146

The man’s complexion was black. His body was shriveled and twisted like a withered old tree. Nevertheless, the man walked. He moved toward the direction of Hamel’s party. It was a suspicious situation, but Hamel approached him and asked:

“Who are you?”

“I… I am a su-survivor of Epio Village… the sole survivor.”

“……!”

Hamel’s eyes widened slightly. He hadn’t expected there to be any survivors from the village. Hamel handed him some water and asked, “Would you like some?”

“Ah, th-thank you.”

The man drank the water Hamel offered with immense relish, as if it were the finest delicacy he had ever tasted. Then, with a faint smile, he handed something to Hamel.

“You are Hamel Haidern Gilmore, correct?”

“……Yes. That’s right.”

Hamel remained wary of the man, his expression stiff and guarded. However, the man said nothing more, merely holding out an object. Hamel took it cautiously. It was a letter sealed with a brand in the shape of a crow.

“Who sent this…?”

Just as Hamel looked up to face the man—

Stab.

The man had drawn a dagger out of nowhere and plunged it into his own chest.

“What in the…….”

Hamel rushed to stem the bleeding, attempting to use his Blue Flame to heal him, but the man smiled broadly and spoke.

“Finally… I can die…….”

“…….”

Hamel poured all the power he could muster into the man, but his life force faded rapidly, as if he had actually died a long time ago. It felt as though an extinguished ember had been kept unnaturally flickering by some curse, unable to find rest. Hamel felt the futility of his power.

For a brief moment, the man’s eyes met Hamel’s. He struggled to mutter one last thing.

“The water… was delicious. Thank… you…….”

That was the end. The man moved no more. Hamel held him for a moment before slowly laying him down. Then, he opened the letter the man had delivered. Leo Benedictus’s name was written there.

「To the Dear Sir Hamel Saint Gilmore」

「Greetings. I never imagined you would survive that encounter. You cannot fathom how flustered I was when I first heard the news. I was certain of success this time, so I am truly surprised. Still, I assume you failed to protect Haidern. My condolences.」

Though the tone was restrained, a subtle anger bled through the writing—the anger of a man whose “certain” plan had been thwarted. To compensate, he was taunting Hamel by mentioning Haidern. It was shallow. For the first time, it felt as though Hamel could see into Leo Benedictus’s true inner thoughts.

However, the provocation didn’t work in the slightest. Hamel did not doubt for a moment that Haidern would be safe.

「In truth, I did not know whether you would sprint back to your estate or chase me here… but if you are reading this letter, it means you have followed me, burning with a desire for revenge. Excellent. I shall be waiting, so please hurry your pursuit. Your hint lies in the dungeon of the Inquisition. Find the one with the brand of Ehursika on their body.」

「P.S.: Are the gods you serve truly ‘good’ beings?」

Hamel stared at the letter for a long time after finishing it. After a while, he quietly folded the letter and tucked it into his shirt. He lifted the dead man’s body and carried it to the site of the village where he had once lived, burying him there.

Standing over the grave, he recited a solemn prayer. It was a mourning for the man who had survived alone, and for the many who had lost their lives in an instant. The rest of the party stood beside him, observing a moment of silence.

Leo Benedictus had no intention of ending the fight. That was why he continued his provocations, even bringing up Haidern. Unfortunately for him, Hamel remained unshaken. But the villain needn’t worry; Hamel had no intention of avoiding him.

“Leo Benedictus. I must catch that man.”

“Right.”

At Hamel’s words, Daniel and the rest of the party nodded as if they had been waiting for that exact sentence. Judging by what had happened in this village alone, he had already committed unpardonable sins. The group’s silent anger simmered.

In that moment—

“…….”

Hamel felt an unknown impulse. No, by now, he knew exactly what this impulse was. The hunger for predation. The desire to become a more perfect being.

Hamel walked toward the massive carcass of the Half-Dragon, Lekarisika. He placed his hand quietly upon the remains.

Fwoosh!

A massive flame swallowed the dragon’s corpse. Unlike usual, it was greedy and gluttonous. And in the next moment—

Sss.

The flames began to be absorbed back into Hamel. Lekarisika’s carcass vanished without a trace.

“……You, that was—”

Ono asked, aghast, but Hamel gave no answer. He simply clenched and unclenched his fist. He could feel it instinctively: he had become an existence one step closer to a dragon.

‘It doesn’t feel… dangerous.’

No madness surged. He could control it perfectly. Hamel thought to himself that at this rate, he might truly become a dragon.

The Western journey, which had been shorter than expected, came to an end. Hamel and his party turned their horses back toward Haidern. On the way, they saw that change had already begun in the West.

As Hamel had sent word ahead, the Church seemed to have arrived first. Priests, paladins, and a large number of personnel had been dispatched. Carrying relief goods, they healed the wounded and secured order. They suppressed conflicts between families and embraced those who had served the Ashitaka clan. Having lost the god they once worshipped, the people accepted the Church without resistance.

Hamel watched this with a strange feeling. What exactly was a god? Did they only earn the value of being worshipped if they provided practical power and help in life? Did their doctrines and the miracles they once performed simply vanish? He understood it, of course. If nothing changes despite praying for a hundred days, faith is bound to dwindle. Humans, by nature, desire to lean on transcendental beings.

‘But to swap gods out of necessity…’

Hamel shook his head. Thinking any deeper was a form of irreverence toward the gods.

‘Come to think of it……’

The phrase Leo Benedictus had written at the end of the letter came back to him.

‘Are the gods you serve truly “good” beings?’

What did that mean? As Hamel pondered this—

“We’re here.”

Daniel pointed a finger into the distance. At the tip of his finger, the mansion built upon the hill came into view—the Gilmore family mansion, now far better maintained than before. They had arrived at Haidern.

Hamel cleared his thoughts and pulled on the reins. “We’ve arrived. Just a little further.”

The horses, though weary from the long journey, squeezed out their remaining strength and galloped toward the mansion. Familiar faces welcomed them at the front gate.

“It has been a long time, my friend.”

“Lord Apophis.”

Hamel dismounted and bowed his head. Simultaneously, Azidahaka, who had been held by Ono, hopped down and scurried over to Apophis to act cute.

“Yes, yes. Have you been well?”

“Peep! Peeeep!”

Azidahaka nodded and enjoyed Apophis’s patting. It was quite the contrast to how the creature had been feigning death from pain after the fight with the Nine-Headed Serpent.

‘He’s quite good at social life.’

As Hamel watched this with internal admiration, Apophis spoke. “Yes. I heard the journey was quite arduous. Antonio returned about a month ago and told me.”

“Yes. It was not easy.”

Hamel nodded, then tilted his head and asked, “Where is Lord Antonio?”

“He was summoned due to the affairs in the West. I heard he was heading to the Eastern Diocese.”

“Bishop Arsen must have called for him.”

The Bishop was likely working hard to inform the Pope and the main Church of the dangers regarding the Evil Gods. This incident would serve as yet another piece of evidence. Hamel nodded, then asked out of curiosity:

“Was there any trouble at the estate?”

“Trouble… nothing in particular?”

Apophis looked puzzled at the question.

‘That shouldn’t be the case.’

Hamel pondered for a moment before shaking his head. Surely Leo Benedictus had tried something. Hamel asked again, “Really, nothing happened at all?”

“……Hmm. Ah!”

Apophis nodded as if he had finally remembered something. “Come to think of it, about two months ago, some petty thieves tried to break into the mansion.”

“……Thieves?”

Hamel was taken aback by the unexpected answer. However, Apophis spoke with certainty. “There were about twenty of them, but since their sins were deep, I disposed of them all.”

“Were there any distinguishing features?”

It seemed strange that Leo Benedictus’s “trump card” would be mere petty thieves. Hamel asked for more detail. Apophis tilted his head, searching his memory.

“I believe they called themselves something. Was it the… Flimsy Noodles?”

“It is the Pale Noose.”

The Guard Captain, appearing from behind Apophis, corrected him. Hamel, though surprised by his elusive appearance, froze at the name.

“What did you say?”

“The enemies who sneaked into the mansion that day. They called themselves the Pale Noose.”

Hamel was momentarily speechless. A group of twenty. A move Leo Benedictus was confident in. It was definitely the Pale Noose. Hamel looked at Apophis with an incredulous expression.

“Ah, so that was the name? I thought it was something like that.”

Calling the Pale Noose “petty thieves.” Anyone else hearing this would have been dumbfounded. Regardless, it was a fact that the estate was safe thanks to them.

“Thank you for protecting the estate.”

As Hamel bowed politely from the waist, Apophis’s pupils shook like an earthquake.

“What is this all of a sudden… bowing to me just for catching some rabble like that? My friend, your praise is excessive.”

“No. If it weren’t for the two of you, the people of the estate might have been hurt or killed.”

At Hamel’s words, Apophis and the Guard Captain merely looked at each other. Then, feeling bashful, Apophis replied, “Goodness, it really wasn’t a big deal.”

“They didn’t even put up a proper fight; perhaps they were careless,” the Guard Captain added, addressing Hamel. “The debt we owe for your grace in taking us in is still far from being repaid. Entrust us with anything, anytime.”

“I am always grateful.”

Hamel nodded slowly. As long as these two were guarding it, this estate would be safer than anywhere else. Since it had been targeted once, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t be again.

‘Though, preparing a move stronger than the Pale Noose won’t be easy.’

Hamel smiled bitterly and looked around the estate. Heidern, now in autumn, was more vibrant than ever. Merchants from neighboring villages were coming and going, and the volume of goods had noticeably increased. He had heard the harbor was also operating normally.

‘I heard Benjamin is currently in the Empire.’

The Heidern merchant guild seemed to be growing smoothly. He heard they had already established branches in the East, the South where the Church is located, and even the Empire. Perhaps the greatest credit for growing the estate belonged to Benjamin.

Looking down at the scenery of the estate for a moment, Hamel relaxed his shoulders. While he was busy running around, the estate had continued to grow. The laughter of children echoed through the alleys, and the adults went to work with happy expressions. There was a sense of hope in the estate. Watching this, Hamel realized that this was also one of the things he had wanted to achieve. And he realized he should cherish this time a little more.

“I think I’ll stay at the estate for a while.”

“Yes. Good thinking.” Daniel grinned.

They had been running without rest for a long time. A short break was necessary.

“Then the Inquisition… oof.”

When Ono asked tactlessly, Lena jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. Then, she asked Hamel as if nothing had happened, “If you aren’t feeling well, I can brew some potions for you.”

“It’s nothing like that.”

Hamel looked toward the mansion with a slight smile.

“It’s just that I know now that the things we cherish don’t last forever.”

“…….”

One day, he would have to journey to the Inquisition. He wanted to break this cycle of ill fate, ideally before the season when Diabolos would return. But even so, one shouldn’t run while only looking ahead. Hamel knew all too well what kind of regret that would leave behind.