Chapter 157 : What a Truly Dysfunctional Family

“……Rather than information, it’s testimony.”

“Testimony?”

“I will testify that Aslan is not related to the Demon Cult. That should be enough, wouldn’t it?”

At Muno’s quiet words, the area fell silent for a moment.

As the listeners’ eyes simultaneously widened and no answer came for a few seconds.

Rauel belatedly scrambled to her feet.

“Lord Muno! You don’t have to do that! For the sake of someone like me, what! Just kill that guy and attack Aslan……!”

“Whoa, whoa! Calm down, Rauel.”

“B-but, this is causing you too much trouble, Lord Muno. I can’t bear it. Please reconsider, please!”

Rauel even knelt, but Muno silently shook his head.

……This woman always underestimates her own value.

“What’s for you is for me. You decided to be my strength, didn’t you? That’s why I even gave you ‘that’.”

At those words, Rauel’s face flushed, and she momentarily glanced at the metal-plated part of her right-hand glove.

“N-no. The reason I was trying to find the Ghost’s Bow wasn’t because this was lacking……”

“I know. There must be something else you need. So let’s go with this. Don’t make things more complicated.”

“But……”

Her words trailed off.

Rauel still seemed to have a complicated mind.

It was understandable, as it had turned into a situation where she was even protecting the very force that had been after Muno’s life.

But his own thoughts were different.

‘You’re the one who was after my life under their orders, you punk.’

He swallowed the joke he couldn’t bring himself to say to Rauel with that expression and thought of a more practical reason.

‘Anyway, the more means I have to chase the Demon Cult bastards, the better.’

If the largest noble faction, the Aslan ducal family, was unable to move due to the king’s checks, it would ultimately be a loss for the kingdom.

So, to catch the bigger enemy, he was thinking of temporarily setting aside a minor grudge.

If he had to put it that way, it was a win-win. A deal with no loss.

In fact, it was a method he had in mind since he came to rescue Rauel, so there was no need to hesitate now.

“I think it’s a very good deal. What do you think?”

Muno just smiled and looked at Zayd, who was lost in thought.

Soon, a smile spread across Zayd’s frozen face as well.

“You, the target of that terror, will protect us? Yes, that’s more than enough of a condition. A half-piece artifact is nothing……. Good.”

“Deal?”

“Deal. I will deliver that promise to my father. The deal is sealed as long as you testify exactly as you say to His Majesty the King.”

“Good. Then, it will be a very harmonious journey from now on.”

As Muno replied with a smirk, Zayd slightly frowned.

“Journey? You’re still going to Aslan?”

“Of course.”

“Don’t tell me you think we won’t keep our promise? Just because of that half-piece artifact?”

At those words, Muno momentarily glanced at Rauel.

He was puzzled as to why they kept calling the artifact she was risking her life to retrieve a half-piece.

Well, whatever the circumstances, that wasn’t the reason, of course.

“I’m testifying under my name, and you’re telling me not to even confirm? Are you joking right now?”

At those words, Zayd bit his lip again.

“……Are you saying you’ll personally monitor and judge us? A mere knight?”

Unlike just before, he looked almost as if he was snarling, and Muno shook his head with a smirk.

“No, you shouldn’t take it that way.”

“……??”

“I’ll just be ‘confirming’ as ‘positively’ as possible. In the first place, I believe that Aslan would never do something as foolish as joining hands with the Demon Cult.”

As he spoke as if making a declaration, Zayd stared into Muno’s eyes as if to grasp his true intentions.

“……Good. But if you try any tricks, Aslan will tear you to pieces and kill you, even if it means being expelled by the royal family. You’d better keep that in mind.”

It seemed the man was trying to keep him in check, in case he tried to link Aslan to the Demon Cult instead.

Saying that if they were going to die, they would die together.

“Of course.”

Muno, who had no such intention, nodded with a smile.

“Lord Muno, will you really be alright? Because of me……”

“I’ll say it again, it’s not because of you, Rauel.”

“Still……”

Seeing Rauel fidgeting with an anxious face, he couldn’t help but laugh.

‘Who would think this woman has lived her entire life as an assassin.’

No, in the first place, a 5-Star Corporeal Arts user was a talent that would receive the utmost treatment in any noble family.

And considering Rauel’s age, depending on the case, she might not just be a knight but even be granted a title.

Though her origin and race were a ‘little’ bit of a problem.

And yet.

“I just wanted to be of help to you, Lord Muno……”

Such a talent follows him like this just because he accepted her defection.

A beauty who could make one’s eyes pop open was even showing such a cute side, so a smile naturally appeared.

Just as he felt his heart thumping for no reason.

“Geez, what a taste……”

At some point, his expression hardened without him realizing it.

Not because of the snake-like man’s sarcasm, but because of the face of the blond female knight that flashed through his mind.

‘No, well. Rauel is a comrade, so isn’t it okay?’

It didn’t seem like Karina was that narrow-minded, and in the first place, it was a stretch to say that he and she were lovers in the true sense.

Besides, in this world, it’s possible to have concubines…….

‘Ah……!’

As he thought of various excuses, the image of the beautiful blond female knight glaring at him murderously came to mind, and a chill went down his spine.

On the other hand, a hollow laugh escaped him at the fact that he had even had such a thought.

‘Why am I, really…….’

In the first place, there was a high probability that Rauel only saw him as a benefactor.

And yet, what kind of useless excuses was he making? Even resorting to such a cowardly one.

‘Ha……. I’m really a pathetic guy.’

I want to meet Karina again and confirm my feelings.

Honestly convey my feelings, and confirm them again.

‘Also…….’

Perhaps his complicated feelings were showing on his face, as Rauel asked in a worried tone.

“Lord Muno? Perhaps I should give up……”

“No! N-no.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s already been decided, so we can’t take it back. Accept it, Rauel.”

“……Yes.”

Rauel’s dejected expression somehow looked cute, and a pointless, silly laugh escaped him.

‘She’s definitely a charming one.’

But in the first place, he hadn’t even done anything with her, and he found himself ridiculous for having such thoughts without considering Rauel’s feelings.

‘You’ve got a lot of leeway, Muno.’

It was probably because he had a moment of peace as the string of events that had been happening in succession were temporarily sealed.

For me to be worrying about women’s problems, how carefree is that?

For now, he pushes all of that aside.

‘After I get my revenge, of course.’

Ryut Exeo, and Exlam.

Recalling the names he must not forget, Muno reignited the fire in his heart, which had met peace for the first time in a while.

And so that night seemed to pass peacefully…….

***

‘Hmm……?’

The moment he felt a chilly sensation that unpleasantly touched his senses, Muno reflexively opened his eyes.

His armor, which he had redeployed since revealing his identity, first came into view.

Inside the ‘Veil of Chains’ that he had spread out before sleeping, he saw Rauel quietly rising from her side.

‘Killing intent?’

‘An attack.’

Their intentions were conveyed just by their intersecting gazes, but Rauel’s feeling seemed a little more detailed.

She pointed at each other and shook her head, then pointed her hand at the artifact tent outside the Veil of Chains.

The moment the very intuitive hand signal entered Muno’s head.

He saw masked figures leaping out of the forest, aiming for Zayd Aslan’s tent.

‘Ah, damn it. Do I have to save that snake-like bastard?’

He was conflicted for a moment, but only for a moment.

Charrrrrk.

Muno, who had pulled back the Veil of Chains, deployed his helmet and shot out.

As if waiting, Rauel’s arrow was fired.

“Aargh!”

“Gack!”

Screams?

‘From assassins?’

While thinking it was strange, Muno faithfully played his role.

Crack.

“Kuh……?”

The moment his sword sliced a man attacking the tent in half at the waist, creating a gruesome corpse.

“Th-this, damn it!”

Only then did Zayd crawl out of the tent with a bewildered face.

But his appearance was quite perplexing.

‘Well, well?’

To be dressed in pajamas while camping out.

He thought that artifacts were really something.

– We’ve been discovered! Everyone, attack!!

A shout was heard from the forest.

And at the same time.

Pabababak.

A rain of arrows began to pour down.

“Lord Muno!!”

“Drag him away!”

Tadadadang!

Charrrrrk.

The bending sword and the soaring chains simultaneously struck down the arrows that were covering the area.

‘I don’t know if there’s a need to go this far, but.’

Woong.

While deflecting the arrows flying at him with just his will, Muno watched Rauel grab Zayd by the scruff of his neck and quickly retreat.

Then, the expected voices began to pop out of the forest.

– Chains?

– Black armor?

– It’s the, the Black Knight!

The rain of arrows faltered a little at the performance he deliberately showed.

‘That guy is fine.’

He had definitely bought time for Rauel to drag Zayd away and escape.

– Don’t talk nonsense! Why would the Black Knight be with my brother……!

At that moment, the unpleasant voice he had heard a while ago echoed from the forest.

And with that alone, he was able to fully grasp the situation.

‘Oh my, what a truly dysfunctional family.’

– Still, the arrows aren’t working!

– Then everyone, attack!!

Afterward, the rain of arrows stopped, and masked figures in black attire began to pop out of the forest one after another.

They were picking up speed with fairly skilled movements.

It was a movement that seemed to belong to at least 1-Star Corporeal Arts users or skilled soldiers.

Unfortunately for them, their opponent was Muno.

“Why……”

Crack.

“do the unlucky……”

Crunch.

“predictions……”

Slice.

“never miss?”

Craaaaack.

The five masked figures who were attacking from all sides became corpses in four sword swings.

The moment the other masked figures flinched without realizing it at the overwhelming performance.

Soon, something shot out of the forest like a thunderbolt and dug into Muno’s chest.

Kwaaang!

Kwadadadadak.

With the sound of something breaking, Muno’s body was pushed back.

But the one who was flustered was, rather, the ‘knight’ in silver armor who had dug into his chest.

“No……!?”

Why only this much?

That expression soon disappeared as a black glove covered his face.

Bang!

Puk, puk, puk.

The moment his face was slammed into the ground, the ‘blade’ bent and struck the knight’s vitals in succession.

And so, the knight who had shown a rather impressive tackle died without even a last word.

And that sight made the five knights who were rushing in behind him flinch.

“Don’t tell me, is he really the Black Knight?”

“Crazy!?”

“What on earth is this……”

Their bewildered voices spoke for their hearts.

But Muno didn’t wait.

‘They’re all about 3-Star…….’

Pabak.

Muno threw his body and leaped towards the knight in front of him as if shortening the space.

Kwaaaaaang!

“Keuk!”

The moment their gazes gathered on the knight who was sent flying helplessly with his crumpled armor, the sword he was holding was swung.

Slice.

The neck of the knight standing next to him flew off before he could even make a proper move.

The other knight who used that opening to dig in was vertically split in two by the sword that was swung again without even thinking of defense.

Craaaaack.

Tadadadang.

Bang!

The attacks of the other two knights that directly hit Muno’s body at that moment were blocked by the armor and bounced off.

“Mo-monster!”

Hmph.

His sword, which rushed towards the knights with pale faces, pierced through one’s chest.

Puuuuuk.

Charrrrrk.

Following that, two chains extending from both hands caught the ankle of the knight who was attacking from the side.

“Kuuuh……”

Clatter clatter.

“Th-this is……!?”

Puuuk.

As the cold blade was thrust into the neck of the knight who had rolled to Muno’s feet while listening to his comrade’s scream.

The knight who had been sent flying by Muno’s tackle stood up, vomiting blood near a tree stump.

“W-we are the bait. Th-the young master and the other troops are chasing the grand prince……!”

A shout that was literally a vomit of blood, in which not a shred of fighting spirit could be felt.

But.

“I know.”

The grim reaper who had come right before his nose did not bestow mercy.

Swish.

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