Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - One Who Understands Three Worlds (9)

"They say Sir Godfrey is here. Do not drop your guard for even a second."

At their lord's words, everyone nodded with tense faces.

Common phrases like 'Isn't he just one person?' didn't come out.

Because if one made a living by the sword on the continent, it was impossible not to know the reputation of the Prophetic Knight.

It was an era dominated by faith and no less by superstition. Anyone who had seen Godfrey fight even once couldn't help but feel awe.

Evading without looking, failing every assassination attempt, and an offense and defense that was always at least one step ahead of the opponent.

Even in tournaments where reading moves was crucial, he had never recorded a single defeat. Thanks to that, before earning the title of Prophetic Knight, he was called the Undefeated Godfrey.

To some, he would appear like a person receiving God's blessing, or even favoritism.

"Strike immediately. Step back, Dawson."

The subordinate who was leading at the front with a buckler pulled back.

Marcus and Aaron, both wearing metal armor, signaled each other with a look.

"Going in!"

Aaron swung his mace to crush the old latch and delivered a body slam.

Crash!

Beyond the falling door, a stench wafted out.

As they descended into the underground space, the iron-barred cells attached to the wall caught their eyes. The younger sister, Maria, was lying there sleeping like a princess along with her two maids.

'My Lady!'

'Maria!'

Marcus and his party swallowed their inner shouts. Because a robust man wearing dark monastic robes was standing before them.

* * *

Eugene felt like he had been struck by lightning.

As he focused on his hearing, he heard multiple footsteps coming straight here.

'Did I get caught?'

That was the first thought that came to mind. Or perhaps someone else besides him knew about the secret passage.

'No, that can't be it.'

Eugene discarded that hypothesis.

It was an inconspicuous passage that one could only find by practically living in that foul underground dungeon. Moreover, if the monastery side had known of its existence, they would have sealed it off long ago.

To play innocent for now, he left the cell and returned the bent iron bars as close to their original state as possible.

Crash!

When he finished the task, two heavily armed knights and several soldiers burst in with bloodthirsty auras.

"There was a jailer."

Marcus said, looking at Eugene.

"I'm not a jail—"

"You jailer bastard! If you want to keep your life, hand over the key!"

Aaron shouted, pointing his mace.

"I'm not a jail—"

"You bastard! Do you need your limbs broken to come to your senses?!"

"Listen when a person is talking!"

Before Eugene could finish his sentence, Aaron charged. Two soldiers followed behind him.

'Typical knight bastards. What do they even have ear holes for?'

He was a unique case; the majority of knights in this world were 'My Way' types. They already had the answer they wanted to hear, so it was effectively an order to just answer.

Of course, Marcus's group was in a situation where they had entered enemy territory and there were women to rescue, so a certain amount of consideration was possible.

'Damn, there are too many of them to fight bare-handed.'

Due to the incident with Godfrey, carrying a sword inside was forbidden, so he was currently unarmed.

Bang!

Eugene kicked off the ground. In that shockwave, the surrounding dust spread in a circle.

"What is this!"

Aaron was flustered as the distance closed in an instant. It was enough to feel as though an invisible, giant hand had snatched the opponent's body.

Immediately after, when Eugene picked up and threw a wooden barrel the size of a grown man with one hand, the surprise grew twofold.

Swoooosh!

The large wooden barrel flew while drawing a tremendous sound of parting air. For a moment, it felt like an illusion that the front was filled with wood.

"Ugh!"

When Aaron swung his mace with all his might, the wooden barrel shattered.

Even though nothing was inside, a shock followed as if his arm would fall off. He didn't lose his weapon only because Aaron was a truly exceptional knight.

Thud!

However, the soldier who was unfortunately following behind was hit in the cheek by the mace that bounced back.

Since he was wearing a helmet, his cheekbone didn't break, but he staggered from the heavy impact and was sent flying. He slammed his face into the iron bars of the cell and fainted.

Without even time to feel sorry, Eugene, who had hidden within the scattering wood fragments, arrived right in front of Aaron.

'Chainmail, huh.'

The enemy knight was wearing a surcoat over it.

However, thanks to his hearing being sharpened just moments ago, he could hear the sound of countless metal rings clashing and shaking.

Eugene's kick slammed into Aaron's abdomen. While chainmail blocks blades well, it is weak against overwhelming blunt impact.

"Urgh!"

Aaron floated up, hit another soldier like a bowling pin, and flew back to slam into the wall.

He trembled, trying to stand up somehow, but then fell sideways and lost consciousness. A thin stream of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

Eugene snatched the shield and mace that Aaron had dropped as they flew through the air.

"Aaaah!"

The sole soldier remaining among the three who charged swung his sword, pushed by fear.

Clang!

When Eugene parried with the mace, the sword's blade was completely shattered, and the soldier lost his balance.

He then struck with the shield, and the soldier spun like a top without even being able to let out a single scream.

After spinning three times, the soldier sprawled out in front of Marcus. His eyes were rolled back, but seeing his chest rise and fall, he didn't seem to be dead.

"..."

At the sight of overwhelming violence, the entire invading party was lost for words.

Aaron was the strongest among the six knights who had dueled Marcus. He was an honorable knight who had even won an urban tournament. For someone like him to be taken down in one hit?

"Those fanatics were raising a monster."

Marcus gritted his teeth and gripped his sword.

True recognize true. Marcus realized that the opponent before him was the worst enemy he had ever encountered.

The soldiers behind him steadied their weapons, trusting their lord, but Marcus lacked the confidence to defeat that monastic knight.

Furthermore, for him to be Godfrey, he was too young. If Godfrey were to join in as well?

'Should I retreat?'

Losing a battle is understandable, but a commander who misses the time to retreat is the worst. Marcus agonized between the lives of his subordinates and Maria.

"That was self-defense just now."

At that moment, Eugene turned both his palms upward toward the ceiling. The mace and shield were held on them, shaking slightly from side to side.

It was a gesture clearly showing he had no intention to fight.

"I'm not a jailer or a priest. I hate those monastery bastards. Anyone who lives here, including workers, can wear these clothes. The ones who attacked without even giving me a chance to answer were you guys."

Eugene refined the resume the girl had rejected and presented it again to the invaders.

Judging by the atmosphere and the soldiers glancing at the girl, they must have come from her bloodline family to rescue her.

He didn't want to make unnecessary enemies, so he adjusted his strength; the ones who fell likely wouldn't be dead.

"Lord Marcus."

"Please."

The soldiers wanted to take the young lady and leave without fighting this nightmare-like warrior through negotiation.

"Who are you?"

Marcus asked after ordering his subordinates to tend to the fallen.

"Eugene Mayer."

It was a name he was hearing for the first time. Marcus glanced back, but everyone shook their heads as if they didn't know.

"If those words are true, we also do not wish to fight pointlessly."

"You came to rescue those women, right?"

Marcus nodded.

Currently, it wasn't a situation to hide or weigh things out. It was a time to throw only straight balls without haggling.

"I won't interfere, so please take them and leave quickly."

Eugene stepped aside and gestured for them to enter.

Marcus, who agonized for a moment, stood before the cell door, and the soldiers followed hesitatingly.

"Feed this to that fallen knight."

Eugene pulled two small pills from his coat and threw them to the squire supporting Aaron.

"Wh-What is this?"

The squire was reflexively using honorifics.

"It's medicine effective for internal injuries. It will reduce the burden while traveling to a place where he can receive treatment. Give him one now and one three days later."

"I express my gratitude for your mercy."

Aaron swallowed the pill in the squire's hand without even doubting it. Whether he was simple-minded or stupid, he was such a hot-blooded man that even Eugene, who gave the medicine, was flustered.

"I'm sorry it feels like giving the disease and then the medicine."

Marcus looked at him with a strange gaze and then shook his head. The immediate priority was rescuing his sister.

The bars and the door itself were much sturdier than expected. It wasn't a lock that could be broken by force.

However, there were various talents under Marcus, and among the subordinates he brought today was a genius at lockpicking.

"Can you open it?"

He asked the subordinate who had a buckler on his back and had pulled out a rogue kit.

"It's a triple lock so it's tricky, but I will surely succeed. If you give me just a little time..."

The subordinate's answer was cut short by shouts and the sound of weapons clashing.

"Are there others stalling for time outside?"

"Yes. They are strong and solid people, so they will hold out sufficiently."

Marcus replied.

As expected of the paranoid Lord God faith, the cell's locking mechanism was abnormally strict.

"Where do you think you've crawled into? You bastards!"

"Brothers, do not fear death!"

Click, click.

Sweat poured like rain from the forehead of the subordinate who had picked one and was challenging the second. Even without that, it was a difficult lock, but his heart grew hurried from the sounds of fighting outside.

Furthermore, even though he said he had no intention to fight, the man in monastic robes standing idly by was frightening. At the point where focusing was insufficient, his hands kept getting fumbled.

"It's better to hurry up a bit. I'll help."

Eugene said.

The faster Marcus's group left and rampaged for him, the easier it was for him too.

"Is it possible you have the key... No. If you had it, you would have handed it over long ago."

Marcus stopped talking. If he just watched him struggle to open the door and then gave him the key halfway through, wouldn't he be a complete madman?

"The senior priest probably has it. He's a man who doesn't trust anyone but himself."

The subordinate was still stuck at the second stage.

"Then how do you intend to open it?"

"Like this."

Eugene took hold of the iron bars where his handprints remained.

"???"

Everyone looked at him as if wondering what this man was trying to do now.

Screeeeech!

Soon, the thick iron bars bent like taffy, and a hair-raising sound echoed out.

'There's no need to think about what's next this time.'

Since the women had to be brought out, Eugene pulled with his maximum limit without adjusting his strength.

"My goodness!"

Aaron, who had regained consciousness at some point, murmured with a stunned face.

Crack, crack!

Ping!

The thick iron pins that had been fixed to the ceiling and floor were pulled out here and there and flew off. One of them hit Marcus's greave, making a crisp sound.

Going beyond bending them, he simply pulled out three bars, and a passage large enough for a person to enter was completed.

"I'll believe that with this, the grudge from the fight just now has vanished."

"Even if you had cut off my arm, I would forget it."

Eugene liked Marcus, who spoke calmly while entering, already.

"Maria. Wake up. We must escape immediately."

While the soldiers carried the maids in their arms, Marcus woke the girl. However, she lay as if dead, showing no response at all.

"Was her name Maria? It's a pretty name. She's in a very deep sleep right now, so it'll be useless even if you wake her. I recommend just carrying her on your back and leaving quickly."

"That cannot be."

Marcus denied firmly.

She was a younger sister who lived like walking on thin ice in the noble society of the night while assisting her incompetent older brother.

"Maria suffers from long-term chronic insomnia."

Doro-rong~.

"..."

Marcus was flustered at the cute sound coming from her chest right on cue.

"Then our respective business is finished. I'll be going first."

Leaving them behind, Eugene stepped out of the underground dungeon.

He kept his guard against Marcus's group until the end just in case, but they showed no sign of harming Eugene at all.

Only the loud sound of the shield and mace he dropped just before leaving echoed behind him.

* * *

"You profane vampire bastards."

"How dare you in this presence... Eek!"

The priest who tried to charge vigorously retreated hastily. His stomach was almost pierced by a spear that poked out from between shields.

"Come inside if you're confident, you fanatic bastards! This elderly one will check the health status of your intestines!"

Eugene raised a thumb to the Dhampirs who were making a fuss and facing off in the distance. It was the perfect situation to slip out secretly.

After jumping over the monastery wall in one go and landing, someone ran toward him.

"Homi?"

Homi, who came running with a welcome face, handed him his sword.

"You rushed here thinking about my crisis. Thank you."

Eugene hugged his quick-witted and loyal squire. It was just as his master said. No matter how good a warhorse he had, it wouldn't be able to do something like this.

"Let's go, quickly."

Whether he liked it or not, it was time to leave this village.