Chapter 19
u2ChvQThe distance to the base camp was about half a day on foot, but it was less than a few hours on horseback.uCAITN
5RoYe“Heya! Heya!”Ww3U9K
QF1nZayar’s horse did not lose its way even though he was running in the dark and on an uneven mountain path.GjWvGYv
bbKqM6eWhether understanding the owner’s wishes or not, he guided the boy wielding a sword and the timid swindler to the base camp with his best efforts.BbKUp
DhD7“What’s that over there?”tyYIS8
dcl07bQAnd finally they arrived at the bottom of the hill close to the base camp.raUS
sWr4A1The sight of that place, reflected under the moonlight, was shrouded in dense fog, making it impossible to see even a step ahead.qvZi
ovy“I told you! It was exactly like this that day!”vQI
8NQe2X“······.”Sj1
D81vjE7Vlad dismounted from the horse and looked down at the foggy area.OHDsx
ZUEBSdThe fog was so thick that only vague outlines could be seen, and it was impossible to discern what was happening inside.TmiC
WmLzXr“Let’s run away now! You surely don’t intend to go in there, right?”g4i
bf5“Quiet.”2rrLfre
iAJyVlad raised his finger to stop Gott and listened carefully.d5d
5ps98qVlad’s keen hearing to perceive his surroundings had already been acknowledged by Jorge.Ns4jn
gq9‘Screams.’afyc
PVzXyzFVlad heard the screams of mercenaries amidst the chaotic sounds of weapons and meaningless shouts.QuqG6
upiXJJNThe fog was so thick that one couldn’t see an inch ahead, but Vlad was able to understand the situation through sound.lf5u
QCW20“You have to confirm where you are standing right now before rashly moving.”uGcP
rRJG59The knight resembling blue moonlight said so.SRZWc
20z0DM[Don’t panic. Before moving, decide which direction to go in.]jh6
6Ge2IThe voice inside his head said the same thing.tmC4F
n1TrEVlad quietly took a deep breath and pondered.60J
6M4JrWhere he currently was, what he could do, and what he needed to do next.U1BQo
IUaq3“Gott, you go.”z87BrFc
fM5FQ“Huh?”CJo
nXglQddEverything in life is a matter of direction.WjMm9C
tAkb6Only those who know the right direction can achieve their goals.0Lvs
ZfH“Captain? You want to go down?”F0X
mVq2m“······.”iOH6w5E
SnCrwAnd Vlad found his purpose.JNuw
wYqvThere was someone singing softly somewhere in the fog. It didn’t seem to stop, but it was so fragile that it sounded like it might collapse at any time.PYbZ
3EFaR“It may not mean much, but anyway, I feel sorry for this incident.”EW7Gx0
dnExAx“······Huh?”ea9Jqeh
yWxVlad made a promise.KgGc
OvsI have a job to do, so I will offer my faith instead of loyalty.qgel0A
bstKWThe boy walked into the fog that could not even be illuminated by moonlight.TXWf
ljF6The boy may not have known it, but the step he took that night was the most brilliant step he had ever taken in his life.lgb
ts4MvKeep the contract and be faithful.Xg6S2
ShImBecause it was an act of pursuing something honorable.urDj8u
p1UCRLThe contract made with Josef that night remained as a shining star in Vlad’s heart.CBr4r
xDrAqM“I’m going.”QoKe
uUWtCeo[Go.]OvML
yeWknVlad walked towards the flickering star with his blue eyes shining.DPIjMj
XVe1※※※※ehdvcA
8P5y“It seems that barely managing the mercenaries has become meaningless.”Zf3
W19CJosef was able to understand the situation perfectly despite Andrea’s difficult explanation.B3p03
ldwaUW“In the end, there’s no way to deal with it unless it’s Sir Zayar.”Yd2WuDr
sKEBehind Andrea, who was kneeling and praying, the young deacon was shedding tears and singing.NiNc
9BWIt was a hymn.dExNVVR
Iv1sYNAlthough the voice was stained with fear, the brilliant melody calling to God mixed with Andrea’s holy power and was pushing away the thick fog.SdrSpxZ
9x9N3-My child! My child!EaUR
VkZUA woman extending her pitch-black hand towards him was also there.VW7S
iWWBequJosef lowered his head, looking down at his knights foaming at the mouth.417EyP
P5dxpQ‘There seems to be no way.’wr8O3bs
zT5wU8The best option would have been to run away, but the damn fog didn’t let go of them.tfwzas
4NxAljNo matter where they went, the fog forced them towards the woman.o3hj5
L5G7bpaTherefore, the knights had no choice but to shield Josef until Priest Andrea found a solution.4Gv73
yTksGThey fought with the outstanding blessings of Priest Andrea, but they were not qualified.IfT8hHy
lwdNtK0Not qualified to bring down the curse onto their own world.bfZC
oqKJThe result was this.xRQFsX4
e5bMKdThe mercenaries engulfed in fear had been disbanded, and the knights guarding him were now lying there, foaming at the mouth.5N2h2M
msLJ275They would die soon.Se6tV
86txwGAnd he didn’t know if he would meet the same fate.4rc
WdC‘Is this the end?’MckFC0
LokDXzNo matter how shrewd Josef was, creating something out of nothing was beyond his capabilities.K2WxTyp
IqQ6He couldn’t see any way to overcome this situation.hrmY
UqRjV1o“Hold on, Lord Josef. The sun of tomorrow will surely rise.”LTfft3A
kJbNsK8“······Even though it seems too far away right now.”b1yR8Vl
mM7lThe woman couldn’t approach due to Andrea’s holy power, but she continued to glare persistently at Josef.0zpjD
rODGlPJosef could understand.D6R66
LTe3HIf he were to confront the emptiness and darkness within that woman, he might end up like the knights rolling on the ground.HGvups
C1UhcFNo, it might be even worse.9z1Klx4
H2J5x‘She’s targeting me after all.’fKDX
6mAYxThe woman, shedding black tears, was holding a wooden comb in her hand.W8N
dosHRMdShe held the comb as if it were extremely precious, and it was the same one Josef had used before.PJY
6CZsLh‘Who are you?’bA1L
n40This was a curse.SlN
DJAIvNA relentless curse aimed at him.Tz8qFp
tryHowever, there was no one here to answer Josef’s question.VVk
V9H9Now, there were no knights to protect Josef, and the pitiful voice of the young deacon was gradually fading away.KBN
kglGQeWaiting for tomorrow’s sun felt too burdensome on this night.aWo
qUh51qJosef, guessing the coming outcome, closed his eyes.WaozD
zvmThe moment the hymn of the young deacon ended, death would rush in.PW22
Mrjb2YJNo matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find a way to break through, so Josef bit his lip.cEfPL3z
GZGk“······.”hnKuaO
Fm9SeXJosef opened his eyes with a sad expression, strengthening his heart to face whatever awaits ahead of him.CzfT
Tc2KF“Hmm?”67kxj6
JdwoIn that moment, he saw a glimmer of light.VA5AxL
wbb1j-Kyaaaah!oMAXmBK
nRsThe light originated from behind the woman, who was shedding black tears.9KRr5e
qW1H4b“You are…”fS7
DYHA ray of sword, splitting the woman’s body in half, approached him.fLme0
D6NAt the end of that sword path, there was a blonde boy shining even without moonlight.aqYG
YZmN7It was Vlad, with his right eye closed.EOcMQ2
rlIpR[Hyaaaah!]4rcHn
EBuA white lightning, starting from the tip of the unadorned sword, cleaved through the fog, illuminating the night sky.ebYft
VYl※※※※HTAc
fyug0E[That thing is moving by a curse. You can’t cut it with an ordinary sword.]Dsyk
bT43W8“Then what should I do?”6jTQP0a
XoEZri[Can you use aura right now?]nyC
XbZM5“Are you kidding me?”nb4gy
7ZqThe voice guessed the identity of the woman glaring at Josef through the fog.441sg6
2Af9R[Only a magician who defies the rules of the world, an exorcist who wields the will of God, or a knight with its own world can break what was created by the curse.]ryove
8Fs“What about Priest Andrea?”gjZU
3QGb[He is faithful but not an exorcist. An ordinary Heretic Inquisitor would be more helpful in the current situation.]EJB
nSaj11U“Shit.”Kpn2ppJ
jscVlad, who was watching for an opportunity behind the tent out of sight of the woman, became a little angry when the voice said that there was no way.Iw1Qsk
jD0sa“So, what now?”UBUM
oiUpfFrHe came here with determined resolve, to save Josef, but now he couldn’t even swing his sword.p93
pUiPXHe didn’t come all this way for this.tkSj7da
DiQ[….Well, it’s not like there’s no solution at all.]5UHSEq
bri7yi“What is it?”vyJHc
6lZIn response to Vlad’s question, the voice answered with an uncertain tone.VUY
hLQIT[I’ll borrow your body for a moment.]HIn
5bJN5“Will that work?”rlh
dkf8EcwThe voice occasionally borrowed Vlad’s body as part of training.XHer1
Q48VEFRHowever, borrowing the body for a moment to convey sensations and using the body to swing a sword containing aura were entirely different matters.VBYr
B5jF“Borrow my body to use aura? Even if it succeeds, I might not be able to move for a while.”Z89S
DgI[It’s your body, so you decide. Honestly, I don’t recommend it.]qZqrr
1G3YThe voice was aware that it was a being that could use aura, but whether it could be embodied in Vlad’s body was another matter.gDMmO
ojLC4It only stated that if there was a way, this was the only one.NRnD3l
uh6“If you can’t kill it, then I die.”Xzkpel2
fCAJUia[That’s also the path of the sword.]Wtyqil
Drq4Vlad began to ponder for a moment.22T
i2oB9sThere was only one chance.Ffw
zOyIf he failed, everything would be over.0tC1
GO9F4XQWas there a reason to be prepared for that?U9h
rrPIGSt“Let’s do it.”RJiJEh
mrszJPH[Are you sure about this?]LfD6r
roTVlad firmly fastened the straps of his leather armor.vgXYG
F7rafp“The opportunity that Josef gives me may be a once in a lifetime opportunity. And.”ZdhHT
sWbvLVlad was determined.jjLE5hD
wLsNo more stepping back.sTOj
8cz6x“If I run away from here, I might become the back alley Vlad again.”k2j8yb9
gTPDr6K[…]OUUci
7CwW0FVlad feared something more than the mysterious woman in front of him and fear of possible death in case of failure.Pjdsln
vW8SsBI“I’m most afraid of being nothing.”IECVgRO
aydy6DxWhat was he born for, and for what purpose would he live?lMGTV
jZEz9QThe boy did not have the qualifications to answer any of those questions.dVFYz
nPeWHe did not want to face the end of his life as someone who was nothing.1nMp
6KTM“Let’s go.”XwyMkz
MTcR[I respect your choice.]fBb
PytGritting his teeth, Vlad raised his head one last time and looked at the sky.FMG
MIRNRIt was obscured by fog, but there should have been the moon.gcxeqDd
jUxThe blue moon that he must shatter someday.c99
XSz[Right in front.]7gkT9
z7n“Got it.”j37nrIw
TS7WsVlad raised the sword he had bought with the girl’s tears and took a deep breath.ZGzxko
yBYzBzFThe key to a one-hit kill is its unexpectedness.inms60
4UmUnexpectedness comes from movements that go beyond prediction and shatter expectations.3B2
QWl9RcQ‘She didn’t see me.’DazH
LqbbnAThe woman with black tears didn’t notice Vlad.UsJb
0Yl4K‘Heup!’Wf0
x2oifCYEven if she had noticed, she would have anticipated the strike he was about to deliver.Paq
WnWVlad cut through the fog and dashed out.lnnffB
SzcriVlad’s movements, breaking through without the slightest hesitation, were like arrows fired from a bow.eGatdUN
R8l-My baby?rViXmp8
gpaAt that moment, the woman’s neck strangely bent when she heard the sound of Vlad’s footsteps.H3of7un
5qGyHPIt was an angle that a living being could not make.Uh5A
1ZJ[Now!]8TBG
Onp9EkD“Argh!”wAyMkgp
OIUDCThe woman’s eyes, momentarily meeting Vlad’s, were so deep and dark that he couldn’t breathe, as if he was submerged in water.2fG3ClE
k0nsq1However,N58rkK
nBS“Argh!”lC5m6
7SrIn order to fulfill the contract he made with the one he entrusted with his faith, the boy did his best to close his right eye.v4TDR
IJo[Ugh!]7vON
pouAnd from now on, it was the world of an unknown person.u71o
8FosHis world was filled with storms, lightning, and a tempest so immense that it seemed capable of swallowing the entire world.EGbXRg
ESvGA bolt of lightning, escaping from his world, cut through the black tears flowing from the woman’s eyes.p1bA
vfBt8The white world cleaved through the black world.RVecW
OMpzQz3※※※※ – Part 2SHn
38QIt was just a flash of light, but it illuminated everything in the world.GluTyl
C52ZPrUJosef truly thought so.V1l9LD
8U0t“Vlad!”AqyyJd
2vzoL0MAmidst the raging lightning, he cut through the woman shedding tears.r8mckP
nxnoRuM“Gah!”OkZ4BRL
gro1mxVlad collapsed and rolled on the ground.DHEH
VOrAlthough he had prepared for it, the pain that came was easily beyond Vlad’s expectations.5Bzd8Zd
3WShK“Gah… Gah…”OKQLff
xqTISVlad writhed in belated agony.cAUL
PXaVlad had to endure tremendous pain after using tha aura.NOZ
EVS“Damn it!”byCp
TDWPO0Josef noticed that Vlad was in no condition to move his body right now.X6B
ZS3The recent flash was undoubtedly a trace of aura, and although he didn’t know how Vlad did it, it was clear that he had paid a high price.y3l4wi
WEI“Lord Josef!”uWLM0vZ
AEgnq2“Don’t stop the hymn!”4Bjqin9
o4MTSd-Baby, baby!Y4KVq1
eVSm7UpThe cursed woman was split in half, but she did not stop.iW8ct
A5XShe continued to crawl on the ground, with an empty gaze.PG1Fax
SjswAnd the direction she was crawling and staring at was where Vlad was.f21
ipJUmg“Gah!”KnsU
rUFTgu“Close your eyes! Don’t look at that woman!”IemY5
v99gRJosef took the risk and ran towards Vlad, who was groaning.zOY
5HjIt was worth it.xopR
asIITl9The flash that Vlad had just shown was too precious to be abandoned now.fjRclDU
TLLEvIt was a brilliant possibility that couldn’t be left to perish in the face of cold death.qEz3t6U
yXt“Grab me!”1GqAhIm
2KgoC5He felt the chill coming from the woman right behind him, but Josef did not stop.ttTRIgn
fLYaV“Gah!”REZ8NS
3U9w900“Damn it!”F5wA
QxDnJosef was unable to lift Vlad due to his weakened strength, but he had to somehow drag him to the range of the Holy power.aD7g
XkSjl“Gah!”JAgba8
vl4DsJUFor a moment, the woman’s pitch-black hand grazed his ankle, but Josef did not let go of the hand that was holding Vlad despite the burning pain.2OD
H7DFWY“Lord Josef!”RbD
VONYtyBVordan, who was stamping his feet when he saw Josef suddenly jump out, quickly grabbed them and pulled them inside.bAzyZQ4
hQW6“Gah! Damn it!”2jOCz3
7PZLF“Cough, cough!”jjpO7S
6M5jThe two young men, drenched in sweat, tumbled on the floor.04h
FN9s-Aaaaaah!n6fzY
ItRPvThe woman, who had missed them, began to wail intensely, as if a mother losing a child.ybL
n0Fwxed-Where are you! Where are you!GIuB7k
GDJyXEven though her body was split in half, being an undead seemed to make her reluctant to let go of her existence easily.go5L
YlX-My child, please, please, please.VA9x
InE2e2UMaybe there was a reason not to do that.t69QY7l
gZV8fXP-It hurts. My child. Please find him. Please.C6LFtB
HrwOTK“Sniff. Huuuee.”Ni2
HMxrFsOSurprised by the sobbing sound next to him, Josef looked at Vlad rolling next to him.mNVHe
67KVlad was crying sadly while listening to the woman’s voice.RSvXrTd
bLfHe shed tears like a child of only six years old.hfR4
WkUCX‘Is he got affected!’bXeL
K6qHABhJosef was able to sense Vlad’s condition due to his unusual behavior.GnaC
h2Q“Pre, priest.”ntt
XUo9wCN“Vlad! Pull yourself together!”kbQhK
TBnfziEPerhaps in a state of confusion, Vlad shook off Josef’s support and approached Andrea with a trembling body.G8CaT
VfZgP0MThen, he knelt down in front of him with a shaky body.zaEsJD
oHkAln“Bl, bless my sword. I need to release that woman from her misery.”MPfGr
tqbw69“….. All right.”1qfc
5fdZEqPriest Andrea also noticed Vlad’s condition, but nodded and said that he would do so.tRS1kS5
LKzYjAlthough her complexion became paler, he agreed because the boy’s eyes remained unwavering.aOL
hxDF“Give me the sword.”zfBGEr
sHU1YPriest Andrea stopped praying and looked at Vlad’s sword.pRONRy
1dyVA plain sword.KclV
wGrXHHe placed his hand on the blade of the sword.EysHfqB
yGTk“I have blessed your sword with my blessing.”v1g
AHPmrB3“Thank you.”cmbzC
YhcGdThe blood of the faithful priest ran down the unadorned sword.qqPt
owukQQA silent night.EU0DFK
egbDcXThe hymn of the young deacon and the sorrowful cries of weeping women died down.uYX4Z
mTHGOXOOnly the laborious footsteps of the boy echoed in this place.Tyc08KQ
hDVQG“I’m sorry.”SGPDDY
p77-Please find······.fnL1
Z3smmIt was only for a moment during the rush, but Vlad looked into the woman’s empty eyes.XkQ
MGJvCT2There were terrible memories inside.3Lii
hOCjWomen trapped in a dark prison.wSWRp
KcQVmkThe young and tender children were dying one by one.DhDqQha
9wR3And the mother of the last remaining child cried and shouted while holding onto the cold bars.bsv
Z7D-My child, my child.9bZB2De
h0ktGKuShe watched her child slowly dying on the cold floor outside the bars.Sk9d
7BWx“Haah······Huu······.”yBczQQU
MByVlad kneels before the weeping woman.2rQf
qKklkAwHe raised his sword toward the mother searching for her child.QeP7SNp
cSIHis body trembled in pain and his muscles were tangled, but he had to do it.uLmq1y
z1Hq0fqIn this moment, he was the one who understood her suffering more than anyone else.t3EyKS
H85waW“May you rest in peace.”Ns5
eNUSwoosh-XJm
Px2R7SThe woman shed her last tears as she saw the sword approaching her.sKjI
Ro1PJXj-Where are you?8pPx
ddbf5jJVlad’s sword pierced through the weeping woman’s head.QAppte
xPXHljHer flowing tears soaked the cold ground and made a puddle there.l03LHX
4Nrrc4IThe mother who couldn’t find her child finally stopped, ending her search.Gq5Bd
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