Chapter 292

There were four men.

No, one was a woman.

Because of her short hair and tall stature, he had thought she was a man.

Velgil, who had just fallen, was still wounded.

The unextinguished fire pit cooked his skin and drained his stamina.

‘…As expected, Kosavagarobira.’

Velgil muttered inwardly.

He is a warrior counted among the best in the Duchy of Volmark.

Since Volmark is the largest vassal state of Cordis, he was confident that his strength would not lag even when compared to an Imperial Legion Commander.

Yet, the four approaching humans were emitting a ferocious momentum that was not inferior even compared to him.

The four walked over slowly.

Velgil held his breath and moved his hand in front of his mouth.

He took out the large double-edged axe he had kept in his stomach.

The glowing fire pit gifted them a faint light.

The face of one of the approaching figures was revealed.

‘…That guy is…!’

His teeth were sparse.

Even when smiling widely, only six teeth were visible, and even then, there was only a single front tooth combining the top and bottom.

If one added the slanted eyes and crushed nose to that, it was impossible not to know his name even if one wanted to be ignorant.

“…Ruckerdius!”

“Oh, it seems you know me.”

“…I saw you on a wanted poster.”

“What did it say about me?”

“Bandit.”

“Hey!”

Ruckerdius frowned.

“It’s upsetting if you just call me a bandit! I am a bandit among bandits. If I had to say, I am a righteous bandit! What kind of bandit commands over eight thousand elite soldiers?”

Velgil knew of the man named Ruckerdius.

It was because his rumors were famous.

Ruckerdius was a Commander of a Thousand of the Cordis 22nd Legion.

However, for some unknown reason, he got into a huge fight with his superior, the 22nd Legion Commander, and ended up murdering him.

Ruckerdius did not stop at murdering his superior; he completely seized control of the 22nd Legion he belonged to.

Some say that even the murder of the superior might have been planned.

Anyway, it was the birth of a bandit group of an overwhelming scale, unprecedented in the thousand-year history of Cordis.

Afterward, it was suppressed by three legions led by one of the Ten Great Generals of the Empire, but the name Ruckerdius is still etched in the minds of many people.

Even though it has been over 10 years since he was imprisoned in Kosavagarobira.

‘…Everyone’s faces are formidable.’

It wasn’t just Ruckerdius.

The burly one at the back was definitely Jikkero, the Neck-Slicing Knight.

The short-haired woman was Popos, the Cannibal Mage, and the old man with a small frame but flashing four fangs must be Mekket the Great Poison Spider.

There was not a single easy opponent.

Even if his body was fine, it would be hard to win against one, yet there were four.

However, Velgil did not get scared in the slightest.

It was because he had something to rely on.

He didn’t trust his own strength.

He simply raised his voice and shouted.

“Lord Haider!”

Velgil yelled at the top of his lungs.

At the words Lord Haider, the four who appeared flinched.

They threatened him to shut up quickly, but Velgil did not care.

“You are listening, right, Lord Haider-!!”

“…This bastard!”

Ruckerdius pounced.

He looked somewhat afraid.

It was clear he was afraid of the man Velgil was calling.

However, Velgil struck Ruckerdius with his fist and continued speaking.

“It is Velgil!

This Velgil has fallen all the way here to see Lord Haider!”

“Geez, making such a racket.”

Laughter was heard.

It was a sound resonating heroically from deep within the throat. Going Ha, haha, ha.

Ha, haha, ha-!

“Even though I’m old, my ears aren’t deaf yet.”

***

There was an old man named Yosef Haider.

He is short and one-eyed.

7 years ago, he was the one who was with Leniar as her best confidant during the Succession War.

He was one of the Volmark Six Warriors, and in the Succession War where the interference of the Ten Great Generals of the Empire was forbidden, he was an object of fear that no one could approach.

But that is all in the past.

He tried to kill Zionis at the Grand Convergence of the Succession War and failed, and as a price for that, he ended up imprisoned in Kosavagarobira.

In terms of years, it is 7 years; if this story were a novel, it is an event from over a whopping 250 episodes ago.

It is a very old tale that no one might remember.

Still, Yosef Haider brazenly revealed himself while going Ha, haha, ha.

“Velgil!”

As Yosef appeared, the four including Ruckerdius immediately shrank back.

It was natural.

Because Yosef was Yosef Haider.

Still, Ruckerdius tried to show some bravado.

It was because he was acting as the leader among these four.

“…So it was a guest of that Yosef fellow.”

“Yosef fellow?”

“Yeah.

There is no need for me to call you Lord, is there?”

Ruckerdius continued speaking.

The first word was difficult, but the second was not that hard.

He quickly forgot his fear and pointed his finger, making accusations.

“You’re arrogant, old man.

It hasn’t even been 10 years since you came in.

Monopolizing that guy who came in a few months ago is also….”

“You, bandit, say that again.”

Yosef said.

“Yosef fellow?”

“…Yeah, Yosef fellow!”

Ruckerdius ended up showing bravado again.

Without even knowing that it was a stupid judgment.

“Since earlier, over nothing……!”

“Even without that, those few remaining teeth were bothersome.”

“Huh.”

Yosef was right in front of Ruckerdius’s nose before anyone knew.

The short one-eyed old man giggled and raised his fist.

Ruckerdius had no time to dodge.

Yosef’s sturdy fist was embedded in his snout.

“If you are going to carry teeth around like that, wouldn’t it be better to just have none at all?”

“……!!!”

Ruckerdius could not even scream properly.

It was natural since a fist was embedded in his snout.

Yosef Haider was surprised to break six of Ruckerdius’s teeth at once with a single punch.

Whether he was a bandit who commanded over nine thousand elite soldiers or whatever, what did it matter, they aren’t here.

“It’s a shame to only break the teeth.”

Yosef Haider rolled his only eye fiercely.

“Let’s see, about one arm too….”

“…So, so-rry….”

“What?”

“…So-rry, so-rry….”

“Shouldn’t have done something to be sorry for, right?”

The one-eyed old man broke Ruckerdius’s leg without hesitation.

A scream burst out.

He threw Ruckerdius away as if he was done with his business only after breaking the other ankle as well.

“I feel a bit relieved.”

The other three gathered by Ruckerdius’s side.

However, their eyes were unusual.

They were not eyes looking at their leader, but eyes looking at weakened prey.

Ruckerdius realized his fate and screamed, but was soon dragged by the other three and disappeared into the darkness.

They nodded as if thanking him for providing prey, but Yosef Haider ignored them.

“Things I can’t associate with.”

Yosef spoke in a voice full of contempt.

“I need to exterminate those things that eat people someday, completely….”

He muttered something mumbling and turned his head sharply.

Even though he had been imprisoned underground for a long time, his vigor did not seem to have declined much.

“Right, Velgil!”

“Yes.

Lord Yosef.”

“You’ve grown a lot!

How did you manage to come find this old man?”

Yosef laughed loudly.

Whenever he laughed, he would laugh with a strange breathing, going Ha, haha, ha.

It is a laughter that is like the symbol of the Haider Warrior Corps.

Looking at Velgil who bowed his head deeply, the old man continued speaking.

“I thought Her Highness the Princess would have forgotten me long ago.”

“…How could that be possible?”

“So serious!”

Yosef patted Velgil’s shoulder.

His strength was so great it felt like his head was shaking from the impact.

“It’s a joke, a joke!”

“…Please go easy.

It hurts.”

“Ah.

Is that so?

No, this!

Isn’t this my axe!”

Yosef snatched the axe from the hands of Velgil, whose eyes suddenly spun, before he could even finish speaking.

Seeing how scattered his attention span was, one would think Yosef Haider is indeed Yosef Haider.

He was extremely self-centered.

Even the 7 years in Kosavagarobira could not gnaw him away.

“Is Her Highness the Princess doing well?”

“She is now Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”

“Ah.

It’s about that time.”

Yosef giggled as if proud.

Truly, he had no ill feelings toward Leniar.

Since being imprisoned in Kosavagarobira in the first place was due to his arbitrary decision to kill Shion.

It’s something to celebrate.

Something very much to celebrate.

Yosef giggled, and suddenly raised his head.

His only eye became infinitely sharp.

He looked here and there piercing through the darkness, then muttered.

“…Shall we go down for now, Velgil.”

He gripped the double-edged axe.

It was a sharp momentum incomparable to when he broke Ruckerdius’s teeth.

He also looked somewhat tense.

It was unknowable what on earth made that Yosef Haider tense.

“…Aside from those absurd guys earlier… there are a few that are really dangerous….”

***

Kosavagarobira was entirely dark.

Since it was deep underground, below the fire pit, it was natural.

Still, there were torches sparsely placed so objects could be identified somehow.

Yosef explained that those torches were moved from the fire of the fire pit.

“There is a bottom to Kosavagarobira.”

Yosef was still gripping the double-edged axe.

He did not forget to continuously be on guard against the surroundings.

Velgil likewise sharpened his senses but could feel nothing.

There was no way to know what that one-eyed old man was guarding against.

“The heat of that fire pit doesn’t reach, so it’s about a little bit more pleasant…. Naturally, weaklings like those things earlier can’t even come close ….”

He called Ruckerdius, the man who had seized the Cordis 22nd Legion, weak.

It was a remark no one would dare to make unless they were Yosef Haider.

“I somehow managed to get a nest at the bottom, but it wasn’t easy.”

“…Even for you, Lord Yosef?”

“Do you know how many are at the bottom? Only seven. Seven!”

Except for me, they are all just guys who have been imprisoned for over 50 years!

Yosef shook his head.

Velgil asked cautiously.

“…Then among the seven, about what rank are you, Lord Yosef?”

“Fourth?

Now that I found my axe, I suppose I’d be third.”

“…Third…!”

For Yosef Haider to be third, it was a baffling matter.

He is a man comparable to the Ten Great Generals of the Empire.

No, even most of the Ten Great Generals of the Empire would not be able to handle his experience.

Then just what kind of people are lurking at the bottom of Kosavagarobira?

Velgil was at the point of getting goosebumps.

“Curious, Velgil? What kind of guys are lurking here?”

“……”

“Anyway, you will get to say hello as we go down. Why don’t you introduce yourself when we meet.”

Yosef giggled.

However, he did not let go of the hand holding the double-edged axe for a single moment.

“But as I said… if you aren’t careful, you might get eaten.”

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