No, What Is This?

There are many ways to love someone. Loving only one person devotedly, like pure love, can sometimes get you hurt, but it is a common form of romantic love between men and women.

However, sometimes this pure, devoted love becomes corrupted. A corrupted love for one person leads to pathological obsession. We call that: imprison, steal, defile.

If you meet a man or woman with this tendency, you must never give them an opening, nor say anything that could be misunderstood.

If, at some point, your underwear or belongings start disappearing one by one, you should suspect there might be a ‘stealer’ around you.

―From a lecture by Solo Count, an expert in communication and love.

Urbs, called the second capital of the Dark Empire.

Here, whose ancient name means ‘city,’ Violentia and more than 3,500 representatives following her had taken up positions.

With personnel dispatched from the Black Tower and the Dark Empire staying nearby, Urbs was enjoying an unexpected boom.

As soon as Violentia settled in Urbs, she immediately applied for a legion and named it ‘Gunrim.’ Then, following Kim Han’s advice, she set out to hunt representatives.

They split into squads of 200 to up to 500 and ambushed key passages.

Actually, the reason she chose Urbs instead of the capital was that it was the most developed city closest to the Monster Belt among nearby towns.

Above all, the fact that there were even two luxury boutiques there played a big part in Violentia’s decision (it’s true).

The representative hunt that began that way yielded better results than expected, and Violentia and her affiliated representatives quickly grew stronger.

Because the number of representatives leaving Exorsus was still small and the number of attackers exceeded the hearts they acquired, they were able to absorb once every fifteen days; add to that combat experience against fellow representatives and physical enhancement through ‘absorption,’ and they could definitely become stronger.

Though it wasn’t comparable to the development speed of the Rebound Legion, which had top-tier training facilities and the guidance of three absurdly powerful transcendent, and exceptional talent, they were certainly a few steps ahead of the representatives dawdling in Exorsus.

Within Gunrim legion, which was quickly organizing and improving in quality, there were three representatives favored by Violentia.

Two female representatives who always served as her secretaries and bodyguards, standing close by.

Among them was Imoen, a woman who was captivated by Kim Han when Violentia first visited the Rebound Legion house.

And the protagonist was Makiira, a close friend of Martial Star Proy Rium who had stayed at Rebound.

In Makiira’s case, because of strength even Violentia acknowledged and his ties with the Rebound Legion, as soon as he wanted to join, Violentia promised him the best treatment.

And recently there was a representative who satisfied Violentia.

A man who trained harder than anyone and performed his duties without a single mistake.

Thus he naturally caught Violentia’s eye, and having started as a mere squad leader, he now held the rank of combat captain, commanding a combat squad leader under him.

Violentia increasingly praised him for his tidy handling of tasks and his hardworking attitude.

“Mabuda.”

“Ah! Violentia-nim!”

The man training intensely, Mabuda, brightened at Violentia’s arrival.

Violentia approached Mabuda and, with a serious expression instead of her usual smile, asked.

“The 11th combat squad has lost contact. I heard you were the last to contact them. Have you heard anything?”

“Yes? Ah…”

Regret filled Mabuda’s face, but it lasted only a moment.

“Mabuda?”

He quickly changed his expression and replied seriously.

“Ah, no. I didn’t give any other orders. It was just routine communication.”

“Is that so? What was their mission?”

Previously Violentia might not have been this concerned. But the ones who lost contact now were representatives sent to meet someone. That’s why Violentia was so interested.

And Mabuda also knew who it was because of whom.

“I’ll find out.”

“Good. If it’s Mabuda, I can trust you.”

“Yes!”

Bowing politely to Violentia, Mabuda only raised his head after she had completely disappeared.

But his face was twisted like a demon, unlike before.

“…She should have asked about me first! How could she do this to me! She should love me more than that hollow-named guy!”

Who was he angry at? He spat various curses for a long while, then laughed nastily. If someone had seen the rapidly changing expression for that brief moment, they’d have been goosebumps and brushed their arms.

“Today you must be punished, Biyol.”

Mabuda muttered the words with a smile, stopped training, and walked toward the barracks. On the way back he licked his lips with his tongue and smiled nastily as if imagining something.

Mabuda didn’t leave the barracks all day.

The next day, among the trash heaps of Gunrim legion, which used a noble’s villa as their legion building, a wooden doll full of night-blooming flower scent was discarded.

As they moved quickly, the members’ mouths were tightly shut. It wasn’t because they were tired from the speed. Everyone was displeased.

Since battling Violentia’s Gunrim legion until the sun began to set, they hadn’t met any representatives or even monsters.

Perhaps typical monsters couldn’t approach because the members’ displeasure and indignation radiated a prickly atmosphere.

If Violentia had been there at that moment, some members’ faces were so hostile they’d have cut her throat on the spot.

Even now, as they prepared dinner and chose a campsite.

When asked sometime before, the Rebound Legion members’ image of Violentia was something like ‘a vulgar woman who doesn’t work hard but tries to curry favor with the captain.’

Though contrary to reality—Violentia was a hardworking genius—what the members thought was that she had grown easily and quickly thanks to me and learned how to grow.

And yet she attacked us! It’s like repaying kindness with enmity.

Proy Rium grumbled and seethed even now. He even insisted on changing their destination to the Dark Empire and invading immediately.

It was an action unthinkable from the previously arrogant and cold Martial Star Proy Rium.

The reason Proy Rium was so worked up, as mentioned earlier, was his heightened loyalty.

Proy Rium said he hadn’t met Manus in his fifth year at the Garden of Gods.

I reported his disadvantage to the gods through Ludiker using a magic book.

It had been only three days since a divine decision was made to grant him the fundamental authority, after I cultivated public opinion to make his circumstances seem special and pitiful.

“Stop sulking and eat. Every time they attack us, it’s them who suffer losses anyway. Well, it’s good for us.”

“Good? What’s good about it? Those brats are worse than orcs. There’s a limit to repaying kindness with enmity!”

Even when they called the sulking Proy Rium to eat, this macho fellow just raised his voice, veins standing in his neck.

“Why the theatrics. We’ll get even later. And it’s a good thing for us. Think about it—how many stats did you gain today?”

“Stats, you say? I gained a bit in strength and stamina.”

“A bit? The ones who attacked us today had considerable stats—either they’d been grinding stats or had done a lot of ‘absorption.’ They’re practically walking into us on their own; why get so worked up? Emotionally, I’m angry too, but we’re on an expedition. There’s nothing we can do.”

“Ugh…”

“If you look at it differently, they gave us stats or talents, weapons and armor, potions, and even justification, so we have to be like ‘what’s with all this…’. So stop and eat. Like Naruan over there.”

“…Yes.”

“Huh? Did you call me, captain?”

I told Naruan, who had chocolate all around his mouth and looked up at me, that I hadn’t called him, and slowly ate dinner.

I was angry, though not as much as Proy Rium. But knowing the one who plotted it was Mabuda, I decided to think of it as a good opportunity.

Getting mad at a perverted stalker is like yelling at a wall for not answering. I’ll repay him in spades later.

‘Moreover, the Violentia he likes is fond of me. Heh.’

A situation different from my previous life. If Violentia used to disdain men in my past life, now she’s infatuated with me.

Even in the previous life, Mabuda’s ardent courtship toward Violentia had been the talk of the continent.

According to later reports of his perverted acts, Violentia herself had beheaded him and burned the clothes stained with his blood—she loathed Mabuda that much.

“Kim Han…”

Lee Hyo-ju’s call pulled me out of my thoughts. She held out a plate of food toward me.

“Huh? I already ate.”

“You’ve seemed to be eating less these days.”

“Ah, I’m on a diet.”

“…?”

They gave me looks as if asking whether I was joking. Hazel and the other representatives around also widened their eyes and stared at me.

“Joke… eat.”

A silent pressure. Accepting the plate and eating silently under the gazes of Hazel and the other women who seemed to say ‘don’t joke,’ I reviewed the approaching entrance to the Deathlands.

It’s absolutely not because of the disappointed looks from the women.

“Everyone, gather.”

Finishing my thoughts while forcing myself to eat, I called the group together.

It was to brief them on the Deathlands we were to explore and our objectives.

It was a place I had visited in my previous life, and I explained detailed information to the group, supplemented by the intel Sio had given before departure.

“The Deathlands are divided into four sections. Tomorrow we’ll reach the Wavering Swamp, which is the entrance where we can see the land’s true nature. After that come the Forest of Sorrow, the Deathlands proper, and finally the Fallen Kingdom’s Keep.”

At the campsite only the crackling of the fire and my voice could be heard. The group focused on my words like grandchildren listening to an old man’s tale, eyes shining.

There are two reasons this region, collectively called the Deathlands, carries the word ‘death.’

First, any mediocre fighter who enters is certain to die; second, beings that have skirted death dwell there.

The Wavering Swamp is literally a swamp. Patches periodically appear where toxins of advanced grade or higher flow.

But it’s hard to distinguish as if the terrain were patterned tiles in a restroom or bathhouse.

Seeing the same scenery over and over again makes it easy to lose one’s sense of direction.

Moreover, depending on where you enter the wide Wavering Swamp, the direction to the entrance of the Forest of Sorrow changes.

It’s certain that the Forest of Sorrow lies north of the Wavering Swamp, but its entrance is narrower compared to the broad swamp. Since everything except the entrance is sheer cliff, you must find the entrance.

In such a situation, if someone tries to pretend they know and changes direction here and there, they’ll inevitably get lost.

The simplest and most reliable method is to go straight north and follow the cliffs.

And then there are the strange beasts that occasionally appear. From massive beasts to those known as the smallest, the beasts inhabiting this place don’t sink into the swamp, so it’s common for them to just poke their heads out of the quiet marsh and attack.

“So from the moment you enter the swamp, don’t be complacent like now—stay alert. Monsters, beasts, and wraiths living in the marsh are trickier than they look.”

“Yes!”

The Forest of Sorrow, which can only be entered through specific entrances after passing the Wavering Swamp, isn’t anything special. Even if others struggle, we can progress more easily than expected.

That isn’t usually the case. The reason this place is called the Forest of Sorrow is because of the ghost-type beasts with intense grudges.

Warrior or mage attacks are greatly reduced, making it a troublesome place, and if a high-ranking beast appears, mental attacks can wipe you out instantly and even take your body.

However, we have representatives specialized in ghosts, phantoms, and souls, so that doesn’t apply to us.

As I spoke and looked at Shumix, everyone’s gaze turned to her and they regarded her with renewed interest.

Moreover, since Guardian’s Valkyrie defensive techniques—accepted as an official legion member after the battle a few days ago—provide added stability, this should be the easiest section.

“And as for the Deathlands… we’ll brief again at the end of the Forest of Sorrow.”

“Yes.”

The full-scale expedition was about to begin.