the man before her and asked,
“So you shared information about us?”
“......I did.”
“Hehehe. Well done, Taukan. The lie hidden in truth is the hardest to detect.”
Taukan lowered his head.
The man was none other than Taukan, who had told Seong about the natives.
The lie hidden within truth—
They had indeed relocated.
But the part about going far away was false. That was the lie Seong had believed.
Not out of malice.
They had endured too much for too long.
It was the only way to protect themselves.
However—
“Hehehe, but to the new Lord who appeared in this city... there was no need to lie.”
“Gasp!?”
Taukan flinched.
The word “Lord.”
Even the natives knew of such great beings.
Of course he was shocked.
That the man he’d t was a Lord.
Well... he did seem impressive.
As Taukan trembled,
The old woman spoke again.
“If he ever cos seeking us again, bring him to .”
“Y-Yes. I-I will bring the Lord who will save us.”
“Good. Though I don’t know if he’ll save us... he might at least destroy the foul ones.”
The old woman chuckled again, then looked up at the ceiling of the ramshackle hut.
Through the gaps, the stars could be seen.
She muttered softly.
“Our ti is not long. The ancestors say so.”
Hearing her sorrowful words, Taukan replied,
“I will do as the Grand Shaman says. For the spirits of our ancestors.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)