Chapter 96: Hot Springs (3)
Chapter 96: Hot Springs (3)
Merilda’s fists, when swung with true intent, could potentially blast away a small mountain in a single blow.
If Rin steps into a real stance, the ground around her would completely shatter due to her strength.
If the Crimson Dragon were to properly wield its magic, a red sun would rise in the sky instead of the dark night.
However, at this moment.
“Let go, you damp dragon head-!”
“You let go first-!”
“Can’t you both just let go…!!”
They were engaged in an endlessly unflattering fight.
Merilda’s hands were grabbing the hair of the Crimson Dragon (Adria) and Rin.
Rin was grabbing the hair of the Crimson Dragon and Merilda.And the Crimson Dragon was grabbing the hair of Merilda and Rin.
Merilda’s hands, capable of blowing away a mountain with a single swing, were shaking as she grabbed their hair.
Rin’s legs, capable of stepping into a real stance, were pressing and pushing against Merilda’s stomach.
The mouth of the Crimson Dragon (Adria), which could summon a red sun with its magic, was biting Rin’s right arm.
…It was truly an unbecoming fight.
To the extent that Loriel, who usually respected their Master, couldn’t bear to watch and subtly averted her gaze, and Giral sighed deeply and looked away.
To the point where Adria’s respect for the dragon somewhat evaporated as she truly grimaced.
Of course, those gathered here were well aware of why individuals, who could be likened to great heroes or even considered stronger, were fighting in such a manner.
“The Lord of Lartania.”
Giral, Loriel, and Adria’s gazes shifted towards Kim Hyunwoo, who was visible beyond the Lord’s castle.
The Lord was busily discussing something with the hero of his territory.
Thinking that their respected Master was behaving like that because of the Lord, Loriel felt an odd urge to sigh and, upon subtly shifting her gaze, locked eyes with Giral.
“……”
Although their eye contact was brief, Giral and Loriel nodded to each other as if understanding one another without needing to speak.
Feeling a slight uplift in their spirits due to a sense of solidarity amidst the emptiness, they turned their gaze to the Crimson Dragon – no, Adria, who was being grabbed by the hair.
Merilda and Rin, likely due to their inherently sturdy physiques, seemed relatively unscathed, whereas Adria appeared to be in a slightly worse state.
Indeed, Merilda and Rin’s hands were clutching quite a bit of blond hair.
For that reason.
“……”
They realized Adria was in a more pitiable situation than themselves and offered her a moment of silence.
“Please, Dragon Lord, stop… my hair is really going to get pulled out.”
Only the plaintive cries of Adria echoed beyond the hills of Lartania.
While the heroes were entangled atop the hills of Lartania, grappling to the right(?) to the hot springs’ creation,
in the Norba Kingdom,
“Ugh, aaaaah-!”
A war was unfolding.
The first sight was that the massive territory of the Norba Kingdom, which seemed as if it would thrive forever, was now engulfed in flames.
Next, monsters roamed the territory, brutally devouring the soldiers who opposed them.
In the darkness, the flames of war raged.
Monsters devouring soldiers and the troops of Duke Landaron mercilessly slaughtering the soldiers of the Norba Kingdom were engulfed in these flames.
It was a sight so horrific it could be described as a human hell, with screams and red flames engulfing homes, seemingly decorating the dreadful landscape with their increasing size.
And so, as the red flames thoroughly enveloped everything, inside the Lord’s castle of the Norba Kingdom,
“Duke Landaron…!”
the King of the Norba Kingdom, with a face full of fear, was watching Duke Landaron approaching him.
“Stop him, stop that man immediately!”
The King was shouting in fear.
However, no matter how much the King shouted, there were no soldiers to follow his command and stop Duke Landaron.
It was then that the King realized
there were no soldiers here to stop Duke Landaron.
All had been slain by the heroes and demons behind him.
“Ugh…ugh!”
The moment he realized this, the King tried to step back from Duke Landaron with fear-filled eyes,
but he stumbled over a dead soldier’s hand and fell, looking up to see Duke Landaron approaching, his face etched with endless fear and terror.
There was no longer any charisma on the King’s face.
Likewise, there was no dignity.
No courage.
No power.
No strength.
The King before him
was just a man trembling in fear, the one Duke Landaron had served as King.
“Pl-please, if it’s the kingdom you want, then have it! I, I don’t need it, take it if you want!”
The man relinquished his crown himself.
“Ha.”
Duke Landaron sneered at the sight.
At the same time, the King’s face was filled with even greater fear and a look of utter incomprehension.
To the King, the situation was absolutely unfathomable.
The territory of the Norba Kingdom was vast.
Beyond its size, it perfectly fulfilled the role of a grand capital worthy of the Kingdom.
The Kingdom boasted tens of thousands of soldiers, and easily more than ten heroes served it.
Among them, one was so strong that they were called a Great Hero.
Yet, despite this, the Norba Kingdom fell far too easily.
It was all over in less than an hour after Duke Landaron officially invaded, with all defenses breached.
Therefore, the King bowed his head unconditionally, unable to comprehend the situation.
He did not want to die.
He wanted to live.
‘First and foremost, I just need to escape from here, there must be a way.’
However.
Thud-!
“Gack-!”
Contrary to the King’s hopes, a soldier’s sword had already pierced his neck.
With a deep sneer, Duke Landaron said,
“Farewell.”
With those final words to the one who was once king.
Swoosh-!
The king, who had ruled the Norba Kingdom until now, lost his life right there.
Soon after, Duke Landaron took the crown, a symbol of the Norba Kingdom and of kingship, from the headless king and sat on the throne where the beheaded king had been seated just moments before.
And then.
Grinning-
“Nice.”
Duke Landaron, with a twisted smile, listened to the screams of soldiers and citizens outside the Lord’s castle, laughing heartily.
A few days after Kim Hyunwoo gained additional income from the hot springs.
While considering how to make beverages to sell inside during the expansion of the hot springs.
“Friend! I’ll invite you to the Blacksmith Guild!”
The branch of the Blacksmith Guild was completed.
Although it was the last among the external buildings to start construction, it was the first to be completed as a Blacksmith Guild branch, which Kim Hyunwoo found curious, but he nodded and followed River.
Because there wasn’t much to do at the moment.
Therefore, Kim Hyunwoo, heading to the Blacksmith Guild branch with River,
“Wow.”
couldn’t help but be amazed.
Because the Blacksmith Guild branch was built remarkably well, considering the given construction time.
“There are no other blacksmiths right now; it’s just you and me, so feel free to come in.”
Kim Hyunwoo, who was observing the exterior of the Blacksmith Guild branch, nodded at River’s words and then entered the Guild with her.
“…This is the Guild, right?”
“Yes!”
“But why is there a forge here?”
“Because it’s a Blacksmith Guild! Essentially, a forge is part of the Blacksmith Guild!”
Soon, Kim Hyunwoo roamed around the Guild, following River’s introduction, even as he saw a scene reminiscent of a forge upon entering the Blacksmith Guild.
After some time, having introduced the third floor, which would be River’s office space in the future, she said,
“Now, since I’ve shown you the office, there’s one last thing to show.”
“Last thing?”
“Yes! Actually, the reason I invited you to the Guild today is to show you that. Follow me!”
With those words, they descended the stairs.
“…?”
With a puzzled expression, Kim Hyunwoo followed River and soon arrived in the basement of the Blacksmith Guild building.
“…When was this built?”
Kim Hyunwoo couldn’t help but marvel at the basement, which looked like a massive factory, requiring a considerable descent down the stairs due to its depth.
“The construction is solid, so there’s no need to worry about the ground collapsing,”
River replied to his unspoken question, then gestured for Kim Hyunwoo to follow her to one side.
“Here it is!”
Upon seeing the item River introduced,
“…Huh?”
he couldn’t help but utter such a sound.
And for good reason.
“Wait a minute… What is this?”
“Of course, I made it!”
What Kim Hyunwoo was looking at…
“……”
…appeared to be unmistakably a missile, no matter which way one looked at it.
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