Chapter 35
“…Lord Eric.”
Rustle—
A dense forest.
Ophelia had led the knights who followed her, along with her soldiers, into the Moonlight Forest in search of the late Count’s relics.
Perhaps due to the strange occurrences reported in this area, she scanned the unusually gloomy forest with a serious expression. When she noticed Eric walking calmly without any sign of tension, seemingly used to such situations, she spoke up.
“Why… are you helping us?”
Her voice was full of bewilderment, as if she couldn’t understand.
Before leaving, she had waited for him with some hesitation. But ever since Eric accepted Alberto’s invitation to dine the day before, she had half given up hope.
Anyone who knew that she was competing with him for the head of her house—and yet saw him sit beside her younger sibling, rather than the one who had invited him—would understand the implications clearly.
“Eh? Didn’t you ask for help first? You came all the way here hoping for just that, and now you’re asking me this?”
At her question, Eric tilted his head, as if to say, What are you talking about now?
“No, that’s not what I mean…”
“Well then. If your knights have been so rude all this time, why ignore Lord Alberto’s offer and come to help?”
Seeing Ophelia frown in exasperation, Eric continued in a dry tone.
“Well… it’s just that—”
Caught off guard by the direct question, Ophelia stumbled over her words, pretending to be embarrassed.
“…I’m sorry. I should have been more careful.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. It’s your knights who were at fault.”
Perhaps she was secretly angry despite her polite exterior. Eric, unflinchingly pressing at her weak points, made her unable to meet his gaze.
If she had at least shown irritation first, it would have been easier to handle. Instead, because she outwardly showed nothing until questioned, she had no choice but to watch his reactions closely.
“And I’m not exactly helping you, Miss Ophelia. As Lord Alberto said, finding the Count’s relics is the duty of the Count’s household. I’m just here as a hero of the Church to deal with the strange occurrences in Moonlight Forest. That’s the surface reason, anyway.”
Looking at Ophelia, unable to meet his eyes, Eric shrugged with a wry smile, as if to say, That’s enough.
“What’s the big deal? I’m just using this opportunity to owe the Count’s family a favor.”
It was true that she and the knights of the Winterrose family had been rude—but not so much that he would break a prior promise.
He had grown accustomed to such treatment ever since he had taken over this hooligan body. Moreover, coming all this way, he couldn’t return empty-handed just because he felt a little annoyed.
If anything, this gives me more leverage in their debt—more profit for me. Feeling good doesn’t put food on the table.
Practicality mattered more than superficial politeness. Becoming the heir of a ducal house wasn’t something he could afford to let mood swings dictate his actions.
Eventually, if I build up my merits one by one like this, the recognition will follow naturally.
“…You’re quite a straightforward person, Lord Eric.”
Ophelia nodded with a visibly relaxed expression as she looked at Eric ahead of her.
As the daughter of a merchant family and a Count’s daughter, she had met many people—but this was the first who had openly set aside pride and shared their true feelings.
“I hope you, Miss Ophelia, are the type who doesn’t live without repaying a debt.”
Pfft.
The light-hearted remark drew an unexpectedly natural laugh from Ophelia.
“Don’t worry. I don’t pretend not to notice favors. Ever since I was young, I’ve been taught that trust is the most important thing for a merchant.”
A hooligan? Seeing him now, who could call him that?
Though his manners weren’t exactly noble, he was far better than those who hid their true intentions behind a pitiful facade.
No doubt the two who followed Eric were moved by this honesty.
“Hm… Even so, the way you treated those who came to help seemed off.”
…There was only one flaw—he always had to have the last word.
Rustle—
After moving forward with the knights for some distance, the procession suddenly came to a halt. Eric looked ahead as commotion grew in the front.
“Ambush!”
“Everyone, prepare for battle!”
As the loud shouts rang out, soldiers who had kept their guard up drew their swords with tense expressions.
-Growl…
-Grrr…
A chilling cry.
“Sir Cameron, Sir Eloi…”
“…Damn it.”
Several of the enemies began emerging from the underbrush. Those who recognized them bit their lips in dismay.
Undead.
Corrupted beings that should have rested in the underworld, now walking once more.
<Ghoul (Human Mercenary)>
Level: 15
Strength [21]
Agility [15]
Vitality [23]
Magic [3]
Traits: None
<Ghoul (Moon Wolf)>
Level: 18
Strength [17]
Agility [28]
Vitality [9]
Magic [17]
Traits: <Excellent Sense of Smell>
From mercenaries who had been guarding the caravan when the incident occurred in Moonlight Forest, to the wolves inhabiting the forest, Eric frowned at their sheer numbers—enough to surround over a hundred soldiers.
“You hired quite a few mercenaries.”
“…It was an important caravan.”
“Even with the Count’s emblem, did bandits really attack?”
“They probably planned to raid it and make a quick profit.”
No wonder this was no ordinary incident. Eric glanced at the ghouls steadily closing in and recalled the conversation he had had with Ophelia on the trade route the day before.
“This is the fifth ambush already. Not one or two, but the whole group, coming out of the forest. What on earth is happening in Moonlight Forest?”
“That is…”
“Lady Ophelia, we were asked to help, weren’t we? Whether it’s the Count’s relics or the forest incident, we should resolve it regardless.”
Although she hesitated, unsure what to say, Eric pressed on.
“…I don’t know the details. I only heard from the knights who went with my father that day. They said the dead had attacked.”
“If you mean the dead… you’re not saying it’s undead, are you?”
From then on, he sensed the situation was far more serious than expected—but he hadn’t realized the scale. Undead were not monsters one would typically encounter in a forest.
“Lord Eric…”
As he pondered, Lilian nervously looked back at him.
“Wait here. Leona!”
“Yes, Lord Eric.”
Shaking his head at the suggestion, Eric sent Leona forward instead. Undead were vulnerable to fire, and while Lilian could handle them without casualties, using her here would be premature. Moreover, careless fire magic could destroy the very relics they had come to recover.
-Growl!
-Snarl!
“They’re coming!”
With the ghouls’ cries, shouts and clashing steel filled the air.
“How… how is there undead in such a vibrant forest…”
In the chaos, Malefica silently observed the undead, biting her nails with a serious expression.
They must be surprised to see undead in a forest. After all, their knowledge of the Church would be challenged.
Undead typically only arise in places saturated with life energy, such as cemeteries or old battle ruins. Raising undead in a living forest is extremely difficult.
To control this number in the middle of a forest… the summoner must be at least the Dark Lord’s right hand.
Even if such a figure crossed the border, the Church would have acted immediately if it knew of an incident in Moonlight Forest. Unless someone raised the dead through necromancy, there would be traces. Malefica, a capable priestess, would have noticed.
…Except in one particular scenario.
“Lady Ophelia.”
“Yes?”
“May I ask about the Count’s relic? What kind of item is it?”
Ophelia explained carefully:
“Oh! It’s called the <Jewel of Life>. Inside, like amber, there’s a tiny fetus-shaped figure embedded in the reddish stone.”
Hearing this, Eric groaned, feeling his intuition confirmed.
…So that’s how it is.
The <Jewel of the Dead’s Nightmare>—an artifact that aids necromancy by harnessing excess life force rather than replenishing energy.
The gem on that cursed necklace had a fetus inside too.
Hearing about the relic, Eric’s expression became complicated.
“It’s a treasure passed down from the founder of our house. They used its power to turn poor northern lands into fertile farmlands. But why… is this relic connected to the incident?”
Of course it was. But that was only part of the problem. <Jewel of the Dead’s Nightmare> belonged to the Demon King.
The Count’s relic in Moonlight Forest may eventually fall into the Demon King’s hands. That implies the Demon King might be involved…
-Growl… Snarl!
Shaking off thoughts of the dangerous situation, Eric focused on the cries nearby.
“Th-this…”
“Miss!”
A wounded wolf limped toward them.
-Snarl!
“Hyah!”
Springing into action, Eric drew his sword and stabbed into the wolf’s open mouth.
Thud-
The blade pierced deep, the wolf shuddered a few times, then collapsed.
“Are you alright?”
After removing his sword, Eric brushed the blood off and looked at Ophelia with concern.
“Y-yes…”
Watching quietly with wide eyes, Ophelia calmed her racing heart and looked up at him.
“Thank you for saving me.”
As he wiped the blood from his face and re-sheathed his sword, he no longer looked like a hooligan—or even the incompetent figure the rumors had painted him as.
“…Eric, Lord Eric.”
