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Chapter 12: Lea Valley (2)
As I fell, I reached out with my hands and feet.
“Shadow Arts: Mist Glide!”
Simultaneously with the chant, a black mist erupted from my body.
The mist quickly enveloped , and soon, my falling speed began to decrease.
The smooth descent resembled that of a flying squirrel.
Below the cliff was a thicket of large trees.
Carefully stepping onto the ground, the mist vanished imdiately.
“Grrrr….”
Though I hadn’t even entered the valley yet, I could hear the howls of dogs from the other side of the forest.
When I slowly raised my head, I ca face to face with a number of hellhounds dripping with saliva.
If you think of it as an appetizer, it’s not bad at all.
*Swish*
Naturally, I drew my sword from its sheath.
At the sa ti, the hellhounds took a step back.
Just feeling the energy of the sword was intimidating enough.
But for those without reason, it was only temporary.
The fiercely barking creatures eventually rushed at once.
“Thunk!”
*Swoosh*
I swung the sword in a semicircle.
The heads of the hellhounds hit the ground in an instant, and crimson blood flowed through the severed gaps.
Casually glancing at the torn bodies, I picked up a suitable head.
*Squelch*
Blood flowed through the throat.
Taste aside, the sll rising was extrely unpleasant.
But even that didn’t bother anymore; I had long since beco accustod.
Surely, if soone saw now, they wouldn’t think of as human.
Well, even if I was mistaken for a demon and killed, it wouldn’t be unjust.
*Thud*
Once I had finished my al to so extent, I tossed the head without hesitation.
There was no need to squeeze out every last drop.
After all, they weren’t worth the effort even if I took a single bite and discarded them.
“Phew….”
My body heated up, and my blood boiled.
This was evidence that I had properly absorbed the blood of the demonic creatures.
With each passing day, I could feel changes occurring in my body.
Nevertheless, garbage disposal was necessary.
After consuming them one by one, I gathered the hellhound corpses in one place.
*Whoosh!*
A small fla fell from my fingertips and ignited their bodies.
If I didn’t burn the demon corpses, they would inevitably rot, spreading a trendous stench and contaminating the surroundings.
Since their odor couldn’t even compare to that of ordinary beasts, frontline soldiers always incinerated the demon corpses after battles.
“….”
I silently watched as the bodies burned brightly.
It had already been a month since I started this business.
Like this, every night I secretly go out alone to hunt demons, without anyone knowing.
Since the frontline knights don’t openly associate with , it was relatively easy to operate as long as I didn’t get caught.
However, since they periodically checked on my safety, I used Emily as a precautionary asure.
Under the pretext of night exercises, instead of sneaking out secretly, I had her stage situations like, “Sir Cyan is currently asleep~”
The knights’ camp was situated on a hill overlooking the Lea Valley, so with just a slight change in direction, I could jump down straight into the demons’ territory.
Of course, there wouldn’t be anyone foolish enough to actually jump down there.
However, ironically, I continued to move between these two places using this thod, training my body day by day.
[Hey, master. Isn’t it ti to graduate from dealing with these little brats?]
Amidst the rising smoke, Kaeram materialized and appeared.
[Just considering the blood you’ve consud, you must have filled up at least one bath house by now. You’re not going to keep hunting these trivial creatures forever, are you?]
Certainly, for a month, the demons I caught were only low to interdiate-level ones like hellhounds, ogres, and harpies.
Honestly, it’s unreasonable to expect to fully regain the power of my pri in 30 days.
And if, in the anti, I recklessly confronted higher-level demons and got into trouble, who would I bla?
It’s better to be cautious about everything.
Of course, I couldn’t keep playing around forever.
My body had already changed significantly compared to before I ca to the frontline.
I would be able to handle high-level magic and techniques that I couldn’t use before to so extent.
“Yeah, it’s about ti to start moving inward.”
[Really? Then let’s hurry and hunt so proper ones…]
“But not today.”
[Why not?]
In response to my sharp refusal, she replied with a scream.
“Not today. Tomorrow, the royal family is visiting.”
[The royal family?]
As ntioned several tis, Velias is the only area classified as the frontline on the continent.
The country couldn’t just abandon a place where a flashpoint crisis could erupt at any mont.
Once every six months, the Emperor of the Empire personally visits to assess the overall situation.
Actually, even that has significantly decreased since Duke Vert’s assumption of power.
Although the nobles with heads full of crap had always muttered about reducing support to the frontline, the current emperor is a wise ruler.
He believes that minimizing future losses is more important than pursuing imdiate gains.
So, the symbiotic relationship between the frontline and the central governnt must be maintained.
Well, that’s only as long as the current emperor is alive.
If the current emperor dies in a few years, the empire will fall into chaos.
Anyway, since the visit of the emperor was announced as a big event, it’s better not to act recklessly.
At least until today, I won’t act differently and will continue as usual.
[Damn it! You act all confident as if you’re going to defeat the demon king, but you’re scared of just an emperor?]
“Let’s just think of it as avoiding troubleso matters. I want to live comfortably in this life too, you know?”
[Why does a guy who wants to live comfortably co looking for then?]
Well, that’s true, isn’t it?
Even though it seems contradictory as I say it… Well, that’s how it is.
Trying to soothe the complaining Kaeram, I entered the Lea Valley.
A wilderness untouched by a single beam of moonlight.
It was shrouded in darkness to the point where nothing could be seen around.
*Ring*
I manifested mana at my fingertips and brought it into contact with my eyes.
Then, I gently closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, my previously pitch-black vision beca instantly clear.
**1st Grade Magic: Shadow Adaptation**
This is a dark attribute magic that shortens the ti it takes for the eyes to adapt to darkness, providing a brief period of clear vision in the dark.
While it’s a very basic 1st-grade magic, it has innate elents that make it difficult for even 8th-grade mages to use if their attributes don’t match.
Of course, I could freely use it since it matched my attribute, but compared to other attribute magics, it wasn’t particularly impressive.
Dark attribute magic is even classified as the lowest attribute by the Imperial Magic Society, so despite its usefulness, it’s often underestimated.
“Kekeke!”
As soon as my vision cleared, I faced dozens of glowing red eyes.
The ones who usually road around individually were now collectively welcoming today.
Although it saved so effort, it was still rare to encounter different demonic creatures in the early parts of the valley.
Sothing seems strange.
[Hmm…]
Kaeram, who was watching the demons keenly, also seed puzzled, as she stroked her chin.
[Are these guys scared right now?]
“Scared?”
At first glance, there were only hellhounds, a giant scavenger demon called Canyon Mantis, and so small ogres that hadn’t grown yet.
Normally, they would have rushed at as soon as they saw , but today, they seed particularly hesitant.
It was serious enough to bla Kaeram.
This was like… encountering unexpectedly while running away from sothing else…
“….!”
In the silence of the land, suddenly a strong presence was felt.
Sensing danger, I quickly propelled myself into the air.
*Swoosh!*
As my body ascended, giant teeth protruded from the ground.
The demonic creatures that failed to evade were swallowed up in an instant without any response.
If I had been a little slower, I would have been included in there too.
“Kwaaah!”
Amidst the teeth moving eerily, screams were heard.
If what I’m seeing isn’t wrong, then I know the identity of those grotesque teeth.
[Worms?]
Kaeram, who had jumped up alongside , was looking down at the creature with interest.
But there was a cold sweat running down my cheek.
‘Death Worm.’
A high-level demonic creature reigning as the top predator in the Lea Valley.
Why was such a creature, which inhabits the depths of the valley, here?
A long spike protruding from the ground aid sharply at .
As if regretting missing its chance…
***
Under the round moon rising in the night sky and the vast plain spreading beneath it.
Though ti had passed beyond twilight into dawn, nurous carriages were still bustling along the wide field.
Around the carriages, dozens of guards ard with different weapons maintained strict defensive positions to prevent anyone from daring to approach.
“….”
Inside one of the carriages, a girl who had been sitting silently suddenly looked out the window.
Nothing could be seen except for their surroundings.
It felt like looking into a mirror.
“Your Highness, would you like to rest for a bit?” asked the worried maid sitting across.
“It’s okay. I didn’t co here to sleep peacefully anyway…”
With a curt response, the maid beca uneasy. A red brooch, marking the girl as a mber of the royal family, adorned her body.
“Wouldn’t it be better to change your mind now? Even if not as far as V]elias, there’s no need to go to the dangerous front lines…”
“I am clearly the princess of the empire! Just like my Father and Mother, I am going as a mber of the royal family to fulfill my duties! If you say that one more ti, I will really get angry.”
The girl’s eyes were sincere yet firm.
Feeling apologetic, the maid lowered her head.
“Sigh…”
The girl sighed and looked out the window again.
As the atmosphere inside the carriage beca awkward, the maid quickly racked her brain for a topic that could turn things around.
Then, as if sothing ca to her mind, she spoke up.
“Oh! I overheard from the knights that there’s another boy of your age on the front lines!”
“A boy…?”
The girl, now interested, turned her gaze.
“Yes! They say he’s the son of Duke Vert, and strangely enough, he volunteered to go to the front lines just like you!”
The girl who heard the story tilted her head.
“Did Duke Vert allow that?”
“At first, he opposed it. But it seems Duke Vert didn’t want to break his child’s will, saying that there are no parents who can control their children. So, he gave him a trial, and after bravely passing it, he was granted permission to go to the front lines!”
“A trial…?”
The girl’s eyes, which had been indifferent just monts ago, were now filled with curiosity.
“It doesn’t concern anyway! There’s no need to compare, and he must have his own reasons for wanting to go.”
“Still, isn’t it impressive? He seems like he resembles you. Your Highness, you also personally spoke to the Emperor…”
“Enough. Let’s stop talking about that. I’m tired now, so I’ll rest my eyes a bit. Wake up when we arrive.”
“Yes… Your Highness.”
The girl who ended the conversation imdiately closed her eyes.
Just as the maid was about to give up and doze off, the girl’s voice was heard again.
“What’s the na of that boy?”
Startled, the maid froze for a mont.
“Oh, um, well. His, his na is… Cyan! Cyan Vert, I think!”
“Cyan Vert…”
Was it a feeling of camaraderie?
It was a na that was strangely easy to rember.
His na kept echoing in her mind.
Then, as if realizing it was futile, she closed her eyes again.
Soon, the girl fell into a deep sleep.
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