Chapter 274 : The Last Flower Viewing

Thump!

The inn door opened.

"What?"

The people who had been glaring at the door with fierce eyes at the rough opening of the door had no choice but to soften their eyes when they saw who was coming in.

"Ahem. Hmm..."

"Oh my, something fell here."

Then, a green-haired person who had been eating frantically at a table turned to look at the door.

"Oh! The Devil is here!"

She greeted them with a bright smile.

"Devil, over here! Over here!"

Linda waved her hands wildly above her head, and seeing that, they approached that table.

Hudmilla, who was sitting next to Linda, chided them.

"What took you so long?"

Ashuban's blood-red eyes flashed as he smiled fiercely.

"Hehe."

The people who saw that flinched and avoided his gaze.

But Hudmilla just raised an eyebrow.

"What are you grinning at?"

Hudmilla said, staring at the something that Ashuban was dragging with one hand.

"And what's that."

Dofang, who was following behind, laughed.

"Hahat! It's a surprise gift."

"A surprise gift?"

Ashuban grinned and said.

"I met a welcome acquaintance."

"Who?"

"Our cute playboy, the master of debauchery, the man who prefers a lady's lips to alcohol, the lewd and debauched knight whose conduct is filthy, Sir Lyle the Debauched. Everyone, say hello."

Hudmilla's eyes widened in slight surprise.

"Lyle?"

Ashuban threw down the man he had been dragging.

"You pervert. Greet them."

Thump.

Lyle collapsed limply.

The neat and handsome appearance that had made many women unable to take their sparkling eyes off him just a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.

Hudmilla looked at the messy, black-haired man.

His clothes were torn to shreds, and his hair, which he always kept neatly slicked back, was disheveled and in a mess.

Lyle groaned, awkwardly covering his crotch.

"Ugh... you really hit me..."

Hudmilla stared at Lyle blankly and then asked.

"What happened?"

"Ah, it's nothing. I just kicked him in the balls."

"..."

"I kicked him gently, so don't worry. There won't be any problem with producing a second generation."

Miho, who had been sitting on Scarlet's lap, jumped off the chair, approached the collapsed Lyle, and sniffed him.

Then, she sneezed—and poked his head with her front paw.

"It's Lyle. That awful perfume smell is still the same."

"Awful... this is the most popular perfume in Maia right now...!"

Ashuban, who had been listening, kicked his butt.

Thwack!

"Keok!"

"Good job. While we were fighting magical beasts, you were keeping up with the perfume trends? You're so admirable that I want to beat you to death."

"Stop hitting me, you son of a bitch..."

Hartz grabbed the collapsed and groaning Lyle and forcibly pulled him up.

"Keok! You beast. Be gentle!"

"You pervert. Greet Big Sister."

"...Big Sister?"

Lyle raised his head.

Beyond his disheveled hair, he could see a woman with fiery red hair, puffing on a long pipe.

The Red Witch gave a slight smile.

"It's been a while, Lyle. Have you been well?"

It was a languid and alluring smile that would make any man lose his mind, but a single bead of cold sweat trickled down Lyle's forehead.

Lyle gave an awkward laugh.

"Haha... hello, Big Sister. Have you been well?"

"Well... there have been things."

Tap—

Scarlet, who had exhaled a puff of smoke, placed her pipe on the table.

"I know this place isn't far from Tundra. Did you not hear the news?"

"N-news? Haha, you know I'm hard of hearing, Big Sister."

Lyle's legs trembled like a leaf in the wind.

Scarlet, who had been watching him indifferently, brought her pipe to her mouth again.

"Well... yes. People don't change easily. What could have changed about you, who only listened to the scandals of noble ladies? But it's good to see your face again."

"I-I feel the same way. Your beautiful beauty is still the same, Big Sister! If it weren't for your age, I would have been greedy..."

"What?"

Scarlet's eyes narrowed sharply.

"Ah, no, that's not it. I mean..."

Lyle, who was flustered and rambling.

Scarlet, who had been watching his ragged appearance for a moment, sighed.

"It seems you've already received a harsh welcome. I'll stop here. Sit down."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Lyle sat down like a well-behaved dog.

Next, Ashuban, Shushuruta, Dofang, and Hartz sat down, chuckling.

Shushuruta, who had sat down in an empty seat without much thought, found Lyle staring at her from the next seat.

"Lady, we meet again."

"..."

Shushuruta, who had been meeting his greasy gaze for a moment, stood up from her seat.

"Ashuban, let's switch seats."

"Hmm? Alright."

When Ashuban took the seat next to him, Lyle's eyes grew cold.

"Did you call me?"

"I didn't call you. You son of a bitch."

"Hey, why are you cursing."

"Shut up. You dog-like bastard who has no manners. Who beats up an opponent who has already been defeated? It's not knightly."

"So what."

"..."

"If you don't like it, then win."

Ashuban silenced Lyle, who was talking about chivalry, with a few words, and then looked around the table.

"Where's Schmidt?"

Miho jumped onto Scarlet's lap and said.

"That sleepyhead has already finished his meal and gone up to his room."

"He's been sleeping a lot lately. Is he at the age where he's growing?"

"Ah!"

Just then, Linda, who had been eating, suddenly stood up from her seat.

"Schmidt didn't take his medicine!"

She ran up the stairs.

"You have to take your medicine before you go to bed!"

Thump, thump, thump!

From the sound coming from upstairs, it seemed she was pouring the medicine into the mouth of the soundly sleeping Schmidt.

'Poor Schmidt.'

Ashuban, who had been enjoying the sound for a moment, called the waiter and ordered a meal.

Hudmilla looked at Ashuban, cutting her meat with a fork and knife.

"So, what happened? How did you find Lyle?"

"I found him by chance. As always, he was seducing an innocent lady with his silver tongue. That lewd and debauched bastard."

Lyle glared at Ashuban.

"It's called asking for a date. It's a process where a charming man and a charming woman get to know each other and get closer. It's a concept you wouldn't understand."

"What? You want me to burst your balls?"

"Since you have nothing to say, you're trying to solve it with violence. A typical thug's method. You have no culture at all. You beastly guy. What's the difference between you and Hartz?"

Ashuban grabbed Lyle by the collar.

"You bastard. Take that back."

Hartz said, as if in disbelief.

"I'm not happy about it either, you bastard."

Hudmilla chimed in.

"How did you catch him? There's no way that pervert would have been caught so easily."

Ashuban, who had let go of Lyle's collar, pointed to Shushuruta next to him and said.

"Our cat burglar here played an important role."

"An important role?"

"She played the role of a decoy, luring him into a dark alley. A round of applause."

Clap, clap, clap—

Shushuruta, whose shoulders were puffed up with pride, nodded her head.

"I did it well. It wasn't difficult."

"Ah... so that's why you asked me to dress up Shushuruta?"

The one who had helped Shushuruta get a dress that suited her, did her makeup, and did her hair was none other than Hudmilla.

Ashuban, who had suddenly come and asked her to dress up Shushuruta.

Shushuruta had a good base, so it was fun to dress her up.

At first, it was annoying, but as she did it, it became fun, and she ended up showing off her skills properly.

But to think that it was to seduce Lyle.

Hudmilla looked at the messy Lyle.

He had been beaten up so much that there was no part of him that was intact.

"Then is Lyle also going back with us?"

Ashuban nodded.

"I guess so."

At that, Lyle's expression hardened.

His eyes darted around quickly, and then he stealthily stood up from his seat.

Scarlet asked.

"Where are you going?"

"W-well, Big Sister. I left something behind, so I'll be right back."

Scarlet smiled brightly.

"Sit down."

"Yes, ma'am."

Ashuban chuckled and patted his shoulder.

"The good days are over, right?"

"...Shut up."

The Sherwood Mercenary Corps.

Arresting a debauched knight who was hitting on women.

* * *

A few weeks passed.

After arresting the debauched knight by chance, we gradually headed south.

The Heavenly Demon, who was looking out the window with me, muttered.

[It's spring.]

The weather gradually became warmer.

By the time we arrived at Honeygrove, it was full spring.

Rattle, rattle, rattle—

I was in the carriage, looking at the scenery outside the window, which was full of the spirit of spring.

"We're here. Get out."

Lyle asked.

"Weren't we going to Milestone?"

"I'm going to see the flowers for a bit."

"...Flower viewing?"

I jumped out of the stopped carriage, and Lyle followed, grumbling.

"Flower viewing with a bunch of guys."

And then, he glanced at Shushuruta's side, and then stealthily approached her and spoke.

"Ahem. The flowers are very beautiful. Don't you think so, lady?"

Shushuruta glanced at him, and then quickly hid behind me.

Lyle glared at me.

"What are you looking at?"

"..."

I confirmed that Scarlet was getting off the second carriage with a small box.

Scarlet and I exchanged a silent glance for a moment.

"Big Sister. Let's begin."

"Okay."

Scarlet walked forward with the box that was sealed in three layers.

The fields, full of the spirit of spring, were full of colorful flowers.

The reason we hadn't killed the Snowman right away and had sealed him was.

Because we couldn't kill him.

Because his essence was snow itself, it was possible to weaken him.

But it was impossible to completely annihilate him.

I recalled the time when we were discussing what to do with the Snowman in the inn room in Tundra.

It was about whether to take the Snowman beyond the wall, as he had sung.

—Taking him down is a gamble that puts the lives of thousands, tens of thousands of victims at stake. I don't want to gamble.

This was my opinion.

And the rest all agreed with my opinion.

...Except for Miho. That creature didn't care whether people died or not.

But, at Scarlet's following words, we had no choice but to bring this guy.

—It's impossible to annihilate the Snowman here. Rather, if we keep him here, he might recover his strength and be resurrected.

Since Tundra was a place where it snowed all year round, to annihilate the Snowman, whose source was snow, we had no choice but to go to a warm place where there was no snow.

Had the Snowman, who had said he wanted to see the flowers before he died, indirectly told us how to kill him?

In any case, since his last wish was to see the flowers.

We had come to Honeygrove to let him see the flowers to his heart's content.

There was no snow here, and there was also the terrifying Red Witch, so there was no worry that he would suddenly start a rebellion.

Scarlet took a few steps forward with the box containing the Snowman.

She placed it on the ground where the flowers were and chanted a spell.

As the seal was broken...

The Snowman appeared.

The guy blinked his eyes, and then, as if the sunlight were too bright, he raised his hand to cover his eyes.

And then, he looked at the dazzlingly blooming flowers.

【Ah... it's the flowers...】

After staring blankly at the field full of flowers for a moment.

The Snowman slowly began to move among the flowers and dance.

He also chased after the flying butterflies, and sang a song of unknown meaning.

And so, the Snowman, as he had wanted, slowly melted in the sunlight in the field full of flowers.

【How beautiful... to the point of tears...】

We just watched quietly until he had completely melted and disappeared.

【Thank you...】

It was the last word of the Snowman, who had lived in a land of snow full of snow.

* * *

A man was watering the flowers.

Soon, a person wearing a hood approached and said.

"Vice-leader."

The man turned his head.

"What is it?"

"The thread of magic has been broken."

"Which thread was it connected to?"

"The Snowman."

"...I see."

The man nodded.

"I will tell the leader."

"Yes."

The person wearing the hood retreated.

And the man continued to water the flowers.

It was a flower with white petals and a sky-blue center.

The man with long, black hair muttered softly.

"Ashuban. You always surprise me."

(End of Chapter)