Chapter 102: The Difficult Path
lAbgAfter finishing her conversation with the armored knight sitting in a formal posture, Erika went to see Perda.JVmbN
X4FnV1His features were familiar to her, but certain decisive elements were different.bRx5K
y5DtzHe had no horns, tail, or wings; he had adopted a completely human appearance.SvZLE
FZDtAt least officially, the visitor was the Platinum-rank adventurer, “Eri.”cS5LU
bVJTPKt“Are you feeling better?”lmCE
XmmPzv“Yes. The attacks have subsided, and I have recovered enough condition to use a small amount of magic.”gqh9
tvXw51uFor a human, recovering from something like that would have required at least three years of mana training.69b
uamhPHowever, she had recovered in barely three hours.tsl
rbCEAs expected of a dragon who had devoted an entire lifetime to the study of magic, even severe internal injuries healed as quickly as a minor wound.cNyJR
4u6Pk“I heard that not many adventurers participated in this incident.”w35BTq
jAHErika was the first to bring up the uncomfortable topic.YBlpzp
DEaq“That’s right.”UO05
NJb“We are already compiling a list of those miserable bastards and proceeding with the revocation of their licenses, so there is no need for you to worry.”9k9hbQM
sNQZWTShe had mixed a vulgar insult into a formal tone, and yet it did not sound out of place.OCl
d67IBesides, what was there to worry about?c3Co
xasW6If he had never expected anything from them in the first place, he could not feel betrayed.r2lx
JQ6P2AwThose who only think about getting ahead of others always end up behaving the same way.iSqb
G4H5f‘And to think this village was created to welcome adventurers, yet all that arrives are parasites.’n8U7ld
a3waLAt this rate, building it would have no meaning at all.l1Euuq4
z6zRevoking licenses was one thing.sE3
PR9dFinding solutions was another.GEuoaW
8tMmp“We will handle the countermeasures. We will only need to borrow your name.”F3nnI
ZluuA6V“Would my name really be of any use?”aXEEpJH
csfB“If the Blue-Eyed Tower Master and Lady Valdrova’s fiancé join forces, they could at the very least cut off the current association president’s head.”C2nv1b
BVi14How could an ordinary human escape the pressure exerted by two dragons?4ioMn
Xw10Pn0It was far too large a problem to solve through influence alone.yvjzu
6mgd“Anyway, if we keep talking about this, only more bad words will come out, so let’s leave it there. There is something more important that we need to face.”rNKDYk
txDenguShe was referring to only one thing.3tgMf
d5ka“You mean Curved Demon.”KhxE
pbIjA0E“Yes. That bastard everyone assumed was dead simply because he never showed himself again.”U66Iy
k9B2VCCurved Demon.6rE
WQ8m0SOne of Godwin’s so-called Seven Evil Stars.5syiX
QN1O6One of the seven subordinates acknowledged by the Demon King.Yel
RVY2GRA calamity that had exerted one of the deepest influences on the continent.sfumNlZ
T93H5jHOf the seven, the one most consistently underestimated had always been Curved Demon.EO9K29d
TZjjAnd there was a reason for that.meh86
8FdjoRpHe died at the hands of a newly awakened Hero wielding a kitchen knife, so there were very few reliable records with which to evaluate him objectively.KsZI4o
3MheLWHis death served as a warning about the danger of humans.6kkPe
npfmn9And it also drove the demons to desperately prevent the birth of new Heroes.rwvv
qtyL“I never imagined Curved Demon would be so strong.”C4P
NKO58“Stronger than the other six Seven Evil Stars?”61J
aCN“It’s not something that can be compared. At least, from what I felt…”3en2Vdw
yDeB6Perhaps he was on the level of the Demon King himself.cjjkyZh
7CzNcBut she did not say those words.NOhh0a
f7LLBecause even Erika was not certain.cz3K33H
OOLOyShe feared that conclusion might simply be an excuse born from the fear and humiliation of being defeated.M7HUEo
Sb9bvpPerda also recalled the image of Curved Demon that he had seen with his own eyes.z1uH9em
3qnl0A body completely covered by a robe.p1r
io2Beneath it was a slender figure, similar to his own, and red eyes.xQZ5pDH
jw2BlU‘A white hand.’0SCAN
LAYEvery demon Perda knew had black skin.m16
XpRjCW“Do Noblesse-rank demons have white skin?”wkCWYID
MmXS6a“No. Even the Demon King had black skin. The same goes for his other subordinates.”C9Drx
4XC“Curved Demon doesn’t.”sJ4Q6Ek
t6I“That’s right. And that is precisely what puzzles me as well.”qx2UNzB
ONY4YjPerda remembered it perfectly.y2P
klGZhvAnd so did Erika.mwXlEI
pXK9VmThe hand protruding from the robe was unquestionably white.e9GD2p
IE6E5P“Perhaps that is one of the reasons he was able to become so strong. If he used the power left behind by Godwin and continued transforming and mutating himself to maximize his strength…”etm8
kZddEpf“It’s possible.”7UuWD
WDQceWThey could not know the truth.XSCqX
ZoeBut Perda partially agreed.NSDkcE
UG8OsAfter all, the dark elf named Linne was also developing a drug capable of instantly turning someone into a Knight-rank demon.fEeWj
DM8ZAlcThey learned from the past and prepared for the future.tKKs
y761XzAnd if an opportunity arose, they would not hesitate to seize it.wTmP
qYfmUYAll to prevent humanity from having a next generation.9ahxG1v
WKRrG“What I don’t understand is why they attacked Hestia Village. It doesn’t seem like they wanted to destroy it simply because it annoyed them…”tsZs
jbnFeGGokma had sent fifteen wolf monsters against the village.s1Iu
DwWKHowever, during his retreat he released four times that number of monsters.2GO
9Cn2xIf he had deployed that force from the beginning, dozens would have died and hundreds would have been injured.pqKWt9
yCHIt had been a half-hearted provocation.Ey5
BExAnd if it was a test.aD2iokG
RWOWhat was its purpose?2qzZ2M
TjASFTHIt was difficult to understand.GYKf
mYtDemons, whose priority was always absolute destruction, did not usually probe their opponents.xEO
GSKwd“I think it would be best to build a wall first.”u3ca
RzCDrErika suggested.X9Nfwg
mYwDY“You believe the demons will return?”Gyml2
wUcH2h“I don’t think they will return using the same method. But the people living here will see it differently.”kcLo9r
iLRO1M5“That makes sense.”huMF5h
qnEGNow they had to think from the perspective of the townspeople, not from that of a leader.VXE91WB
XaqAfter all, the incident had happened.UZevpf
ACs4BF6And there were victims.NIlOkAU
vMjWW0gAnyone could have ended up as one of the corpses lying in the streets.3JHVQ0A
ly7zuThe seed of anxiety had already been planted.ERWcNV
FMDIDIf they remained in this city, someday they might meet the same fate.qFz7sNs
vYKVZvYBefore winter ended.t1QT
XYfyJd8Perhaps tomorrow.eM6mr1
m2SOr even tonight.gIX
e9cUfxlEven if it was only for appearances, it was important for people to feel that they were being protected.HenZ
5v6Qkpp‘They’re always saying there aren’t enough workers…’LnH
gJ1eZx7If they built a wall, the labor available for urban development would decrease.qRJub
nURhGNaturally, the pace of infrastructure construction would also slow down.cM8UK5U
8PlFor Isabella, who was driving the urbanization project forward, that would be a significant problem.aHOn
jdhN“As for the city, we’ll leave it at that. What do you say we talk about what I brought?”cqdlK
nqXxYErika took something from her pocket and placed it on the table.fPqqsI3
WNfhIt was a talisman with an orange-colored gemstone.vJTXWw
25M“It’s a demonic energy repellent talisman.”EoZP1
z0iBfIt was the item she had mentioned before the alliance was formed.Rcvx4
aoCryhPerda remembered that it had still been in the research phase, so it seemed surprisingly fast.tAKhK
N5D“We will need to test how much it can truly block inside the Demon Lands, but according to our estimates, it can neutralize approximately 95% of the demonic energy attempting to penetrate.”JxxHA
aucJsLO“That means the remaining 5% will still get through.”OX6Qm
xtQG1QJ“Even that 5% is an impressive result when using the interior of the Demon Lands as a reference. After all, it allows humans to set foot, even if only slightly, in places where they should never have been able to enter.”8mu
XVUccl“And how long could they endure under those conditions?”qJ9fNdq
0GeWV“If they are willing to accept the risk, three days. If they want to remain within a safe margin, approximately one day.”Q1I9OkN
s7PMbQ1One day.ZGsW
dW1wH“Wouldn’t they also need time to detoxify after being exposed to demonic energy?”o7cyac
6RQIP“Our Blue Eyes scholars recommend around fifteen days of rest.”zrqAQ
OPfcr“So they would work for one day and rest for fifteen.”tifJK
ko9“Yes. It’s far too long.”lTw
XNBl14Adventuring always requires more preparation time than action time.1pD4
TL9B5But fifteen days was excessive.jXTapw
SL9DcmFSince they were exploring areas that had never been explored before, it was difficult to produce results.HI5i
gyEJAnd above all, the problem was that it left far too much time to think.8Sbb
up2d‘Thinking too much is poison for an adventurer.’PtMXM
04L8Rs5When the time comes to take risks, one cannot think too much.ZKmf
OcY0Thinking too much naturally leads to fear.fMQ
WzniAnd fear leads to depression.HUE61A
8avYYDepression is a deadly poison that ends an adventurer’s life.BOCKJ9Y
SoJCRiZ“The profession of an adventurer is not something that should be measured solely by efficiency, but even taking that into account, it is still not a good situation. It would be wonderful if we could reduce it to at least one week…”4cv
nkDLz“One week…?”7XvT
Q4rJWas there any way to solve it?XeBpq
MHkH8Perda thought about it for a moment, but soon abandoned the idea.7lLHBae
ZanuCXNAfter all, it was not something he could solve with his own abilities.OWYC
rVNThat was why he answered this way.Qh2
rhW2w“I’ll mention it to Vernell.”d3YIF
wBLxEb“You mean that genius scholar? The same one who recently achieved great accomplishments in Hallim?”1cWf3bD
KgXgNiErika asked with an expression full of anticipation.0NWS
zoIXIt was the first time she had shown so much emotion upon hearing a human’s name.Axt
EXJ8no“Do you think he could solve it?”c5T3I1
ZpUIN“He will solve it.”MqD
eoR0UCZHe did not know how he would do it.8vQonpZ
yN5URWFBut Erika did not question the answer.Q0RJU
6gm‘If he’s one of Perda’s people, perhaps he really can do it.’JUERh
rnBqzPerda’s ability was exceptional even compared to other humans of his generation.K1T
t47In fact, among all the humans she had met in her life, he would rank among the very best.gMfXd
ykmCSometimes she was even afraid to try understanding the way he thought, because doing so would only expose how shallow she herself was.9YwkSuD
ddPUwOhErika was convinced that Perda possessed a wisdom of his own that she could never comprehend.BPSjx3p
T782sIn reality, he did not have any concrete solution either.XI8Hjh9
EAAHiPerda simply thought.ekcIql
vQVkWv‘If it’s Vernell, he’ll find a way.’o9vg
VciwKSPerda still did not understand how magi-engineering worked.w6PMdSR
Z0nWIn fact, even among the assistants working directly under Vernell, only a few truly understood what he was doing.Sub
2ZIa2UHow was he supposed to understand it?DngMyPg
pyU2Because of that, deep down, he was not even certain that Vernell could solve it.w438sd
AiwRQEven so, Vernell was a genius of magi-engineering.l7W
LGMCSSurely, he would find some answer.MVs1
Oh5wmNAnd the only one who would end up suffering because of that vague trust would be Vernell.qZhe1A
C6UxXHc***CpjIvC
6I7GLate at night, when all the day’s work had been completed.yGlGaA
jZvdRmbRuri descended into Valdrova’s refuge.esxNPbG
IUnFGAs always, she carried a summary of the situation to discuss with her.Njc
6gbLMuHowever, her expression was not the usual one.Z0n
hucRwShe looked like someone about to visit a prisoner locked in an underground dungeon.wb0
q5jHzV“My lady, it is Ruri. I am coming in.”ieH4E
6zLjhQShe entered Valdrova’s refuge through a small side door.djlVR
HVIcw“My lady, what I wanted to discuss with you today is…”C5y
8INRuri’s words suddenly stopped.buUk
mETda9The majestic figure covered in red scales that usually occupied the enormous dragon refuge was no longer there.F2D
agMY8nInstead, a small woman was kneeling after removing her armor.yjT9o
l84“Why are you sitting in seiza?”N7tmc33
qb7UaYshe asked while looking at her with a bewildered expression.Z44t
GgS3OW“Well…”XKW
TnHbValdrova answered in a hesitant voice.8YKIV
Fcl6k2S“Because Ruri was going to be angry… right?”bujSD
JHfyD“I’m not angry.”SOL8g5
thXXmz“Really?”mWpgUA3
9FE“I’m only a little disappointed.”Ggi
BgfmUNfValdrova lowered her head while nervously fidgeting with her fingers.wP0
d9aDThose words hurt more than a scolding.hkW
oeW“But, Ruri…”CSdu3Wv
8TnBPR“Yes?”fKjq
mUr7“How did you figure it out?”zNzJNU
HBbkGH“…It was impossible not to realize it after seeing your behavior. Thanks to that, I remembered the armor’s functions.”vr8a
8ohpe“Was it really that obvious?”NuqXs
H5JG“Yes and no. Lord Perda, for example, hasn’t realized it.”ZJCIgd5
vKmK“I see.”XpB4
9EbValdrova let out a sigh of relief.jPAaY4
1YAESeeing that, Ruri’s expression became slightly sterner.nMmg4IA
FbtC0Tl“It’s still far too early to relax.”6ppPBYh
4jUbGv1Ruri took something out and showed it to her.njJ
wgKvThe Rumor of Calamity opened.A7H
p9WLa“After reviewing the records, I discovered that you have been acting under the name Armored Knight.”Eirx
AodJ“Y-Yes…”LLQG8z
TYogSk“And you’ve already been working here for several months.”grDkX
2Wka“That’s right…”x1G1g
Hc2HqLValdrova’s shoulders sank heavily.HFC
Zghp6“The Vow of Silence. I must admit it was a clever idea. If you had spoken, Lord Perda would have recognized you immediately.”VzRSEBV
9yIkFO“It wasn’t something I planned. It just ended up happening that way…”w4MErlv
dC0Hi“That seems likely. You are not meticulous enough to plan something like that.”jJHavVG
fkTxJRuri let out a sigh.vMtx
YSDM9aL“Is what you’re doing some kind of amusement as a human?”fuzkrP
pBEf“It’s not amusement. I’m helping humans.”TJio1gL
nteQENE“……”0B7vteo
BofYes.TPM
LqGyThat could not even be called amusement.P93YpUo
4u6CBQXWhen dragons speak of amusement, they usually mean doing things that ordinary humans could never endure.KqpY
n2YCg2AGreat feats.ETwQs
dzAcS3Or great acts of infamy.ogTkxBU
issELeaving behind a legend and disappearing, thereby demonstrating the greatness of a dragon.79U
7x86That was the usual purpose.7KF
YXaBut.9Qx
4AnmBpWhat dragon would disguise herself as a human just to work as a laborer at a construction site?ceMKB
PoZAR5eThat was neither a great feat nor an amusement.nHYLNaK
bvNXIt was something worthy of ridicule.6xcS4
HmRhKQYAs a dragon’s servant, Ruri could not approve of something like that.7mWfkbf
iRXIShe wanted Valdrova to value her power and reputation more.lsM1WFe
ZCd6“But even so…”Fhdht7
UGc5AZUnaware of those feelings, Valdrova smiled brightly and showed her something.Ehczu
mlxE“Look. I worked hard and managed to save all of this.”IffC8k8
VHAShe proudly pulled out a pouch.dp2FNg
P64bw02Inside was a mixture of copper and silver coins.3r0sA
PqftRuri felt her emotions beginning to boil.SuyV2
wRzYEven by kicking a few things around in the warehouse and dragging them here, she could earn far more money than that.IrOyL
Y6nqs7She did not like seeing her so satisfied with such an insignificant amount.aP9fD
I61That deserved a scolding.OxYG
MMbZ“Does it make you happy?”YfCE0
zgB7R“Yes. Very.”Va4cnuW
Rn5Ft“And what exactly makes you so happy?”CUVGB
O3V“The feeling that I can create something without destroying it.”ay6h
m4W“……”BUT0g
25NUpon hearing those words, her anger dissipated surprisingly quickly.1T9Z
jZaNcRuri knew.sgIUSao
SUG5zBehind that pure smile and those seemingly casual words hid an unfathomable abyss of self-loathing.rJOHGH
QDaVInOnly Ruri had seen so deeply into her.lb7OGaW
R1jIZzThat was why she could scold her.txDEZ
TH3QfmAnd also pity her.LpK
fDlc46EBut that joy lasted only an instant.42NHe
rvPuLValdrova’s head lowered toward the floor once more.rBF
8CY“But in the end, I destroyed it again. Is that really the only thing I know how to do?”Uh1QZ
8OBValdrova scratched her cheek with an awkward smile.qOkke
LW5KD“Please don’t say that. You are Lady Valdrova, the Incarnation of Strength. You are destined to accomplish things far greater than this.”Pg0Rc
byqRuri wrapped her arms around her.sY1pDbj
t9MzValdrova lightly rested her head against her.5Vwoc
hvaP“But people were afraid of me. Because I destroyed everything again…”odFK
hvm“They were only confused. You know that. Humans are ignorant. Even if they fear what is before them, once they reflect on it, they will quickly understand your achievements and praise you.”pb6M
uVGValdrova raised her head to look at her.cAj
zRqkpEHer golden eyes were moist.uOax3j
YenMUlh“Really?”oFpzKh
ADpFKPq“Why don’t you see for yourself? By putting on that armor.”i3W
VocValdrova’s eyes widened.kUda
WkZOfo“Can I… keep doing it?”Vmaga
VFu“You can.”4Lj
Zwb41Rv“Even if you don’t like it?”m9vk
faz“How could a mere servant prevent her lady’s wishes?”Wut
btvN8oThey had already come too far to stop now.1AEK
IuU2‘If this insignificant amusement can ease her heart even a little and heal her wounds…’QSk
Zqjo6How could she tell her to stop?bgZtjmv
938VLEven if it strayed from the dignity befitting a dragon, she would gladly endure it if it made her happier.lQX2hzr
eMa“Then… then…”rGBFE
EBIWith an excited expression, Valdrova made another request.SpVMe
IgVIEbu“Can I also become Lord Perda’s knight?”Mn1i9E
kgf36yRuri immediately felt that her patience was reaching its limit.gRZ5G
JM01“…And why do you wish to do that?”t6uMX5
zMFT“Because… that way I could see Lord Perda more often.”fpvQNi9
jR1uSShe said it while fidgeting with her fingers.0hWT6td
Cob86m“Don’t you already see him frequently?”jDf
PczKll“Y-Yes, of course I see him a lot… I do see him, but…”fQ7cuDg
1yRrvdCValdrova scratched her cheek.lCSYoO
2kg7“It’s just that seeing him in a way different from usual was a little… attractive.”rISj5Bg
xJA“…Attractive?”5aK69g
geyg“Lord Perda has always been very kind to me, so I always thought he was a kind person. But…”PLEaT
zTF9“But…?”ARjIJ
7Ejz“Seeing him act a little more coldly made him seem like a stranger, and for some reason…”lgV
qqnXviValdrova’s face turned red.9ZSUe1
6cYtKHer expression was that of a woman in love.GrO
kioL“I think it excited me a little.”jMJF
8dRHO“……”grElPNi
8pdEAt that moment, the heart that Ruri had managed to calm burst into flames once again.6E6
J7PSomething called a sense of responsibility burned fiercely in her eyes.vnT
wxINy1“My lady.”6hvXQiI
yE9“Yes?”ipNqdG6
7lCgod“Sit in seiza.”mOhlwD
GoQHks“Huh? W-Why?”Nki1
ILE8“I am about to begin the lecture.”2DaiY
M287uWThe Rumor of Calamity opened completely.j6HoV
qxyG1And Valdrova’s face turned pale.MzTIge
JUx41IYEven though her eyes filled with tears, those same tears would only become new topics for the lecture.hvn819
IIco***brjobF
MO9l8OValdrova returned to Hestia Village just as Ruri had told her to.gUmjKD
0hyCFXWThe same armor.iFha58
tKVxQeThe same appearance.3iSG7R
tMPOpdShe was still exactly the Armored Knight who did not hide her identity.dMesL
tx7‘They’re looking at me.’2dGAYUp
e21L4vzShe could clearly feel the stares fixed upon her.ArAOQ
b8VvlAnd along with them, the whispers.0RNSep
ZIuwcap— The monster has come.IrEKKQ
4Z4V— The monster who kills people again…m4zCiDI
dTOv7— Aaaah!ITgT
7Lx0The voices she imagined hearing within those stares tormented her relentlessly.CCXCyP
Uh8IqW8‘Should I just go back?’Fm5X
GlpyWqbHer legs, which had never hesitated before any attack, trembled because of a weak heart.XzjL
8Z6ht“Knight.”8y3vj
6vvR9YThe fog dispersed and she returned to reality.UXIs5y
ZmHzA small girl approached her with determination and stopped in front of her.5pQJJA
wLscbUIt was the same little girl who had been grabbed by those despicable adventurers.EI9Htb
3lxVaThe little girl who had nearly been devoured by a monster’s jaws.d0nEU9
NCg5qAnd the little girl who had seen her as a monster.SKLmS
nagSikt“Um…”S3x1SCl
gXUalThe girl opened her mouth with difficulty and held something out to her.JOxAd
9H5M“Thank you for saving me.”fA1z
Mp7qyIt was a flower.ACNOK
PevmwjA completely ordinary wildflower, the kind that grows everywhere in the forest and that anyone could accidentally step on without noticing.GiRtpMU
UsqkAnd yet, Valdrova held it as though it were the most precious treasure in the world.dQm
XAFThe girl’s smile, with her missing baby teeth, was more beautiful than anything else.4F7Nrg
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Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationVeldrova innocence is cute
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationRuri is like a mom
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationIsn’t it referring to Sashimi Sword Master 🤔
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji
MortalWeeeeeeee, me dejan asi intrigadoo podrian decirme cada cuanto desbloquean los caps?