Chapter 79 Red wasteland(1)

    Translator: BaeBae Editor: BaeBae

    There was a point in time where the land in the east were touted as the most beautiful land.

    The long eastern coastline had been one of the empire’s famous scenery where you could find dragons flying about. It’s name once held value from its beautiful natural landscapes.

    This was until Gared Ga-in, the ruler of the eastern land stabbed a knife into the emperor’s back.

    After the emperor’s assasination, Gared Ga-in and his dragon knight order were mostly beheaded or went into hiding.

    Having lost their leader and produced the culprit that harmed the emperor, the empire began to ostracize the eastern land.

    And amidst the turmoil, forces from inside the northern fissure managed to slip past and infiltrate the eastern land, turning most of it into a wasteland.

    Although Earl Henna, a native from the east somehow began holding them back with some help, by then it was too late. Most of the land in the east had been destroyed.

    A gust of wind carried a handful of red dust into the air, spraying it over a tent. A messenger just arriving from the holy city of Torra was surprised to see how bad things truly were in the east.

    For the young messenger, it was hard to believe that this land had once been a popular vacation spot in the empire.

    Right now, the person he was waiting for was who solely ruled over this wasteland.

    The curtains opened and a slim elder with a cape draped over her head covered in red dust walked in.

    The messenger instinctively stood up and greeted the elder. When most nobles chose to leave the east a long time ago. one sole noble reamined. Earl Hela Henna walked in.

    “Sorry to have kept you waiting. I was out patrolling. So, I heard Pavan sent you?”

    “Yes. Ceovil Soar of the capital knights.”

    Ceovil held out the letter. Hela frowned as she took off her robe before receiving the letter.

    The face with only a left eye belonging to an old woman came into his view. Also her right sleeve hung loose in the air, as if she’d lost her right arm as well. But surprisingly, using only her left hand, Hela skillfully opened up the letter.

    After reading it, Hela scrunched it up.

    “You little shit. What are you scheming?”

    In a blink, Hela was holding Ceovil up by his collar. Ceovil lifted both hands in the air, showing that he had no intent to resist.

    “This shows how much Pavan is taking this case seriously. I’ll promise that you can use the troops in any way you’d like. As I’ve said, commander Pavan has always felt that he owed you a debt, so it would be appreciated if you can think of this as him repaying you back.”

    This couldn’t be true.

    Pavan was someone that Hela had personally taught until he fell into Vares’s hands. She of course, knew his character very well.

    Signs of concern were showing on Hela’s face but when she thought about what she could accomplish with additional 7000 troops, it wasn’t a hard decision to make.

    “A criminal that’s worth sending 7000 troops? Who is it?”

    “I’ll give you the exact details later on. But I think even Earl Henna nim wouldn’t be happy hearing about a dangerous individual crawling into her territory.”

    That was true.

    Hela didn’t want any other variables entering her domain. So that left whatever plot Pavan was scheming.

    “……..Be honest. Up to how much were you given permission?”

    “I’m not sure what you are talking about.”

    It wasn’t like she didn’t have her doubts, but she chose the pragmatic option. Hela pushed a pen and paper in front of Ceovil and demanded.

    “I want it in writing now. 10,000 troops. Each fitted with their own supplies. And no haggling, you know how poor we are.”

    “Why suddenly increase by 3000…….”

    “Shut up and just write.”

    “Alright then.”

    Ceovil began writing a certification as proof.

    With a few drops of ink, 10,000 troops were guaranteed as writing. Suddenly, Hela felt as if everything felt a little pathetic as she always found it difficult getting 1,000 or even 500 troops for aid in the past.

    After receiving the certificate, Hela glared at Ceovil with a grumpy expression.

    “As I said, we’re in the middle of a war so I won’t be able to take out much of my own forces.”

    “As long as you’re sure you’ll get it done properly.”

    “Don’t worry about that. I have someone in mind.”

    Puzzled by Hela’s words, Ceovil tilted his head.

    “How many are you intending to send?”

    “Just one. But for these kinds of scenarios, better to send this ‘one’ than a hundred.”

    *****

    The sword flashed in the moonlight.

    The attacker’s hand instantly split in two as Juan brought down his dagger.

    Juan’s dagger cut three, four, five, no seven times before the attacker could even scream.

    Like a breaking vase, blood squirted out from all places, and only then the attacker let out a scream.

    Juan didn’t let him scream for long. A dagger pierced his heart.

    This all happened in a flash when the first attacker had rushed in. The remaining attackers began backing away in a frightened expression.

    Juan sprayed the blood smeared on his dagger onto the ground.

    “I’m sure you’re all aware.”

    Juan approached the attackers.

    Inside every attacker’s mind, were regrets in getting involved and a voice telling them to run.

    Though they were at an open wasteland, the attackers all felt as if they were being tightened in a prison cell, slowly being suffocated.

    A prison cell that was no bigger than 3 footsteps in all directions.

    “That I could have killed you all at once.”

    2 weeks had passed since Juan had arrived east and this was now the 5th attack. Up till now, he’d killed every single attacker without question, but as time went, he started to feel that something was weird.

    Their skills were laughable and they were definitely here for him, but strangely he felt that his position was being discovered too easily by those that were after him.

    The attackers swallowed a big gulp. Before he’d attacked, Juan had been sitting still.

    But in a flash, Juan neutralized and demonstrated a brutal murder as if to set an example for what was to come.

    What appeared to the leader of the attackers hesitated before opening his lips.

    “Wai, wait. It’s a misunderstanding. We’re not exactly here for you specifically.”

    Juan tilted his head.

    “Not here for me?”

    “The church has declared a 10,000 gold leaf bounty for a black haired boy. So as you can imagine, everyone’s out to catch any black haired people they come across regardless of age. Th…that’s why attacked. We’re aren’t the only ones doing it.”

    Juan went silent. Sweat started to appear on the attackers’ foreheads.

    “Hey look, I’m sorry if you took offense but it’s not like we’ve caused you any harm. Meanwhile we’ve lost one. We’ll take our leave here so why don’t we just all walk away without seeing more blood?”

    “I like not seeing blood.”

    “Th, then……”

    “Where’s Drugal?”

    “What?”

    “I said where’s Drugal. Answer me and I’ll let one of you live.”

    After hearing about Drugal from Oppert, Juan had actively been searching for it. But it was difficult to find the exact location as no one seemed to have heard of the place.

    “Why are you looking for Drugal?”

    The one who replied was the man furthest back towards the center. With a skinny body, the man was faintly smiling as he looked at Juan.

    The attackers realised that they’d been tricked, seeing the man’s smile.

    “You bastard! That’s right! You’re the one who alerted and convinced us to capture this black haired m……”

    The final words never came. Something had sprang out from the skinny man’s hand and cleanly beheaded him.

    Everyone noticed a long bizzare tentacle connecting his hand to the other man’s throat.

    The attackers screamed before fleeing in all directions.

    The corner of Juan’s lips rose.

    His opponent had come for him.

    [1] – So I had a knight order named ‘Debarment order’ in the . I’m changing it to ‘Abhorrent’ order. .will be updated.