My Demons - Chapter 174



Only Krnovel

My Villains Episode 174

42. Bridle (6)

The pounding in my chest did not subside even after I searched the first floor of the Yeongju building.

As I was heading towards the alchemy laboratory at a hurried pace, I let out the breath I had been holding as soon as I saw Ellen coming out of the laboratory.

“Ellen.”

In that brief moment, Ellen showed many different faces.

A face that is deeply contemplating something.

His face turns bright red when he sees me.

A sullen face made up by erasing it.

Then I saw a face full of worry with wide eyes… … .

It’s amazing how such a small face can contain so many different emotions. Is it because of his big eyes?

“… … what’s the matter?” The guy who came closer carefully extended his hand. I slowly lowered my upper body and welcomed his white hand.

“Your complexion is not good.”

“… … “There was a brief problem.”

“problem? “What’s the problem?”

Instead of answering, I held Ellen’s hand on my cheek and remained silent for a moment.

The guy’s hands were so warm that it felt like they were hot. No, is my body cold?

“……trunnion?”

I tried to take the other hand from Ellen, who was looking confused.

I put it on.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

The guy who was holding both hands was standing awkwardly, as if he was about to be punished.

After struggling weakly for a moment, Ellen gave up resistance and pursed her lips with a red face.

“… … “What is it?” “Are you cold?”

“what?”

“My face. “Isn’t it cold?”

“What suddenly?” To the unexpected question, the guy pursed his lips for a moment before answering.

“… … “It looks kind of cheesy, but it’s not to the point where you can’t look at it.”

The answer makes me burst into laughter without realizing it.

“Pha-hey, what kind of nonsense are you talking about?”

“••••••what?”

“Other than that, isn’t my body temperature cold?”

Ellen bit her lower lip with an expression that said, “Oops.” For a moment, the guy changed his expression and frowned.

“You were confused, you should have said it straight from the beginning! And, your body hasn’t been like that for a day or two.”

“uh? “Is my body naturally cold?”

“… … It’s cooler than cold, usually. But why are you suddenly asking that?”

“It’s just that your hands are warm again.”

Ellen, who stopped breathing for a moment, lowered her head and muttered, ‘Tell me about this.’

When I obediently let go, the guy pulled up the hem of his robe and swept it over my face a couple of times. After taking some time to calm down, Ellen raised her head.

“… … So, what is the problem?”

“problem? ah.”

I blinked for a moment.

“uh… …

… … Now that I think about it, I feel better.

Until just now, unexplained anger, objectless resentment, overwhelming longing, overwhelming sadness… … . Well, I couldn’t even breathe because of those things.

“Why is there no answer?”

“Well, that is.”

I quietly scratched my eyebrows at Ellen’s staring gaze.

In my defense, I explained to him earlier that I had absorbed the souls and memories of another dimension based on Phoenix.

But now I can’t say that I’m confused because of the emotions attached to Poynix’s memories.

After quickly clearing my mind, I opened my mouth.

“You know what I said last time. “Strange voice.”

“… … Did you hear it again?”

“Well, similar. “That’s why I was looking for you.”

I looked at the guy’s serious face and shrugged my shoulders.

“When I see you, I suddenly come to my senses. “Isn’t it strange?”

“What is that.”

When Ellen made a dejected expression, I smiled and lifted her up by her crook.

“Huh.”

Ellen suddenly sat on my arm and tapped my shoulder in surprise.

“I-you were surprised! “Why is this happening all of a sudden?”

“Suddenly, not long ago, this was the norm.”

“Well, that was already two weeks ago.”

“You were on your way back to your room, right?”

When he nodded, I walked briskly. Then, I muttered, “Ah,” and asked Ellen for a favor.

“But just in case, please stay with me at night.”

“W-what?”

” huh?”

“At night, together? No, I still-”

I furrowed my brows as I looked at the guy talking gibberish.

“What nonsense are you talking about? “Please watch me meditate.”

“… … meditation?”

“Uh, meditation. Even if I have to reduce my sleep, I plan to increase my meditation time. Just help me at the beginning like last time.”

“ah… …

Ellen nodded blankly.

He leaned against my chest, looking as if he was exhausted.

While I was enjoying Ellen’s body temperature warming my heart, I suddenly asked a question.

“That’s right, Ellen. “What are you making these days?”

“••••••Yes?”

“I heard you are making some kind of potion with Master Castrite.”

” ah.”

The guy hesitated for a moment and took out a small glass bottle from his arms.

“this.”

“What is this?”

“A copy of the Undoing Potion.”

“Oh, you copied that? how?”

When I showed interest in the potion, he shook his head with a sullen expression.

“Actually, I failed. “That’s not a dispelling potion.”

“then?”

“It’s just trash. “It has the effect of dispersing magical power, but there is no effect of canceling the effect of magical power.”

“aha.” “The main effect disappears and only the side effects are strengthened, so if you drink it once, you won’t be able to gather your magic power for at least three days.”

In short, the ‘Dispel’ effect has disappeared and only the ‘Energy Burn’ effect remains. So, this is completely acid poison?

“It would be really useful, right?”

“what’?”

“You mean that if you feed it to a dangerous wizard, you can neutralize it. useful

“Don’t you know?” “… … Do you think wizards are fools? Why don’t you just accept something suspicious like this? Plus, this thing smells really bad.”

When I looked again, I saw that the Sangong poison, or rather the ‘magic suppression potion’, was a thick liquid with a light blue color.

No one in their right mind would drink this… … .

“And what I make is not poison, but medicine. “No matter how much there is a difference between medicine and poison, this is the first time I have made something so harmful.” Ellen’s grunting continued.

“I was about to give up because I didn’t have enough ingredients, but Mung-chi got a lot of herbs and tried making it, but I had no idea it would turn out to be such a mess.”

“A bunch’?”

“huh. “I gave her herbs and borrowed alchemy tools.”

“… … “Where did you get the herbs?”

“You go around here and there digging up things? “He can fill up a basket just by going around the wooden fence once.” hmm. I didn’t know that Moongchi was skilled in herbalism.

… … No, since I’m learning ‘Poison’, which is a skill of the ‘Rein (忍)’ series, I mean, I’m learning dragon poisoning, so I guess I also know a little bit about medicinal herbs?

“Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen a wad these days except when I’m sleeping.”

“It’s probably still wandering around somewhere, blushing.”

“is it?”

Saying that, I entered the Yeongjugwan,

“… … “Uh, a bunch?”

A bundle protruded from the corner of the entrance to the residence, which had foggy glass windows.

“trunnion. “Ellen.”

“They say even tigers will come if you tell them what to do. “I was just talking about you.”

“Eh, that’s right… … ?”

Mungchi wiggled his hands and nodded.

I looked down at the guy who was making awkward gestures, and the lump that made eye contact with me was… … .

“Ugh,”

A blush appeared on both cheeks and he avoided eye contact.

… … what?

Ellen opened her mouth on behalf of me, who was quietly examining the bundle.

“Did you pick up some herbs today too?”

“to? Oh, no. “I don’t dig.”

“then?”

“Uh, I-”

After struggling for a moment, Mungchi took out a small object that was hanging on his sword belt.

“I made this.”

“It’s a crossbow, right?” “yes. “Saeneuo.”

What Munchi took out, speaking awkwardly in Milanol, was a crossbow the size of his palm.

I forgot to look at the bundle’s complexion and burst out in admiration.

“You made this? directly?”

“yes… …

“Wow, that’s amazing. “Can I take a look?”

“yes yes.”

When I took the crossbow from him and looked at it, I saw that although it looked crude at first glance, it had a proper bow, trigger, and string.

“Where did you get the demonstration?”

“Uh, I’m picking reed leaves and vines, and people are asking me questions. “When I said I was making bow strings, I got a call.”

From what I’ve heard, it seems that originally they were going to make a protest out of something like a tree trunk, but the Amias gang saw that and saved the protest.

“… … “Wow, you’re very dexterous.”

“to. “It’s no big deal.”

“It’s no big deal. “I’m not even good at making rubber-powered machines.”

“Gomu-girl talent?” “No, no. Anyway, good job, our bunch.”

When I returned the crossbow and patted his head, Mungchi lowered his head and let out a small laugh.

“swimming… …

His face is red and he is fiddling with the crossbow, just like a child who is excited to receive praise.

Ellen, who was quietly watching the scene, made a humming sound before speaking.

“It’s a bunch.”

“to’?”

“Make me one of those too.”

“Saeneuo?”

“huh. Instead, shoot stones instead of arrows.”

“Dool?”

“huh. “Do you know it’s a crossbow?”

Mungchi tilted his head at Ellen’s words.

“to… … . Stones are easy to block. “It’s hard to kill people.”

“doesn’t care. “It’s a crossbow, because it’s meant to shoot something other than stones.”

“Anything else?”

“huh. Something like oil or potion. So, it would be nice if I could put this and that on it and shoot it.”

” ah.”

As we went back to the room together, Ellen and I had a conversation about the crossbow. As I hear people talk about the weight, lethality, and range of crossbows, I feel a sense of discomfort.

Thanks to his race, he looks younger than his age. Ellen is a seventeen-year-old girl.

Maybe that’s why the way they talk about murder weapons feels harsh.

… … Well, it can’t be helped. Because this is Middle World, not the Republic of Korea.

Okay, let’s not get lost in sentimentality and pay attention to the fact that Ellen is comfortably chatting with Mungchi.

After watching closely, it seems that Ellen, who has no social skills, would be a good conversation partner for the very gentle Mongchi. I hope you two can become friends.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“… … “No, nothing.”

I smiled brightly at Ellen, who was looking at me with narrowed eyebrows, and at Moongchi, whose big eyes without double eyelids were blinking.

“Let’s eat lunch quickly.”

As the sun was slowly setting, I climbed up to the castle located in the innermost part of Longville.

After climbing the prefabricated wooden stairs that were made to be easy to clean up, we passed the second floor where supplies such as food and oil were piled up, and the third floor where a meeting was held centered on the old knight Sir Ariad.

The fourth floor we climbed up to was a very dark and empty space. The waning sunlight and the flickering light of the torch illuminated the two soldiers and a pile of boxes containing arrows.

Leaving behind the guard’s polite greetings, I walked out to the ‘Hoarding’, which is shaped like a terrace and surrounds the stronghold.

Creak.

At the sound of the wooden planks, the large man sitting on the railing turned his head.

“Poy nix.”

“What are you doing alone, so desperate?”

Her long braided hair, like a Daenggi, was blowing in the breeze. Ute Kwai turned his head towards Longville and moved the bullet cartridge in his hand.

“I was drawing a manor.”

“••••••what?”

When I looked again, Ute Kwai was holding a large piece of paper on his thigh. The poor quality paper with fibers scattered here and there contained the scenery of Longville.

“Surely, you drew that?”

“right.”

What day is today? Both Munchi and Ute Kwai show amazing talents.

“… … “I didn’t know you had that kind of aesthetic sense.”

Ute Kwai’s painting looked pretty good even to me, a layperson. The landscape of Longville he drew lacked perspective, but instead had an inexplicable liveliness.

“I am Daejeonsa. “The picture is of a cow at Daejeon Temple.”

“True, nonsense.”

“It’s true.”

It must be said that it is Utequai-like, but even though it speaks white words, it is very confident. I sat down next to him, laughing at his shameless attitude.

Well, if you combine the weight of Utequoi and myself, it seems like it would be well over 300 kilos, but you’re sure it won’t collapse, right?

“What brings you here?”

“I didn’t see you until after dinner time. I heard from Steedman that he’s been posting here for a few days? “Is it because you’re drawing?”

“right.”

“Why are you so urgent about painting that you don’t even eat?”

Utequai quietly turned his head towards the west.

“The wind is blowing.”

” wind?”

“right. “It’s war luck.”

“… … Do you know that saying? Milanol has improved a lot.”

Utekwai chuckled and moved the cartridge again. Shadows were added between the gate and the wooden fence.

“Today is the last time I see Youngji.”

“War changes everything. Tomorrow, maybe the day after tomorrow, the estate, Longville, will look different.”

I was silent for a moment and looked around Longville. Then I asked Ute Kwai.

“You said you didn’t want to get involved in politics, but you were quite active in training conscripts?”

“I already said it before. “It helps you become a warrior.”

“That’s right, actually, at this point, even if a battle breaks out, it’s hard to get out.”

“Well, that’s right.”

When he nodded his head, I took a moment to choose my words and then sighed.

“Well, I’m sorry.”

“What do you mean?”

“For getting me involved in something that has nothing to do with me.”

“It doesn’t matter. “This is also my mother’s will.”

As I was quietly scratching my eyebrows, U Te Kwai was the first to open his mouth.

“Why did you intervene?”

“At work here?”

“right.”

“This and that is complicated. “It also has something to do with Prince Ulkar.”

Ute Kwai, who had been teasing Tanpil, quietly shook his head.

“I regard you as my lord, Prince Ulkar.

“No.”

“… … That’s right. But, you owe Ulkar something.”

“Debt’?”

“The manor title certificate. How would a heretic and an unarmed wizard travel comfortably if they didn’t have proof that they were nobles? “You must have been having a lot of trouble because of the people arguing here and there.”

“Well, that’s okay. But ordinary people don’t go to war because of that much debt.” “… … That’s right. In fact, there are things I had no choice but to get involved in.”

As I trailed off, Ute Kwai hummed and snorted.

“You had a chance to fall out. “You weren’t forced into it; it was your choice.”

“… … “You bastard, why are you making such a fuss today?”

After grumbling like that, Ute Kwai let out a low chuckle.

“Be honest, Phoenix. “You fight because of the lord wife.”

… … I heard this guy is very quick to notice if you just look at him.

“It’s not just because of Dionea.”

“There will be others too. Chester, Beldin, the pot-bellied owner of the Golden Knife tavern, men dragged in without knowing why, children scared by war clouds.”

… … To be honest, I never thought about other people, but I didn’t bother to say it.

“Pity is good. “If a war is fought for a good reason, Mother will look down on you.”

“… … Well, thank you.”

“So, there’s nothing to be sorry about.”

To see if the picture was complete, Utequai unfolded the paper and compared it with the actual scenery. The view of Longville as seen from a bird is spread out in black and white.

Utekwai nodded in satisfaction and continued speaking.

“I am Daejeonsa. “It is natural to stand by a friend who is going to war for a good cause.”

… … It’s a good reason. Did I have something like that? I don’t know, but I didn’t necessarily want to change Ute Kwai’s thoughts.

Ute Kwai, who had put the cartridges in what looked like a leather pencil case, got up from his seat. Then he wrapped the picture up and held it to the torch.

“Oh my! “Hey, what are you doing?”

” hmm?”

When I quickly stretched out my hand and took away the painting that had just started to catch fire, Utequai looked confused.

“Hey, why are you burning what you drew?”

“It’s useless anyway.”

“No, wasn’t it a meaningful painting that was painted to remember the last peace in Longville?”

“It is I, not the painting, who remembers peace.”

“But still… …

After barely turning off the light to save the painting, I suddenly remembered something and raised my head.

“Did you by any chance draw something like this in South Harbor or Inbury?”

“Inberry, I didn’t draw it. “I didn’t have time to draw because I was looking for herbs.”

“… … “So in South Harbor or somewhere else?” “I drew it.”

“You burned everything?”

“right.”

“crazy.”

Normally, the only things that remain from a trip are photos, but you drew pictures and burned them all? It’s such a waste… … .

“Off” O •

Okay, who is to blame? It was my fault for not paying attention to what Utequai was doing.

“If you draw a picture like this in the future, don’t burn it, but bring it to me.” “to you?”

“okay. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have something like this to reminisce about later?”

“Memories are not for sale.”

“Hey, I’m not selling memories… … . Anyway, don’t waste your time burning it and bring it all to me. Do you understand?”

Utekwai shrugged his shoulders as if he didn’t understand, but readily agreed.

Then, suddenly, I turned my head towards the setting sun. Something like a vibration can be heard through the distant mountain valley.

“Phoenix, what are you looking at?”

“Look over there.”

“o uh uh”

Ute Kwai followed my gaze and narrowed his eyes. For a moment,

Buuuu-

All of Longville woke up to the sound of a horn sounding somewhere in the fence.

Count Tristan’s army has arrived.