Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 188

Choi Hyun-seok and his group halted, their eyes fixed on the distant city.

It was Skolbon, the capital of the Marriott Kingdom.

“We’ve arrived, but how do we get in?”

Given their history of causing a major disturbance in Skolbon, entering openly was out of the question.

As they considered how to sneak into the city, Sarah Dunphy stepped forward.

“Resist not, and accept the mana.”
“What are you planning?”
“A simple disguise.”

Dense mana radiated from her.

As the mana enveloped Choi Hyun-seok and Abelson, their appearances began to shift.

Choi Hyun-seok transformed into a weathered, middle-aged man, while Abelson became a seemingly young girl.

Sarah Dunphy also altered her appearance, becoming an ordinary-looking middle-aged woman.

“Oh, this is amazing.”
“You won’t have to worry about being easily recognized.”

The group, disguised as a typical couple and their daughter, headed directly for Skolbon.

Thanks to the forged identification cards obtained from Ultimum Pes [a shadowy organization known for its illicit services], there were no further preparations needed.

“Pass.”

Entering Skolbon proved much easier than anticipated.

The guard briefly glanced at Abelson but waved them through without a thorough inspection.

The identification cards received only a cursory check, lacking any detailed scrutiny.

“It’s very different from last time. Do they usually let people in this easily?”
“I know, right? Letting outsiders in like this…”

The group, who had braced themselves for various challenges, entered Skolbon with a sense of anticlimactic relief.

Less than five minutes into their walk through the streets, Choi Hyun-seok stopped, a troubled expression on his face.

“Um, are we sure we came to the right place?”

Skolbon, which he was revisiting after a short time, had become an unrecognizable city.

He looked around, utterly perplexed.

“How can it change this much in just a few months?”

The group had visited Skolbon only a few months prior.

Back then, Skolbon was a bustling, vibrant city.

Numerous people thronged the streets, and the shops overflowed with customers.

“Hero, I can feel the gloominess on my skin.”

But the scene before them now was so drastically different that it was hard to believe it was the same city.

The atmosphere of the streets was heavy and somber, and people hurried along with their heads down.

The expressions of those drinking in the taverns were all twisted with despair.

“This is really strange…”
“I know. The atmosphere is so depressing, but strangely, there are a lot of beautiful women. What’s the reason for that?”
“Hero! Read the room!”

Rahel pinched Choi Hyun-seok’s chest forcefully.

Choi Hyun-seok frowned but quickly shut his mouth upon seeing Abelson’s expression.

‘She looks like she’s about to eat someone alive…’

Abelson was glaring at the streets with a menacing look.

If he said the wrong thing, a mace might find its way to his head.

“Is this truly the kingdom’s capital?”

Sarah Dunphy inquired.

Abelson bit her lip and lowered her head.

“If the capital, which should be the wealthiest and most prosperous, is in this state, there’s no need to see the other places.”

“…”

“Judging by your reactions, it seems this is not the norm. Is this the work of that group called Gatrein?”
“I believe so,” Choi Hyun-seok answered, speaking for the head-bowed Abelson.

Sarah Dunphy surveyed the scene with a subtle expression.

“Hmm…”

Although she didn’t say it explicitly, she also seemed displeased with the situation.

‘She was originally a queen, after all…’

Sarah Dunphy was the first queen of the Ballington Kingdom.

During her reign, Ballington was more prosperous than any other nation on the continent.

She possessed not only magical abilities but also the qualities of a ruler.

She seemed to be experiencing complex emotions as she looked at the desolate scene of Skolbon.

“Hey! The execution is about to begin!”

Suddenly, the streets erupted with noise.

The group perked up their ears at the mention of an execution.

“Another execution? That’s the fourth one this month.”
“This one’s different! A duke is being executed!”

“A duke!?”

Unusual rumors spread through the crowd.

At that moment, Abelson approached the men who were talking before anyone could stop her.

“I’d like to hear more about what you just said.”

The men, taken aback by Abelson’s sudden approach, smiled wryly.

“Are you a girl who came up from the countryside too?”
“Tsk, tsk. I understand you’re in a pitiful situation, but…”

Abelson repeated her question, ignoring their strange remarks.

“The execution you mentioned earlier. Please tell me more about it.”
“There’s an execution at the central square in an hour.”
“Duke Maxwin Gordon is scheduled to be executed.”
“Duke Maxwin Gordon…?”

Abelson’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Are you surprised too? Well, I guess it’s understandable. To think that the duke, who seemed so upright and virtuous, was actually the one ruining the country.”
“Not only did he embezzle national funds, but it’s also said that he held nightly banquets with women.”
“Tsk, tsk. He pretended to be so kind all this time; who knew he was reaching out with such evil hands behind the scenes?”
“That’s right. That’s why you can’t judge people by their appearance.”

As the men clicked their tongues and criticized Maxwin Gordon’s wickedness, one man smirked slyly.

“By the way, miss. If you have time, would you like to have a drink with us?”

The capital was currently overflowing with beautiful women who had come to be chosen by the king.

It wasn’t difficult to spend a night with those who were tired of their impoverished lives.

The women also used such men to maintain their lives in the capital, so sordid relationships were rampant.

“Huh? Where did she go?”

But the girl who had asked about the execution was long gone.

The men looked around for her, but only the gloomy streets were visible.

***

“We have to save him.”

Determination hardened Abelson’s face.

Choi Hyun-seok followed behind, asking cautiously.

“Is he someone you know?”

“Lord Gordon was the most trusted vassal of my father. He was involved in all the major affairs of the state.”

“Ah…”

“I’ve known Lord Gordon since I was young. He would never do anything bad.”

Maxwin Gordon embezzling national funds and holding banquets with women?

It was an impossibility in Abelson’s mind.

Someone must have framed him.

“Please wait a moment.”

Choi Hyun-seok grabbed Abelson’s arm.

“First, calm down. What do you plan to accomplish by going there recklessly like this?”
“There’s no time. The execution is about to begin.”

Choi Hyun-seok nodded.

“Then leave it to me. I’ll go save him.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“That won’t do. The more people who move, the easier it is to be followed.”

“But…”

Sarah Dunphy, who had been observing from the side, chimed in.

“He is right. It would be better for us to move to a safer location and wait.”

“…”

Abelson lowered her head.

Her shoulders trembled slightly.

‘I understand how she feels…’

Choi Hyun-seok sighed.

She must be deeply upset with the current situation.

Her country is being trampled by Gatrein, and a precious person is about to die.

It would be stranger if she wasn’t angry.

‘We need to be calm, especially in times like these.’

That’s why Abelson should be excluded from this operation.

There’s no telling what she might do if she loses her composure.

“Abelson.”

Choi Hyun-seok placed his hand on Abelson’s shoulder.

“I am Hero Choi Hyun-seok. Don’t you trust me?”

Abelson shook her head.

“I trust you…”

“Then leave it to me.”

Choi Hyun-seok grinned.

“I’ll show you what a proper hero is for the first time in a while.”

***

Maxwin Gordon stood bound before the guillotine.

“Die! Trash!”

“Kill that shameless man immediately!”

“Wahahaha!”

People hurled all sorts of trash and filth at him.

Gordon silently endured it.

Thwack-!

A stone thrown from the crowd struck his forehead.

His skin tore, and blood flowed down, but his eyes remained devoid of emotion.

‘I can’t believe it…’

In fact, Maxwin couldn’t quite grasp whether this situation was real.

The head of the Gordon family, who had dedicated himself to the Marriott Kingdom for hundreds of years.

The most trusted vassal of the previous king.

That was Maxwin Gordon.

It was inconceivable that he would be executed in this manner.

“All are equal before God. Execute him.”

However, Cardinal Vincenzo was ruthless.

He pushed everything aside with overwhelming power and proceeded with the matter arbitrarily.

He knew that the cardinal had disliked him for some time.

He had anticipated being ousted someday, but he hadn’t expected it to happen like this.

‘Lavrun… He’s quite something too.’

King Lavrun Marriott.

He sold him out to save his own life.

“You! You dared to borrow the king’s name and proceed with things you weren’t ordered to do! That crime deserves death!”
“Your Majesty! This is what Your Majesty authorized….”

The issue was the Palain territory.

He had submitted a proposal to lower the tax rate and release national funds because the territory was suffering from severe famine.

It was such an important matter that he had prodded Lavrun Marriott, who disliked state affairs, to finally grant formal approval.

“Shut up! What are you doing! Don’t take the criminal away!”

Lavrun Marriott was only concerned with preserving his own life.

Maxwin Gordon sighed as he recalled the king’s appearance, having abandoned all the honor and pride that he should have possessed as a king.

‘It might be better to die than to watch this hell…’

In the end, Maxwin Gordon gave up all hope.

He walked to the guillotine and knelt down.

“From now on, the execution of the criminal Maxwin Gordon will be carried out.”

The executioner’s voice echoed.

The noisy square fell silent in an instant.

Everyone was eagerly waiting for the guillotine to fall.

They looked no different from bloodthirsty beasts.

‘What sins do they have?’

He didn’t resent the people.

Those who were weary of life simply needed someone to vent their anger on.

This place was a prison full of starving people.

Gatrein had thrown them a well-cooked piece of meat…

‘It can’t be helped.’

In the first place, it wasn’t their fault that they were starving.

That’s why Maxwin Gordon looked at the people with pity.

“Criminal. Do you have any last words?”
“Please save this country…”

Maxwin Gordon, having spoken his last words, closed his eyes.

“Execute him.”

Soon, the execution would commence.

Now the blade of the guillotine would fall.

People would cheer as they watched his severed head.

“…”

However, no matter how long he waited, nothing happened.

‘Could I have already died?’

He wondered if he had passed away without even realizing it.

Then, he began to hear a commotion.

“Who are you!?”

“It’s the Hero.”

A middle-aged man with a sturdy build had climbed onto the execution ground.

He had a fierce look in his eyes, as if he was consumed by anger.

“What are the knights doing! Drag that intruder out!”

At the executioner’s command, soldiers and knights surrounded the man.

“Hah!”

A sword was thrust out with a shout.

A knight’s strike was not something an ordinary person could block.

At this rate, the man would surely die with his chest pierced.

Maxwin Gordon’s expectations were pleasantly mistaken.

Clang!

The sword shattered.

With a deafening noise, fragments of the sword scattered in all directions.

Even though he had witnessed it with his own eyes, Maxwin couldn’t comprehend what had happened.

“Tsk. What a mood killer.”

The man who had shattered the sword with a punch, Choi Hyun-seok, clicked his tongue.

“Are you Maxwin Gordon?”

Maxwin Gordon was too flustered to answer.

Choi Hyun-seok repeated his question.

“Are you Maxwin Gordon?”

“Y, yes.”

“Someone is waiting for you. Let’s go.”
“But, this place is full of soldiers…”

Maxwin looked around with a bewildered expression.

“When did this happen…?”

The soldiers and even the knights who had been on the execution ground had all collapsed.

It felt like he had been possessed by a ghost.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“H, huh!?”

Choi Hyun-seok picked up Maxwin Gordon.

Then, he dashed across the square in one breath.

“C, chase him…!”

The hollow cry of the executioner chased after them, but eventually faded away without reaching them.

***

Choi Hyun-seok leisurely left the city.

No matter how many soldiers and knights they mobilized, they couldn’t stop Choi Hyun-seok, who had already become as strong as a legend.

‘What’s going on…?’

Maxwin remained in a daze.

Where did this strong man come from?

Why did he save him?

Many questions swirled in his mind, but he refrained from speaking, assuming he would soon find out.

“We’ve arrived.”

Soon, Choi Hyun-seok, having reached their destination, gently set Maxwin down on the ground.

There, a familiar woman was waiting.

“P, Princess…?”

It had been some time since they had last met, but he was certain.

Silver eyes and silver hair, symbolizing the Marriott royal family.

The woman before him was Abelson Marriott.

“It’s been a while, Lord Gordon.”
“So you really are the Princess…!”

A few months ago.

The story spread that Abelson Marriott had joined forces with the demons and attacked the royal palace.

Of course, Maxwin Gordon didn’t believe it.

Abelson had not only joined hands with the demons but also murdered her entire family.

He thought it was clearly a scheme devised by the Holy Empire, but there was nothing he could do.

There were even testimonies from soldiers who had witnessed Abelson killing Prince Lace Marriott.

Inevitably, she had to be branded as a traitor and placed on the wanted list, but now she had appeared in person.

“I knew it… You weren’t the Princess who betrayed us…”

The moment he faced Abelson, Maxwin instinctively understood.

Abelson hadn’t changed.

The various rumors surrounding her were all lies.

“I’m sorry. I’m too late.”
“No… I’m just grateful that you came, even now…”

Maxwin Gordon lowered his head.

“Lord Gordon. I know you’re flustered, but I need to know what’s going on.”

Abelson grasped his shoulder.

“Tell me. What on earth is happening in the capital… no, in the kingdom?”