Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 65

After the victory celebration banquet, which had lasted several days, Luke prepared to return home.

However, he couldn’t go directly back to the Marquisate of Rakan.

He couldn’t simply abandon the Alberville Estate he had received as a reward for his achievements.

So, he led the Red Wolf Mercenaries toward the Alberville Estate.

“My Lord, this place is far more impressive than the rumors suggested!” Philip exclaimed, a look of intrigue on his face as he examined the documents of the Alberville Estate that Luke had given him.

He had heard that it was a place coveted by the nobles of the Holy Empire, but he hadn’t known the specifics.

“Four cities with a population of about 200,000, fertile farmlands along the river, and a salt mine in the south. It’s a real treasure, isn’t it?”

And that wasn’t all.

It was also quite close to the Jason Estate, which he had previously received as a reward from Emperor Rudolf. It was close enough to reach by crossing just a few mountains and wastelands.

Of course, Luke, who had hidden the Dark Moon Magic Tower in the Jason Estate, had no intention of connecting it with his newly acquired estate. The more traffic there was, the easier it would be to get exposed.

“Princess Reina really took care of you. Well, I suppose she should for her husband,” Philip said, grinning mischievously as he turned to Luke, who was riding ahead.

“By the way, you two haven’t seen each other in a while. Was there anything else?”

“Anything else?” Luke asked, feigning ignorance.

“Oh, don’t act innocent. When a man and a woman meet and develop feelings, they naturally take things further, don’t they? Especially between you and Princess Reina…”

“Nothing like that happened,” Luke stated firmly.

Philip frowned as if he couldn’t believe it. “Don’t lie!”

“That’s something you do after the wedding.”

“Huh? Are you living in the era of the hero and the demon king?” [referring to a time when relationships were more formal and less casual]

Luke’s views, having lived 500 years ago, were still aligned with that time.

Although he had been reborn in this era and learned various new things, he wasn’t fond of the more promiscuous social atmosphere compared to the past.

“Didn’t the Princess say anything?”

“Reina is not as frivolous as you think.”

“You two are a truly hopeless couple,” Philip said, thumping his chest in frustration.

He found it quite old-fashioned, but he also thought that might be why they got along so well.

“But won’t the march be slower since the mercenaries brought all their families?” Luke asked, glancing back.

The Red Wolf Mercenaries, who had returned after a week’s vacation, were not alone.

They had brought a large number of family members, friends, and acquaintances, totaling as many as 10,000 people.

Most of them were elderly, children, or women, but there were also quite a few mercenaries who had followed them, wanting to join the Red Wolf Mercenaries.

They were the ones who had heard of the return of the Mercenary King and wanted to join him.

“I didn’t expect everyone to bring their families like this, except for a few.”

“I heard that mercenaries who operate in the Holy Empire have different customs. Many of them are nomads from the grasslands, so they usually travel with their families and settle near the areas where they are hired.”

Therefore, some mercenary groups even had their families registered as members.

These mercenary families did not participate in combat, but they were in charge of logistical activities such as setting up camps, laundry, and preparing meals, thus earning their keep.

“Anyway, there won’t be any problems with the march. They are all used to traveling, and they’ve gathered as many carriages and carts as they could from Bless.”

“Still, the elderly and the weak will have a hard time, won’t they?”

“The temporarily hired priests are with them, so it will be fine.”

Initially, Luke had planned to take all the mercenaries to the Marquisate of Rakan. He had even considered calling for ships from the Kirilov Merchant Guild for this purpose.

However, after receiving the Alberville Estate from Reina, he changed his mind.

Rather than taking them to the Marquisate of Rakan and exposing them to the Emperor’s faction, he thought it would be better to develop their strength in the Alberville Estate, which was close to the Baroque Empire, and use them as a hidden card.

So, he gave up on sea transport and instead gathered as many carriages and carts as possible to prepare for land transport.

Fortunately, many carriages and carts that had been requisitioned by the supply units during the war were released into the market, making them relatively cheap to purchase.

“That’s a relief then. The problem is who to entrust the Alberville Estate to…” Luke said, tilting his head, unable to think of a suitable person.

Hans had experience governing the Rakan Estate as a proxy lord while Luke was away on military service.

He was the perfect person, but he would have to take charge of the Rakan Estate again if Luke were to leave again.

As he was pondering, Philip made a suggestion. “How about Finance Officer Dixon? He has a slight weakness for money, but his loyalty to you is deep.”

Luke nodded, thinking it was reasonable. “He would be the right person, wouldn’t he?”

“Yes, he has plenty of administrative experience, so he will be able to lead the Alberville Estate without any problems.”

“Then I should call him.”

Once the proxy lord was decided, Philip asked something else. “What about the officers and knights? Will you call them from the estate?”

Since it was an estate that had participated in the rebellion, the core forces, the knights and officers, would not be properly intact.

Some might have died while participating in the rebellion, and even if they hadn’t, their loyalty couldn’t be trusted.

“If either the Rakan or Silver Knights suddenly leave, the Emperor’s faction will think it’s strange. So, I’m thinking of selecting some of the smarter and more obedient mercenaries to create a new knight order.”

Known as the Red Wolf Knights.

He would make them an elite knight order comparable to the Rakan and Silver Knights.

To this end, Luke planned to reveal the Silver Swords to the mercenaries who would be part of the knight order. And he also decided to provide them with Gigantes [large, powerful war machines].

After establishing his plans for the Alberville Estate, Luke used lunchtime to write a letter to be sent to the Marquisate of Rakan.

Long-distance magical communication was risky due to the possibility of interception, so Luke didn’t use it often.

It was safer to exchange encrypted letters through a trusted person, and he happened to have someone who could deliver letters to the estate faster than a person.

– Tell Sebastian to have it delivered to Butler Hans.

At Luke’s telepathic message, Belpar, who was sitting on his shoulder in the form of a bat, asked as if annoyed. – Do I, a vampire, have to do such trivial things? You should just use someone else…

– Are you missing the touch of women?

In an instant, the memory of a few days ago flashed through Belpar’s mind.

The situation where girls in their late teens and early twenties were fondling his body and squealing.

His wings and body, as well as his private parts, were indiscriminately violated, and the dignity of the proud vampire fell to the ground.

Belpar vowed that no matter what, he would never again be humiliated by human women.

– Come to think of it, there are a lot of children and women among the people following us, right?

– Eek! No! I’ll deliver it right away! Belpar, terrified, grabbed the letter in his mouth and disappeared into the sky in an instant.

‘I’ve found a good weakness,’ Luke thought, a wicked smile on his face as he watched Belpar’s back. He then spurred his horse toward the Alberville Estate.

2

Ten days after departing from Bless, the group of mercenaries led by Luke reached the border of the Alberville Estate.

The atmosphere of the estate was desolate, perhaps because the lord had participated in the rebellion and been suppressed.

The farmers working in the fields were startled and ran away at the sight of the mercenaries, and the residents locked their windows and doors tightly, not coming out of their homes at all.

Moreover, the fortresses and outposts where soldiers should have been on strict guard were completely empty.

The only good thing was that everyone was just feeling anxious, and there was no further chaos. The worst-case scenario of villages and cities being emptied or looting and arson occurring did not happen.

“Tsk, it will take some time to appease the estate residents,” Luke said.

“Still, it will end faster than I initially expected,” Philip replied.

Luke, having crossed the estate, arrived at Laval City, where the lord’s castle was located.

Laval City was the administrative center of the estate and was surrounded by a thick double wall.

Unlike other places, there were soldiers remaining, but they were actually just a self-governing group organized by the residents for the city’s security.

Therefore, even when Luke appeared with 10,000 mercenaries and Gigantes, they didn’t resist, but rather tried to avoid being noticed.

“Is that the lord’s castle?” Philip asked.

“Someone is waiting there?” Luke looked at the old man standing in front of the lord’s castle gate. Judging by his neat attire and upright demeanor, he didn’t seem to be a commoner.

The old man bowed respectfully as Luke approached. “I greet the new lord. I am Bant, Baron Jun, the butler of this lord’s castle and the administrator of the Alberville Estate.”

“A vassal of the former lord? Then you must be a remnant of the rebels. Why didn’t you run away?” Luke asked, puzzled.

Bant replied with a bitter smile. “Wouldn’t someone have to stay here to hand over the estate? Besides, I’ve lived long enough.”

In other words, if all the vassals ran away, the estate would become an anarchic state.

That is, looting and arson might occur by bandits, thugs, or deserters, and innocent estate residents might suffer.

Concerned about this, the vassals decided that one of them would remain to take responsibility for the estate until the end, and the eldest, Baron Jun Bant, volunteered to be the handover person.

“Judging by the vassals, the former lord seems to have been a decent person,” Luke commented.

“Yes, although he made the wrong choice because of his friendship with Marquis Suleiman, he was still a respected figure among the estate residents and vassals,” Bant replied.

“I see.”

Bant was very cooperative, designating places for the mercenaries and their families to stay, and handing over documents related to the estate’s operation and expenditures.

Thanks to this, Luke was able to greatly reduce the time it took to take over the estate and grasp the current situation.

When the handover was complete, Bant asked for punishment himself. “Now that I have done my duty, please either kill this sinful old man who failed to properly serve his lord and caused him to participate in the rebellion, or send him to the imperial capital.”

“That’s enough. I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything, so just live in the estate,” Luke said.

“Yes?” Bant was startled, as if he hadn’t expected the new lord to let him go.

“The rebellion is already over, and most of the instigators have been executed. What would change if I killed one more person now? If you just live quietly, I’ll pretend I don’t know anything.”

“Is that, really?” Bant asked.

“Yes. His Holiness the Pope also said that those who repent their sins should be forgiven,” Luke replied.

With that, Luke told him that the Saxon region and some of the estates that had rebelled had not received major punishments even after surrendering.

Realizing that Luke’s words were sincere, Bant repeatedly bowed his head in gratitude and left the lord’s office.

“That’s a bit of a waste. Why didn’t you recruit him?” Philip asked as Bant left, having quietly listened to the conversation.

“Because he’s not someone who can serve two lords. We are the ones who came here to push out the former lord, no matter the reason. There’s no way he wouldn’t resent us,” Luke explained.

“I guess that’s true,” Philip said, nodding and going outside, saying it was time to train the mercenaries.

Luke, who was left alone, reviewed the documents and then summoned Hwangbo-sung when it became night.

“Did you call, my lord?” Hwangbo-sung asked.

“Yes, has your injury fully recovered?” Luke inquired.

Hwangbo-sung nodded with a bright expression.

Before leaving for this place, Luke had made a special request to Reina. He asked her to make healing potions with divine power because there was someone who needed treatment.

Potions made by a priest with high divine power were more effective, had a faster recovery, and had no side effects compared to those made by a mage.

Reina, who was able to exert divine power far superior to bishops or cardinals thanks to Ether, had made a healing potion with considerable effectiveness.

Luke gave the healing potion he had received to Hwangbo-sung and told him to heal his injuries.

Thanks to this, Hwangbo-sung was able to completely restore his dantian [energy center in the body] in less than half a month, and even the scars remaining on his legs were completely healed.

Now, all that remained was the curse placed on him by the demonic soldier.

“Today, I will remove the curse on your body,” Luke announced.

Swallow.

At Luke’s words, Hwangbo-sung had an expectant look on his face.

What had tormented him the most over the past year wasn’t the destruction of his dantian [energy center in the body] or the severing of his leg muscles.

It was the curse of the demonic soldier.

It wasn’t for nothing that the demonic soldier was afflicted with the evil sorcery of apostasy, and because of that curse, Hwangbo-sung had to suffer terrible pain every night.

He had been enduring it with the help of Priest Luther’s treatment and his inner energy, which had recovered more than half, but that didn’t mean the pain had lessened.

But now, he could get rid of that damned curse!

“My lord, is it true?”

“Yes, I’ve been preparing to remove the curse on your body. Now that the preparations are complete, it’s time to proceed.”

With those words, Luke had Hwangbo-sung sit cross-legged in the middle of the office with his eyes closed. Then, he immediately manifested his magic.

According to Hwangbo-sung, the weapon created by the group called the Apostates was the cause.

In fact, Luke didn’t know the exact form of the curse on his body.

However, he was well aware of the power that formed the source of the curse.

That power was demonic energy.

It was a dark power that Luke, as a black mage, was all too familiar with, so there was no way he wouldn’t know it.

‘I don’t know who taught them black magic, or if the Apostate sorcerers knew how to handle demonic energy from the start, but the way to resolve this is very simple. I just need to absorb it.’

Luke knew the black magic that allowed him to absorb demonic energy and the abilities of the demon race.

That was Black Bind.

However, the curse had penetrated too deeply into Hwangbo-sung’s body, so it took time to analyze it and absorb it in a way that would minimize damage to his body.

Whirr!

Black plant stems emerged from the floor and began to wrap around Hwangbo-sung’s body.

‘This, this is the energy of the Apostates…!’

Hwangbo-sung, startled by the stems that exuded the same kind of energy as the demonic soldiers, tried to get up from his seat.

“Don’t move! If you move now, you’ll be neither dead nor alive!”

“My lord, but this is…”

“Trust me.”

Hwangbo-sung, seeing Luke’s serious gaze, hesitated for a moment before sitting back down.

The plant stems that completely enveloped Hwangbo-sung’s body finally began to absorb the demonic energy.

Originally, they would have devoured not only the demonic energy but also Hwangbo-sung’s life force and inner energy, but with Luke’s delicate control, they selectively absorbed only the demonic energy slowly.

‘Ugh, it’s not easy to selectively absorb it after all.’

Sweat dripped from Luke’s forehead.

It felt like carving a small piece of wood with a Gigante’s greatsword [a giant’s sword].

However, he suppressed his burdensome feelings and continued to absorb the demonic energy that was spreading through Hwangbo-sung’s body.

Ten minutes later.

As all the demonic energy was removed from Hwangbo-sung’s body, the curse that had been on him disappeared on its own.

As soon as Black Bind was released, Hwangbo-sung jumped up from his seat and began to swing his fists as if possessed.

Pow! Pow, pow!

Each time his fist cut through the air, the air in the room tore apart.

Then, the moment lightning energy flowed through his fist, the front wall was blown open with a terrifying thunderous sound.

“What’s going on, Lord!”

“Could it be an assassin…?”

The Lakan Knights, who were nearby, rushed over in surprise at the loud noise.

“It’s alright. It’s nothing, so please step back.”

After sending the knights out, Luke carefully watched Hwangbo-sung’s martial arts.

His martial arts seemed to be transforming the mana (inner energy) within his body into the attribute of lightning.

The mana concentrated in both fists along a certain path (blood points) turned into the attribute of lightning, or rather, lightning energy, each time unleashing terrifying power.

If hit by that, even a Gigante would be shattered in an instant.

‘Is this the true power of the Three Thunder God Fist?’

Luke had had quite a few conversations with Hwangbo-sung on the way here. In the process, he was able to learn about the martial arts world of the Southern Continent and the martial arts he had mastered.

Hwangbo Family’s martial arts were largely divided into fist techniques and inner energy, and among them, Hwangbo-sung had mastered the Three Thunder God Fist, which only the direct descendants of the family could learn.

The Three Thunder God Fist was a martial art created by Fist King Hwangbo-ung 300 years ago, and it was said that if one achieved its extreme, one could create a fist force that could even collapse a mountain.

Hwangbo-sung’s current achievement was at the 8th level.

Rumble! Rrrrrr! Kwa-kwa-kwang!

Hwangbo-sung, who had been swinging his fists mindlessly for about thirty minutes, suddenly stopped moving.

‘Ah! How long has it been since I’ve been able to unleash my martial arts with all my might!’

It had been almost a year since he was ambushed by the treacherous Hwangbo-gwang.

But the pain he had endured in the meantime was enough to make that one year feel like a hundred years.

After trembling for a moment, he knelt down towards Luke and performed a fist salute.

“Warrior Hwangbo-sung. I swear to the heavens and earth that I will repay my lord’s grace.”

Although he had become a subordinate, he had some doubts remaining in his heart, but now he was truly determined to serve Luke.

3

Near the Alberville Lord’s Castle.

A group of people was lying in wait on a hill overlooking the city.

One of the two people leading the group was surprisingly Baron Bant.

He looked at the red-haired woman watching the Lord’s Castle with worried eyes.

“Miss Scarlet, are you really going to do this?”

“Yes, although I gave up the territory without the power to protect it, I must avenge my father.”

“But the new lord didn’t seem like such a bad person. Wouldn’t it be better to give up now and find a way to live?”

The person Bant was trying to persuade was Scarlet, the daughter of the former lord.

She was wearing leather armor that fit her slender figure perfectly and had a large bow on her back. She had been known for being as bold as any boy since she was a child.

She had learned swordsmanship from her father at the age of six, and at the age of ten, she had learned archery from an elf she met while playing in a nearby forest, reaching the level of Bow Expert at the age of 18.

Eight years later, she was now a top-tier Bow Expert.

The reason she did not join Suleiman’s rebel army with her father was because of her own beliefs.

She was not fond of Marquis Suleiman’s ambition, and she judged that the rebellion had little chance of success.

However, her father, who had been completely swayed by Suleiman’s sweet talk, with whom he had been close since before, led the main force of the territory, including the Gigantes and the knights, to the battle despite Scarlet’s opposition.

When they marched towards Bless, it seemed like news of victory would soon arrive, but they were utterly defeated by the Undead Legion led by Grand Duke Gregory.

In the process, her father was killed in action.

“Where in the Holy Empire would we, the remnants of the rebels, live? And I don’t particularly like going to another country, leaving the hometown where I was born and raised.”

When the news of the rebellion’s failure was delivered, her stepmother, half-siblings, and half of the remaining retainers and knights fled.

Although loyal retainers and soldiers, including Bant, remained, their number was less than 300.

It was impossible to fight and win against the thousands of soldiers brought by the new lord with them.

Nevertheless, the reason she was taking action like this was because of her sense of duty to avenge her father as a child.

“If you don’t want to, Baron Bant and the others can leave.”

“Hah, my lord is now you, Miss. How can I just watch from behind when my lord is about to do something dangerous? Although I am old and may not be of much help, I will stay by your side.”

The others nodded, confirming that they felt the same way.

At that moment, her eyes slightly welled up with tears.

There was no one who would blame them if they just left her, a fool, and ran away, but she was so grateful to the people who had stayed by her side until the end.

After wiping away her tears with her sleeve, she jumped up from her seat and gave the order.

“Everyone, attack!”

If they launched a surprise attack on those who were off guard, having not been here long, they could inflict some damage.

If they were lucky, they might even be able to take the new lord’s life.

Scarlet’s eyes, accepting the possibility as a certainty, shone sharply like blades.

Luke, who had removed Hwangbo-sung’s curse, had just laid down in bed to go to sleep when he got up from his seat after hearing Philip’s urgent report.

“The enemy has attacked?”

“Fortunately, Sir Hwangbo-sung was nearby, so he succeeded in stopping the invasion, but it seems they suffered quite a bit of damage.”

The enemy, who had secretly infiltrated, attacked the stables and supply warehouses located inside the outer walls.

The surprise attack was successful, and dozens of horses ran away and the warehouse caught fire.

Hwangbo-sung, who was unable to sleep due to the excitement of recovering his martial arts, happened to witness this scene.

Surprised, he quickly subdued the attacking enemy.

Surprised by the appearance of the Fist Master, the enemy could no longer run wild and fled.

“What about the Gigantes?”

“Fortunately, the Lakan Knights’ quarters were right next to it, so they were safe.”

“You couldn’t find out the number or identity of the enemies?”

“It’s still night, so we couldn’t identify the exact number or identity. There are some who were captured as prisoners, but they haven’t shown any signs of opening their mouths yet.”

“Geez…”

“Still, Sir Hwangbo-sung has gone after them, so we’ll soon be able to find out the enemy’s identity.”

He was a master, called a one-man army or a superhuman.

Moreover, Hwangbo-sung possessed a giant weapon called Mok-woo [a large, heavy weapon].

Since he had gone after them, the result was obvious. Unless the enemies were on the level of a royal knight order, they wouldn’t be able to do anything to him.

However, Hwangbo-sung returned empty-handed in the morning.

He scratched his head awkwardly and reported the results.

“I’m sorry, my lord. I failed to pursue them.”

“What? What happened?”

“Well…”

Hwangbo-sung explained, stammering, as follows.

At first, it wasn’t that difficult to chase the enemy. That was because the difference in skill between him and the enemy was enormous.

But at some point, a female knight with a bow appeared, and everything started to go wrong.

“That woman, she shot her bow like a ghost.”

Hwangbo-sung initially thought she was an ordinary archer.

However, when arrows filled with explosive energy flew at a terrifying speed, he had no choice but to change his mind.

The sound of tearing through the air, the sharpness that pierced even house-sized rocks, and the exquisite archery that even launched multiple arrows at once for a time-difference attack, none of it was easy to deal with.

She was a master who could be called first-class even if she was thrown into the martial arts world of the South.

“Her footwork, no, her speed was fast. I tried to close the distance several times. But I kept failing.”

While chasing the unidentified archer, he was lured far away, and the enemies who had launched the surprise attack completely got away. The archer also disappeared without a trace at some point.

‘Could she be an elf?’

Among the elves, a race that lived in the forest, there were many who were agile and skilled in archery.

There were Bow Experts and Bow Masters, and listening to Hwangbo-sung’s story, they immediately came to mind.

However, it was questionable whether someone of that skill would have a reason to be with humans.

‘Well, I’ll find out when I meet them in person.’

Thinking so, Luke ordered the Red Wolf Mercenary Group, which had changed its name to the Alberville Territory Army, to search the area as soon as the next morning dawned.

Since there were quite a few new mercenaries who had joined, he decided to take this opportunity to check their skills.

4

“Hah, hah!”

Scarlet, who had barely managed to shake off the martial artist from the Southern Continent, was panting.

She was extremely fatigued because she had faced the Fist Master alone to help her comrades escape.

‘It’s a good thing I was an archer, if I had been a regular knight…’

Shaking her head, she calmed her breathing and then moved towards the mountain fortress in the forest north of the Lord’s Castle.

“Oh, Miss! You’ve returned safely!”

When Scarlet returned, Bant, who had arrived first, opened the gate of the mountain fortress with a delighted expression.

A retainer brought her water, but she refused and first checked to see if everyone had returned safely.

“Well… about 50 people seem to have been lost and haven’t returned.”

Clench!

Some may have been lost along the way, but most are likely dead or captured.

“It’s all my fault. I never imagined there would be such strong individuals under the new lord…”

“It’s not your fault, Miss. We didn’t foresee it either.”

The Gigantes were formidable, and the knights nearby were strong as well, but the one who seemed to be from the Southern Continent was truly terrifying. The decisive reason the ambush failed was that Southern Continent individual.

Initially, the ambush had gone well.

They infiltrated through a secret passage in the Lord’s Castle that only they knew about, and when they attacked, the enemies were flustered. Taking advantage of that, they were able to set fire to several warehouses and stables.

However, the Southern Continent individual who suddenly appeared changed the situation.

With an aura enveloping his fists, he literally flew around, appearing here and there, and knocking down their retainers.

Some of the few experts among the retainers fought back, but most were knocked down with a single blow.

As such an overwhelming force appeared and the enemy, having regained their composure, launched a counterattack, Scarlet immediately ordered a retreat.

Thanks to her quick decision, her subordinates were able to retreat before suffering more severe losses.

However, the Southern Continent individual, seemingly unafraid, pursued them alone.

He chased them relentlessly, and if Scarlet hadn’t personally stepped in to shake him off, they might have all been annihilated by his hand.

“What should we do now?”

After a moment of thought in response to Bant’s question, Scarlet made a decision.

“It seems like it’s only a matter of time before our location is discovered. We need to move the mountain fortress to another place immediately.”

Even if the captured retainers don’t talk, the enemies will eventually discover the location of the mountain fortress once they start searching.

The hastily constructed mountain fortress made of wood and fences wouldn’t last even an hour.

“Everyone is tired and exhausted, but tell them to pack their belongings immediately. We will move deeper into the mountains.”

“Yes, Miss!”

The retainers scattered to carry out her orders.

However, Luke’s movements were faster.

With mercenaries skilled in tracking leading the way, he had grasped the approximate location of the mountain fortress and mobilized the Gigantes and 3,000 soldiers to surround the area.

Then, he began a thorough search, starting from the outer edges.

“Tch! At this rate, we’ll have no choice but to meet our end here.”

One of the retainers, who had climbed a tall tree to observe the approaching soldiers, gritted his teeth.

Scarlet looked at each of the retainers who had vowed to stay with her until the end and bowed her head.

“I will never forget your loyalty. If there is an afterlife, let’s meet again.”

“Hahaha, I will be by your side then as well, Miss.”

“I may just be a lowly soldier with no skills now, but then I will become a Sword Master and make sure no bad guys can even come close to you, Miss.”

“Thank you, Tom.”

Tom was originally a servant who did odd jobs at the Lord’s Manor.

However, one day, the stepmother’s jewelry went missing.

The Lord’s Manor was turned upside down, and Tom was accused of being the thief.

Of course, Tom vehemently denied it, but the enraged stepmother kept torturing him, demanding to know where he had sold the jewelry.

At this time, Scarlet thoroughly searched the stepmother’s room and found the jewelry that had fallen behind the dressing table.

Thanks to that, Tom barely escaped death.

Having survived, Tom joined the territory’s army through Scarlet’s arrangement, and he remained by her side even after the territory fell.

In fact, not only Tom, but most of the retainers and soldiers who remained in the mountain fortress had received help from Scarlet and were indebted to her.

Some had received help when a family member was critically ill, and others had been saved from having their wives and daughters sold into slavery by her help after falling into debt with loan sharks.

It was when these lords and vassals, bound by such ties, were making their final vows that the enemy forces, who had approached within bow range, stopped.

One of them, a platinum-blonde knight, stepped forward and shouted in a booming voice.

“Surrender, you are surrounded!”

5

“So, the former lord’s daughter and her followers went into the forest?”

In response to Luke’s question, Philip, who had gathered information by interrogating the prisoners captured last night, replied.

“Yes, Lord. She attacked yesterday, claiming to avenge her father, but as you know, she was severely defeated by Sir Hwangbo.”

“A bold young lady.”

According to Philip’s explanation, Scarlet, the former lord’s daughter, was quite a well-known beauty in the Langhel region.

Despite the numerous proposals from young nobles, she had not yet married because she stubbornly refused to engage in a political marriage, even if it meant death.

“Didn’t she have any romantic relationships?”

“She was said to be quite a tomboy, not matching her appearance. She said she wouldn’t marry anyone who wasn’t stronger than her.”

The problem was that there was no knight of similar age to Scarlet in the Langhel region who could block her attacks.

One arrow filled with aura was enough to shatter a shield, and even if someone was skilled in swordsmanship, they couldn’t keep up with her speed, so it was useless.

Her skill was evident enough from the fact that Fist Master Hwangbo had chased her but failed to catch her.

“However, she is said to take good care of her subordinates and cannot stand injustice, so quite a few people follow her.”

“I see. But who did she learn archery from?”

“Well, it’s certain that she has a teacher, but she has never revealed who it is, so no one knows.”

“Is that so? Well, I’ll find out myself.”

As Luke nodded, Gebil ran over to report.

“Commander, no, Lord. The encirclement of the mountain fortress is complete.”

“Good work.”

After confirming that the soldiers with shields had established a perimeter outside the range of the arrows, Luke slowly approached the mountain fortress and shouted loudly.

“Surrender, you are surrounded!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a response came from the mountain fortress.

Shwiiing—!

With the sound of the air being torn, an arrow flew with terrifying force.

Clang—!

An ordinary expert would have been terrified, but Luke simply deflected it with his sword.

‘Oh, look at this?’

He pretended to be calm on the outside, but he couldn’t help but be impressed by the power that made his wrist tingle.

‘It’s no wonder Hwangbo missed her.’

If he had gone out without any preparation, he might have suffered a setback.

“What are you doing? It’s not polite to just start shooting arrows without any warning…”

The moment Luke was about to protest, five more arrows flew with the sound of tearing air.

They were fired with a slight time difference, but they flew simultaneously, aiming precisely at Luke’s vital points.

Clang! Clang, clang, clang!

As Luke deflected all five arrows, Scarlet gritted her teeth.

Bant had told her earlier that the platinum-blonde man was the new lord.

Having decided to make him her companion on the road to the afterlife, she attacked with all her might, but it had no effect at all.

“Ugh! Even the new lord is quite skilled…!”

Next to her, Bant tilted his head, looking puzzled.

“Although this is a count’s territory, how can someone with a Master-level Southern Continent individual, a knight order of all mid-level experts or higher, and who is also a skilled swordsman himself, come as the lord… What on earth is his identity?”

As far as Bant knew, in the Holy Arternia Empire, to have this level of power, one would have to be a high-ranking lord above a Grand Bishop or Marquis, or a commander of the Undying Legion.

However, he had never heard of such a young man anywhere.

Perhaps that was only natural.

The rumors about Luke and the Red Wolf Mercenary Group, who had gained fame in the conquest of the Conrad Kingdom, had not yet reached the Langhel region.

“Even if he is the illegitimate son of Grand Duke Gregory, I will definitely kill him here!”

Scarlet, grinding her teeth, grabbed her necklace and crushed the gem in the center.

Whoosh!

“Ah, Miss!”

Bant and the retainers were startled by the smoke that came out of the crushed gem.

The smoke, or rather, the hazy energy, seemed to envelop Scarlet and was soon absorbed into her body.

‘My teacher told me not to use the power contained in this necklace if possible, but…’

The necklace was a gift given to her by the elf who taught her archery when they parted.

It was a treasure that was rare even among elves, and she was told never to show it to others carelessly.

Her teacher had said that this necklace was made by an elven priest in ancient times and that the power of the earth goddess Beliz was sealed within it.

“The power contained here is not even one ten-thousandth of the real power of Beliz. But even so, it is the power of a god. It is difficult for a human vessel to handle, so if you use it incorrectly, you could die.”

Her teacher’s advice flashed through her mind, but it was already too late.

‘I was going to keep it as a memento of my teacher for the rest of my life… Well, I’ve already decided to die here anyway!’

Crack! Crack!

Perhaps because the power of a god had entered her, her muscles and bones were throbbing as if they would burst.

Moreover, her entire body was being enveloped in a pure white light.

Luke, who was watching her with Hawk Eye magic, was surprised.

He had recognized the identity of the power that had just come out of the necklace and been absorbed into her body.

‘That’s Aether! How does that woman have that…!’

Aether, the most fundamental power that makes up the world.

However, as the world, which was once one, was divided into the divine realm, the demon realm, the spirit realm, and the middle realm, that power disappeared. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that it was divided.

Luke had seen someone using Aether not long ago.

It was Reina, who had become the Pope of the Holy Arternia Empire, his missing lover.

Reina had said that she had gone to the spirit realm and obtained the power of Aether from the wind spirit king.

But where did that woman get that power?

‘Is it related to the necklace she just broke? Was Aether sealed in the necklace?’

Boom!

While Luke was looking surprised, a roar and a flash of light erupted from Scarlet’s body and quickly disappeared. The pure white light that had been flowing through her entire body also vanished.

“Miss, are you alright?”

Scarlet did not respond to Bant’s question.

She stared at Luke with unfocused eyes, as if she had lost consciousness, and then immediately began to draw her bow.

Thud, thud, thud!

‘What? Why without an arrow…?’

The moment Luke was puzzled, light gathered between the bow and the string and began to take the shape of a long arrow.

‘That, that’s!’

An arrow made of Aether.

The arrow gathered the surrounding mana and gradually took on a clear form and shape.

Moreover, the bow with the string drawn was also dyed in a shimmering silver color.

Scarlet’s bow, which had gathered a powerful energy reminiscent of the mythical weapon ‘Pale Note’ that Beliz used in the battle against the Demon God, fired a dazzling Aether arrow.

Kuaaaaaaaah—!

The Aether arrow, drawing a clear trajectory in the air, roared like a dragon and flew towards Luke.

“Lord!”

“Dodge it!”

Hwangbo and Philip, who were watching from behind, shouted in surprise.

They tried to jump in and help Luke, but the Aether arrow was too fast.

Kwaaaaaang—!

The arrow that directly hit Luke exploded with a tremendous roar.

At the same time, the shockwave, like a tidal wave, knocked down not only the mountain fortress but also the surrounding soldiers. The ground was overturned, and trees were uprooted.

“Lord!”

Philip, who had fallen from his horse due to the shockwave, hurriedly got up and ran towards Luke.

However, he could not go far and had to stop as if frozen in place.

A shocking sight was reflected in his surprised eyes.