Chapter 101: Blessing in Disguise (14)

The next morning, a lone man and his horse departed the castle.

Clop, clop!

It was the marquis. He did not bring any subordinates with him.

The reason for summoning the knights with fireworks was to clean up the chaos of destruction and slaughter left in the castle.

Couldn't he have left me behind, too?

I would have preferred dozens watching me a hundred times over than the marquis carrying me around. But the marquis draped me over the front of the saddle and spurred his horse onward.

Clop, clop!

What does he think he can get from me?

I did not get any help because I was powerless. Even without shackles, I doubt I could escape from him.

I stared blankly at the scenery—an ordinary autumn landscape of the southern region. When I had walked with Rena, it had felt like the perfect season.

The fresh air brushed past me, and the leaves showed off their vibrant colors. But since I was slung over the marquis' saddle, everything felt utterly different. Everything seemed to be at its worst.

It’s not even worth looking at.

I hung my skull low.

Rustle, rustle.

I heard the distinct sound of flapping wings as I leaned forward. It was a bronze beetle.

It's quite the flyer.

I didn't know where it had come from, but I envied the creature freely soaring through the autumn sky. Of course, it had predators, too. On the ground, creatures like squirrels or weasels could easily tear it apart.

However, at this moment, it flew through the clear air without a care, unbothered by anyone.

At least it won't die tied up like this.

I watched the beetle wistfully. After circling around for a moment, it disappeared into the distance.

The marquis stopped by a small village along the way. He fed the horse and let it rest. He removed his armor in a room, revealing a neat black martial uniform. The fabric and embroidery looked exceptionally luxurious.

After washing up, he sat down and then started some sort of training.

Whoosh!

What's this wind?

Even though the room was closed on all sides, a breeze seemed to rise, making his uniform flutter and fall repeatedly.

Is he sleeping or awake?

I observed him silently. This was the daily routine of a man known as one of the Empire's Four Swordmasters. Perhaps I could learn something.

Focus!

However, I gained nothing. Just watching him sit still wasn't enough. I might gain some insight if I raised my talent level or observed him for a long time.

Not now...

The night deepened. From afar, a faint cry echoed.

"

Waaaaaaaah.

"

Observing the marquis yielded no results, so my attention naturally shifted to the cry. It vaguely resembled a human child's crying, but I knew what it was.

That's a fox's cry.

I recognized the sound after living in the mountains for a long time. The fox cried continuously.

"

Waaaah, waaaah.

"

What's making it cry like that?

An old tale of a fox turning into a human came to mind. It was a story that Lady Succubus read to me while I lay on her lap.

Could a world exist where foxes don't need to become humans?

I remembered the words she added after finishing the story.

"

Waaaaah... waaaah!

"

The cries of the fox accompanied the passing of another night. Each time I heard the crying, I thought of Lady Succubus.

***

At dawn, the marquis set off again. The wind pierced my cheekbone. With my lower jaw missing, the wind passed through my skull, making it feel even emptier. Dust and sand battered the inside of my skull as we moved.

Rustle, rustle.

Once again, a beetle flew by. It was the same bronze-colored one from earlier.

Are there many beetles in this area?

The beetle landed on my collarbone, then flapped its wings and perched on my skull.

Clatter.

I instinctively shook my skull. The marquis glanced at me as if mildly annoyed but said nothing, urging the horse forward again.

Rustle, rustle.

The beetle buzzed around me, perching here and there. After seeing it twice, I noticed something peculiar.

Rustle, clatter.

That sound... it's strange.

It sounded like tiny blades clinking together. Of course, it was probably a meaningless thought. There was no such thing as a beetle with blade-like wings. The thumb-sized creature was rather cute, an intricate and beautiful lifeform. Yet, I couldn't help but feel concerned.

Isn't it too reckless?

The creature seemed unaware of the danger, approaching a large creature like a horse without hesitation and flitting around near me. The sensation of it flying near me felt ticklish.

It’s annoying, too...

I could have shooed it away by shaking myself, but I let it be. Since I was tied up and unable to do anything, I didn't want to make a fuss over something as small as this beetle. It might even see me as some sort of resting spot. The tiny creature crawled along my ribcage, circled the widest part, climbed my spine, and looped around my pelvis. Finally, it slowly crawled from my skull to my toes before it fluttered its wings rapidly and flew into the distance.

Buzz!

What was it doing on me? Is this some kind of beetle behavior?

Clop, clop!

As we entered a mountain path, the incline became more rugged, jostling me roughly up and down. Thoughts of the beetle soon left my mind.

On the seventh day of the journey, the horse entered a path lined with dense, dark bushes. Night had fallen.

Camping by the river? There must not be a village nearby...

I silently watched as the marquis and his horse rested by the campfire. They soon fell into a deep sleep. Despite having been tied and hung up, I tried moving in earnest.

Clatter, clatter.

I carefully moved my bones—something I had been practicing for the past week because it was all I could do. I tried bringing my wrist bones together to escape the shackles, but I made no progress. The latent skill of Lord of Bones, Skeletal Morphing, remained stuck at 5.02% proficiency.

There's nothing I can do.

A deep sense of helplessness overwhelmed me. This wasn't just a simple crisis. It was an overwhelmingly powerless situation with no chance of victory.

I thought back to my first life when I was crushed under the feet of the hero's servant. I remembered the sound of my broken leg bones rattling as I helplessly picked them up in the dungeon.

I recalled the vivid memory of stomping on me and shattering my bones with the servant's shield returned vividly. Memories of my entire life being stripped away came flooding in.

I wanted to grit my teeth, but my upper jaw flailed uselessly in the air because my lower jaw was missing. That same sense of helplessness engulfed me now.

I compared the marquis to the hero.

They feel quite different.

However, one thing was the same: they were absurdly strong. They wielded the power to impose their will, forcing others to accept their existence. They invaded both the world and the lives of others. It was akin to how humanity, as a species, dominated the world. Neither morality nor logic played a part in it.

Nor is it needed.

They only exhibited violence and desire. Back then, and even now, I was forced to endure their cruelty. I thought I had grown stronger, but deep down, I knew it was only a delusion.

I'm still... far too weak.

The memory of Lady Succubus being brutally killed surfaced. If I wanted to protect even her, I would have to defeat beings as strong as the marquis—or even stronger. I felt absurd for having let my guard down.

A deep hunger gnawed at me. Thinking about how far I had to go, I felt a renewed yearning for power. I resolved myself. Sorcerers might imprison me for decades, but I decided to accept that as a fitting punishment for my lax attitude.

Fine.

Wherever they took me, I would endure. Whether it was the imperial secret prison or Azure's Spellhold, it didn't matter. Even if they read my memories or sealed me away for a long time, it didn't matter. The longer I suffered, the better I might be able to find the right path. Dying wouldn't be the end for me.

Next time, I'll do better...

As I steeled myself, something unexpected happened.

"

Waaaah. Waaaaaah.

"

The fox's cry echoed through the air.

Are there many foxes here?

It was the same sound I had heard on the first night. The cry felt strangely unsettling this time when mixed with the noises of crickets, other animals, and the flowing river. I glanced at the deeply sleeping marquis. He showed no signs of waking, his expression as serene as if he were listening to a lullaby.

The fox's cry rang out again.

"

Waaaah. Waaaaah.

"

I activated a skill. Even while tied up, I could still use it. Since I often paired it with Skeletal Morphing, my proficiency with the skill significantly improved.

Detection.

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

[Detection Lv. 2

Switching to active mode.

Skill efficiency at 400%.

Draining 0.0014% of health per second...]

But nothing registered in my senses.

I can hear the cries, but there's no presence at all?

A chilling unease crept over me. The crisp autumn night air suddenly felt foreign and oppressive. Bound as I was, I slowly turned my head to look around. The dawn had yet to break, but the darkness was faintly beginning to recede.

Clang!

The ringing of a sharp metallic sound made my head throb.

I turned toward the source of the noise. It came from behind me, opposite the direction I had been looking.

Clang!

Under the dim light of the fading night, sparks flew as metal scraped against metal. The marquis' sword was now fully drawn from its sheath, barely emerging by a finger's length even when dealing with the obsidian dagger. It was a flawlessly polished blade without a single blemish, its dull silver sheen seemingly absorbing the surrounding darkness.

Who is it?

Across from him stood a mysterious figure shrouded in the shadows. Their blades clashed once more.

Clang!

The intruder was thrown back, stepping back two large strides to steady themselves. They adjusted their grip on their weapons, one in each hand. The weapons were strange and unsettling, resembling small swords crafted into hooks. They looked well-suited for piercing deeply and pulling forcefully.

Are those meant to be used against armored opponents?

I couldn't tell what they were designed to pull, but those weapons seemed ill-suited for this encounter. The intruder's goal didn't seem like a direct confrontation. I noticed the marquis's backpack lying on the ground between them.

They tried to steal it and flee.

Now that the marquis was awake—or perhaps he had been pretending to sleep in preparation—the intruder's fate seemed to be tumbling rapidly toward failure.

The marquis said, "I've been waiting for this."

The marquis stepped forward and swung his sword horizontally. The motion was so sudden and fast that it was nearly imperceptible—there was no visible preparation.

Screech!

The intruder barely managed to block the strike, crossing their hook-like weapons to catch the blade. Sparks flew as the sword scraped against the hooks.

The intruder grumbled lightly, "Too strong, aren't you?"

Their voice sounded ambiguous, impossible to gauge age or gender. As expected, it wasn't familiar to me. The impact sent the intruder staggering back five steps, but the marquis closed the distance in an instant.

The marquis said lazily, "Let's take this slowly."

However, his blade moved with relentless speed.

Clang!

The intruder stumbled, barely deflecting the sword. The ground beneath them caved in deeply, their legs sinking into the mud up to their calves.

"Let's start with taking your arms."

The marquis's form blurred for a moment. A sharp white aura flared from his blade. In the same instant, the crimson hooks in the intruder's hands were severed like rotten branches.

Whoosh!

The marquis's silver blade sliced through the intruder's arms. The glowing aura on the blade didn't fade even after the strike. The range of the attack had been so long that it would have severed the intruder even if they had retreated ten steps.

The intruder hadn't moved back at all, yet there was no sound of flesh tearing. No blood flowed. No scream escaped. The intruder extended their arms as if nothing had happened. The supposedly severed arms were intact. The bisected hands holding the crimson hooks reached toward the marquis. The hooks, which had been split in two, reformed and plunged into the marquis's chest plate.

It wasn't a puncture. There was no sharp sound of metal against metal. A flicker of shock crossed the marquis's face for the first time. The two hooks appeared to grip the marquis's heart from both sides.

"I'm taking your heart," a playful voice echoed from behind the mask.

The marquis kicked off the ground with a flash.

Swoosh!

His body passed straight through the intruder, crashing to the ground. The hooks embedded in him slid out, causing the marquis to violently cough up blood onto the earth. Though his heart was intact, the hooks seemed to have ravaged his internal organs.

The marquis rolled across the ground, trembling in shock. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small golden vial. Without hesitation, he shoved it into his bloodied mouth.

Crunch!

The sound of him biting down on the vial echoed. Shards of glass, now coated in blood, tore through his flesh. Meanwhile, the intruder grabbed the backpack.

Clatter!

They effortlessly removed the metal stake that was pinning me down and then hoisted me up. For the first time, I got a clear view of their face.

A fox?

It wasn't an actual fox. It was a mask. The intruder wore a white fox mask adorned with three red streaks on the forehead.

With a flash of light, they kicked off the ground again.

Behind the mask, a distorted voice whispered to me, "Codename Starlight Blue Fox. Commencing initiation."