REFDL 17

Thud!

“Guh!”

A man collapsed, spitting blood, under a Denos’s kick. People gasped for breath and cried.

“Shut up. Will you shut up?!”

“……”

Valak, one of the three commanders in charge of fortification, raised his whip. He swung the whip indiscriminately at the gathered crowd.

“Aaah!”

“Aaah!!”

The whip had sharp fragments at its end and was coated in glass powder. With each strike, blood and flesh flew. After just a few lashes, people began fainting.

Still not satisfied, Valak slammed the whip into the ground.

“Damn it!”

Huh-uh.

Huh-huh!

Fearing what new fault might be found, the people couldn’t even groan properly. The village chief, dragged out alone and forced to kneel, clenched his fists until his palms bled.

According to Denos’s account, it was like this. A few days ago, scouts from Firmus spied on Denos and fled into the forest.

And they failed to capture them.

The bastards vanished into the darkness.

“So, you don’t know anything?”

“Yes. That’s correct. It’s true the knights came looking, but they’ve already returned to the castle……”

Smack!

“Ugh……!”

“Who the fuck do you think you are, you worthless piece of shit?!”

The beating continued.

Smack! Thud!

“You don’t know how they got in? You don’t know?!”

Valak gasped for breath, stomping on the village chief’s head.

He knew who this man was. The village chief didn’t know Valak’s face, but he knew what kind of man he was.

“If your miserable life was spared, you should have carved that favor into your bones and devoted yourself to dying for His Majesty. How dare you betray Denos just because some time has passed?!”

“……?!”

The villagers, moaning in pain, were shocked. They stared at the village chief with disbelief.

The village chief’s fingertips scraped the ground.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

It didn’t matter what happened to him.

But this aftermath mustn’t affect Rotol…

Even that was a luxury to worry about. Right now, Rotol’s very life was in danger.

‘How…’

What should he do?

Everything went dark. He’d always lived believing there was an answer to everything, yet for the first time, the world felt cruel. He wanted to blame someone. Everything except his daughter.

“Useless traitors deserve to die.”

Valak drew his sword.

And the worst-case scenario the village chief had feared unfolded.

“Father!!”

Rotol had endured, held back. But she couldn’t bear to watch her father die right before her eyes.

“…Father?”

The village chief closed his eyes.

Valak’s expression grew strange.

“You have a child?”

The corners of his mouth twisted into a wide, filthy grin.

“Bring her here.”

Without a second thought, the village chief threw himself flat at Valak’s feet.

“Please…! It’s not what you think!”

Thud.

Valak’s foot crushed the village chief’s hand flat.

“What do you think I’m thinking?”

“……”

“Hurry up and bring her!”

“Ro… ugh!”

Mirim, who had jumped up, was grabbed by another adult and forced back down.

Meanwhile, Rotol was dragged in by soldiers. The child fought back fiercely and was beaten mercilessly. Even then, she kept screaming. Valak’s eyebrows twitched.

“Let go! Let go of me……!”

“Rotol!”

The village chief roared Rotol’s name like a lion. Rotol, who had been struggling, froze. Even the soldiers who had dragged the child, and Valak himself, hesitated for a moment.

Valak, his pride wounded, turned red and kicked the village chief.

The village chief covered his face with both arms. Through the gaps, his eyes, fierce as a beast’s, fixed on Rotol.

Stay still.

“……”

Rotol held back her tears and did as he commanded.

‘Yes. Good girl. My daughter…’

The village chief endured. He struggled to find an answer in a hopeless situation.

Capture the unsuspecting Valak and use him as a hostage… No, even if his demeanor was thuggish, Valak was no pushover.

A knight and a centurion. His character aside, his skill was undeniable…

Thud!

“……”

A blade pierced his back.

Thud! Thud!

Again, into his shoulder and side. The familiar, cold blade entered and withdrew.

“Daaad!”

Rotol screamed.

Valak stomped down on the spot he’d stabbed last. The village chief groaned, blood dripping from his mouth.

While he agonized, Valak too had made his decision.

When the scouts had reconnoitered the position and fled. Valak personally pursued them, plunging into the Sea of Trees. No matter how hard he tried, the hooded figures only grew more distant. Valak thought,

‘We’re screwed.’

Valak was a knight too. Even if his eyes were on his sides, he couldn’t miss that. The ones who caused the disturbance weren’t mere scouts.

They were knights.

‘Fuck…!’

After entrusting the pursuit to other knights and soldiers, he immediately returned to the camp.

Leading the elite troops hastily assembled, he raced through the forest in two days, all the while fixated on crafting the story he would present.

And now, he had made his decision.

‘The Forest Village we intended to use as a strategic stronghold wasn’t an ordinary settlement.’

They were disguised Firmus soldiers.

It was all because of Derrick, the knight planted fifteen years ago, now the village chief of the Forest Village, who had betrayed them.

All the regular communications were lies. They had been completely deceived. If they had proceeded as usual, unaware of anything, it would have been disastrous.

‘Though we failed to spot the scouts, it ultimately benefited Denos.’

It was perfect.

Hidden in the forest’s darkness, the First Knight Order watched it all unfold and clicked their tongues.

“…What nonsense.”

“It’s true the village chief is a Denos knight.”

“……Huh?!”

The startled knight raised his voice slightly. Instantly, hands flew in from both sides, clamping over the knight’s mouth and jabbing his side.

“……Guh.”

Pushing the fallen knight aside, Nitan whispered.

“I thought he was skilled, but a knight of Denos? Are you certain?”

Kaelus nodded.

“Certain. I could have been more certain if we’d crossed swords, but his gait and posture alone were enough to make the assumption.”

“…….”

……Could it be that only you interpret the meaning of ‘enough’ differently?

“It’s a hold anyone could manage with a little effort.”

Not only is ‘enough’ insufficient, but you’re redefining ‘anyone’ too. I see…

The conversation ended there.

Valak gave his order to the troops.

“Kill them all. Clean this place up and return…”

“Help me!!”

A resounding scream from Rotol cut Valak off.

Enraged, Valak pointed at the child.

“Start with that damn brat…”

“Please!”

Rotol cried out.

She knew.

That dragon was afraid.

He was kind, and his heart was softer.

So much so that he couldn’t ignore an innocent child in danger.

Soft enough to mope for days after killing the bad wolves.

‘He must be scared.’

She knew how terrified he must be in this situation.

She was scared too!

So scared she just wanted to pass out right there.

But!

“Please! Huh-uh. Please!”

I know you’re scared. But please.

Derrick, dying, begged for the same thing. He didn’t even feel the pain.

His wailing daughter. The sword raised toward his daughter. His bloodshot eyes took in the entire scene.

Thud!

The knight holding the sword swayed.

The wobble grew worse. With a sense of dissonance, he collapsed sideways.

His head was gone. Blood spurted intermittently.

“……?!”

Everyone froze.

Again, the sound of wind whistled.

“Ugh?!”

It was Valak’s voice. The terrified people turned to look at him. Valak had already vanished.

“……Huh?”

The commander had evaporated.

Like that, one second, two seconds passed.

Crash!

“Ugh!”

“Guh!”

The vanished Valak fell onto the heads of the Denos soldiers. The soldiers died instantly. The commander was still alive, but his limbs were twisted, and he was foaming blood from his mouth.

Grrrrr!

Then he landed on the roof of the village hall.

Dark red scales shrouded in darkness. Enveloped in immense fury.

A dragon.

* * *

I was scared.

“……”

It wasn’t just scary, it was fucking terrifying!

The pressure was different from facing monsters. Humans were terrifying, and the thought of harming them made bile rise in my throat.

So I hesitated.

Even after hearing loud noises from the village and quickly flying over to witness the entire situation, I still hesitated.

When Rotol’s father’s true identity was revealed, my jaw dropped.

But regardless, I just kept hesitating.

I didn’t know.

I really didn’t know.

More accurately, I couldn’t even imagine it.

That things would happen so suddenly, without warning.

The stabbed village chief collapsed.

My mind went completely blank.

Blood rushed to my scalp, then drained back to my feet. I had failed again. Something snapped inside my head.

Han Yuram, you stupid bastard…!

Didn’t I learn that lesson with my soul torn apart?

That it was better for me to die or be injured than to watch someone else die!

What the hell am I cowering for!

The things I fear most happen when I don’t step forward.

So I block the more terrifying things with less terrifying ones.

Then, nothing was frightening anymore.