Drops of blood on the sword (2)
Dark night. Under the walls of the city of Shoara.
There were two figures moving in the shadows of the castle wall.
“Here you go.”
“…Is it possible for me to pass?”
Instead of looking at Stanga, Vlad answered while looking around.
“I guess I could just take off my armor…”
“Why do I have to go to such lengths to sneak in?”
After lamenting his situation for a moment, Stanga took off his armor as if there was nothing he could do and plunged into a small tunnel.
“Is this really okay?”
“These are the oysters I used until two years ago.”
“Two years ago?”
Shoara, a commercial city, was a city where many merchants and supplies came and went, and as such, it was a place where search and inspection was severe.
This is because tariffs had to be levied on unqualified people.
This was not the case for merchants licensed by Count Bayezid, but ordinary peddlers were forced to pay customs duties.
It has now become a common practice to be torn apart by guards during the process.
So, some peddlers found a way to enter Shoara without being ripped off, and one of the ways was to use children in the back alleys.
And Vlad was one of those kids a few years ago.
“At least when I use it, I don’t get caught, so you can rest assured.”
“I feel so relieved.”
Contrary to Vlad’s calm words, Stanga’s expression hardened as he looked at the tunnel where the dirt crumbled when he touched it.
“I came here when I left the city. “You’re more scared than you look.”
“……good.”
After hearing from Vlad that he had already used it once, Stanga gained courage and disappeared into the tunnel.
He raised his head again.
“If you take the armor, I will kill you. bantling.”
“It’s a pity that I haven’t been able to inspire trust through my journey so far.”
When Vlad shrugged his shoulders with an expression that did not seem at all regretful, Stanga frowned and entered the tunnel.
“…….”
As Stanga entered the tunnel, Vlad quickly bent down and put his ear to the ground.
Vlad, who had more sensitive senses than others, was able to tell if there were people around through the sound of footsteps echoing from the ground.
It was for this very reason that he never once failed to smuggle during his childhood.
‘good.’
After confirming that all he heard was Stanga’s low cursing, Vlad put the armor he had removed into a leather bag and moved into the tunnel.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve been here.’
Vlad crawled into the tunnel, thinking he would be safe because it did not collapse even when a Stanga larger than him entered.
As Vlad came out of the tunnel, Stanga, who was waiting, began to grumble.
“I feel dirty. “It sucks.”
“We’re all there now.”
“Something…something. “I feel so.”
“Here’s your armor.”
After handing the armor to Stanga, Vlad quickly looked around the road to confirm the direction he should go.
Outside the city, it was easy to fool One-Armed Jack.
Even if he was one of the bosses who ruled the back alleys, he wasn’t that big of a deal when looking at the city of Shoara as a whole.
However, the story has changed from now on, when we must head towards the rose’s smile.
“It’s better if it’s moderately dirty. “It’s more believable to look like a beggar rather than an article.”
“No, it’s not how I look, it’s how I feel.”
Regardless of whether Stanga was grumbling behind him or not, Vlad answered without even looking back.
“Let’s move.”
“okay.”
Stanga moved after Vlad without any further response.
The dark back alleys of Shoara.
The entire alley was holding its breath to avoid the storm created by the two bosses.
“Follow me.”
It was a dark alley without a single light, but Vlad led Stanga with unstoppable steps as if he could see clearly.
“Something is strange.”
However, the alley that Vlad was walking down looked a little different from what he was used to.
A downtown alley that was strangely chaotic compared to usual.
Broken walls everywhere and blood stains scattered on them.
“Is this the place it’s supposed to be?”
“no.”
Ominous traces.
Seeing them, Vlad began to walk faster without realizing it.
As we moved forward, the traces became closer to certainty, and the closer to reality.
“It looks like we’ve already hit it big once.”
As Stanga said, the road that became more and more messed up as we progressed towards the Rose Smile showed to anyone that there had just been a big collision.
“……shit.”
Vlad was born and raised in a rough back alley and was accustomed to most unexpected situations, but he was still only a 16-year-old kid.
I was trying to remain calm, but it was inevitable that my vision would become narrower.
At that moment, Stanga’s words penetrated the ears of Vlad, who was trying to hurry forward.
“Before you blindly move forward, check where you are now.”
It was a heavy but sharp voice.
That voice broadened Vlad’s narrowed vision and illuminated his judgment that had been in a fog.
“Whoa.”
Vlad followed Stanga’s advice and leaned back against the street corner to catch his breath.
And saw.
‘There are guys watching.’
When Vlad regained his composure, there were new things visible in his eyes.
Men lurking in the dark.
Some of them looked familiar.
“There are those who watch over the smile of the rose.”
They were One-Armed Jack’s men.
A messed up alley.
A rose’s tightly closed smile.
And Jack’s men are staring at it across the road.
The given pieces began to fit together in the boy’s mind.
“There was an attack, but it looks like it hasn’t gone over yet.”
“good.”
Stanga listened to Vlad’s words and nodded quietly.
No matter how talented you are with a sword and how clever you are, if you cannot use it in actual combat, it is no different from an ornament hanging on the wall.
However, the baby in front of me calmly composed himself even though he only said a few words to get his attention.
‘It’s a kid with potential.’
The knight had a desire to raise the boy properly, but he was only disappointed that he could not take him with him due to his current mission.
“We move separately. “I’ll tell you about the back door that only members of our organization know about.”
“you?”
“I’ll go to the front door. “It would be better to divert attention now.”
Vlad calmly decided his next course of action.
Although Stanga, a knight, was better than him in every way, it was entirely up to Vlad to lead him with a rose-like smile.
“See you later then.”
“……okay.”
Vlad, who explained the location of the back door to Stanga, carefully stood up.
“This is my first time seeing something like this again.”
Vlad shrugged, thinking of Jack’s men across the street.
I was used to living in hiding all the time, but at this moment, I had to reveal myself.
Stand out in front of someone and show yourself.
The boy, who had never had such an experience, did not know.
“I should try it.”
That he was a person who had a talent for such things since he was born.
To shine on your own.
Vlad turned the corner with a puff of breath.
As he took off his hood, his gorgeous blonde hair fluttered through the dim lights of the back alley.
‘Look over there!’
‘It’s Jorge’s baby.’
‘Where have you been?’
Gold is eternal and noble.
In the back alley, mismatched colors were walking toward the rose’s smile.
Step by step.
With a gait that is neither slow nor fast.
If someone who didn’t know the situation saw it, they would think it was a confident step, and if someone who knew it saw it, they would say it was a bold step.
The eyes of those who were watching Rose’s smile were instantly drawn to Vlad.
That’s why no one could notice.
Someone’s movement, taking advantage of the darkness, heading behind the rose’s smile.
“Whew…”
Taking advantage of the momentary bustle of One-Armed Jack’s men standing in the dark, Vlad safely stopped in front of the rose’s smile.
In front of the door, which was scorched and broken here and there, but was firmly closed.
A situation that was certain but could not be confirmed.
Vlad’s hand holding the doorknob trembled slightly, but he did not hesitate.
Squeak –
An unpleasant sound was heard from the hinges that were out of alignment, and Rose’s smile opened the door.
The first thing that welcomed Vlad there was.
“Howdy. Junior. “Why did you come so late?”
It was Burleigh with a bandage wrapped around his head.
※※※※
Broken table, floor covered in blood.
And corpses lying everywhere.
Even though it was a window, Rose’s smile, which had an old-fashioned charm, was now in a state of disarray, as if it were a battlefield.
‘Marcella is going to faint.’
Vlad quickly turned his head, leaving the tragic scene behind.
To find someone.
“Your lady is safe, don’t worry.”
“I found the boss.”
“Boss, you’re always on the 4th floor. Why?”
Vlad frowned as he looked at Burray, who was smiling as if he knew everything.
As I climbed up the stairs, which made a screeching noise as if something had gone wrong in the chaos, a bloody smell came from in front of me.
It is the smell of death.
“Jorge. “I’m here.”
“uh. okay. Good work.”
It was also like proof of victory.
As I climbed to the fourth floor, I saw Jorge shirtless among numerous corpses.
His red-stained back looked like a huge mountain.
Vlad breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Jorge, who was injured but seemed fine.
“…I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.”
“no. “Everyone just did their job.”
Although he was speaking kindly with his mouth, the bandages wrapped around Jorge’s upper body had already turned red.
The fierce battle was good in Vlad’s eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve faced a knight-level player, so this is what happened. Well, I did what I had to do.”
There was a corpse pinned to the wall by a sword behind Jorge’s back.
It was a corpse wearing a nice breastplate like Jorge, but the head was gone and blood was constantly gulping out from the neck.
The corpse’s toes were still twitching, showing that it hadn’t been long since this mess had started.
“……The money bug hit the player first. After all, those who make money have extraordinary action skills.”
Marcella approached Jorge, who was dragging his tongue as he looked at the corpses, and carefully wiped the blood off with a towel.
This level of treatment was natural for a male lion who protected his territory.
“Did you bring it?”
Eyes that were not yet alive fell on Vlad.
Fortunately, Vlad was qualified to answer that brutal question confidently.
“yes. I brought you here. “They should be at the back door by now.”
“good!”
Jorge always had an innocent expression on his face, but it was different now.
“I’m going to hit the money maker tomorrow. “This time, we have to settle the matter.”
Jorge’s eyes, filled with excitement that had not yet subsided and anger that needed to be poured out on someone, were the most ferocious eyes that Vlad had ever seen.
“And what did it look like? Do you think you can use the sword well? “It didn’t fly away at all, right?”
Jorge is worried about possible variables.
Indeed, the origin of the knight is different.
That’s what Vlad thought as he watched Jorge brace himself and worry about tomorrow.
“I’m fine. “Even though it was only for two days, the person seemed fine.”
“Stanga has a generous side.”
“Your body looks sharp too.”
“Have you lost weight? Well, if you want to live a long time, you have to take care of it.”
“Yes and.”
The boy answered with a smile, remembering the scene he saw under the moonlight.
“He’s a knight who can even use Aura. Tomorrow will definitely be our day.”
One-Armed Jack tried a winning move and failed at it.
The current is like a wave; if you don’t catch it when it comes, it will be swept away again.
Moreover, even though Jorge was injured, he was still strong and even brought a former knight prosecutor with him, so anyone would say it was a victory for Jorge.
If it is as you can see, that is.
“It looks like it’s coming up.”
“what?”
Squeak –
Vlad finished speaking and the sound of someone coming up from below was heard.
An unpleasant sound rang out from the misaligned planks of the stairs.
“…What did you just say? “Vlad?”
“yes?”
Vlad was about to go down the stairs and guide Stanga, but he had no choice but to stop at Jorge’s question.
No, it was Jorge’s distorted expression that made Vlad stop.
“What did you just say?”
“It’s coming up.”
“No, before that.”
Jorge’s expression was becoming hard as he asked the question.
“Because I am a knight who uses Aurors…tomorrow will be our day…”
A look of disappointment appeared on Jorge’s face after hearing Vlad’s words.
Squeak –
At the same time, an ominous squeak was getting closer.
“…Come behind me, Vlad.”
Jorge said as he pulled out the sword he had left with the corpse.
The corpse of a former knight fell to the ground at Jorge’s feet.
“But the guidance…”
“Was he really an Auror?”
Instead of answering what Jorge said, Vlad looked back.
An unknown man was coming up the only staircase to the fourth floor.
He was a man who came in through a back door known only to members of the organization, and
drops of fresh blood were dripping from the sword he was holding in his hand.
“Then the guy you brought in is not Stanga.”
From the edge of Jorge’s gaze.
At the end of Vlad’s Faith.
An unknown person came up.
“Because Stanga doesn’t know how to use Aurors.”
He was smiling.
