NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31 (1)
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“It’s dark…”
The deathbed tickled the nape of Phillip’s neck.
His embrace grew warm, and the grip of the gang member who had been entangled with him loosened.
Phillip, who had pulled the sword out of the thug’s windpipe, finally sat down.
“Heh… heh…”
The breath he had held burst out.
As tension eased, the stinging sensation in his thighs and cheeks finally became apparent.
The wounds from the battle with the thugs.
Phillip, who had been trembling without even considering staunching the bleeding, eventually looked at Ian sitting by the bonfire.
Casually enjoying dried meat, Ian spoke.
“You’ve acquired a manly look.”
“Why on earth…”
Phillip managed to speak with a breathless voice.
Ian shrugged his shoulders.
“I told you things would be different from before, didn’t I?”
“…”
Phillip didn’t realize that it meant things would be different in this way, and he let out a sigh.
He had argued and suggested going to the bonfire after all.
Finally, he mumbled.
“Maybe you wanted me to experience something like this. The true face of the kingdom.”
“Interpretation…”
Ian tossed bandages and cloth to Phillip with a smirk.
“Start with first aid, then get up.”
“What… else is left?”
“The most important thing is still left.”
Ian approached Phillip with the remaining dried meat in his mouth.
As he began stripping the bodies of their equipment and rummaging through their belongings, Phillip’s forehead tightened.
“Are you searching their pockets now?”
“Transferring ownership. You’ve probably seen it a lot in border zones.”
“That’s true, but… back then, I recovered them as spoils from the enemy. They were former pirates, after all.”
“Well, maybe you can learn the joy of filling your own pockets this time. Strip the ones you killed.”
“…”
Phillip mumbled something under his breath.
For someone who had spent a long time as a divine knight, this was not something he felt comfortable with.
That’s why he felt like he was becoming a thug himself.
“Can’t you do it? Then I’ll take care of it.”
Efficiently collecting necessary items, Ian moved and said.
Phillip, who had regained his senses, raised his head.
“No, it’s fine. This might be an experience as well.”
After roughly finishing the first aid, Phillip reached for the thug’s corpse.
For a moment, he examined the still warm body.
“…!”
A purse was hanging from Phillip’s hand.
His eyes widened as he checked its contents.
Shiny silver and copper coins.
Phillip’s lips, which had been slightly drooping, gradually curved upwards.
He hugged the purse to his chest.
His touch on the purse became busy.
Watching him hungrily strip the corpse, Ian chuckled.
“You’re thrilled.”
Acting like a knight, yet.
The looting was quick and smooth.
Ian’s purse grew thicker, and Phillip, now wearing a new sword, a dagger, gloves, boots, and a belt, stood side by side.
They were both looking at the same thing.
A sealed box that mercenaries used for transport.
When Ian looked at it, the quality of the box seemed too good compared to the mercenaries’ abilities.
Intricately spell circuits covered its surface.
Shining, polished magical gems adorned it.
‘…Should I give this to the bounty dealer? I might earn more money…’
As Ian was thinking, Phillip looked at him.
“Do you want to open it alone?”
Ian licked his lips.
He felt the same way.
An unforeseen situation in the game had piqued his curiosity.
‘Maybe it’s a quest I skipped. …I wish I could open it during the day.’
Ian gripped the ring of the box and attempted to open it.
But he only felt a repelling force; it wouldn’t budge.
‘As expected, it’s not working.’
It was the reactive force that occurred when trying to put a living being inside.
It was sealed, but he still gave it a try, just in case.
Unavoidable.
Ian chose a dagger and infused a magic power into it.
He struck a magic gem embedded in the box with all his strength.
Clang!
After three strikes, the gem shattered.
The light of the other gems diminished.
A moment of silence. Then, the lid of the sealed box opened abruptly, without warning.
A form shot out from inside and lunged at Ian.
He collided with it and fell to the ground.
Thud, Ian’s back hit a tree stump, stopping him.
Ian looked up at the figure who had covered him.
He immediately recognised it.
The only vampire of this world, a bloodsucking fairy.
The Queen of Blood, Tesia, who would absorb the vampire lord of Russard and become the queen of blood herself, was a rather significant boss character.
Then, Tesia, who had been scanning the corpses in all directions, faced him again
“Even though I could have escaped on my own, thanks for killing them for me.”
Throwing away the remaining dagger, Ian retorted.
“You’re thanking me even though you would have ripped my throat out?”
“I’m hungry. Actually, I still am. But looking at you…”
With a grin, the fairy’s fangs peeked out between her lips.
“Seems like I wouldn’t be able to eat you no matter what.”
“Know your limits.”
So now you know what I’m thinking?
Ian drew the Sword of Condemnation from within, his mind seething with turmoil. Tesia’s brows furrowed.
“So, I promise you, the next meeting. Don’t die before then.” her voice shot up as it was.
Her ash-colored hair enveloped her entire body, then fluttered and receded into the darkness in an instant.
An arrow-like speed.
“……”
A sardonic smile played on Ian’s lips.
He was ready to jump out.
Philip, who had been holding his breath, looked back at him.
“Do we really not need to chase after that?”
“How would you even chase after that?”
Translator; ippo
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