Chapter 36 |
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[Translator – Clara]
[Proofreader – Demon God]
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The night in Hastin was silent. The only things shining were the crescent moon and a cluster of stars hanging in the sky. The only audible sound was the chilling hooting of an owl. Like most human villages after sunset, there were no visible people wandering the streets.
Perched atop the highest point in Hastin, the spire of the Count’s residence, Patrick gazed down at Hastin’s night scenery. As he had barely managed to climb up using a summoned familiar through a magic stone, the tall spire provided a panoramic view of Hastin’s territory.
Silently contemplating, Patrick slowly removed his helmet, and a blue glow emanated from the empty eye sockets.
“It’s already more than half decayed,” he murmured.
Hastin was crumbling.
This time, he turned his gaze to the right. In the vicinity of the massive castle walls surrounding the Count’s residence, there was an open space. The surrounding grass suggested it was an artificially created open space, probably burned to create it.
In the center of the open space, there was a wide pit. From the pit, a familiar smell wafted through the air.
It was not a smell that could be sniffed with the nose. It was an instinctive smell that undead beings could feel, even from a distance. Yes, it was the smell of decaying bodies. The bodies that were once called ‘residents of Hastin’ were entangled in a grotesque manner.
Bodies cause plagues. If corpses scattered throughout the village start to decay, there could be an outbreak of disease in the village. However, burying them individually would be challenging due to the sheer number of corpses.
It’s a more common occurrence than one might think, piling up difficult-to-handle corpses like that.
‘Because it’s a disaster.’
To humans, the existence of Devourer is akin to an ambiguous disaster.
It’s not surprising that corpses accumulate in the wake of a disaster passing through.
Without saying a word, Patrick turned his head to the left. The left area seemed to have suffered less damage, and outwardly, it looked quite intact. However, it was likely deteriorating inside. Within the territory surrounded by the massive castle walls, there was probably not a single place left unaffected.
After finishing his thoughts, Patrick turned his gaze once more.
The last place where the eye sockets stopped moving was right below, the castle of Hastin’s lord.
‘I’ve been curious for a long time.’
After the ‘Black Disaster’ descended on Hastin’s main square, Count Etark, the lord of Hastin, took his own life by hanging.
His suicide was a unilateral decision and an impulsive act. How would the imperial family accept it?
─ There’s no need to think too deeply about it.
Certainly, they must have been enraged. Their plans had gone awry. Internally, there was a need for a target to vent their frustration about the assault of the ‘Black Disaster.’ Externally, they needed someone to take responsibility for the consecutive failures in suppressing the ancient core.
Trying to hold someone accountable, the sudden action taken by the Count was, in essence, disobedience to the imperial orders. To exaggerate a bit more, it could be interpreted as an act of rebellion.
─ In that case, who is the current lord of Hastin?
Leaving the inn was mainly to confirm this.
Typically, when a lord dies, the successor inherits the domain. Almost always, no, there is almost no need to use the word ‘almost.’ The successor is always a blood relative. So, would Etark’s successor inherit the title this time as well? Given the imperial anger losing its target, it’s clear it would be directed towards the family. But would the lordship be left vacant?
“Well then, shall we go see the new face?”
Muttering to himself, Patrick put on the helmet he had just taken off. Soon after, a cheerful sound of footsteps echoed as he set off to verify the new situation.
* * *
The castle guards were exactly at the expected level. Guards stationed at crucial junctures, with only one of the two lamps in the corridor lit. The rest of the space lay dormant, with the bare minimum alive and breathing.
Patrick silently navigated the castle, minimizing his footsteps. The clattering noise of his armor could be easily solved with a simple spell, but since Patrick wasn’t magically inclined, that was the extent of his capabilities.
‘I should learn some other invisibility spells if the opportunity arises.’
Carefully lifting his body after several attempts of hiding and repeating the process to sense the human presence, Patrick finally managed to reach the lord’s chamber.
‘Oh, this is troublesome.’
Peeking slightly from the end of the corridor to check the lord’s chamber, Patrick turned away and sighed as if lamenting. Now, even sighing seemed like a habit.
Overlooking those cursed humans had become a complication. At least, Patrick hadn’t come to fight humans. In fact, he wished the best for the people of Hastin, so causing a disturbance would be detrimental to him as well.
There were only two guards protecting the lord’s chamber. Just two. They didn’t appear particularly strong. Patrick was confident he could easily kill them, or if he decided, he could knock them unconscious in an instant.
However, if he did so, the situation would likely escalate after sunrise. In other words, the guards placed in such locations were obstacles even for the current Patrick.
‘Even if I manage to break through somehow… it’s not wise to rush, is it?’
He didn’t plan to leave Hastin immediately. If he observed for a few days, there might be no visible openings. Going straight through to the lord’s chamber was not the only option.
Having made his decision, Patrick, with a somewhat regretful sigh, turned on his heels. Just as he was contemplating how to leave the castle, he heard footsteps from around the corner.
Unstable light and a slowly approaching figure indicated Maid’s movement. It might not be good to be noticed by a human while leisurely taking one’s time.
Muttering softly to himself, Patrick grabbed the open window of the corridor and leaped down. The place where Patrick landed was surrounded by high walls, blocking any incoming light. After landing in a hurry, Patrick, with a tone of annoyance, confirmed that it wasn’t a good place.
Looking around, he added a curse to his muttering and raised his head. The dim light passed through the place where Patrick had just been.
Patrick was relieved to confirm that the human presence had disappeared. It was after this that he thought about where he had fallen.
Enclosed space, muck-covered sticky floor.
It seemed humans in the castle didn’t typically wander around here.
Mutters becoming a habit, Patrick surveyed the surroundings. As an undead who could see in the dark, he could roughly make out the contours of the place. It was a dirty path. Following the muck with his gaze, he soon saw a staircase leading down.
‘Underground prison…’
What he thought inwardly slipped out unintentionally. The image of the underground prison in Patrick’s mind was somewhat more discreet than the actual feeling of the place, but there was nothing particularly strange about an underground prison in a castle. Just the smell emanating from it was a bit bothersome.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Patrick urged himself forward again.
* * *
Through the open window, a girl cautiously peeked her head. The room beyond the window was warm, illuminated by a bright light, as expected, coming from a continuously burning furnace.
Certainly, it was the same room someone had been using until just now. Simultaneously, it was now an empty room.
“…Alright.”
The girl, who had only revealed her face, muttered with a determined expression after confirming the vacancy once again. Immediately afterward, she reached out her arms and grabbed the window.
Whether it was an uncomfortable posture or the process of struggling outside the window, both seemed to be laborious for the girl. She displayed no expertise. The way she clumsily managed things, it seemed as if she was inexperienced, almost to the point of wondering how she managed to sneak in through a second-floor window.
Completing the grand process, the girl, now inside the room, gasped for breath. Disheveled pink hair obscured her view. She roughly swept it aside with her hand, revealing the girl’s cute face. It wasn’t clean; the messy face suggested days without washing. Even though she was at an age when she should care about her appearance—however, she didn’t seem to care at all. With a lively smile, she seemed content.
Although she hadn’t stayed at this inn before, she could be sure this was probably the most expensive room here. Who could these people be, staying in such a place when the village was in such a state? Judging from the circumstances, they were undoubtedly outsiders.
Rich outsiders, probably. Well, that’s fine, the girl thought. Somehow, it felt like the guilt in her heart was diminishing, not a bad feeling.
Since she didn’t know when the guest would return, she had to finish her work as quickly as possible. The first thing the girl looked for was food.
However, there was no food to be found. Changing her target quickly, the girl picked up items at hand.
The first thing that caught her eye was a black coat haphazardly thrown over the bed. As the girl picked up the coat, she furrowed her brow.
The black coat was so worn out that it was hard to tell if it was clothing or a rag. It was dirty, suitable for someone living on the streets, like herself.
‘…Wasn’t this guest, not a rich person?’
Although suspicious, she didn’t have the luxury to dwell on questions for long. The first thing the girl noticed was that there was no one else in the room.
‘Did they take luggage with them?’
It was strange, but there was no time to ponder. The girl first sought out food. But there was no food. Startled by her own actions, the girl unintentionally blurted out, “Why is there nothing here!”
The girl, surprised by her own outburst, covered her mouth, silencing herself. Then, silence.
After a long stillness, the girl took a deep breath, opened her eyes wide, and looked around.
No sound of someone coming back yet.
Having rummaged through every place where valuables might be hidden, all the girl had in her hands was still the black coat. Clearly disappointed, she openly displayed her frustration on her face and, lastly, turned to the dresser right next to the bed.
Thud!
The sound of wood scraping against wood. And the sound of something rustling in the last compartment made the girl’s eyes light up. Overwhelmed by joy, the girl’s face turned all shades of red. With a pounding heart, she opened the drawer.
And, “What is this?” she said, holding up a long, white object. After hesitating for a few seconds, the girl’s expression turned pale as she grasped the identity of the object.
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[Translator – Clara]
[Proofreader – Demon God]
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