Chapter 50: 《The Adventurer of the City》 – (2)
(I)
“Hurry, hurry….”
With the help of the Prime minister’s secretary, Robert Whitefin, Judith Evergrit managed to escape from Nevirthol’s prison and was now flying through the night sky in an Aerial Carriage, speeding toward her destination.
Her destination was her hometown, Rieli, a small territory that had recently been attacked by the Progenitor Vampire.
Even under normal circumstances, Rieli was far from Nevirthol, but being imprisoned had caused her to waste precious time.
With every passing second, anxiety burned through her chest.
‘Please, everyone… Father…!’
The news that the city had been destroyed.
She couldn’t honestly believe that everyone had survived unharmed.
The vampire in question had already decimated the large city of Ermaile and the royal capital, Lexia, so the fate of the small territory of Rieli was all too obvious.
But even so, Judith couldn’t let go of the thread of hope.
She could only pray that the vampire’s whims had resulted in minimal casualties and that at least the territory itself was still standing.
“Father….”
…She also prayed that her father, Chris Evergrit, was safe and sound.
“…”
Piloting the revolutionary invention that changed the world—a flying Aerial Carriage—Judith found herself lost in thought.
The distant starlight in the high night sky and the long journey to Rieli forced her into a spiral of contemplation.
“Vellius Grandius, Robert Whitefin… what exactly are you two…?”
…While she worried about her hometown Rieli and her father, her mind was also occupied by thoughts of Vellius Grandius, the hero with blue blood, and Robert Whitefin, the one who freed her.
“Hero, what are you…?”
Even though several days had passed, the scene was still vivid in Judith’s mind.
Her dagger slicing across the hero’s cheek and the blue blood flowing from the wound.
And the hero’s companions treating the sight as if it were entirely normal.
…It was incomprehensible by the standards of an ordinary person.
“Blue blood… what could it mean…?”
The fact that the hero bled blue confirmed he was not an ordinary human, nor even a pure human.
At best, he could be a mixed blood of elves or dwarves; at worst, he might share blood with demons or monsters.
If the people found out, it would surely cause a massive uproar.
A hero, the purest and most righteous figure of humanity, possessing monstrous blood?
Whether they liked it or not, the hero’s reputation would plummet.
That was likely why Judith was thrown into prison without hesitation—to silence her.
“…”
Looking back, there were plenty of other things about the hero that didn’t make sense.
For instance, his excessive devotion to the Prime minister, Lilianel Greenfield.
Judith knew that the hero and the Prime minister had a special relationship, but his behavior was more like that of a lover’s than a friend’s.
…When the Prime minister called, he burned down the very village he was protecting to rush to her side.
His companions didn’t even criticize his wrongdoing.
Instead, they reprimanded Judith for objecting to his actions.
“I don’t understand….”
How could that be considered the behavior of a “Hero’s Party”?
Protecting the Prime minister and confronting the Progenitor Vampire were important, but burning a village of hundreds to ashes?
That wasn’t something a hero would do.
What exactly did the Prime minister mean to the hero?
“Robert Whitefin…”
…And then there was Robert Whitefin, the Prime minister’s secretary, who openly questioned the hero and the Prime minister’s strange relationship while also disapproving of the Prime minister’s lazy and irresponsible behavior.
…Robert, the elderly secretary with white hair, reportedly felt immense disappointment in Lilianel Greenfield, who held drunken parties every day, even during a crisis threatening the kingdom’s survival.
He was certain that as long as she remained the head of Avilia Kingdom, it would inevitably fall to the Progenitor Vampire.
Thus, the old secretary stressed the need for a new Prime minister.
But removing the Prime minister was nearly impossible as long as the popular hero supported her.
To depose the Prime minister, the hero first needed to be discredited in the eyes of the public.
And that was why Robert turned to Judith.
She was already despised by the hero and distrusted by his party.
She was also the one person who wouldn’t report her suspicions to anyone else.
“To uncover the truth about the hero….”
Robert had asked Judith to uncover the strange relationship between the hero and the Prime minister, as well as the truth about the hero’s existence.
He wanted her to expose their rotten secrets to the public.
“…”
Judith wondered if she really needed to take such a dangerous risk, but she could feel her sense of justice burning within her.
…She couldn’t stand by while a hero who burned an entire village to ashes slept soundly.
Following Robert’s suggestion, she vowed to uncover whatever they were hiding and bring them down from their pedestals.
“I owe him, too.”
Moreover, Robert had risked himself to help her escape and even lent her this Aerial Carriage.
She couldn’t just ignore his plea when he’d done so much for her.
…If he hadn’t freed her, she’d probably be tortured by the hero’s party by now.
“Hyah!”
As Judith spurred the carriage forward, she recalled Robert’s final words before they parted.
-After confirming the fate of your family in Rieli, please head directly to the capital. It will be dangerous, but you will likely find something in the Prime minister’s chambers.
“The Prime minister’s chambers….”
He had assured her that she would find a crucial answer in the Prime minister’s chambers in the palace at the royal capital.
“…Alright.”
Now that she had become an enemy of the hero and the kingdom, Judith had no place left to run.
Either she would be stoned to death by the hero’s supporters, or she would expose his true nature to the world first.
There was only one choice.
“Grandius, prepare yourself….”
With grim determination, Judith urged the carriage onward, cutting through the night sky.
__
Daniel expressed his concern that if Judith were to spread rumors about the hero’s “blue blood,” it could severely damage the hero’s reputation.
Therefore, he emphasized that they needed to recapture her quickly and efficiently.
Yuna nodded in agreement.
“Daniel’s right. Waiting for the results of the interrogation would take too long. But… we don’t even know where she went….”
They needed to act swiftly, but without a clear direction, pursuing her recklessly was not an option.
Frustrated, Yuna clenched her fists tightly.
“No, her destination is obvious.”
“…!!”
Finally, the silent hero, Vellius Grandius, opened his mouth.
The gray-haired hero stood from his seat with a faint smile on his face.
“…Regardless of who her accomplice is or why they helped her escape, Judith has undoubtedly headed for her hometown, Rieli.”
“Rieli…!!”
Hearing the hero’s words, Yuna’s eyes widened.
It made sense.
The very reason Judith had turned her blade against the hero was because he had refused to grant her permission to return to Rieli after it was attacked by the Progenitor Vampire.
…Judith’s destination had likely been decided long before her escape.
“…If we hurry to Rieli, we’ll be able to find her. Don’t worry too much.”
The 21st Hero, Vellius Grandius, smiled brightly as he spoke.
He then scanned the faces of his companions and asked,
“So, who will head to Rieli to catch the little mouse?”
Although Judith was young and inexperienced, her skills were formidable enough to earn her a spot in the Hero’s Party at the youngest age ever.
To capture her, one of the hero’s party members would need to go in person.
“…I’ll go.”
“Oh.”
The first to volunteer was none other than the Archmage Milan.
It was rare for Milan, who usually found everything bothersome, to take on a task willingly, leaving everyone surprised.
The youthful-looking Milan, who had the appearance of a young girl, pressed her wizard’s hat down tightly and said,
“…The distance from here, Nevirthol, to Rieli is too far. If we’re to catch up with Judith, I’m the best choice since I can cast acceleration magic on the Aerial Carriage.”
“That’s true.”
Hearing Milan’s reasoning, the hero nodded, seemingly convinced.
“Then, I’ll leave it to you, Milan.”
“Alright, don’t worry about it.”
Milan got up from her chair to prepare for departure.
Grabbing her staff from the corner, she headed for the door, but the hero called out to her.
“Oh, Milan?”
“Hm? What is it?”
Milan tilted her head at the hero’s call. With a bright smile, the hero added,
“When you catch Judith this time, you don’t need to bring her back alive. You can kill her on the spot.”
Since the accomplice who had freed Judith hadn’t been caught, the risk of bringing her back alive for interrogation wasn’t worth it.
…That’s why the hero ordered Milan to execute Judith immediately upon capture.
“…That’s good to hear.”
Milan smirked as if she found joy in the prospect of ending the traitor’s life.
“Well, I’ll be on my way.”
Leaving behind a short farewell, she left the meeting room without hesitation.
“….”
The room, now short one member, grew eerily silent.
“Sigh, that Judith… causing unnecessary trouble.”
Breaking the silence, Yuna clicked her tongue in annoyance, clearly irritated by Judith’s actions.
“I hope she becomes a fun little toy for Milan.”
On the other hand, Daniel, the holy knight, laughed heartily, almost as if he was looking forward to the pain and hardships awaiting Judith.
“….”
Meanwhile, Vellius Grandius said nothing, simply staring out the window.
“Hmm….”
As a former member of the Hero’s Party, Judith knew too many of their secrets.
From the massacre at Nesril Village to the homunculus blood flowing in Grandius’s veins.
If word of these secrets reached the public, it would surely cause chaos. But it didn’t matter much to Grandius.
…After all, no one would believe Judith.
“…Judith, you must take responsibility for your choices.”
Turning a blade against the hero was tantamount to betraying the people and the kingdom itself.
Judith’s crimes had already been publicized through newspapers, painting her as a traitor.
Who would believe the words of someone who had turned against the hero?
No matter what she planned or what actions she took after her escape, it was all meaningless in the end.
…Soon, Milan would return with Judith’s severed head.
“Sigh….”
Taking a deep breath, Grandius inhaled the unique night air of Nevirthol—a dense atmosphere that could only be experienced in the fortress city surrounded by seven layers of walls.
Though news had already spread that numerous cities had fallen to the Progenitor Vampire, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, the citizens of Nevirthol remained unfazed.
It was understandable.
The fortress city of Nevirthol was the safest city in the kingdom.
…At least, it was safe from external threats.
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion shattered the calm, jolting Grandius, Yuna, and Daniel to their feet in shock.
“What the hell was that?!”
“What’s going on?! What was that sound?!”
The three rushed to the windows, grabbing the railing as they peered out toward the source of the noise.
Screams pierced the night, echoing through the city.
“Aaaaaagh!! Help meeeee!!!”
“A-a monster!!!”
Between Nevirthol’s 7th and 6th walls, fires erupted in multiple locations, and chaos consumed the people.
-“Graaaaahhh!!!”
“What is that…?”
What came into view next shocked them all—a massive creature so enormous that it could be seen clearly even from the central palace in the heart of Nevirthol.
The beast moved on all fours, its body shrouded in jet-black light, surrounded by a dark aura.
“A monster?!”
“How did a monster get into Nevirthol?!”
Yuna and Daniel were stunned.
After all, Nevirthol was protected by a barrier that prevented monsters from even approaching the walls.
Normally, any monster attempting to breach the barrier would disintegrate before making contact.
But here it was—a colossal beast, unharmed, within the city.
“…Did it emerge from inside the city?”
The only logical explanation was that someone had summoned the creature within the city itself.
Grandius’s previously calm mind began to whirl with confusion and unease.
“Y-Your Excellency! There’s an emergency!”
Right on cue, a soldier burst into the meeting room, clad in heavy armor and panting heavily.
Kneeling before the hero, the soldier urgently reported,
“A monster has suddenly appeared within the city!”
“A monster, indeed.”
“Yes! Based on its size, we believe it’s a subspecies of the Behemoth. All available soldiers, adventurers, and mercenaries are working together to subdue it, but it’s proving extremely difficult!”
“A Behemoth….”
The Behemoth.
An S-rank monster among monsters.
Even stronger than most dungeon bosses, it was one of the most feared creatures.
Yet their population was so small that sightings were rare.
But why had such a monster suddenly appeared in the heart of Nevirthol?
“Apparently, it’s a mutant subspecies, much larger and more destructive than a typical Behemoth.”
“A mutant….”
Mutant monsters were rare, but occasionally, a variant with extraordinary strength would be born.
The real question was: why had such a creature appeared within Nevirthol?
Was it Judith’s doing?
Her accomplice?
Or perhaps the Progenitor Vampire?
But the Progenitor Vampire typically commanded undead, not Behemoths….
Grandius’s thoughts were consumed by theories, but there was no time to dwell on them.
If the creature wasn’t dealt with soon, Nevirthol would suffer catastrophic damage.
“…Yuna, Daniel, we need to act now.”
“Understood!”
“Yes, Your Excellency!”
Grandius instructed Yuna and Daniel to head to the scene immediately and subdue the monster.
The two quickly grabbed their weapons, preparing to leave the meeting room.
“Alright, let’s take this thing down in one shot!”
“How dare a monster attack the city protected by the apostle of Asteria? I’ll make it pay for its sins.”
With confidence radiating from both of them, Yuna and Daniel rushed out, ready to face the Behemoth.
No matter how strong the creature was, it was still just a monster.
Against the Hero’s Party, it stood no chance.
“Let’s go!”
The 21st Hero of the Avilia Kingdom, Vellius Grandius, roared with determination.
—
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