Rebirth: Childhood friend of the heroine

Shendon Pod is a plant used for several purposes. There was a time when people extracted its juices to prepare perfume since the fragrance of the plant was quite attractive and made people stand out.

However, slowly, the popularity of the perfume went down once the use of Shendon Pod's pulp came into knowledge.

A lethal poison.

Soldiers began extracting the pulp of the flower and used the extraction to coat their weapons with it, which can cause slow death even by a shallow cut to their enemy.

That's why when Celestria said that she smelled Shendon Pod, Alex suspected that there was someone who was there to cause harm. He first suspected that person to be after the Princess, however, if they wanted to, they could have tried to harm her when they were in the crowd.

After that, Alex kept a close eye on his surroundings, and only after Sarah arrived at the eatery did he realize the main target of those assailants.

"N-No one..." The man seemed nervous for a vigilante who was given the task of assassinating the Saintess.

"For whom do you work." Alex pressed, his dagger casually drawing a few drops of his blood; making the man flinch.

"...we are a group of people who survived the plague ten years ago."

Alex frowned and thought back about that year. What does he know about that year...something significant...ah!

"So the skin disease which spread across the elven territory at that time....were you guys also infected?" Alex asked. He remembered Sarah mentioning something about healing the elves since they were suffering from life-threatening contagious diseases at that time.

That was the incident that made her so popular worldwide, even though she was a newly assigned nun at that time.

"We were happy...although the situation was not good even at that time...we used to help each other, and lived like a family...until a bastard from the elven territory came and infected one of the villagers."

Seeing a child cry was one thing, but when you see a grown man cry, you should know how deeply wounded he must have been.

Alex didn't put his guard down but never interrupted the man from speaking,

"We begged...those who were left....went to every church to ask for the Saintess' help since we knew only she could help us. However, when we reached the Cathedral, you know what we got to hear?"

With his eyes blood red, the Archer spoke, "That...we are worthless. We are not worth saving, that's what your dignified and benevolent Saintess said!"

"And you heard her saying that?" Alex asked, which made the man momentarily stunned.

Alex asked again, "Did the Saintess say it, or did you hear it from someone else?"

"A-A Priest said it, but isn't it the sa-"

"No, it isn't the same thing." With his eyes narrowing the silver head asked, "You know how old the Saintess was, at that time?"

Seeing the perplexion on the man's face, Alex added, "Twelve years old. And tell me, do you think at that age, the Saintess had the mind to judge people's worth?"

The man didn't respond since he also agreed to it...the Saintess was too young to make such a decision by herself.

"Now, listen to me carefully; if you don't lead me to your gang, I will kill you now and will hunt down your people." The vigilante shivered, as Alex's demeanor suddenly shifted.

Alex's eyes were devoid of any emotion that could express how he was feeling at the moment. However, someone close to him would have known that Alex was quite agitated at the moment that someone tried killing Sarah.

The only reason he left the vigilante alive is because he could help Alex in finding the group who were after the Saintess.

"If I lead you to them...what will you do?"

"I will tell them the same thing which I told you, and try to convince them so they leave the capital."

The man gulped; naturally, this option sounded more preferable.

However, what he failed to notice was the blatant lie in Alex's words. He was just trying to have his work done in a much easier way.

After a few moments of contemplation, the man nodded,

"Okay...I will lead you there."

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Alex was led to a secluded area in the capital, which was mostly devoted to those people who came here as war hostages or immigrants.

Alex was always prepared for a battle since he knew he was in the territory of the enemy.

Alex was led through a part of the capital that felt a world apart from its bustling heart. The streets here were narrower, paved with cobblestones worn smooth by years of footsteps.

Modest homes lined both sides, their exteriors painted in subdued tones, with neatly trimmed plants resting on windowsills. Lanterns hung from iron hooks, casting a soft, warm glow that didn't quite chase away the feeling of unease.

Small shops dotted the area, their signs hand-carved and slightly faded, offering everything from fresh bread to simple crafts. The people moved about with quiet purpose—men returning from work with weary but satisfied expressions, and women chatting by doorsteps as children darted past in spirited games.

'I wonder what would have happened to my house...' Alex once used to live in this section of the capital as well.

Soon, he was brought to the end of the section where a tall building in ruins appeared. Alex remembered this place as a storage building. All the materials for construction and the surplus of crops are stored here.

"They are on the third floor..." Lucas informed as he, along with Alex climbed the tower silently.

Experience new stories with empire

Lucas has already informed him that they have kidnapped a few people from the families of the servants working in the main palace.

Each floor has no room just a wide hall, where numerous things were stored.

Upon reaching the third floor, the sound of people groaning and moaning was heard, which made Lucas frown.

His feet hastened as he reached the third floor and peeked inside—only to find his eyes widening and a chill running down his spine.

The whole place was a mess. His comrades were forcing themselves on those women they kidnapped, having their limbs tied up and r**ing them.

Those men who were brought here were all killed and left aside to rot.

The condition of the women suggested what kind of treatment they have gone through to have lost all the emotions from their eyes and just breathing mindlessly.

Those men were switching their partners, by throwing them to each other like they were nothing but lifeless dolls. No, even non-living things would have been treated better.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Alex crossed his arms and mocked, "Quite lively comrades you have." He wasn't surprised. People kidnapping women and letting them go without using them for their desires...nah, Alex was too familiar with such a sight.

Lucas gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.

Much to Alex's surprise, the man pulled his dagger before Alex could react and jumped onto the floor.

"Ah-Lucas~my friend. You are back? Tell me you killed that bitc-*SQUELCH*"

Alex raised his brows, as he saw Lucas traveling past the man who was nearest to him. However, there was a part of the man which followed Lucas for a few steps.

It was his rolling head.

Lucas became a whirlwind of death, his dagger an extension of his wrath. As the first man's head hit the ground, Lucas was moving, his blade plunging into the throat of the next. Blood spurted out in violent arcs as the man collapsed, clutching at the gaping wound, but Lucas was gone, tearing through the next target like a beast unleashed.

The men didn't even have time to draw their weapons. One tried to run, but Lucas grabbed his hair, yanked him back, and slammed his head against the wall with enough force to crack bone. He didn't wait for the body to fall, plunging his dagger into another's stomach and dragging it upward. Intestines spilled out in a grotesque cascade as Lucas spun to face the next.

A man swung a club, desperate, but Lucas ducked under it, slamming his knee into the man's groin. The man doubled over with a strangled cry, and Lucas ended it by jamming the blade into his eye socket, twisting until the squelching sound was deafening.

Two charged at him together, but Lucas didn't slow. He kicked one in the chest so hard that the ribs cracked, sending the man flying into a pile of crates. Before the other could react, Lucas grabbed his arm, snapping it with a sickening pop, and slit his throat so deep the head nearly came off.

Another man screamed in panic, fumbling for his sword. Lucas didn't give him the chance. He threw his dagger with deadly precision, the blade sinking into the man's open mouth and out the back of his neck. The man fell, twitching, but Lucas was already retrieving the dagger, ripping it free with a spray of blood.

The last man dropped to his knees, sobbing, hands raised in surrender. Lucas's face was a mask of fury as he stalked forward, grabbed the man by the jaw, and drove the dagger up through his chin, the tip of the blade emerging from the top of his skull.

Sobbing, Lucas said, "I told you...to not touch them...why....why..."

Naturally, the man didn't have any vitality left to answer.

Throwing him away, Lucas pulled his dagger and turned around, only to find Alex draping covers over the naked form of the woman.

Walking towards the silverhead, Lucas said, "Please....have mercy on me and kill me..." Kneeling before the teenager, Lucas raised the dagger.

Alex hummed a bit, before suggesting, "I have a better idea for you to redeem your sins."

Lucas looked up before he heard the younger one saying, "Work for me, Lucas."

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A/N:- Goddamn, Lucas turned into Jin-Woo for a moment there. Drop a comment.

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