Chapter 151 – Uagh! Fuck, My Eyes!
“Let’s move imdiately.”
Was it because of the desperate pleas in front of us?
Lochter was about to move right away to chase the tail, but I shook my head.
“This isn't sothing that can be solved by blindly rushing in.”
“They're people who will bring harm if left alive.”
“There are many kidnapped victims at the previous location. And a lot of hunters too. If they take hostages, can you cut them all down?"
Cut them down??
“We're only three people. Protecting everyone would be difficult.”
I had heard there were many won and children.
Lochter would never be able to cut them down.
The hunters were a despicable lot who operated with cunning instincts. If we hesitated even for a mont, the sharp-witted ones might do sothing terrible to the hostages.
Before things got out of hand, we needed soone to protect the abducted victims.
“Bring the carriage here.”
“The carriage?”
“The one she was riding. It’ll surely be a great help.”
“...Alright.”
Without further questions, Lochter moved toward the village.
I told Karl to step on the tail first.
“You an to test them?”
“Yes. We need to confirm whether the information he gave us is true.”
“I’ll leave a trail. Follow it.”
Once Karl left as well, only the survivors and I remained here.
There were about thirty people.
With Lochter suddenly gone after promising to help, their faces showed confusion, as if they had lost their way. Ignoring them, I began searching through the dead hunters’ belongings.
“They sure looted a lot.”
They must have gone all out in their plundering. Every ti I rummaged through a pocket, I found sothing shiny.
Quickly gathering small yet valuable items, I then rounded up the abandoned horses.
As I approached the people while holding the reins of four horses, they hesitated, sensing unease.
“Do you have anywhere to return to?”
“If you need help, speak up.”
Their hotowns had been burned, their loved ones lost. With everything destroyed, should they still return to their villages?
They hesitated, unable to open their mouths to answer, so I gave them a path.
“Go to Blyer.”
“...Blyer?”
“Settle there and spread word about Sir Lochter. Tell the truth about what you heard, saw, and felt here.”
I handed them the loot and the horses taken from the hunters. It was probably more money than they’d ever touched in their lives.
“We saw you pleading to Sir Lochter.”
“...That’s…”
“Do you truly wish for that desperate plea to be answered? Then do as I say.”
“If we do as you say… will we get our revenge?”
“My daughter… can I find my family too?”
As I confidently showed them the way and generously handed over the stolen wealth, a spark of hope—maybe—began to flicker in their expressions.
“Of course. Believe in Lochter Felice.”
I had sent Lochter to the village first not only to bring Lily but also to use his na to shake up Blyer.
With Lochter’s stubborn nature, he would definitely dislike the idea of using people like this.
Of course, my goal wasn’t just to use them—it was to help them. If I gained sothing in the process, I’d consider it fair compensation for my aid.
“Sir Lochter will hunt down and annihilate those who plundered your hos. Your revenge will be fulfilled.”
“...Ah…”
They had seen his strength with their own eyes. The way he single-handedly slaughtered the mounted enemies in an instant.
“The rescued ones will be sent to Blyer as well. To the place where Sir Lochter’s na will spread. That way, you’ll be able to find your daughters and families there.”
“I—I’ll do it! I swear I will!”
If their lost loved ones heard the rumors, they would co to the sa place. These people would do everything in their power to spread the word.
Of course, not everyone in Blyer would hear it.
But what if I rescued every captive and sent them all to Blyer?
More mouths would spread the news, and if the sources of the rumors were the very victims themselves, the impact would be enormous.
Hero Lochter.
Can we overturn the entire situation in one move?
Right now, Lochter was a wanted criminal with a bounty of a million gold. If I wanted to shatter the criminal fra that Kal had set on him, I had to seize this opportunity no matter what.
“…But, is that really him?”
Soone pointed toward a rapidly approaching carriage.
A rugged man sat in the driver’s seat.
Though his appearance was rough, covered in sweat and blood, the aura he exuded was strong and unwavering.
I gave a firm nod.
“His na is Lochter Felice, the forr Knight Captain of Blyer.”
A sudden thought crossed my mind, bringing a smile to my face as I spoke again.
“And also the operations leader of the Hunt.”
“Where are they going?”
When Lochter arrived with the carriage, the people were already leaving, mounted on the leftover horses and wagons.
“I sent them to Blyer.”
“Blyer?”
“They have nowhere else to go. I gave them the spoils here, so they won’t lack anything to settle down.”
“That’s not what they truly want.”
“Their precious loved ones will also be sent to Blyer. To make that happen, we need to hunt down the hunters quickly, right? That way, they’ll get their revenge too.”
Lochter stared at intently before slightly bowing his head.
He had sworn to help them, yet here I was, already planning and executing everything ahead of him.
“Thank you.”
“If you're grateful, then drive the carriage. I have sothing important to take care of.”
“Sothing important?”
“…Did she wake up?”
When I pointed inside the carriage, Lochter shook his head before climbing into the driver’s seat.
After showing Lochter the signs Karl had left, he began driving the carriage. In the anti, I entered the cabin, scratching my head.
Lily was sprawled on the sofa, arms up in a surrendering posture, fast asleep despite the chaos.
“…She’s not dead, is she?”
I placed a hand near her nose—no, she was breathing.
She snored softly, and even when I lightly tapped her cheeks, there was no response.
What if I were an assassin?
On the floor, Keros was curled up like a fluffy ball, dozing off.
“What’s up with him now?”
With a short sigh, I pulled out a well-aged piece of jerky from my pocket. Waving it in front of Lily’s nose, I waited until her long eyelashes twitched.
“It’s snack ti.”
“…Snack.”
When I offered the jerky, Lily rubbed her eyes and sat up on the sofa. She started chewing the jerky, still half-asleep.
The snack had been taken from the dead hunters, but she didn’t seem to mind.
However, her clothes seed a bit uncomfortable.
Her sleeves were overly long for her arms.
“Didn’t you have clothes that fit?”
“Tight clothes are uncomfortable.”
“Do you always wear oversized clothes?”
“No. I usually sleep without them.”
“…Only in clean places! This place is dirty.”
What could I even say?
The more we talked, the more I felt an unrestrained sense of freedom from her.
Should I say she was completely untethered?
I had promised to get her so clothes, and she had seed happy about it, but I doubted she’d ever wear anything I picked out for her.
Shoes, dresses—things designed to fit a mold of beauty always ca with so level of discomfort. And that just didn’t suit her.
“But, Keros isn’t waking up.”
I placed pieces of jerky one by one on Keros’ tiny head, but there was no reaction at all.
That was strange—he wasn’t the type to be this unresponsive.
Keros was contracted to Lily Base. Protecting her was supposed to be his duty.
“He’ll be completely out for a while. Revealing his true form tires him out.”
“You’re saying… he won’t wake up?”
“...”
“Then what do you do about keeping watch when you sleep?”
“…I don’t.”
She really didn’t think about anything, did she?
It was a miracle she had made it out of the forest without incident.
At least now I knew.
Since I couldn’t rely on Keros for the ti being, I had no choice but to ask Lily for help directly.
As expected—
“? Why??”
When I explained the situation outside and asked for her help, she chewed on the jerky with a frown.
Asking her to protect humans…
Her face showed blatant annoyance.
But I knew her well.
“You have to help.”
“And why exactly should I help?”
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“…I am hungry. Do you have more jerky?”
Oh, I had plenty.
But I wasn’t about to give her any more.
“There’s an amazing restaurant in a village not far from here.”
“Amazing? Like… a famous place?”
“Yes. A place so good that people line up just to eat there.”
“Oh! A famous place! Are we going now?”
“I’d love to, but we have a problem.”
“A problem?”
“The hunters have been burning down every village they pass through.”
“…Wait. That place too…?”
“Yes. It’s about to be destroyed soon.”
“Then we have to hurry and eat there before it’s gone!”
“W-Wait!”
Lily imdiately summoned her broomstick, ready to take off. I barely managed to grab her by the collar.
This woman…
Did she really just interpret it like that?
“Do you even know where it is?”
“Oh! Where is it?”
“Do you have money?”
“Money? It’s inside Keros’ belly…”
Lily flipped Keros over and pressed on his stomach.
No reaction.
Her face fell as she looked up at , blinking her eyes in an exaggeratedly cute manner.
Not happening.
Not a chance, woman.
“We need a large-scale warding spell to protect the carriage.”
At my firm statent, Lily pouted and slumped onto the couch.
“Haa… Fine, let think.”
“Haven’t you already learned one?”
“Of course I have. I just haven’t studied in a while, so I haven’t forgotten it. Give a mont.”
…Haven’t forgotten it because she hasn’t studied?
What kind of logic was that?
A mont later, Lily suddenly clapped her hands and pulled out a small hand mirror, muttering an incantation.
A red glow spread across the surface.
When I asked what kind of spell it was, she handed the mirror.
The instant I saw the light reflected in it—
A face appeared.
Dry, lifeless eyes.
Black irises. A blank expression.
Kal Blazer.
Seeing him so close, I instinctively shot up from my seat.
“…What the hell is this!?”
“Cool, right? This spell touches on the target’s weakest point and creates a hallucination. What do you think?”
“…Weakest point, huh.”
I hadn’t realized it myself, but there was a hidden fear of Kal lingering in .
I let out a bitter laugh and told Lily she had an impressive trick.
“The wider the area of effect, the weaker the spell gets. So people will be able to resist it.”
“That’s sothing I can handle.”
With a powerful witch by my side, things were about to get a whole lot easier.
It felt like I had everything I needed now.
Woah—
“Hm?”
Lochter suddenly stopped the carriage.
I heard Karl’s voice from a distance—he must have returned from scouting ahead.
After greeting Lochter, Karl swung open the carriage door—
Right as Lily shoved the mirror in his face.
Flash!
“Uagh! Fuck, my eyes!”
Karl clutched his face and collapsed.
Rolling on the ground, groaning, completely wrecked by whatever he had just seen.
I turned to Lily, giving her an exasperated look.
She only shrugged before stepping out of the carriage.
“I gave everyone a resistance buff so allies wouldn’t be affected. It only works once.”
“…You could’ve warned him.”
“But that wouldn’t be fun.”
A mont later, Karl staggered to his feet, looking utterly dazed.
He seed too out of it for to ask what he had seen right away.
anwhile, Lily, still holding the mirror, started creeping toward Lochter.
I sighed and went over to support Karl.
“You alright?”
“…What the hell was that?”
“What did you see?”
“…My face.”
Silently, I dusted off his clothes and left it at that.
There was no need to explain anything to him.
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