ERTHMB Chapter 53

Savage Blade Meanwhile, in the western forest of Dairon.

The bushes rustled in a stillness where not even a single ant could be seen.

A man was just emerging from the entrance of the forest. He was a man covered from head to toe in black liquid.

“Hmm.”

He kept rubbing his collar as if trying to wipe away the stains. When this proved ineffective, he simply took it off altogether.

The upper garment was so ruined that its original color was indiscernible. When he twisted and wrung it out, black liquid dripped steadily.

Though one might expect him to grimace at the foul smell, the man’s face as he dried his clothes was refreshingly clear.

He shook his head with refreshing movements as if he had just taken a shower in the forest. Just then, a passerby came into his view, and he casually spoke to them.

“Heading that way?”

At the voice that came from nowhere, the passerby jerked their head up and looked around. Soon discovering the man, the passerby’s eyes widened.

However, they recalled the recent news that the subjugation forces had begun their hunt. The man must be one of them.

An ordinary person couldn’t stand intact in front of the forest after being covered in so much monster fluid.

“Well, is there another path besides this one? I can’t trade my life for sore legs.”

The passerby had just been about to take their usual route. It was a distant path that cost considerably more, but compared to the threat of monsters, it was a trivial distance.

Meanwhile, the man roughly wiped his face and body with his removed shirt. As soon as he looked somewhat human, he leaped down from a tall tree stump onto the path.

“Going around there would be steep and take a long time. Come this way. It’ll be safe at least until this week.”

“I heard the subjugation forces start from the eastern forest… Have they already been to the western forest too?”

“…….”

Even at the passerby’s question, the man only smiled faintly.

Still without giving an answer, he rummaged through the bushes. Soon a large bag appeared. He slung the bag over his right shoulder and passed by the passerby.

“Take care, sir.”

His bare torso gradually disappeared into the distance. The passerby tilted their head for a moment but turned back to their path.

It was the trail he had recommended, not the roundabout side path. If they could reduce expenses while barely making ends meet, why not.

Moreover, considering his appearance, it seemed even more trustworthy. Partren’s efficient work without unnecessary frills was quite reliable.

However, that trust soon turned to horror.

“Wh-what is all this…!”

The passerby’s jaw dropped as they stepped onto the trail. The scene unfolding before their eyes was extremely shocking.

Everything around was completely black. The forest, which had been dark to begin with, had become a complete pit of darkness.

The thick smell of monster fluid stung their nose, and corpses that had been butchered and dismembered lay scattered every few steps.

What made it even more horrifying were the marks left on the corpses. Even after their lives had been taken, the slaughter hadn’t stopped, leaving them finely crushed.

This wasn’t subjugation or hunting. It was a scene better described as one-sided massacre.

“Could it be… that man just now…?”

Even knowing it would be impossible for one person, an inexplicable fear welled up.

The passerby squeezed their eyes shut and fled across the forest as if escaping.

That night, this fact was conveyed to Gelda through Flam’s mouth. Upon receiving the report, Gelda held her head.

“It’s good that work is decreasing, but…”

“That’s all?”

At the unsatisfactory reaction, Flam’s brow furrowed. Gelda removed her hand from her forehead and let out a deep sigh.

Soon she put a cigarette in her mouth, and Flam understood and lit it for her.

No further explanation was needed, but Gelda released her answer along with the smoke.

“Let’s hope that savage blade doesn’t turn toward people as well.”

****

The first subjugation campaign that had continued for two weeks at three-day intervals was over.

During that time, rumors circulated in the guild that the period had been significantly shortened from the original plan, whether due to someone’s good deed or misdeed.

When Helena first heard that rumor, she remembered the expression that appeared on Ian’s face.

‘He looked like he knew exactly who it was.’

This bothered her a little, but there was no need to be bound by it. The shortened period was somewhat good news for her.

She still needed more time to face high-level monsters without Ian’s help. She had also added “facing Cerberus alone” to her list of things she wanted to do.

Helena sat at her desk, occasionally tapping her temple with the tip of a quill pen as she gazed out the window. Stars began to twinkle one by one in the evening twilight sky.

As she absentmindedly counted them, someone knocked on her door.

“It’s me.”

It was Gelda.

Helena put down her pen and stood up. When she opened the door, Gelda entered more cautiously than expected.

Gelda glanced around the room and chuckled.

“A princess is a princess, huh? This might become the most fragrant room in our guild’s history.”

She usually sent Lily when there was something to announce or summoned people to her office. It was strange that she had come personally at this hour, so Helena greeted Gelda with puzzled eyes.

Gelda, being someone who didn’t usually hesitate, immediately got to business without any particular greeting.

“Take this.”

A small cloth pouch flew toward Helena. Catching it in surprise, Helena’s eyes grew even rounder.

A jingling sound leaked out through the slightly open opening. It was quite heavy in her grip.

“The settlement money from this subjugation. We don’t take separate commission fees, so I can’t give you much, but I put in quite a lot anyway.”

After dropping just a brief explanation, Gelda turned to leave, but Helena urgently grabbed her.

“I can’t accept this.”

“Why.”

“I didn’t defeat Cerberus by myself.”

Even without mentioning who had helped, Gelda knew as well.

However, Gelda pushed away Helena’s hand trying to return the money pouch.

“Work that out with that man yourself. I’m just settling accounts according to principle.”

When Helena still hesitated, Gelda put her hands on her hips and began to speak in a lecturing tone.

“Either way, it’s your share. And you need to accept at least this much to catch bigger ones next time.”

“Just being accepted as a member of Partren is enough for me.”

“I understand your feelings, but don’t say things like that elsewhere. You’ll get torn apart.”

Gelda straightened up and firmly pressed Helena’s hand holding the money pouch against her chest.

“Do you think taking down Dragoons or Actaeon is easy? This is payment for your skills, so accept it. That’s the right thing to do.”

Before Helena could add anything more, Gelda left the room.

Helena stared down at what she had left behind for a long time. The money pouch wasn’t just payment for simple labor.

It was something she had accomplished with her own hands. Something that hadn’t failed or become a mess.

It was a different kind of feeling from the stirring in her stomach she often felt when facing Ian.

It wasn’t simply good or bad, but a strange feeling that made her throat tingle.

Helena deliberately shook the pouch to make the jingling sound a few times. As if repeatedly confirming that this strange feeling existed tangibly before her eyes.

Then she immediately grabbed her coat and went outside.

‘She said to work it out myself…’

Listening to her own footsteps, Helena suddenly realized this was the first time she was going to Ian’s lodging.

The closer she got to him, the more her heart pounded on one side. Like a child tasting a rainbow lollipop for the first time.

She unnecessarily straightened her hair and clothing, then stood in front of the door and took a breath.

‘I want to share this feeling with you too.’

When she knocked on the dark brown oak panel, the door opened only after quite some time.

A completely different temperature from the outside air poured out along with yellow light.

“Helena?”

Ian stopped toweling his hair, which was covered with a towel.

It seemed like a very unexpected visit, as his hesitant abdominal muscles were clearly visible. The dim lighting made the shadows of his muscles even more distinct.

Helena turned her head away from his upper body, which still had water droplets scattered here and there, and asked.

“May I come in for a moment?”

Ian moved his hand, which had been on the back of his head, slowly again and stepped aside. Helena entered with mild tension.

The interior was neat. There was an atmosphere created by monotonous colors and organized tidiness.

Gelda had said her room would be the most fragrant in the guild’s history, but Helena thought his room was no less so.

The calm woody scent naturally relaxed her tension. The space was warm, perhaps because it resembled him.

Ian broke the silence first while drying the moisture from his hair with a towel.

“What brings you here? Coming all this way at this hour.”

“I’m sorry if I interrupted your personal time.”

“How could that be? I’m glad, so please come more often.”

A smile slowly spread across his lips as he leaned against the edge of the table.

Perhaps due to the languidness after showering, it looked even more like the smile of a well-fed predator.

It might have looked even more so because of the firm curves that drew clear outlines below his neck down to his navel.

Helena took out the money pouch along with her business from inside her clothes.

“I came because I have something to give you. I received the settlement from this subjugation campaign from Gelda—”

“I won’t accept that.”

The refusal was quick and firm.

Ian, who had moved away from the table he was leaning against, turned his back completely. With the towel slung over his shoulder, he walked toward the wardrobe, leaving Helena frozen in place.

While he took out a white shirt with leisurely movements, Helena stepped forward with a more resolute voice.

“Then consider it as repayment. Considering how much I’ve been indebted to you, you could accept at least this much.”

Ian still didn’t turn around. He sighed softly while putting his arms through the sleeves of his shirt.

“That’s not why I did those things. If anything, I did it all for my own sake.”

“I… thought you’d like it.”

“You still don’t know me that well—”

“At least it would assure you that I’ll stay by your side until I pay back all the money.”

This time Helena interrupted him. Ian stopped buttoning his shirt.

Helena looked away from his broad back and turned her body.

“But if it was a hasty judgment, I apologize.”

The next moment, Ian grabbed the arm of Helena, who was just about to turn away.

As soon as her slender wrist was caught in his large grip, her body spun around as well.

To Helena looking up with round rabbit eyes, Ian showed his open palm.

“Give it to me.”