I Became a Hero With a Lot of Experience

31 – 031 : seongchang jangjeon (3)

​

However, the eerie feeling emanating from the mansion standing alone in this remote forest created a discomforting sensation, making me uneasy.

“…please come in. Since this is a matter that requires careful handling, all the servants have been dismissed. (Experience Points: 13)”

“Understood.”

As he took another step away, we entered.

Although the mansion was lit, the furniture and the colors of the curtains belonged to the darker side, creating an inexplicable sense of dimness.

‘I sense something like a presence…’

Since becoming a warrior, his senses had sharpened like those of a wild animal, detecting some kind of presence.

It wasn’t as if someone was hiding, but it wasn’t the kind of appearance that flaunted itself openly either.

Could it be a threat if the deal goes wrong?

If they provide a pretext from over there, there is nothing more grateful than that.

Suppressing the smile that was about to appear, we followed the man upstairs.

Compared to the other rooms in the mansion, the room prepared for the banquet was unusually spacious. A large table could comfortably accommodate about fifteen people.

“Well, please take a seat. (Experience Points: 13)”

As the man took the central seat according to his authority, he was on the right, and his daughter was on the left.

13 and 21.

Looking at the numbers above their heads, there was an illusion that the two bodies were surrounded by a total of 34 humans.

Nevertheless, taking a deep breath and calming the nerves, the man spoke.

“I will formally introduce myself. My name is Count Makini de Trion. I own a small territory in the South. (Experience Points: 13)”

“I’ve heard about the South.”

It was a story heard from the knights.

Unlike the North, where the invasion of the Demon King’s army began, the South was said to be the safest land in the kingdom, receiving the least influence from the Demon King’s army.

When I brought up that story first, he clapped his hands and said it was good.

“Well then, the story will be quick. As you know, the current state of the kingdom is no joke. The king is foolish, and his subordinates only think of serving him. (Experience Points: 13)”

“I’m listening. Go on.”

“It’s not for my personal desires, but for the people suffering under the incompetent rule of the king, I have decided to revolt!! I have requested this meeting in the hope that you, the hero, would help us at that time! (Experience Points: 13)”

“Hmm…”

…I’m not sure.

Whether the king is incompetent or competent is not a matter for me, who has not lived through his reign in the body of a commoner.

In short, if a foolish act like a civil war breaks out now, it’s a fact that innocent children like Yuna will suffer, whether thousands or tens of thousands.

Even if it happens after the war with the Demon King’s army is over, it’s the same.

Starting a civil war without properly handling the current situation before and after is unthinkable, and I won’t even try to imagine how much blood will be shed.

Dying from starvation or being crushed by a telephone seems much more common for civilians than soldiers stabbed with a sword or spear.

“If I were to participate, when would I be able to withdraw? Regardless of whether it’s a revolution or rebellion, how would one handle the bloodshed that follows?”

“Well, that would be after the situation has calmed down… (Experience Points: 13)”

“There’s no way someone would hear about a rebellion after the post-conflict resolution. By then, public sentiment would have quieted down.”

“…. (Experience Points: 13)”

His expression was unexpected.

Just by seeing that expression, I could easily imagine how contemptuously he regarded me.

Why was he surprised?

Did he think I was an ignorant tough guy who didn’t know even such simple things?

Or did he think I was a lunatic who wouldn’t care no matter how many people died?

Either way, it was irritating.

“hahahaha, well…! Y-Yes, that’s right. I appreciate the offer, Sir Knight. I intend to choose a time that minimizes the shedding of blood for the people. (Experience Points: 13)”

The Marquis tried to defuse the situation with laughter, but it was impossible to turn my already cold heart.

When the situation didn’t go as planned, he turned to his daughter as if it were his last resort.

“Oh, I forgot to mention, but if the knight here joins us in this matter, I will offer my daughter to him as a wife. It’s not something to say so openly in this situation, but my daughter is still an innocent maiden. (Experience Points: 13)”

“What?”

Shocked by the word ‘maiden,’ I looked at his daughter, and she gave me a playful smile, gently lowering her head.

The Marquis smiled as if realizing my confusion, but my heart had long been cold.

“Wait, she’s not a maiden. What nonsense is this?”

“Huh? Oh, no… I personally confirm…! (Experience Points: 13)”

“Confirmation? Just so you know, it’s common knowledge that not all who claim to be maidens actually are.”

“….Aria? (Experience Points: 13)”

With the Marquis’s question, we simultaneously turned our gaze toward his daughter.

Receiving our gazes, the daughter seemed momentarily flustered and spoke in a small voice.

“W-Well, if we’re talking about behind… I-I’m not a maiden…? (Experience Points: 21)”

“Y-Yes. Although I have experience with men, strictly speaking, I’m not a maiden, right…? (Experience Points: 13)”

“….”

“…. (Experience Points: 13)”

“…. (Experience Points: 21)”

“….”

“…Huh? (Experience Points Acquired: 21) (Experience Spears: 1)”

“Ah, Aria! Ugh!! (Experience Points Acquired: 13) (Experience Spears: 1)”

“Damn bastards…!!!”

*****

‘…Things have gone awry.’

Maro realized from the faint scent of blood wafting from upstairs that the plan had failed.

Utilizing the viscount, she had intended to extract a warrior from the king’s court and incite a civil war, splitting the kingdom in two.

That was her plan, but for some reason, it crumbled into the worst possible outcome imaginable.

Maro, commander of the demon army under the demon king, Shabryra.

Disguised as a noblewoman, she had spent a long time carefully devising the plan, but it all proved to be in vain.

Wiping her face, Maro gazed upstairs.

The blood flowing on the floor seemed enough to turn the ceiling red with just a little more.

“Sigh… Everyone, come out. It seems we’ll have to execute Plan B.”

With Maro’s words, two shadows appeared in the darkness.

Above the revealed figures’ heads were two horns, like Maro’s, symbolizing the magic power of high-ranking demons.

“You were quite confident, but in the end, you failed, huh?”

“No point in risking danger and hiding in the royal capital.”

Yester and Edge, subordinates under Shabryra.

Unlike Embasa, who had risen to the position of a subordinate through intelligence, these two, known for their martial prowess even among Shabryra’s subordinates, grumbled.

“If we had just attacked him from the beginning, none of this would have happened.”

“I told you… Even if Embasa is weak, you can’t underestimate someone who took down a subordinate in one go.”

“To think he’s a martial artist with that potbelly makes the dogs laugh.”

“As long as there’s magic power, you can strengthen even a weak body, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Still, appearance matters…”

“Do we really need to have this conversation right now?”

Maro furrowed her brow at the two muscular men’s pitiful conversation and averted her gaze.

“We’re planning to kill a warrior here as planned, so get ready. Don’t underestimate that warrior; he seems quite skilled, so don’t let your guard down.”

While Maro couldn’t infiltrate the royal capital directly due to its powerful defense barriers, she could gather enough information from the knights patrolling the capital.

Though the reason for using mounted combat weapons was unclear, spear techniques against a knightly order couldn’t be underestimated.

Maro tried to make the two demons aware of this fact, but they just sneered.

“Who cares about knights? If you have the power of a hero, anyone can do that much.”

“When facing knights, you should be cautious, as we don’t know if they’ve used growth!! In the first place, we still don’t know what abilities the hero has gained…!!”

Thud!

Maro’s words were interrupted by a loud noise from above.

It was probably the sound of a door being broken.

Although we couldn’t know why a door that wasn’t locked was broken, the size of the sound gave a hint of the extent of the hero’s anger.

“He must be furious to the point of knowing that we’re involved. He’s quite a cunning one.”

“In that case, a surprise attack would be futile. Did you prepare the decoy?”

“Yes. Let’s assault them head-on and use the decoy to strike from behind. Surely the demon army officers won’t volunteer as bait.”

With that plan in place, as they were preparing outside, a warrior soaked in blood descended the stairs.

Considering the amount of blood on his body, he was surprisingly composed. At least he had the rationality not to vent his anger outward.

While the two unarmed tribes were contemplating their strategy, Maro spoke.

“I don’t know how he found out, but he really saw through our plan. Commendable!! Oh, mighty hero!!”

“….”

Despite extending words to buy time until the deployment of the decoy, the hero did not respond.

Ignoring Maro’s words didn’t necessarily mean the failure of the plan.

“Twelve….”

“Huh?”

Pointing to Maro with a lance, the hero mumbled.

Momentarily confused by the incomprehensible words, this time, pointing to Yester, the hero said.

“Nine.”

“Nine…?”

Numbers, quantity.

The demon tribes, unaware of the hero’s power, were perplexed by the meaning of these words. If they had thought a bit more deeply, they might have understood, but they had neither the time nor the luxury for that.

“Twenty-nine…. And forty-two…!!!”

The hero, pointing at Edge for the last time, trembled in anger and muttered in a low voice.

At that moment when everyone was confused by the indistinct muttering, Edge, unable to bear it any longer, asked.

“What is he talking about? Hey!! What are you saying?!”

Representing the two tribes, the hero, with an expression full of intense vitality that even allies found chilling, shouted.

“I don’t know? You don’t know…?! If you don’t know, then teach me…!! It doesn’t exist for a virgin!! Human rights!!” The enraged warrior, striking Lance, responded to Edge’s question with a burst of anger.

However, the mystery of the three tribes was still unresolved.