Chapter 236 : A Hearty Greeting

"Hmm?"

Linda, who had been sleeping soundly leaning against the chair, opened her eyes drowsily.

Blink, blink.

She slowly blinked her sleepy eyes.

"Mmm... I thought I heard something..."

As Linda rubbed her eyes and came to her senses, several voices flowed into her ears.

It seemed they were in the middle of a conversation.

"Princess. What brings you all the way here?"

"Oh, come on, Your Grace. I told you to speak comfortably when it's just us."

"..."

"Ah, the Sherwood members are also treating me comfortably. You don't have to worry."

"Is that so?"

A relatively lighter voice replied to the man's heavy, blunt voice.

It was Dofang's voice.

"What's there to say? Our Princess Lilia ordered it, so we're just following her orders. Our new captain even speaks to her informally."

"He speaks informally to the princess of Maia?"

"Well, our new captain has a rather open personality. And the princess asked him to first, anyway."

"...I see. By the way, it's been a while, Dofang."

"Yes, it is an honor to see our Gray Lion, Duke Elsbears, again. I'm glad to see you're well."

"Is this the first time since you stole the 21-year-old Zilentyn from my display case?"

"..."

Creeak—

The sound of a window opening was heard.

A heavy voice followed.

"I won't hold you responsible, so sit down. We have a more urgent matter at hand."

"Hmm. A broad mind and a bold spirit. Virtues that the lord of the north, who protects Maia from the army of magical beasts, should naturally possess."

"Shut up and sit down."

"Alright."

Thump—

The sound of Dofang sitting back down in his chair was heard.

"Schmidt. It's been a while since I've seen you too."

"..."

"I can't understand what he's saying. Can you interpret?"

"He's telling you to go eat shit."

Dofang's chuckles mixed with the sound of a flustered Schmidt frantically waving his hands and desperately trying to explain.

As if the explanation had gotten through, a sigh was followed by a deep voice.

"I know Dofang was joking, so stop."

"..."

"Yes, it's good to see you too. Is that girl also from Sherwood? I don't think I've seen her before."

"Ah, a few new members joined when my little brother became the captain. She's one of them."

"She looks very young."

"Since when did Sherwood care about age? By that logic, Schmidt and Siri wouldn't have been able to join the mercenary corps either."

"That's true."

"I heard from my little brother that she's not as young as she looks."

"Hmm. Her name?"

At the mention of her name, Linda tried her best to shake off her sleepiness and open her eyes wide.

Looking around, she saw a man who looked like a lion sitting in a large chair across from her, looking at her.

Linda blinked and pointed at herself.

"Me?"

The duke nodded.

"I'm Linda."

"Linda?"

"Yes."

Linda looked around and said.

"Where's the devil?"

"Devil?"

The duke looked at Dofang.

"Ah, Linda calls our new captain that. It seems he was called the Red-Eyed Devil in Blake."

"Is the new captain from Blake?"

"Not exactly. Your Grace has probably seen him before. It's just that he wasn't memorable."

"Me?"

The duke said as if that couldn't be possible.

"I remember all the Sherwood members. No, it would be more appropriate to say that I can't forget them. They're all so unique."

"It wasn't a time when my little brother was showing his prominence."

"Meaning he was weak?"

"Well, back then."

"And now?"

"He came back as a monster in half a year."

"A monster."

Dofang threw his head back and burst out laughing.

"The owner of a faded Silver Badge came back as the owner of a sparkling Platinum Badge in half a year, I tell you, hahahat!"

The duke frowned.

"That's a preposterous story."

Dofang grinned and replied.

"Because he's a preposterous fellow."

The duke asked, as if he didn't understand.

"You seem to have accepted him as the new captain of Sherwood. Is it the same for the others?"

"Of course."

Dofang nodded confidently.

"At least, all those who have gathered so far are following my little brother."

"Why is that? Do you see him as a man worthy of succeeding Guston? Does that mean he's that strong?"

"Of course, he's not as strong as the captain. For now, you could say he's on par with the other members."

"But?"

Dofang smiled.

"But seeing his monstrous growth, I often think that it might not be long before he really catches up."

"Just for that?"

The duke asked, stroking his bushy, gray beard.

"I don't think he can keep that position just because he has great potential."

It was none other than Guston's vacant seat.

The duke knew.

He knew what kind of people the Sherwood members were.

Each and every one of them was like a walking natural disaster.

Not only were they strong, but they were also madmen whose next move was completely unpredictable.

Just as Guston of the Greatsword and the Red Witch had been, without considerable military force and charisma, one would not be able to lead those unruly individuals.

"Your Grace."

Dofang called him with a deep smile.

"Do you know why the Sherwood Mercenary Corps was disbanded?"

"I heard that one of the members fell from the Mist Cliff."

Dofang grinned.

"That's him."

The duke's eyebrows, which had not moved until now, twitched.

"...What did you say?"

Even the princess and her guardian knight, who had been listening quietly, widened their eyes.

Dofang savored their surprised expressions as if he were enjoying it to the fullest.

"Hehehe... I find it hard to believe too. But what can I do but believe when the living proof has walked in on his own two feet?"

The princess asked with surprised eyes.

"Dofang, is that really true?"

"Of course, Princess. That's why he's gathering Sherwood again."

"Ah...!"

The princess looked as if she had been hit on the back of the head.

Regardless.

Linda looked around for Ashuban, wandered around the room, then went to the window and looked out.

Sniff, sniff— She sniffed the air.

Soon, her gaze turned to the massive barrier behind the city.

"...Devil."

She knew instinctively.

That the devil was beyond that wall.

There was no hesitation.

"Hup."

Linda was about to jump out the window when...

Grab.

Schmidt, who had approached silently, grabbed her by the scruff of the neck.

Linda dangled in the air outside the window and looked back at Schmidt.

Schmidt held Linda with one hand and shook his head.

His golden eyes were firm.

"No?"

Nod, nod.

"But. The devil is over there, beyond that big wall."

Schmidt mouthed the words.

'Wait.'

Linda blinked.

"Did the devil say to wait?"

Nod, nod.

"Mmm. Okay. I'll wait."

Schmidt took Linda and returned to his chair.

In the meantime, the conversation continued.

The duke spoke.

"So, Lily."

"Yes."

"It seems you came in secret."

"It just turned out that way."

Lilia replied with a brazen face.

The duke's expression hardened.

"You must have heard the news. Why did you come? To such a dangerous place."

Lilia smiled brightly.

"Because I brought the hero who will save the Maia Kingdom!"

"...Hero?"

"Yes! The moment I saw him, I just got this feeling."

The duke also knew about the princess's difficult-to-explain 'intuition'.

As far as he knew, her 'intuition' had never been wrong.

"That hero."

"Yes, it's Sir Ashuban, the new captain of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps!"

"Ashuban... Ashuban..."

The new captain of Sherwood who revived the mercenary corps.

As it turned out, the cause of the mercenary corps' disbandment, the member who fell from the Mist Cliff.

But a man who survived that and became the owner of a Platinum Badge.

On top of that, Princess Lilia even called him the hero who would save the Maia Kingdom.

'What kind of man is he?'

Curiosity was piqued.

It had been a very long time since someone had piqued the duke's interest.

But that was that.

The duke, who had been lost in thought for a moment while stroking his beard, looked at Lilia again.

"So, why did the princess."

He meant, if that was the case, why did she come herself, dangerously, instead of just sending that hero.

At that, Princess Lilia smiled brightly and answered.

"To boost morale!"

"...Boost morale?"

"Yes! If the princess of the Maia Kingdom fights alongside them, won't the soldiers be encouraged?"

"Fight... alongside?"

"Yes! I've been practicing my swordsmanship diligently! Do you want to see?"

"No."

The duke sighed.

"Lily."

"Yes?"

"You will never go beyond the barrier."

"Eh. Why."

"Because there is no need to."

"What? There's no need?"

"Without having to fight yourself, just by being here, the soldiers' morale will be boosted."

"Still! I want to fight!"

As if thinking that further conversation was meaningless, the duke turned his gaze to her guardian knight, who was standing behind Princess Lilia.

"Sir Monde."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"You'll have to go through some trouble."

"Yes, Your Grace. Do not worry."

"Why! I can fight well! Sir Monde! You say something. You know my skills, Sir Monde. Huh?"

"Princess..."

The duke, who had sighed again, turned his gaze to Dofang.

"So, what about that guy Guston?"

Dofang shrugged.

"Who knows? Whether he'll come or not. Only he knows."

"...Is that so?"

The duke said, rubbing his eyes.

"By the way. Speaking of Sherwood, one of them came early and has been causing a ruckus."

"I know."

Dofang looked out the window and smiled faintly.

"They might be having a hearty greeting by now."

The news that Ashuban had left the room saying he was going to the restroom and then disappeared without a trace had already been delivered by the maid.

* * *

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Hartz, hit by Ashuban's kicks, flew horizontally, breaking through the trees of the forest one by one.

Ashuban watched him disappear in an instant, crushing the trees, then closed his eyes slightly and took a deep breath with a very refreshed expression.

"Huuup... haaa..."

The cold air from beyond the barrier refreshingly filled his chest.

Soon, Ashuban slowly opened his eyes and muttered with a smile on his face.

"Hehe, this is fun."

Then, he took a slight step back.

Fwoosh!

A sharp pillar of ice shot up from where he had been standing.

"Master, did you see? Sorrow always launches a surprise attack like this when the opponent is off guard. There's no way I, who dodged the attack of the Knight of Frost, couldn't dodge this."

Ashuban, who was muttering to himself, looked to one side and flicked his sword.

"What are you doing? Not coming at me?"

Then, from that direction, Hartz charged like a beast with a sword.

During his charge, one particular step was a little harder than the others.

It was a very subtle difference.

Others might not have noticed anything strange, but Ashuban, who had been watching closely, his eyes sparkled at that moment and he took another step back.

Kwak!

Almost simultaneously, another pillar of ice shot up from where he had been.

Ashuban immediately swung his sword horizontally, cutting the two ice pillars, then kicked them toward the charging Hartz.

Hartz, seeing the two ice pillars falling toward him, charged forward, smashing them with his head.

"Uryaaaah!"

Ashuban grinned as he watched.

"You ignorant blockhead."

"Shut up!"

Soon, the two clashed.

Clang! Clang-clang! Clang!

Sparks flew as their swords collided.

Hartz swung his sword in a frenzy like a beast, and his opponent responded without losing ground.

He was slowly retreating, deflecting his ferocious sword strikes one by one.

Hartz's eyes widened.

Deflecting a sword was no easy technique.

It was a high-level skill that was only possible if you completely understood the trajectory of the opponent's swinging sword.

Because if you were even slightly off, you would end up bleeding.

But to deflect his sword immediately, and every single time, in their first exchange?

And his sword, which was so rough and formless that it was called the Beast Sword?

Even Hartz himself, who swung his sword based entirely on instinct, couldn't predict where it would go.

What kind of ridiculous situation was this?

Just then, Sorrow's blue eye on the left sparkled, and he swung his left hand, which was engulfed in a blue aura, from bottom to top.

Then, a large wall of ice suddenly shot up from behind Ashuban.

Trrrk!

"Ugh."

Ashuban's back hit the ice wall.

He could no longer retreat and deflect the sword.

His escape route had been blocked.

Hartz did not miss the opportunity.

Woooong!

He swung his sword, which was tinged with a deep yellow aura, horizontally.

Kwagagak!

The Beast Sword did not distinguish between the man and the wall.

It had cut through the ice wall behind him as well.

The ice wall, split in half, came crashing down.

Rumble!

The ice shards and the piled-up snow rose like a cloud, obscuring their vision.

Hartz jumped back and watched the scene.

Sorrow asked.

"And him?"

Hartz replied.

"He dodged the sword. I didn't feel cut."

"Did he get out?"

"I wonder. I don't know about that."

This was an attack with two things in mind.

The first was to cut him down along with the ice wall.

The second was for him to be crushed by the ice wall that would fall forward, unable to bear its own weight after being cut by the yellow aura.

If he was caught in that, he wouldn't be unscathed.

A normal person would have been crushed to death by the immense weight of the ice.

Rumble...

Soon, the cloudy snow mist that had risen like a cloud slowly settled, and what was visible was...

"Huh?"

It was the figure of a man standing unscathed among the debris.

Through the hazy snow mist, the man's blood-red eyes flashed.

"...!"

The man muttered something under his breath and swung his hand.

"A Sky Full of Black Rain."

At that, the black spears that had been floating in the sky rained down.

They didn't even know when they had been floating there.

"What is this!"

They hadn't noticed them, even though they were floating in the sky, because they didn't feel any mana.

Their eyes had only been fixed on the man in the debris.

"Dodge!"

Hartz threw himself to dodge the raining black rain.

Hartz ran in a zigzag pattern, dodging the black rain that was pouring down as much as possible, while Sorrow created a barrier of ice to block the black rain he couldn't dodge.

Whoosh!

Just then, something shiny flew at him, and Hartz instinctively raised his sword to deflect it.

KANG!

The detection and the response to it happened almost simultaneously.

It was an astonishing level of kinetic vision and reflexes.

What had he shot?

The sensation of deflecting it was quite heavy.

If he hadn't deflected it, it would have pierced his flesh.

When he looked to where the shiny object had flown from, the man was holding a handful of ice shards he had picked up from the debris in one hand, and in the other, he was holding one of them between his fingers.

The man grinned.

"This is what you call a Meteor Bullet. You blockhead."

"That crazy bastard!"

"Hahahaha! Try dodging this too!"

The man fired ice bullets like crazy.

Hartz and Sorrow dodged, deflected, and blocked, avoiding the endlessly falling black rain and the ice shards the man was shooting.

"Hah! Hah!"

The man looked at Hartz, who was shaking his hands and panting, with a satisfied expression.

"How was it, was it fun? Did you warm up a bit?"

Hartz said, as if growling.

"You sneaky bastard."

"Good, you seem to have enjoyed it enough."

The man smiled brightly and drew his sword.

"Then let's play for real."

Trrrk—

The black sword he was holding suddenly froze white.

Fwoosh—

And from his other hand, a blue flame erupted.

Sorrow's eyes widened, and Hartz's mouth fell half-open in shock.

"You crazy..."

"Hahaha!"

Hartz and Sorrow were attacked by a demon who had been to the hell of ice and the hell of fire.

(End of Chapter)

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